Humanitarian Situation Report January-June 2019
UNICEF ETHIOPIA
Highlights
Since January 2019, humanitarian needs have been exacerbated by prolonged emergency crises due to conflict, epidemic diseases, drought and floods. Children remained at risk of malnutrition, preventable diseases, violence, exploitation and abuse, with 4.89 million children, including 1.9 million IDP/returnee children, identified as in need of humanitarian assistance in 2019.
The compounded humanitarian crisis has left essential services, such as health, overstretched. In the first half of this year, there were 863 reported cases of cholera, 10,341 cases of measles and one case of polio. Instability remains a major concern for Ethiopia with tensions impeding humanitarian responses across the country, particularly in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) and Oromia regions.
Despite the humanitarian need, the sector is poorly funded to address the basic needs of children in the country and UNICEF Ethiopia is 79 per cent unfunded at mid-year. Without adequate investments, children’s health and nutrition status, access to quality WASH and education, as well as protection of children are expected to further deteriorate.
