Highlights:

• Affected populations in north east Nigeria remain in Emergency acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) due to large gaps in basic food needs and high levels of acute malnutrition.

• Over 97 per cent of 1.69 million children have been reached with Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), 92 per cent of 1.61 million with Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) and 338,181 children (6 to 59 months) were screened for malnutrition in the recently completed integrated polio outbreak response and nutrition screening campaigns in Borno state.

• Over 2.7 million affected population have access to UNICEF supported primary healthcare services (PHC) and 89,178 severe acute malnourished children have been admitted into therapeutic feeding programmes with a cure rate of 87 per cent.

• With UNICEF support, 489,533 affected people have access to safe water. Psychosocial support has reached 155,962 children and 83,970 children are benefitting from education services through protective and safe learning environment.

• Constraining factors to scale up humanitarian response include under-funding, access to affected people due to insecurity, and difficult road conditions exacerbated by heavy rains affecting aid delivery.

Situation in Numbers

29 Sept to 5 October 2016 14.8 million People affected by the crisis in the four North East States of Adamawa, Borno, Gombe and Yobe (HRP, January 2016)
7 million People in need in the four North East states. (HRP, January 2016)
3.8 million Children in need in the four North East states (HRP, January 2016)
2.2 million People in areas inaccessible due to insecurity in Borno (UNICEF Situation Analysis)

UNICEF Appeal 2016
US$ 115 million *Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC), does not include inaccessible areas of Borno

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

As more areas are cleared by military, increased number of displaced families are returning to their homes in newly accessible areas.

Field mission reports from various humanitarian partners including UN partners highlight that the scale of damage in newly accessible areas is immense and both displaced and returning families continue to face a precarious security situation, food shortages, economic disruption, as well as limited access to food, water and sanitation, shelter and health services in several recently accessible LGAs in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States. The Nigeria Update from the Famine Early Warning Systems (FEWS) Network, reports that population in these areas remain in Emergency acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) as recent information shows larger gaps in basic food needs and suggest high levels of acute malnutrition. The Nigerian currency (Naira)has depreciated by more than 40 percent since early 2016, with the national inflation rate having increased from 17.1 per cent in July to 17.6 per cent presently, resulting in a significant increase in food prices,which is further exacerbating the food insecurity and malnutrition situation in crisis affected areas in north east.

Access for humanitarian actors to affected areas remains difficult. Sporadic attacks by the insurgentsalong some routes continue to be a threat for civilian, military and humanitarian convoys. Humanitarian organizations are providing some support to these communities with helicopter services provided by the UN. The rainy season has also exacerbated the problem of access to some of these areas as roads are washed out and impassable.

A confirmed case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type two (cVDPV2) was discovered on 21 September in Monguno, a former non-accessible LGA of Borno state, this follows theAugust confirmation of three cases of wild poliovirus. In response, UNICEF provided timely funds and support to the Ministry of Health to assess population immunity, search for cases of acute flaccid paralysis as part of polio surveillance, and assess any potential risk of circulation of this strain.

In newly accessible areas including Mafa, Konduga, Dikwa, Bama, Monguno, Gowza, there is an urgent need to support the State Ministry of Education (SoME) and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), with provision of school tents and other school supplies. The SoME has reported that in Konduga LGA, two more schools (Konduga Central Primary School and Lawan Masta Primary School) have reopened and urgently require tents and supplies to increase access to safe learning. Additionally, school tents have been damaged due to heavy rains and wind in a number of IDP camps in Maiduguri and need to be replaced. This has been a consistent challenge and has often interrupted schooling.

UNICEF Country Representative, Chief of Field Office, and Health staff visited Muna Garage IDP Camp and Custom IDP camp Clinic in Maiduguri. There were significant improvements in terms of quality of services provided, showing good integration between health, WASH and nutrition.

With an HIV/AIDs prevalence of 1.1% in 2014, Borno state is not one of the priority states for the national HIV/AIDs response, however, the UNICEF HIV/AIDs Team is conducting a scoping mission (3 to 9 October) to assess the need for a HIV response in affected areas in Borno state given the increased vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDs and the disruption of HIV/AIDs services in camps and among the displaced population.

Highlights

• As of 3 October, a total of 2,450 cholera cases have been reported, with 37 deaths confirmed. Outbreaks have been confirmed in two new areas, however areas of active transmission are restricted to Juba, Mingkaman and Fangak.

• A number of measles cases have been reported in Abyei, with at least 17 cases confirmed as of 4 October. In response to the high number of cases, a campaign is planned for 8 October, targeting 19,815 children. UNICEF will be providing support for vaccine logistics and transportation, as well as social mobilization.

• The Child Protection programme remains significantly underfunded, with the funding gap currently at 65 per cent.

SITUATION IN NUMBERS

1.69 million People internally displaced since 15 December 2013 (OCHA Humanitarian Snapshot, 28 July 2016)
Over 1 million South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries since December 2013 (UNHCR South Sudan Situation Information Sharing Portal, 16 September 2016)

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

The security situation across the country remains unpredictable. Recent weeks have seen a number of defections among prominent political and military figures in South Sudan, which has exacerbated instability and resulted in a number of violent clashes. The current security situation in Unity, Upper Nile and Greater Equatoria is impacting the abilityto deliver humanitarian assistance. In particular,all humanitarian services have been interrupted in areas of southern Unity following fighting between military groups.

