This Quarterly Mixed Migration Update (QMMU) covers the North Africa (NA) region. The core countries of focus for this region are Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia. Depending on the quarterly trends and migration-related updates, more attention may be given to some of the countries over the rest.

The QMMUs offer a quarterly update on new trends and dynamics related to mixed migration and relevant policy developments in the region. These updates are based on a compilation of a wide range of secondary (data) sources, brought together within a regional framework and applying a mixed migration analytical lens. Similar QMMUs are available for all MMC regions.

Authors
- Laura S. Martin - Global Challenges Research Fellow, University of Sheffield
- Simeon Koroma - PhD candidate, University of Edinburgh

In February last year, Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio declared a state of emergency over sexual and gender-based violence. Claiming there was no time to spare, his move allowed the government to immediately introduce new regulations without consulting parliament. These included new provisions for victims and more severe punishments for offenders.

The president's actions occurred during a series of high-profile cases and rising discontent over the issue. These included the case of a five-year-old girl who had been severely assaulted and left paralysed from the waist down. Gender-based campaigns were also becoming more vocal. These included gender activist Asmaa James' Black Tuesday and the First Lady's Hands off Our Girls movements.

To cap it all off, new figures also showed that the number of sexual assault cases reported to the police in 2018 had more than doubled to 8,500. A third of the cases involved young girls.

Maada Bio's emergency measures were widely applied. But there was uncertainty about the legality of using state of emergency procedures to effect deep legislative changes without parliamentary involvement. In June the state of emergency was quietly revoked. The government instead introduced a full-blown legislative programme through the usual parliamentary channels, which passed the amendments in September.

Opinions about the value of the short-lived state of emergency vary. Interviews suggested that the president was given bad legal advice and should never have declared it. This has now created a situation where the regulations passed during this period were only temporary, leaving some offenders in limbo.

Others have supported the president's declaration because it refocused much-needed attention on sexual violence and fast-tracking cases in the courts. One gender activist stated that it had unlocked new donor funding for her organisation.

Despite the mixed reaction, there's no denying that it created momentum, which ultimately led to substantial legal changes that intend to better protect women and girls.

The new law

Numerous amendments have been made to the country's 2012 Sexual Offences Act. Many activists regard the original act as a "robust piece of legislation", but with shortcomings.

For example, it failed to address how cases should be managed. This included how they should be handled prior to prosecution, during investigations as well as court case management and sentencing. The act also failed to provide a minimum sentence for sexual offences against children, resulting in some outrageously low sentences being passed.

The 2019 Amendment addresses some of these criticisms. Among other things, it increases the minimum sentence for rape from five to 15 years for adults (with a maximum of life imprisonment). It can allow cases to go directly to the high court for trial, without the need for a preliminary investigation at the magistrate court.

The new law also includes provisions for new offences including solicitation by persons in authority -- such as teachers, religious figures, doctors -- and aggravated sexual assault. Significantly, it criminalises individual involvement of anyone -- be it a family head, religious leader or chief -- attempting to settle a sexual assault or rape case in their community instead of reporting it to the police. Offenders face a fine of 10,000,000 Leones ($1,000) and could also face jail.

Unfinished business

The new provisions have been greeted as a positive step. But they also bring new challenges and controversies.

For instance, sentencing guidelines still need to be set out by the chief justice. Also, provisions for a sex offender register don't include details on how it will work. And while victims are supposed to be able to access free medical care in relation to their assault, there are no guidelines around this.

The other unresolved issue is that Sierra Leone's correctional centres are already overcrowded. The potential for longer sentences means this will only get worse.

Perhaps the most controversial change is that people below the age of 14 can now be prosecuted for sexual offences. There is also criticism that recent attention has focused disproportionately on sexual violence, particularly of young girls, and neglected other types of gender-based violence.

Broader structural issues also need to be addressed if the state really intends to tackle sexual and gender-based violence.

Firstly, most Sierra Leoneans don't use the formal, state-sanctioned legal system. Police stations are often very far from where people live and it costs time and money to report crimes. Police facilities are poorly staffed and underfunded, especially outside big cities.

There are also concerns that, due to the potential for significant sentences, the new laws may negatively affect sexual crimes being reported. Evidence already suggests that people don't report assaults to formal authorities because of the ripple effects it can have in tightly-knit communities. The notion that someone in the community could go to jail for a longer period may make people even more cautious about coming forward.

Finally, the fact that trying to broker a deal has been made a criminal offence could affect local power structures. It's not uncommon for chiefs and community leaders to intervene as part of the practice in rural areas of trying to resolve cases using informal channels. Criminalising compromise may drive a further wedge between the formal legal system and traditional authorities.

As ever, the remaining challenge is to ensure that Sierra Leoneans have access to, and faith in, the social and criminal justice services that exist to uphold these new laws.

Original article

Key Messages

• In West Africa, market supplies increased with newly harvested grains and pulses at above-average levels and large carryover stocks. Month-to-month coarse grain prices in the Sahel decreased or remained stable at below-average levels. Above-average local and imported rice prices, however, persisted in several Coastal countries. Disrupted market functioning and trade activities continued in conflict-stricken Greater Lake Chad basin, Tibesti region, and Liptako-Gourma region. Nigeria’s land border closure had significant domestic and regional impacts, reducing domestic rice supplies and hindering trade with neighboring Benin and Niger.

• In East Africa, maize prices increased seasonally in surplus-producing Tanzania, while extended rains have led to atypically rising prices in Uganda. Prices were stable in Kenya and Somalia as recent harvests arrived onto markets. Generalized inflationary pressure has led to rising prices in Sudan and South Sudan. Livestock prices were stable or increasing due to favorable rangeland conditions.

• In Southern Africa, maize supplies on major markets were at average to below-average levels. Maize grain prices continued increasing with the progression of the 2019/20 lean season and will likely follow this trend, peaking in January or February. South Africa continued to supply maize to structurally-deficit countries of the region, while Zambia maintained restrictions on exports. Informal maize grain exports into Tanzania and destined for the East African market slowed due to decreasing local supplies.

