The Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal is brought out annually by UNICEF. The 2021 HAC, published in December 2020, highlights UNICEF’s funding appeal to support its work in providing conflict- and disaster-affected children with access to water, sanitation, nutrition, education, health, and protection services. It presents the investments needed in 2021 to save children and protect their futures. In 2021, UNICEF’s HAC appealed for a total requirement of US$ 6.7 billion, which is the largest appeal ever, to assist more than 300 million vulnerable children and their families, and caregivers in 144 countries and 5 territories of the world.
In conflict and disaster, children are the first to suffer. During emergencies and in humanitarian contexts, children are especially vulnerable to disease, malnutrition, and violence. Children living in conflict areas have to face the worst as they are more likely to be living in extreme poverty and conditions of poor sanitation.
Highlights
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused a huge global health, humanitarian, socio-economic, and human rights crisis. Over 50 million confirmed cases and more than 1.2 million reported deaths occurred globally as of November 2020. UNICEF and its partners have assisted 153 countries and territories with critical supplies and financial/technical support. UNICEF provided vital health, nutrition, education, child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, protection against gender-based violence and social protection services to millions children.
In 2020, 2.3 million health workers were trained on infection prevention and control; 1.8 million health workers benefited from personal protective equipment; 73.7 million people received WASH supplies; and 93 countries received 15,000 oxygen concentrators.
Major Crises in 2020
Following is a brief account of some of the major crisis regions where children and their families were most affected in 2020:
The Central Sahel countries consisting Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger face a crisis due to insecurity, forced displacements, lack of access to basic services, and the socio-economic effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
In Burkina Faso, 3.5 million people need humanitarian assistance, including over 1 million people who are internally displaced (61 per cent of them children). A million people do not have access to health services, and some 5 million children are temporarily out of school because of the pandemic. Thousands of people were affected by the worst floods in 10 years. UNICEF requires US$ 157 million to support the most vulnerable, crisis-affected children in Burkina Faso with a multi-sectoral package.
In central and northern Mali, nearly 333,000 people were displaced due to persistent insecurity. Some 161,000 children, aged 6–59 months, are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition and over 400,000 children, for moderate acute malnutrition nationwide in 2021. Over a million children require protection while 5,47,258 children need education support. UNICEF needs US$ 119.1 million to assist 2.2 million people, including 1.7 million children, in Mali. About 34 per cent of these funds will support the COVID-19 response; and 17 per cent will support cash transfers for 100,000 households to address the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19.
In Niger, some 3.8 million people, including 2.1 million children, will need humanitarian assistance in 2021. Insecurity is the leading reason for population displacement, and access to people in need is a challenge. Other problems include exceptionally heavy flooding; rising number of children suffering malnutrition; and limited access to basic services. UNICEF needs US$ 102.2 million for providing life-saving and multi-sectoral assistance to vulnerable children and women.
In the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, children and adolescents are affected by a triple burden—the protracted socio-economic and political situation; the COVID-19 pandemic; and mixed migration flows across international borders. Over 5.1 million people have migrated from the country, leading to a huge loss of professionals, including health workers and teachers. At the same time, over 120,000 migrants have returned since mid-March because of lost income abroad, increasing humanitarian needs and protection risks. UNICEF requires US$ 201.8 million to fulfil the humanitarian needs of Venezuelan children.
The Democratic Republic of Congo faces a huge and complex crisis of humanitarian needs and protection concerns. Over 11 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance. In 2020, two separate Ebola outbreaks struck the country.
The vulnerability of people in this country is heightened by chronic poverty, weak essential service systems, recurrent armed conflict, severe malnutrition, and outbreaks of epidemics. Significant containment efforts were needed within the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to prevent Ebola from spreading to neighbouring countries. UNICEF requires US$ 384.4 million to address the children’s needs and uphold their rights.
The refugee and migrant situation in Europe is another major crisis. Over 55,000 refugees and migrants (24 per cent of them children) arrived in Europe between January–June 2021, and more migrants are likely to come for the rest of 2021. About 88,000 children are residing in camps and are on the move, and they need urgent care and protection in 2021. Though achievements have been made recently, humanitarian needs remain significant, and capacities to respond are inadequate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to quality, appropriate health, nutrition, protection, education, and basic supplies is critical. UNICEF needs US$ 47.8 million to support the humanitarian needs of the refugee and migrant population.
Another region of major crisis is Sudan (in north-eastern Africa). There are over 13.4 million people including millions of children going through complex and intersecting challenges in the Sudan. The economic crisis is causing widespread malnutrition. Ethnic tensions are erupting into violence due to lapses in the rule of law. Flooding remains a life-threatening problem, and diseases, including COVID-19, cholera, polio, and chikungunya, remain prevalent and needs immediate attention. UNICEF intends to use a rights-based approach to protect and empower the vulnerable children, adolescents, women, and people with disabilities. It needs US$ 211.1 million to address the needs of the vulnerable in Sudan.