Cholera cases continue to decline, with active transmission now restricted to Juba, Mingkaman and Fangak. Meanwhile, 51 measles cases have been reported in Abyei, of which 17 have been confirmed. Although South Sudan is now at the end of the wet season, malaria remains the primary cause of morbidity and mortality for children under the age of five in the country; Northern Bahr el Ghazal is particularly affected.

Northern Bahr el Ghazal continues to face a food security and nutrition crisis, with the global acute malnutrition (GAM) rates currently more than double the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency threshold (>15 per cent). Other areas, including parts of Unity, are also showing high malnutrition rates.

In Numbers

• 1.67 million internally displaced people (OCHA est.)

• 1,009,854 South Sudanese refugees (UNHCR est.)

• 202,019 people seeking shelter with the UN (UNMISS est.)

• 4.8 million people in emergency or crisis level food insecurity (IPC, May - July 2016)

Highlights

• On 6 October, WFP joined the UN Country Team to launch the Interim Cooperation Framework (ICF), the UN’s short term development strategy in South Sudan. The ICF prioritizes resilience building, strengthening support to the most vulnerable, strengthening peace and governance, reinvigorating the local economy and improving the status of women and youth.

• A budget revision has extended WFP’s Emergency Operation to September 2017; a budget revision is also underway for the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO). Through the EMOP, WFP seeks to provide life saving food and nutrition assistance to 3 million people through general food distributions (GFD) and blanket/targeted supplementary feeding for children and pregnant/nursing mothers. The EMOP shifts away from geographic targeting, recognizing deepening food insecurity country-wide and that areas affected by conflict have expanded beyond the Greater Upper Nile region. Through the PRRO, WFP will continue to support refugees as well as areas that have become more stable by implementing food assistance for assets (FFA), school meals and Purchase for Progress (P4P) activities.

N’DJAMENA, le 11 octobre 2016 – Par rapport aux garçons de leur âge, les filles âgées de 5 à 14 ans consacrent 40 % de temps en plus, ou 160 millions d’heures supplémentaires par jour, à des tâches ménagères non rémunérées ainsi qu’à la collecte de l’eau et du bois, d’après un rapport publié par l’UNICEF à la veille de la Journée internationale de la fille, célébrée le 11 octobre.

« Exploiter la puissance des données au service des filles : bilan et perspectives pour 2030 » fournit les premières estimations mondiales sur le temps que les filles consacrent aux tâches ménagères telles que la cuisine, le ménage, s’occuper des membres de la famille ou aller chercher de l’eau et du bois.

« Il y a plus de 3 millions de filles au Tchad, soit environ un quart de la population. En s’attaquant aux défis qu’elles rencontrent et en investissant dans leur avenir, nous pouvons contribuer à la réalisation des objectifs de développement du Tchad. Investir en faveur des filles – pour leur santé, leur éducation et leur sécurité – leur permet d’améliorer leur vie et de contribuer à un Tchad plus pacifique et plus prospère pour tous, » a déclaré Philippe Barragne-Bigot, Représentant de l’UNICEF au Tchad.

Les données révèlent que la répartition inégale du travail domestique commence très tôt, puisque les filles âgées de 5 à 9 ans consacrent 30 % de temps en plus, ou 40 millions d’heures supplémentaires chaque jour, aux tâches ménagères par rapport aux garçons de leur âge. Les disparités s’accentuent dans les tranches d’âge supérieures ; en effet, les filles de 10 à 14 ans y consacrent 50 % de temps en plus, soit 120 millions d’heures supplémentaires chaque jour.

« Le fardeau inégal du travail domestique non rémunéré pèse sur les filles dès la petite enfance, et s’alourdit lorsqu’elles arrivent à l’adolescence », déplore Anju Malhotra, Conseillère principale à l’UNICEF pour l’égalité des sexes. « Par conséquent, celles-ci doivent consentir à d’importants sacrifices et renoncer à apprendre, grandir ou simplement vivre pleinement leur enfance.

Le rapport indique que le travail des filles est moins visible et rarement reconnu à sa juste valeur. Trop souvent, les filles se voient imposer des responsabilités d’adultes, comme s’occuper des membres de la famille, y compris d’autres enfants. Le temps qu’elles consacrent aux tâches domestiques réduit celui qu’elles peuvent passer à jouer, nouer des relations sociales avec leurs amis, étudier ou simplement être des enfants. En allant chercher de l’eau et du bois, elles s’exposent même au risque de violence sexuelle.

Outre les tâches domestiques, le rapport présente des données relatives aux problématiques liées aux filles que visent les Objectifs de Développement Durable (ODD), notamment la violence, le mariage des enfants, les mutilations génitales féminines et l’éducation. En atteignant les ODD consacrés à ces enjeux, et en permettant aux filles d’acquérir les connaissances, les compétences et les ressources dont elles ont besoin pour réaliser pleinement leur potentiel, nous ne servirons pas uniquement la cause des filles ; nous contribuerons également à alimenter la croissance économique, promouvoir la paix et réduire la pauvreté.

