Attachments
OVERVIEW
In March, the humanitarian crisis in Somalia continued, with millions of Somalis in need of humanitarian assistance. The Protection and Returns Monitoring Network (PRMN), which has been tracking internal displacement trends for the past 17 years, recorded approximately 50,000 internal displacements in March, primarily due to insecurity and the enduring effects of flooding that occurred last year from October to December. The security situation in the country remained tense, with ongoing military operations to reclaim territory from the Al-Shabaab, hereafter referred to as the non-state armed group (NSAG), which was responsible for multiple indiscriminate attacks, often causing harm to ordinary Somalis. Although the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) completed the review of the first four chapters of the Provisional Constitution, it faced strong opposition from past presidents and prime ministers and, more importantly, the Puntland State. Climate change is expected to impact Somalia for the foreseeable future.
Finding durable solutions for refugees and asylum-seekers, refugee returnees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in collaboration with the FGS, Federal Member States (FMS), and development and humanitarian partners remains one of UNHCR's top priorities in Somalia. Moreover, UNHCR, in collaboration with authorities and partners, continued to provide vital protection assistance to vulnerable IDPs and host communities affected by conflict, flooding, and drought. In Somalia, UNHCR leads/co-leads the Protection, Shelter, and CCCM clusters for the IDP response.
UNHCR’s key achievements for the month of March are listed below:
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The Protection Cluster produced the Protection of Civilians analysis for the Joint Technical Assessment (JTA) report of Phase 2 of the ATMIS drawdown.
This analysis and its recommendations were integrated into the report, which was submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). -
In Somaliland, UNHCR distributed subsistence allowance to 848 refugee and asylum-seeker HHs (4,180 individuals). Likewise, in Mogadishu, UNHCR distributed cash assistance to 410 Somali refugee returnees to help them reintegrate back into their communities.
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In Beletweyne, UNHCR completed the enrollment of 1,051 flood affected IDP HHs (2,519 individuals) into the BIMS/proGres database.
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In Baidoa and Mogadishu, UNHCR, through its partner, established three community-based protection networks (CBPN) consisting of 90 members who will play a crucial role in identifying and responding to protection risks and vulnerabilities within the IDP communities they live in.