Global Humanitarian Overview 2024, February Update (Snapshot as of 29 February 2024)
11 Mar 2024
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Summary
Inter-Agency Coordinated Appeals: February Update
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People in need302.2 million
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People targeted184.1 million
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Appeals36
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Requirements (US$)$46.1 billion
In the context of UN-coordinated plans, the figure for people targeted is always a subset of the figure for the number of people in need, as it is the result of response analysis, taking into consideration humanitarian access, response capacity of partners, and responses planned/anticipated by humanitarian actors outside of the appeal.
2024
The GHO 2024 requires $46.10 billion to assist 184.1 million people in need across 73 countries through 36 coordinated response plans.
As of the end of February 2024, total humanitarian funding amounts to $4.34 billion which is 35 per cent less than what was recorded at the same time last year ($6.69 billion). Meanwhile, reported GHO funding amounts to $1.75 billion, 30 per cent less than what was reported in February 2023 ($2.38 billion).
Nine plans have less funding recorded compared to the same time last year (Central African Republic, Colombia, El Salvador, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine).
This funding snapshot is concerning given the bleak global humanitarian outlook for 2024 and the growing severity of needs. Reported funding in the beginning of 2023 was exceptional, largely because of additional funding during the last quarter of 2022 in response to the Ukraine crisis and its global secondary impacts. The following chart highlights end-February GHO and total funding as a percentage of end-year totals since 2019. The current reported funding in absolute terms is the highest since 2020, except for last year.
GHO and Total Funding
2023
Reporting on 2023 funding continues and it reached $22.53 billion, or 40.4 per cent of requirements, by the end of February 2024. Donors and humanitarian partners are encouraged to report both 2023 and 2024 funding to the Financial Tracking Service (FTS). Complete and reliable data is key to underpin financial analyses and advocacy efforts for underfunded crises. Guidelines are available here.
Evolution of Requirements per Region
Requirements in five regions out of six have increased in 2023 compared to 2022. The only region with decreased requirements was the Asia and the Pacific region (17 per cent less in 2023 compared to 2022) primarily due to the requirements for Afghanistan and Pakistan which decreased by 27 per cent.
The largest increases were in Southern and Eastern Africa (plus 24 per cent) due to Malawi (Flash Appeal to respond to the cholera outbreak), Sudan (revised HRP and the Regional Response Plan), Mozambique and Burundi; and in West and Central Africa (plus 17 per cent) primarily in response to increased requirements for Chad (due to the Sudan crisis that has spilled over the Chadian border). In the Middle East and North Africa Region requirements increased by 16 per cent. Three Flash Appeals were added: two for the earthquakes in northern Syria and in Türkiye at the beginning of 2023, and one for the OPT situation. The three Flash Appeals account for 14 per cent ($2.6 million) of the regional requirements. The Syria HRP has also seen its requirements increased in 2023 compared to 2022 by 22 per cent, and Yemen as well with a two per cent increased. In the Latin America and the Caribbean region, requirements have increased by 7.7 per cent for the region, with a notable increase for Haiti (plus 93 per cent) and Honduras (plus 81 per cent).
In 2024, the requirements in all six regions have decreased. The highest decrease can be seen in the Middle East and North Africa region (less 30 per cent or $5.58 billion). The highest decrease in the region is in Yemen (less 38 per cent or $1.6 billion) The Eastern Europe region with the Ukraine HRP and RRP has decreased by 26 per cent ($1.45 billion). The requirements in Eastern and Southern Africa region have decreased overall by 20 per cent ($2.75 billion), with the largest decrease registered in Somalia (39 per cent) and a few plans with higher requirements, such as the Sudan HRP (plus five per cent), Sudan RRP (plus 29 per cent), South Sudan RRP (plus 3 per cent) and the Horn of Africa and Yemen MRP (plus 22 per cent). The Western and Central Africa region requirements have only decreased by one percent, meanwhile, some are still being finalised as of end-February. To date, plans requirements have increased for coordinated plans for the DRC HRP (plus 15 per cent) and RRP (plus 15 per cent), Chad (plus 28 per cent), Niger (plus 13 per cent) and Burkina Faso (plus 7 per cent). The HRP for CAR has decreased by 31 per cent.
