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Humanitarian Action for Children 2019 - Sudan

Countries
Sudan
+ 1 more
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date
Origin
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Snapshot
Total people in need: 5.5 million
Total children (<18) in need: 2.6 million
Total people to be reached: 1.67 million
Total children to be reached: 951,000

In 2019, an estimated 5.5 million people, including 2.6 million children, will require humanitarian assistance in the Sudan. The country hosts 1.2 million refugees, and sporadic fighting in parts of Jebel Marra have increased the number of internally displaced persons to 1.8 million. Although humanitarian access to some formerly inaccessible areas has improved and government prioritization of key humanitarian interventions has benefited vulnerable groups, people in the Sudan continue to suffer due to a range of humanitarian crises, including protracted conflicts and related displacement, natural disasters, epidemics, malnutrition and food insecurity—all of which were further exacerbated by the economic crisis of 2018. Food insecurity and malnutrition are widespread, with 11 out of 18 states experiencing global acute malnutrition rates at or above the emergency threshold, and 2.4 million children affected by malnutrition. Some 3.3 million people urgently require water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) support, including to prevent future disease outbreaks. Parts of Jebel Marra, Blue Nile and the Nuba Mountains have been inaccessible since 2011. For years, children in these areas have been cut off from basic services, such as vaccination for polio and measles, as well as nutrition, WASH and child protection support.

Humanitarian strategy

UNICEF and humanitarian partners will continue to support the Government of the Sudan to respond to the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. Joint planning will be expedited to identify the most vulnerable populations and reach these populations with sustainable local solutions that promote social cohesion and bridge humanitarian action and development programming. UNICEF will also support government-led voluntary return efforts and develop comprehensive responses to reaching children in high-risk zones affected by epidemics, conflict, the effects of climate change and economic crisis, including people on the move. To strengthen accountability to affected populations, communities will be involved in evidence-based decision-making that impacts their lives. UNICEF will continue to conduct upstream advocacy and support coordination to facilitate humanitarian response that reaches the most vulnerable and marginalized children and communities through its leadership of the education, nutrition and WASH sectors and the child protection area of responsibility. UNICEF will work with both State and non-State actors to increase access to affected children in Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur states. The significant inroads made in Jebel Marra towards improving humanitarian access, protecting civilians and ensuring equitable access to basic services, will facilitate the development of longer-term strategies geared towards lasting and durable solutions.

Results from 2018
As of 31 October 2018, UNICEF and partners had US$58.8 million available against the US$115.1 million appeal (51 per cent funded). In 2018, in response to the chikungunya and acute watery diarrhoea outbreaks, UNICEF reached over 491,000 people with medical and non-medical interventions. In and around the newly accessible areas of Jebel Marra, UNICEF reached nearly 140,000 people, including nearly 73,000 children, with access to improved drinking water. Nearly 785,000 children accessed integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) services and over 328,000 children under 1 year were vaccinated against measles. With UNICEF support, more than 173,000 children aged 6 to 59 months with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) received treatment. Over 67,000 school-aged vulnerable children accessed schooling through the establishment of safe learning spaces and nearly 148,000 children received essential education supplies that enabled school attendance. Nearly 4,900 unaccompanied and separated internally displaced and refugee children were reunified with their families or placed in alternative care arrangements. The implementation of the March 2016 action plan to protect children from grave violations, signed by the Government and the United Nations, led to the delisting of the Sudan Government security forces from the Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict.