Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
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A cholera outbreak has affected all provinces of the country, requiring a massive, urgent scale-up to respond and prevent its spread. In February and March 2023, Cyclone Freddy struck Mozambique twice, affecting over 1.2 million people , destroying critical infrastructure and disrupting basic services to already underserved populations.
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The situation in Mozambique remains concerning, due to insecurity in Cabo Delgado, with more than 834,300 people displaced, including 416,572 children.
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Nutrition assessments revealed that access to healthy diets remains a challenge as well as a double burden of stunting and wasting in Cabo Delgado and over 51,000 children below five years old4 in the north requiring lifesaving Severe Acute Malnutrition treatment.
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UNICEF is providing lifesaving, inclusive, and gender-responsive assistance to vulnerable populations including girls, boys, adolescents, caregivers and people with disabilities. UNICEF will prioritize meeting immediate needs, preparedness and early recovery where possible.
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UNICEF is requesting US$ 169 million to address the needs of nearly 2.5 million people affected by conflict, cholera, and cyclones/floods.
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND NEEDS
The situation in Mozambique has changed dramatically since the start of the year with a nationwide cholera outbreak, and both central and southern Mozambique affected by heavy rains and Cyclone Freddy. The situation is compounded by increased food prices and socioeconomic vulnerabilities. An estimated 46.3 percent of children experience multidimensional poverty.
Women and girls face great exposure to risks linked to poverty, exploitation, and harmful practices.
In 2023, floods and cyclones caused destruction in southern and central Mozambique where Cyclone Freddy struck twice affecting nearly 1.2 million people and causing 179 deaths, damage or destruction to health facilities, schools, water infrastructure, and loss of crops just before the harvest. This will compound already existing nutrition vulnerabilities, with one in every two children stunted. The severe wasting prevalence ranges nationally from 1.2 to 4 percent. Around 3.2 million people will likely face high levels of acute food insecurity due to conflict or harvest loss.
Mozambique is also experiencing several disease outbreaks. The largest cholera outbreak hit the country and affected all provinces in 2023. Zambezia, Sofala, Tete and Niassa are recording the majority of the cases and deaths to date. Cyclone Freddy aggravated the already poor access to safe water and sanitation conditions in the country, accelerating the spread of cholera across the country. Wild and vaccine-derived poliovirus continues spreading in the country requiring nationwide vaccination campaigns for children under 5 years of age. The prevalence of HIV among adolescents remains extremely high, at around 6.2 per cent among girls and 2.5 percent among boys.
The conflict in Cabo Delgado Province has left 834,304 people internally displaced, 79 per cent of them women and children. Armed violence spread to the southern part of the province and into neighbouring Nampula Province in mid-2022, causing new displacements, disrupting humanitarian assistance and causing access constraints. Access to safe water and sanitation remains inadequate in the sites and host communities and provision of this basic service including health, education require flexible partnerships, to ensure reaching populations constantly on the move. In the places of origin of displaced people - mostly inaccessible for several years - services are extremely limited. Support is required for the 420,200 people- 42 percent children-who returned to those areas. The conflict in Cabo Delgado Province is a protection crisis. Girls and boys are increasingly exposed to child rights violations, gender-based violence and other protection risks found in situations of armed conflict. Additionally, women remain largely excluded from access to income and decision-making and face limited availability of services.