This appeal seeks CHF 25,489,509 (USD 22,799,203 or EUR 15,448,187) to fund the planned programmes that are to be implemented in 2008-2009.

Current context

The Southern Africa region faces enormous humanitarian challenges, which have eroded livelihood the coping mechanisms for most people in the region. The human and social cost of these disasters in terms of life and property loss as well as the disruption of communities and livelihood has placed a considerable strain on the social fabric of the affected areas and the ability to recover and further develop. Southern

GA/SHC/3903

Sixty-second General Assembly
Third Committee
39th & 40th Meetings (AM & PM)

Refugee Figures Rise to Nearly 10 Million After Several Years of Decrease, High Commissioner Tells Committee

A draft resolution that would have the General Assembly declare 15 October of each year as the International Day of Rural Women was approved as orally revised without a vote today by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), as Member States stepped up collective efforts to better the lot of women living in rural areas.

HIGHLIGHTS

Regional: In preparation of the upcoming rainy season, eight countries in the region are revising their contingency plans with support from Regional Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Southern Africa (OCHA ROSA) and the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR). Given the propensity for increased levels of food insecurity, coupled with heavy rains and flooding during this time of year, this issue of the RIACSO bulletin focuses on humanitarian interventions aimed at disaster preparedness and response activities.

Mozambique: In preparation for

I. Introduction

1. A significant increase in the numbers of persons of concern to UNHCR brought new challenges in 2006. While there was a 14 per cent increase in refugee numbers from the previous year, the Office's involvement, together with other humanitarian partners, in protecting and assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs) under the inter-agency cluster approach, resulted in a doubling of IDP figures. Thanks to better data capturing, many more stateless people have been identified, also swelling numbers.

2. Despite a plethora of complex challenges,

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This report covers the period from 3/26/2007 to 4/25/2007

Current food security summary

The months of March and April signal the end of the marketing year in most of Southern Africa and also mark the end of the hunger season. This period is characterized by the appearance of green maize and other seasonal food crops at the household level and on rural markets. Food security improves at this time, and is currently satisfactory, especially where production has been above average following a good crop growing season. This includes most of the northern countries