Mayom, 6 March 2019 – A campaign to immunize nearly 40,000 children against measles was launched today, 6 March 2019. The campaign is being carried out by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN’s Children Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). It comes after a measles outbreak was recently confirmed in Mayom, former Unity State.

At least 17 measles cases with no deaths have been reported in Mayom County, with nearly 90 per cent of those affected aged less than 5 years and originating from Pup and Mankien Payams.

The nine-day campaign, which ends on 14 March, will target 37,193 children aged from 6 to 59 months in 10 bomas, namely Kuerbona, Mankien, Riak, Ruathnyibol, Kueryiek, Ngop, Pub, Bieh, Wangbour and Wangkei.

Measles is a highly contagious disease. It can cause debilitating or fatal complications, including encephalitis (an infection that leads to swelling of the brain), severe diarrhoea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections and permanent vision loss. Babies and young children with malnutrition and weak immune systems are particularly vulnerable to complications and death. However, the disease is preventable through a safe and effective measles containing vaccine.

Measles outbreaks in South Sudan are attributed to accumulation of unvaccinated children due to low routine immunization administrative coverage at 59 per cent. Access to health care across the country is extremely limited with less than 50 per cent of the population estimated to live within a five kilometer radius of a health facility. As part of the measles control strategy, countrywide measles campaigns targeting children are implemented every two years.

The most recent measles follow-up campaign was conducted in May 2017 and reached 1,950,955 (84%) of the 2,312,659 targeted children aged between 9-59 months. Some counties could not be reached due to insecurity. A countrywide follow-up measles campaign targeting children is planned for later this year, which will reduce the number of susceptible and unvaccinated children, reducing the risk of further outbreaks.

WHO’s activities under the reactive measles campaign are funded by the US Agency for International Development's (USAID). IOM's engagement in this campaign is funded by USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and UNICEF is funded by Saudi Arabia.

For more information, please contact:
WHO, Jemila M. Ebrahim, Tel: +211921647859, Email: ebrahimj@who.int
UNICEF, Tim Irwin, Tel: +211 912 162 888, Email: tjirwin@unicef.org
IOM, Harry Smith, Tel: +211912379615, Email: hsmith@iom.int

Context and Methodology

Nyal town is located in Northern Panyijiar County, Unity State, along the banks of the Sudd, the third largest swamp in the world. Since the beginning of the crisis, IDPs from Unity and Jonglei States have perceived Nyal as a safe location with ample resources. Recently, Nyal has also become a key location for people travelling to and from nearby islands.

Since 1 November 2016, REACH has monitored three ports in Nyal - Gap Port, Nyal Port and Katieth Port - to record the arrivals and departures on a daily basis. The information gathered covers household (HH) demographics, key push and pull factors, vulnerable populations, and transportation routes. The daily data was synthesised to provide evidence for more effective humanitarian planning.
The REACH team collected data from 7:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday to ensure wide coverage of Nyal’s three ports. REACH teams attempt to interview all arrivals and departures at the household level using a contextualised survey. However, the data presented here is not representative, rather indicative of movement trends for the assessed population. This factsheet is based on data on 731 people departing (176 HHs), 502 people arriving (179 HHs), and 2 people transiting (1 HH), which was collected over 22 days from 2 to 31 January 2019.

Highlights

Approximately, 1,681 cholera / AWD cases including 13 deaths have been reported in 7 out of the 21 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR); with an average Case Fatality Rate of 0.8%, since the beginning of 2019. These countries include; Angola, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Apart from Kenya, outbreaks from the rest of the countries spilled over from 2018. Kenya accounts for 51.3 % (863) of the total case load reported this year, followed by Somalia at 31.2% (524). Highest Case Fatality Rates (CFR) in 2019 have been recorded in Zimbabwe (6.2%), Uganda (5.7%) and Tanzania (2.9%).
Of the 7 countries with reported cholera / AWD outbreaks in ESAR since week 1 of 2019, 5 (Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Burundi) have ongoing cholera outbreaks. During the week under review, Somalia reported the highest number of new cases (61 cases).

Somalia : An increase in the epidemic trend has been noted in the last two weeks. During week 8 (week ending 24 February 2019), 61 new cases were reported from Banadir Region compared to 43 cases reported in week 7 (week ending 17 February 2019). Cumulatively a total of 524 cases with no deaths have been reported since the beginning of 2019. All cases emerged from the following districts in Banadir region including; Hamra Jabja (15; Attack Rate 0.02), Shingani (15; Attack Rate 0.03), Karaan (9; Attack Rate 0.0) and Hawlwadag (8; Attack Rate 0.01). Majority (59%) of the recorded cases in week 7 and 8 were children Under five years.

Kenya: A decline in the epidemic trend has been noted in the last two weeks. During week 8, 19 new cases were reported compared to 42 cases including 1 death (CFR, 2.4%) reported in week 7. These new cases emerged from Kajiado County. Cumulatively, a total of 863 cases with 34 confirmed and 3 deaths (CFR, 0.4%) have been reported since the onset of the latest wave of the cholera outbreak on 2 January 2019. Risks of transmission have been amplified by; unfavourable behaviours such as open defecation, inadequate or no sanitation coverage, over reliance on already contaminated EWASO Nyiro river for domestic water supply and lack of alternative water sources.

Zimbabwe: An additional 3 cholera cases were reported from Murehwa (2) and Mt. Darwin (1) districts during epidemiological week 8. The same number of cases (3 cases) were reported during the previous week - epidemiological week 7. Cumulatively, a total of 10,722 cases including 69 deaths have been reported since the beginning of the outbreak on 5 September 2018. Of these, a total of 65 (0.6%) cases and 4 (5.8%) deaths have been reported since the beginning of 2019. Cases reported since the beginning of 2019 have emerged from, 6 out of 10 provinces in Zimbabwe including; Mashonaland East (40), Mashonaland Central (16), Masvingo (5), Midlands (2), Manicaland (1), and Matabeleland South (1).

Tanzania: A decline in the epidemic trend has been noted in the last two weeks. During week 8, 7 new cases including 1 death (CFR, 14.3%) were reported compared to 12 cases reported in week 7. This raises the total number of cholera cases reported since the beginning of 2019 to 70, including 2 deaths (CFR, 2.9 %). New cases emerged from Simanjiro district in Manyara region (6 cases) and Korogwe district in Tanga region (1 Case). The one case that was reported in Korogwe district died. Cumulatively a total of 33,391 cases including 552 deaths have been reported since the beginning of the outbreak in August 2015.

Burundi: The new outbreak which was declared on 28 December 2018 has been on a natural decline in the past 3 weeks (Week 6 to week 8). During week 8, 1 new case was reported from Cibitoke compared to 2 cases reported in week 7. Cumulatively, as of 25 February 2019, a total of 189 cases including 2 deaths (CFR, 1.1%) were reported since the beginning of the outbreak. The outbreak was attributed to heavy rains that led to flooding in the coastal areas of Lake Tanganyika.

