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	Supporting the least funded and forgotten emergencies by UN Central Emergency Response Fund   When a humanitarian emergency fails to make headlines, more often than not it will also fail to attract donations, affecting the delivery of life-saving support to vulnerable people.   Underfunded emergencies’ grants, allocated twice a year from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), can mean the difference between life and death for people affected by conflict, climate disasters, hunger and other humanitarian emergencies.   This special funding mechanism makes it possible for relief agencies to deliver aid immediately, providing essentials such as clean water, shelter and food to some of the world’s most vulnerable people at their time of greatest need. It also helps draw attention ­– and additional funding – to humanitarian crises that are far from the public eye.   In 2022, a quarter of a billion US dollars was allocated to boost humanitarian operations in 23 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.   “This assistance was like it was sent from heaven,” said Rahamatou Nayoussa, a 50-year-old widow in Niger, one of the 13 countries where relief agencies got funding early in 2022.   Nayoussa said the cash support she received, through the World Food Programme, will help tide over her family of eight during the lean season, following a catastrophic harvest in 2021. Like many other farmers in Niger’s Tahoua region, she lost most of her crops to a severe drought. Nayoussa says the cash support will now enable her to return to her fields.   Cash support has also made a huge difference for Rubin, a mother of three who struggles to feed her family amid Syria’s conflict and plummeting economy. When she was pregnant with her third child, Rubin was diagnosed with calcium deficiency and was warned this put her baby at risk. The doctor told her she needed to consume dairy products every day, an additional expense she could not afford. The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) “asked me if I wished to sign up for food assistance, including an e-voucher I could redeem for fresh food.” Rubin immediately agreed. “I knew that with the voucher, I would be more capable of managing my family’s nutrition needs.”   CERF funding also provided humanitarian help in Myanmar, where volunteer auxiliary midwife (AMW), 35-year old Naw Hsar Htoo, provides life-saving nutrition services despite the constant threat of armed clashes that leave villagers living in fear.   Since she completed the midwife training provided by UNICEF and Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) in July 2021, Naw Hsar Htoo has been volunteering in her village in Kawkareik township, which has been the scene of increasingly frequent skirmishes. “PUI staff are not able to come to our village due to the fighting, but I am still providing nutrition services, with limited resources, even in this crisis situation,” says Naw Hsar Htoo.   CERF allocations also helped train health sector volunteers, as well as medical supplies and equipment, in and around San Pedro Sula, Honduras, a flood-prone city regularly battered by hurricanes and other major storms.   Kensi, 30, says she and her partner planned her pregnancy with support from UNFPA-trained community volunteers. “The trust we have with the volunteers is important, they have to be patient with us pregnant women,” she said as she waited for her check-up at a health centre in the La Planeta neighbourhood, where storms and flooding often disrupt access to critical health services.   The January 2022 allocation included funding to repair damaged health facilities, provide supplies and equipment to health centres, and support services for survivors of gender-based violence.   In many cases, CERF funds make it possible to provide people with the support they need to get their life back on track.   Sana, 32, says the support she received from an NGO helped her regain her peace of mind and ease family tensions fuelled by Lebanon’s devastating economic crisis. Unable to find work and worried about their two children’s future, she and her husband would fight regularly. “I wanted to quit, I wanted to sleep and never wake up,” she says.   Eventually, she sought help at a CERF-funded safe space run by Concern Worldwide, with support from UNFPA. Talking about her worries and her emotional state was a great help, she says. Sana was also given cash assistance. She says she could finally buy fresh vegetables and pay for school support for her two boys. "It is a heavy weight lifted off my shoulders knowing that I am at ease with my family.”   http://cerf.un.org/news/story/supporting-least-funded-and-forgotten-emergencies http://pooledfunds.impact.unocha.org/fund/cerf http://cerf.un.org/news/story/cerf-saves-and-protects-lives-second-underfunded-emergencies-allocation-sets-new-record http://news.un.org/en/story/2023/09/1140387 http://cerf.un.org/what-we-do/allocation-summaries Visit the related web page
	IPC Alert: Ethiopia: 5.5 Million people in Tigray face high levels of Acute Food Insecurity by Integrated Food Security Phase Classification   June 2021   Ethiopia: 5.5 Million people in Tigray face high levels of Acute Food Insecurity   An IPC analysis update conducted in Tigray and the neighbouring zones of Amhara and Afar concludes that over 350,000 people are in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) between May and June 2021. This is the highest number of people in IPC Phase 5 since the 2011 famine in Somalia.   This severe crisis results from the cascading effects of conflict, including population displacements, movement restrictions, limited humanitarian access, loss of harvest and livelihood assets, and dysfunctional or non-existent markets.   As of May 2021, 5.5 million people (61% of the people in the area) are facing high levels of acute food insecurity: 3.1 million people are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and 2.1 million people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). This is despite the major humanitarian food assistance that has reached up to 5 million people in the last few months.   