• In Central America, markets were well supplied in December as the Postrera harvests progressed and with carryover stocks from the recent Primera harvest. While prices were stable or declined seasonally across the region relative to the previous month, maize prices remained above average while bean prices remained below average. In Haiti, after several weeks of civil unrest that disrupted market activities, market supplies improved in December. Prices were stable or declined relative to the previous month. After depreciating earlier in the year, the Haitian gourde was stable against the U.S. dollar. Imported commodity prices remain above average.

• In Central Asia, wheat prices were near average in Kazakhstan and Afghanistan. Intensive exports by Pakistan earlier in the marketing have led to supply disruptions. Afghanistan maintained a below-average import gap that will be filled through intraregional trade. In Yemen, the broader conflict and macroeconomic context continued to disrupt overall market functioning and food access. Wheat flour prices were stable at elevated levels.

• International staple food markets are well supplied. In December rice and wheat prices were stable or increasing, and maize prices were stable or decreasing, while soybean prices were stable. Global crude oil prices increased amid expectations for better global economic conditions in 2020 while global fertilizer prices were stable or decreasing.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.

West Africa can be divided into three agro-ecological zones or three different trade basins (West Basin, Central Basin and East Basin). Both important for understanding market behavior and dynamics.

The three major agro-ecological zones are the Sahelian, the Sudanese and the Coastal zones where production and consumption can be easily classified. (1) In the Sahelian zone, millet is the principal cereal cultivated and consumed particularly in rural areas and increasingly, when accessible, in urban areas. Exceptions include Cape Verde where maize and rice are most important, Mauritania where sorghum and maize are staples, and Senegal with rice. The principal substitutes in the Sahel are sorghum, rice, and cassava flour (Gari), the latter two in times of shortage. (2) In the Sudanese zone (southern Chad, central Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, southern Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Serra Leone, Liberia) maize and sorghum constitute the principal cereals consumed by the majority of the population. They are followed by rice and tubers, particularly cassava and yam. (3) In the Coastal zone, with two rainy seasons, yam and maize constitute the most important food products. They are supplemented by cowpea, which is a significant source of protein.

The three trade basins are known as the West, Central, and East basins. In addition to the north to south movement of particular commodities, certain cereals flow horizontally. (1) The West basin refers to Mauritania, Senegal, western Mali, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and The Gambia where rice is most heavily traded. (2) The Central basin consists of Côte d'Ivoire, central and eastern Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Togo where maize is commonly traded. (3) The East basin refers to Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Benin where millet is traded most frequently. These three trade basins are shown on the map above.

Le Réseau de systèmes d’alerte précoce contre la famine (FEWS NET) surveille les tendances des prix des aliments de base dans les pays vulnérables à l'insécurité alimentaire. Pour chaque pays et chaque région couvert par FEWS NET, le Bulletin des prix fournit un ensemble de graphiques indiquant les prix mensuels de l’année commerciale en cours pour certains centres urbains, et permettant à l’utilisateur de comparer les tendances actuelles à la fois aux moyennes

L'Afrique de l’Ouest peut être divisée en trois zones agro-écologiques ou en trois bassins commerciaux (bassins de l’ouest, bassin du centre, bassin de l’est). Les deux sont importants pour l'interprétation du comportement et de la dynamique du marché.

Les trois principales zones agro-écologiques incluent la zone Sahélienne, la zone Soudanaise et la zone Côtière où la production et la consommation peuvent être facilement classifiées. (1) Dans la zone Sahélienne, le mil constitue le principal produit alimentaire cultivé et consommé en particulier dans les zones rurales et de plus en plus par certaines populations qui y ont accès en milieux urbains. Des exceptions sont faites pour le Cap Vert où le maïs et le riz sont les produits les plus importants, la Mauritanie où le blé et le sorgho et le Sénégal où le riz constituent des aliments de base. Les principaux produits de substitution dans le Sahel sont le sorgho, le riz, et la farine de manioc (Gari), avec les deux derniers en période de crise. (2) Dans la zone Soudanienne (le sud du Tchad, le centre du Nigéria, du Bénin, du Ghana, du Togo, de la Côte d'Ivoire, le sud du Burkina Faso, du Mali, du Sénégal, la Guinée Bissau, la Serra Leone, le Libéria) le maïs et le sorgho constituent les principales céréales consommées par la majorité de la population. Suivent après le riz et les tubercules particulièrement le manioc et l’igname. (3) Dans la zone côtière, avec deux saisons de pluie, l’igname et le maïs constituent les principaux produits alimentaires. Ils sont complétés par le niébé, qui est une source très significative de protéines.

Les trois bassins commerciaux sont simplement connus sous les noms de bassin Ouest, Centre, et Est. En plus du mouvement du sud vers le nord des produits, les flux de certaines céréales se font aussi horizontalement. (1) Le bassin Ouest comprend la Mauritanie, le Sénégal, l’ouest du Mali, la Sierra Leone, la Guinée, le Libéria, et la Gambie où le riz est le plus commercialisé. (2)
Le bassin central se compose de la Côte d'Ivoire, le centre et l’est du Mali, le Burkina Faso, le Ghana, et le Togo où le maïs est généralement commercialisé. (3) Le bassin Est se rapporte au Niger, Nigéria, Tchad, et Bénin où le millet est le plus fréquemment commercialisé. Ces trois bassins commerciaux sont distingués sur la carte ci-dessus.

This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 70 events in the region. This week’s main articles cover key new and ongoing events, including:

• Measles in Seychelles
  
• Yellow fever in Uganda
  
• Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo
  
• Lassa fever in Liberia
  
• Humanitarian crisis in Cameroon
  

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 recent events that have largely been controlled and thus closed.