Pour télécharger des supports multimédias de qualité professionnelle, veuillez cliquer sur le lien suivant : http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFM2ONZ

À propos de l’UNICEF L’UNICEF promeut les droits et le bien-être de chaque enfant, dans tout ce que nous faisons. Nous travaillons dans 190 pays et territoires du monde entier avec nos partenaires pour faire de cet engagement une réalité, avec un effort particulier pour atteindre les enfants les plus vulnérables et marginalisés, dans l’intérêt de tous les enfants, où qu’ils soient.

Pour plus d’informations sur l’UNICEF et son travail : www.unicef.org/french

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Pour plus d’informations, veuillez contacter : Maria Fernandez, UNICEF Tchad, Email: mfernandez@unicef.org; Tel: +235 663 600 042

Situation Overview

Nearly 3 million people remain food insecure, including 423,000 who need immediate assistance even though the harvesting season has started in several parts of the country. 709,000 children are at risk of acute malnutrition in 2016. In the north and center of the country, persisting insecurity continues to limit access to basic social services, undermine the provision of aid and exacerbate the vulnerabilities of populations in affected areas. Renewed clashes between signatory armed groups in the Kidal region in July 2016 are violations of the peace agreement and a major concern for humanitarian access. This violence is a threat to the safety of civilians and triggered new displacements. At the end of August 2016, there were about 33,000 internally displaced persons in Mali and 134,811 Malian refugees in neighboring countries.

Points Saillants

• État d’approvisionnement des marchés :

  • L’offre des céréales est en forte baisse dans l’ensemble par rapport au mois précédent (-36%), mais les marchés arrivent à répondre à la demande.

• Tendance des prix des céréales et du bétail :

  • Tendance des prix au producteur en baisse respectivement de -4% et -9% par rapport à juillet 2016 et par rapport à la moyenne de 5 dernières années excepté pour le riz local.
  • Tendance des prix à la consommation des céréales stable par rapport à juillet 2016, à la baisse (-3%) par rapport à la moyenne des 5 dernières années excepté pour le riz local en légère hausse.

• Coût du panier alimentaire mensuel stable dans les régions de Mopti, Tombouctou, Kidal et Bamako, en légère hausse à Gao (+4%) comparé à juillet 2016.
  Par rapport à la même période l’année dernière, le coût du panier alimentaire est en baisse à Gao (-1%), Mopti (-7%) et à Bamako (-2%), en hausse à Kidal (+8%) et à Tombouctou (+6%).

• Tendance des prix à la hausse pour les petits ruminants par rapport à la même période l’année passée dans la perspective de la fête de Tabaski et grâce à l’amélioration des conditions d’élevage . Quelques baisses sont néanmoins observées par endroit.

• Termes de l’échange (ToT) caprins/mil :

  • De façon globale, les ToT sont en amélioration à Mopti (+35%) et à Gao (+30%), stables à Tombouctou, en détérioration à Kidal (-7%) par rapport à la même période l’année passée.

• Contraintes liées au fonctionnement des marchés :

  • Situation sécuritaire volatile
  • Difficultés de transport par endroit liées à l’hivernage.

APERÇU DE LA SITUATION

Près de 3 millions de personnes demeurent en situation d'insécurité alimentaire dont 423 000 dans une situation sévère malgré le démarrage des récoltes agricoles dans plusieurs localités du pays. Environ 709 000 enfants sont à risque de malnutrition aigüe cette année. Dans le nord et le centre du pays, l’insécurité persistante continue à limiter l’accès aux services sociaux de base et l'accès humanitaire, et à exacerber les vulnérabilités des populations dans les zones affectées. La reprise des affrontements entre groupes armés dans la région de Kidal depuis le mois de juillet constitue une violation au cessez-le-feu et une préoccupation majeure pour l’accès humanitaire. Ces affrontements ont affecté les populations civiles et occasionnent de nouveaux déplacements. A cette date, il y a environ 33 000 déplacés au Mali et 134 811 réfugiés dans les pays voisins

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has made progress on reforming the country’s military and intensifying the fight against the extremist group Boko Haram, which threatens the stability of not only Nigeria, but other countries in the Lake Chad Basin. The group’s insurgency has left the country confronting widespread internal displacement, a humanitarian disaster, and the need for reconstruction in the North.

The Current Situation in Nigeria

Nigeria—a major oil producer and Africa’s most populous nation and second-largest economy—faces additional challenges: an economic crisis triggered mostly by low oil prices, a resurgence of militancy in the Delta over economic grievances, an uptick in agitation in the Southeast by pro-Biafra nationalists, and ongoing conflicts over land use in the Middle Belt. While the election of Buhari in 2015 marked a milestone in Nigeria’s democratic development—the first peaceful transfer of power to a winner from an opposition party—there remains an urgent need to deliver reforms on economic policy and inclusive governance.

USIP’s Work

For more than a decade, the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) has sponsored and participated in interfaith mediation and conflict mitigation activities across Nigeria. The Institute has provided education, grants, training, and other resources to bolster the efforts of Nigerian civic and political leaders who are laying the groundwork for a shared, sustainable peace. The Institute also works to improve governance in Nigeria through projects that strengthen communication between authorities and citizens, especially below the national level. Through its local contacts and research, USIP’s work in the country helps inform U.S. policy towards one of Africa’s most important nations.

The Institute’s work in Nigeria includes:

Inclusive Solutions in Northern Nigeria. USIP brings together northern state governors with civic leaders and the Nigerian government to help formulate durable strategies, inclusive of the views and needs of citizens, that address the causes of instability—and the opportunities for stabilization—in the north. Many of the same sources of conflict that led to the rise and expansion of violent extremism in northeast Nigeria are present throughout most of the country’s northern region.

Generation Change. Drawing fellows from across the Middle East and Africa, including 20 Nigerians, the Generation Change program helps young activists achieve their potential as powerful forces for constructive change. The program allows fellows deepen their understanding of conflict resolution and facilitated dialogue, while creating a network offering mutual support for their work in difficult environments. The 24-month program augments the participants’ knowledge and skills—gained through activities in their home countries—through mentorship and training, and works with them on community peacebuilding initiatives.

Women Preventing Violent Extremism Through training and facilitated dialogues, USIP supports on-the-ground partners to bring together women civil society leaders and security service officials to explore local causes of violent extremism, and to devise prevention strategies. The project is designed to increase women’s, influence and engagement in community-level efforts on extremism and to model ways of building trust and cooperation. Current work involves engagement with women-led civil society organizations and security actors in Kaduna and Plateau states, helping link their initiatives to national-level policies.

Justice and Security Dialogue. The Justice and Security Dialogue program, working in select communities of the Sahel and Maghreb, seeks to make civilian security providers more effective, accountable and responsive by having citizens and officials jointly address local security challenges.

In 2016, USIP, through its local partners, conducted exploratory workshops in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, where citizens identified the chief security threats to their communities, as well as opportunities and obstacles to an effective response.

Academic and Research Grants. With USIP’s support, Usmanu Danfodiyo University In Sokoto State isupdating its peace studies and conflict resolution program supporting instructor training and curriculum revisions, and providing resources to improve data gathering, analysis and documentation. The project includes establishing a network of peace and conflict studies centers in northern Nigeria. In Kano State, the Centre for Information Technology and Development is conducting research to examine the factors that make certain communities more resistant to the threat of violence in northern Nigeria, and to draw lessons that could be used to prevent similar types of violence in the future.

Exchanges With Nigerian Leaders. In July 2015, USIP hosted President Buhari during his first visit to the U.S. after his election. As the new government began its mandate, Buhari at USIP reaffirmed his “zero tolerance” of corruption and pledged to restore trust in the country’s governance. In April 2015, just weeks after Nigeria’s historic election, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who also has been a pivotal figure in the African Union, addressed USIP. Obasanjo, who led Nigeria’s return to civilian democratic government after decades of military rule, discussed Africa’s leadership challenges in terms of “What’s Right With Africa.” This year, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, spoke on the evolution of the U.S.-Nigerian relations.

Market Highlights

• Due to bulk supply of fuel to Juba during the reporting month, prices of petrol/ diesel in the flourishing black market stabilized in Juba, Kapoeta, Torit, Bor and Minkaman. However, fuel prices went up in the hinterland markets of Yida, Bentiu, Rumbek and more than doubled in Aweil month-on month due to erratic supply and scarcity. Fuel shortages and impassible roads due to rains and insecurity continued to impede domestic trade flows.

• Market dependent consumers got a temporary reprieve as prices of staple grains stabilized or decreased month-on-month in many areas on the backdrop of new harvests and intensified food assistance. The September 2016 South Sudan month-on-month headline inflation is expected to stabilize somewhat and the poor will increasing substitute to consumption of cheaper locally produced grains.

• The acute shortage of US dollars has resulted in sharp depreciation of the local currency against the US Dollar, continuously impeding flow of commercial food imports. The depreciation of the local currency is reflected by the sharp increases in prices imported food and non-food items.

• Reduced cereal prices strengthened the terms of trade (ToT) in favour of casual labourers and livestock keepers. However, due to economic crisis, the gains are not likely to amount into much given limited labour opportunities and declining livestock assets.

• The onset of crop harvests in most parts of the country will help in moderating prices of local produce in October-December period. A combination of expected lower crop production and the continuing economic crisis characterized by depreciation in the currency, increasing costs of transportation and reduced imports among other factors will keep the prices of food at higher levels than normal. This will continue to negatively impact on food access by households, especially in food deficit locations that rely highly on markets.

The IFRC Central Africa multi-country cluster support team based in Yaoundé provides support to National Red Cross Societies in six countries: Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo ( DRC), the Congo Republic (RoC) and Sao Tome & Principe. We also provide technical support to the Central African Red Cross Society and to other National Red Cross Societies in the continent for specific events and emergency operations when needed.

Since the outbreak of yellow fever, measles and cholera in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in March, our team has taken immediate action to respond effectively to these health emergencies. In parallel, we supported the organization of an extraordinary General Assembly following the untimely death of Mr Dominique Lutula, President of the Red Cross of the DRC.
This led to the election of the incumbent Vice-President, Mr Grégroire Mateso, as the new National President.

Civil unrest engulfed Gabon after controversial presidential elections results on 31 August which led to the re-election of incumbent President Ali Bongo. Clashes between contesters and security forces have led to the loss of human lives and the destruction of state buildings and businesses. The Gabonese Constitutional Court has now confirmed the victory of Ali Bongo over opposition leader Jean Ping. The security situation though calm remains precarious. The crucial preparedness measures and outstanding response by the Gabonese Red Cross staff and volunteers have been appreciated both by the local people who’ve received assistance and the international community. Red Cross teams continue to be on maximum alert, ready to intervene should there be a flare-up of violence.

