IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BANJUL ACTION PLAN

Accession to International Conventions on Statelessness (Goal. 1.1)

• Burkina Faso acceded to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness on 3 August 2017, marking an important milestone for the country in its commitment to eradicate statelessness as well as for the region, where 12 of the 15 ECOWAS Member States are now party to both the 1954 and 1961 Conventions.

National Legislation Reforms (Goal 1.3)

• In July, Sierra Leone took a significant step toward ending statelessness with the amendment by the Parliament of the Citizenship Act, which previously contained a discriminatory clause that did not allow women to pass their nationality on to their children in certain circumstances. With this reform, equality between men and women with regard to transmitting their nationality is guaranteed, bringing Sierra Leone in line with the commitments made by the ECOWAS Member States in the Abidjan Declaration and the Banjul Action Plan.

Advocacy & Awareness (Goal. 4)

• Côte d’Ivoire: The population of Guiglo, a town close to the border with Liberia, benefitted from an awareness raising campaign on the risks related to lack of birth registration. According to the Service for Assistance to Refugees and Stateless Persons, 25,000 children do not have birth certificates. In response, civil society, with the support of UNHCR, organized two awareness-raising campaigns in July on birth registration through local radio stations in Guiglo.

• Côte d’Ivoire: Students from the University Félix Houphouet Boigny in Abidjan participated in August in discussion sessions on statelessness organized by UNHCR

• Senegal: Children helped raise awareness of the risks of statelessness among hundreds of thousands of Senegalese people through the Summer Penc competition broadcasted on television. Summer Penc is a short film contest for children between the ages of 12 and 17, including stateless and refugee children. The Short films touched on various topics, among which, statelessness, birth registration and civil registration. The competition is aired on national television.

MISE EN OEUVRE DU PLAN D’ACTION DE BANJUL

Adhésion aux Conventions internationales portant sur l’apatridie (Objectif. 1.1)

• Le 3 aout 2017, le Burkina Faso a adhéré à la Convention de 1961 sur la réduction des cas d’apatridie. Il s’agit d’une avancée majeure pour le Burkina Faso dans son engagement à éradiquer l’apatridie. Il s’agit également d’une avancée majeure pour la région, car maintenant 12 des 15 Etats membres de la CEDEAO ont adhéré à la fois la Convention de 1954 et la Convention de 1961.

Réformes des lois nationales (Objectif 1.3)

• La Sierra Leone a posé un acte majeur dans la lutte contre l’apatridie en juillet dernier. Le Parlement a modifié sa législation sur la nationalité qui contenait une clause discriminatoire qui ne permettait pas aux femmes de transmettre leur nationalité à leurs enfants dans toutes les circonstances. Avec cette réforme, l’égalité homme-femme dans la transmission de la nationalité est garantie et la Sierra Leone se conforme ainsi aux engagements pris par les Etats membres de la CEDEAO dans la Déclaration d’Abidjan et dans le Plan d’Action de Banjul.

Plaidoyer et sensibilisation (Objectif. 4)

• Côte d’Ivoire : La population de Guiglo, ville proche du Libéria, a été informée et sensibilisée aux risques d’apatridie liés au défaut d’enregistrement des naissances. Il y aurait, selon le Service d’Aide aux Réfugiés et aux Apatrides, 25000 enfants sans extraits de naissance. Ainsi la société civile, avec le soutien du HCR, a organisé en juillet deux campagnes de sensibilisation sur l’enregistrement des naissances à travers les radios locales à Guiglo.

• Côte d’Ivoire: Les étudiants de l’Université Félix Houphouët Boigny d’Abidjan, ont pu bénéficier d’information par le HCR sur l’apatridie à travers des séances de discussion et la distribution de matériels d’information.

• Sénégal : Des centaines de milliers de sénégalais sont sensibilisés par les enfants sur les risques d’apatridie, à l’occasion de la compétition télévisée Summer Penc.

Summer Penc est un concours de courts métrages mettant en compétition des enfants de 12 à 17 ans parmi lesquels des enfants apatrides et réfugiés. Les courts métrages portent, entre autres, sur l’apatridie, et la déclaration des naissances à l’état civil. La compétition est retransmise à la télévision nationale.

This weekly update is produced by UNDP in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Sierra Leone, liaising with UN Agencies, the Office of National Security and development partners.

Situation overview

Following the landslides and floods that hit Freetown and surrounding areas on 14 August 2017, the UN system in Sierra Leone continues to support national recovery.

In addition to addressing the urgent needs of those most affected, medium and long term assessments and Action Plans have been put in place under national leadership to ensure prevention, risk mitigation and protection of the most vulnerable.

