4 million people remain displaced due to the North - South conflict, which ended in January 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. In Darfur, over 2 million Sudanese have been displaced over the past four years. More than 6 million people currently displaced due to violent confllict in the Sudan - this equates to just under 20 percent of the country's overall population. Overall, the humanitarian situation in southern Sudan has stabilized, leading to increased need for sustained recovery and developments efforts. The situation in the north, specifically in Darfur, has deteriorated at a higher pace since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement on 5 May 2006.

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CERF allocates US$ 6.2 million to assist refugees in Western Darfur and Southern Sudan and to prevent an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever

With the surge in violence, in particular intra-tribal fighting, and the resulting impact on the human rights situation in West Darfur, UNHCR has received funding from the CERF to ensure improve the level of protection for 800,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 50,000 Chadian refugees.

A girl waits outside a UNHCR refugee reception centre near Yei town, Southern Sudan [Photo: IRIN]

 

The CERF allocated another rapid response grant to UNHCR to support the safe return of some 30,000 refugees currently in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya and Uganda to Southern Sudan. Terre des Hommes, the International Rescue Committee and Concern Worldwide are assisting UNCHR in protection monitoring and protection interventions of IDPs, with a special focus on the elderly.

CERF funding is enabling WHO to strengthen the local health systems’ capacity to rapidly detect, assess and contain an outbreak of the Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in humans in five northern states. The UN agency is tightening the infection control practices in hospitals, reinforcing coordination and operations management, as well as integrated surveillance, case management, infection control and risk communication to help 14.7 million people.

FAO is using a CERF grant to assist the Government of Sudan in its efforts to prevent a possible outbreak of RVF in livestock. The spread of Rift Valley Fever could have a long-term impact on food security, livestock trade and cash income for the rural communities, who depend on their livestock.

[Last Update: 24 January 2008]

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CERF allocates US$ 8.7 million for humanitarian response to Sudan floods

17 August 2007: Amid continued devastation caused by floods in the Sudan, the CERF has approved a grant of US$ 8.7 million to support the ongoing humanitarian response. “Thanks to these funds, we will be able to assist over one and a half million current and potential flood victims, until or beyond the end of the rainy season,” Mr. Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), said. The ERC visited the country in April and has repeatedly called for the international community to generously respond to the recurrent humanitarian needs in the country. Click here for press release.

Flood victims receiving rations at an emergency distribution point, Sudan, August 2007 [Photo: IRIN/Apiku]

The grant will be used for relief operations in the most affected areas. These currently include the states of Gedaref, Kassala, Khartoum, Northern Kordofan, Unity, and Upper Nile.

The funding has been allocated to 11 different projects to be managed by five United Nations agencies: the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Of the total amount, US$ 4.5 million will provide medical drugs, health care, and support to epidemic surveillance in order to avert or contain deadly waterborne epidemics. Thanks to an additional US$ 2 million, over one million people will receive clean water or water purification products.

A further US$ 1.5 million will be used to supply non-food items and emergency shelter to families who lost their homes or essential household goods. Finally, US$ 700,000 will provide food aid to those most in need and will support livelihoods through programmes aimed at ensuring the survival of livestock and the replacement of lost crops.

This grant brings the total allocated to the Sudan flood response to US$ 13.5 million. The United Nations had already allocated an amount of US$ 4.8 million for the emergency, from its locally managed pooled fund known as the “Common Humanitarian Fund” (CHF).

On 28 August 2007, the United Nations and partners, in support of the Government of the Sudan, launched a Flash Appeal, requesting US$ 20.2 million to support continued humanitarian aid to over three million beneficiaries in the flood-stricken country. Click here for press release.

Torrential rains have devastated several parts of the Sudan since 4 July 2007. Well over 30,000 homes were destroyed or seriously damaged, leaving at least 150,000 people without shelter. The United Nations and partners have so far supplied aid to at least 500,000 people. Humanitarian organizations will now be able, together with Government counterparts, to continue responding to the emergency until at least mid-September, when the heavy rains are expected to gradually subside.

