Global Humanitarian Overview 2024 Monthly Updates

September update

Inter-Agency Coordinated Appeals: September Update

People in Need
311.3M
People Targeted
186.6M
Appeals
43
Requirements (US$)
$49B
Inter-Agency Appeals Funding (US$)
$16.21B
Appeals Coverage
32.7%
Total Humanitarian Funding (US$)
$22.48B

The 2024 Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) requires $49 billion to assist 187.6 million of the people in need across 73 countries through 43 coordinated response plans.

More than $1.7 billion was reported during the month of September, bringing GHO funding to $16.21 billion. This is $1.42 billion or eight per cent less than at the same time last year. Coverage of appeal requirements has reached 32.7 per cent, meanwhile, the gap between the financial requirements and funding currently stands at more than $32 billion.

Total reported humanitarian funding has reached $22.48 billion, which is a decrease of around seven per cent compared to the amount recorded at the same time last year ($24.3 billion).

While it is early to predict end-year funding and coverage of GHO requirements, analysis of trends and donor intentions indicate it is unlikely that the 2024 funding will reach the amount recorded for 2023 ($25.11 billion) and that coverage will remain below the previous five-year average of 55 per cent.

By end September 2024, total income projections for 2024 to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) remain concerningly low at $524.6 million, the lowest level since 2017. This will have direct and drastic consequences on the Fund’s ability to allocate funding in rapid-onset and underfunded crises until the of the year.
Expected income to the Country-based Pooled Funds (CBPFs), reached $838.3 million by the end of September 2024. The outlook for the funds in 2024 and 2025 remains concerning and worrying for the Funds’ operationality. A more comprehensive overview of the CBPFs will be provided in the October update.

Timely reporting of humanitarian contributions from donors and recipients is crucial to provide reliable and complete data for trend analysis. All partners are encouraged to report funding to the Financial Tracking Service (fts@un.org).

Upcoming Event


The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will convene a Ministerial-level conference to address the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin on 26 October in Jeddah , Saudi Arabia. The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KS Relief) is organizing this conference on behalf of the OIC, in coordination with OCHA and UNHCR.

The high-level event will feature a moderated panel with humanitarian leaders that will explore how the international community can best promote solutions for crisis-affected populations in the region. It also includes a pledging component to mobilize much needed resources. During the event, the international community will reaffirm its commitments, strengthen coordination efforts, boost resource mobilization, and prioritize sustainable interventions to address the region’s pressing humanitarian needs.

The event will be live-streamed on UNWebTV. For more information, please contact Ms. Amani Salah at salah1@un.org.

Lebanon: Flash Appeal and Humanitarian Fund

People in Need
1M
People Targeted
1M
Requirements (US$)
$425.7

Lebanon is facing the largest escalation of conflict since the 2006 Lebanon War. The number of people killed has risen to 2,083 and 9,869 people have been wounded as of 7 October according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Displacement triggered by intense Israeli strikes and civilian evacuation orders now surpasses that of the 2006 war. National authorities continue to estimate that more than one million people have been displaced by the intense military escalation, mainly from southern Lebanon and Beirut’s densely populated southern suburbs. The IOM Displacement Tracking matrix (round 51) published on 8 October reports an increase in displacement from 350,000 on 29 September to 608,500 on 7 October.

Many people have been displaced multiple times since October 2023 and the majority of them require urgent assistance, having fled their homes rapidly without the basic items they need for daily life. The communities and centres hosting them also require support. Refugees are facing even more difficult circumstances now due to a lack of access to shelter and essential services. Displacement from Lebanon to Syria has also been reported, with some 220,000 people estimated to have crossed the border since 24 September.

The ongoing violence and rapidly deteriorating security situation are putting hundreds of thousands of people’s lives at risk. This catastrophic escalation in hostilities comes against a backdrop of a multi-layered and complex governance, economic and financial crisis in Lebanon, which has been marked by a steady deterioration of social stability and systems, internal and external shocks, such as COVID-19 and the Beirut Port explosion in 2020.