Urban - Rural Disaggregation of Cholera Cases

An analysis of cholera cases reported since the beginning of 2019 from five countries (Angola, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe) reveals that overall, rural areas account for 81.6 % (872 cases) of the total caseload while urban areas account for the remaining 18.4% (197 cases). All cases reported in Zimbabwe (65) and Tanzania (70) emerged from rural areas; while all cases reported in Uganda (53) and Angola (19) emerged from urban areas. 85.5% (737) of cases reported in Kenya emerged from rural areas and the remaining 14.5% (125) emerged from urban areas.

Highlights

Approximately, 1,681 cholera / AWD cases including 13 deaths have been reported in 7 out of the 21 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR); with an average Case Fatality Rate of 0.8%, since the beginning of 2019. These countries include; Angola, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Apart from Kenya, outbreaks from the rest of the countries spilled over from 2018. Kenya accounts for 51.3 % (863) of the total case load reported this year, followed by Somalia at 31.2% (524). Highest Case Fatality Rates (CFR) in 2019 have been recorded in Zimbabwe (6.2%), Uganda (5.7%) and Tanzania (2.9%).
Of the 7 countries with reported cholera / AWD outbreaks in ESAR since week 1 of 2019, 5 (Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Burundi) have ongoing cholera outbreaks. During the week under review, Somalia reported the highest number of new cases (61 cases).

Somalia : An increase in the epidemic trend has been noted in the last two weeks. During week 8 (week ending 24 February 2019), 61 new cases were reported from Banadir Region compared to 43 cases reported in week 7 (week ending 17 February 2019). Cumulatively a total of 524 cases with no deaths have been reported since the beginning of 2019. All cases emerged from the following districts in Banadir region including; Hamra Jabja (15; Attack Rate 0.02), Shingani (15; Attack Rate 0.03), Karaan (9; Attack Rate 0.0) and Hawlwadag (8; Attack Rate 0.01). Majority (59%) of the recorded cases in week 7 and 8 were children Under five years.

Kenya: A decline in the epidemic trend has been noted in the last two weeks. During week 8, 19 new cases were reported compared to 42 cases including 1 death (CFR, 2.4%) reported in week 7. These new cases emerged from Kajiado County. Cumulatively, a total of 863 cases with 34 confirmed and 3 deaths (CFR, 0.4%) have been reported since the onset of the latest wave of the cholera outbreak on 2 January 2019. Risks of transmission have been amplified by; unfavourable behaviours such as open defecation, inadequate or no sanitation coverage, over reliance on already contaminated EWASO Nyiro river for domestic water supply and lack of alternative water sources.

Zimbabwe: An additional 3 cholera cases were reported from Murehwa (2) and Mt. Darwin (1) districts during epidemiological week 8. The same number of cases (3 cases) were reported during the previous week - epidemiological week 7. Cumulatively, a total of 10,722 cases including 69 deaths have been reported since the beginning of the outbreak on 5 September 2018. Of these, a total of 65 (0.6%) cases and 4 (5.8%) deaths have been reported since the beginning of 2019. Cases reported since the beginning of 2019 have emerged from, 6 out of 10 provinces in Zimbabwe including; Mashonaland East (40), Mashonaland Central (16), Masvingo (5), Midlands (2), Manicaland (1), and Matabeleland South (1).

Tanzania: A decline in the epidemic trend has been noted in the last two weeks. During week 8, 7 new cases including 1 death (CFR, 14.3%) were reported compared to 12 cases reported in week 7. This raises the total number of cholera cases reported since the beginning of 2019 to 70, including 2 deaths (CFR, 2.9 %). New cases emerged from Simanjiro district in Manyara region (6 cases) and Korogwe district in Tanga region (1 Case). The one case that was reported in Korogwe district died. Cumulatively a total of 33,391 cases including 552 deaths have been reported since the beginning of the outbreak in August 2015.

Burundi: The new outbreak which was declared on 28 December 2018 has been on a natural decline in the past 3 weeks (Week 6 to week 8). During week 8, 1 new case was reported from Cibitoke compared to 2 cases reported in week 7. Cumulatively, as of 25 February 2019, a total of 189 cases including 2 deaths (CFR, 1.1%) were reported since the beginning of the outbreak. The outbreak was attributed to heavy rains that led to flooding in the coastal areas of Lake Tanganyika.

Urban - Rural Disaggregation of Cholera Cases

An analysis of cholera cases reported since the beginning of 2019 from five countries (Angola, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe) reveals that overall, rural areas account for 81.6 % (872 cases) of the total caseload while urban areas account for the remaining 18.4% (197 cases). All cases reported in Zimbabwe (65) and Tanzania (70) emerged from rural areas; while all cases reported in Uganda (53) and Angola (19) emerged from urban areas. 85.5% (737) of cases reported in Kenya emerged from rural areas and the remaining 14.5% (125) emerged from urban areas.

The older refugee and migrant children get, the less likely it is that they will get a quality education: less than a quarter of the world’s refugees make it to secondary school, and just one per cent progress to higher education. Even for migrants who settle in wealthy, developed host countries, accessing university is an uphill struggle.

For many young migrants in the UK, even those who have the legal right to remain in a new country, the idea of going to university is almost an impossible dream: not only are they are charged “overseas student” fees, which can be around double those of “home” students but, until recently, they were denied access to student loans, which puts up another barrier to entry.

However, a ray of hope has been provided by Chrisann Jarrett, herself a young migrant. Whilst still a teenager, Chrisann set up Let Us Learn, a campaign for equal and fair treatment for young migrants. In an interview with UN News, Chrisann explained how a 2015 court victory against the UK Government has made a big difference to many young UK-based students born abroad.

“We recognized that over 2,000 students were being stopped from going to university because of their immigration status. So, despite being lawfully resident in the country, they were being told that they couldn’t move forward with their education aspirations. In 2015, the Supreme Court agreed that this was discriminatory, and we managed to influence government policy, which means that hundreds, if not thousands of young migrants are able to access a student loan and go to university, which previously wasn’t the case.”

Ms Jarrett said that the campaign was a cause worth fighting for, allowing potential talent, that would otherwise have been overlooked, to develop for the benefit of the migrants, and the countries in which they live.

Education cannot wait

Migration has become one of the central themes of political discourse and media coverage in the UK and other European countries over recent years, making it easy to forget that 92 per cent of young refugees are hosted in developing countries. These states have scant resources to ensure that they get an adequate education, and need support in order to be able to include refugee children in their school systems.This is why Education Cannot Wait, the first global fund dedicated to education in emergencies and protracted crises, was set up in 2016. Hosted by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Education Cannot Wait brings together public and private partners to mobilize the funding needed to deploy immediate and sustainable programmes tailor-made to the educational needs of children affected by conflict.