In Cameroon, the IFRC Central Africa cluster team supported, in partnership with the Swedish Red Cross, a peace-building youth forum, linked to a Central African refugees operation. The event brought together young people from universities and professional schools nationwide, as well as from youth networks in Chad, Congo and Cape Verde, to discuss and reflect on key humanitarian challenges. Participants also visited vulnerable refugee communities living in Cameroon. As part of the response to the Lake Chad crisis, the IFRC Central Africa and Cameroon Red Cross, in collaboration with UNHCR, has been providing emergency assistance since 2013 to CAR refugees fleeing inter-community violence. More recently, we have also provided assistance to Nigerian refugees and internally displaced Cameroonians in the Far North region, who are seeking safety and refuge from the suicide bombing attacks at the Cameroonian borders with Nigeria. Our efforts to secure more resources for these interventions continue.

In Equatorial Guinea, the IFRC is supporting the National Society with resources from the Intensive Capacity Building Fund (ICBF) to support an ongoing restructuring programme of its branches as well as the organization of an elective General Assembly. The ultimate goal of this is to strengthen institutional and operational capacities of the Red Cross of Equatorial Guinea for effective humanitarian interventions.

In the Central African Republic, technical support was provided to the National Society’s response to a cholera outbreak in Ndjoukou and Bangui. Beyond Central Africa, our Yaoundé-based experts facilitated training sessions on the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases in Southern Africa.

Nigeria - The Embassy of France in Nigeria and IOM on 10 October launched a project aimed at strengthening access to justice services for people displaced by the Boko Haram conflict living in camps and host communities in Maiduguri in Borno State, northeast Nigeria.

The project is designed to contribute to the improvement of living conditions and protection through the provision of legal information; awareness campaigns to expand the community’s knowledge of how to access justice; advice that will inform them about their legal options; assistance in choosing and accessing appropriate legal mechanisms; and the provision of legal representation, assistance and counselling.

In order to provide legal advice, ensure better access to essential services and familiarize people with Borno State’s formal legal system, the project will provide information in community-based fora to enhance legal awareness and improve legal literacy. It will promote discussion using culturally appropriate methods tailored to communities, and ensure that survivors know their rights and can access the formal system.

Advocacy visits to traditional rulers and persons of influence in host communities will be carried out, as well as training of selected community members as paralegals in order to build a protection environment conducive to finding durable solutions to human rights violations. Camp managers and other key stakeholders will be also trained on access to justice for the internally displaced.

IOM will work on the 9-month project in close collaboration with the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

The Ambassador of France to Nigeria Denys Gauer affirmed the commitment of the French government to support the promotion of human rights of the affected population in the region. “The Government of France is happy to continue this cooperation with IOM. You are doing a great job in delivering humanitarian assistance to the IDPs,” he said.

IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission Enira Krdzalic said: “Humanitarian response in the northeast is improving, but there is still more to be done. IOM is determined to promote the human rights of the affected population as much as possible, while providing humanitarian assistance to beneficiaries.”

Since late 2014, France has also supported IOM Nigeria’s psychosocial support programme, which has helped over 21,565 people affected by the conflict in the northeast of the country.

For further information, please contact IOM Abuja. Ikechukwu Hillarion Attah, Tel: +234 8140671127, Email: iattah@iom.int or Enira Krdzalic, Email: krdzalic@iom.int

HIGHLIGHTS

• The first growing season of 2016 (March-May, Long Rains in Kenya, Belg in Ethiopia) brought good rainfall across Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somaliland. This was a welcome reprieve for many regions hit hard by drought in 2015. In Somalia and coastal regions of Kenya, however, poor rainfall has impacted vegetation cover and crop production.

• The early stages of the main seasons in South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea benefited from wetter than average conditions, resulting in above average vegetation cover across the region and early start of the growing season. Northern pastoral areas of Sudan fared especially well.

• Drier than average conditions were observed across central and SW Ethiopia (Oromia and SNNPR) and into SE South Sudan between July to mid September. Uganda was also affected resulting in poor first harvests and significant delays in the start of the second season.

• Forecasts for the October-December period, indicate lower than average rainfall for Kenya and Somalia, raising the possibility of two consecutive poor seasons. The outlook is less certain for Uganda and SE South Sudan where drier than average conditions now will further exacerbate the dryness observed during July September.

Global Hunger Index: Over 45 Countries on Pace for “Moderate” to “Alarming” Hunger Levels by 2030 UN Deadline OCT 11, 2016

Report Rates Hunger “Serious” or “Alarming” in 50 Countries in 2016

29 Percent Reduction in Global Hunger Index Scores Since 2000

October 11, 2016—The global community is not on course to end hunger by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal deadline of 2030, according to data from the 2016 Global Hunger Index. If hunger declines at the same rate as the report finds it has since 1992, more than 45 countries - including India, Pakistan, Haiti, Yemen, and Afghanistan - will still have “moderate” to “alarming” hunger scores in the year 2030, far short of the goal to end hunger by that year.