Requirements in the Latin America and Caribbean region decreased by eight per cent, with Colombia being the only plan with increased requirement (plus 17 per cent). Requirements in Honduras decreased by 28 per cent.
In the Asia and Pacific region, requirements have decreased by seven per cent, mostly due to the decrease of five per cent or $1.68 billion for the Afghanistan HRP. The requirements of the Myanmar HRP have increased by 12 per cent.
Evolution of Funding per Region
While the requirements in five regions out of six increased between 2022 and 2023, reported absolute funding in all six regions decreased.
The region with the highest decrease is the Asia and the Pacific region where funding decreased by nearly half (less 46 per cent) compared to 2022. Funding to Afghanistan decreased by more than half (less 56 per cent or $1.8 million in absolute figures) compared to 2022.
Funding in the Eastern Europe region (Ukraine HRP and Ukraine RRP) decreased by 37 per cent ($1.7 million), even though the funding requirements decreased only by seven per cent.
In Southern and Eastern Africa, funding decreased by 25 per cent while the requirements have increased by 24 per cent as mentioned above. In absolute figures, Somalia has the largest decrease in funding compared to 2022 (less $957.4 million), followed by the Sudan RRP (less $431.4 million) and the Ethiopia HRP (less $393.7 million).
Funding in the West and Central Africa region decreased by 22 per cent, with less funding across all the coordinated plans except for Chad that has managed to maintain the same level of funding as in 2022 despite an 80 per cent increase in requirements.
In the Latin America and Caribbean region, funding has decreased by 13 per cent, with the largest decrease in absolute figure for the Venezuela RMRP (less $268.9 million). The Venezuela and Haiti HRPs have increased their funding: plus 32 per cent for Venezuela and plus 31 per cent for Haiti.
The Middle East and North Africa region is the region with the smallest funding decrease (minus 8 per cent) between 2023 and 2022 while the requirements have grown by 16 per cent. This can be explained by the fact that the three Flash Appeals for the Syria and Türkiye earthquakes at the beginning of 2023 and for OPT were relatively well funded (97 per cent for Syria Flash Appeal; 57 per cent for the Türkiye earthquake and 55 per cent for OPT).
2024: Humanitarian Response Plans in the GHO
FOCUS: Occupied Palestinian Territory
The Flash Appeal for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) was published on 12 October 2023 with financial requirements of $294 million to respond to the most urgent needs of 1.26 million people in OPT (Gaza and West Bank, including East Jerusalem). On 6 November 2023, the first update of the Flash Appeal was issued with a new financial requirement of $1.2 billion to meet the critical needs of 2.7 million people across the OPT (2.2 million people in the Gaza Strip and 500,000 in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem). Due to the continued impediments to have an effective and scaled humanitarian response, in early February humanitarian partners extended the Flash Appeal through March 2024, with the overall financial requirements divided between 2023 ($629 million) and 2024 ($600 million).
Humanitarian actors will continue to meet the urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza and the West Bank through the Flash Appeal while humanitarian partners continue to finalise the new plan for period April-December 2024.
Timely and flexible funding supports better outcomes and delivers efficiencies. UNRWA is part of the OPT Flash Appeal and it plays a unique role, serving as the main direct provider of basic services. With over two million people in dire need of life-saving humanitarian assistance in Gaza at present, no other agency is able to respond at scale.
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IASC Principals Collective Advocacy Project
In 2022, the IASC (Inter-Agency Standing Committee) Principals agreed on the need to better leverage the respective comparative advantages of IASC members to address the erosion of humanitarian space and principles, including through joint approaches to collective humanitarian diplomacy and advocacy. The pilot began in January 2023 with a focus in the following four contexts: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Haiti, and Myanmar, and it was eventually extended to the end of the year.