One such examples is in Ethiopia’s refugee-hosting regions of Gambella and Benishangal-Gumuz, which received a $15 million grant from the fund, to pay for new schools and teachers. Most of the children there fled from violence in South Sudan, and schools can play a significant role in helping them to find stability and support.

The investment by the Fund has paid for the construction of three new secondary schools, 84 classrooms in four primary schools, and classroom furniture such as desks, chairs and chalkboards. It also supports teacher training through diploma programmes, as well as teaching and learning materials. It is hoped that the grant will lead to some 12,000 children benefiting from an improved quality of education.

But more than half of all school-age refugees are not getting any education: that equates to some four million young people unlikely to realize their economic and intellectual potential. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) estimates that the number of young refugees receiving no schooling rose by around 500,000 in just 12 months between 2017 and 2018. The agency expects hundreds of thousands more refugee children to join these statistics, unless urgent investment is made.

The ‘horror’ of children devoid of hope

In February, Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Global Education, warned that the world needs to wake up to “the horror of so many children devoid of hope,” and gave as an example the situation for children at the Maria refugee camp in Greece, where “no formal education is on offer to any of the hundreds of children who are there,” and where two young boys attempted suicide. “At that age, their lives should be full of hope and excitement at every new dawn – but instead young people are so devoid of hope, that they attempted to take their own lives”.

Speaking at the UN’s International Dialogue on Migration later that month, António Vitorino, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that “Too often, young migrants are denied access to training opportunities – vocational as well as academic – or access to all parts of the labour market in countries of destination.” Many young migrants, he said, experience discrimination that “reduces their prospects for growth, as well as their self-esteem. This is a dangerous cycle that we must avoid: unduly limiting the potential of a generation who encapsulate a diverse experience and skills.”

Kampala (Uganda), 6 March 2019 - Government experts from the Great Lakes region concluded today a meeting in Kampala, Uganda, to review and agree on concrete recommendations for comprehensive and durable solutions on the plight of refugees in the region with a focus on local integration.

Currently over four million refugees and asylum seekers originate from the Great Lakes region, including from Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan and Sudan. Continued high levels of new forced displacement combined with the protracted presence of refugees in the region constitutes a source of tension and mistrust between neighboring countries. The experts expressed concern over the scale and scope of the refugee crisis in the Great Lakes region and, especially its disproportionate impact on women and children.

The two-day meeting of experts preceded a meeting of Government ministers on the third day which will review the recommendations made by the experts and adopt an outcome document to guide future strategies and actions on the refugees’ situation in the Great Lakes region.

Participants in the experts meeting included representatives of the signatory countries of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (Framework agreement), the United Nations, the diplomatic corps and civil society organizations.

In June 2018 Dave Mozersky and Sherwin Das from the Energy Peace Partners visited the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Malakal, South Sudan, as part of an ongoing effort to build a large solar-battery system in the camp’s “Humanitarian Hub.” Run by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Hub houses the various humanitarian NGOs and UN agencies that operate in the camp and immediate region. The Malakal IDP camp is a Protection of Civilians (POC) site, one of a handful in South Sudan that sit inside the fence of the UN Peacekeeping Mission (UNMISS) base, with the IDPs protected by UN peacekeepers.

Formerly a booming regional capital, the city of Malakal has been destroyed and depopulated since a new civil war began in late 2013, having been attacked at least a dozen times by both government and opposition forces. Although the area has been calmer in 2018, at the time of our visit there were still roughly 30,000 IDPs living in the IDP camp.

South Sudan is the least electrified country in the world, and the ongoing civil war has deterred new investment or development. The limited energy generation in the country comes mostly from small-scale on-site generators, which run on imported diesel. Since Malakal IDP camp sprang up in early 2014, humanitarian activities and the accompanying Humanitarian Hub have been powered exclusively by diesel generators. Much of the diesel coming to Malakal over this period has had to be flown in due to insecurity, making for some of the highest energy costs in the region.

Since 2016 there have been efforts to bring renewable energy to Malakal’s Humanitarian Hub and other POC sites in the country, but progress has been slow. IOM’s planned new solar-battery system for the Humanitarian Hub would provide cheaper and cleaner energy for the humanitarian agencies, and create a new long-lasting energy system just 3km’s away from the destroyed capital city. Building such a system today can also create a future peace dividend and a building block for peace.

Our June visit came as part of a partnership with Kube Energy, a Norwegian renewable energy company that had been selected by IOM to build the solar-battery system in Malakal. The project would break new ground in a few ways: First, Kube and IOM were in discussions on a multi-year solar lease, involving private sector investment financing the project. Multi-year leases are common for private sector solar projects, but this would have been the first renewable energy lease for a UN agency. Second, our organization, Energy Peace Partners, was looking at the Malakal project to pilot Peace Renewable Energy Credits (PRECs). PRECs are a new financing mechanism we have been developing to help support renewable energy in conflict affected settings. We are also partnering with Kube to conduct the Monitoring and Evaluation on the project, with an eye towards capturing lessons to enable other humanitarian actors to transition to renewable energy in their field missions.

Unfortunately the project plans were delayed over the summer, though conversations are ongoing between Kube and IOM. We are hopeful that 2019 will bring good news for renewable energy in South Sudan, as a new tool for peace and development in the country.

By Mary-Sanyu Osire in Maban, South Sudan | 07 March 2019

Volunteers living in Maban County’s refugee camps have opened up their homes to care for women affected by sexual and gender-based violence.

Mama Elizabeth hums a song as she busies herself, arranging a set of dishes in a corner of her grass-thatched hut. The seemingly ordinary hut is far from that – it is a temporary safe haven that shelters refugee women.

Mama Elizabeth, 65, is a Sudanese refugee and one of 48 refugee volunteers, also known as ‘guardian angels,’ who have opened up their homes in four refugee camps in South Sudan’s Maban County to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

“When I was asked to take on this role, I accepted because I am always happy to help women,” she says with a smile. “I am committed to assist people who are in dire need.”

Two weeks earlier, Mama Elizabeth hosted Sarah*, a mother of nine from Sudan who was fleeing domestic abuse.

Since 2016, these safe havens have hosted women, children and men in need, under an initiative led by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and the Danish Refugee Council. Over 145,000 refugees like Sarah have benefitted under this initiative.

“I chose to go to Mama Elizabeth because I needed peace of mind and shelter,” says Sarah who endured years of ruthless beatings from her husband. When he deserted her and her children, she moved in with her brother who also started beating her. It was too much for her to bear and she decided to run away.

“My brother turned on me when I had just given birth. My child was only three days old,” she recalls.

