ReliefWeb

Background and Humanitarian needs

The humanitarian situation is deteriorating due to the devastating impact of flooding, desert locust infestation, the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing conflict About 5.9 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, an increase from the 5.2 million reported in 2020. Up to 2.7 million people are expected to be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse and will face acute food insecurity through mid-2021. An estimated 840,000 children under the age of five are acutely malnourished, 143,000 of them severely and at risk of death.

Food security is expected to worsen. The poor October to December 2020 Deyr rains led to the inadequate pasture, water resources and below average crop production. Weather predictions point towards a second consecutive season of below-average rainfall from April to June due to the La Nina effect, which will likely result in severe water shortages, critical loss of pasture, livestock losses and poor or limited cereal production. This will consequently lead to reductions in milk and meat as well as increase in cost of minimum expenditure basket. Joint assessments point to high risk of drought in the coming months particularly in high water stress areas in Somaliland, Jubaland,
Galmudug and Puntland. Pre-drought conditions, including widely depleted berkeds and shallow wells, loss of livestock

Climatic shocks and conflict have continued to drive displacement, mainly from rural areas to urban centres. In December alone, 38,000 new internal displacements were monitored by the UNHCR led Protection and Return Monitoring Network. The number of displacements is predicted to increase as drought like conditions intensify in parts of Somalia. IDPs and urban poor continue to suffer from the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 due to decline in remittances, increased food, rising water prices, decreased employment and other income earning opportunities. IDPs remain most vulnerable and continue to face discriminatory practices that deny them equitable access to limited services available including shelter. They face multiple protection risk, exploitation, family separation, sexual and gender-based violence, and have limited livelihood and coping options.

Access to healthcare remains very limited resulting in poor health outcomes such as high maternal and under five mortality rates. Availability of safe drinking water and sanitation are vital for reducing the burden of disease and improving the health, education and economic productivity. Reports show that the outbreak of AWD and cholera in parts of Somalia has been aggravated by climatic factors such as floods and prolonged dry conditions. A total of 6,225 cases of cholera, including 32 deaths, have been reported in 2020 as of 15 November. Over 40 per cent of cases and more than half the deaths were in children under 2.

However, SOYDA have been providing integrated package of nutrition, Food Security, Education, Civic Education, Youth empowerment, WASH, protection, and health intervention in Benadir, Southwest and Jubbaland State of Somalia.

SOYDA shall however, continue its program implementation to enable reduce the vulnerability as well as provide improved lifesaving Health, Nutrition,
WASH, Food Security, Protection and Education services