For the purpose of information and coordination, relief and recovery efforts are detailed here.

Recovery efforts

HEALTH

Action Against Hunger

• Two jingles, one on cholera prevention and one on handwashing were aired on AI Radio between 6-24 September. Each jingle is being aired three times a day for 19 days.

• Distributed protective gear (raincoats, gumboots) and backpacks for 80 CHWs, completing the kits provided for the CHWs to facilitate nutrition screening and community mobilization activities.

• Reproduced IEC materials on cholera prevention, critical handwashing times and malaria

prevention to be used for community sensitization.

WASH

Concern Worldwide

• Provided water, Aquatabs and hygiene promotion to affected population in Kamayama, Kaningo and Culvert communities (daily water trucking and constructing 8 water kiosks). To enable the 9,000l water bowser to access the communities, 20 male volunteers were recruited in Kamayama to fix the flood-damaged road.

• Enabled 30 trained Disaster Management Volunteers are conducting a 15-day door-to-door hygiene promotion campaign targeting approx. 6,000HHs with hygiene messages and 3,000HH with Aquatabs distribution.

• Distributed NFIs (1 hygiene kit, 2 jerry cans, 1 mosquito net per HH) for 99 displaced families in Juba Barracks IDP camp. 30 Veronica buckets (buckets with taps) were also distributed at Juba IDP camp.

Action Against Hunger

• Conducted hygiene promotion activities in three communities (Culvert I & II and Pa-muronkoh).

• Daily water trucking of 40,000 liters to 8 established emergency water kiosks at Culvert, Wellington and Calaba town during the month of September.

• Water point caretakers conduct hygiene promotion activities including sensitization on the use of Aquatabs at all 8 emergency water kiosks.

• Hand washing station caretakers conduct hygiene promotion activities at two established hand washing station in Culvert.

• Community mobilization for Emergency cleaning at five communities (Culvert I & II, Water Street, Bottom Oku and Pa-Muronkoh).

Red Cross

• 22 WASH volunteers from the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society, with the support of IFRC, conducted sensitization sessions in three sites of Regent, Culvert and Juba on hygiene promotion, reaching a total of 4010 people (1,182 men, 1,082 women and 1,114 children) with messages on hand washing, latrine cleaning, waste management, oral rehydration salts solutions and personal Hygiene. One of the sessions included using a mobile cinema and drama skit about Cholera prevention which was more informative, exciting and educative to both children and adults.

• Two Hygiene promotion volunteers from SierraLeone Red Cross attended a WASH training organized by Child Fund in Juba camp which increased their knowledge and skills.

FOOD & NUTRITION

Concern

• Provided support to Street Child for wet food provision at holding centres until mid-September.

WFP

• Working with the National Electoral Commission and Statistics Sierra Leone to harmonize the verified beneficiary list. The Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs is responsible for signing the final beneficiary list, which will facilitate the Government’s distribution of food and non-food items.

• Supporting the registration of households in Bamabayilla, a community in Kamayama, that claim they were not included in the previous registration process.

• Continues to support the Office of National Security to manage and store relief items at the WFP Main Logistics Base in Port Loko.

CARE International

• Supplied 301,000 liters of clean treated water to three affected communities in Kamayama,
Pentegon and Kanningo. CARE maintains regular supply of water to eleven 10,000-liter capacity stations (4 in Kamayama, 3 in Pentagon, and 4 in Kanningo).

SHELTER

Concern

• Tents were erected in Juba (6) and Old Skool (3) IDP camps.

Introduction

Irrational fears of HIV infection and negative attitudes and judgements towards people living with HIV persist despite decades of public information campaigns and other awareness-raising efforts. Populations at increased risk of HIV infection face high levels of stigma due to, among other things, their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, drug use or sex work. Stigma towards people living with or at risk of HIV drives acts of discrimination in all sectors of society—from public officials, police officers and health-care workers to the workplace, schools and communities. In many countries, discriminatory laws and policies reinforce an environment of violence and marginalization. This stigma and discrimination discourages people from accessing health-care services, including HIV prevention methods, learning their HIV status, enrolling in care and adhering to treatment.

Studies on stigma and discrimination and health-seeking behaviour show that people living with HIV who perceive high levels of HIV-related stigma are 2.4 times more likely to delay enrolment in care until they are very ill (1). In eight countries with available data, more than a quarter of people living with HIV reported that they had avoided going to a local clinic in the previous 12 months because of their HIV status (Figure 1) (2). Such fears also discourage the uptake of prevention and testing services. For example, fear of the HIV-related stigma and discrimination that may result from an HIV-positive test result and having that result disclosed to others, either through self-disclosure or otherwise, has been identified as a disincentive to HIV testing in a range of settings (3, 4).