At their 7 November 2023 meeting, IASC Principals agreed to extend the pilot again through the end of 2024. In addition to the issues addressed by the IASC Principals, resource mobilisation is a key challenge for the pilot countries. The following provides an insight to the low funding reality in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Haiti, and Myanmar.
Afghanistan GHO Requirements and Funding
Afghanistan
Afghanistan was a relatively well-funded response plan from 2016 – 2019 with requirements between $363 and $456 million. In 2020, requirements increased by 85 per cent to $1.13 billion due to the addition of COVIDrelated requirements, however, funding only increased by 31 per cent. In 2021, the Afghanistan HRP and Flash Appeal issued in September were two of the best-funded plans due to the attention and support in response to the deepening humanitarian needs and acute protection risks driven by changes in the operating environment and political transition in mid-August that year. In 2022, the Afghanistan HRP requirements increased considerably to $4.44 billion to meet the needs of more than 22 million people, making it the largest HRP globally behind the appeals for the Syria crisis response. Funding also increased in 2022 to $3.36 billion and almost 60 per cent was allocated to addressing the serious food security situation caused by the severe 2021/2022 drought, economic downturn, and the secondary impacts of the Ukraine crisis. In 2023, HRP requirements decreased by 27 per cent to $3.23 billion, meanwhile, funding also decreased by 56 per cent, leaving a large funding gap of $1.75 billion.
In 2024, despite the significant reduction in active hostilities, Afghanistan remains primarily a protection emergency characterised by high-levels of protracted displacement, mine and explosive ordnance contamination, restrictions to freedom of movement, increased risk of gender-based violence, child labour, early marriage and increased needs for mental health and psychosocial support. The Afghanistan HRP currently requires $3.06 billion to meet the needs of 17.3 billion people which is the largest number of people in a single plan in the GHO.
Funding to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) has varied over the past five years. In 2020, during the COVID pandemic, contributions to the AHF totalled $60 million from 14 donors. In 2021, contributions increased by nearly 350 per cent and reached $270 million from 20 donors, largely due to the increased donor support following the takeover of the Taliban in August 2021. In 2022, the level of contributions to the AHF was even higher at $275 million from 19 donors.
In 2023, contributions decreased by 70 per cent to $81.6 million from 18 donors. On average between 2019 and 2022, the AHF contributed 27 per cent to the overall HRP, which is higher than the target of 15 per cent and higher than the global average in 2022 of ten per cent. In 2023, this percentage decreased to two per cent. This drop can be related to several factors, including the ban on Afghan women working for international and national NGOs and the UN introduced at the end of 2022 and the complexity of an already challenging operational and protection environment in the country. Furthermore, two years after the Taliban takeover of the country, three top donors to the AHF who made up 83 per cent of the total contributions to the AHF in 2022 decreased their funding by 82 per cent (or $209.2 million) in 2023.
In 2023, the AHF allocated 21 per cent of its funding to national partners, including as primary recipients or sub-partners, which is lower than the global average of 39 per cent.
Burkina Faso GHO Requirements and Funding
Burkina Faso
The civilian population of Burkina Faso is suffering from the consequences of being the world’s most neglected crisis, without sufficient attention and funding from the international community. This neglect is evident in the growing needs and decreased resources to cover them.
Response plan requirements for Burkina Faso varied from $61.1 million to $187.0 million between 2016 – 2019. In 2020, HRP requirements more than doubled to $424.4 million (including requirements to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic). Since then, requirements have continued to grow, most notably between 2021 ($607.9 million) and 2022 ($805.1 million) as the number of people to receive assistance increased to 3.8 million. Although funding increased slightly from 2021 to 2022, it decreased in 2023 to $322.6 million or only 37 per cent of requirements.
In 2024, initial estimates by the humanitarian community project that 6.3 million people will need humanitarian assistance across the country’s 13 regions, up by 35 per cent in comparison to 2023. The Burkina Faso HRP requires $934 million to assist 3.8 million of the people in need through rapid response for newly displaced persons and facilitating the most vulnerable people’s access to basic services and food security support. At the same time, humanitarian and targeted development investments in resilience-building will be provided for both displaced and non-displaced communities.
