Horn of Africa Drought Situation and Response Marko Lesukat, Plan International
Feb 22, 2016
Horn of Africa Drought Situation and Response
Marko Lesukat, Plan International
Regional Drought Overview
South Sudan
Overview of Presentation
• Overall situation – Late responses• Drought Calendar and implications +
Secondary factors to the drought
• Plans and other INGOs/UN Responses• Impact of drought on children and Drought
responses
• Challenges• Way Forward: Children Charter in Disasters
• About 13 million people affected (??% are children).
• Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Djibouti• Of the $2.4 billion for humanitarian
requirement only 74% is funded (OCHA report 18 Nov 2011)
• Overall Situation
Late Responses by All ActorsDrought calendar predictions 2010 and response 2011
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2010 2011 Long rains failed Long rains below normalshort rains below normal
EHRP appeal starts Drought declared disaster
Drought response starts
Early warning systems and alerts
Impact of drought on Children
Children dropped out of school:
•Food•Water•Shelter•Migration•Abuse
Children need to remain in school: it’s their basic right
Impact of drought on Children….continues
‘‘most of my friends have migrated away and have dropped out of school’’
Child from Samburu – Northern Kenya
Impact of drought on children…….continue
Children get abused especially girlskitega uchumi’ .....bread winners
Children need food and water to remain in school
Impact of drought on Children….continues
‘‘when our livestock migrate we only eat one meal per day. I share my school ration with my siblings back home’’ Child from Laikipia - Kenya
Plans (and other INGOs) Responses
- Supplementary feeding in schools and
hospitals.
- Therapeutic feeding in government hospitals.
- Water tracking and hygiene education.
- Child Protection (after child protection
assessments)Though urgent and important this are relief needs, Children need more………..
•Limited working groups on child protection in emergencies (Global and national levels)
•Timing - delayed and slow initial response (we should have proactively considered children: children participation)
•Root causes not addressed - difficulty getting the right responses to address chronic vulnerability issues (how will next drought response be different??).
•Governments tried/provided support - coordination challenge (it’s not clear who engages with governments on behalf of children during emergencies)
•Child protection assessments started late (focus was relief: (child protection needs were the latest to be identified by most actors)
Challenges
• Children identification and protection
• Participation in assessments, design and funding decisions (children)
• Lobby for the enactment of Disaster Policy/Legal frameworks for implementation
• Support the Children Charter on DRR
Way Forward: Role of CSOs in disaster responses
• An action plan for disaster risk reduction for children by children
• Consultations with 600 children from Africa, Asia and Latin America
• Q&A based on impacts of disasters on children’s lives and their priorities going forward1. Schools must be safe and education must not be
interrupted2. Child protection must be a priority before, during and
after a disasters3. Children have the right to participate and to access
the information they need 4. Community infrastructure must be safe, and relief
and reconstruction must help reduce future risks5. Disaster Risk Reduction must reach the most
vulnerable children (people)
The Children Charter on DRR
Thank You