Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
In 2024, due to the consequences of protracted and acute conflicts, population movements, recurrent and simultaneous public health emergencies, climate change-related disasters and food and nutrition crises, 48.4 million children living in West and Central Africa will continue to require multisectoral assistance to uphold their rights and meet critical needs in nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, child protection, education and social protection.
UNICEF will support governments, public and private institutions and civil society partners to improve emergency preparedness and response to humanitarian crises, including by strengthening systems and promoting community resilience.
In this regional appeal, UNICEF is requesting $52.5 million to reach 5 million out of 6 million children with humanitarian needs in nine countries: the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Senegal and Sierra Leone. An additional eight countries with large-scale emergencies are presenting standalone appeals, and four Gulf of Guinea coastal countries are grouped into a multi-country appeal.
This regional appeal also includes the UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office support to all 24 countries in the region for multi-sectoral emergency preparedness and response.
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
In the entire West and Central Africa region, 48.4 million children require humanitarian assistance due to conflicts, population movements, recurrent and simultaneous public health emergencies, food and nutrition crises and climate change-related disasters. More than 17.2 million people are displaced, with numbers rising steadily as hostilities continue. By the end of 2023, 6.2 million children under 5 years of age will be at risk of severe wasting, more than 31 million people will have an urgent need for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) assistance 9 and 2.5 million children will be affected by the closure of nearly 13,263 schools. Social protection coverage is limited – only 9 per cent of people have access to social assistance.
In the nine countries covered by this appeal, low vaccination coverage (which in some countries decreased further during the COVID-19 pandemic) is among the many reasons for concurrent outbreaks of measles, polio, Ebola virus disease, Lassa fever, Marburg virus disease and diphtheria. In 2024, more than 3.6 million children under 5 years of age will require polio, pentavalent and measles vaccination.
Food insecurity and malnutrition remain widespread. In 2024, 1.4 million children will suffer from wasting in the countries included in this appeal.6 Climatic shocks, including recurrent droughts and floods, will also affect several countries, often causing internal displacement or cross-border migration. And armed conflict triggers displacement into countries covered by this appeal, including Mauritania, which currently hosts nearly 86,000 refugees from neighbouring Mali.
The region is experiencing growing civil unrest and political instability. Strikes by government workers and violent demonstrations in several countries, including Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Senegal, have led to disruptions in access to essential services (including education, health and nutrition care, social services and referrals to social welfare, justice and mental health and psychosocial support). This poses challenges to the right of youth to participation and to their meaningful engagement in decision-making. Overlapping shocks are increasing the risks of exploitation (in the form of child labour), child marriage, migration (including that of unaccompanied and separated children) and gender-based violence, with a disproportionate burden on adolescent girls.
Source link : https://reliefweb.int/report/congo/humanitarian-action-children-2024-west-and-central-africa
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Publish date : 2023-12-28 08:00:00
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