Since its establishment in 2021, funding for the Burkina Faso window of the Regionally hosted Pooled Fund for Western and Central Africa (RhPFWCA) has decreased. In 2021, the fund received over $20 million in contributions from 11 donors (Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland). In 2022, funding decreased by 18 per cent to $16.4 million from eight donors. In 2023, funding increased slightly by 7.3 per cent ($17.7 million from seven donors). On average, the Burkina Faso window of the RhPFWCA has contributed 6 per cent to the overall HRP.
In 2023, the Burkina Faso window of the RhPFWCA allocated 35 per cent of its funding to national partners, including as primary recipients or sub-partners, which is slightly higher than the global average of 30 per cent.
Haiti GHO Requirements and Funding
Haiti
Haiti is impacted by decades of multifaceted political, social and economic challenges, exacerbated by recurring natural hazards. Response plan requirements have varied widely over the years and funding has been unpredictable and insufficient. Apart from 2022 when 51 per cent of HRP requirements were met, coverage of Haiti’s response plans is typically among the lowest in the GHO, ranging from 12 per cent in 2018 to 40 per cent in 2017. In 2023, HRP requirements reached $719.9 million - almost double the $373.2 million needed the year before – due to access restrictions, insecurity, violence, economic downturn, cholera outbreaks, and severe food insecurity in 2022, with almost half the population facing acute hunger, including 1.8 million people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). Funding last year was a mere 34 per cent of requirements.
In 2024, humanitarian partners require $673.8 million to assist 3.6 million of the 5.5 million people who need humanitarian aid.
Myanmar GHO Requirements and Funding
Myanmar
Myanmar remains a complex, protracted protection crisis and humanitarian needs have worsened across the country as conflict continues to rage, causing unprecedented levels of displacement, destruction of property and livelihoods, and mine and other explosive ordnance contamination, especially in the Northwest and Southeast. In 2024, 18.6 million people are in humanitarian need. This is almost 19 times the number prior to the military takeover and equivalent to a third of the population. This includes six million children, who are bearing the brunt of this crisis.
HRP requirements in Myanmar have risen year on year since 2017, with a steep increase from $276.5 million in 2021 to $825.7 million in 2022, and further increases in 2023 ($886.7 million) and 2024 ($993.5 million). From 2017 – 2022, funding increased significantly in absolute terms - from $110.4 million to $376.7 million - however, coverage of requirements decreased greatly - from 73 per cent to only 46 per cent during the same period. In 2023, funding decreased in both absolute and relative terms.
Funding to the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund (MHF) has increased slightly over the past four years. In 2023, funding to the MHF reached $32.7 million from 11 donors (Australia, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom). Over the past years, the MHF has contributed an average of 11 per cent to the overall HRP. In 2023, the MHF allocated 58 per cent of its funding to national partners, including as primary or sub-partners, which is higher than the global average.
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Thematic: Anticipatory Action
Climate shocks are causing increasingly severe damage and amplifying humanitarian needs. So far, humanitarian action has been mostly responsive, arriving after a crisis has materialised. With recent advances in forecasting, humanitarian and development organisations have been able to anticipate and respond ahead of crises. There is growing evidence that acting prior to the onset of a predictable shock is significantly faster, dignified and more (cost-)effective humanitarian response.
Anticipatory action (AA) seeks to ensure aid is provided before the peak impact of a shock occurs, reducing suffering and humanitarian needs. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has been developing AA frameworks since 2019, coordinating collective AA and mobilising finance. To date, these pilots have reached approximately 2.2 million people in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh. In six countries (Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Nepal, Niger, and the Philippines), frameworks are in place to reach a further 2.3 million people should the triggers be reached. OCHA is facilitating the design of AA plans in Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Mozambique, and South Sudan.