In 2015, the global community committed to ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is an ambitious yet achievable goal. Scale-up of the most effective services for preventing HIV infection and treating people living with HIV has already seen a 32% global decline in AIDS-related deaths and a 16% global decline in new HIV infections between 2010 and 2016; and 2016 also marked the first time more than half (53% [39–65%]) of all people living with HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy (5). Yet these gains are not distributed equally, and groups that face discrimination are often left behind—in many cases in fear of or facing discrimination, which drives them further away from accessing the services they need. Putting the world on track to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 requires a persistent global effort to eliminate HIV-related stigma and discrimination alongside wider efforts to address marginalization and exclusion in health care.

This report compiles the latest body of evidence on how stigma and discrimination create barriers across the HIV prevention, testing and treatment cascades and reduce the impact of the AIDS response. The report also brings together best practices on confronting stigma and discrimination, providing a valuable resource for programme managers, policy-makers, health-care providers and communities. The evidence shows that the establishment of people-centred service delivery models, supportive legal and policy frameworks, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, and sensitization training for health-care workers and other duty bearers can promote inclusion and increase access to services.

Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme

Update on UNHCR’s operations in Africa

A. Situational analysis including new developments

In 2017, the Africa region continued to host the largest number of persons of concern to UNHCR. At the end of 2016, the number of displaced and stateless persons was estimated at almost 19.6 million. New displacement was largely due to conflict in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an upsurge of violence in the Central African Republic as well as food insecurity combined with conflict in Somalia and South Sudan.

Food insecurity remained a concern throughout the region, particularly in the Horn of Africa where severe drought is projected to continue into early 2018. A famine was declared in parts of South Sudan in February 2017, and parts of northern Nigeria and Somalia were at risk of famine. By the end of December 2016, approximately 3.5 million out of 5.1 million refugees across 20 countries in Africa were receiving food assistance from the World Food Programme. As of June 2017, several countries in the region faced cuts to food assistance, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania. More countries are expected to be affected by cuts if additional resources are not made available.

Central Africa and the Great Lakes Region

Reports of human rights violations continued in Burundi, and over 418,000 Burundians remained in exile in neighbouring countries. While some spontaneous returns were reported, the need to maintain asylum space for Burundian asylum-seekersremained vital. Only 15 per cent ($37 million) of the total needs ($248 million) of Burundian refugees in the region are currently being met.

UNHCR remained concerned over the resurgence of violence in parts of the Central African Republic and the targeting of civilians and humanitarian workers. The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) increased by more than 25 per cent to over half a million. In the neighbouring countries, there were almost half a million refugees from the Central African Republic. By the end of July 2017, another 70,000 new refugees had fled to Cameroon, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, conflict in the Kasai region had displaced some 1.4 million people internally between March and September 2017, bringing the number of IDPs to 3.8 million. People from the Kasai region mainly fled to Angola, where 33,000 were registered as refugees. Influxes into Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania also continued, and the overall number of Congolese refugees in the region reached almost 620,000.

East and Horn of Africa

The security situation in South Sudan continued to deteriorate, further exacerbated by the lack of food. This led the South Sudan emergency to become the fastest growing displacement crisis in the world. A third of South Sudan’s population of 12 million was displaced, while more than half of the population was affected by the crisis. Almost 2 million South Sudanese lived in host countries as refugees or asylum-seekers and another 2 million were internally displaced. Over the past year alone, an average of 1,800 South Sudanese arrived in Uganda every day. In addition to the million hosted in Uganda, more than a million South Sudanese were hosted in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan.

In spite of encouraging political developments, the security situation in Somalia remained volatile. Together with food insecurity, this triggered further population displacement, bringing the total number of displaced to some 1.5 million IDPs and 900,000 refugees.

West Africa

A complex humanitarian emergency continued to affect some 7.1 million people across the Lake Chad Basin, including 2.3 million refugees, IDPs and returnees. UNHCR voiced concern about forced and self-organized returns to Nigeria, noting that the minimum conditions of safety and dignity were not yet met.

By Firmin Mbala

Maria, a 13 year old survivor who lives in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso, was forced to marry a 70 year old man who already had many wives. She didn’t have the chance to finish her first year of primary school, or have a normal childhood and play with her friends.

“About two weeks ago my dad married me to a 70-year-old man who already has five wives. My dad threatened me saying: 'If you don’t go to join your husband I will kill you.' I spent three days with my other co-wives at the house, then I fled. I walked for three days to get to the center for young girls here.”
- Maria, early and forced marriage survivor.