Mama Elizabeth has been taking in people in need like Sarah for years – a decision that has always come easily to her. These safe havens are also known as community-based shelters, because it is members of the community themselves who are helping newly arrived refugees, not just humanitarian agencies.

UNHCR recognizes the role that the ‘guardian angels’ play as a critical one.

“The ‘guardian angels’ are local leaders who are highly respected by the refugees and host community,” explains Grace Atim, UNHCR’s Protection Officer based in Maban. “They volunteer to take on this role and they have the ability to stand up to perpetrators of SGBV.”

South Sudan’s conflict has forced almost 2.3 million people to flee across six countries in the region, while an additional 2 million South Sudanese have been displaced within the country. About 80 per cent of the displaced are women and children who are prone to various risks, including SGBV.

In 2018, over 1,500 cases of SGBV were reported to UNHCR and partner agencies – cases involving physical, emotional, psychological and sexual violence that have inflicted harm on women, men and children. All reported cases received medical, psychosocial and legal aid, as well as material assistance based on their needs.

To mitigate the risks of SGBV, UHNCR works closely with partner agencies, refugee and host communities to build safe shelters, conduct awareness campaigns, strengthen referral mechanisms and sensitize communities on the importance of combatting the problem.

“We also strive to build the capacity of ‘guardian angels’ like Mama Elizabeth so that they can understand the need to fight SGBV and protect those at risk,” adds UNHCR’s Atim.

Mama Elizabeth admits that before attending these trainings, she had a different view on some cultural practices like early marriage, which she respected as part of her community’s tradition.

“After the trainings, I now understand how early marriage is wrong,” she says. “Women are left behind. Once a girl is married early, she loses the opportunity to pursue education.”

Mama Elizabeth adds that education is very important because “someone who is educated can be able to understand a lot of things from around the world and is in a position to deliver.”

As a refugee who has been displaced by conflict multiple times, Mama Elizabeth has lived in Doro camp since 2011. As a women’s representative for five years, she was able to advocate for women’s rights and mobilize community members to create awareness on various issues, including SGBV.

“I was the one that humanitarian organizations spoke to if they wished to share any messages with the women in my community,” she says.

Now she is focused on running the shelter and hopes to continue helping those in need.

• Name changed for security reasons.

HIGHLIGHTS 1-15 February 2019

• UNHCR registers over 1,400 refugee new arrivals in Unity: UNHCR registered 1,452 (715 women, 737 men) newly arrived Sudanese refugees from South Kordofan, which is a decrease of 41% when compared to the same period in 2018.

• Refugees commemorate International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation in Upper Nile: Across Maban’s four refugee camps, UNHCR, partners and refugee communities commemorated the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on 6 February. During the event, refugee leaders called for an end to the practice.

• UNHCR and partners commence the registration of refugee students for the 2019 academic year in Upper Nile: In Maban, the new school year began on 4 February. Enrolment is ongoing across the four refugee camps; so far 36,060 (18,345 girls, 17,715 boys) for primary schools, 3,168 (1,293 girls, 721 boys) for the Accelerated Education Programme, and 505 (198 girls, 307 boys) for secondary schools have been registered.

• Over 6,000 mothers and children receive nutritional support in Unity: In Jamjang refugee camps, UNHCR and partners International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA), distributed supplies for the blanket supplementary feeding program (BSFP) to children under two years and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. In Pamir refugee camp, a total of 1,252 PLWs and 1,750 under two received supplies, while 1,229 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and 1,799 children with the age under two received supplies in Ajuong Thok refugee camp. The BSFP aims to improve and maintain the nutrition status of PLWs and the children under two, given their increased nutrient requirements.

• Host Community allocates farmlands to refugees in Western Equatoria: In Makpandu refugee settlement, the host community allocated 200x100 and 100x100 metres of agricultural land for 11 refugee farmers. Cumulatively in 2019, 50 refugee farmers have received allocated farm lands.

• UNHCR and commences training of 45 youth in vocational training in Malakal: UNHCR and partner Humanitarian Development Consortium (HDC) began vocational training for 45 youths from Malakal Protection of Civilian (POC) site and town on bricklaying and concreting, carpentry and joinery as well as electrical engineering. These skills will allow the youths to generate an income by helping to build and repair schools and hospitals in their communities. The youths come from different ethnicities, by working together during the trainings, this encourages dialogue and peaceful co-existence.

• UNHCR participates in an inter-agency rapid assessment in Western Equatoria: UNHCR joined an inter-agency Initial Rapid Needs Assessment (IRNA) comprising of South Sudan’s Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), UN agencies and partners, to assess the IDP situation in Tambura, located 185 kilometers outside of Yambio town. The assessment team visited Mabia, Nagero County and Source town in Yubu County. They found that majority of IDPs have spontaneously returned to their place of origin as the result of the Revitalized Peace Agreement signed in September 2018. The State Government, in coordination with WVI, plan to assist with transportation the few remaining IDPs, who wish to return to their place of origin. The assessment team noted the priority needs are food, NFIs, seeds and tools, education and health.

Beating plastic pollution

Reducing plastic pollution of the oceans is a priority issue for UN Environment. In 2018, we helped nations and individuals make huge commitments to giving up single-use plastics.

• World Environment Day 2018 targeted plastic pollution, with global host India leading the way by pledging to give up single-use plastics by 2022. The world’s biggest day for global environmental action reached hundreds of millions of people in more than 190 countries and 60 languages. It engaged 6.5 million people online, including 90 celebrities from all parts of the world, and inspired thousands of events across the globe, from beach clean-ups to zero-waste marathons.

• Many others countries, blocs and businesses made commitments, such as Nigeria and Honduras. The European Union proposed a ban on ten single-use plastic items representing 70 per cent of all marine litter by 2025. Businesses like Ikea and Foodpanda pledged to act.

• Commitments from 57 nations, covering over 60 per cent of the world’s coastlines, made our Clean Seas campaign the largest global compact for combatting marine litter.

Financing sustainable development

Our work on financing for sustainable development broke new ground in 2018:

• Forty-five banks and financial institutions endorsed the principles for responsible banking, drafted under the leadership of the Finance Initiative.

• We launched the first Tropical Landscapes Bond, worth US$95 million, in collaboration with BNP Paribas, the World Agroforestry Centre and partners. The bond will restore 80,000 hectares of tropical forests in Indonesia.

• The Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System completed its four-year mandate with a report showing that green bond issuance grew from US$11 billion in 2013 to US$155 billion in 2017, while policy measures to advance sustainable finance doubled over four years to 300.

• Almost two dozen financial centres, from Casablanca to London to Shanghai, joined the UN Environment-hosted Financial Centres for Sustainability Network to help align investments with sustainable development and climate action.