Mozambique (in south-eastern Africa) is also a major crisis region. In Mozambique, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated due to the intensification of conflict in Cabo Delgado. Nearly 700,000 people have been displaced, 46 per cent of these being children, and basic services are severely disrupted. These people face food insecurity. About 33,000 children in Cabo Delgado, northernmost province of Mozambique, are projected to be severely malnourished. Conflict-related violence includes maiming, killing, abduction of, and sexual violence against, civilians including children. UNICEF appeals for US$ 96.5 million to provide relief to the affected people.
Regions of protracted humanitarian crises are Afghanistan, Somalia, and South Sudan.
In Afghanistan, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated in recent months due to the conflict following the power change (Taliban takeover), the COVID-19 pandemic, and drought. Nearly 10 million children were in need of humanitarian assistance at the very beginning of 2021. Since May, the number of internally displaced persons had more than doubled to over 570,000, including about 60 per cent children. In June, drought was officially declared; the food security situation remains precarious with 3.5 million people in the emergency level of food insecurity. Half the number of children under five are expected to be acutely malnourished in 2021. Children and women constituted 46 per cent of all civilian casualties of violence as of June 2021. UNICEF is requesting funds to the tune of US$ 192 million to respond to humanitarian needs in Afghanistan.
In Somalia, 5.9 million people, including 3.9 million children, will require humanitarian help in 2021 due to the devastating impact of flooding, desert locusts, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The lives of children continue to be disrupted by conflict, thus making them increasingly vulnerable to protection violations. UNICEF aims to reach 1.2 million people, including 792,000 children, focusing on the most vulnerable groups, such as survivors of gender-based violence and children with disabilities. UNICEF needs US$ 124.4 million to provide humanitarian services and support in Somalia.
The people of South Sudan have been facing the effects of continued conflict, chronic vulnerabilities, and poor essential services. More than 8.3 million people, including 4.5 million children, need multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance. UNICEF intends to reach some 3.7 million children (82 per cent of those in need) affected by multiple shocks, such as conflict, several and often concurrent disease outbreaks, including COVID-19, besides drought and flooding. UNICEF requires US$ 180.1 million to meet critical basic needs.
The protracted conflicts in the Middle East have created crises in Syria and Yemen. The Middle East region continues as the epicentre of two of the most prolonged and severe crises in the world. A decade long conflict and humanitarian crisis has led to restrictions and intense anger in the Syrian Arab Republic.
Over 11 million people, including 4.8 million children, require assistance and 6.1 million people (including 2.5 million children) are internally displaced. Families and children are badly hit by continued hostilities and the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. UNICEF seeks US$ 330.8 million to reach children in the Syrian Arab Republic with humanitarian assistance, specifically for health, nutrition, WASH services, education, and child and social protection.
As for the Syrian refugee crisis, it remains the largest displacement crisis in the world, with 5.6 million registered refugees, including over 2.5 million children, living in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. The refugees have been further affected by the pandemic.
UNICEF appeals for US$ 972.8 million to respond to the most immediate needs of Syrian refugees, including their education and WASH needs, which have soared greatly due to the pandemic.
Yemen remains the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. In Yemen, 70 per cent of the total population, including 11.3 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance due to protracted armed conflict, widespread economic collapse, a breakdown in national systems and services, besides the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to famine, around 400,000 children are severely malnourished and 2.3 million children are acutely malnourished. UNICEF requires US$ 508.8 million to address the humanitarian situation in Yemen in 2021.
The Myanmar and Bangladesh are crisis regions because of the Rohingya refugees.
In Myanmar, an estimates one million people, including 450,000 children, are adversely affected by a decade of conflict. They are increasingly exposed to gender-based violence, exploitation, abuse, detention and trafficking. Since the military takeover on February 1, 2021, the political crisis and civil unrest have increased the pre-existing vulnerabilities. This has led to displacements and intensified the humanitarian problem. A third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Myanmar hard. UNICEF requires US$ 74.5 million to support the delivery of critical services and support the response to COVID-19.
In Bangladesh, there are over 884,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar living in Cox’s Bazar District, who are highly dependent on international aid. Millions of families are also vulnerable to floods and cyclones. People are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic as well. UNICEF appeals for US$ 203.6 million in 2021 to support COVID-19 prevention and treatment; provide health, nutrition, and WASH services. In the refugee camps, besides WASH and other services, education, including introduction of the Myanmar curriculum for Rohingya children, child protection, and services against gender-based violence are to be provided.
