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UNICEF Uganda – South Sudanese Refugee Crisis Situation Report, 1 November - 31 December 2016

Attachments

Highlights

  • Uganda is host to over 589,573 South Sudan refugees and asylum seekers since 2014; out of which 64% are children.

  • 130,915 South Sudanese children aged 6 to 59 months have been vaccinated against Polio since January 2016.

  • This year, 3,341 (1,475 boys and 1,866 girls) children born to refugee parents from South Sudan have been registered through the National Mobile Vital Recording system (MVRS). This ensures their right to identity and is a gateway to access services where identification documents are required.

  • A total of 31,052 children have been registered for integrated early childhood development learning (IECD) in Yumbe, Adjumani, Kiryandongo andArua refugee districts respectively since January 2016.

  • 8,970 separated and unaccompanied children (4,853 boys and 4,117 girls) were registered for reunification and foster care in 2016.

  • 109,600 South Sudan refugee children and women were provided with hand washing facilities in 2016.

  • 3,496 South Sudanese children continue to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART) services in 2016.

Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs

According to UNHCR and OPM1 , 64 per cent of the new refugee arrivals from South Sudan are children. During the first two weeks of December, daily arrivals averaged 4,501 individuals. Since July 2016, 399,456 refugees arrived in Uganda reflecting 67 per cent of the total South Sudan refugee population in the country and 84 percent of those that arrived this year.

UNICEF, UNHCR and WFP are supporting the current food and nutrition assessment exercise in all districts of Kiryandongo, Adjumani, Yumbe, Arua, and Koboko covering refugee settlements and host communities. Nutrition screening is being done at all entry and collection points. Medical and nutrition screening by UNICEF, Concern Worldwide and respective district health teams at multiple entry points in December 2016 show that 19 children of 5,588 had severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

Across the refugee hosting districts, there is clear evidence of under-resourced basic services for new arrivals such as water, education and health particularly in Bidibidi settlement with its sizeable population.