“Simply put, countries must accelerate the pace at which they are reducing hunger or we will fail to achieve the second Sustainable Development Goal,” said IFPRI Director General Shenggen Fan. “Ending global hunger is certainly possible, but it’s up to all of us that we set the priorities right to ensure that governments, the private sector and civil society devote the time and resources necessary to meet this important goal.”

The Central African Republic, Chad, and Zambia had the highest levels of hunger in the report. Seven countries had “alarming” levels of hunger, while 43 countries – including high-population countries like India, Nigeria, and Indonesia – had “serious” hunger levels.

The report outlined some bright spots in the fight to end world hunger. The level of hunger in developing countries as measured by the Global Hunger Index has fallen by 29 percent since 2000. Twenty countries, including Rwanda, Cambodia, and Myanmar, have all reduced their GHI scores by over 50 percent each since 2000. And for the second year in a row, no developing countries for which data was available were in the “extremely alarming” category.

But declines in average hunger levels across regions or individual countries do not tell the whole story. The averages can mask lagging areas where millions are still hungry, demonstrating the need for data and targeted solutions for the communities facing the greatest need. Although the Latin America region has the lowest regional GHI score in the developing world, Haiti, for example, has the fourth highest GHI score at an “alarming” 36.9. Mexico has a low level of overall hunger, but also contains areas within its borders where child stunting—an indicator of child undernutrition—is relatively high.

“Whilst the world has made progress in the fight against hunger there are still 795 million people condemned to facing hunger every day of their lives,” said Dominic MacSorley, CEO of Concern Worldwide. “This is not just unacceptable, it is immoral and shameful. Resources like the Global Hunger Index provide us with a critical insight into the scale of the global hunger crisis. Agenda 2030 provides us with the ambition and commitment to reach zero hunger. We have the technology, knowledge and resources to achieve that vision. What is missing is both the urgency and the political will to turn commitments into action.”

Another obstacle for reaching zero hunger is the lack of complete data for calculating the index scores for 13 countries. 10 of these countries have indicators like stunting, wasting and child mortality that raise significant concern for having high hunger levels, including Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Syrian Arab Republic. “Armed conflict is a leading cause of hunger and undernutrition in many of these countries,” said Bärbel Dieckmann, President of Welthungerhilfe. “Zero Hunger will only be possible if we significantly increase political commitments to conflict resolution and prevention.”

The GHI, now in its 11th year, ranks countries based on four key indicators: undernourishment, child mortality, child wasting and child stunting. The 2016 report ranked 118 countries in the developing world, almost half of which have “serious” or “alarming” hunger levels.

The GHI score for the developing world as a whole is 21.3, which is in the low end of the “serious” category. Regionally, Africa South of the Sahara has the highest hunger level, followed closely by South Asia. Rounding out the top 10 countries with the highest levels of hunger after Central African Republic, Chad, and Zambia are: Haiti, Madagascar, Yemen, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Timor-Leste, and Niger.

Around half of the populations of Haiti, Zambia, and the Central African Republic are undernourished—the highest in the report. In Timor-Leste, Burundi, and Papua New Guinea, approximately half of children under five are too short for their age due to nutritional deficiencies.

"The 2030 Agenda set a clear global objective for an end to hunger - everywhere - within the next 14 years," says David Nabarro, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate Change. "Too many people are hungry today. There is a need for urgent, thoughtful and innovative action to ensure that no one ever goes hungry again."

More information can be found at: https://www.ifpri.org/topic/global-hunger-index

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks sustainable solutions for ending hunger and poverty. IFPRI was established in 1975 to identify and analyze alternative national and international strategies and policies for meeting the food needs of the developing world, with particular emphasis on low-income countries and on the poorer groups in those countries Visit: www.ifpri.org.

Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest non-governmental aid organizations in Germany. It provides fully integrated aid from one source, ranging from rapid emergency relief to reconstruction programs, as well as long-term development projects with local partner organizations following the principle of help toward self-help. In addition, we aim at changing the conditions that lead to hunger and poverty by awareness raising and advocacy work at national and international level. Visit: www.welthungerhilfe.de.

Founded in Ireland in 1968, Concern Worldwide is a non-governmental, international, humanitarian organization, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working toward the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty. The mission is to help people living in extreme poverty to achieve major improvements in their lives which last and spread without ongoing support from Concern. Concern currently works in 27 of the world’s poorest countries, with offices in London, New York, Belfast and Dublin and more than 2,900 committed and talented staff. Visit: www.concern.net.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

IDPs RETURNING HOME AFTER ATTACK

Around 670 of the 3,560 people displaced last month following armed attacks in the southern Kouango area had returned home by 1 October. During the 10 September attack, six people were killed and more than 400 houses burned down. Improving security due to patrols by UN peacekeeping troops is encouraging the displaced to go back to their villages. However, they are in dire need of basic household items and shelter to resume normal life. Insecurity remains a major threat to civilian safety across the country and a hindrance to humanitarian operations

CONGO REPUBLIC

OVER 4,300 DISPLACED IN SOUTHERN REGION

More than 4,300 people remain displaced in the southern Pool region, which was the scene of military operations against an armed group accused of being behind the violent attacks in the capital Brazzaville in April.
According to the government, some 2,200 people have fled to Kinkala, the region’s capital, and around 1,500 others in the surrounding areas. The authorities are blaming recent attacks in the region on gunmen linked to Frederic Bintsamou, better known as Pastor Ntumi, who led a militia that fought President Denis Sassou Nguesso during and after the 1997 civil war.