Appeal from India
India has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic besides being subject to other hazards, including climate-related disasters. The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hit India hard. The number of COVID-19 infections in India were more than 400,000 daily reported cases and over 3,000 daily deaths as of May 1, 2021. Further, 24 million children were affected by floods, drought, cyclones, and other hazards. UNICEF aims to protect children and their families from exposure to coronavirus, minimise the impacts of public health measures, address the socio-economic consequences, and maintain access and provision of basic social services. UNICEF will also provide lifesaving and life-sustaining assistance for children and their families, and strengthen resilience to predictable hazards by enhancing child-centred disaster risk management systems and risk-informed programming. Though 664 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, UNICEF aims to assist 84 million people, including 39 million children for which it is asking for US$ 126.7 million.
In India, UNICEF’s humanitarian strategy will be along the following directions:
UNICEF aims to address the impacts of COVID-19, natural disasters, and civil conflict. It will target the most vulnerable. Its priorities will be to (i) engage in risk communication and community engagement, focusing on the adoption, maintenance and normalisation of behaviours to reduce the spread of COVID-19; and (ii) prevent and control infection in health facilities and provide WASH services and supplies to affected communities.
It will be UNICEF’s aim to support the continuity of and sustained access to essential services for children, women and vulnerable communities affected by COVID-19 and natural disaster. It would do so by: (i) monitoring, mentoring and supervising health facilities confronting COVID-19 and providing psychosocial support to health care providers; (ii) strengthening the delivery of community outreach for COVID-19 and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition services; and (iii) supporting the continuity of and access to health and nutrition services in disaster-affected areas.
UNICEF will also work towards supporting the continuity of learning, the safe reopening of schools and access to inclusive, gender-responsive formal and alternate education, including life-skills education. Besides supporting the continuity of early childhood development services, it will work to strengthen child protection systems and build the capacities of front-line workers and partners on COVID-19 prevention and protection measures. It will try and strengthen the protective role of families and provide quality rehabilitation and reintegration services for child victims of forced labour, trafficking, and unsafe migration, children without parental care and children and adolescents with disabilities. It will also help children, adolescents and youth to address violence against children and child marriage. UNICEF will engage constructively with high-level government officials to ensure allocation of sufficient resources for robust and agile child protection systems. New social protection delivery methods would be tried to reach the most vulnerable emergency-affected populations through community structures. Training will incorporate gender responsiveness so that risks of gender-based violence may be mitigated.
UNICEF Targets in 2021
According to the HAC 2021 overview, UNICEF plans to assist 300.1 million people including 149 million women/girls and 15.9 million people with disabilities; assist 190.8 million children including 93.3 million girls, and 7.4 million children with disabilities. Out of total, UNICEF plans to spend 19 per cent for WASH; 25 per cent for education; 16 per cent for nutrition; 11 per cent for health; 10 per cent child protection; 7 per cent for global support including unfunded, needs that are critical to preparing and enabling countries to deliver vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic tools in 2021; and 12 per cent for other costs from other sectors/interventions, e.g., social protection and cash transfers (5 per cent), communication for development (3 per cent), adolescent and youth (1 per cent), and HIV and AIDS (<1 per cent).
UNICEF will also assist 6 million children to be treated for severe acute malnutrition; 27.4 million children to be immunised against measles; 45 million people to have access to safe water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene; 19.2 million children and caregivers to have access to mental health and psychosocial support; 17 million children and women to have access to gender-based violence risk mitigation, prevention or response interventions; 93.3 million children to have access to formal or non-formal education, including early learning; 9.6 million households to be reached with cash assistance; and 495.8 million at-risk/affected children and adults to be engaged through communication for development/community engagement.
Targets for India in 2021 Following are the planned targets for India for the year 2021:
Nutrition 640,000 children aged 6 to 59 months with severe acute malnutrition admitted for treatment; 29,500,000 pregnant women receiving iron and folic acid supplementation.
Health About 33,000,000 children and women accessing primary health care in UNICEF-supported facilities; 1,500,000 health care facility staff and community health workers trained on infection prevention and control.
Water, sanitation, and hygiene About 35,000,000 people reached with handwashing behaviour change programmes; 3500,000 people reached with critical water, sanitation and hygiene supplies (including hygiene items) and services.
Child Protection, Gender-based Violence and Emergencies (GBViE), and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) About 450,000 children and caregivers accessing mental health and psychosocial support; 250,000 women, girls and boys accessing gender-based violence risk mitigation, prevention or response interventions; 6,500 unaccompanied and separated children reunified with their primary caregiver or provided with family-based care/alternative care services.
Education 1,100,000 children accessing formal or nonformal education, including early learning; 65,000 schools implementing safe school protocols (infection prevention and control).
Communication for Development (C4D), Community Engagement and Accountability to Affected People (AAP) About 45,000,000 people participating in engagement actions for social and behavioural change; 2,500,000 people who shared their concerns and asked questions/clarifications to address their needs through established feedback mechanisms; 5,000,000 adolescents and youth engaged to access services through sectors like health/education/protection and take action for COVID-19 response.
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