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Mexico

Mexico Earthquakes Humanitarian Situation Report - Three Month Review, 19 December 2017

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I.THREE MONTHS IN REVIEW WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

  • On 7 and 19 September, 2017 Mexico was struck by two earthquakes of 8.2 and 7.1 magnitude on the Richter scale, respectively. The main affected states were Oaxaca, Chiapas, Mexico City, Puebla and Morelos. An estimated 7 million children live in these 5 states.

  • Three months after the earthquakes, most children living in the most affected municipalities in the five states have gradually returned to school and to their normal lives.

  • UNICEF's response plan during these three months focused on: 1)protecting children from violence, exploitation and abuse in shelters and public spaces of temporary refuge, as well as providing safe spaces and psychosocial support; 2) promoting educational continuity for children by advocating and supporting an early return to school and prevention of school drop-out; and 3) ensuring access to adequate hand-washing and sanitation facilities, as well as hygiene supplies.

  • UNICEF established alliances with key partners from government, civil society and the private sector to establish 34 child friendly spaces, benefiting 3,126 children; train 353 teachers, who in turn will further train 5,296 teaching staff and 171 child-friendly space facilitators with tools and strategies for psychosocial support; establish 100 temporary learning spaces with water and sanitation facilities for severely damaged schools; distribute 410 schools-in-a-box benefiting 16,400 students; and distribute 20 early childhood development (ECD) kits, benefiting at least 800 children under 5 years of age.

  • To date, the total value of funds raised by UNICEF amount to US$ 5,194,331.04, which surpassed the total initial ask of US$ 4.6 million.

  • These actions were implemented initially in 24 priority municipalities, identified after five rapid assessment missions of UNICEF staff to the affected areas in the first 24-72 hours following the earthquakes. An additional 10 municipalities were included in the plan, where UNICEF staff identified urgent needs of children and women in the said areas, after subsequent missions.

  • Three months later, UNICEF has developed an Early Recovery Plan to be implemented between January and June 2018.