Chad

Humanitarian Situation

Drought and the impact of climate change are putting poor families at risk of food insecurity. They are threatening to further compromise the nutrition status of more than 125,000 children living in the 11 regions of Chad that fall within the Sahel belt. According to a July 2012 nutrition survey, the prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM) within these regions increased from under 14.5 per cent in 2011 to 18 per cent in 2012. Chad continues to face high rates of child malnutrition and disease outbreaks: with an under-five mortality rate of 175 deaths for every 1,000 live births; and a national GAM prevalence rate of 15.7 per cent.¹ In addition, the country is experiencing numerous cyclic shocks, such as floods; and reoccurring epidemics, such as cholera, measles, meningitis and polio, which are having an overwhelming impact on the health system. Access to social services remains low, for instance only 16 per cent of the population has access to proper sanitation facilities and just half of Chadian school-aged children have access to primary education. Furthermore, the need to give continuing humanitarian assistance in eastern and southern Chad to 325,000 Sudanese and Central African refugees, 131,000 internally displaced persons, and 50,000 returnees is still among the priorities.

Results from 2012

UNICEF originally appealed for US$46,424,000, later revising this to US$52,000,000. As of 31 October, it had received US$32,627,978 (63 per cent) as contributions. This enabled UNICEF and its partners to focus on service delivery, while building capacity and resilience at the community level.

UNICEF supported the government in increasing the number of health centres providing treatment for severe and moderate acute malnutrition: from 241 to 425. This contributed to 126,591 children with SAM being treated by 31 October, a significant increase. To scale up the integrated management of childhood illnesses and foster equity in geographical coverage, UNICEF trained and dispatched 200 paramedics to underserved areas. IThe organization also built a network of 2,500 animators on Communication for Development (C4D) for the promotion of hygiene and sanitation practices, polio eradication and cholera prevention. UNICEF supported the identification of 81 unaccompanied children and their reunification with their families in flood-affected regions. The organization also provided support to children affected by displacement in eastern Chad; and helped establish temporary classrooms for the timely return to school of flood-affected children in the capital, N’Djamena. Timely support provided by UNICEF and partners to 700,000 flood-affected people was challenged by a shortage of funding; this resulted in the delayed provision of proper shelter materials for displaced people.

Results as of 31 October 2012. **Targets weren’t achieved, because of lack of funding. Needs remain huge and resources are scarce. For education emergency programme in the East, the cluster received only US$500,256 which is 6 per cent of 2012 planned budget.

UNICEF funding requirements for 2013

In line with the country’s Interagency Consolidated Appeal for 2013, UNICEF is requesting US$60,895,591 to meet the humanitarian needs of children in Chad in 2013. Without additional funding, UNICEF will be unable to support the national response to the country’s continuing food and nutrition crisis; alleviate recurrent epidemics; and address critical and poor access to basic social services by vulnerable communities, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and refugees.