UNICEF Emergency Programmes: Ethiopia Donor Update 21 Jun 2000

1. EMERGENCY OVERVIEW AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Ethiopia faces a major humanitarian crisis.

Prolonged drought in the southern and south-eastern parts of the country (Somali, Borena, Bale and South Omo zones) is being increasingly manifested in starvation, severe malnutrition and depletion of assets. In parts of Somali region, population migrations in search of food, potable water and basic health care are taking place; 10,000 people have reportedly moved into Gode town from outlying Denan and Fik areas. To the west, in Borena, Bale and South Omo zones, pastoral communities are facing similar problems including high loss of livestock and mounting food requirements. Earlier this year, the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC) estimated that more than 900,000 Mts. of food aid would be required for some 10 million people countrywide in 2000, including 1.6 million children under five. This includes the typically drought prone highland areas of central and northern Ethiopia, reeling from the effects of poor short rainy seasons since the mid-1990s. In areas hard hit by drought, basic services are severely stretched, malnutrition has become widespread and vulnerability to disease and mortality are on the increase. Child school enrolment is being affected, threatening to reverse notable gains of the last few years.

At the same time, in Tigray and Afar regions, some 340,000 people, mostly in Tigray region, have been displaced by war with neighbouring Eritrea; many have been displaced for almost two years. In Tigray, host communities providing support to the displaced are also increasingly affected by drought. Levels of destitution are increasing with some early migrations in search of food being reported. In February and March meningitis outbreaks were reported in southern Tigray and north-eastern Amhara regions.

Increasing number of children suffering from malnutrition and disease

Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest countries, ranked 172 out of 174 in the 1999 UNDP Development Index report. It has one of the world's highest levels of stunting among children due to under-nutrition (64%), low net primary school enrolment (24.9%), poor access to safe drinking water and poor health care services. Diarrhoeal diseases account for 46% of child deaths in Ethiopia, and over 2 million cases of malaria are reported per year. The under-five mortality rate is 175 per 1,000 live births, and maternal mortality of 1,400 per 100,000 live births. Ethiopia has an increasing rate of HIV/AIDS infection with over 3.2 million cases reported, with 17% of pregnant women HIV positive. In conditions of extreme stress exacerbated by the current food shortages--that exceed normal patterns of drought and hardship--traditional coping mechanisms and safety nets are being virtually wiped out. 50% global malnutrition rates in parts of Somali region have been reported and are indicative of the severity of the s

ituation as cattle and sheep die, livestock prices plummet and reliance on relief food soars-where there is enough food. Though the overall government and donor response to food aid needs appears increasingly met, timely delivery to populations at risk remains a major challenge, influenced by complicated logistics. Child mortality is believed to be extremely high in Gode and Fik zones; irregular access and poor monitoring systems make quantification of mortality data very difficult.

The present food security situation for women and children is at its worst state since the 1980s

Unlike the 1980s drought, the current drought has affected the pastoral areas, in addition to the agricultural areas. In the pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of southern and eastern Ethiopia, the late arrival of the main gu rains resulted in high livestock losses and weakening of herds. In Gode zone, over 90% of the cattle have probably died since November. In Borena, over 50% of cattle have reportedly died. This situation is manifesting itself in high malnutrition, collapse of coping mechanisms and migration in search of relief. In central and northern parts of the country, many areas have been caught in the prolonged after-effects of the poor belg (short rains) season, which disrupted the normal farming cycle and resulted in delayed planting of main meher season crops. The possibility of increased suffering, weakened health and destitution remain an ominous scenario; the present epicentre of crisis, now in the south-east, may very well move north within coming months, thus requiring immediate action.

2. UNICEF RESPONSE: ACTIVITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS, AND CONSTRAINTS

UNICEF priorities: Meeting immediate needs for therapeutic feeding, water supply and basic emergency especially health essential drugs, ORS (Oral Rehydration Salt) and high protein biscuits, and field staff

Supplementary food has been provided for some 4,000 children in feeding centres in collaboration with Save the Children US and the Ogaden Welfare Society. More than 500,000 sachets of ORS and essential drug stocks to last six months have been provided for the most vulnerable in Somali and Oromiya regions. Additional stocks of essential drugs, especially for children, are being pre-positioned in different regions. A special measles/Vitamin A campaign will begin on June 23 with a target of one million children under five in Somali, southern Oromiya and South Omo zones of south-eastern Ethiopia. Water bladders, tanks and purification/testing equipment have been provided and water schemes rehabilitated to benefit some 391,000 people. A sanitation campaign is currently ongoing in Gode town. UNICEF has built on years' of water interventions, particularly in Oromiya region where 81 water points have greatly reduced vulnerability and prevented massive population movement. Around 10,000 families have been provided

with shelter materials to reduce the susceptibility to pneumonia and related respiratory tract infections. UNICEF has expanded its field presence and outreach, including secondment of technical staff to health and water bureaux in five regions. Technical personnel are supporting emergency health and supplementary feeding activities in Somali region, as well as overall non-food assistance co-ordination and planning with local counterparts for Oromiya, Borena and Tigray regions.

UNICEF has initiated support to continuing primary school enrolment in drought affected areas and has set-up temporary learning centres attached to feeding centres, with necessary educational supplies provided. In addition, educational supplies were provided for some 8,000 children in Somali region.

UNICEF and other humanitarian partners face several constraints related to inadequate transportation and logistics, plus the lack of infrastructure. Security is also a serious constraint arising from sporadic clashes among clans, thus limiting movements and inaccessibility to certain areas.

Continuing provision of assistance to increasing number of IDPs

During 1999, UNICEF Ethiopia provided emergency assistance for an estimated 315,000 displaced people in Tigray and 26,000 in Afar. In both areas, UNICEF staff are monitoring additional needs for both war displaced- and drought-affected populations. Many displaced live in makeshift shelters or in overcrowded conditions among the host community. Although Tigray region, where most of the displacements have occurred, benefits from a well organised human infrastructure, shortfalls in relief supply assistance, the extended circumstances of displacement and the widening impact of drought necessitate an ongoing level of emergency assistance. Emergency assistance has intentionally covered critical needs of host communities with limited basic services. At present, UNICEF has developed contingency plans in the event of new displacements caused by the conflict. The Netherlands pledged the equivalent of US$ 850,000 for displaced in Tigray and Afar regions. These funds will be used for on-going UNICEF water project, emergency education and nutrition assistance.

Planned 2000 emergency interventions for displaced and drought affected populations:

Health: Child immunization (measles and vitamin A), support to control of diarrhoeal diseases including provision of ORS, essential drugs for 2.5 million people in all affected regions, including antibiotics and intravenous fluids among drought affected population and, provision of treated bed nets to reduce transmission of malaria. It is worth noting that the immunization campaign in the drought affected regions will pave the way for longer-term sustainability of Iimmunisation (EPI) in Somali region by raising the technical capacity of health workers and strengthening the existing EPI infrastructure by providing cold chain equipment and vehicles.

Nutrition: Target delivery of special therapeutic foods including high protein biscuits for drought-affected populations, and monitoring and provision of technical support to improve national and sub-national nutrition surveillance and response capacities. Currently a mapping exercise of nutritional facilities is on-going and standardized methods and surveillance systems will be introduced.

Water and Environmental Sanitation: Support to water tankering for an initial time period, supply of jerry cans, construction of shallow wells, repair of hand-pumps and non-functional water schemes, limited drilling of bore holes where necessary, support to community hygiene education and environmental sanitation-all for drought affected and displaced populations.

Education: Provision of construction materials, benches and desks for temporary classrooms, teacher training, supply of clothing and learning materials including exercise books, pencils, chalk and black boards--altogether to benefit 120,000 drought- and war-affected children in Oromiya, Amhara, Tigray and SNNPR regions. Some 16 learning centres will be established attached to 8 feeding centres in Gode zone. Sanitation facilities will be provided in 50 schools for 15,000 students. These education activities will complement on-going activities for out-of-school children/adolescents and nomadic children (mobile schools in Borena zone now being introduced to some zones in Somali - 1 year plan).

Children and Women in Need of Special Protection: Continuing technical support and guidance to community-based joint land mine awareness education project in Tigray, implemented with a local NGO, targeting displaced families in areas contaminated by land mines. Support for 14,700 Ethiopian returnees from Eritrea in the Desse, South Wollo area who are unable to re-assimilate among heavily drought affected local communities including families living in streets and separated and unaccompanied children.

Relief and logistics, monitoring and co-ordination: Provision of shelter assistance including blankets and plastic sheeting for displaced populations, and support to airlift and road transport and communications. Deployment of field monitors to ensure effective targeting of non-food inputs, field co-ordination and overall monitoring of drought and displaced emergency interventions.

Constraints have included difficulties in working within an increasingly decentralised but still highly bureaucratic programme environment at national and sub-national levels. Weak information management and exchange on critical needs of women and children (especially in the drought areas) have been some major obstacles. Recently, UNICEF has undertaken a number of initiatives with government counterparts to bring greater efficiency and capacity in these critical areas.

3. APPEAL REQUIREMENTS AND RECEIPTS

In late January this year, within the framework of the UN Ethiopia Country Team Appeal, UNICEF requested a total of US$ 7,719,900 to support emergency operations from February-December 2000. Given the worsening situation a Consolidated Appeal was launched on June 7, to respond to the critical humanitarian needs of children and women affected by the drought crisis, till the end of the year. The requirements for UNICEF Ethiopia amount to some $ 8,557,085. This brings total requirement to US$ 16,276,185.

* Consolidated Appeal Process

UNICEF's emergency response in these areas is based on its core commitment to project interventions intended to give greater overall cohesion and predictability. These include support to EPI and malaria control, supply of therapeutic foods and support to nutritional surveillance, provision of shelter supplies, and provision of safe drinking water including water storage and purification. In addition, UNICEF is committed in all emergency situations to the continuous enrolment of children in school, rapid assessment and care of children and women in need of special protection.

APPEAL RESPONSE

4. IMPACT OF UNDER-FUNDING

Immediate funding is key to prevent massive population movement through synchronized activities across borders and timely interventions

Recent funds have enabled UNICEF to carry out a major mobilisation in programme and operational response to the drought disaster in south-eastern Ethiopia and also to the increasingly unstable situation of war displaced in the north. However, a sizeable component of this increase in resources remains linked to headquarters loans, totalling over USD 5.5 million dollars. Quick response is key to preventing a wide scale famine. UNICEF has been able to pre-position basic limited supplies, however resources are urgently required to take ongoing activities to a scale commensurate with the magnitude of the crisis.

Details of these projects can be provided upon request to:

Ibrahim Jabr
UNICEF Representative
Addis Ababa
Tel: 251-1-517648
Fax: 251-1-511628
ijabr@unicef.org

Robin Medforth-Mills
UNICEF EMOPS
Geneva
Tel: +41 22 909 5544
Fax: +41 22 909 5902
Email: rmills@unicef.org

Dan Rohrmann
UNICEF PFO
New York
Tel: + 1 212 326 7009
Fax: + 1 212 326 7165
Email: drohrmann@unicef.org

For more information on UNICEF, visit its website at http://www.unicef.org/emerg