The situation of women and girl’s sexual and reproductive rights in West Africa is alarming. Millions of African women are still subjected to harmful traditional practices, like Female Genital Mutilation or Cuts (FGM) and Early and Forced Marriage (EFM) that violate their most fundamental human rights.

Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone are amongst the worst countries that perform female genital mutilation with respectively 76% and 88% of women affected; while the proportion is 26% in Senegal. In these countries, early and forced marriage rates are also high with 30-50% of girls married before their eighteen birthday, and these numbers are set to double by 2050.

Female genital mutilation and early and forced marriage are closely related to poverty and low status of women in West Africa. Girls subjected to female genital mutilation are also often the girls who are at increased risk of early and forced marriage - which in turn is linked to early pregnancy and a high risk of dropping out of school, limiting women’s education and their ability to escape poverty. Along with that, women and girls health is compromised by female genital mutilation and early and forced marriage, since early pregnancies and childbearing are the leading causes of death of adolescent girls.

"The girl who undergoes FGM/C is the same girl who is taken out of school early to marry. And this is the same girl who dies before she reaches age 20, giving birth to her third child."
- Dr. Nafissatou Diop, UNFPA

To tackle these issues, Amnesty International is beginning an international initiative with support from the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID), to enable targeted communities to abandon the practices of female genital mutilation and early and forced marriage. The project aims to empower women and girls by helping them defend themselves from harmful beliefs and practices, while involving the broader communities to help change attitudes and behaviors.

The project will encourage intergenerational dialogue with all stakeholders, including the community, religious and customary leaders, teachers and elected officials. It will also use a wide range of educational resources such as popular talks, participatory drama, and radio programs that are designed and implemented by local organizations. Students will be engaged through school-based activities to teach them about their human rights and highlight the harms of both female genital mutilation and early and forced marriage.

Below-average rain recorded in West Africa, while above-average rain persists over Eastern Africa

1. Inconsistent and below-normal rainfall since mid-August has increased moisture deficits and led to abnormal dryness for parts of southern Burkina Faso and northern Ghana.

2. Recent heavy rains have caused the Niger and Benue Rivers in Nigeria to flood. Reports indicate that 100,000 people were displaced by flooding and many crops have been destroyed. Continued rain will keep rivers high.

3. Many weeks of heavy rainfall have saturated soils and triggered flooding throughout several states in Sudan. Both the Blue and White Nile rivers continue to run high, threatening populations and infrastructure along their banks.

4. Heavy rain this past week in central Ethiopia has led to flooding along the Awash River. Water released from the Koka Dam is causing flooding downstream in the Oromia and Afar regions.

Freetown, 9 October, 2017 - While thousands continue to feel the impact of the flooding and mudslide that claimed hundreds of lives on 14 August, the Government of Sierra Leone has been working with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to advocate risk-awareness at every level.

According to UNDP Landslide Risk-Management Specilalist, Dr. Muhi Usamah, “We know that there will be more floods, mudslides, and landslides in the future. We just don’t know when.” However, if people understand the causes and triggers of the risks they live with, they can make informed decisions about where and how they live, and can avoid disaster in the future.

With support from UNDP, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Sierra Leone has developed a radio jingle, to raise awareness of the ways that human activity can be harmful to the environment. This is important to all people - and particularly important for those living in hazard prone areas.

The jingle will be aired in five local languages (Krio, Mende, Temne, Limba and Kono) on 7 radio stations, reaching all districts, throughout the country. The jingles will be heard every day, once in the morning and once in the evening for 70 days, beginning 10 October.

Roughly translated in English, its lyrics are as follow:

“My people, have you seen what has been happening in our country? Many people have lost their lives, among them, many children and women are dead. Remember that in 2015 when flooding took place in the country. Life and Property were lost. Now we have seen mudslide-enveloped people and property, together with the regular flood. But let us ask ourselves: why are all these things happening? Despite the God-given beautiful country, these things are happening because of the way we treat and interact with the environment; this is man-made.

“Global experts have said that these things are happening because we rampantly cut down trees, because of sand mining, building our houses on river banks, and on the beautiful hilltops, and because of those who cut the mangroves for firewood and don’t replant, and the way we frequently burn bushes. These things are causing disaster, which could disrupt our development and may hinder the progress of the (Government’s) Agenda for Prosperity.

“Also, global experts say, Sierra Leone is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, where tragedy and problems like heavy rain will occur and they are caused by these things.

“My people, heavy rain and winds are eminent, many have died, properties have been destroyed and the weather pattern has changed.

“In this regard, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the Office of National Security (ONS), Freetown City Council (FCT), National Protection Area Authority (NPAA), wants to inform all those residing in river banks, valley, or places where water settles, that If tragedy happens you will lose your lives and properties. Therefore, you must leave those places immediately.

