Attachments
Highlights
Two Category 5 hurricanes - Irma and Maria - caused extensive damage and humanitarian consequences across the Caribbean, putting the lives of thousands of children in danger. While countries affected by Irma are gradually entering the early recovery phase, those affected by Maria remain focused on humanitarian support. 100% of children in Dominica require humanitarian assistance. UNICEF scaled its response in line with its L2 emergency response declaration for 21 Sept - 31 Dec 2017.
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A Flash Appeal for $31.1M was launched for Dominica. UNICEF requested $6.2M to address the needs of children and their families.
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Approximately 30,000 people, including 8,000 children, have benefitted from UNICEF emergency response in WASH, and 10,000 children have been reached with education in Anguilla, BVI, TCI, Barbuda and Dominica.
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800 children have received psycho-social support and 66 Return to Happiness facilitators were trained to provide further support.
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Needs assessments for Education and Health are underway in Dominica with partners.
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The Barbuda Mandatory Evacuation has been lifted, paving the way for Barbuda citizens to start returning.
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More than 81,000 people have been reached with C4D behavior messages on keeping children in school and psycho-social support.
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In TCI, 48 School in a Box kits and 96 Recreation kits to reach more than 8,600 children, 2,000 mosquito nets and tarpaulins are being distributed.
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Hygiene kit distributions ongoing in Dominica for people in shelters.
Situation in numbers
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+357,000 estimated # children in need of immediate assistance in Cuba, ECA, Haiti and Dominican Republic
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39,000 children in need of immediate assistance in ECA, with 20,000 children affected by Hurricane Maria in Dominica
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15,000 primary and secondary school-aged children are unable to access education in ECA
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10,000 estimated # of children without water supply in Dominican Republic; 19 water systems affected
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38 confirmed deaths in Irma and Maria-affected countries
Situation Overview
Two Category 5 hurricanes have caused devastating impact across the Caribbean, affecting Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Turks and Caicos Islands, among others. Logistics remain a challenge, both due to the number of countries affected and because much of the logistics infrastructure has been damaged. While insecurity is no longer a major threat in Dominica, a night-time curfew remains in place. A surge of Dominicans to neighboring countries is anticipated, and a large number of unregistered migrants from Haiti and Dominican Republic are residing in countries such as Turks and Caicos. Three municipalities in Dominican Republic faced flooding due to Maria. Across the region, children face multiple needs, including water, sanitation and hygiene, education, child protection, psychosocial support and health, including adequate nutrition.