Major issues and challenges include:

• Liberia is currently experiencing an increasing incidence of Lassa fever cases, a seasonal phenomenon usually seen between January and June. However, since 2016, the number of recorded Lassa fever cases has been increasing each year. A similar situation is being seen in Nigeria where recurrent large outbreaks have occurred in the recent past. This trend is of great concern and calls for increased efforts to scale up preparedness and response actions to mitigate the current situation. Importantly, the national authorities in Liberia and the other countries where Lassa fever is endemic need to increase investments in longer-term preventive measures, including effective vector control and environmental management, social mobilization and community engagement strategies.

• The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues, with low level of transmission. The security situation has remained fragile, with spikes of incidents being reported. Despite the low number of cases being recorded, the EVD outbreak is still serious and has the potential to escalate. There is a need to maintain the ongoing outbreak control interventions as well as the required inputs until the outbreak is completely controlled.

I. Introduction

1. The present report has been prepared pursuant to General Assembly resolution 60/18 and Security Council resolution 1645 (2005), in which the Peacebuilding Commission was requested to submit an annual report to the Assembly for an annual debate and review. The report will also be submitted to the Council, pursuant to its resolution 1646 (2005), for an annual debate. The report covers the thirteenth session of the Commission, held from 1 January to 31 December 2019.

2. The report has also been prepared pursuant to identical resolutions on the review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture (General Assembly resolution 70/262 and Security Council resolution 2282 (2016)), in which the Commission was encouraged to review its provisional rules of procedure through its Organizational Committee, as well as to consider diversifying its working methods to enhance its efficiency and flexibility in support of peacebuilding and sustaining peace.

3. In that regard, the structure and content of the present report reflect the work carried out by the Commission in implementing relevant recommendations contained in the resolutions on the review of the peacebuilding architecture and the priorities identified in the report of the Commission on its twelfth session. The report also reflects activities that the Commission undertook in implementation of General Assembly resolution 72/276 and Security Council resolution 2413 (2018), in which the Commission was invited to further advance, explore and consider implementation, as appropriate, of the recommendations and options contained in the report of the Secretary-General on peacebuilding and sustaining peace (A/72/707-S/2018/43).

In 2019, DG ECHO allocated over EUR 4.5 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) and Forecast-based Action (FbA) by the DREF . When a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a small- or medium scale emergency, it can request funds from the DREF.

From February to December 2019, DG ECHO replenished 38 DREF operations which assisted 1,260,000 beneficiaries. The support contributes to providing vital, timely and appropriate relief to the people affected, as well as to securing essential health services, hygiene promotion and social mobilisation.

This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 70 events in the region. This week’s main articles cover key new and ongoing events, including:

• Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in Mali
• Lassa fever in Nigeria
• Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso

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 recent events that have largely been controlled and thus closed.

Major issues and challenges include:

• The outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria continues to expand, with growing incidence cases as well as new affected states. In recent years, the country has been experiencing increasingly larger Lassa fever outbreaks. This trend is of great concern and calls for increased efforts to scale up preparedness and response actions, especially at sub-national and local levels. Importantly, the national authorities in Nigeria and the other countries where Lassa fever is endemic need to increase investments in longer-term preventive measures, including effective vector control and environmental management, social mobilization and community engagement strategies. These interventions need to be strongly routed on a good understanding of the local anthropological and epidemiological knowledge of the disease.

• The humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso continues to deteriorate, with worsening insecurity. Attacks on civilians, aid workers and military installations have sharply risen since January 2020. Accordingly, the number of displaced persons has reached unprecedented levels within a short period, grossly overwhelming the humanitarian response capacity on the ground.
  There is a need to scale up humanitarian response capacity on the ground as well as the required inputs. Notably, efforts to restore peace and security should be enhanced by the global communities.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Sunday 9 February 2020 – President of the African Development Bank, AfDB, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has engaged President Dr Julius Maada Bio at a side event of the AU Summit running from 8-10 February 2020 and proposed ways they can work with Sierra Leone to improve farming, scale up nutrition and defeat stunting in children.

“Mr President, malnutrition accounts for at least 11 per cent of Africa’s Gross Domestic Product. We have 65 per cent of the world’s remaining uncultivated arable land. We have an abundance of freshwater and about 300 days of sunshine a year. There’s no reason for anyone to go hungry,” he said.

Dr Adesina, who expressed interest to visit Sierra Leone in mid-March, also told the President and his delegation that the Bank had already committed some US$14 million, which would be finalised by June this year, to specifically target innovation in agriculture, tackle corruption in fertilizer, seeds acquisition and distributions to farmers in the country.

Before he joined AfDB, the multilateral regional development finance institution based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire in 2015, Dr Adesina was Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture from 2011 to 2015 where he was widely credited for reducing the risk of corruption in the fertilizer industry by putting the private sector in charge of delivery.

He made reference to the Brazilian model of reducing malnutrition, adding that the country had a zero hunger programme that prioritized high level of hygiene, high quality of food and feeding in schools and made sure that most of what was supplied and served were produced by local farmers.

He urged the government of Sierra Leone to adopt that model by having a direct stake in the feeding of their children in schools, thereby increasing enrolment, retention and the overall achievement of reducing hunger and meeting the nutrition target of the country.

Dr Adesina observed that: “Farming might not be attractive in Sierra Leone because there is no guarantee facility for lending to farmers. We can continue to engage your government to ensure the de-risking farming, introducing new rice variety”, especially in a country where rice is grown under upland, inland swamp, boliland, riverain swamp, and mangrove swamp conditions.

In his contribution, Education Minister for junior and secondary school, Dr Moinina David Sengeh, assured the AfDB chief, who had praised the President’s respect for quality data, that the Directorate of Science Innovation and Technology, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, had created the Integrated Geographic Information System Portal to utilise technology, software and devices to collect, label and model data to inform real-time government and development partner decision making.

In his remarks, President Bio thanked the AfDB President for the consideration to support Sierra Leone and said he wished they had increased their investment, to which Dr Adesina said they would take note.

“We have placed food security at the centre of our Human Capital Development priorities. We believe that food security and nutrition are inextricably connected to the total development of the human being in achieving their full potential,” he said.