“This is the message, let us take diligent care of our environment. Remember that Sierra Leone is ours, and we should come together and make it a better place for future generations.”

Contact information UNDP Communications Unit. Email: communication.sl@undp.org.

Tel: +232-99-28-99-55

Follow us on Twitter @UNDPSierraLeone and Facebook on UNDPSierraLeone

This weekly update is produced by UNDP in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Sierra Leone, liaising with the Office of National Security and development partners.

Situation overview

Following the landslides and floods that hit Freetown and surrounding areas on 14 August 2017, the UN system in Sierra Leone continues to support national recovery.

In addition to addressing the urgent needs of those most affected, medium and long term assessments and action plans have been put in place under national leadership to ensure risk mitigation and protect the people of Sierra Leone from future tragedy.

HEALTH

WHO

• Round two of the OCV campaign started on 5 October and is scheduled to end on 10 October, after a five-day campaign in areas affected by floods and landslides. The first round of the campaign reached its target and administered the first dose of the vaccine to over half a million people. The second dose will extend the duration of protection against the disease.
  

The campaign is being led by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation with support from GAVI through WHO, with assistance from UNICEF, UKAid, MSF, IFRC and other health partners.

• Routine surveillance continues in all districts alongside enhanced surveillance for epidemic prone diseases in the affected districts.

UNFPA

• UNFPA continues to seek out pregnant women affected by the flooding and landslides to support access to quality maternal health services. On 3 October, UNFPA organized the transportation of 28 pregnant women from Culvert, Dwazark and Don Bosco communities to the Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone (PPASL) clinic for comprehensive antenatal check-ups including ultrasound scanning. To date, UNFPA has provided this service to 143 pregnant women. So far, 127 mama and baby kits were also distributed to the pregnant women who received the antenatal check-ups.

WASH

Save the Children

• Completed the distribution of 79 baby kits to HHs with children aged 0-3 years in Juba Camp, directly benefitting 66 children aged 0-3 years (32 boys, 34 girls). Earlier in the week, door-to-door sensitization was also completed.

CARE International

• Distributed Aquatabs to 176 households (at 10 Aquatabs per household) in the communities of Kaningo (distributed to 81 households from 27-28 September) and Kamayama (distributed to 95 households from 29 September and 2-3 October).

• Installed ten 10,000-liter water tanks, including one newly-installed water tank in Juba Barracks to serve Juba community (October 5) and one in Juba IDP Camp (15September). However, CARE distributes water to thirteen 10,000-liter capacity water tanks located in Kamayama, Kaningo, Pentagon and Juba. From 29 September to 5 October, CARE distributed a total of 330,000 liters of water to these four affected communities and also monitored the water’s free chlorine residual (FCR).

• Promoting good hygiene practices to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks, CARE conducted a one-day training (30 September) for 40 participants (13 male and 27 female) with the aim of capacitating and enabling the participants from three affected communities of Kamayama (10 participants), Pentagon (7 participants) and Kaningo (10 participants) to take an active role in their communities towards promoting handwashing and best hygiene practices, water storage and handling, basic water treatment methods and use of Aquatabs, maintenance and management of water facilities, and safe disposal of wastes. The training was conducted in partnership with two trainers from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

• From 2-6 October, CARE continued its support to Juba IDP Camp by ensuring its solid and liquid waste management. There are currently 8 small bins, 2 gravel bins and 5 mobile toilets or portable toilets that CARE manages, to be collected and disposed of properly on a regular and daily basis.

Concern Worldwide

• Water trucking – 19 trips were performed in Kaningo and Kamayama (totalling 171,000 litres trucked). Water trucking ended on the 5 October and discussions with community stakeholders were facilitated to inform them accordingly.

• Hygiene promotion – A door-to-door campaign is being carried out by 30 DMVs (Disaster Management Volunteers) in Kamayama and Kaningo. 1,249 households (6,634 people) have received hygiene messages and IEC materials. The activity will continue until 19 October.

• Latrine rehabilitation – A technical assessment was carried out for latrine blocks located at Chief Kabay Compound in Kamayama and Services Secondary School in Juba. BoQs were prepared for the rehabilitation of these latrines.

Red Cross

• 22 Sierra Leone Red Cross Society WASH volunteers continued to carry out sensitization sessions in three sites of Regent, Culvert and Juba on hygiene promotion, reaching 3,889 (1,018 men, 1348 women and 1523 children) with messages on hand washing, latrine cleaning, waste management, Oral Rehydration Salts solutions and personal Hygiene. Red Cross volunteers continued to manage the hand washing points at Juba camp, educating all people entering the camp on proper hand washing with soap and clean water.

