HIGHLIGHTS
UNICEF scaled up safe water, hygiene, and behavourial change response to respond the Cholera outbreak declared in Malakal, Upper Nile State on the 7th of March 2023.
By end of March, 511 cholera cases have been recorded from the onset of the outbreak.
In March 2023, UNICEF and partners reached 14,071 children (7,767 boys and 6,304 girls) and 856 adults (455 women and 401 men) with psychosocial support (PSS) activities, especially in positive parenting and awareness raising on child protection sessions and Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS).
Infant and young child feeding counseling (IYCF) counseling and support were provided to 410,319 primary caregivers of children 0-23 months of children to enhance the feeding and caring practices for children for the prevention of malnutrition.
FUNDING OVERVIEW AND PARTNERSHIPS
In 2023, UNICEF requires US$217.2 million to meet the critical needs of 5.3 million people, including 3.5 million children affected by multiple shocks in South Sudan. The funds will enable UNICEF, with the Government and partners to deliver an integrated package of WASH, Nutrition, Education, Child Protection, Health, and Social Behavior Change services to protect children's rights and to deliver on the Core Commitments to Children in Humanitarian Action. As of March 2023, UNICEF received $61.1 million against the Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal for 2023, with a funding gap of $156.1 million (72 percent). UNICEF is grateful for the contributions from donors that help provide services to support vulnerable children. However, South Sudan remains one of the most complex humanitarian environments in the world, and there is an urgent need for flexible, multi-year funding to deliver integrated packages of support for children's survival, protection, and education while building community resilience.
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
Climatic shocks, Sub-National violence and conflict as well as severe economic shocks and inflations continue to drive humanitarian need, create access challenges to services and increase the vulnerability of women and children. Whilst the wet season is expected to start in the coming months, areas like Unity State remain largely flooded, with 80% of land still impacted by the 2022 flooding. Many communities remain displaced, and often in congested settlements.
This has created challenges for communities to produce crops and strengthen their food security and livelihoods. The cumulative impact of recurrent flooding has contributed to the destruction of and damage to water facilities. This increases the likelihood of water-borne diseases and intensifies the vulnerabilities of the affected people, including high poverty rates, widespread displacement, and limited access to essential services such as health, nutrition, and education.
Meanwhile, Sub-National violence continued to be reported in March, resulting in civilian casualties, new displacements, and a very insecure environment for aid workers. In early March, inter-communal fighting erupted between cattle keepers in Nyirol and Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), resulting in the displacement of an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 individuals, mainly women, and children to Mareng, Khorfulus, Alam, and Canal Center.
In Yambio, Western Equatoria State suspected Ambororo cattle herders from the Central Africa Republic (CAR) attacked and killed three women and injured a child. According to the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), an estimated 2000 households fled their homes due to the violence and require humanitarian support for basic services and survival.
The context continues to drive the humanitarian needs of women and children. Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) prevalence is projected to be above 15 percent (critical) in 59 counties in 2023, whilst according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis report released in November 2022, the situation during March-June 2023 is expected to deteriorate further. About 1.4 million children under five are expected to suffer from AMN by June 2023. Of these, 345,893 children will likely suffer severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Furthermore, an estimated 6.31 million5 people are expected to face crisis levels of food insecurity (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3), and 33,000 people are estimated to face catastrophic levels (IPC Phase 5) of acute food insecurity.
The health situation remains critical, with outbreaks of preventable diseases reported across several parts of the country, including in internally displaced persons (IDP) sites and congested settlements.
As of 28 March 2023, a total of 569 cumulative cholera cases and two deaths have been recorded since the outbreak was declared on the 7th of March 2023 in Malakal, Upper Nile State. Children between 1 and 4 years of age are the most affected, followed by children under 1 year of age, accounting for 57 percent and 31 percent of the total cases respectively. Furthermore, between January 1, 2022, to March 05, 2023, a total of 62 counties in all 10 States have reported at least one suspected measles case, with confirmed outbreaks in 32 counties and a cumulative 5,433 suspected cases reported.