President Bio emphasised that the greatest contributor to economic growth was not physical infrastructure but “brainpower, what I can refer to as grey matter infrastructure”, and called on the AfDB and other partners to invest in better nutrition for children who were the future of the continent.

For More Enquiries: State House Media and Communications Unit +23276758764/+23288269282

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and the international community in honoring Red Hand Day, also known as the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers. The day was started when the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict entered into force on Feb. 12, 2002. This protocol was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in May 2000 and has been ratified by 168 states.

In 2001, the UN Security Council sent a powerful message to the world that the recruitment of child soldiers would no longer be tolerated. Resolution 1379 requested the Secretary-General to attach an annex to his report on children and armed conflict, in which he would list parties to conflict who recruit and use children in situations on the Security Council’s agenda. Subsequent resolutions added four additional triggers for listing: sexual violence, killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, and abduction of children.

The first Child Soldiers World Index was launched in 2018 by Child Soldiers International, a human rights group. This provides the first comprehensive worldwide resource on child recruitment. The World Index covers all 197 UN member states and includes more than 10,000 data points, including data on national laws, policies and child recruitment practices worldwide. Currently, at least 46 states still recruit children under the age of 18 into their armed forces. In addition, there have been at least 18 conflict situations in which children have participated in hostilities.

“Children utilized in hostilities and war have faced unimaginable violence and abuses and need our support to have a second chance in life,” says Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “In countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries work with former child soldiers so that they may overcome the traumas of war and reintegrate into society.”

In honor of International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs that help child soldiers by offering education and psycho-social support.

COLOMBIA

More than 50 years of armed conflict between Colombia’s many guerrilla movements, with FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN) being the most infamous, as well as paramilitary groups and the Colombian government, has left behind some 8 million victims. Thousands of children have been part of these armed groups, forced to fight and kill at a very young age. These children are also victims, having been robbed of their childhoods, exploited and faced with unimaginable violence.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. Don Bosco City’s long rehabilitation process focuses on three key elements—how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with participating youth to give them tools for a brighter future including providing basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

Since its start in 1965, Don Bosco City has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program.

LIBERIA

Whether working to provide rehabilitation to former child soldiers or assisting young women to overcome barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing youth the opportunity to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs.

The Mary Help of Christians School in Monrovia provides a foundation of education and support for young students who would otherwise have limited opportunities to better their lives. The school started in 1993 and serves just over 560 students. It includes a feeding program which serves just over 100 of those students, ensuring they receive a nutritious healthy meal each day.

In addition to traditional schools in Monrovia, the Don Bosco Youth Center provides a foundation of education and support for students during its after-school program from 4 to 6 p.m. This program gives former child soldiers and other young people the opportunity to experience some of the joys of childhood.

Through the program, youth participate in recreational activities and sports. They can also participate in a cultural troupe where they sing, dance, act, practice African acrobatics and even perform at local functions. In addition to play and recreation at the youth center, participants have access to vocational training and academic courses as well as a women’s development program for women to learn self-reliance.

SIERRA LEONE

Salesian missionaries have been serving in Sierra Leone since 2001 when they began working to rehabilitate former child soldiers. In the years since, Don Bosco Fambul, located in the country’s capital city of Freetown, has become one of the country’s leading child welfare organizations—offering food, clothing, crisis intervention services, shelter, educational opportunities, long-term counseling and family reunification.

With a 120-person staff that includes mostly social workers, Don Bosco Fambul reaches out to thousands of street children in the region each year. The organization has implemented several interventions for children who have been abandoned, experienced violence and abuse and/or have found themselves in situations of prostitution.

Don Bosco Fambul’s Child Hotline is an around-the-clock counseling call center staffed by social workers—along with other trained professionals—offering hope and services for children who are living on the streets. The hotline served as an invaluable resource for prevention information during the Ebola epidemic. Staff working on the Child Hotline field close to 700 calls each week from children in crisis situations asking for advice and support. Roughly 100 to 120 of the calls require immediate attention and follow-up.

Once staff have engaged with at-risk youth, there are a number of Don Bosco Fambul programs they can access beginning with Salesian rehabilitation and reunification programs. These transformative and life-saving programs use a holistic approach that includes caring for the basic needs of each participant as well as offering personalized medical, psychological, pedagogical, social and spiritual care.

###

Sources:

ANS Photos (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Children and Armed Conflict

Child Soldiers World Index

COLOMBIA: Salesian Missions highlights work with former child soldiers on International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers

LIBERIA: Salesian Missions donors support new science lab and expanded courses for additional students at Mary Help of Christians Catholic School

Red Hand Day 2020

Salesian Missions

SIERRA LEONE: Don Bosco Fambul offers life-changing social services and support for poor and at-risk youth

Executive Summary

About This Report

This Annual Report highlights the progress and results achieved during FY19. It provides an overview of grant making activities in six regions and across GFDRR’s eight targeted areas of engagement. It explores some areas of the work in greater depth and includes financial statements for the fiscal year. GFDRR is committed to further strengthening its monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems, ensuring that evidence and lessons from across the portfolio inform management decisions, accountability, and learning. Results of the FY19 program, as measured against the Facility’s results indicators, are available in the report’s annex.

About GFDRR

GFDRR’s portfolio continues to grow in its support for disaster and climate resilience needs. During FY19, the Facility committed $83.6 million in funding to 172 new grants. At the end of the fiscal year, the active portfolio included 369 active grants covering 142 countries, for a total commitment amount of $267.6 million. These grants address a full range of natural hazards, with flooding, earthquakes, and landslides continuing to receive the greatest share of support. All GFDRR grants contribute to achieving the Sendai Framework’s goal, as well as its targets and priorities for action.

Regions

Core to GFDRR’s vision is helping countries bring resilience to scale. Active grants in FY19 covered 142 countries across all six regions.