UNICEF

• Continues to support displaced persons with potable water services. Over 1,300,000 litres of potable water has been provided to affected communities in holding centres at Regent, Kaningo and Pentagon communities. UNICEF provided sanitation services (emergency toilets, desludging of waste water, solid waste management), hygiene education and distribution of hygiene kits and provision of handwashing stations to an estimated 7,300 beneficiaries.

• Supported the installation of household rain water harvesting systems (RWHS) in Regent, Kaningo and Pentagon, Kamayama Jah Kingdom, Gbamgbayilla communities. A total of 1,980 household RWHS have been installed to date. The target is to install RWHS in 2,700 households.

Christian Aid

Christian Aid have a new stream of funding totalling £51,178 from their digital appeal. It will be implemented over three months (Oct-Dec), and will focus support on the following objectives:

• Improve hand washing facilities in the selected schools – supplies of hand washing items.

• Train local community health workers to disseminate health and hygiene messages in the local languages in the affected schools and communities.

• Raising awareness on good health and hygiene practices to prevent the spread of disease.

• Support hygiene campaigns in the affected schools and communities.

• Address gap areas in the support to PLHIVs by the National Aids Secretariat and provided food items to meet the nutritional requirements of 110 PLHIVs.

This brief summarizes FEWS NET’s most forward-looking analysis of projected emergency food assistance needs in FEWS NET coverage countries. The projected size of each country’s acutely food insecure population (IPC Phase 3 and higher) is compared to last year and the recent five-year average and categorized as Higher (p), Similar (u), or Lower (q). Countries where external emergency food assistance needs are anticipated are identified. Projected lean season months highlighted in red indicate either an early start or an extension to the typical lean season. Additional information is provided for countries with large food insecure populations, an expectation of high severity, or where other key issues warrant additional discussion. Analytical confidence is lower in remote monitoring countries, denoted by “RM.” Visit www.fews.net for detailed country reports.

INTRODUCTION

This report is a comprehensive presentation of all data on migration gathered through IOM’s DTM programme for July-August.

This report is part of DTM’s effort to provide a comprehensive analytical report on Libya’s current migration profile. Designed in response to feedback provided in DTM’s feedback survey, this report is monthly compilation of DTM Libya’s multiple products.
Each chapter is either a newly developed analysis or revised version of data previously published. The aim of this report is to provide partners with a single monthly document that consolidates DTM’s findings on migration in one document. As DTM refines it reporting templates the following issue will prioritise the timeliness of these reports.

Chapter 1 presents Libya’s comprehensive baseline on the number of migrants by nationality and location currently identified across the entire country. Based on DTM’s round 12 Mobility Tracking data which took place between June and July 2017 there are 400,445 migrants in Libya. This is recorded as a minor increase of 2.6% from the number identified in the previous round. The majority of migrants continued to be located in the regions of Misrata, Tripoli and Almargeb; 52% of them were reported to have arrived to Libya within six months of data collection.

Chapter 2 of this report provides an refined analysis on the African migrants in Libya. Chapter 2 aims to deliver greater analysis into the dynamics and areas where African migrants are found in comparison to other nationalities. The Chapter presents detailed data on where African migrants are located and insight into the reasons why they are located in these stated areas.

Using random sampling, a sample of 4,251 migrants have been chosen to participate in the Flow Monitoring profiling surveys during August. The data collected was analysed in Chapter 3. To give more comprehensive analysis the data was also disaggregated by nationality and the top 6 nationalities present among the sample surveyed was brought out in several interesting analysis.

Chapter 4 presents the statistical findings on both the absolute and estimated number of arrival and departures from across 135 locations covered by DTM in 19 regions during August. This chapter quantifies the absolute and estimated daily observed arrivals and departures, by nationality, area of departure and intended country of destination. This chapter is complemented by a regional analysis of Al Kufra, Nalut,
Misrata, Ejdabia, Wadi Ashshati and Murzuq. This chapter provides a greater contextual understanding related to why migrants are transiting through these specific areas and provides greater evidence as to why certain routes are more frequently used over others.

Chapter 5 presents IOM Libya’s latest Maritime Incident reports.

Despite average rainfall over East Africa, risk of flooding remains high in Sudan and Ethiopia

Africa Weather Hazards

1. and below-normal rainfall in August and early September has produced moderate to large moisture deficits in parts of southern Burkina Faso and northern Ghana.

2. Below-average rain over the past three months has resulted in poor ground conditions in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

3. Consistent rainfall during the past several weeks has resulted in moisture surpluses across eastern Sudan and western Ethiopia. The forecast rain over western Ethiopia next week could potentially trigger flooding downstream.

