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UNICEF Ethiopia Humanitarian Situation Report #1 – Reporting Period January 2018

Countries
Ethiopia
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Sources
UNICEF
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Highlights

  • Due to drought and large-scale displacement in the southern and southeastern lowland areas of Ethiopia, humanitarian needs remain significant.

  • Ethiopia is the second largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, with 892,555 registered refugees and asylum seekers, 58 percent of whom are children.

  • In 2018, an estimated 320,000 children will need treatment for severe acute malnutrition, while outbreaks of malaria, measles and Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) will continue to threaten children’s well-being. 7.4 million people will require access to safe water and 600,000 people will need protection services.

  • With improved access to internally displaced people in Oromia and Somali Regions, UNICEF has provided life-saving interventions through Government and humanitarian partners. Since January 2018, UNICEF has provided medical treatment for 4,360 IDPs including 2,724 children.

  • UNICEF’s provision of technical support and prepositioned WASH supplies has contributed to a sharp decline in the reported number of cases of acute watery diarrhoea in the Somali Region. However, critical needs remain unmet.

Situation in Numbers

320,000 * Children in need of treatment for severe acute malnutrition in 2018

7 million * People in need of access to safe drinking water and sanitation services

2.2 million * School-aged children, including adolescents, in need of emergency school feeding and learning material assistance

1.696 million ** Number of internally displaced people in Ethiopia (64 percent displaced due to conflict)

892,555 *** Registered refugees and asylum seekers in Ethiopia.

Situation Overview and Humanitarian

Needs Ethiopia is currently faced with a complex crisis of drought and conflict displaced populations. As of December 2017, approximately 1.69 million people were estimated to be internally displaced. An estimated one million people have been displaced because of conflict along the Somali-Oromia regional borders while more than 528,000 are displaced because of climate induced1 factors. The populations have been displaced in areas that are already experiencing ongoing drought. Below average rainfall, triggered by La Niña, is projected in parts of the south, south-east and north-east during the Feb – May 2018 rainy season which will further exacerbate existing vulnerabilities of the displaced, especially populations in pastoral and agro-pastoral areas.

According to draft 2018 Humanitarian Requirement Document (HRD) , in 2018, an estimated 320,000 children will need treatment for severe acute malnutrition, while outbreaks of malaria, measles and Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) will continue to threaten children’s well-being. 7.4 million people will require access to safe water and 600,000 people will need protection services. Some 2.2 million school aged children will need school meals, water and sanitation services and educational materials to go and stay in school.

Evolving political and emergency situations in neighbouring countries has led to an increase in people seeking refuge in Ethiopia. As of 31 December 2017, 892,555 refugees were living in the country with the majority being South Sudanese, Somalis, Eritreans and Sudanese.