Saltar al contenido principal

UNICEF Kenya Year End Humanitarian Situation Report: 31 December 2021

Países
Kenia
Fuentes
UNICEF
Fecha de publicación

Reporting Period: 1 January to 31 December 2021

Highlights

  • Kenya is facing a severe drought due to the cumulative impacts of three consecutive failed rains seasons. Over 2.8 million people were facing food insecurity by December 2021.

  • By 31 December 2021, Kenya had experienced the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with 297,155 confirmed cases, 253,715 recoveries and 5,381 deaths reported.

  • 104,264 are children (53,014 girls and 51,250 boys) and 5,992 pregnant/ lactating women were reached through UNICEF supported-supported integrated health outreach services between January to December 2021.

  • 58,373 (30,179 girls and 28,194 boys) malnourished children were admitted for treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) between January to November 2021.

  • 58,897 children (33,525 girls, 25,372 boys) and 735 adults were reached through UNICEF- supported child protection support services by 31 December 2021.

  • By December 2021, UNICEF reached 229,354 (131,778 girls and 97,576 boys) children and youth affected by conflict and natural disasters to access formal and non-formal education

  • Between January and December 2021, UNICEF has reached 3,076,575 people (769,023 men, 799,910 women, 738,378 boys, 769,264 girls) with access to safe water, provision of WASH supplies, household water treatment, COVID-19 hygiene messaging, hygiene promotion and improved sanitation.

  • The 2021 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal has a funding gap of 47% by 31 December 2021.

Funding Overview and Partnerships

In 2021, UNICEF appealed for US$ 32.7 million to sustain the provision of life-saving services for women and children in Kenya. The United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF, USA (USAID) OFDA, USAID/Food for Peace, European Commission / ECHO, USA (State) BPRM, Japan Committee for UNICEF, the Government of Japan and UNOCHA (CERF) have generously contributed to UNICEF Kenya’s humanitarian response against the appeal. UNICEF expresses its sincere gratitude to all public and private donors for the contributions of US$ 9.4 million received. However, the 2021 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal has a funding gap of 47% by 31 December 2021. UNICEF continued to support resource mobilization efforts through its sector lead role for Nutrition, WASH, Education and Child Protection and its technical oversight role for Health and Social Protection, and re-allocated regular resources to meet critical gaps.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

According to the National Drought Management Authority, Kenya is facing a severe drought situation due to the cumulative impacts of three consecutive failed rain seasons, with all Arid and Semi- Arid Lands (ASAL) counties receiving less than 50% of expected rainfall. Consequently, over 2.8 million people1 were facing food insecurity in Kenya by December 2021, up from 1.4 million in February 2021.

Due to below-average recharge of surface water sources, water access at the household level is 80 percent above the long-term average in all the 23 ASAL counties. According to integrated phase classification for acute malnutrition (IPC-AMN) conducted in August 2021, Malnutrition status remained in the Critical phase in Turkana, Samburu, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, North Horr, Laisamis and East Pokot and in the Serious phase in West Pokot and Tana River. A total of 652,960 children under five are acutely malnourished (142,809 of which are severely acutely malnourished).

A mid-season assessment conducted in December 2021 showed a worsening nutrition situation across most arid and semi-arid areas. The main driver of acute malnutrition is poor dietary intake with reduced milk production and consumption which forms the main diet for children in arid areas. Other drivers include morbidity, poor childcare practices, poor sanitation, and health environment.

FAO stated that there was no locust invasion in Kenya, as of December 2021, attributable to the intensified outbreak control efforts. However, locust breeding is still possible in northern Kenya as laying and hatching continues to be reported in Somalia and Ethiopia.

Due to heavy seasonal rains in some areas, a total of 55,002 people were displaced by floods in seven counties in Western Kenya, the Rift Valley and in Nairobi informal settlements, as of June 2021. Flooding was experienced in parts of Garissa, Kitui and Tana River counties in late November and early December 2021 due to heavy rainfall, affecting 2,500 households.

According to the Ministry of Health, by 31 December 2021, Kenya had experienced the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with 297,155 confirmed cases, 253,715 recoveries and 5,381deaths reported. Kenya launched the COVID- 19 vaccination campaign on 5th March 2021 across all 47 counties. As of 31 December 2021, a total of 10.1 million vaccines had so far been administered across the country, of which, 5.9 million were partially vaccinated 4.2 million fully vaccinated, the proportion of fully vaccinated adults being 15.4 per cent. The Government is working towards vaccinating a targeted population of over 27 million people.

UNHCR reports that Kenya hosts 540,433 refugees and asylum seekers, as of 30 November 2021: 54% of whom are from Somalia, 24.5% from South Sudan, 8.9 % from Congo and 5.8% from Ethiopia. With the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, Kenya remains on alert for a possible influx. About 44% of the refugees in Kenya reside in Dadaab refugee camps, 40% in Kakuma refugee camps, and 16% in urban areas, mainly Nairobi. On 23rd March 2021, the Government of Kenya announced the closure of the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps. This continues to create anxiety to refugees and host communities, especially children, on the potential loss of opportunity to access education, child protection, health and other basic social services as well as the likelihood of non-voluntary return to insecure conditions in their home countries once the camps are closed. The Government of Kenya and UNHCR are working together to implement a roadmap for the closure that is based on voluntary, durable, safe, sustainable, and orderly solutions and in line with Kenya’s national and international obligations.