Unicef requests US$59.5 million to support children, women in Chad
This funding will enable Unicef to support a multi-sector response to the nutrition crisis, reach children and communities that have been most affected, and support sustainable prevention and control of disease outbreaks.
CAPE TOWN, May 5 (ANA) – The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) on Wednesday said it is requesting US$59.5 million to meet the emergency needs of nearly 1.1 million vulnerable children and women in Chad this year.
The agency said this funding will enable Unicef to support a multi-sector response to the nutrition crisis, reach children and communities that have been most affected, and support sustainable prevention and control of disease outbreaks, including Covid -19.
Since the beginning of the year, the UN agency in Chad has received US$3,529,510, or 6% of its needs, from Japan and Sweden. Global thematic humanitarian funds of US$500,000 from the Unicef National Committees are also supporting the flexible allocation of funds.
Funds carried over from the previous year are providing an additional US$9.8 million, from the European Commission, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, the World Bank, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, and global thematic humanitarian funds, according to Unicef.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), after 12 years of conflict and with nearly 10.6 million people in need of assistance in the Lake Chad Basin, the crisis has no clear end in sight.
It said security incidents continue to spike, and local populations are often caught in the midst of violence, putting their survival at risk. The Borno region in Nigeria and Far North region in Cameroon are the two areas where the highest number of security incidents were registered.
“The total number of IDPs (internally displaced persons) has steadily increased since 2018, and doubled in Chad’s Lac region in 2020. Close to three million people have been forced to flee their homes across the Lake Chad Basin and lack adequate living conditions,” OCHA said.
It said the lack of shelter, access to clean water, hygiene and basic sanitation are prevalent in the area. Many families are struggling with food insecurity and 6.2 million people are estimated to be at risk, including 400,000 children who are severely malnourished.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher
