Attachments
Highlights
- In January and February 2026, UNICEF provided lifesaving treatment to nearly 77,983 children under five suffering from acute malnutrition across the country.
- During the same period, over 783,641 women and children accessed primary healthcare services; more than 186,591 people gained access to safe drinking water through the rehabilitation and solarization of water systems.
- During the reporting period, UNICEF supported over 18,952 out‑of‑school children to access formal and non‑formal education opportunities.
- Shock‑Responsive Cash Transfers (SRCTs) were provided to 10,138 households including 6,819 women‑headed households.
- In the reporting period, UNICEF supported more than 9,328 children, adolescents, and caregivers received mental health and psychosocial support.
- UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal for Ethiopia, totaling $401.5 million, remains 86 percent unfunded, despite ongoing needs for supplies, cash assistance, essential services, and technical support for vulnerable children and families.
Situation in Numbers
1,123,420 Total Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Funding Overview and Partnerships
UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) 2026 Appeal highlights the urgent need for US$401.5 million to address the critical humanitarian requirements of children, adolescents, women, and men in Ethiopia. Currently, only US$57.1 million is available for this appeal, which represents 14 per cent of the total financing required, even after accounting for the US$49.4 million carried over from 2025. This significant shortfall underscores the necessity for continued support to bridge the gaps in funding. UNICEF is urging donors to provide assistance and to ensure that children and their caregivers receive the lifesaving and life-sustaining aid they desperately need in 2026 and beyond.
UNICEF extends our heartfelt thanks to all donors who have generously supported the 2026 HAC. Special appreciation goes out to the Canada, Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), Japan, Norway, United Kingdom, United State of Foreign Assistance and all private sector donors who have shown their commitment through UNICEF National Committees. Your contributions are making a profound difference in the lives of children and families.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
Ethiopia is facing a complex, multi-dimensional humanitarian emergency, driven by the intersection of recurrent drought, flooding, armed conflict, large-scale displacement, disease outbreaks, and severe economic instability, including persistent inflation. These compounding shocks have sharply exacerbated food and nutrition insecurity, with children among the most adversely affected. As conditions deteriorate, vulnerable populations are increasingly exposed to life‑threatening levels of deprivation, undermining their health, well-being, and long‑term development.
According to the FEWS NET Food Security Outlook (February–September 2026) 1, the poor performance of the March– May 2025 Gu/Genna and the October–December 2025 Deyr/Hageya rains resulted in atypically severe shortages of pasture and water, particularly in Afder, Liban, Dawa, and Korahe zones of Somali Region and Borena Zone of Oromia Region. Livestock body conditions significantly deteriorated during the subsequent dry season and remain extremely poor ahead of the start of the 2026 Gu/Genna season. As a result, livestock prices have declined, leading to weakened terms of trade for pastoralist households.
On the other hand, the Ethiopia Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC) reported in its March 2026 climate outlook that neutral Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and ENSO-neutral conditions along with their interactions—are expected to increase the likelihood of normal to above-normal Belg 2026 rainfall across southern and southeastern Ethiopia. Accordingly, Southern Somali, Southern Oromia, Sidama, South Ethiopia, and Southwest Ethiopia regions are likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall. The outlook also anticipates frequent heavy rainfall, which could lead to flash flooding in flood-prone areas, including major urban centers.
Since late February 2025, political instability and rising hostilities between armed actors in South Sudan have driven recurrent clashes and large-scale displacement, particularly affecting Upper Nile and, more recently, Jonglei State. According to a February 3, 2026, ECHO flash update2 , tensions in Jonglei State are triggering further potential displacement into Ethiopia, Since February 2025, over 80,000 individuals have crossed from South Sudan into Ethiopia’s Gambella region, which already hosts more than 400,000 refugees, placing enormous pressure on local resources and basic services.