The UN-REDD Programme celebrates 10 years

The United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (the UN-REDD Programme) was the first joint UN global initiative on climate change. By backing an approach that combines conservation, restoration and sustainable management of forests, the UN-REDD Programme has assisted countries in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and enhancing carbon stocks (REDD+).

In the maternity unit at Wau Teaching Hospital in South Sudan’s Wau State, Angelina Bakhit gazes down at her new son, Mayen, thankful that the ordeal of labour is over.

Mayen is a big baby, and it was a difficult birth, requiring Bakhit to undergo a caesarean section.

“We thought at one point she might be having twins,” says midwife Viola James. “But the ultrasound confirmed just one baby – too large to deliver normally. We monitored her carefully during antenatal check-ups, and when she was in labour, our obstetrician carried out the operation.”

A year or more ago, the odds against Bakhit surviving were not at all in her favour. But now, with the concerted efforts of the Ministry of Health in South Sudan, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Government of Canada and other partners, Wau Teaching Hospital is a shining example of how maternal and newborn health is being improved in the world’s youngest country.

Enthusiastic and newly trained medical staff are contributing a pivotal role.

Presiding over the Wau Teaching Hospital’s maternity complex is obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr William Musa. He recently returned to South Sudan from Tanzania where, with WHO and Government of Canada support, he was able to study for his postgraduate specialization.

South Sudan has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality globally, at a current estimate of 789 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births. One reason for this is the very low rate – about 12% – of hospital births. Persuading women to deliver their babies in clean facilities under the care of trained staff is extremely important in reducing mortality rates.

Since joining the Wau Teaching Hospital in May 2018, Dr Musa is delighted to report success in boosting the number of monthly hospital births by more than 60%, to 225 from 139. He also has increased the number of caesarean section surgeries performed per month by 40%, to 21 from nine. Obstructed labour is one of the top causes of maternal and child death, and a caesarean delivery can be a lifesaving procedure for mother and baby.

Dr Musa’s job attending to difficult labours has also become easier with the addition of a dedicated maternity operating theatre within an expanded maternity complex, built with funding from the Government of Canada and with the support of WHO.

“Before, if we had to do an emergency caesarean section, we had to use the hospital’s main operating theatre, which might not necessarily be available,” says Dr Musa. “Now, we can rush a patient directly to our dedicated theatre.”

The complex also includes a maternal waiting home, and this is helping to save the lives of women usually living in remote villages. At-risk women are invited to stay at the hospital for the last month or two of their pregnancy, where they are closely monitored and can transfer straight to the labour ward when ready, rather than find themselves stranded far from help.

In addition to the maternity complex in Wau, the Government of Canada has funded five others across the country.

“This kind of infrastructure development has resulted in access for a lot more people who didn’t otherwise have it before,” says James Christoff, Ambassador of Canada to South Sudan.

No maternal death reported

Since Dr Musa’s arrival seven months ago, the Wau Teaching Hospital has not experienced a single maternal death.

“This is a good improvement,” he says modestly.

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, firmly agrees.

“Building the capacity of medical experts to specialize in obstetrics and gynaecology illustrates the productive efforts that the Government of South Sudan has made, starting virtually from scratch at independence, to increase the numbers and skills of nurses, midwives and doctors available in the country,” she says.

The increase in births at the hospital means that Dr Musa’s midwife colleagues have much work on their hands.

“Sometimes we work double shifts without stopping for lunch,” says Viola James. Luckily, she loves her job, having become interested in midwifery as a teenager.

She was able to pursue her ambition after becoming one of the first students accepted into a new programme to train midwives. This scheme was launched post-independence, in 2011, when there were only six qualified, professional midwives in all of South Sudan. Now, their ranks have swelled to more than 700.

James is proud that her training allows her to cope with complicated pregnancies and births – in contrast with the traditional birth attendants most women in South Sudan rely upon.

“I know how to prevent an HIV-positive mother transmitting the virus to her baby during birth,” she says. “I know how to manage eclampsia and post-partum haemorrhage and how to identify obstructed labour.”

As for new mother Angelina Bakhit, she and her baby are safe – most likely because of the Wau maternity unit’s expertise.

“I was worried for myself, too,” she says. “With such a big baby, how was I going to survive? But after giving birth in this hospital, I am able to carry my baby home in my arms.”

For Additional Information or to Request Interviews, Please contact:
Lianne Gutcher
Email: gutcherl@who.int

OKA Sakuya
Communications Manager (a.i)
WHO Regional Office for Africa
Tel: +242 06 508 1009
Email: okas@who.int

Context

• About 2.3 million South Sudanese have sought refuge in one of the neighbouring countries of Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.

• Although there is neither facilitation nor promotion of refugee returns to South Sudan, as the current conditions is not yet conducive for durable, safe and dignified returns, reports on spontaneous refugee returns continue to be received.

• UNHCR recognizes the refugees’ right to return and has protection mandate for monitoring refugee returns, including those that return in a self-organized manner.

Herdsmen from the Amading cattle camp in Pachong in Western Lakes say they have experienced significantly fewer incidents of cattle raiding compared to the past dry seasons.

“Here and in the area surrounding our camp, we have lost more than a thousand heads of cattle [to droughts and diseases] between December last year and now. However, we got some breathing space because this dry season we haven’t witnessed any cattle raids, as we usually do,” says Beny Chuar, seeking shelter from the scorching sun, sitting under a palm tree.

The secret, we are told, is as simple as it is genial: by not attacking other herdsmen they have not been subjected to the revenge raids that tends to follow such hostile acts.

Cattle handlers in Amading trek some 5 km every day, to the neighboring Paloch area, in search of pastures green. A tempting target for other herdsmen keen on bolstering their bovine ranks, yet they have not been raided a single time during this dry season.

Their Paramount Chief, Tuol Aparaer Chuot, is credited with having started the campaign to resist the temptation of launching revenge attacks, and he managed to get his people on board.

Maybe because of his credibility as an advocate of non-violence, as Mr. Chuot’s story is one of unusual self-restraint in the face of hostilities. His father and his elder brother were both killed in a revenge attack in 2014.

“My father was a prominent person. His people loved him so much. When he was killed together with my elder brother, the people went to avenge his death, but together with my uncle, we stopped them. We told them this [cycle of attacks and retaliatory actions] had to come to an end,” he explains.

As a result of his forgiving, peaceful ways, Tuol Aparaer Chuot was pulled out of school and made paramount chief at the extraordinarily young age of 25.

Asked if his people, especially the youth, respects his policy of not attacking others, Mr. Chuot simply says that his their leader.

“I didn’t choose myself, they chose me, so they must respect me. And as you can see, it is working. We haven’t been attacked because we have not attacked anyone.”

The current relative peace in the Lakes region, notorious for its persistent inter-communal clashes, is also believed to be the result of conflict resolution efforts made by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.

