Lesotho

Humanitarian situation

Lesotho’s food security declined at an alarming rate for the second year in a row as a result of consecutive years of drought. The food security crisis continues to endanger women and children, especially those living in female-headed households as well as orphans and vulnerable children(OVC) who have been affected by a high prevalence of HIV and AIDS. In Lesotho, child health, nutrition and survival are greatly undermined by the negative synergy of HIV, malnutrition and poverty.  HIV prevalence stands at 23 per cent, while 39 per cent of children are stunted and 60 per cent of households live below the national poverty line. The confluence of the unrelenting AIDS pandemic, hunger and the worsening economic situation are shattering traditional social safety nets for children. The current food crisis will affect a large proportion of children – in particular, over 360,000 orphans and 10 per cent of the 1,072,916 children who are considered to be vulnerable.1 The food security crisis increases the vulnerability of a significant number of already economically stressed and food-insecure households caring for orphans and vulnerable children. With more food-insecure households adopting negative coping mechanisms, such as skipping meals, the acute malnutrition rate is expected to rise beyond the current level of 4 per cent. In a country with a high infant mortality rate of– 117 deaths per 1,000 live births2 – mainly caused by curable diseases such as diarrhoea and pneumonia, the survival, growth and development of children will be adversely affected.

Results from 2013

UNICEF appealed for US$6,119,557, and as of 31 October a total of US$2,216,409 (36 per cent) was received in contributions, enabling UNICEF and partners to deliver programmes while building capacity at the local level. This included the disbursement of cash transfers to 15,000 households in six of the most vulnerable districts to increase the purchasing power of vulnerable households, reaching over 30,000 orphaned and vulnerable children. UNICEF supported the training of community-based service providers in screening and referral of malnutrition cases, in addition to infant and young child feeding counselling and education. All hospitals were provided with therapeutic nutrition supplies for the management of severe acute malnutrition and diarrhoea cases. All affected communities from the eight districts were reached with awareness campaigns to promote health-seeking practices and protection issues to minimize exploitation and abuse of women and children during emergencies.

UNICEF funding requirements for 2013

UNICEF is requesting US$7,563,949 to meet the humanitarian needs of children in Lesotho, aligned to the inter-agency Flash Appeal that is currently being revised through February 2014. Since the launch of the Flash Appeal in September 2012, UNICEF has received US$2,216,409 through 31 October 2012. Without additional funding, UNICEF will be unable to support the national response to the country’s continuing health and nutrition crisis, provide critical WASH services, and support social and child protection services to food-insecure households. All these interventions are critical to avert negative coping mechanisms and reduce vulnerability to factors such as exploitation, child trafficking, gender-based violence and reduction in the consumption of meals.