Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
- The impact of climate change, disease outbreaks and poverty in Somalia is staggering. Despite greater stability in some areas of the country, ongoing conflict continues to cause displacement and restricts access to services. In 2025, 6.9 million people, including 4.3 million children and 2.6 million men and women, need humanitarian assistance.
- Anticipated poor rainfall related to the La Niña weather pattern is likely to push the number of people facing food crisis from 3.6 million to 4.4 million by December 20243 ; and the number of children under age 5 at risk of wasting to 1.6 million July 2025,4 with 403,000 expected to be severely wasted.5 Around 6.6 million people face water shortages.
- UNICEF will enhance programme integration and implementation of cross-sectoral priorities, including gender equality, disability inclusion and resilience. Prevention of aid diversion remains a priority.
- In 2025, UNICEF is appealing for $171 million to support 1.8 million people, including 1.1 million children, with integrated health, nutrition, WASH, education, child protection and social protection interventions.
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND NEEDS
Due to La Niña conditions, Somalia faces a potential drought with a high probability of belowaverage and late rainfall in 2024. Combined with conflict and disease outbreaks, about 6.9 million people, including 4.3 million children, 1.1 million women and 310,000 people with disabilities, require urgent humanitarian aid in 2025. Expected rainfall shortages could worsen the food crisis, affecting up to 4.4 million people.
Furthermore, through July 2025 around 1.6 million children under five are at risk of wasting, with 403,000 likely to experience severe wasting. These figures are a 14 per cent and 21 per cent rise in global acute malnutrition and severe wasting, respectively, compared with the same period last year.
The escalation of Somalia's displacement crisis is evidenced by the 342,221 people newly displaced in 2024 (165,000 displaced due to insecurity),who have joined the existing 3.8 million people in protracted displacement. This expansion of the displaced population further complicates the implementation of durable solutions for forced migrants, particularly in urban centres.
Since January 2024, 18,440 suspected cholera cases have been reported in Somalia, with 138 deaths. With approximately 1.5 million children under age 5 unvaccinated or undervaccinated, the risk of outbreaks from such vaccine-preventable diseases as measles remains high.
Security operations against Al-Shabaab and the transition of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia may lead to heightened insecurity and instability, complicate humanitarian access and increase the risk of grave violations against children (including killing and maiming of children; recruitment or use of children by parties to conflict; attacks on education or health services; rape or other grave sexual violence; abduction of children; and denial of humanitarian access for children). Between January and September 2024, 1,930 grave violations were officially recorded, impacting 1,478 children (1,057 boys, 421 girls) across Somalia. The various parties to the conflict may intensify targeted attacks, which could result in additional civilian displacement.
Too many children in Somalia lack access to schools, with the Education Cluster estimating 4.9 million children out of school. Inequities are also widespread. 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 of their needs, lack of specialized teachers and the absence of supportive classroom assistance and appropriate infrastructure