So far, learning from the pilot countries concludes that triggers must be sufficiently reliable to warrant action and funds disbursement. Forecasts are not available for all countries or hazards, and existing forecasts may not provide desired resolution or skill (accuracy) levels. The timing of action, therefore, must balance forecast skill against operational needs. Funding is best when it is flexible and includes finance for framewor
Grand Bargain
Following intensive preparatory work by the Grand Bargain core-group of interested Signatories, the Caucus on Scaling up Anticipatory Action was launched on 16 February 2024. The caucus is co-championed by Germany, OCHA, Save the Children, and WFP, and includes members such as EU/DG ECHO, FAO, IFRC, NEAR, Oxfam, and UK/FCDO.
It aims to address challenges in scaling up anticipatory action with a focus on three objectives:
- Funding commitments are secured to scale up coordinated Anticipatory Action.
- Caucus members agree on recommendations to improve coordination and cooperation at the international, national, and local level.
- And as a baseline, the caucus members will start working on a joint methodology to allow tracking of funds for AA as well as a basis for advocacy (“common understanding”). The outcome document is expected to be presented at the Grand Bargain Annual Meeting and the Global Dialogue Platform in October 2024.
Anticipatory Action Impact story
The story was initially published on Anticipatory action | OCHA (unocha.org)
Communities across South Sudan had already been suffering from three years of unprecedented flooding. More than two-thirds of the population (almost 9 million people) needed humanitarian assistance. Ongoing conflict and instability in the country combined with the flooding resulted in people being forced to leave their homes time and time again.
In March 2022, OCHA’s Centre for Humanitarian Data explored available forecasts in South Sudan to establish an Anticipatory Action Framework to get ahead of future floods. However, the complex nature of the Sudd wetland’s ecosystem meant there was no reliable forecast to trigger time-bound actions for a framework. But the Centre’s analysis did confirm there was enough information to indicate a significant flood was looming.
In Unity State, the flooding was expected to put more than 320,000 people – over a third of whom were already out of their homes – at risk of further displacement, loss of livelihoods, disease outbreaks, food insecurity and psychological distress.
OCHA saw an opportunity and piloted a lighter and nimbler approach to anticipatory action where CERF funds could be provided earlier based on a high likelihood of the country experiencing an additional shock that would compound existing humanitarian needs.
CERF pulled the response forward by allocating $15 million, complemented by an additional $4 million from the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund in May 2022, months sooner than had been the case in response to the 2020 and 2021 floods.
In addition, a high-level special task force was established with senior representatives in Bentiu to consult with communities on their priorities and to oversee operations.
Ahead of the floods, partners used the funds to construct and reinforce over 55 kilometres of dykes to protect vital access roads, homes and the airstrip. These dykes would prove to be critical, preventing 100,000 people from having to be evacuated and further displaced, even as internally displaced persons site sank below water-level at the peak of the flooding. A previously flooded road between Bentiu and Mayom junction was reopened, providing a key supply route for essential goods that increased the volume of supplies and was estimated to be four times cheaper than having to fly in supplies. Protection of the airstrip allowed humanitarian operations to continue throughout the rainy season – a lifeline for the people of Bentiu.
Early investments in latrines, water treatment sites, and cholera vaccine campaigns helped to avert a public health emergency. Cash transfers to over 1,000 female-headed households, the majority of whom had at least one family member who was older or with a mobility impairment, enabled them to reinforce their shelters.
"On the whole the money that came in helped quite a bit with mitigation for flooding...Other locations in the camp set up dyke committees and trained people immediately. Materials were bought, and tools, and people were able to use the tools to reduce flooding in their sites", UNHCR informant.
In protracted crises and conflict settings there is not always enough time, data or access to develop an Anticipatory Action Framework. South Sudan shows this should not stop humanitarians from acting ahead of a shock. Anticipatory action principles can be taken and adapted to context-appropriate programmes.
