UNICEF Mauritania Monthly Situation Report - February 2013

Highlights

• Mauritania is the single largest recipient of refugees fleeing the conflict in Mali.

• 75,019 refugees are living in the Mbéra camp, including 20,815 new arrivals in 2013.

• 57% of the refugees are children and many have been in the camp for over a year, resulting in overlapping emergency and medium term needs.

• Refugee children face a range of threats to their health, nutrition, education and family lives. Many have experienced severe trauma and are suffering from malnutrition and need specialised attention and care.

• UNICEF, in coordination with UNHCR and partners, are providing education in the camp for 5,790 children in 6 schools and psychosocial stimulation for 1,152 children at 4 child friendly spaces. All 14 schools, child friendly spaces and treatment centres for severe acute malnutrition in Mbéra refugee camp have been provided with access to clean water and sanitation.

• More resources are needed to fill gaps including 19,510 children not getting an education.

• UNICEF Mauritania has received $710,170 through CERF to meet the basic needs of 15,000 new refugees over the next 6 months.

• In 2013, the expected caseload of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) for the entire country is 122,719 children under 5 years, including 23,901 cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).

• A multi-sectorial package of services is being scaled up from 291 to all 488 nutrition centres in the country and the WASH in Nutrition package is being strengthened.

• Results of the latest SMART survey on nutrition have been released. A joint UNICEF, WFP and FAO programme, supported by the EU, to build resilience will be launched soon to improve nutrition, food security and social protection.