The Africa region was once again the largest in GFDRR’s active portfolio and included 78 active grants worth $77 million. Grants supported the countries of Comoros, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe in recovering from the impacts of Cyclones Idai and Kenneth. In Sierra Leone, technical assistance for collecting flood and landslide data allowed the government to reduce the transport sector’s vulnerability, and informed the design of an IDA-financed $50 million urban transport project. In Kampala, Uganda, local authorities worked to improve coordination among communities for emergency response. Progress was made in giving countries access to advanced financial instruments, such as Development Policy Loans with a Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat DDO). Emphasis was also placed on strengthening institutional capacity for disaster risk financing.

At the end of FY19, GFDRR had an active portfolio in the East Asia and Pacific region of 51 grants, worth a total of $29.4 million. Technical assistance helped to leverage financing for recovery efforts in Sulawesi, Indonesia after a devastating earthquake and tsunami, and in the completion of a post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) in Lao PDR after severe flooding. Across the region, risk considerations were embedded in infrastructure investments, and progress was made in improving countries’ access to regional risk pools, such as Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility (SEADRIF). In Vietnam, GFDRR assisted the government with a pilot for the design and construction of climate-resilient, ultra–high-performance concrete (UHPC) bridges.

At the end of FY19, GFDRR’s active portfolio in Europe and Central Asia totaled 44 grants worth $30.2 million, supporting work in almost every country in the region. A focus in FY19 was on scaling up DRM initiatives and mainstreaming urban resilience into municipality policies and investment plans. Other priority areas of engagement in the region for FY19 included promoting open access to risk information, advancing resilient infrastructure, supporting effective first response, building DRM capacity, and mainstreaming DRM into policy and legislation. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, GFDRR supported authorities in mainstreaming disaster risk management into the country's road network management practices.

In the Latin America and Caribbean region, GFDRR’s active FY19 portfolio totaled 48 grants, worth $22 million. DRM considerations were integrated in infrastructure projects throughout the region, including drainage, transit, and school facilities. In Brazil, disaster risk was mainstreamed into territorial planning, public investments, and public finances. In Guatemala, the recovery efforts after 2018’s eruption of the Fuego volcano included the preparation of a Development Policy Loan with Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat DDO), in conjunction with support for advancing the government’s disaster risk management policy reform agenda.

GFDRR’s active FY19 portfolio in the Middle East and North Africa totaled 17 grants worth $7.5 million; 70 percent of grant funding contributed to projects in resilient infrastructure. Efforts were made to strengthen the institutional capacity of national meteorological and hydrological services in the region, and to advance innovations in strengthening social resilience and inclusion through comprehensive urban operations in fragile contexts. GFDRR supported rapid post-recovery needs analyses following flooding in Tunisia and Djibouti, and in Beirut, GFDRR worked with the municipality to develop a comprehensive urban resilience master plan, to secure private and public investment to tackle the city’s resilience needs.

At the end of FY19, GFDRR’s active portfolio in South Asia totaled 39 grants worth $28.3 million. GFDRR supported recovery efforts after flooding in Kerala, India, and Cyclone Fani in Anwar Pradesh and Odisha, India. Many countries in the region have expressed interest in developing social safety net systems; Sri Lanka and India are currently strengthening theirs through capacity building and analysis. In Colombo, Sri Lanka, task teams are working with the government to collect, share, and analyze risk data and information that will be key toward moving the city’s resilience agenda forward.

Brazzaville, 5 February 2020– While there are no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus reported in the African region, the World Health Organization (WHO) is strengthening its support to countries in the detection and management of suspect cases and in ensuring a robust response, should a first case be detected.

The continent has close ties with China, which lies at the epicentre of the outbreak and WHO assesses 2019-nCoV a high risk for the African region. Since the 22 January 2020, WHO has received dozens of alerts regarding possible novel coronavirus infections from 20 countries. Once countries investigate these alerts to determine if they meet the definition of a 2019-nCoV suspect case, samples are taken and sent to laboratories.

As this is a new virus, up until early this week there were only two laboratories – one in Senegal and the other in South Africa - which had the reagents needed to test samples and they have been working as referral laboratories for countries around the region. Four more countries (Ghana, Madagascar, Nigeria and Sierra Leone) have now reported they can conduct tests as well. WHO is sending kits to 29 laboratories in the region which will ensure they have diagnostic capacity for novel coronavirus and can support testing samples from the neighbouring countries as well.

“A new virus is always a challenge and most laboratories in Africa lack the key material they need to perform tests on a novel pathogen,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “WHO is working with countries to rapidly scale-up diagnostic capacity for 2019-nCoV. It is crucial that countries in the region can detect and treat severe cases early, preventing a widespread outbreak, which could overwhelm fragile health systems.”

WHO has identified 13 top priority countries in the region, which due to their direct links or high volume of travel to China need to be particularly vigilant for the novel coronavirus. WHO plays an active role in supporting countries to coordinate preparation efforts and surge staff have arrived in seven of the 13 countries and by the end of the week teams are expected to be in place in all. WHO is dispatching protective equipment for health workers, as well as thermometers and other essential supplies for screening and handling suspect cases at airports and other points of entry. While the top priority countries are WHO’s first areas of focus, the organization will support all countries in the region in preparing for novel coronavirus.

WHO is engaging with partners to support preparedness in key areas, including community awareness raising and increasing treatment capacity should the need arise.

Many countries are building on expertise they have gained in preparing for an influenza pandemic as coronaviruses cause illnesses similar to influenza. In addition, since the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo started in 2018, WHO and partners have helped countries at high risk to prepare for possible Ebola cases. These efforts which have led to increased capacity in surveillance and the handling of infectious cases can also support the response to the novel coronavirus.

WHO recommends that to protect against the novel virus, people should practice good hand and respiratory hygiene and safe food preparation practices. These include washing hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub, covering the mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing, avoiding close contact with anyone with flu-like symptoms, cooking food and especially meat.