“Through our Civil Affairs Division, we have conducted a lot of pre- and post-migration reconciliation dialogues between the warring factions in Lakes, especially the Rup, Pakam and Kuei communities. I would like to think that these activities have also contributed a lot to peaceful co-existence among the locals,” says Kwame Dwamena Aboagye, head of the peacekeeping mission’s field office in Rumbek.

Not having to spend precious time and resources on defending cattle comes with benefits, such as the potential for farming.

“We have Kuei, Rup and Pakam cattle keepers in this same camp. These are the people who used to fight each other. We are now waiting for the rains to come so that we can also start growing crops,” explains Makur Chol, another young herdsman in Amading. He expects rains to come within a month.

To consolidate this harmonious coexistence and mutual trust, and to avoid the temptation of raiding others, Makur and others have identified a factor that must be dealt with.

“Although they [herdsmen from other communities] have not attacked us, they still have guns. So, the government must act quickly and disarm all of us at the same time.”

According to Mr. Dwamena Aboagye, the UN peacekeeping mission is having some joy contributing to the disarmament process and thus the reduced number of killings.

“We have talked to communities about the importance of a weapon-free environment. Without guns, grievances can be resolved through mediation and reconciliation by their own leaders. Our message seems to have gone down well.”

Introduction

According to figures published on 31 January 2019, Uganda currently hosts over 1.2 million refugees. It has one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, with over 794 000 refugees from South Sudan, 319 000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 92 000 refugees from other countries, in particular, Burundi, Rwanda, and Eritrea. The sheer number of arrivals put Uganda’s progressive refugee policy under pressure.

What are the needs?

The eruption of inter-ethnic fighting in Ituri, in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in late 2017, led to thousands of DR Congolese to seek refuge in Uganda. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), in 2018, around 120 000 refugees fled the DRC for Uganda, representing more than 75 percent of the new refugee arrivals in the country.

Furthermore, the five years of intense warfare and repeated failed peace agreements in South Sudan pushed hundreds of thousands of people to flee the country and seek refuge in Uganda. Since the signing of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan in mid-2018, clashes between armed factions are reported to have decreased. Refugee arrivals from South Sudan have started to stabilise since January 2018. This can be explained by a reduction in the fighting around the Ugandan border. Risks of further displacement, however, are still present given that the situation in South Sudan remains prone to uncertainty.

Uganda is also a refuge for people fleeing other conflict- and hunger-afflicted countries, such as Somalia and Burundi, making Uganda, together with Sudan, the country hosting one of the largest refugee populations in Africa.

The surge in refugee arrivals within such a brief timespan created significant gaps in the provision of humanitarian assistance. New settlements were created and existing ones extended to accommodate new arrivals. However, needs were still outstripping available assistance in many locations. There was, at the time, a shortage of alternative land available to host the new refugees arriving. While refugees in Uganda are free to move and work, alternative livelihood opportunities for them are extremely limited.

How are we helping?

In 2017 and 2018, the European Union allocated over €85 million in humanitarian assistance to help Uganda address refugees’ needs and step up its Ebola preparedness. Given the real risk of the Ebola virus spreading from the DRC into Uganda due to busy cross-border movements, the EU has provided humanitarian funding to reinforce the capacities of the Ugandan health system and help with preparedness and surveillance for the early detection of cases and the prevention of transmission.

The European Union provides humanitarian funds to help address the needs of over one million refugees who have settled in the West Nile, Mid-West and South-West regions of Uganda. Since 2017, EU humanitarian aid has prioritised the provision of rapid and good quality emergency assistance to newly arrived refugees, especially to those from South Sudan and the DRC. The EU’s funding allows humanitarian organisations in Uganda to provide protection, shelter, food assistance, healthcare, access to safe water and sanitation services, nutrition, and education assistance to refugees and their host communities. Other funding targeting health facilities will also help to reinforce the capacities, quality and service availability, especially as concerns preparedness and response in case of an epidemic.

The EU’s food assistance in Uganda consists of cash transfers that offer refugees the possibility to make their own choices to meet their basic needs while, at the same time, boosting the local economy. With overwhelming numbers of children out of school, humanitarian aid also focuses on providing tailored education and protection for refugee children and children from local communities. Learning programmes are in place to help refugee children to catch up on missed schooling due to the crises in which they found themselves.

In addition to providing humanitarian aid, the European Union also increases the resilience and self-sufficiency of the most vulnerable people, thus making them less dependent on aid in the long-term. This is particularly relevant in the Ugandan context, where refugees are able to move freely, work and start businesses. To this end, in September 2018, the European Commission services, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and EU Member States agreed to implement jointly an action plan that aims to find durable solutions for the people affected by forced displacement (both refugee and host communities) and putting together a comprehensive EU response. The plan has actions that focus on strengthening self-reliance, access to basic services, employment opportunities, establishing local sustainable institutions and structures, and tackling the drivers of displacement. The process hinges on the strengthening of cooperation between the humanitarian, development and political/diplomatic actors to go beyond short-term results and work in a mutually reinforcing way towards long-term objectives. These actions fall within Uganda’s implementation of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework that seeks to help create a sustainable approach to the refugee situation in Uganda.

Last updated 26/02/2019

OVERVIEW OF THE CRISIS

In 2018, Ethiopia was spared significant climate-related calamities such as the droughts of previous years. However, the significant spike in conflict-induced displacement, with a near doubling of the IDP and IDP returnee1 caseload, is contributing to high response needs across six regions. In addition, communities affected by drought in recent years have yet to recover and remain highly vulnerable to climate shocks, having exhausted their capacity to cope. This has required the Government of Ethiopia and humanitarian partners to adopt response strategies that are better suited to the need of a more complex and sudden onset conflict-induced crisis.

