Libya: Flood Response Humanitarian Update (as of 20 February 2024) [EN/AR]

This report is produced by OCHA Libya in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 16 January 2024 to 20 February 2024. The next report will be issued on or around 20 March 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS

• During winter months, humanitarian partners strengthened efforts dedicated to communal structure rehabilitation and shelter repair, including through provision of cash or in-kind rehabilitation.

• Significant progress in water infrastructure and pipeline rehabilitation has improved short and medium-term access to safe water, addressing a fundamental need of the affected population.

• Deployment of health teams and provision of medical supplies and services, including mental health support, has strengthened healthcare provisions, effectively addressing critical health needs.

• Partners scaled up humanitarian efforts, despite some ongoing access barriers and challenges in the coordination with local authorities that hinder some from delivering at full capacity; hence the need to prioritize support for vulnerable populations, including internally displaced persons, children, and women and girls, particularly through cash-based, protection, and education assistance, remains high.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Efforts to address the humanitarian and early recovery needs in the flood-affected areas of Libya have seen significant progress across various sectors, thanks to joint efforts and coordination among Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) and partners in the first part of the year. Winterization support is well underway, with humanitarian partners increasingly focusing on communal spaces rehabilitation and shelter repair, including providing cash or in-kind assistance to ensure safer living conditions for households in need. Significant progress has been made in water infrastructure repair and pipeline rehabilitation, improving short and medium-term access to safe water, a fundamental need for the affected population. Deployment of specialized health teams and continuous provision of medical supplies and services, including mental health support, have strengthened healthcare provisions, effectively addressing critical health needs amidst challenging circumstances. Educational assessments have revealed that quality educational systems can be achieved through primarily reducing overcrowded classrooms, recruiting, and training education staff, although full access to the population remains a struggle. Site Management and Early Recovery partners are increasingly looking at planning a transition towards more sustainable assistance.

During the period, OCHA has conducted field missions to monitor the progress of the response, particularly in the most affected municipalities, while collecting updates on needs and gaps. OCHA met with local authorities, mayors, and municipal council members, including in Albayda, Shahat, and Sousa, along with humanitarian partners in Derna, and visited ongoing WASH projects in Albayda, Shahat, and Sousa, and a desalination plant in Derna. Key needs and gaps encompass shelter and infrastructure rehabilitation, healthcare staffing and equipment shortages, educational facility restoration, provision of social services, waste management equipment replacement, financial support for basic services, and improved coordination among humanitarian partners and local authorities. Efforts should also be directed towards cash assistance, rehabilitation, and psychosocial support.

To date, the flood response has reached a total of 244,000 individuals. During the reporting period, 75,000 individuals have had access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services, while nearly 87,000 individuals benefited from borehole rehabilitation. Additionally, 27,460 individuals have been supported with in-kind food assistance, and 8,500 school children have been supported with daily nutritious school meals. Shelter partners have supported over 10,000 individuals through winter NFI kits, and Health partners have provided 1,900 consultations through 12 facilities, in addition to delivering 21 tons of basic and lifesaving medicines, supplies, and equipment, ready for distribution. Partners have scaled up humanitarian response to critical needs, focusing particularly on WASH, food, health, and winterization assistance. However, some ongoing access barriers and challenges in the coordination with authorities in the field, hinder some partners and Thematic Working Groups from delivering at full capacity or cause delays. Hence, there still remains an urgent need to prioritize support for the most vulnerable populations, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), children, and women and girls, especially through cash-based assistance, protection, and education assistance.

The epidemiological situation in flood-affected areas, which had been reported as stabilized by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) at the end of 2023, continues to remain stable, with no increase in waterborne diseases reported.

The Inter-Thematic Working Group (ITWG) coordination completed the Mapping of Accountability to Affected People (AAP) initiatives. The analysis highlighted several themes that are potentially able to drive the effective and accountable humanitarian response. Key recommendations focus on enhancing awareness and use of available Community Communication and Engagement and Accountability (CCEA) tools, such as the interagency Community Feedback Mechanisms (CFM), and online spaces. There is an emphasis on the importance of maintaining accurate data to ensure aid reaches those in need efficiently and ensure affected people have access to reliable information and effective channels to convey their feedback and to enhance partners’ effectiveness, accountability, and inclusivity in addressing the needs of affected communities.