UNICEF Mauritania Monthly Situation Report - 26 June 2012
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Highlights
UNICEF, with the other agencies of the UN system and partners, is supporting the Government of Mauritania to respond to a double emergency. A nutrition crisis is affecting 700,000 food insecure people, and over 74,000 refugees have arrived from Mali.
As a result of the nutritional crisis affecting much of the south, it is estimated that as many as 90,000 children could suffer Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) in 2012, including 12,600 Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Results of the SMART survey currently being conducted will be available soon.
In response to the nutrition crisis, UNICEF and its partners are supporting the Government of Mauritania to provide live saving interventions while strengthening the resilience of communities to external shocks.
UNICEF and the Ministry of Health are coordinating the nutrition sector to identify and treat malnourished children and preparing a suite of interventions in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health, education and child protection.
Underfunding of complementary programmes for the nutrition crisis, including WASH, education and child protection, are limiting the impact of the response. These complementary programs have the potential to reinforce the impact of the nutrition response and provide sustainable improvements.
Refugees fleeing the on-going conflict in Mali continue to arrive, increasing the demand for assistance and resources. They are largely located in a camp at M’Bera, which is difficult for humanitarian workers to access due to long distances, the lack of sealed roads and security concerns. The host communities are also affected by the nutrition crisis.
UNICEF is working with the Government of Mauritania, UNHCR, UN agencies and NGOs to respond to the needs of refugee children and women by providing nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health services, education and child protection in the M’Bera camp and for the host communities.
While much has been achieved, UNICEF and the humanitarian community need to massively scale up interventions. More resources and partners needed to meet the needs.
UNICEF requests $12.74 million to respond to both crises and has received $3.62 million, leaving a funding gap of 72%. This request is part of the June 2012 UNICEF Humanitarian Action Update (HAU) – Children in Crisis in the Sahel.
