ReliefWeb

Highlights

• UNICEF, the World Bank and the Ministry of Social Development disbursed the third tranche of the Cash Grant Top-up to 85,443 children (53% were girls) in 28,481 households, providing unconditional emergency support to families with children negatively affected by food insecurity and other drought related deprivations.

• UNICEF WASH support reached an estimated 16,000 households reaching over 80,000 people, seven health centers (with a patient caseload of 6,700) and 38 schools reaching over 11,000 children (57% girls) with hygiene and sanitation promotion messages.

• The number of children who received treatment for Severe Acute Malnutrition in 2016 nationwide was 4,402, exceeding UNICEF’s target of 2,445.

Situation in Numbers

310,015
Children affected by drought

64,141
Children under 5 affected by drought

69,000
Vulnerable children in need of social safety nets

679,437
People in need of humanitarian assistance (LVAC)

All numbers above are from the Rapid Drought Impact Assessment, February 2016 and the LVAC June 2016.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

The Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC) results in June 2016 showed that 679,437 people in the rural areas of Lesotho are in need of humanitarian assistance between June 2016 and May 2017. The most immediate identified humanitarian needs caused by the El Nino-induced drought are food and water. The LVAC found that about 17% of households were using water from unprotected sources. In Maseru, Mokhotlong and Thaba-Tseka districts 22-32% of people were reported to be using water from unprotected sources. The vulnerability caused by El Nino has compounded existing high rates of poverty and HIV infection in Lesotho that are among the highest in the world.

Since the June LVAC study was conducted, an urban vulnerability assessment has been commissioned by the Government and development partners. This assessment includes collecting data to assess vulnerability by gender and HIV and AIDS status. Data collection has been completed and analysis is underway with preliminary results expected to be shared by the end of January 2017.