UNICEF Humanitarian Action Report 2009 by Ann M. Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director 9:15am 26th Jan, 2009   Jan 2009    Humanitarian Action Report 2009, by Ann M. Veneman.    The year 2008 has seen significant global humanitarian challenges ranging from devastating natural disasters, escalating food and oil prices to worsening conflict situations.    In recent decades, the number and severity of natural disasters has increased significantly. In 2008 alone, there was a devastating hurricane season affecting the Caribbean, catastrophic earthquakes in China and Pakistan, a worst-ever cyclone disaster in Myanmar’s history, floods and landslides in South Asia, and drought and floods in the Horn of Africa.    Humanitarian situations have also deteriorated in several ongoing and protracted emergencies, including renewed fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and worsening food insecurity in Zimbabwe.    Increasingly complex humanitarian crisis situations require emergency preparedness, rapid response, capacity-building of all actors involved and sound partnerships with governments, UN agencies, NGOs and communities. UNICEF is committed to further improving its capacity to protect children and women around the world and alleviate their suffering.    The Humanitarian Action Report (HAR) is UNICEF’s annual appeal for children and women affected by emergencies around the world. The 2009 report comprises 36 countries in the six UNICEF regions.    Children and women suffer most from conflict situations, war, natural disasters and dire health and nutrition situations. We rely on your support to be able to respond effectively and efficiently to the needs of children and women affected by emergencies and to ensure their protection and well-being.    The Impact of High Food Prices on UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action.    A majority of the countries included in the HAR have been negatively affected by the high food prices to consumers, which have aggravated the nutritional situation of children and women in vulnerable settings. Whereas in 2007 it was estimated that 850 million6 people persisted in a hunger status of concern, the high prices have likely increased that number to 950 million.    Even prior to 2008, many families were struggling to survive, although prices fell by 75 per cent between 1974 and 2005. Between May 2007 and May 2008, the food price index rose by 50 per cent, making it impossible for some families to afford basic foods for their children.    Furthermore, existing vulnerabilities in countries affected by protracted conflicts and political crises, disasters as well as endemic HIV and AIDSare exacerbated and deepened by high food prices, which force families to take extreme measures. Child protection issues gain additional importance in such an environment as child labour is likely to increase, child marriage becomes more common and school attendance is negatively impacted. UNICEF is conducting a wide range of child protection activities in order to militate against these adverse consequences.    Under the Comprehensive Framework for Action (CFA) some 27 countries,10 of which 17 are included in this HAR, have been identified for intensified implementation of coordinated responses to high food prices. The global partnership REACH, convened by UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP), is another key initiative to eliminate child hunger and undernutrition.    UNICEF’s response in cooperation with its partners is to help governments ensure nutritional security, especially for children and pregnant and lactating women. Nutritional security implies not only access to adequate food, but also access to appropriate micronutrients, safe water, hygiene and sanitation, quality health-care services, and improved household and community practices in childcare, food hygiene and preparation.    As reflected in the HAR, UNICEF has undertaken various initiatives to tackle the negative impact high food prices can have on the health and nutritional status of children. However, UNICEF will require more resources to be able to respond to the needs of children and women worldwide in 2009.    Emergencies included in this Humanitarian Action Report represent only a small fraction of UNICEF-assisted emergency response. UNICEF is present in the field in more than 150 countries, which gives it a comparative advantage in addressing new emergencies. Between 2005 and 2007,4 UNICEF responded annually to some 276 emergencies in 92 countries. On average, only 25 per cent were ongoing or protracted emergencies, while 75 per cent were new emergencies.    Emergencies may take the form of disasters, socio-political conflict, epidemics, systematic human rights violations, or any other situation which puts at risk the rights and well-being of women and children to such an extent that extraordinary measures are required. Between 2005 and 2007, over 50 per cent of emergencies were caused by disasters, whereas conflict-related interventions accounted for 30 per cent and health related emergencies for 19 per cent of UNICEF’s emergency response. Visit the related web page
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