Lebanon is estimated by its government to be hosting 1.5 million displaced Syrians (who fled the crisis in Syria); 23,026 Palestine Refugees from Syria; 180,000 Palestine Refugees in Lebanon; and over 11,200 refugees of other nationalities, making it the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometre in the world, according to UNHCR.

In support of the Government-led emergency response, the humanitarian community launched a Flash Appeal on 1 October to enable partners to rapidly deliver principled and effective humanitarian assistance for three months (October to December 2024). The appeal calls for $425.7 million to deliver life-saving assistance and protection to one million Lebanese, Syrians, Palestine Refugees in Lebanon, Palestine Refugees from Syria, and migrants.

This Flash Appeal is fully complementary to and supportive of the Lebanon Response Plan (LRP) 2024, which remains the primary planning framework in the country supporting an integrated humanitarian and stabilization response, co-led with the Government. Under the LRP, partners appealed for $2.72 billion to address the impact of the pre-existing crises in Lebanon in 2024, with just 25 per cent funding received as of mid-year.

Pooled Funds in Lebanon

The CERF and the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund have enabled a swift scale-up of the humanitarian response in Lebanon.

On 27 September, the Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), Joyce Msuya, approved a CERF Rapid Response (RR) allocation of $10 million to address urgent humanitarian needs following the heightened conflict between Israel and Hezbollah on 23 September (on top of the $10 million allocated to Lebanon in CERF’s Underfunded allocation earlier in March 2024). This allocation will enable immediate action in key sectors such as health, food security, and shelter.

The Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) is also launching a $10 million allocation to address emerging needs through a flexible and localized approach. This response will leverage pre-identified partners and focus on the provision of life-saving essentials, emergency shelter, healthcare and food to support both displaced populations and host communities.

New contributions to the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund are urgently needed to sustain further emergency allocations in view of the evolving situation in Lebanon. The Lebanon Fund is well-placed to scale up allocations on a rolling basis in line with new contributions, while ensuring proper oversight and risk management practices.

For more information on the LHF: Lebanon Humanitarian Fund at a glance, September 2024 [EN/AR] | OCHA (unocha.org)

Lebanon Humanitarian Fund | OCHA (unocha.org)

Regional Focus: Latin America and the Caribbean

Latin America is facing multiple, overlapping crises, making it the second-most disaster-prone and the most socially unequal region globally. Challenges include climate change, poverty, gang-related violence, displacement, and mass migration. In addition, climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent and severe. The ongoing El Niño phenomenon - and its transition to La Niña - exacerbate these challenges through prolonged droughts or intense rainfalls, worsening conditions for the 32 per cent of the population living below the poverty line across the region. Extreme weather patterns have impacted Central America’s Dry Corridor, along with the Andean zones of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, and northeastern Brazil, which faced El Niño related droughts. Volatile storms have also impacted countries in the Caribbean, and Central and North America, leading to reduced agricultural production and food insecurity. Haiti is also grappling with rising violence and food insecurity, further worsening the existing humanitarian needs.

Human mobility, including mixed movements of migrants and refugees, remains a critical issue and is fuelled by poverty, inequality, and violence. The nationality of people on the move is also becoming more diverse. Mass mixed migration impacts countries like Honduras and Panama, which have been filled by the large influx of migrants crossing treacherous areas like the Darién Gap. Haitians are also leaving their country as a result of rising violence and food insecurity.

Since 2019, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has tripled in 2024 to reach nearly 40 million people. The UN and its humanitarian partners aim to assist 45 per cent – or 17.7 million - of the people in need in 2024.

Funding requirements

Humanitarian funding requirements in the Latin America and Caribbean region rose by 115 per cent overall between 2019 and 2024. In 2019, there were only three appeals—two for Venezuela and one for Haiti. In 2024, humanitarian plans are in place for Colombia, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, Venezuela (HRP and RMRP), Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines .

Venezuela and Haiti have the largest and most consistently high funding requirements over this period, reflecting deep, ongoing crises. Venezuela’s HRP funding needs started high at $222.7 million in 2019, peaked in 2022 at $794.9 million, and then decreased to $617 million in 2024. The Venezuela Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP) saw an even greater rise in requirements - from $737.6 million in 2019 to $1.59 billion in 2024. This plan supports vulnerable refugees and migrants, as well as affected host communities, with their immediate humanitarian and protection needs, and resilience-oriented interventions. Haiti's HRP requirements to address needs caused by chronic instability and natural disasters have fluctuated dramatically, rising sharply from $126.2 million in 2019 to $471.9 million in 2020, dipping to $235.6 million in 2021, and then soaring again to $719.8 million in 2023. In 2024, needs are $673.7 million in 2024. In Colombia, the HRP saw fluctuations but a steady rise overall, from around $210 million in 2020 to nearly $332 million in 2024, indicating increasing humanitarian needs mainly due to migration, internal conflicts and impact of natural hazards.

In Central America, the 2024 appeals for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have remained high, in line with previous years due to migration, internal conflicts, and climate-related impacts. The plan for Guatemala, which requires $125 million, was designed to complement ongoing development projects and government efforts. In Honduras, the plan requires $205 million to respond to the needs of 1.3 million people. The response is based on collectively identified shocks that drive humanitarian needs - climate change, violence, human mobility and food insecurity. Response activities are designed to complement ongoing development projects and government efforts. In El Salvador, the humanitarian community aims to assist more than 506,000 of the most vulnerable people (around 45 per cent of people in need) and requires $87 million for the response. The number of people in need for 2024 increased slightly from 2023 due to El Niño-induced drought conditions and the need for protection services in communities that were previously inaccessible.

The additional appeals in 2024 are for Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. These plans were developed in the wake of Hurricane Beryl.

Funding

Despite the overall upwards trend in requirements, funding to humanitarian appeals in the region remains critically inadequate, with only 25 per cent of the required $3.64 billion raised as of end September, leaving millions at risk in 2024 as the region faces both worsening conditions and reduced humanitarian resources. In absolute terms, total funding across the region saw a significant increase from $527.9 million in 2019 to a peak of $1.49 billion in 2023, before dropping significantly to $897.4 million (to date) in 2024.

Recorded funding for Colombia increased steadily from $28.9 million in 2020 to $116.7 million in 2023. The funding as of end September 2024 is $152.9 million, or 46 per cent funded of the HRP requirements.

Funding for the El Salvador appeal peaked at $33.4 million in 2021 and reached $30.8 million in 2023. As of end of September, it stands at $21.4 million, or 25 per cent of the funding requirement. Funding for Guatemala has fluctuated, peaking at $56.9 million in 2022 and dropping to $40.7 million as of end of 2023. As of end of September, the funding stands at $48.4 million, representing 39 per cent of the current requirements. Honduras saw a sharp increase in funding between 2020 and 2022, peaking at $66.9 million, before falling to $47.6 million in 2023. Though the country’s needs have grown, funding remains inconsistent and insufficient. The HRP for Honduras is 31 per cent funded ($62.2 million) as of end of September.

Haiti has experienced substantial fluctuations in funding. After a peak of $193.1 million in 2022, funding continued to rise in 2023 to $245.2 million. As of end of September 2024, funding stands at $264.2 million, which is 39 per cent of the requirements. Venezuela saw significant funding increases over time, peaking at $398.2 million in 2023, but a sharp drop to $104 million has been observed as of end of September 2024. The HRP for Venezuela for 2024 is currently 17 per cent funded, the lowest covered HRP globally. In 2020, the Venezuela RMRP had received the largest amount of funding in the region, peaking at $666.9 million. Despite ongoing needs, so far only 16 per cent of the required funding to assist 2.9 million people has been received. This is significantly lower than in previous years, severely impacting partners’ ability to reach those in-need. The number of those reached to date in 2024 is less than half of those reached in previous years. The two appeals for Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are only 4 and 2 per cent funded, respectively, as of end of September. These figures most likely reflect their only recent inclusion in humanitarian appeals and highlight the modest international financial response to the needs.

