ReliefWeb

The Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) for 2021 was launched on 1 December 2020 to help 160 million of the 235 million most vulnerable people who face hunger, conflict, displacement, the impacts of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic in 56 countries. As of 30 September, adjusted requirements for 44 appeals were $36.8 billion to assist 172 million of the 251 million people in need in 59 countries. This month, requirements grew by $268 million, due to the publication of the Kenya Flash Appeal and the Afghanistan Flash Appeal (and subsequent revision of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan).

Funding for the GHO 2021 was $13.2 billion or 36 per cent of requirements at the end of September, with significant new funding reported for the Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, plans, as well as the regional appeals for Syria and the Rohingya Crisis. This is a large increase since last month when reported funding was $11.5 billion. Reported funding is similar to that at the end of September last year when funding totalled $13.1 billion or 33 per cent of 2020 requirements.

An additional $7.1 billion of humanitarian funding has been reported. This is $0.6 billion higher than the additional funding reported at the same time last year. Coverage of the plans in the GHO varies widely. Only ten out of forty-three appeals are funded above one half of their requirements. Sixteen appeals are funded below 25 per cent.

The gap between requirements and funding at the of end of September 2021 is the second largest ever, with more than $23 billion of unmet needs unmet. Although funding is at approximately the same level as the same period last year, the end-September 2020 funding gap was larger, primarily due to the COVID-19 and the high requirements for the global response to the pandemic.