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Humanitarian Action for Children 2020 - Angola

Countries
Angola
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date
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In southern Angola, an estimated 2.3 million people continue to face food insecurity and are in need of humanitarian assistance due to the worsening and prolonged drought conditions. The rains have failed for the last eight months, with less than 50 millimetres of rain recorded during this period. More than 421,000 people are food insecure in the 23 communes surveyed. This number is projected to increase to nearly 562,000 by February 2020, with 50 per cent of communes classified as experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity. Global acute malnutrition prevalence is 9.8 per cent and 5.6 per cent of children are severely malnourished. Affected populations have seen their livelihoods deteriorate significantly, and already fragile livelihoods are expected to worsen in the coming months due to poor harvests and limited access to food during the lean season. Across the country, there are reports of loss of livestock and family assets, increasing water scarcity, sharp rises in food prices in local markets, drops in school attendance, school closures, increasing child protection risks and health emergencies, such as measles, polio and scabies outbreaks. In addition, the 10,000 refugees in Lunda Norte continue to require support.

Humanitarian strategy

In collaboration with government line ministries, civil protection departments and national and international non-governmental organizations, UNICEF is providing life-saving and protective humanitarian assistance in Angola, through a timely, effective and integrated package of nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child protection and education services. UNICEF is supporting the Government's humanitarian response through the provision of essential drugs and vaccines, as well as nutrition, WASH and communication for development supplies. At the national and sub-national levels, UNICEF is building on its strategic presence by supporting assessment, response and monitoring of humanitarian interventions, while strengthening humanitarian coordination and government services. UNICEF is leading measles and polio vaccination campaigns, including related communication for development and social mobilization activities. The humanitarian strategy emphasizes the targeting of vulnerable communities in programme implementation and through geographic and programmatic convergence in child-centred sites to deliver equitable and integrated WASH, education, health and nutrition services for those children and families most impacted by drought. UNICEF interventions will focus on schools, hospitals and health centres, including in the provision of safe drinking water, to promote complementarity and foster synergies between government and partner services, maximize the use of resources and achieve greater results for children.

Results from 2019

As of 31 August 2019, UNICEF had US$6.5 million available against the US$15.8 million appeal (41 per cent funded). The deteriorating drought conditions in the south provinces of Angola and the severe impacts of drought on people's health, nutrition, WASH, education and protection, particularly for children and women, necessitate timely resource mobilization. Without adequate funding, UNICEF, the Government and partners will be unable to mitigate the impact of droughts. The results from 2019 reflect the impact that resources have had on achievements. Given that education, nutrition, health and child protection were underfunded in 2019, it will be critical that the 2020 appeal is sufficiently funded to ensure an adequate emergency response and reduce the suffering of the most drought-affected populations, including children and women. Funding limitations will also have implications on overall coordination and UNICEF’s ability to complement the emergency drought initiatives of the Government and partners.