Alongside the response plans, the region is spearheading innovative funding mechanisms. The Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) has approved an for Central America’s Dry Corridor. If defined triggers are reached, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras could receive up to $10 million that will make it possible to respond to impending impacts of drought.

Regional Humanitarian Fund in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Regional Humanitarian Fund for Latin America and the Caribbean was established in April 2024 primarily to provide funding to local and national NGOs at the front-line of the humanitarian response in the region. These actors are actively engaged in the Fund’s processes and governance, making it well-placed to address locally identified priorities with local solutions, and to improve context-appropriate humanitarian action and the quality of assistance across the region.

In view of the forecasted spike in humanitarian needs in Haiti, a Haiti Country Envelope has been established with an initial annual funding target of $10 million for the first year. This envelope will provide predictable funding for national partners, which play a vital role in the delivery of assistance. As of end of September, seven donors (Canada, Colombia, the European Commission, Germany, Ireland, Spain, and the United States) have contributed a total of $5 million (paid and pledged) to the Haiti Country Envelope of the RHF for Latin America and the Caribbean. The Colombia Country Envelope has launched its first allocation for $2.5 million to support communities internally displaced and heavily affected by the increased in clashes and conflict between non-state armed groups. This allocation will support communities internally displaced and heavily affected by the increase in clashes and conflict between non-state armed groups. It will also have a strong localization focus by involving communities to identify local solutions.

Venezuela Humanitarian Fund

The Venezuela Humanitarian Fund (VHF) was established in 2020 as a rapid and flexible funding mechanism supporting national and international NGOs and UN agencies in a fast-changing environment. As of end of September, nine donors (Canada, EU, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the US) have contributed a total of $10.8 million (paid and pledged) to the Fund in 2024. Since its creation in 2020, contributions to the VHF have varied, from $5.4 million in 2020 to an average of $12 million per year between 2021 and 2023.

In August 2024, the Venezuelan Humanitarian Fund allocated $8 million for a multisectoral response, with a focus on improving access to health, nutrition and protection services. A priority in this allocation was to incorporate a gender lens to address the gaps that especially affect women, girls, boys, adolescents, elderly, people with disabilities and the LGBTIQ+ population.

Pooled Funds

Total 2024 Allocations (US$)
$1B
Countries Assisted with 2024 Allocations
44

In September 2024, the OCHA-managed Pooled Funds allocated grants across 19 countries amounting to $180.1 million to enable essential and life-saving humanitarian assistance. Of this amount, the Country-Based Pooled Funds (CBPF) allocated $87.7 million while the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated $92.4 million.

For more information about allocations, see below and visit the CBPFs’ Data Hub, CERF's Data Hub and CERF's website. nd visit the CBPFs’ Data Hub, CERF's Data Hub and CERF's website.

CENTRAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND

Allocations endorsed by the ERC, a.i. as of 30 September 2024

September Allocations (US$)
$92.4M
Total 2024 Allocations (US$)
$379.2M
Countries Assisted with Allocations in September
14

Allocations in focus: In September, the anticipatory action framework in Nepal was triggered following intense monsoon rains that are likely to result in severe floodings. Within minutes of the trigger being reached, CERF allocated $3.4 million to enable partners to get ahead of the floods and mitigate their impact through multi-purpose cash transfers, including for women at risk of gender-based violence (GBV); dignity and reproductive health kits; seed storage bags; water treatment and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facility rehabilitation; and psycho-social support. The anticipatory action framework in Chad also triggered in September following forecasts predicting heavy rains and flooding around the Chari River. The trigger released $5 million in CERF funding which is enabling more than 230,000 people to better cope with the impact of the floods through cash transfer assistance; targeted aid for pregnant women and GBV survivors; distribution of dignity and health kits; water treatment, seed storage; and psycho-social services.

