Attachments
Highlights:
La Niña is expected to bring drought to the lowlands of Somali, Oromia, and Southern Ethiopia during the October–December 2024 rainy season, leading to water and pasture shortages, exacerbating food insecurity, and worsening public health issues such as cholera and measles outbreaks.
Severe flooding in September 2024 affected multiple regions in Ethiopia, including Gambella, South Ethiopia, Afar, Oromia, Somali, and Sidama, displacing thousands and causing significant damage to infrastructure, crops, and increasing health risks due to water-borne diseases.
In the reporting period, UNICEF has provided lifesaving treatment to more than 94,000 acutely malnourished children under five years of age across the country.
UNICEF reached more than 900,000 people with primary healthcare services and medical consultations in regions affected by drought and conflict during the reporting month.
UNICEF requires US$ 535 million to support the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance, including supplies, cash, essential services and technical assistance to refugee children, adolescents, and families. As of the end of September 2024, US$116 million is available, leaving 78 per cent funding gap.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
In the lowlands of Somali, Oromia, and Southern Ethiopia, La Niña is expected to bring drought during the October– December 2024 rainy season. The IGADforecasts a late onset and below-average rainfall, which will affect water and pasture availability, exacerbate food security, and worsen public health concerns such as cholera and measles outbreaks. Conversely, the 2024 meher harvest, which begins in September/October, is gradually improving acute food insecurity for millions of people across the country. Once the harvest is fully underway, outcomes across much of the north will likely improve to Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Stressed (IPC Phase 2), while central and eastern Ethiopia will see improvements to Stressed (IPC Phase 2) and Minimal (IPC Phase 1). However, pastoral areas of Afar with low livestock holdings will likely remain in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) until early 2025 due to below-average rainfall forecasts.
Meanwhile, in the pastoral south and southeast, Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes are anticipated as food and income sources from livestock still need multiple seasons to recover to normal levels.
In the last nine months, 20 SMART surveys and seven rapid nutrition assessments (RNA)3 conducted in several livelihood zones and woredas across 8 regions revealed very high/critical GAM rates (>15%) in 86 woredas of Afar,
Somali, and Tigray; high/serious rates (10%-15%) in 39 woredas of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, and Somali; and medium/poor rates (5%-10%) in 30 woredas of Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambella, and Oromia, with no locations reporting low or very low GAM rates. Data from SMART+ surveys indicate that infant and young child feeding practices are suboptimal in many regions. Child food poverty is a significant issue in most areas, posing an additional nutritional risk for populations dealing with multiple shocks. Moreover, the nutritional status of women is a critical concern, in northern Ethiopia, SMART findings reveal that 60 per cent of pregnant and lactating women require nutritional support.
In regions with lowest prevalence, such as the southern regions, the proportion of children with medical complications is quite high, reaching 15 per cent, which carries a higher risk of mortality. These results highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to address malnutrition in the affected areas.
Ethiopia is currently experiencing several disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles, malaria, and dengue fever. In 2024 alone, a total of 25,344 cholera cases4 and 244 deaths (CFR =0.96%) were reported mainly from Oromia, Somali and Amhara. Currently, the outbreak is ongoing in 51 woredas, with a slight decrease from 68 woredas in August to 65 in September 2024. Weather-related events have also led to a significant increase in malaria cases, with over 6.1 million new cases and 1,038 deaths5 were reported since January. The majority of malaria cases are reported from Oromia (49%), Amhara (17%), Southwest (11%), South Ethiopia (6%), and Benishangul Gumuz (5%). A total of 27,718 measles cases and 216 deaths (CF=0.78%) were reported, mainly from Oromia, South Ethiopia, and Amhara regions. A persistent decrease in the number of woredas with active measles outbreaks has been reported, attributed to a largescale national immunization campaign targeting children who had not yet received any dose.
In September, heavy rainfall led to flash floods and river overflows in various regions, occurred in various regions, affecting many woredas in Gambella and South Ethiopia (SE). Some areas, like Dubti, Kori, and Elidar in Afar, and Bale and Arsi lowlands in Oromia, received below-average rainfall, but overall seasonal rainfall is near normal with minimal impacts on pasture and crops. According to the regional Disaster Risk Management Commission (DRMC), severe flooding in Gambella has affected over 41,000 individuals and displaced over 28,000 people including nearly 5,000 children under five in several woredas. The flooding has caused widespread damage to infrastructure and crops, and severely impacted health and education services. The flooding effects are expected to continue until October, necessitating urgent measures to provide scholastic materials and repair or construct temporary learning spaces.
Landslides in Gofa zone have displaced 24,139 individuals, who are now in temporary accommodation centres (TACs), churches, and schools and are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Similar incidents were also reported from Gamo Zone of SE region, resulting in the deaths of four people and displacement of 1000 people.
Furthermore, landslides in the Central, Northern and Eastern zones of the Sidama region displaced 11,000 people. In Somali, assessments conducted in the flood affected Afder and Shabelle zones identified that over 112,000 people affected across both zones, of whom 24,000 are displaced in three woredas of Shabelle Zone. The Flooding also destroyed 11,458 hectares of various crops, hand-dug wells, and river intakes. Additionally, the flood blocked access to water sources, compelling affected communities to use unsafe, stagnant, and untreated floodwater, thereby increasing health risks and likelihood of water-borne diseases.
The Amhara region continues to face a volatile and unpredictable security situation due to ongoing clashes between Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Fano Miltia, along with severe drought, displacement, conflict, and cross border migration. Heavy rains in August caused the Rib River to overflow, affecting communities in South Gondar zone and damaging farmland, livestock, and poultry. The Oromia region faces severe challenges due to ongoing conflict, impacting millions with limited access to essential services, protection, and humanitarian aid. The conflict has also caused extensive damage to public services and infrastructure, including health facilities, schools, and water schemes.
To improve access and programme quality in hard-to-reach areas, UNICEF has established a new office in Nekemte,
East Wollega.
The escalating conflict and natural disasters in Ethiopia have had a devastating impact on the education sector. As of Aug 2024, approximately 8 million children are out of school due to ongoing violence, natural disasters, and displacement. Over 9,000 schools, representing 20 per cent of schools across the country have been damaged by conflict and climate shocks, further reducing the availability of safe and functional learning spaces. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of teachers have been directly and indirectly impacted. In Amhara region6 , over 4,000 schools were closed in the previous academic calendar, leaving more than 4 million children without access to education. The situation is particularly dire in conflict-affected areas, where children face additional risks such as child labour, early marriage, and exploitation. Schools in these areas are often used by displaced people and occupied by armed forces.
According to regional educational bureau, 53 per cent of schools did not resume registration for the new academic year, and other regions are facing similar challenges as the communities’ grapple with emergencies and compounding factors.