ReliefWeb

Highlights

• The security situation continues to deteriorate throughout the country. Since January 2019, 552 security incidents were reported, compared to 520 in October.
Out of the 32 non-state armed groups (NSAG) incidents, nearly 75% targeted civilians

• The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has reached 560,033 (OCHA, 9 December 2019), more than six-fold increase compared to early 2019.

• 1,784 schools are closed in the country, affecting 245,625 children and 7,858 teachers, according to the Ministry of national education, literacy and promotion of national languages (MENAPLN, 21 November 2019)

• Nearly 1.2 million people are affected by the lack of health and nutrition services, as 95 health centers were closed and 135 are operating at a reduced capacity (Ministry of Health (MoH), 9 December 2019).

• 20 health facilities out of 22 (91 per cent) in Gorom-Gorom district (Sahel region) closed after the murder of a health worker on 29 November 2019

• The results of the rapid nutritional survey carried out in November showed an alarming nutritional situation, above the critical threshold in 3 out of 6 municipalities affected by the security crisis and in one displacement site.

• 2 minors (boys) presumably associated to armed groups reintegrated with their family.

Funding Overview and Partnerships

In line with the 2019 UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children appeal (HAC) and the revised 2019 Burkina Faso Humanitarian Response Plan (OCHA, July 2019), the funding gap as of the end of November 2019 remained at 71 per cent. During the reporting period, UNICEF Burkina Faso did not receive any additional funding.
UNICEF Burkina Faso would like to recognize the generous contributions from key partners including Japan, Sweden, Austria, CERF, USAID and ECHO. In addition, UNICEF recognizes the flexible and unearmarked funding received through the Global Humanitarian Thematic Fund.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

During the reporting period, the rapid response mechanism and other humanitarian actors reported several alerts on new population movements and conducted rapid multisectoral assessments to prioritize humanitarian responses.
Registration of new IDP is regularly conducted by the Conseil national de secours d’urgence et de rehabilitation (CONASUR), the government institution in charge of data collection and humanitarian response.
As of 9 December 2019, 560,033 IDPs (53.7 per cent children) had been registered in the country.
While all the 13 regions are now hosting IDPs, the most affected regions remain the Centre-Nord (48.3 per cent) and Sahel (37.8 per cent).
A rapid nutritional survey using the SMART methodology was carried out to evaluate the nutritional status of displaced children aged 6 to 59 months, and pregnant orlactating women in the six communes1 with the highest number of displaced population. The results reveal a critical nutritional situation , with unprecedented levels of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) exceeding the new WHO thresholds of 15 per cent in the IDP site and municipality of Barsalogho (Centre-Nord region), and in Djibo (Sahel region). Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) reached 7.8 per cent in Barsalogho site (Centre-Nord region), 6.4 per cent in Arbinda and 5.1 percent in Djibo municipalities (Sahel region).
As of 9 December 2019, 95 out 1,140 health centres(8.3 per cent) in emergency-affected regions2 were closed. An estimated 1,192,173 people have no or limited access to nutrition and health services. The Sahel region continues to register the highest number of closed health centres, 52 out of 119 health centres (44 per cent).
Djibo health district (Sahel region) is the most affected with 26 closed health centres and the remaining 22 working with minimum operations. Gorom-Gorom health district (Sahel region) is the second most affected health district, with 20 out of 22 centres. Out of the 135 health centres operating at reduced or minimum services, 38 are in Sahel, 26 Boucle du Mouhoun, 23 in Nord, 21 in Centre-Nord, 19 in Est and 8 in Centre-Est regions.
As for education, 1,784 schools are closed due to insecurity, affecting 245,625 children and 7,858 teachers, which represents a 22.5 per cent increase compared to end October.