ReliefWeb

Background

On 4 November 2020, clashes erupted between the military and regional forces in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. The federal government declared a state of emergency for six months, and a large-scale humanitarian crisis emerged with a surge of internally displaced persons and movement of refugees into neighboring countries. Despite the announcement of an official end to military operations at the end of November 2020, there has been continued conflict across the region and insecurity particularly in Tigray, Afar and Amhara regions with significant impact on the safety and protection of civilians. After several months of restricted movement due to insecurity and on-going clashes, particularly in remote rural areas, unfettered access was granted by the Federal Government on 3 March1 to humanitarian actors to operate in the area. Total numbers of internally displaced people in the region are still difficult to confirm as humanitarian needs assessments are still restricted to accessible or partially accessible areas. Incidents of violence and general insecurity continue to pose a threat to local populations; women and girls are particularly vulnerable and exposed to sexual violence, exploitation, unintended pregnancy, and increased maternal mortality deprived access to critical health care services