Emergency and Humanitarian Action
UNICEF works with its partners to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to communities affected by the current crisis, epidemics and natural disasters, and to strengthen their resilience to future crises.
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The Challenge
The Central African Republic is one of the most difficult places in the world for a child to live. The combined effects of violence, COVID-19 and structural weaknesses mean that around 2.8 million people – half of whom are children – are currently in need of humanitarian aid.
To respond to the most urgent needs, UNICEF relies on various response tools, including the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM). Implemented by NGO partners, the RRM alerts the humanitarian community to new crises, conducts rapid assessments and responds quickly to initial needs – for example, with essential household and hygiene items, or cash transfers if conditions allow, as well as water and sanitation interventions.
UNICEF complements the RRM response with parallel interventions that provide other types of immediate assistance, particularly in the areas of health, protection and education.
Once the RRM responses have ended, longer-term humanitarian interventions are put in place to ensure that services are not interrupted – and are improved – and to strengthen the resilience of communities.
Solutions
Pillars of the RRM
The RRM aims to: i) Maintain a system for monitoring and assessing humanitarian needs and inform the humanitarian community; ii) Provide essential household items and ensure access to basic water, hygiene and sanitation services for people who are displaced or affected by epidemics or natural disasters; iii) Develop synergies with other actors to provide coordinated assistance in areas not covered by the RRM (health, protection, etc.).
Other programme actions
In order to provide as comprehensive a response as possible, UNICEF strives to ensure that all RRM measures are complemented by other sectors (e.g. health, nutrition, child protection, education) and to increase cash transfers where appropriate. Interventions include the deployment of mobile child protection clinics and emergency education activities.
Cash transfers
Since early 2020, keen to use the most appropriate form of assistance, UNICEF has been developing the use of cash transfers as part of its emergency, education and nutrition interventions. UNICEF is also investing in new technologies and has launched HOPE, the world's first innovative cash transfer management information system.