4. Recent heavy showers and strong winds have caused flooding and damaged infrastructures over the Durban area of South Africa. The additional rain is forecast.

Written by Kristin Myers

Despite global hunger levels falling, one in nine worldwide still face hunger. Here are the ‘ten hungriest’ countries according to the 2017 Global Hunger Index.

Worldwide, 815 million people still go hungry — a staggering figure that translates into one out of nine people. While global hunger levels have declined by 27% since 2000, according to the 2017 Global Hunger Index, 45% of deaths of children under five are linked to malnutrition. The report, released today by Concern Worldwide, German aid agency Welthungerhilfe, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), highlights massive food inequality around the globe.

10. TIMOR-LESTE

In Timor-Leste, a small country with a population of just over one million, almost all of its citizens are food insecure — a figure that totals 845,000. Stunting is extremely prevalent here, with levels that exceed 50%.

9. NIGER

For years, failed harvests and cyclical drought have plunged Niger into a perpetual hunger crisis. Currently, 1.5 million Nigeriens face hunger, nearly 20% of their population. Conflict in the area caused has caused widespread displacement in the country, which sits near the bottom of the UN’s Human Development Index.

8. LIBERIA

More than 15% of Liberian families don’t know where their next meal will come from. Hit hard by Ebola in 2014, the country’s existing economic troubles have only deepened. Poverty and food insecurity are high in Liberia, particularly in rural areas— where more than half of the population lives.

7. SUDAN

Sudan has spent decades facing violence and conflict, including two civil wars. Waves of displacement have impacted the country, where 3.5 million face hunger. Continuous arrivals of refugees fleeing conflict in neighboring South Sudan means that emergency food assistance is critically needed. Sudan has also been affect by El Niño, causing food production to drop and hunger levels to rise .

6. YEMEN

In early 2017, the United Nations declared that millions of people in Yemen were at risk of famine. Currently, the country is in the grips of a conflict that has driven much of the population from their homes and caused a deadly and widespread outbreak of cholera. The civil war continues to fuel Yemen’s food crisis: some 17 million people — 65% of the population — face hunger.

5. ZAMBIA

Despite peace and stability, climate change has severely impacted the landlocked country where farmers rely on rains to grow their crops. Sixty percent of the population lives in poverty, and stunting impacts almost half of Zambia’s children.

4. MADAGASCAR

Madagascar has suffered through years of drought, driving 1.4 million people into crisis. 50% of children under five in Madagascar are stunted, and sadly, more than half are chronically malnourished.

3. SIERRA LEONE

Since last year’s report, Sierra Leone’s hunger levels have increased — about 3.5 million people face hunger in the country. Despite political stability and peace after a decade-long civil war, rampant poverty continues to relegate Sierra Leone toward the bottom of the Development Index. Sierra Leone was hard hit by Ebola just a few short years ago, which was quickly followed by widespread food shortages. The country continues to be impacted by flooding and mudslides, the most recent of which killed hundreds.

2. CHAD

In Chad, continuous drought and unpredictable rains mean that harvests routinely fail. The country is located in a region called the Sahel, which has struggled with a hunger crisis for years. Almost 1.5 million people face hunger, a figure that is further exacerbated by periodic upticks in violence. Conflict in the region has caused hundreds of thousands of refugees from Nigeria, Central African Republic and Sudan to enter Chad — all of whom need emergency food assistance.

1. CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

The Central African Republic (CAR) remains at the top of this list as the ‘hungriest country in the world’. CAR has suffered from instability, ethnic violence and conflict since 2012, disrupting food production, and displacing over one million people. 2.5 million people — more than half of its population — are hungry.

This weekly bulletin focuses on selected acute public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 44 events in the region. This week’s edition covers key new and ongoing events, including:

• Wildlife anthrax in Namibia

• Cholera in Zambia

• Plague in Madagascar

• Dengue fever in Burkina Faso

• Humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Humanitarian crisis in South Sudan.

For each of these events, a brief description followed by public health measures implemented and an interpretation of the situation is provided.

A table is provided at the end of the bulletin with information on all new and ongoing public health events currently being monitored in the region, as well as events that have recently been closed.

Major challenges include:

• The outbreak of anthrax in wildlife occurring in Namibia could have serious public health consequences in the country and the subregion, and therefore needs to be handled diligently using the One Health approach.

• The ongoing outbreak of bubonic and pneumonic plague in Madagascar remains a challenge as it continues to attract global public health concerns.

• The humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the cholera outbreak has continued to deteriorate and therefore demands particular global attention.

We can combat global hunger and malnutrition, but it takes a holistic approach to ensure long-lasting impact

World hunger is on the rise. Today, nearly one in 10 people around the world suffer from hunger.