As reported to WHO by 4 February 2020, there were 20 471 confirmed cases in China, with 425 deaths. Outside of China there were 159 confirmed cases in 23 countries with one death.

Au 31 décembre 2019, le nombre total des réfugiés et demandeurs d'asile est de 7,480. Cette population est composée de 37% de Congolais (RDC), 23% de Tchadiens, 30% de Sud Soudanais, 5% de Soudanais et 4% des autres nationalités. Elle est composée à 51 % de femmes et 49% d'hommes. Les enfants représentent 59% contre 38% d'adultes et 3% de personnes âgées. 45% des réfugiés sont dans la Préfecture du Haut Mbomou, 19% dans Bamingui-Bangoran, 33% à Bangui et 3% dans la Ouaka.

Coronavirus puts millions out of school, the areas where 85% of girls don't get an education and a mortar attack on a primary school - it's all in our news roundup.

Coronavirus shuts down schools in China

The coronavirus has put millions of children out of school in China. The shutdown of education to reduce the risk of the virus spreading has been extended until at least the end of this month in several provinces.

Shandong - which has a population of 100million - said all types of schools will stay closed until the end of February to guarantee students' safety.

Hebei - which surrounds the capital Beijing and has 75 million residents - will keep classrooms closed until at least March 1 to control the coronavirus outbreak. Schools also remain shut in a number of other provinces and municipalities, including Jiangsu and Shanghai.

China's education ministry said a cloud platform will be launched on February 17 to provide students in elementary and secondary schools with resources. For students in remote or rural areas with poor internet access, a Chinese education television channel will start airing classes on February 17 for them to study at home.

In Hong Kong, Education Secretary Kevin Yeung said secondary and primary schools would not return from an already prolonged break until at least March 16.

19 children injured by mortar attack on school in Myanmar

At least 19 children were wounded when a village primary school was hit by mortar shelling in Myanmar's Rakhine state yesterday.

Clashes between government troops and ethnic insurgents have intensified in Rakhine, where more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims fled a military crackdown in 2017. The Arakan Army, which recruits from the mostly Buddhist majority, has been fighting for greater autonomy for the western region from the central government.

Schools are meant to be safe spaces where children can learn free from danger. The Safe Schools Declaration - a commitment to protect schools from attacks and military occupation - has been signed by 101 countries.

Meanwhile, UNICEF has released details of how a pilot programme to introduce the Myanmar school curriculum to Rohingya refugee children will work. Bangladesh finally agreed last month to offer formal education to children under 14 living in refugee camps.

A pilot starting in April will help 10,000 students from grades six to nine because they currently have less access to education. It will then be expanded to other grades. An extra 250 teachers will be recruited in addition to the existing 8,900 teachers to teach the children in a double-shift system.

85% of girls out of school in some Afghan areas

The number of children at primary school in Afghanistan increased from just one million to 8.5 million between 2002 and 2019 - but a third of school-age children (3.7 million) are still not getting an education.

The statistics are revealed in a humanitarian update by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. About 60% of out-of-school children are girls and in some provinces as many as 85% of girls are not in school.

The update says: "While girls’ access to education may be limited by cultural expectations, in many cases it is also tied to perceived and real security risks, as well as the appropriateness of the school curriculum and physical set-up under local cultural norms."

Only about 5% of children with disabilities are in school. Attacks on schools also continue to result in children being deprived of education. During 2019, 488 schools were reported to have been forcibly closed due to insecurity, affecting around 150,000 children - 72,000 girls and 78,000 boys.

Call for action on girls' education

Celebrities, youth activists and world leaders gathered at the UN this week to call for action on the issue of adolescent girls’ education. More than 130 million girls worldwide are not in school.

U2 singer Bono and former Irish President Mary Robinson were at the event, along with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

“One of these girls who is getting an education today, could be the one coming up with the solution to climate change tomorrow. We need to ask for help and demand education for all girls,” said Bono, who called on men to play their part in advancing gender equality.

Other speakers included Sonita Alizadeh, an Afghan rapper and youth activist who shared her own experience of being forced to marry while still a child. She said: “I want everyone to know that a girl’s education is worth a lot more than her dowry."

Missionaries help child soldiers through education

To mark International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers - also known as Red Hand Day - on February 12, Salesian Missions has highlighted its programmes to help former child recruits through education.

Salesian missionaries began working in 2001 to rehabilitate ex-child soldiers in Sierra Leone. Since then, Don Bosco Fambul in the capital Freetown has become one of the country’s leading child welfare organisations.

In Liberia, the Don Bosco Youth Center in Monrovia provides a foundation of education and support for former child soldiers and other young people with limited opportunities.

“Children utilised in hostilities and war have faced unimaginable violence and abuses and need our support to have a second chance in life,” says Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “In countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries work with former child soldiers so that they may overcome the traumas of war and reintegrate into society.”

Chronic food insecurity and acute malnutrition, cyclical drought, disease outbreaks, pest infestations, protracted complex emergencies, and seasonal floods presented major challenges to vulnerable populations in the West Africa region during the past decade. Between FY 2010 and FY 2019, USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) and USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/ OFDA) provided humanitarian assistance to address the impacts of a diverse range of crises and disasters, including drought and widespread food insecurity and malnutrition in the Sahel; multiple complex emergencies, including in the Lake Chad Basin; disease outbreaks, such as Ebola virus disease (EVD); and seasonal flooding throughout the region.

From FY 2010 to FY 2019, USAID provided nearly $4.3 billion to respond to disasters in West Africa. USAID/FFP emergency support included approximately $2.6 billion for emergency food assistance, including U.S.-sourced inkind food; locally, internationally, and regionally procured food; cash transfers for food; and food vouchers. USAID/ FFP’s funding also supported complementary food security activities promoting agriculture, community asset-building, livelihoods, and nutrition. USAID/OFDA assistance included nearly $1.7 billion for programs in agriculture and food security, economic recovery and market systems, health, humanitarian coordination and information management, logistics support and relief commodities, nutrition, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).

