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HIGHLIGHTS
In 2023, South Asia experienced natural disasters, political crises, public health emergencies and conflicts. Earthquakes hit Afghanistan and Nepal, requiring emergency responses. Three cyclones impacted Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Refugee crises in Bangladesh and Pakistan required a coordinated response. Bangladesh and Nepal managed dengue fever outbreaks.
UNICEF South Asia supports countries to ensure a robust regional response for children facing emergencies. ROSA supported all eight country offices in the region to target 45 million people (26 million children) in need of humanitarian assistance, through remote and in-person surge support, and technical guidance on grand bargain themes, including AAP, Cash in Emergencies, localization and preparedness strengthening.
Emergency Preparedness and Response trainings built the capacity of 225 UNICEF staff in the region to better prepare and respond to ongoing and future emergencies in their countries. Overall, the regional office supported country offices to reach approximately 20 million children in need of humanitarian support.
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
375,800 Children in need of humanitarian assistance
937,000 People in need of humanitarian assistance
500,800 people in need of health assistance
585,000 people in need of nutrition assistance
REGIONAL FUNDING OVERVIEW AND PARTNERSHIPS
In 2023, UNICEF's Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal for South Asia required US$21.7 million to prepare for and respond to sudden-onset emergencies—including floods, public health emergencies, economic crises, population displacement—as well as protracted conflicts with cross-border dimensions, while ensuring preparedness for multi-hazards. The appeal also included funding requirements for technical support to all eight country offices in the region, as well as further investment in the development of a regional surge mechanism to ensure quality and rapid response to emergencies.
UNICEF expresses its sincere gratitude to all donors for their generous contributions, amounting to US$5.4 million (including US$1.4 million carried-forward from 2022), 25 per cent of the total funding requirement. This funding allowed for a partial humanitarian response within the region. While the region ensured adherence to its Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in humanitarian situations, funding gaps prevented UNICEF from being able to scale up key strategic priorities and ensure all regional preparedness and localization activities were fully implemented. Further funding is required in 2024 to support the region to prepare for cyclical natural disasters, public health emergencies, and major earthquake events, while also putting in place a regional mechanism to ensure rapid response to future emergencies at scale.
REGIONAL SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
2023 was a challenging year for tens of millions of children and their families in South Asia due to natural disasters, disease outbreaks, inflation and economic crises, continued refugee crises and social and political unrest in some countries. The INFORM Global Risk Index ranks four out of eight South Asian countries as either “very high” or “high” in terms of risk of emerging humanitarian situations: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. The INFORM Climate Change Index calculated in late 2022 predicted that the worldwide number of people living in very high- or high-risk countries, including the many of those in South Asia, will nearly double by 2050, to 5.5 billion and 70 per cent of countries will not have the resources to cope.
In 2023, Afghanistan remained one of the world’s worst continuing, complex humanitarian situations. Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the space for women and girls has continued to shrink, as they experience a series of restrictive measures curtailing basic freedoms, creating barriers to accessing services, excluding them from higher education opportunities, and limiting employment. Government edicts on women working for NGOs and UN Agencies in late 2022 and early 2023 triggered suspension of some aid work that relied on female field workers. On 7 October 2023, and for several days after, communities in Herat Province experienced a series of strong earthquakes 6 magnitude and above. An estimated 1.6 million people experienced high intensity shaking, and more than 275,000 people in nine districts were directly affected by the earthquake. These earthquakes required an additional mobilization of humanitarian response in Herat.
In 2023, Bangladesh continued to host nearly one million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar District and Bhasan Char Island in Noakhali District; over half of them are children. While the refugees are served by basic services, there continue to be disease outbreaks, malnutrition, and inadequate opportunities for children’s education and skill acquisition. Climate related emergencies had a significant impact on Bangladesh this year. In May 2023, Cyclone Mocha made landfall with impacts to Cox’s Bazar districts. In total 334,620 Bangladeshi nationals were affected and 36,907 Rohingya refugees living in camps had their homes damaged or destroyed5 . In August 2023, heavy rains across Chittagong district triggered flash floods and landslides, and over half a million people in Cox’s Bazar were exposed following the incident. Bangladesh was also hit by public health emergencies in 2023, in particular by the worst outbreak of dengue viral diseases in its history. As of 31 December 2023, there were 321,179 recorded cases of dengue fever (40 per cent female, 17 per cent children under the age of 15), with 1,705 deaths (57 per cent female, 10 per cent children under the age of 15).
India continues to face more severe and less predictable extreme weather events related to climate change. In 2023, India faced cyclones, floods, heatwaves, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, and conflict-related displacement. Throughout the year, UNICEF continued its work on emergency preparedness and response, working closely with national and state government counterparts to build resilient systems and respond to conflict and emergencies that affected children and women in states where multiple vulnerabilities and shocks exist.
The people of Pakistan endured multiple, often interrelated humanitarian crises in 2023, while also recovering from the torrential rains and floods in late 2022. The country hosted over three million people from Afghanistan of various statuses. Hosting communities tend to have a high prevalence of malnutrition, poor access to safe water and sanitation and low school enrolment, especially for girls. On 26 September 2023, the Government of Pakistan announced plans for the deportation of undocumented foreigners, putting over 1.7 million Afghans in Pakistan at risk of forced return to Afghanistan. As a result, between 15 September and 31 December 2023, a total of 490,891 Afghans (59 per cent children) of various statuses returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan .
Sri Lanka began the year in the middle of an acute economic crisis. After a year of economic hardship, Sri Lanka secured adequate debt relief assurances from its official creditors, which resulted in the International Monetary Fund Board approving a US$3 billion bailout for 48 months on 20 March 2023, which led to some stabilization of the economy and situation. With the strengthening of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Sri Lanka also experienced delayed Southwest monsoon and less rainfall affecting 139,149 people in seven districts with drought and water scarcity.
Under the regional HAC, Bhutan and Maldives were not faced by significant natural disasters in 2023 requiring humanitarian response. However, disaster risks remain in both countries, with Bhutan at risk of mega-earthquakes, floods, glacial lake outburst floods, landslides and forest fires, many of which are being exacerbated by climate change. The Maldives is one of the lowest elevation countries in the world and is highly vulnerable to the threats of climate change and sea level rise. Investment in preparedness for both countries is essential to be ready for the future challenges.
Throughout 2023, the overall humanitarian situation in Nepal remained precarious, exacerbated by two large earthquakes – each with a magnitude exceeding 6.3 – that struck western Nepal in the final quarter. These earthquakes claimed a total of 155 lives and affected more than 70,000 households across over a dozen districts. Hundreds of aftershocks followed, continuing until the end of December. Additionally, the annual monsoon season left its mark, leading to 68 casualties and impacting more than 6,000 households nationwide. The country also experienced the second consecutive year of high cases of dengue fever, which included 51,000 identified cases and 20 confirmed deaths as of 15 December.