By end September 2024, total income projections for 2024 remain at a worrying $524.6 million, the lowest level since 2017. Continued low funding will have direct and drastic consequences on the Fund’s ability to allocate funding in rapid-onset and underfunded crises until the of the year.

Fundraising for the CERF Climate Action Account continues. The Climate Account serves to scale CERF’s capacity for anticipatory action and humanitarian assistance in response to climate-related disasters. For more information see this flyer. Since its inception in 2006, CERF has allocated $2.5 billion in relation to climate hazards, which has enabled life-saving assistance for millions of people.

COUNTRY-BASED POOLED FUNDS

as of 30 September

September Allocations (US$)
$87.7M
Total 2024 Allocations (US$)
$633.7M
Countries Assisted with Allocations in September
9

Allocation in focus: Following the recent conflict escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, Lebanon is experiencing a wave of mass internal displacement, and thousands have been killed or injured in the final half of September alone. In response, the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) has launched a $10 million allocation to address urgent humanitarian needs, focusing on ensuring flexible, lifesaving aid for the newly displaced, including those in collective shelters. Assistance will be delivered by the best-placed partners, including local and national NGOs, and will support a coordinated humanitarian response and help kick-start the $250 million Flash Appeal.

Contributions: Expected income to CBPFs, reached $838.3 million by the end of September 2024, thus gradually closing the gap with last year’s income of $900 million. The funding outlook for the funds in 2024 and 2025 remains of great concern.

Pooled Funds Story

Delivering assistance for women
Venezuela, Delta Amacuro.

Soila Palacios is a medical doctor and a native Warao from Delta Amacuro in the far east of the country. She is also an interpreter which makes her a critical member of the team at Venezuelan NGO El Paragüero which she regularly joins to translate between the Warao indigenous language and Spanish. Delta Amacuro was one of three states in 2023 to benefit from the Venezuela Humanitarian Fund’s focus on funding for indigenous communities. It is a poor region, where 66 per cent of people live in extreme poverty. The economic collapse in Venezuela has resulted in loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, and a lack of basic services. Dr. Palacios knows this area and people well. Some villages take four hours to reach by boat. Dr. Palacios explains that many people feel comfortable telling her things in Warao that they would not share in Spanish, or with someone who only spoke Spanish. Many of the most vulnerable people are forced to reduce meals or engage in other negative coping activities for survival.

Dr. Palacios supports a project for women funded by the Venezuela Humanitarian Fund and implemented by El Paragüero together with HIAS (an international faith-based Jewish organization that works with refugees). The project aims to reach 70 per cent of the women here with protection, livelihoods, and health support. Protection work is crucial and includes legal counselling to obtain birth registration; improving systems to prevent trafficking and GBV; and strengthening child protection. A significant driver of food insecurity is the loss of local fishing knowledge and other ‘traditional’ activities, and food security interventions include training on fishing, handicrafts, and local food processing. Health assistance focuses on training staff, including midwives, and strengthening community-based health surveillance, so that people look out for each other and can refer them to the clinic when needed.

Dr. Palacios sees her role as more than work. “As a translator, I help empower and support indigenous people here, especially the most vulnerable,” she explains. For example, during training on fishing or food processing, Dr. Palacios is on hand to translate and make sure women’s questions are raised and answered clearly. Her presence makes the women more comfortable to ask questions, and she helps them get the answers they’re looking for. With her linguistic expertise and deep understanding of the communities, Dr. Palacios helps ensure the respectful integration of diverse cultures, the full participation of indigenous people in all phases of the project, and successful outcomes for women.

More information on the VHF: Venezuela Humanitarian Fund | OCHA (unocha.org)

Pooled Funds Data Hub.

References

  1. The last two are dedicated post-hurricane Beryl appeals.
  2. There was no appeal for Colombia in 2019.