The solution to combatting hunger seems simple — get food to people in need when they need it. And while we have answered the call time and time again in response to crises and humanitarian need, supporting food security requires much more than filling people’s bellies.

Food security exists when people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to adequate and nutritious food so they can live healthy and productive lives. When individuals and families have access to food, are educated about nutrition and how to be healthy, and can grow more crops and sell more harvests, they can be self-sufficient and resilient to future crises.

We can combat global hunger and malnutrition, but it takes a holistic approach to ensure long-lasting impact. Here are five ways USAID, through efforts like Food for Peace and Feed the Future, is investing in agriculture and food security to end hunger.

1. Improving agriculture to boost incomes

The extreme poor often rely on farming for their livelihoods. However, many smallholder farmers live far from markets where they can make a profit selling their crops. They face challenges like lack of access to credit, resources, and skills needed to improve their harvest.

To ensure farmers are connected to economic opportunities through agriculture, we work with our partners — from the private sector to universities and civil society organizations — to help smallholders get the support, know-how, and access they need to be successful.

For example, in Kenya, smallholder farmers who previously couldn’t compete with larger growers have boosted their crop production, minimized post-harvest losses, and connected to markets with skills gained from USAID. Some are even selling their surplus crops to the UN World Food Program to help feed other communities in drought-prone areas.

Through Feed the Future, in particular, we’re helping developing countries build stronger food systems that provide opportunities for rural communities — from farms to markets to tables — by investing in agriculture and bringing partners together.

2. Teaching shared responsibility for health and nutrition

Educating people on proper nutrition, sanitation and hygiene so they stay healthy is crucial to addressing food insecurity. For example, lack of safe drinking water and poor sanitation and hygiene can lead to waterborne diseases and chronic intestinal infections, robbing children of their potential and keeping farmers from tending to their fields.

Health and nutrition efforts take root when people adopt the right behaviors, such as washing their hands before preparing food. Trainings can empower all household members to share in these responsibilities. In some communities, this has changed the social dynamics in a family, making the distribution of household duties more equitable between men and women.

For example, in Zimbabwe a forward-thinking group of men now collect water for the family — traditionally a woman’s role. They have constructed latrines and handwashing stations, and are training others on proper handwashing and the need to use soap or ash in addition to water.

3. Empowering women in agriculture

Likewise in Uganda, where men typically raise livestock and keep the sales, women are challenging traditional gender roles by learning goat herding skills and generating incomes themselves.

Empowering women to start businesses can help ensure their families earn enough money to put food on the table. In Haiti, female farmers who were once chronically food insecure can now feed their families, expand their businesses and save for their children’s futures. In Senegal, rural women are getting the tools they need with USAID’s help to grow, share, and sell more nutritious food for better health and extra profit.

4. Managing natural resources and preparing for disasters

For communities that rely on natural resources for their income, learning about sustainable resource management is vital. Years of poor management — such as overgrazing by livestock — can degrade farmland, making it difficult for farmers to earn a living.

We also educate communities on the impacts of natural disasters and how to prepare for them.

In Malawi and Ethiopia, we equip farmers and pastoralists with tools and opportunities that help their communities build resilience so they can better withstand crises such as droughts. Helping vulnerable people build resilience to crises is vital to addressing poverty and hunger.

5. Meeting Immediate Needs

We also provide humanitarian assistance to communities in crisis. In emergency situations, such as the aftermath of a natural disaster, we meet the immediate food and nutrition needs of communities through in-kind food, cash transfers or food vouchers.

In Sierra Leone, we helped families get back on their feet after Ebola by providing cash transfers so mothers could buy food for their families. These moms also had an opportunity to join community savings groups, allowing them to start small businesses and farms — and get a head start on a more hopeful future.

About the Authors: Beth Dunford is Assistant to the Administrator in USAID’s Bureau for Food Security and Deputy Coordinator for Development for Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative. Matthew Nims is Acting Director of USAID’s Office of Food for Peace.

On Monday 16 October 2017 the Council adopted the EU Annual Report on Human Rights And Democracy in the World in 2016.

2016 was a challenging year for human rights and democracy, with a shrinking space for civil society and complex humanitarian and political crises emerging. In this context, the European Union showed leadership and remained strongly committed to promote and protect human rights and democracy across the world.

This report gives a broad picture of the EU's human rights efforts towards third countries in 2016, and encompasses two parts: The first part is thematic, and pays particular attention to the human rights approach to conflicts and crises, main human rights challenges and human rights throughout EU external policies. The second part is geographical and covers EU actions in third countries, thus mapping in detail the human rights situation across the globe.