Mozambique Appeal

In 2026, the people of Mozambique will continue to experience the compounding effects of conflict and displacement, climate shocks and public health emergencies. Needs remain substantial nationwide: 1.8 million people were affected by three consecutive cyclones that struck northern Mozambique between the end of 2024 and early 2025; more than 1 million people have been impacted by conflict in the north; and disease outbreaks have occurred and are continuing to occur in multiple provinces. The humanitarian response capacity is increasingly overstretched, with diminishing funding and fewer partners on the ground to deliver services. Limited public infrastructure and service availability and limited state capacity along with economic hardship are making things even more difficult for children and families. 

Armed conflict in the north is intensifying, with 63 per cent more attacks in 2025 compared with 2024, making this year the most violent since 2022. Armed non-state actors have expanded their geographical reach and are employing more sophisticated tactics, including kidnapping and the use of improvised explosive devices. Civilians are experiencing the worst of the violence, with grave violations against children, displacement and destruction of essential infrastructure widespread. Overall, 412,000 people remain displaced in 20 districts with critical needs in the north since the start of the conflict (53 per cent children, 49 per cent are girls) in the north. In addition, 510,000 returnees (45 per cent children) remained in need of urgent support in the north. 

Violence against children, particularly in Cabo Delgado, continues and attacks on communities are increasing. This violence primarily includes child abduction, recruitment and use and sexual violence by armed non-state actors. School closures due to attacks prevented 50,000 children from going to school. An unprecedented three consecutive cyclones between mid-December 2024 and March 2025 affected 1.8 million people. The storms damaged 183 health facilities, more than 4,800 classrooms and 36 water supply systems, compounding already substantial infrastructure needs.

Across the country, more than 167,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding women need urgent nutrition support, including more than 29,000 children under age 5 suffering from severe wasting due to increasing food insecurity that affects a total of 2.1 million people. Disease outbreaks including cholera, measles, and mpox continue to affect thousands of people. 

Women, girls and adolescents have limited access to gender-responsive services. Lack of information and a lack of access to income-generating opportunities also increase their vulnerability to gender-based violence. Combined with the significant gap between those requiring and those reached with assistance, these factors further elevate risks of sexual exploitation and abuse.

In 2026, UNICEF will deliver inclusive, protective and life-saving assistance across Mozambique, addressing the compounded impacts of conflict, climate shocks and recurrent health emergencies. Rapid response to new displacements remains a priority, alongside a shift towards resilience and nexus programming through non-emergency funding. With four field offices in priority provinces, UNICEF’s strong presence enables agile, locally led action that supports government-led coordination and community-based initiatives that advance stability and child-focused outcomes. 

Aligned with the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, UNICEF will meet critical needs across HNRP sectors by covering 70 per cent of education targets, 70 per cent of child protection targets, 68 per cent of nutrition targets and 55 per cent of WASH targets. In addition to the crisis in the north, UNICEF will address critical, life-saving humanitarian needs nationwide, including severe wasting and major public health emergencies including outbreaks of cholera, measles and mpox. All interventions will apply a gender-responsive, disability-inclusive and child-centred lens, ensuring protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. 

To strengthen humanitarian leadership within national systems, UNICEF is working with government counterparts and local actors to strengthen leadership in emergency coordination and ensure response structures are embedded with development coordination platforms, adapted to each sector’s complexity. Accountability to affected populations remains central, empowering local institutions and communities. 

UNICEF will intensify advocacy for children affected by armed conflict, strengthening the monitoring and reporting mechanism on grave violations. Child protection will, through mobile and community platforms, focus on mental health, family reunification, psychosocial support and case management, with a focus on the specific needs of girls and adolescents. Education efforts, including e-learning, will restore learning continuity through formal and non-formal pathways. UNICEF will support remedial and life-skills learning and adolescent reintegration into education and vocational training to foster resilience and livelihoods. 

Humanitarian cash transfers will complement treatment of severe wasting to improve retention of mothers who might otherwise face barriers to continuing to bring their children for treatment. Strengthened primary healthcare, including maternal, newborn and child health services, immunization, infant feeding and multi-channel behaviour change activities, will be complemented by mobile brigades reaching remote and crisis-affected communities. Expanded hygiene promotion and WASH support – ensuring safe water, sanitation, and hygiene adapted to climate, gender and disability needs – will prevent disease outbreaks. 

UNICEF will maintain robust preparedness by pre-positioning supplies across the country and reinforcing anticipatory and early action mechanisms, to guarantee timely and resilient national responses.