Attachments
OVERVIEW
The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia remains complex and multifaceted, with overlapping crises impacting millions. Persistent conflict, economic challenges, and repeated climate shocks are deepening vulnerabilities, leaving a significant number in urgent need of assistance. Overcrowded shelters, shortages of essential household items, limited privacy, and poor living conditions continue to expose both displaced and returning populations to serious protection and health risks.
In the third quarter of 2024, recurring climate-induced shocks, such as floods and landslides, have posed significant challenges for Cluster, triggering new waves of displacement and increasing demand for shelter and non-food item (NFI) support. Additional displacements due to these events, along with returns to contested areas in Tigray and Oromia, have further intensified the urgent need for shelter and NFI resources across affected regions.
While displacement affects everyone, its impact has been magnified by insufficient support and repeated displacements across various regions. In Amhara, insecurity and the Cluster’s limited capacity left thousands of existing and newly displaced people without adequate shelter or essential household items. In Tigray, many in collective centers remain under challenging conditions, even though some IDPs in parts of the Northwest are willing to relocate if alternative shelter options become available. The situation was further compounded by limited funding, with the Cluster reaching only 19% of its 2024 targets by September.
OVERVIEW SEVERITY
This document is intended to inform donors and partners of the ES/NFI Cluster’s funding priorities for the remaining two months of 2024. These priorities are guided by the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan, available Cluster resources, operational capacity, and an analysis of the national displacement situation.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, the ES/NFI Cluster will concentrate its efforts on delivering targeted assistance in 23 woredas across four regions identified as having the highest humanitarian needs related to the provison of shelter and access to essential household items. These areas were prioritized following assessment of the Cluster’s operational capacity, the extent and duration of displacement, and significant resource gaps affecting access. To support effective response planning, the Cluster has also developed a comprehensive nationwide scenario for this period, identifying potential pipeline and operational constraints that could affect response activities. These priorities and plans are shared to ensure donors and partners remain well-informed and aligned with the Cluster’s strategic focus and resource allocation for the remaining two months, fostering coordinated support for communities facing acute needs.
Of the 26 woredas categorized as “extreme” for the third quarter of 2024, 13 in the Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray regions received Shelter and NFI (Non-Food Item) support, while eight remained in the same category due to unmet needs. Four woredas were downgraded to “severe” after receiving Multi-Purpose Cash (MPC) assistance. In addition to the eight woredas carried over from the third quarter, 15 new woredas are categorized as “extreme” for the fourth quarter of 2024. This upgrade is largely due to improved access in Afar, where a significant number of IDPs are living in informal settings. The MIRA report highlighted that shelter and NFI support are critical priorities in these areas.
A Cluster-led needs assessment in contested regions revealed similar conditions and needs in Lealay Teslemti, May Tsebri town and Tselemti woredas. Furthermore, new displacements due to insecurity and deteriorating living conditions among displaced populations in Oromia and Amhara have contributed to a total of 23 woredas being categorized as “extreme” for the remaining months of 2024.
To optimize resources and ensure support reaches those most in need, we ask that partners coordinate with the sub-national clusters to align their responses with the identified needs and priorities.
The “extreme” category, representing the highest level of need and vulnerability in shelter and nonfood items (NFIs) among the Cluster’s target population, is most prevalent in the Tigray, Oromia, and Amhara regions due to significant unmet needs. These same regions also exhibit the highest number of woredas classified under the “severe” category, highlighting a broader crisis at both extreme and severe levels of need. Collectively, these three regions account for 74% of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 73% of the returnees in Ethiopia.