Actions Needed:   Take all necessary steps to ensure immediate and continuous access for humanitarian organisations to all populations in need of assistance and overall respect of the humanitarian space so that the people’s basic rights can be fulfilled. This also includes unhindered access to the available services.   Ensure unhindered mobility for people to access distribution points and areas where basic services are provided and to return to their home safely.   Scale-up significantly humanitarian food assistance in terms of spatial coverage, population coverage and ration provided. This is imperative to avert a deterioration into Famine levels. This includes providing immediate and regular assistance to reduce food gaps, prevent acute malnutrition and widespread death.   Provide sustained funding to ensure continued support to food, nutrition, non-food cluster and agriculture humanitarian activities in the region.   Deliver nutrition support for severely (SAM) and moderately (MAM) malnourished children. Provide social services - water, mobile health services - and reestablish health centers.   The living conditions of IDPs and host communities are dire. These are in need of immediate support for food, shelter, other essential non-food items, healthcare, water and sanitation facilities, and protection (IOM/ACAPS).   Provide emergency livelihood support, including the provision of agricultural and livestock support (seeds, extensions services, livestock feed and veterinary services) to ensure the major agricultural season does not result in a second lost harvest.   Support trade to stimulate economic activity - protection for traders and safe markets, ensure livelihood support for populations not displaced to access their farms and agricultural inputs.   As access improves, repair damaged social and economic infrastructure. Ensure fully functional telephone communications, financial services, including banks, markets and transportation services.   Further strengthen COVID-19 prevention methods and increase people’s awareness, particularly in the rural areas, with special attention to the IDP population living in congested areas.   Conduct in-depth food security, malnutrition and mortality surveys and ensure frequent monitoring of all key indicators and measurements, especially through representative SMART (rapid and/or comprehensive) nutrition and mortality surveys. Support partners‘ collaboration efforts to conduct food and nutrition security assessments to enhance data availability for IPC analysis, particularly in inaccessible locations or communities experiencing security challenges.   http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-42/en/   May 2021   Sudan: High levels of acute food insecurity driven by currency devaluation, inflation and localized conflicts   Latest data shows that an estimated 7.3 million people in Sudan (16% of the population analyzed) are in high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between April and May (current period) and require urgent action. Of these, around 5.5 million people are classified in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) while around 1.8 million are critically food insecure classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4).   The most affected localities of Red Sea State (Halaib and Jubayt-el-maaadin) are classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4).   An increase in localized conflicts triggered population displacement, which, combined with the deterioration of the economy, led to higher than usual levels of acute food insecurity.   As a result, the highest prevalence of population in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse are observed in North Darfur (25%), followed by West Darfur (22%), North Kordofan (20%), South Kordofan (20%), Gedarif (19%) and Central, East and South Darfur states, ranging from 17-18%.   May 2021   Central African Republic: Nearly half of the population highly food insecure   The IPC projection update conducted in March 2021 indicates that, from April through August 2021, 2.29 million people in the Central African Republic will likely be in high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), almost half of the population covered by the analysis.   In the analysis conducted in September 2020, the food security situation was projected to deteriorate between September 2020 - April 2021 (the current period) and May-August 2021 (the projection period), due to the likely worsening of the security situation throughout the country between October 2020 and January 2021.   The initial projection for the period May-August 2021 did not take into account food assistance. However, since then, humanitarian organisations have responded with significant assistance to the crisis, preventing further deterioration.   May 2021   Madagascar: Food insecurity in the Grand South likely to deteriorate due to prolonged drought, COVID-19 and insecurity   A sustained deterioration in food insecurity is expected in the Grand South of Madagascar from April to December 2021. Over 1.1 million people are in high acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) due to insufficient rainfall, rising food prices and sandstorms.   The lean season is expected to begin earlier than usual for the current consumption year, as households will deplete their low food stocks due to minimal production. During the current analysis period (April-September 2021), which begins with a harvest period, 1.14 million people need urgent action (IPC Phase 3 or above).   April 2021   Afghanistan: High food prices, reduced income, conflict, COVID-19 impacts and expected impacts of La Nina condition are key drivers of food insecurity   Nearly 11 million people in Afghanistan are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) due to conflict, COVID-19, high food prices and rampant unemployment, between March and May 2021 (the lean season in most parts of the country.) This includes around 7.8 million people in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and 3.2 million people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and require urgent action to save lives, reduce food gaps and save and protect livelihoods.   March 2021   Over 27 million people in DRC face high acute food insecurity due to conflict, COVID-19 and economic decline   Around 27.3 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), making the central African country the host of the highest number of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in the world.   