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Pooled Funds
February allocations (US$)
$ 45 million
Total allocations (US$)
$ 80 million
Countries assisted with allocations
12
In February 2024, OCHA-managed Pooled funds allocated $45 million for humanitarian interventions in response to conflicts and natural disasters. This includes $7 million from CAR and DRC Humanitarian Funds and $38 million from Central Emergency Response fund (CERF) to DRC, the Republic of Sudan, and Ethiopia.
In addition, on 20 February 2024, the Emergency Relief Coordinator announced the upcoming $100 million allocations from CERF to support underfunded humanitarian emergencies in seven countries in Africa, the Americas and the Middle East. The crises in DRC, Sudan and Syria top the list, receiving $20 million each. Other countries that will benefit from these allocations are Chad ($15 million), Niger ($10 million), Lebanon ($9 million), and Honduras ($6 million). The allocations will be processed in March.
CENTRAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND
as of 29 February
February allocations (US$)
$ 38 million
Total allocations (US$)
$ 61 million
Countries assisted with allocations
3
CERF Allocations
Democratic Republic of the Congo ($6 million) (Rapid Response): Recent heavy flooding in DRC caused significant destruction and amplified pre-existing humanitarian challenges. CERF responded immediately by allocating $6 million for rapid life-saving humanitarian action. The funding will meet critical multisectoral needs of nearly 400,000 people in the most flood-affected areas.
Ethiopia ($17 million) (Rapid Response): Despite the ongoing challenges of delivering humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia, a short window of opportunity appeared in February to prevent the food insecurity situation from further deteriorating. CERF again acted swiftly by allocating $17 million to provide affected people with food security and nutrition assistance, and ensure access to drinking water and sanitation.
Sudan ($15 million) (Rapid Response): The already dire food security situation in Sudan is projected to deteriorate even further in the coming months leading to the lean season. In February, CERF complemented recent allocations from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund with another $15 million. This funding will enable recipient agencies and local organisations to provide critical food, nutrition, and water assistance to people with the highest need.
Contributions
No new CERF pledges were recorded in February 2024, but the total ($434 million) remains similar to what was received in paid, pledged, and pipelined income at the same time last year. The total amount of pledges that has already been paid out has increased from January to February, however, and now stands at $137 million.
CERF Climate Action Account In numbers:
CERF’s Climate Action Account offers a quick, efficient, and impactful avenue for climate finance to assist the world’s most vulnerable communities in facing the consequences of the climate emergency. It enables donors to directly contribute to anticipatory action and humanitarian responses to climate-related disasters such as floods, droughts, storms and extreme heat, anywhere in the world. Additional finance dedicated to climate-related disasters will allow CERF to meet rising climate-related needs. The Account serves to scale CERF’s capacity for anticipatory action and humanitarian assistance in response to climate-related disasters. Its establishment upholds the Fund’s life-saving mandate and preserves its established, needs-based decision-making processes, and administrative and operational frameworks.
Contributions to the account are consolidated and attributed exclusively to CERF’s climate-related disaster portfolio, which encompasses anticipatory action and response. This ensures donors that their contributions will be solely directed towards addressing the impact of climate-related disasters. CERF allocations will continue to focus on the most pressing humanitarian needs, in an independent, impartial and neutral manner. They will enable humanitarian partners to swiftly initiate relief efforts in response to, or in anticipation of, humanitarian disasters – whether instigated by climate factors or other causes.
Additionality of funding is key for the Climate Action Account and donors are encouraged to confirm that contributions to it are resources that would not have been available to CERF otherwise.
COUNTRY-BASED POOLED FUNDS
as of 29 February
February allocations (US$)
$ 7 million
Total allocations (US$)
$ 19 million
Countries assisted with allocations
2
CBPF Allocations
Central African Republic ($3.5 million): The CAR Humanitarian Fund (HF) allocated $3.5 million focusing on needs related to gender-based violence (GBV) and child malnutrition. The allocation prioritises collaboration with local partners to provide critical support to GBV survivors in Ouham and Ouham Pendé and malnourished children in Bamingui and Haute Kotto.
