Emergencies
Supporting children during conflicts, natural disasters and epidemics
Situation
Kenya experiences regular droughts and floods, which fuel food insecurity and exacerbate conflicts, putting children at risk of harm. The COVID-19 pandemic occurred against a backdrop of increased humanitarian needs due to a slow recovery from the 2019 drought, disease outbreaks, floods and a locust invasion across 28 counties. This further exacerbated existing vulnerabilities in the country, particularly for the urban poor living in informal settlements and refugee families.
More than 17 million children were impacted by school closures in 2020, due to COVID-19, resulting in an increase in violence and reduced access to routine health services such as immunization. Kenya hosts over 506,000 refugees and asylum seekers, 54 per cent of them children.
UNICEF's response
Following the COVID-19 outbreak, UNICEF procured and distributed essential supplies, including personal protective equipment such as masks. We are working to ensure the continuity of maternal, newborn and child health services, and to provide basic health services and promote health messages in informal settlements. Treatment of severe acute malnutrition, maternal infant and young child feeding, and provision of micronutrient supplements and clinical care for COVID-19 patients has been enhanced.
In addition, UNICEF distributed hygiene and COVID-19 prevention items, including soap, handwashing stations and disinfectant for use in schools, health facilities, and public spaces. To support the safe reopening of schools, UNICEF distributed 700,000 masks for vulnerable students and installed handwashing facilities in over 600 schools. During school closures, we provided solar-powered radios and textbooks to vulnerable families. UNICEF also supported the #ComeTwendeShule campaign, to urge parents to send children back to school.
UNICEF provided mental health and psychosocial support to children and caregivers, including through the national child helpline. We are also addressing negative coping mechanisms to keep children safe from child marriage, violence, and other harmful practices. Lastly, UNICEF is advocating for the rapid roll-out of a universal child benefit and expansion of the national safety net to include all vulnerable children and families.
Emergencies in numbers
In 2020, over 347,000 children were in need of food assistance due to floods, desert locusts and other emergencies.
There were 96,458 recorded cases of COVID-19 in Kenya in 2020.
In 2020, over 1.3 million people were reached with critical WASH supplies, including hygiene items and services.
1.6 million caregivers received infant and young child feeding counselling in 2020.