Southern Sudan
The floods disrupted the livelihood activities of 11,000 pastoral animal-keeping communities and a further 10,000 riverine fishing families in Southern Sudan. The CERF grant of US$ 320,000 is enabling the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to supply vaccines for 50,000 animals and to ensure that the affected communities have access to professional veterinary services. The allocation is also buying fishing equipment for 10,000 families. The FAO activities are seeking to protect animal protein resources and to keep fish (as cheap animal protein) available in remote affected areas.

With a CERF grant of over US$ 450,000, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is supplying 100 primary health care unit (PHCU) kits in affected areas; each kit is to serve 1,000 individuals during a one-month period. UNICEF is also distributing 25,000 long-lasting impregnated nets (LLIN) to populations in need, especially children under five years of age and pregnant women. With a second CERF allocation of US$ 1.3 million, UNICEF is transporting non-food items (NFIs) to 30,000 households, representing 180,000 people, including some 100,000 children. Every family is receiving two blankets; one piece of plastic sheeting for shelter; two jerry cans for carrying and storing water; one cooking set, including pots and other utensils, particularly for households that have lost all their basic kitchen items; and two sleeping mats. Each kit is worth some US$ 33. This is part of the NFI Common Pipeline that UNICEF is managing together with UN Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC), CARE and various other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) depending on the area. So far, this project has supported 35,000 families or more than 200,000 individuals.

With a CERF allocation of almost US$ 300,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) is supplying emergency health assistance to some 300,000 people. The WHO is providing necessary life-saving medicines and malaria-related supplies and pre-positioning interagency health emergency and diarrhoeal kits to health care facilities and mobile clinics, thus seeking to reduce the burden of communicable diseases, such as acute watery diarrhea (AWD) and cholera.

The CERF is granting almost US$ 400,000 to UNICEF to ensure a timely response to the water supply and sanitation needs of 5,464 people in three states of Southern Sudan. The activities are intended to prevent a possible outbreak of water-borne diseases. They include procurement of water purification supplies, training for household water purification, installation of four emergency water treatment units, and provision of supplies for emergency family latrines.

Northern Sudan
A US$ 375,000 CERF grant is enabling the FAO to vaccinate one million animals against the most deadly diseases and to ensure life-saving treatment for another 10,000. Community animal health workers (CAHWs) are receiving 30 veterinary kits and 20,000 units of essential drugs so they can protect the livestock of the affected communities. The FAO is also providing 2.16 tons of seeds, together with a set of hand tools, to approximately 8,000 households. The kits contain vegetable seeds for tomatoes, watermelons, okra, cucumbers and onions. Overall, this program is helping 126,000 households in Kassala State restore their food security and livelihood assets.

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is using a US$ 214,000 CERF grant to provide preventive treatment of malaria, and safe and clean delivery to pregnant women. In addition, the project is supplying sanitary material to women of reproductive age and medical care to rape victims. The UNFPA is distributing 80,000 personal hygiene kits through antenatal clinics (ANCs) and emergency obstetric care (EmOC) facilities as well as at outreach awareness-raising campaigns. At the latter events and through the ANCs it is supplying 3,000 clean delivery kits, mosquito nets and the antimalarial Fansidar. The UNFPA is also distributing 30 rape treatment kits to health facilities. In addition, it is offering refresher training for 100 reproductive health providers, including ministry staff and midwives. The program is targeting 81,500 women with a focus on an estimated 10,600 who are pregnant or lactating.

With a US$ 664,000 CERF grant the WHO is seeking to minimize the public health risks and threats linked to the outbreak of water- or vector-borne diseases. To respond swiftly to an outbreak of diarrhea, malaria or hemorrhagic fevers or to any other emergency situation, the WHO is maintaining buffer stocks of life-saving drugs and medical supplies. It is also ensuring access to quality health care services in the affected areas, assessing the damage done to health infrastructures and the emerging needs of the health system. The WHO project is also promoting water quality, safe sanitation practices, including vector control and waste management, and healthy living environments. In addition, it is strengthening the existing early warning, alert and response system in order to rapidly detect and control outbreaks. The targeted beneficiaries are more than 1.4 million Sudanese affected by the floods.