Democratic Republic of Congo ($3.5 million): The DRC Humanitarian Fund allocated $3.5 million to rapidly meet the critical shelter, water and sanitation needs of 7,000 displaced households.
"The humanitarian context in CAR is a fast-paced environment that requires a constant adaptation of the humanitarian response. The HF is an important tool to act and make adjustments in a flexible, timely and effective way."
- Mohamed AG Ayoya, Humanitarian Coordinator for CAR
Contributions
In February 2024, donors have contributed $312 million which is below the level of February 2023 ($402 million). OCHA continues to advocate for early funding to the CBPFs.
OCHA’s pooled funds enable lifesaving humanitarian response for people in Gaza
OCHA’s pooled funds enable lifesaving humanitarian response for people in Gaza
Occupied Palestinian Territory, Gaza. Since Ayla was born in early October 2023, her mother’s focus has been on keeping her safe and healthy. However, as the intense bombardment from air, land, and sea continues, it has been difficult to do so.
People are hungry. Nearly one million people face emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 4); with a further 378,000 in Phase 5, facing extreme lack of food, starvation, and exhaustion of coping capacities.
People have lost their homes. About 1.7 million people – three-quarters of the population – have fled their homes because of the conflict. About 60 per cent of civilian housing has been destroyed as well as other critical infrastructure and essential services like hospitals or clean water supply.
Yasmina had planned to exclusively breastfeed Ayla, but now she herself cannot find enough to eat. “Finding nutritious food is a daily struggle, and it’s affecting Ayla’s feeding. We can barely find the minimum,” she explained. Yasmina adds that she has to supplement with formula – which is not always available, and costs over six dollars per box when it is.
The water she and her husband can find isn’t clean, so she boils it – and Ayla doesn’t like the taste of her formula with this water. And at night, the sounds of bombing keep her and the baby awake. “It is terrifying. I hug and shield her with my body, fearing for her safety from breaking glass and collapsing buildings.”
OCHA’s Pooled Funds – the Central Emergency Response Fund and the OPT Humanitarian Fund – are helping humanitarian organisations to respond to some of the needs Yasmina and Ayla face, alongside millions like them, while hostilities continue.
Immediate assistance through our local partners
Since 7 October, the occupied Palestinian Territories Humanitarian Fund has disbursed about $55 million to respond to urgent needs in Gaza.
The recent allocation in December 2023 allocated some $40 million to urgently help people in Gaza by providing hot meals, water bottles, basic hygiene supplies, and emergency reproductive healthcare.
Non-governmental organization Ma’an Development Center distributed emergency supplies and fresh drinking water. They also delivered winter jackets and blankets, as well as essential supplies like baby wipes and diapers and hygiene supplies for all ages, in parts of Rafah, Khan-Younes, and Middle Areas. Ma’an also provided affected people sheltering in schools and their homes with drinking water – over 2 million liters in a recent distribution. Other Humanitarian Fund partners – Palestinian and international – continue to provide immediate assistance.
At the same time, the Central Emergency Response Fund allocated $12 million in October through its Rapid Response mechanism, directing funding for healthcare, food, water, sanitation, and shelter – aiming to reach about 372,000 people. This funding is helping provide displaced people with ready-to-eat meals, and household supplies. It’s also supporting water service providers with operational and maintenance materials and water trucks, and getting essential medical supplies, fuel, and equipment for Gaza’s battered health system.
For example, with support from CERF and other donors, UNICEF dispatched life-saving medicines and equipment to the Gaza Strip, including supplies for mothers and newborns, like baby Ayla. And UNICEF is also making sure that children affected by the conflict are getting essential routine vaccinations.
Based on original stories from UNICEF.
For more information, see the OPT Humanitarian Response Plan; CERF allocation Allocation summary | CERF (un.org); the oPt Humanitarian Fund website; and find real-time contribution and allocation data on the Pooled Funds Data Hub.
The OPT HF continues to raise funds to support Ma’an and other partners via the public CrisisRelief campaign: Help the people of Gaza • (un.org)
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