Humanitarian Action for Children 2011 - Unicef

DjiboutiChildren and women in crisisFood and water, intimately interlinked, cannot be taken for granted in Djibouti. Rainfall sinceSeptember 2007 has been less than half the normal average 1 and the drought has testedthe population’s ability to adequately feed itself. As the country’s children and women faceparched earth and extreme undernutrition, an influx of refugees from conflict in neighbouringSomalia further stretches resources and government capacity. In Djibouti, 120,000 people –15 per cent of the population – are already experiencing a crushing lack of food, health care,nutrition support, drinking water and sanitation facilities. The number of asylum seekers inDjibouti increased by 20 per cent over the last year, to some 14,500 by late 2010. 2Humanitarianfunding at work:Highlights from 2010By late 2010, UNICEF hadmade significant achievementsin nutrition, health,sanitation and hygiene, aswell as improvements ineducation and the welfare ofchildren. Some 70 per centof children who suffer fromsevere acute malnutritionwere enrolled into thecountry’s 20 therapeuticfeeding centres and 30community therapeuticcentres. About 75 per centof families in affected areasbenefited from rehabilitateddrinking-water sources andincreased hygiene supplies.Social services helpedprotect and support 700vulnerable and orphanedchildren, all of whomreceived clothing. Out of the700, only 461 children go toschool; they received schoolkits and have access totutoring. Forty-seven benefitfrom vocational training.And 195 children living onthe streets gained accessto a safe, child-friendlyenvironment with adequatesanitation.Meeting urgent needs and building resilience in 2011UNICEF, together with the Government of Djibouti, NGOs and partners, will help improve thewell-being of 120,000 people affected by drought and other hardships, including 5,000 womenand 25,000 girls and 29,000 boys, in the following ways:• Management of undernutrition will be strengthened within 40 health centres with the scalingup of a community-based approach, and blanket feeding will be implemented in 10 healthcentres.• Nearly 25,000 children aged 6–59 months will stay healthier after receiving essential vaccinesand immunizations, and 15,000 children will receive deworming tablets.• 30 clean water sources will be rehabilitated and expanded. Hygiene promotion campaignswill help people in the northern and western regions adopt healthier practices.• 10,000 orphans and vulnerable children will receive social service packages (access toschool, conditional cash transfers for food consumption and vocational training for schooldropouts); additionally, a drop-in centre will cater to the needs of 500 street children.• Around 42,000 adolescents will be able to better protect themselves from HIV by usingessential information provided through community mobilization, capacity building andcommunication for development.Funding requirements for 2011In 2010, the UN system in Djibouti launched a US$39 million Drought Appeal, covering theperiod from October 2010 to October 2011. This Appeal includes nearly US$4.8 million fornutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene interventions carried out by UNICEF. 3 In line withthis, UNICEF is requesting US$4,255,000 for its 2011 humanitarian work in Djibouti to respondto the increasing needs of the population affected by persistent drought, food insecurity andconflicts in neighbouring countries. Without funding for the key activities described above,the shortfall of food, water and safe housing will continue to threaten the welfare of Djibouti’schildren and women.More information on achievements of 2010 and the humanitarian action planned forDjibouti in 2011 can be found at www.unicef.org/hac2011 or on the country officewebsite at www.unicef.org/djibouti.1. United Nations, ‘Djibouti Drought Appeal’, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, New York andGeneva, 2010, p. 1.2. Ibid.3. United Nations, ‘Djibouti Drought Appeal’, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, New York andGeneva, 2010, p. 4.UNICEF EMERGENCY NEEDS FOR 2011 (in US dollars)Total $4,255,000600,000 Health400,000Child protection1,875,000 Nutrition1,250,000 WASH80,000 Education50,000 HIV and AIDS48 2011 UNICEF Humanitarian Action FOR CHILDREN | www.unicef.org/hac2011Djibouti