Zimbabwe

Funding appeals and donor updates

Zimbabwe is currently grappling with the largest cholera outbreak in modern day Zimbabwe and comes at a time when the countries ability to provide sufficient response is being hampered by a complex political, economic and humanitarian crisis. Spiraling inflation, failure to form a new Government, deteriorating physical infrastructure, erosion of livelihoods, food insecurity, rising malnutrition, the severe impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the inability of the public sector to deliver basic social services have a dramatic impact on the overall well-being of the children and women in Zimbabwe. 

Working closely with other local, national and international partners, UNICEF has continued to respond to the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Zimbabweans affected by the multiple simultaneous crises focusing on relief efforts and life saving interventions to the cholera outbreak while supporting and advocating for the provision of basic social services.
ZIMBABWE: UNICEF Humanitarian Action Update - 4 February 2009 [pdf]

Since August this year 13,960 cholera cases have been reported, causing 589 deaths to-date.   Its impact is immense as nearly 70% of the districts (43 out of 62) in Zimbabwe have reported cases.  Cholera has now spread also to neighbouring countries. This largest cholera outbreak in modern history of Zimbabwe comes amidst a complex political, economic and humanitarian crisis.  During the past eight weeks, the crisis has rapidly deteriorated as the basic service delivery system collapsed. The net effect on Zimbabwean children has been no schooling, lack of health care, no safe drinking water, reduced number of meals and increased morbidity and mortality.

On 3 December 2008, the Minister of Health requested international assistance. UNICEF and its partners, including WHO and other sister UN agencies and international and national non-governmental organizations, are working closely together in order to respond swiftly and effectively to the crisis.  UNICEF requires US$17.5 million as an urgent supplement to the 2009 CAP to implement a 120-day emergency response plan focusing on relief efforts to the cholera crisis and the provision of basic social services.
Zimbabwe - Immediate Needs 16 December 2008 - CORRIGENDUM [pdf]

The humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe is characterized by the simultaneous presence of acute humanitarian needs and more protracted, chronic vulnerabilities. The most acute humanitarian needs include those of populations affected by serious food insecurity, HIV and cholera outbreaks as well as those displaced during the fast-track land reform programme, Operation Murambatsvina (OM) and more recent re-evictions. The more chronic vulnerabilities include inadequate access to basic social services, lack of agricultural inputs and disrupted livelihoods. Recent studies report that the prevalence of stunting, which is the indicator for chronic malnutrition, is 30%. This is the highest since 1988. Zimbabwe is one of the countries hardest hit by the HIV epidemic, with an adult sero-prevalence rate estimated at 20.1%. An estimated 1.6 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2006. More than half of all new infections occur among young people, especially girls. As a result, life expectancy has dropped from 61 years during the early 1990s to 34 years at the end of 2005 creating the highest percentage of children who are orphaned in the world, i.e. 24%. Of the estimated 1.6 million orphans about 75% have been orphaned by AIDS. In 2007 alone, 130,000 children will loose one or both parents. These children are in immediate need of psycho-social support and need access to basic social services. UNICEF urgently requires US$ 6,253,000 to address the urgent needs of children in the areas of health, education and protection.
Zimbabwe Donor Update 18 June 2007 [pdf]

Zimbabwe is continuing to plummet deeper into a complex humanitarian situation. The ongoing and rapid economic decline, highest inflation rate (over 1,000%) in a non–war country, increased poverty levels, continual poor agricultural production, the effects of HIV/AIDS, policy constraints, limited donor support for development programmes, and depleted capacity in the social service sectors have continued to severely compromise the well-being and livelihood of thousands of children and their caregivers throughout the country. Today, one year after the beginning of ‘Operation Murambatsvina’ (‘Restore Order’), critical humanitarian concerns remain largely unaddressed. UNICEF urgently requires $ 8,000,000 to address the needs of children in the areas of health, water and sanitation.
Zimbabwe Donor Update 19 July 2006 [pdf]