One enormous crisis, multiple little faces

For the very first time since UNICEF has been working in Latin America and the Caribbean, all 36 countries and territories in the region are facing humanitarian crises, not only because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also a socio economic, political, and climate crisis.

In a region where children were already disproportionately hit by poverty and inequalities, the COVID-19 pandemic will further exacerbate and widen these existing gaps between children in poor and rich families if we do not act now.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, the Latin America and the Caribbean region was facing concurrent humanitarian crises, with 23 million people in need of assistance. The pandemic has led to rising unemployment due in part to a large informal sector and exposed fragile health systems.

These impacts, among others, could push millions into poverty, many of whom will rely on humanitarian assistance to survive. New findings from ECLAC show that 1 in 2 boys and girls are at risk of falling into economic poverty. Nearly 21 million people lack access to basic drinking water and 83 million lack access to basic sanitation and as a result of the pandemic, hygiene services and infrastructures have collapsed.

Prior to COVID-19, 12 million children and adolescents were out of the education system and as of 30 November 2020, over 123 million children are still out of the classroom and have lost over four times more school days than children in the rest of the world.

School closures have deprived children of life-saving interventions, such as school feeding, and increased safety threats, particularly for women and girls, including mistreatment, violence, and exclusion. 

Millions of children uprooted from their homes are in desperate need of protection, humanitarian assistance and integration across the region. Both major migration outflows -from Venezuela and across Central America and Mexico - affect the entire region and reached unprecedented peaks this year. 

It is estimated that next year, 4.3 million children from Venezuela in host countries will need humanitarian assistance and 6.8 million other migrant children in Mexico and Central America will also be in need of humanitarian assistance.

The 2020 hurricane season has been one of the worst in history. Hurricanes Eta (cat. 4) and Iota (cat. 5) have affected 2.6 million children in seven Central American countries and have damaged or destroyed critical infrastructures including schools, hospitals, roads, and water and sanitation services which will lead to an increase of waterborne diseases.

More than 175,171 people, including about 65,596 children, were forced into shelters which raises concerns regarding overcrowding and the inability to maintain social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19.

It isn’t too late to create stronger capacities to urgently support emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction to mitigate the impacts of climate change and COVID-19 on vulnerable communities.

In the Latin American and Caribbean context, where natural and man-driven hazards are not declining, resources dedicated to emergency response are limited, and where the most vulnerable populations are repeatedly the hardest hit, preparedness is key.

We have a chance to ‘reimagine’ and ‘rebuild’ the region back better, where children are safer today, and for days to come.  There is an unprecedented opportunity to create resilient solutions that respond effectively to COVID-19 now, but that also strengthen the already existing systems to better respond to future crises – whether they be pandemics, natural disasters, violence, sociopolitical instability, or forced migration.

There is a clear window of opportunity to provide humanitarian support and save children’s lives as we prepare for next year to be even worse for children, and their families in the region as the pandemic continues and we enter a possible post-COVID-19 era.

Protecting frontline healthcare workers is to protect the most vulnerable. UNICEF’s COVID-19 response has reached over 314 million people with information on prevention and access to services, particularly critical as containment measures start to soften.

More than 267,000 health workers have received protective equipment and 4.7 million people have received WASH supplies and services. Psychosocial support services have also been provided not only face-to-face but also through remote channels and have benefited over 3.1 million children and caregivers.

UNICEF has been taking humanitarian action in every single country and territory across Latin America and the Caribbean to protect and support the well-being of children. Flexible funding is critical to meet the needs of every child -anywhere, anytime.

UNICEF is requesting US$503 million to ramp up its regional humanitarian response and ensure enhanced coordination and support for emergency preparedness, response and humanitarian/development linkages.

Crises in the region are not felt just once, they are felt repeatedly and for years. Generations to come will live with the impacts of the pandemic including a socioeconomic decline, increase in natural disasters, forced migration and violence. 

There is no easy or quick fix for a child affected by a hurricane or who fled their home because of violence and lack of educational and professional opportunities; their needs are immediate but will persist over time. Multi-year funding enables UNICEF to provide help at every stage of a humanitarian emergency and its aftermath.

UNICEF estimates that next year there will be at least 23.4 million children in need and if UNICEF is fully funded, at least 11.7 million children will be reached. With UNICEF requesting nearly double the support from last years’ appeal, if fully funded, UNICEF will be able to support and reach:

• 2 million children with the minimum set of vaccines;
• 1,3 million people with critical WASH supplies (including hygiene items) and services;
• 375,000 children, adolescents and women with gender-based violence response services, including risk mitigation interventions and prevention;
• 1,7 million children with access formal or nonformal education, including early learning;
• 91,500 households with cash transfers through an existing government system where UNICEF provided technical assistance and funding; 
• 15,000 unaccompanied and separated children with family-based care/alternative care services and reuniting them with family and care-givers.