The interagency NFI Common Pipeline project, including UNICEF, the UNJLC and the NGO CARE, is seeking to respond to the needs of a total of 100,000 households representing 600,000 food-affected people. Flood victims who have lost their livelihoods and are at risk of disease outbreaks are spread over a large geographical area comprising at least ten states in Northern Sudan. Families are receiving as life-saving assistance: two blankets; one piece of plastic sheeting for shelter; two jerry cans for carrying and storing water; one cooking set (comprised of cooking pots and utensils, particularly for those that have lost all their household assets); and two sleeping mats. With a CERF grant of US$ 200,000, UNJLC (administered by the World Food Programme) is hiring additional staff to facilitate information collection and to optimize distribution of available resources and stocks. UNJLC is also extending the NFI Common Pipeline mechanism to new, flood-affected areas; expanding the NFI partnership to new distributing partners; and coordinating, tracking and assessing NFI distribution with these partners.

A CERF allocation of US$ 2.8 million is enabling the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to look after up to 1.1 million people who are affected by water- and vector-borne diseases. The project includes malaria prevention and response of some 400,000 individuals. It also covers support to therapeutic feeding centers (TFC) and supplementary feeding centers (SFC) with the aim to rehabilitate 658 severely and 4,383 moderately malnourished children under five years of age. UNICEF is providing 100 primary health care (PHC) kits, loose drugs, medical supplies and equipment. It is also supplying 120,000 LLIN for 60,000 households and anti-malaria drugs. The CERF is supporting another UNICEF project for water, sanitation and hygiene with a US$1.7 million grant. Using chlorine powder at communal water sources and distributing chlorine tablets to households helps make sure that one million people, half of them children, have safe water. 50,000 are receiving safe water through water tankers, while the construction or rehabilitation of 2,500 temporary communal latrines is benefiting another 50,000. In order to protect an additional 50,000 people from vector-borne diseases, UNICEF is conducting spraying activities in critically affected areas. 2,000 hygiene promoters are being trained to transmit hygiene education messages to one million people, while 30,000 individuals are receiving 4,000 cartons of soap to ensure more effective hygiene practices at home.

Click here to read more about CERF rapid response grants to Sudan in 2007.

[Last Update: 20 August 2007]

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CERF responds to underfunded humanitarian interventions

20 March 2007: Support for Sudan’s transition is deeply marred by the situation in Darfur, where, despite the signature of the Darfur Peace Agreement in May 2006, violence and insecurity continue to prevail. The humanitarian situation in Darfur continues to be a cause of grave concern. With four million people estimated as affected, the humanitarian needs remain high.

IDPs loading their property onto trucks at Al-Mustaqbal school, West Darfur [Photo: OCHA/Abrahamson]

With the CERF grant, UNICEF will respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Darfur in the areas of health and nutrition, water and sanitation, and education.

UNICEF will seek to strengthen primary health care (including immunization) and improve water and sanitation facilities as well as strengthening basic education and HIV/AIDS education. In the area of health and nutrition, UNICEF will provide micronutrient and integrated maternal and child nutrition, seek to treat acute malnutrition through supplementary and therapeutic feeding programmes, and ensure access to quality health care services.

WFP will provide emergency food assistance while WHO will promote environmental health services to control water and sanitation-related diseases in North and South Darfur.

One third of all funds from the Central Emergency Response Fund is earmarked for use in underfunded emergencies, in order to help redress imbalances in global aid distribution, as a result of which millions of people in so-called neglected or forgotten crises remain in need.

This allocation to Sudan in March 2007 forms part of the third allocation from the underfunded window of the CERF.   more...

 

[Last update: 4 April 2007]

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CERF in Sudan 2008

CERF in Sudan 2006

CERF Rapid Response in Sudan 2007 continued

Download the 2007 Consolidated Appeal for Sudan
Volume 1 (pdf)   Volume 2 (projects - pdf)