Ethiopia saw a significant increase in internal displacement in 2018 as a result of inter-communal conflict in several pockets of the country, with a near doubling of the IDP and IDP returnee population to around three million by the end of 2018. Though localized small-scale displacements have always existed in Ethiopia from clashes between communities over pasture and water rights in pastoralist and agro-pastoralist areas along regional boundaries, the scale and frequency seen in 2018 are unprecedented. This led the Government of Ethiopia and humanitarian partners to focus more on the needs of IDPs and IDP returnees, while simultaneously responding to the acute needs of impoverished communities affected by food and livelihood insecurity from recent years of protracted drought, as well as other associated multi-sector needs.
One of the largest incidents of internal-displacement occurred in April 2018 when historical tensions over land and regional boundaries between the Gedeos (SNNP) and Oromos (Oromia) escalated, leading to clashes. At the peak of the crisis, nearly one million people were displaced in both zones. Another wave of displacement occurred when inter-communal conflict erupted along the Benishangul Gumuz - Oromia border in September 2018, displacing people inside Benishangul Gumuz region and across the border into western Oromia. Meanwhile in Amhara region, inter-communal related conflict that sparked in November 2018 between the Amhara and the Qemant communities led to displacements in the western part of the region. Parts of the Oromia-Somali, as well as Afar-Oromia regional boundaries remain volatile, while in Tigray region, conflict also led to some displacement in late 2018. Continued humanitarian assistance will be required in 2019 both for IDPs and IDP returnees. The implication for protection issues suggests that the capacity of the Government and partners needs to be tailored to the multiple protection needs of highly vulnerable people.
Of additional concern are IDP hosting communities, many of whom were already vulnerable pre-displacement, and are likely to require sustained assistance through 2019.
Sporadic unrest often has devastating impact on basic service delivery, including the disruption of health and nutrition services, education, and food security. This elevates the risk of disease outbreaks and malnutrition. In Somali region for example, which is already affected by high malnutrition rates, the conflict in August 2018 led to an estimated 50 per cent turnover of health professionals, which caused serious disruptions in health and nutrition service delivery.
The 2018 seasonal rains performed well in most parts of the country. Rains allowed most agrarian communities to benefit from normal harvests, while replenishing the water sources and rejuvenating pastures of pastoralist and agropastoralist communities. Despite these positive developments, communities who suffered consecutive years of severe drought, who lost productive assets, or took on significant debts to shoulder the brunt of the crisis, will continue to need sustained humanitarian assistance and recovery support throughout 2019. According to the Emergency Nutrition Coordination Unit (ENCU), the scale and severity of the nutrition situation remains in line with the 2018 Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Plan (HDRP) mid-year review, which projected 4.53 million children under five years and pregnant and lactating women requiring treatment for acute malnutrition in 2018.
Lack of access to safe water and sanitation coupled with poor hygiene practices continue to pose disease outbreak risks, including Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) in parts of the country. Over 3,000 cases of AWD were reported in 2018 nationwide, the majority in Tigray region, followed by Afar.
The impact of poor sanitation practices on the health of IDPs and IDP returnees is particularly concerning, especially in areas where the infrastructure is weak and where depleted water tables limit access to safe water.
At the start of 2019, Ethiopia is also hosting over 900,000 refugees who were forced to flee their homes as a result of political instability, military conscription, conflict, famine and other problems in their countries of origin. The majority of refugees in Ethiopia are located in Tigray Regional State and the four emerging regions of Ethiopia: Afar, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambela and Somali regions. The South Sudanese are the largest refugee population in Ethiopia, followed by Somalis and Eritreans.
While responding to the immediate life-saving needs of existing and emerging crisis, the Government of Ethiopia has also been seeking durable solutions to address the needs of people affected by protracted displacement, or to prevent new ones from developing where and when possible. To this end, the Government has convened peace and reconciliation conferences and continues to facilitate the safe return of IDPs.
While some IDP returnees have successfully returned to their respective homes, the large majority of those who have returned are still living in collective centers in areas of return, while others were forced into secondary displacements due to renewed conflict.

COUNTRIES REQUIRING EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE FOR FOOD

FAO assesses that globally 41 countries, of which 31 are in Africa, continue to be in need of external assistance for food.
Conflict remains the main driver of high levels of severe food insecurity. Weather‑induced production declines and economic instability have also adversely impacted on food availability and access.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

AFRICA

Mostly reflecting beneficial weather conditions, production upturns were estimated in East, West and North Africa in 2018, while rainfall deficits cut outputs in Southern Africa. Continued poor rains have also affected the development of the 2019 crops in parts of Southern Africa, while conflicts in several other countries continue to curtail production prospects this year.

ASIA

Cereal production in 2018 in Far East Asia is estimated at a record high.
By contrast, outputs fell in the Near East and CIS Asia on account of rainfall deficits and the impact of conflicts in parts of the Near East. Production prospects for the soon‑to‑be harvested 2019 wheat crop are generally favourable across the region.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Cereal production is expected to increase in South America in 2019, recovering from last year’s reduced output. In Central America and the Caribbean, despite localized dry weather conditions, cereal outputs in 2018 were close to the average. The 2019 wheat crop in Mexico is likely to remain below average.

This document provides a mid-month update on major developments between the publication of UNHCR’s monthly Operational Updates.

Refugees

• Following an influx of South Sudanese refugees in the Chefferie des Kakwa, Aru Territory, Ituri Province, UNHCR undertook monitoring missions at border areas and prepared for their relocation to Biringi settlement, Aru Territory. By mid-February, the influx had slowed down significantly and in the second half of the month, UNHCR begun relocations. 397 persons (165 households) were transferred to Biringi settlement between 16 and 22 February, and demand for relocation had declined by the end of the month.

• Arrivals of Central African refugees slowed down compared to January. 30 crossed into Ndu, Bas Uele Province, DRC, from the Central African Republic, in addition to 235 who crossed in January, according to migration authorities. 65 were awaiting pre-registration, while the remaining 200 already held refugee status from a previous displacement. UNHCR planned on distributing non-food items (NFIs) to the most vulnerable.

• In view of Ebola cases in Ituri Province, which hosts South Sudanese refugees, UNHCR and implementing partner ADES further strengthened Ebola monitoring and sensitization in all refugee-hosting health zones.

• UNHCR’s partner ADSSE distributed 648 packs of MakaPad sanitary pads to 312 Central African refugee pupils in Inke camp, as well as 22 local pupils. Sessions will also be held every month by UNHCR’s partner ADSSE, on the use of sanitary pads and on good menstrual hygiene.

• Two football fields, two basketball fields and a dancing area were finalised in Lusenda camp and Mulongwe settlement to benefit both Burundian refugees and local youth as part of UNHCR’s Sports for Protection project, funded by the International Olympic Committee.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

• Influxes of Congolese people from Angola continued. In Kamako, Kasai Province, the migration authorities (DGM) recorded 2,750 returns (both expulsions and voluntary returns) from 1 to 11 February, bringing to 8,085 the estimated total of returns from Angola in 2019. UNHCR prepared for the resumption of profiling activities by meeting a dozen of documented Congolese refugees who returned between 11 and 14 February. They provided information on the circumstance of their returns, including spontaneous ones.

• On the shores of Lake Albert in Djugu Territory, Ituri Province, 4,734 people (928 households) were displaced, while outside coastal areas, stabilisation led to the return of an estimated 11,090 people from various localities, according to UNHCR’s partners INTERSOS and Caritas.

• UNHCR’s cash assistance for IDPs, returnees and refugees in DRC grew considerably in 2018, with USD 3.4 million spent according to a new UNHCR report. This is a 261% increase from 2017 and an 882% increase from 2016.