Over the last decade, USAID responded to 99 disasters in West Africa. From FY 2014 to FY 2016, USAID deployed regional Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) in response to the West Africa EVD Outbreak and activated a Washington, D.C.-based Response Management Team (RMT) to support coordination and response efforts. USAID also deployed a DART to Nigeria from FY 2017 to FY 2019 in response to the complex emergency and activated an RMT to support relief efforts across the Lake Chad Basin.

In addition, USAID sent humanitarian assessment teams to Côte d’Ivoire and the Sahel in response to complex emergencies and food insecurity. In West Africa, USAID has focused on addressing immediate needs, such as basic relief items, food, health services, protection, and WASH assistance, while supporting recovery activities to build resilience against future crises—including conflict, drought, floods, poor agricultural yields, and other shocks.

L'esprit d’anticipation et de prévention des ministres de la Santé de l’espace Cédéao a été salué par le Premier ministre malien.

Le Premier ministre, Dr. Boubou Cissé a, en compagnie du directeur de l’Organisation ouest-africaine de la santé (OOAS), Pr. Stanley Okolo, et du ministre de la Santé et des Affaires sociales, Michel Hamala Sidibé, présidé le vendredi 14 février 2020 à l’hôtel Sheraton, la réunion d’urgence des ministres de la Santé de la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (Cédéao) sur la préparation et la réponse à l’épidémie de la maladie à nouveau Coronavirus ( Covid-19).

Le 31 décembre 2019, le bureau pays de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) en Chine a été informé de cas de pneumonie d’étiologie inconnue dans la ville de Wuhan, province du Hubei en Chine. Entre le 31 décembre 2019 et le 3 janvier 2020, 44 cas de pneumonie d’étiologie inconnue ont été signalés à l’OMS par les autorités locales.

Les premières enquêtes établissent un lien épidémiologique des cas avec les marchés de gros de Huanan Seafood où il y avait également la vente d’animaux vivants. Le 7 janvier 2020, un nouveau Coronavirus (Covid 19) a été identifié comme l’argent causal. Depuis le 31 janvier, l’épidémie a commencé à se propager en dehors de la Chine et au 30 janvier 2020, 18 pays sont touchés.

L’OMS signale que le risque est très élevé en Chine, élevé au niveau régional et mondial, y compris dans la région de la Cédéao. Le 30 janvier 2020, le directeur général de l’OMS a déclaré que l’épidémie de Covid 19 constituait une urgence de santé publique de portée internationale (USPPI). Face à la transmission interhumaine associée à la propagation rapide dans un contexte de mondialisation, il devient urgent pour chaque pays de mettre en place de outils de surveillance et de diagnostic ciblant le nouveau coronavirus afin de mieux préparer la réponse à d’éventuels cas ou l’épidémie.

L’objectif de cette réunion d’urgence des ministres de la Santé de l’espace Cédéao était d’harmoniser les stratégies régionales de préparation pour la prévention, la détection précoce et le contrôle du nouveau coronavirus (Conavid 19). Au cours de cette rencontre, les experts ont présenté la situation qui prévaut à l’échelle mondiale, les processus actuellement en place dans la région et l’état de préparation des laboratoires.

A l’issue des travaux, les ministres de la Santé ont décidé, au sein de l’espace Cédéao, de renforcer la coordination, la communication et la collaboration entre les États membres en matière de préparation à l’épidémie de Covid19, en particulier la collaboration transfrontalière ; renforcer les mesures de surveillance aux points d’entrée (voie aérienne, terrestre et maritime) ; renforcer la communication afin que le public reçoive des informations précises, appropriées et opportunes au sujet de l’épidémie ; renforcer d’urgence les capacités nationales essentielles pour le diagnostic et la prise en charge des cas élaborer un plan stratégique de préparation régionale, assorti de prévision de dépenses, basé sur les priorités des États membres ; promouvoir les efforts nationaux multisectoriels à partir de l’approche une seule santé pour mettre à profit l’impact ; mettre en œuvre des mesures plus concrètes pour assurer la disponibilité des fournitures médicales essentielles, y compris le matériel de laboratoire, et les équipements de protection individuelle dans la région ; travailler en étroite collaboration avec les autorités compétentes des gouvernements nationaux et du gouvernement chinois pour surveiller l’état de santé et assurer le bien-être de nos citoyens résidant en Chine.

Aux dires de l’ambassadeur de la Chine au Mali, Zhu Liying, toutes les ambassades de son pays en Afrique, « sont mobilisées pour organiser les entreprises, les institutions et les associations des ressortissants chinois dans la prévention de cette épidémie en Afrique »

Le directeur de l’OOAS, Pr. Stanley Okolo, a appelé à la coordination, à la communication et à la formation à travers le renforcement des capacités des structures de santé. Il a exprimé la solidarité de l’organisation ouest africaine de santé à la Chine dans la lutte contre le Coronavirus.

Le ministre de la Santé et des Affaires sociales, Michel Hamala Sidibé a insisté sur l’importance de cette réunion. « Croire qu’on est à l’abri de cette épidémie serait une erreur. C’est pour cette raison qu’on a décidé de venir et de préparer notre réponse comme si on avait cette épidémie. Jusqu’ici on n’a pas de cas dans l’espace Cédéao. Il faut que nos systèmes de laboratoire soient mis à jour. Nous voulons être au même niveau que les autres pays du monde. Nous allons travailler ensemble parce que la coordination de nos efforts est très importante dans la prévention de cette épidémie », a-t-il déclaré.

L’initiative du ministre de la Santé et des Affaires sociales, Michel Hamala Sidibé, d’organiser cette réunion d’urgence a été saluée par ses homologues de la Cédéao. « Nous sommes unanimes sur l’importance de cette rencontre. Nous saluons la promptitude du ministre Michel Hamala Sidibé dans l’organisation de cette réunion d’urgence qui va nous permettre de coordonner nos efforts dans l’espace Cédéao dans le cadre de la prévention du Coronavirus », ajoutera Pr. Léonie Claudine Longue Sorgho, ministre de la Santé du Burkina Faso.

