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UNICEF Sudan Humanitarian Situation Report, April 2018

Attachments

SITUATION IN NUMBERS

2.6 million children in need

5.5 million people # of people who need Humanitarian Assistance (Source: Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview 2018)

960,000 children internally displaced

2 million people # of internally displaced people (Source: Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview 2018)

470,836 South Sudanese refugee children

771,862 people # of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan in total

UNICEF Appeal 2018 US$ 115.14 million

Highlights

▪ In April, 20,664 children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition have been treated, 38,814 children vaccinated against measles, and 109,372 pregnant and lactating mothers received counselling on recommended Infant and Young Child Feeding practices.

▪ A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) supported by UNICEF on the release and handover of children associated with armed groups was endorsed by the Government of Sudan in addition to a manual on complaint mechanisms in Government judicial and security institutions for the public to report on child recruitment by armed forces/groups.

▪ Over 3,000 school-age children from Jebel Marra who were supported by UNICEF to sit for the national Grade 8 exams in March achieved high pass rate (84% in South Darfur, and 60.9% Central Darfur).

▪ More than 69,500 people in Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)-affected and at risk areas in Jebel Marra (Nertiti) locality in Central Darfur, benefited from improved supply of clean water by the government with the support of UNICEF.

▪ For the first time since 2011, the UNICEF Representative together with three Ambassadors (Netherlands, Norway, Sweden) undertook a field visit in the newly accessible remote area of Kurmuk in Blue Nile State to raise the understanding of the needs, and also increasing the interest of the broader humanitarian community to augment the response in these important areas.

Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs

Since the start of 2018, the deteriorating economic situation in Sudan continues to impact on the population especially the most vulnerable, including 2.6 million children in need of humanitarian assistance. This will cause higher rates of malnutrition, hinder access to health services and reduce opportunities to receive education. Considering this, UNICEF has partnered with UNDP, WFP and the African Development Bank to undertake an analysis of the impact of the economic crisis on the Sudanese population, with a view to generating evidence to inform policy advice, interventions and resource mobilization efforts. The analysis will provide an empirical investigation into the channels of transmission of the economic crisis, households’ coping mechanisms, and welfare impacts of the crisis on the population especially the vulnerable groups.

The humanitarian situation in the newly-accessible areas in east and north Jebel Marra region in South and Central Darfur remains complex. Since 15 April some 212 households (1,060 persons) have newly arrived from Suwannee and Feina villages in East Jebel Marra locality. To identify the humanitarian needs, UNICEF participated in an inter-agency assessment mission to Otash IDP camp in Nyala on 24 April. Water, Food, non-food items and health were the most urgent needs reported by the new arrivals. In Central Darfur (North, Center and West Jebel Marra), an interagency assessment mission was deployed to North Jebel Marra locality, Rokero town, to serve the newly displaced population, assess humanitarian needs and to inform the upcoming response plan. UNICEF participated in the mission covering WASH, Nutrition, Education and Child Protections sectors.

For the first time since 2011, a high-profile field visit by the UNICEF Representative and the Ambassadors of the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden was organized to the Kurmuk locality in Blue Nile state to experience first-hand the needs in these newly accessible areas. It was found that the basic social services and infrastructure are very limited. UNICEF first accessed the area in December 2016.