The reach and quality of humanitarian assistance
In 2023, the UN and partner organizations aimed to assist 245 million people through 36 country plans and 9 regional plans. This represents a 7 per cent increase in the original number of people targeted for assistance at the beginning of 2023, and was largely driven by the crisis in Sudan, the conflict in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and natural disasters in Afghanistan, Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, Syria and Türkiye. Of all the people targeted by plans at country level, 128 million (62 per cent) benefited from at least one form of aid during the year.
To provide this life-saving assistance, humanitarians innovated and invested in new partnerships. The voices and agency of affected communities were re-affirmed, at the center of the assistance. Local and national organizations were recognized as critical to providing efficient and dignified assistance to the communities in need, in addition to private sector actors, who supported humanitarian response in at least 15 crises through 2023.
Voices of affected communities
19 million people used feedback mechanisms to share their concerns, make complaints and ask questions
UNICEFPartnership with private actors
7.8 million people received humanitarian assistance supported by partnerships with private actors
Connecting Business InitiativeLeadership of local actors
A third of OCHA pooled fund allocations went to national NGOs (34 per cent) or $246 million
OCHAImproving food security and nutrition
Humanitarians provided critical assistance to fight food insecurity and avoid escalation to famine. People facing acute food insecurity received time-sensitive food aid and cash assistance. At the same time, emergency agriculture and livelihood support enabled communities to meet their own needs, even in remote rural areas and during conflict. In Sudan, despite active fighting at a critical moment in the agricultural season, crop seeds were able to be distributed to almost 1 million farming households in time for planting. Harvests from these seeds fed about 13 million people for over 7 months (FAO).
Food assistance
119.5 million people received food, cash and voucher assistance
WFPMalnutrition
17 million children under 5 years of age benefited from early detection services and treatment for severe wasting
UNICEFSocial Protection
625,000 households reached with cash transfers through an existing government system
UNICEFAgriculture assistance
More than 30 million people received emergency agriculture assistance
FAOCash assistance
$2.3 billion transferred to 47 million people in the form of cash or voucher assistance
WFPMulti-Purpose Cash assistance
145,000 Somalis affected by the drought received multipurpose cash assistance
IOMInclusive health care
Complex and multiple health emergencies have pushed humanitarian partners to scale-up the provision of essential health services whilst also responding to new disease outbreaks. Emergency health assistance reached 46 million people from January to August 2023 (Health cluster).
Nearly all people affected by humanitarian emergencies experience psychological distress and humanitarians have stepped up to incorporate mental health and psychosocial support in response efforts. In 2023, over 2.1 million mental health-related consultations were provided (Health cluster).
Partners increased their investments to safeguard the health of women and girls, with over 10.6 million people receiving sexual and reproductive health services (UNFPA). Humanitarians also ensured that people with disabilities had adequate access to humanitarian assistance and care, including physical rehabilitation and psychosocial support.
Emergency health care
1.4 million trauma consultations organized
Health ClusterMaternal Health
5 million maternal health consultations organized
Health ClusterSexual and reproductive health
Over 3,500 health facilities supported with sexual and reproductive health services
UNFPAChild health care
26.8 million children vaccinated against measles
UNICEFDisability
319,000 disability-related consultations organized
Health ClusterMobile clinics
8,329 mobile health clinics deployed
Health ClusterMultisectoral humanitarian assistance
Humanitarians delivered multisectoral assistance based on the priority needs and preferences expressed by the communities in 2023. This included those affected by displacement. In Ukraine and neighboring countries, 2.7 million people affected by the crisis were provided with essential WASH assistance for instance, while 1.2 million people received shelter support (IOM).
The Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster reached over 11 million displaced persons.
Humanitarians prioritized education and used schools to provide additional support, such as nutritious food, protection activities and health check-ups. For boys and girls caught in emergency situations, accessing education not only meant continuity of learning but also provided a sense of normalcy, a safe space and a key for a different future.
Coordinated assistance in camps
6,200 sites covered by 309 national and international partners across 19 countries
CCCM ClusterSafe water
23.2 million people accessed a sufficient quantity of safe water
UNICEFEducation
13.9 million children accessed formal or informal education
UNICEFNFI
11.1 million people received NFI assistance
NFI ClusterSocial protection
4.7 million refugees and asylum seekers benefited from government protection social programmes
UNHCRShelter
3.7 million people received shelter assistance
Shelter ClusterProtection
Humanitarian organizations provided holistic protection services, including GBV interventions, legal aid, mine action services and psychological support. Over eight million people under UNHCR’s mandate received protection.
Protection
12 million people received protection services
Protection ClusterGBV assistance
4.2 million people received GBV prevention and response services
UNFPAWomen and girls safe spaces
1,700 safe spaces supported for women and girls to access physical and emotional safety
UNFPAProtection for women
803,000 women accessed protection, learning and livelihood support and services in 27 countries
UNWOMENMine action
9.6 million children accessed explosive weapons-related risk education and survivor assistance interventions
UNICEFChild protection
10.8 million children, adolescents and their caregivers received community-based mental health and psychosocial support
UNICEFProtection and assistance under regional plans
Never before have so many people have been forced to leave their country to seek safety. Regional plan partners worked together to help refugees, migrants and host communities to meet their basic needs.
Food assistance
902,800 Rohingya refugees received regular food assistance through the e-voucher outlets and fresh food corners
Rohingya JRP/Cox BazarCash assistance
314,776 households affected by the Syrian crisis provided with emergency cash assistance
Syria 3RPProtection
606,500 refugees and migrants from Venezuela and members of affected host communities received protection services across 17 countries
Venezuela RMRPLivelihoods
38,628 individuals affected by the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo received livelihood support
DRC RRPWASH
109,419 Afghan refugees benefited from improved access to basic drinking water services
Afghanistan RRRPEducation
470,000 Ukrainian girls and boys enrolled in formal education in host countries
Ukraine RRPSafe and coordinated response
Humanitarian operations depend on a range of coordination and support services to reach populations in need and to ensure communities can access the appropriate information and assistance. Efficient communication and transportation are critical to ensuring humanitarian safety, enabling security and medical evacuations, and connecting humanitarians when no other reliable systems are available. The Logistics Cluster provided 203 humanitarian partners with logistics services.
Logistic services
More than 64,000 m3 of life-saving items stored and 19,400 metric tonnes of cargo dispatched
Logistic ClusterCoordination structures
More than 2,300 coordination mechanisms functioning in 29 operations
OCHATelecommunication services
9,195 humanitarians from 360 organizations supported with Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) services
ETC clusterTransport services
More than 320,000 passengers and more than 5,200 MT of humanitarian cargo from 700 organizations transported to over 400 destinations
UNHASNotations: UNHCR and UNICEF figures (including associated clusters) are midyear numbers covering the first six months of 2023. Health Cluster numbers are cumulate up to 30 August 2023. UNHAS figures cover January to October 2023. WFP figures cover January to June 2023. Logistics cluster figures cover January to July 2023. IOM's figures are cumulative up to 30 September 2023.