Selon le Premier ministre, Dr. Boubou Cissé, l’organisation de cette rencontre témoigne de l’esprit d’anticipation et de l’engagement sans faille des pays membres de la Cédéao à la résolution des problèmes de santé.

Source l'indicateur du Renouveau

Overview

This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 69 events in the region. This week’s main articles cover key new and ongoing events, including:

• Measles in Central African Republic
  
• Measles in Chad
  
• Cholera in Democratic Republic of the Congo
  
• Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo
  

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 recent events that have largely been controlled and thus closed.

Major issues and challenges include:

• Central African Republic is experiencing a measles outbreak within the overall context of a complex humanitarian emergency. The incidence cases have rapidly increased in the past weeks and new areas have been affected, including in the urban area of Bangui. A recent risk assessment indicates a high potential for the spread of the disease. While some response measures have been taken, including reactive vaccination in some health zones, these have not conclusively brought the outbreak under control. There is a need for the national authorities and partners to step up response to the ongoing outbreak to avoid further escalation of the situation.

• The protracted cholera outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo is showing signs of improving lately, although the situation is still serious. The number of cases reported on a weekly basis is still very high, at around 500. While this reduction is encouraging, there is a need to sustain the ongoing control interventions. It is also important to address the primary underlying predisposing factors, including provision of potable water and improved sanitation. Alleviating the security situation in the country would go a long way in addressing the root cause of the multiple health problems.

Abuja, 17th February, 2020. The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) as well as the Ministers of Health of ECOWAS Member States are on top of the situation regarding the containment of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) epidemic.

At a joint press briefing on the regional preparedness for the Covid-19 virus on the 17th of February in Abuja, Nigeria, the Director-General of WAHO Professor Stanley Okolo and Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health, Senator Olurunnimbe Mamora called for collective action on the part of all stakeholders and the generality of West African citizens in the prevention, containment and sustainable responses to the epidemic.

Tracing the origin, nature and prevalence of the virus, Professor Okolo noted that useful lessons have been learnt from the earlier Ebola Virus incident leading to the establishment of the Ebola Fund.

Professor Okolo maintained in this regard, that all community citizens are stakeholders in the matter which should be of concern to everyone as against the perception that it is government’s business. This, he stressed, necessitates sustained communication to guarantee the safety of citizens in the region.

According to the WAHO Director-General, there is a high need for accurate and timely information on the nature, manner of spread, incubation period, appropriate or safe behaviour of citizens and holistic ways of containing Covid-19 even as the regional health organisation is monitoring the situation in case the virus mutates.

Professor Okolo who made a presentation during the briefing with emerging facts and statistics, also provided details of the global and regional picture of the spread of the virus, including Africa’s first reported case which occurred in Egypt, days ago.

Calling for everyone’s support, WAHO’s Director-General did not fail to admit that all hands must be on the plough in order to guarantee resounding success in the fight against Covid-19 virus.

The epidemiological situation report from the slides given by Professor Okolo shows that so far, there are 69, 267 total cases of the Covid-19. Of this number, there has been 1669 total deaths-99 percent in China. No fewer than 25 other countries have 767 reported cases.

Importantly, 5 West African countries have persons under investigation. Five other countries also in the region-Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Senegal have laboratory diagnosis capacity for Covid-19 with TIBMOLBIOL kits

Laying bare the line of action by the ECOWAS ministers of health after their recent emergency meeting in Bamako, Mali, Nigeria’s minister of State for Health Senator Olurunnimbe Mamorra stressed that the urgency of the Covid-19 situation has necessitated the formulation of strategies by the regional ministers of Health, to protect the population of the region.

He highlighted some of the strategies to include strengthening the coordination, communication and collaboration among member States in preparedness for the Covid-19 epidemic including cross-border collaboration as well as the enhancement of surveillance and management measures at the air, land and sea entry points of the region.

He disclosed further that the Ministers also decided to urgently strengthen critical national capacities for the diagnosis and management of cases that may arise as well as the development of strategic regional preparedness plan based on Member States’ priorities for governments, partners and the private sector support.

Senator Mamora also disclosed that his colleagues had resolved to work closely with the relevant authorities of National Governments and the Chinese government to monitor and assure the health situation of West African citizens in China.

Both Professor Okolo and Senator Mamora also fielded questions from journalists regarding preparedness both for what is envisaged and eventualities. Clarifications were also made concerning available funds for curtailment, coordination among ECOWAS’ Member States for responses, among others.

Description of the disaster

On 1st August 2019, floods and landslides in Freetown, Capital of Sierra Leone, were triggered by heavy and continuous downpour. The raging floods resulted in the destruction of houses and road networks, and the livelihoods of approximately 896 households (5,381 people), according to the results of the rapid needs assessment (RNA) conducted by the Office of National Security (ONS) in collaboration with other humanitarian actors in disaster management.

Indeed, this episode of floods came after persistent torrential rains from late May 2019 to August 2019, with the highest recorded incident being on 1st to 2nd August 2019. The Office of National Security confirmed that the floods had claimed six (6) lives and that more people, especially lactating mothers, pregnant women and children, were likely to face the risks of illness from water-borne diseases. Owing to stagnant pools of water and temporary rain created ponds there were significant increases in mosquito infestation and the rise of malarial infection. This was a potential threat to people, especially those living in the most affected communities. The abundance of contaminated water with limited WASH facilities meant communities were exposed to diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera. In addition, the floods undermined the livelihood capacity of people in the affected communities as it destroyed food crops as well as submerged agricultural production resulting in increased malnutrition especially for children under five years of age.
Based on this background, there was a need for a multi-stage response, linking relief and recovery interventions for the affected populations. It was on account of this situation that Sierra Leone Red Cross Society and its Movement partners including IFRC, British Red Cross and Finnish Red Cross exerted efforts and embarked on various response and recovery activities.