Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
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In addition to climatic shocks, people in Somalia continue to experience conflict, disease outbreaks and poverty. In 2024, humanitarian assistance is required for 8.3 million people, including 5.1 million children.
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The nutritional status of 1.5 million children under age 5 remains concerning, with acute wasting projected until July 2024. About 8 million people face water shortages, which have caused a spike in cholera cases.
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As part of its commitment to address emerging and ongoing humanitarian needs, UNICEF will channel efforts towards emergency preparedness, bolster its field presence, foster localization and ensure accountability to the affected population. UNICEF’s programme will strengthen the integration of gender equality, protection from sexual exploitation and abuse and prevention of and response to gender-based violence in emergencies.
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UNICEF prioritizes strengthening resilience building, providing integrated services in hard-to-reach areas, enhancing response monitoring and fortifying its leadership role in cluster coordination.
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UNICEF is appealing for $222.2 million to support 3.2 million people, including 2 million children, with integrated health, WASH, education and child protection interventions.
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND NEEDS
Due to ongoing conflict, instability, drought, floods and disease outbreaks, 8.3 million Somalis, including 4.1 million girls and women and 1.2 million people with disabilities, urgently need humanitarian assistance. The displacement of 3.8 million individuals has further intensified the existing humanitarian crisis.
Although the 2023 Gu (April, May and June) rains and humanitarian aid have provided some relief, significant food insecurity in Somalia is projected to persist. An estimated 4.3 million people could be experiencing crisis level (IPC Phase 3) food insecurity or worse, and more than a million people might be at an emergency level (IPC Phase 4) through 2023. From August 2023 to July 2024, around 1.5 million children under age 5, roughly equivalent to 40 per cent of Somalia's under-five child population, are projected to experience acute wasting.
This includes about 330,630 severe cases.
The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre predicts above-average rainfall in October, especially in the Shabelle and Juba rivers, due to a forecast El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole, potentially causing floods that may affect around 1.8 million individuals.
In Somalia, such factors as clan conflicts, political instability, military operations against AlShabaab and the withdrawal of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia contribute to heightened insecurity and instability. The increased insecurity might amplify difficulties with humanitarian access while heightening the risk of grave violations against children. AlShabaab is also anticipated to intensify targeted attacks. This could result in civilian displacements and further deteriorate the humanitarian situation. Of the 1,487,000 newly displaced people in 2023, 592,000 were displaced due to violence and insecurity.
Somali children suffer most from the country's ongoing drought, floods, instability and conflict. Recruitment by armed groups, physical violence, sexual abuse and abduction are the prevailing risks to children. In 2022, 2,783 grave violations were officially recorded, impacting 2,282 children (79 per cent boys). According to the Education Cluster, there are 4.8 million out-of-school children aged 5–17 years in 2023. School attendance rates for newly displaced children are as low as 21 per cent, compared with 39 per cent for children who are not displaced. Children with disabilities face additional educational barriers, including a lack of awareness, specialized teachers, supportive classroom assistance and suitable infrastructure.
Approximately half of Somalis face a shortage of sustainable and safe water for drinking and other household needs, which has increased acute watery diarrhoea/cholera cases. In 2023, 29 drought-affected districts reported 13,000 cholera cases and 31 fatalities.