• From 4 to 6 February, UNHCR provided multipurpose cash assistance to 1,055 formerly displaced households who returned to their villages near Kalemie, Tanganyika Province. This cash assistance complemented a UNHCR shelter project for returnees to rebuild houses using local construction methods.

• In Ituri Province, UNHCR’s partner the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) distributed dignity kits to 10,500 women and girls, $30 cash vouchers for 4,899 people to buy Non-Food Items (NFI) at a fair organized by DRC, and shelter construction kits to 2,943 people. All beneficiaries were returned or displaced people.

Background

The Logistics Cluster facilitates the coordination of the logistics response in support of the humanitarian community. Furthermore, it provides information management products to improve the decision making of humanitarian organisations in South Sudan.
Where logistics gaps are identified, WFP, as the lead agency of the Logistics Cluster, acts as a Provider of Last Resort by offering common logistics services to support the humanitarian community in their response operations.

Operational Highlights

• In February, the Logistics Cluster facilitated the transport of 847 mt of humanitarian cargo by air and road to 26 destinations on behalf of 37 organisations.

• The Logistics Cluster’s first barge movement of the year reached Malakal at the end of January. More than 379 mt of cargo was delivered to 9 organisations.

• During the month, the Logistics Cluster coordinated 3 inter-agency convoys, transporting humanitarian supplies along the Western Corridor and throughout Jonglei State, reaching Pibor for the first time this year.

Coordination & information management

• In February, two coordination meetings were held in Juba to facilitate the coordination of the logistics response amongst humanitarian organisations. A further four coordination meetings were held in Malakal, Rumbek, Bor and Wau. In total, 48 organisations participated across these meetings.

• The Logistics Cluster published 19 information management products on the operational website, including 5 updated maps displaying physical access constraints. The most recent Access Constraints map can be found here.

Logistics Cluster Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness Plan

• The Logistics Cluster continues to be an active member of the Ebola Preparedness National Task Force, acting as the focal point for WFP.

• The Logistics Cluster continues to offer priority support in the transportation of EVD preparedness materials.

• UNHAS is now offering a temporary free service to transport passengers to Yambio, Yei and Nimule in support of Ebola Preparedness activities, supported by the Logistics Cluster focal point.

• The Logistics Cluster is supporting the stocktaking of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Ebola kits in South Sudan.

• Four ambulances are ready to be deployed as part of the Ebola Preparedness activities, pending the resolution of tax exemption issues.

• Ebola guidance material has been uploaded to the Logistics Cluster Website to enable the widescale sharing of information.

Ce document fournit une mise à jour intermédiaire sur les principaux évènements ayant lieu entre la publication mensuelle des rapports opérationnels du HCR.

Réfugiés

• Suite à un afflux de réfugiés sud-soudanais dans la Chefferie des Kakwa, Territoire d’Aru en Province de l’Ituri, le HCR a effectué des missions de monitoring dans des zones frontalières, et s’est préparé pour leur relocalisation vers le site de Biringi, Territoire d’Aru. A la mi-février, l’afflux avait considérablement diminué et dans la deuxième moitié du mois, le HCR a commencé les relocalisations. 397 personnes (165 ménages) ont été transférées vers le site de Biringi entre les 16 et 22 février, et les demandes de relocalisation avaient baissé à la fin du mois.

• Les arrivées de réfugiés centrafricains ont baissé par rapport au mois de janvier. 30 personnes ont traversé vers Ndu, Province du Bas Uele en RDC, depuis la République Centrafricaine, en plus des 235 autres qui avaient traversé en janvier, d’après les autorités migratoires. 65 personnes attendaient leur pré-enregistrement, alors que les 200 restants avaient déjà le statut de réfugié obtenu suite à un déplacement antérieur. Le HCR a prévu de distribuer des Articles Ménagers Essentiels (AME) aux plus vulnérables.

• Compte tenu des cas d’Ebola en Province de l’Ituri, qui accueille des réfugiés sud-soudanais, le HCR et son partenaire de mise en œuvre ADES ont continué à renforcer le monitoring et la sensibilisation contre Ebola dans toutes les zones de santé accueillant des réfugiés.

• ADSSE, partenaire du HCR, a distribué 648 paquets de serviettes hygiéniques MakaPad à 312 élèves réfugiés centrafricains au camp d’Inke, ainsi qu’à 22 élèves locaux. Des sessions seront également organisées par ADSSE chaque mois, sur l’utilisation des serviettes et sur les bonnes pratiques d’hygiène menstruelle.

• Deux terrains de football, deux terrains de basketball et un terrain de danse ont été finalisés au camp de Lusenda et dans le site de Mulongwe. Ils bénéficieront à des réfugiés burundais tout comme à des jeunes locaux, dans le cadre du projet « Sport pour la Protection » du HCR, financé par le Comité International Olympique.

Personnes déplacées internes (PDI)

• L’afflux de Congolais depuis l’Angola a continué. A Kamako, Province du Kasaï, les autorités migratoires (DGM) ont rapporté 2 750 retours (expulsions et retours volontaires) entre les 1 er et 11 février, portant à 8 085 le total estimé des retours d’Angola en 2019. Le HCR s’est préparé à la reprise des activités de profilage, en s’entretenant avec une douzaine de réfugiés congolais en possession de leurs documents, rentrés entre les 11 et 14 février. Ils ont fourni des informations sur les circonstances de leurs retours, y compris les retours spontanés.

• Sur les bords du Lac Albert en Territoire de Djugu, Province de l’Ituri, 4 734 personnes (928 ménages) ont été déplacées, tandis qu’en dehors des zones littorales, une stabilisation a mené au retour d’environ 11 090 personnes depuis plusieurs localités, d’après INTERSOS et Caritas, partenaires du HCR.

• L’assistance monétaire fournie par le HCR aux PDI, retournés et réfugiés en RDC a considérablement augmenté en 2018, avec 3,4 millions de dollars américains déboursés d’après un nouveau rapport du HCR. Il s’agit d’une augmentation de 261% comparé à 2017, et de 882% comparé à 2016.

• Du 4 au 6 février, le HCR a fourni une assistance monétaire multi-usage à 1 055 ménages anciennement déplacés, maintenant retournés dans leurs villages près de Kalemie en Province du Tanganyika. Cette assistance a complété une aide en abris du HCR permettant aux retournés de reconstruire des maisons avec des méthodes de construction locale.

• En Province de l’Ituri, le Conseil danois pour les réfugiés (DRC), partenaire du HCR, a distribué des trousses d’hygiène à 10 500 femmes et filles, des bons de 30 dollars américains pour que 4 899 personnes puissent acheter des Articles Ménagers Essentiels (AME) dans une foire organisée par DRC, et des kits de construction d’abris à 2 943 personnes. Tous les bénéficiaires étaient des personnes déplacées ou retournées.