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