NIGER

RIFT VALLEY FEVER COULD SPREAD ACROSS BORDERS

An outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in the western Tchintabaraden district has infected 90 people and killed 28 others since early August. Experts from the ministries of health and livestock, WHO and FAO are working to contain the outbreak which could spread to neighbouring countries. A mobile laboratory from Senegal’s Institut Pasteur has also been deployed in the field to help in diagnosis and monitor response.

NIGER

RAID IN TOWN HOSTING REFUGEES

On 6 October, armed assailants attacked a military position in the western Tassalit area which is home to around 4,000 Malian refugees. The attackers killed 22 soldiers and wounded five others. They also looted the local health centre, stole medical stocks and torched a UNHCR ambulance. However, no UNHCR staff or partners were present during the raid and no refugees were harmed. Niger currently hosts over 60,000 Malian refugees and has received more than 5,000 others so far this year. UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon has urged Niger’s government to reinforce security around refugee camps.

NIGERIA

VACCINE-DERIVED POLIO CASE DETECTED

A vaccine-derived poliovirus has been detected in Nigeria, WHO reported on 6 October. This is addition to the three wild polio virus cases diagnosed in August.
Large-scale supplementary immunization is currently underway across the region.
Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad and Niger declared a regional public health emergency for the Lake Chad subregion following the cases in Nigeria.

RÉPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE

LES DÉPLACÉS RETOURNENT CHEZ EUX APRÈS LES ATTAQUES

Suite aux attaques armées dans la zone de Kouang au sud le mois dernier, 670 des 3 560 personnes déplacées sont rentrés chez eux au 1er octobre. Lors de l'attaque du 10 septembre, six personnes avaient été tuées et plus de 400 maisons brûlées.
L’amélioration de la sécurité, grâce aux patrouilles des casques bleus de l’ONU, encourage les personnes déplacées à retourner dans leurs villages. Cependant, ils ont un besoin urgent d'articles ménagers essentiels et d’abris afin de reprendre une vie normale. L'insécurité reste une menace majeure pour la sécurité des civils dans tout le pays et un obstacle aux opérations humanitaires.

RÉPUBLIQUE DU CONGO

PLUS DE 4,300 PERSONNES DÉPLACÉES DANS LA RÉGION SUD

Plus de 4 300 personnes sont toujours déplacées dans la région sud du Pool, qui fut le théâtre d’opérations militaires contre un groupe armé accusé d’attaques violentes dans la capitale Brazzaville en avril. Selon le gouvernement, quelque 2 200 personnes ont fui vers Kinkala, la capitale de la région, et environ 1 500 autres vers les zones environnantes. Les autorités accusent les hommes armés à l’origine des récentes attaques dans la région d’être liés à Frédéric Bintsamou, mieux connu sous le nom de Pasteur Ntumi, qui a dirigé une milice qui a combattu le président Denis Sassou Nguesso pendant et après la guerre civile de 1997.

NIGERIA

APPARITION D’UN CAS DE POLIO DÉRIVÉ DU VACCIN L'OMS

a déclaré le 6 octobre qu’un poliovirus dérivé du vaccin a été détecté au Nigeria. Ce dernier vient s’ajouter aux trois cas de poliovirus sauvage diagnostiqués en août.
Une campagne de vaccination supplémentaire à grande échelle est actuellement en cours dans la région. Le Cameroun, la République centrafricaine, le Tchad et le Niger ont déclaré une urgence de santé publique régionale pour la sous-région du lac Tchad suite au cas du Nigeria.

NIGER

LA FIÈVRE DE LA VALLÉE DU RIFT POURRAIT SE PROPAGER À TRAVERS LES FRONTIÈRES

Une épidémie de fièvre de la Vallée du Rift dans le district Tchintabaraden à l’ouest a infecté 90 personnes et tué 28 autres depuis début août. Des experts des ministères de la santé et de l‘élevage, l'OMS et la FAO travaillent à contenir l'épidémie qui pourrait se propager aux pays voisins. Un laboratoire mobile de l'Institut Pasteur du Sénégal a également été déployé sur le terrain pour aider dans le diagnostic et le suivi de la réponse.

ATTAQUE DANS UNE VILLE HABRITANT DES RÉFUGIÉS

Le 6 octobre, des assaillants armés ont attaqué une position militaire dans la région de Tassalit, à l’ouest, qui abrite environ 4 000 réfugiés maliens. Les assaillants ont tué 22 soldats et blessé cinq autres. Ils ont également pillé le centre de santé local, volé les stocks médicaux et incendié une ambulance du HCR. Toutefois, aucun membre du personnel du HCR ou partenaires n’étaient présents pendant le raid. Aucun réfugié n’a également été blessé. Le Niger accueille actuellement plus de 60 000 réfugiés maliens et a accueilli plus de 5 000 autres depuis le début de l’année. Le Secrétaire général de l'ONU, Ban Ki-moon, a exhorté le gouvernement du Niger à renforcer la sécurité autour des camps de réfugiés.

