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Humanitarian Action for Children 2016 - Sudan

Attachments

Total affected population: 5.4 million
Total affected children (under 18): 3.2 million
Total people to be reached in 2016: 4.4 million
Total children to be reached in 2016: 2.6 million

2016 programme targets

Nutrition

  • 250,000 children aged 6 to 59 months affected by SAM admitted to treatment
  • 300,000 caregivers received IYCF counselling

Health

  • 498,457 children under 1 year received the first dose of measles vaccine
  • 1,859,300 conflict-affected people provided with access to primary health care services

WASH

  • 290,000 affected people provided with access to improved drinking water
  • 270,000 affected people provided with access to safe means of excreta disposal
  • 780,000 affected people reached with hygiene messages and sensitization activities

Child protection

  • 139,430 children received psychosocial support
  • 2,200 separated and unaccompanied children received long-term alternative care arrangements

Education

  • 115,000 school-aged children accessed safe learning spaces
  • 310,000 children provided with education-in-emergencies supplies and recreation materials

Sudan

Armed conflicts, natural disasters, disease, epidemics and chronic underdevelopment have all contributed to the humanitarian crisis in the Sudan, which is still one of the worst situations for children in the world. The ongoing violence in Darfur, the Kordofan states, Blue Nile and Abyei has forced more than 3.1 million people to flee their homes, including an estimated 1.9 million children. This has prevented children from accessing basic services such as health and education, exposed children to violence and exploitation and increased children’s vulnerability to malnutrition and disease. Some 2 million children under 5 years are suffering from malnutrition, with global acute malnutrition (GAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) rates above emergency thresholds. Since 15 December 2013, more than 198,000 South Sudanese have fled the war in South Sudan and sought refuge in the Sudan, with more than 70 per cent estimated to be children. More refugees arrive every day, particularly to White Nile. The areas of Jebel Marra (Darfur), the Nuba Mountains (South Kordofan) and parts of Blue Nile have remained inaccessible to humanitarian actors for years. Children in these areas have not yet been reached with basic services, including vital vaccination for polio and measles.

Humanitarian strategy

In 2016, UNICEF will continue to work with partners, including the Government of the Sudan, to reach children affected by conflict, natural disasters, epidemics and chronic underdevelopment, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. UNICEF leads the child protection sub-cluster, and the education, nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) clusters. In the Sudan, 59 out of 184 localities are experiencing GAM rates at or above the emergency threshold of 15 per cent. Of these, only three – Red Sea, Kassala and Gedaref – are not affected by conflict. Based on a multiple deprivation analysis conducted at the locality level, UNICEF identified 72 priority localities where the needs of children are most acute. The organization will focus on an integrated programme delivery approach in these areas for the most vulnerable children, families and communities. In addition, the UNICEF-led nutrition cluster is developing a multi-sectoral approach to address acute malnutrition in the Sudan, which will be especially important given the El Niño weather phenomenon, which may further impact important aspects of children’s lives, such as protection, education, health and WASH. Given that the Sudan is in a state of protracted crisis, and to address the humanitarian-development continuum, UNICEF will continue to focus on sustainability and resilience in its humanitarian planning and response. The organization will also continue to conduct advocacy at all levels to reach children in Blue Nile, the Nuba Mountains and parts of Jebel Marra in Darfur, which have been inaccessible since 2011.

Results from 2015

As of 31 October 2015, UNICEF had received 37 per cent (US$43.45 million) of the US$116.9 million 2015 appeal, in addition to US$8 million carried forward from 2014. In 2015, 383,700 caregivers were reached with counselling on infant and young child feeding (IYCF), exceeding the target of 300,000. The caregivers were reached through community mother support groups trained by the Ministry of Health and UNICEF. Some 1,859,300 conflict-affected people (60 per cent children) benefitted from primary health care services. In child protection, despite a significant funding gap of 59 per cent, UNICEF was able to reach 93,300 children with psychosocial support (67 per cent of the target). Much of this support was provided through community-based child protection network members trained to reach these children. All separated children identified in the Sudan in 2015 were reunified with their families or placed in alternative care. UNICEF supported nearly 31,900 children to continue their education through safe learning spaces; however, due to scarcity of funds, 80,000 targeted children were not reached. More than 210,900 people gained access to safe water, in part due to work in refugee sites in White Nile, where a few water points reached many refugees. In addition, 417,200 people benefited from hygiene messages and sensitization activities