Although the magnitude is unprecedented, partly due to new and urban areas analysed, the prevalence of people in IPC Phase 3 or above slightly decreased compared to the previous analysis. The latest results indicate that approximately a third of the population analysed is experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), with 6% to 7 in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), adding up to 6.7 million people in this situation.   March 2021   Nigeria: Over one million children acutely malnourished in North East Nigeria   Over one million children in North East Nigeria are expected to be acutely malnourished, including over 600,000 facing severe malnutrition, who may die if nothing is done.   Over 123,000 pregnant or lactating women are also expected to suffer from acute malnutrition. Conflict and insecurity, as key drivers of the situation, are expected to further deteriorate the situation, leading to decreased food accessibility, possible outbreaks of acute watery diarrhoea, measles, and malaria. The nutrition situation may also be negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on socio-economic factors.   March 2021   COVID-19, dry spells and economic decline drive 45 million people into high levels of acute food insecurity in Southern Africa   Around 45 million people in ten countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region are facing high levels of acute food insecurity. Across the region, the COVID-19 pandemic with related mitigating measures is a predominant driver of high acute food insecurity in both urban and rural areas, along with high prices for food commodities and declining economies characterised by increasing unemployment and low income.   As of March 16, Integrated Food Insecurity Phase Classification (IPC) analyses show that, 45 million people, out of 188 million analysed, are classified in IPC Phase 3 or above, meaning, people are marginally able to meet minimum food needs but only by depleting essential livelihood assets or through crisis or emergency coping strategies.   High acute malnutrition is also prevalent. Urgent action is needed to protect livelihoods, reduce food consumption gaps, and save lives and livelihoods. The countries analysed include, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.   About 30 million people or 75% of the population in high acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) in the ten countries in the SADC region are in DRC (19.6 million people), where conflict, economic decline and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to drive this high acute food insecurity, and South Africa, hosting 11.8 million people in IPC Phase 3 or above, mainly due to COVID-19 related drivers including increasing unemployment and economic decline. These include 4.9 million people in DRC and 2.2 million people in South Africa that are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4).   Feburary 2021   Yemen: Acute Malnutrition hits record levels in Yemen with a devastating toll on children under five   Over 2.25 million cases of children aged 0 to 59 months, and more than a million cases of pregnant and lactating women, are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in the course of 2021 in Yemen. Out of the 35 zones included in the IPC Acute Malnutrition (IPC AMN) current analysis, two zones were classified in Critical (IPC AMN Phase 4), 26 in Serious (IPC AMN Phase 3) and the remaining seven zones in Alert (IPC AMN Phase 2) during the period of January – July 2020.   The situation was projected to deteriorate further during the period of August – December 2020: the number of zones in IPC AMN Phase 4 was expected to increase to 13. An additional analysis of 22 zones in the north for which data is available shows that, during the period of January – March 2021, seven zones will be in Serious (IPC AMN Phase 3) and the remaining 15 zones will be in Critical (IPC AMN Phase 4). This additional projection analysis was only possible for the north since, according to the IPC protocols, projections can only be carried out up to 12 months from data collection.   February 2021   Honduras: 3.3 million people are likely to face high levels of acute food insecurity during the lean season of April - July 2021   Through March 2021, at least 2.9 million people face high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) and therefore require urgent action. Of these people, 614,000 are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). The entire country has been classified in IPC Phase 3, with the departments with the greatest severity being: Cortés (41%), Yoro and Valle (35%), and with the greatest magnitude: Cortés (732,000 people in IPC Phase 3 or above), Francisco Morazán (469,000 people), and Yoro (221,000 people).   In the first projection period of April to June 2021, the population in IPC Phase 3 or above will likely increase to about 3.1 million, and to 3.3 million in the second projection period of July to September 2021. The severity of acute food insecurity has reached unprecedented levels and the IPC analysis projects that the situation will worsen in the coming months.   February 2021   Up to 2.7 million people in Somalia face high levels of acute food insecurity through mid-2021   Up to 2.7 million people across Somalia are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) through mid-2021 in the absence of humanitarian assistance. These include 400,000 people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and 2.25 million people in Crisis (IPC Phase 3).   The drivers of acute food insecurity in Somalia include the compounding effects of poor and erratic rainfall distribution, flooding, desert locust infestation, socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, and conflict.   Moreover, approximately 840,000 children under the age of five are likely to be acutely malnourished, including nearly 143,000 who are likely to be severely malnourished.   * For more comprehensive analysis of these and other situations outlines in IPC Alerts: http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/resources/alerts-archive/ http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/population-tracking-tool/en/ Visit the related web page
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