107.2 M required for 2016
28.4 M contributions received, representing 26% of requirements
78.8 M funding gap for the Nigeria Situation

Vaccination drive provides platform for malnutrition screening in response to mounting crisis in Borno state

DAKAR, Senegal – 11 October 2016 – A major health campaign is underway in the Lake Chad Basin area to vaccinate over 41 million children against polio to contain the recent outbreak of the disease in north-east Nigeria.

Populations fleeing conflict are on the move within the sub-region, raising concerns that the virus could spread across borders. Nearly 39,000 health workers are deployed across Nigeria and neighbouring Chad, Niger, Cameroon and the Central African Republic to deliver the oral polio vaccine in areas at high-risk for the virus during five rounds of coordinated vaccination campaigns across five countries. UNICEF is procuring the vaccines and engaging the public through mass media and grassroots mobilization.

“The re-emergence of polio after two years with no recorded cases is a huge concern in an area that’s already in crisis,” said Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “The scale of our response reflects the urgency: we must not allow polio to spread.”

The ongoing conflict has now displaced 2.6 million people, devastated provision of healthcare and left more than 4 million people in north-east Nigeria facing emergency food security levels. In the three worst-hit Nigerian states, 400,000 children are at risk of death from severe acute malnutrition.

Polio vaccination teams in parts of Borno state are conducting simultaneous malnutrition screening to identify cases of severe acute malnutrition in children under five and refer malnourished children to treatment programmes. Findings from the first rounds of outreach screening have confirmed high rates of severe acute malnutrition.

“Children are dying and more young lives will be lost unless we scale up our response,” said Fontaine. “Through the polio vaccination drive, we can protect more children from the virus while also reaching children in need with treatment for malnutrition.”

The third round of the current polio campaign runs from 15-18 October with additional rounds scheduled in November and December. The immunization campaign is being delivered by national Governments, with support from UNICEF, the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The coordinated efforts between the polio vaccination campaigns and childhood nutrition screenings are part of UNICEF’s scaled-up response to the crisis. However, UNICEF’s response remains hampered by continued insecurity, especially in areas of Borno state in Nigeria, and by a lack of funding. Of the US$158m needed for the emergency response in the region, only US$50.4m has so far been received.

About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

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For more information, please contact:
Patrick Rose, Communications Specialist, West and Central Africa, Tel: + 221 786 380 250, prose@unicef.org

Les pays en développement ont fait des progrès considérables dans la réduction de la faim depuis 2000. L’Indice de la faim dans le monde 2016 (GHI) montre que le niveau de la faim pour l’ensemble des pays en développement a diminué de 29 %. Mais les progrès ont été inégaux et de grandes disparités persistent entre les régions mondiales, les pays ainsi qu’à l’intérieur des pays. Pour atteindre l’Objectif de Développement Durable 2 (ODD 2) de Faim Zéro et pour ne laisser personne pour compte, il est essentiel d’identifier les régions, les pays et les populations qui sont les plus vulnérables à la faim et à la dénutrition et d’accélérer les progrès dans ces domaines. Les scores GHI varient fortement entre les pays et les régions. A l’échelle régionale, ce sont encore l’Afrique subsaharienne et l’Asie du Sud qui présentent les scores GHI les plus importants, et par conséquent les niveaux de faim les plus élevés. Bien que les scores GHI pour ces régions aient diminué au fil du temps, ils sont toujours « graves » : plus proches de la catégorie alarmante que de la catégorie modérée. Certes, l’Afrique subsaharienne a réalisé la plus grande amélioration depuis 2000 et l’Asie du Sud a connu une réduction importante, mais la baisse de la faim doit s’accélérer dans ces régions pour atteindre l’Objectif Faim Zéro.

Sector Overview

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs represent vital components of USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) responses to slow- and rapid-onset disasters and complex emergencies, as disaster-affected populations are more susceptible to illness and death from waterborne and communicable diseases.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, USAID/OFDA provided approximately $247 million to support WASH programs in more than 35 countries.

WASH interventions in emergencies often include construction or repair of latrines, hygiene support, solid waste removal, and the provision of safe, treated water. Activities such as building latrines and establishing waste removal systems can prove challenging in areas with high water tables, hard rock sites, and high population density.

USAID/OFDA also links emergency WASH activities with transition and development programs funded by other USAID offices and incorporates institutional partners—such as local governments—in program planning and implementation to promote the sustainability of water- and hygienefocused projects.

In addition, USAID/OFDA support to academic research has been essential to the development of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) response interventions, including refining protocols relating to chlorine use in the EVD response, a crucial aspect of prevention.
WATER

WASH Support for Households Affected by Ecuador Earthquake

On April 16, 2016, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Ecuador, resulting in at least 660 deaths and damaging or destroying more than 30,000 houses, as well as hospitals, schools, and other infrastructure. The earthquake damaged urban and rural water systems throughout the country, limiting the availability of safe drinking water. Earthquake-displaced households lacked access to basic sanitation facilities, heightening their risk of disease in the makeshift settlements where they sheltered immediately after the earthquake. USAID/OFDA partnered with multiple organizations to repair damaged water systems to reduce the need for bottled water distributions and restore water services. USAID/OFDA also funded nongovernmental organizations (NGO) partners, including ADRA, Save the Children, and World Vision, to support affected households through integrated shelter and WASH interventions, including the construction of temporary sanitation facilities for shelters and the provision of essential hygiene items that were lost during the earthquake.