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Sudan

Rapid Needs Assessment - Al Jazirah displacement crisis in Gedaref, October 2024

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This report summarizes the situation of internally displaced people (IDPs) who fled major violence and armed attacks across Al Jazirah state. Mass attacks on civilians on 20 October in Sharg Aj Jazirah and Um Algura localities spread to more than 30 villages and towns and resulted in the displacement of over 135,000 individuals (IOM DTM). The displaced families mainly fled to Gedaref, Kassala and River Nile states. The Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in Gedaref estimates that about 14,000 newly displaced people from Al Jazirah arrived in seven locations in the state. For many, this represents the second or third displacement since the beginning of the war. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), as part of the ECHO-funded Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) consortium, conducted an assessment 30-31 October to gain an understanding of the situation on the ground and to assess the needs of the IDP households. A total of 81 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) households were interviewed in Harera IDP gathering site in Al Fao locality. The quantitative data was strengthened via observations of the field staff. The main findings of the assessment are:

  • Preferred Modality of Assistance: Cash was identified as the most preferred transfer modality by 64% of the respondents, followed by in-kind assistance for 21%, service provision for 12%, and voucher assistance for 2% of respondents.
  • Intention of the IDPs: 59% of the respondents indicated their intention to return to their places of origin. The main barrier to return included the security situation in the place of origin as reported by 56% of the respondents.
  • Shelter & NFIs: 64% of respondents indicated that they do not have access to shelter and 54% of the respondents are currently hosted. The main barriers to shelter include availability (59%) and financial ability (31%).
  • Health & Nutrition: 30% of affected households reported that the main barrier to accessing health services is the availability of services and 29% reported that the lack of drugs.
  • Food Security: 85% of households reported that they are experiencing challenges in accessing food. The majority of the households have poor food consumption scores and a high coping strategy index, indicating adoption of negative coping strategies and high food insecurity.
  • WASH: The main source of water rain harvesting which the host community normally uses during the dry season. 93% of households report insufficient quantity and quality of water, and do not have water storage containers. Additionally, 80% report no access to latrines.

Key Response Recommendations

  1. Provide multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA) to all conflict-affected households who can safely access functional markets to address their basic needs.
  2. Due to the high number of households reporting insufficient access to markets, in-kind assistance must also be prioritized across all sectors.
  3. Coordinate and advocate with the local authorities for a suitable shelter solution for IDPs that avoids largescale encampment.
  4. Protection monitoring, individual protection assistance and document restoration are urgently needed for particularly vulnerable and at-risk households.
  5. Ensure emergency WASH support is provided to IDP households, prioritizing those who are currently sheltering in makeshift shelters and open areas. This should be completed with in-kind NFIs if they are not readily available in the markets for IDPs to purchase.
  6. Due to the insufficient functional and accessible health facilities, mobile clinics are needed, especially in the gathering sites, to mitigate potential health outbreaks and provide vital assistance to individuals with chronic conditions.