– Famine Risk Humanitarian Response

Capacity Snapshot v1

Largest Implementing Partner Operating in Pibor Funding required to scale up for WFP in Pibor since 2011 response: $3.8m

Figure 1: Map of South Sudan showing locations of Plan International’s Situation Overview Humanitarian Response in Pibor Based on findings of food security and nutrition projections for 2021 reflected in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reports and external Sharquia Upper reviews released in December 2020, humanitarian organizations in South Sudan commenced a scale-up of Nile Plan lifesaving operations. International’s Jonglei programme These findings estimate that 7.2m people or 60% of the locations population will be facing high levels of acute food insecurity in April-July 2021 and are in need of urgent Qalyubia action. In addition, the situation in Greater Pibor Giza Cairo Administrative Area (GPAA) in has been Giza Cairo classified as ‘catastrophic’ with a ‘likely famine’ Lekuangole especially in the Western Payams (Gumuruk, Pibor, Gumuruk Pibor Lekuangole and Verteth). Current projections for April- Verteth July 2021 estimate that 780,000 people in Jonglei State will be classified as ‘people in emergency’ or ‘people in catastrophe’. Eastern Equatoria Plan International South Sudan is currently implementing an integrated Pibor Famine Risk Humanitarian Response focusing on food assistance and nutrition, livelihoods, child protection and education. Plan International South Sudan is WFP’s largest partner in the Pibor Administrative Area. Funding required to scale up this response over the next six months is $3.8m.

Pibor Famine Risk Humanitarian Response – Capacity Snapshot v1 1 plan-international.org South Sudan Famine Risk Humanitarian Findings from Inter-Agency Response Plan, Pibor, Jonglei State Assessment Goal: To mitigate the impact of a potential famine on vulnerable populations, especially children & adolescents through immediate lifesaving Plan International South Sudan participated in a inter-agency assessment multi-sector interventions as a first phase response in Pibor County in Pibor in February 2021 led by the Food Response Sectors: Non Food Items (NFIs) Food Security and Livelihoods, Security and Livelihoods Cluster and Health and Nutrition, Child Protection and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene WFP. The objectives of the assessment (WASH) was to: • Understand the scale of the humanitarian Strategic Objectives (SO): response in Pibor County since the IPC Famine Review Committee (FRC) classified Pibor as SO 1: Deliver immediate and quality gender sensitive child protection “Famine Likely” services to address the critical needs of adolescents girls, children and • Identify variations in need between different families affected by the risk of famine. groups and geographic areas in order to inform prioritization of response planning. SO 2: Treat and prevent acute malnutrition in girls and boys under 5 years, pregnant and lactating women affected by floods through the provision of Key findings include: quality nutrition services, MIYCN messaging, NFIs and WASH services. • Continuous and widespread reports of hunger related deaths across Lekuangole, Verteth and SO 3: Support the severely food insecure displaced and host communities Gumuruk through gender sensitive lifesaving multi-purpose cash assistance that will • 2021 was reported as the most severe period of enhance access to basic commodities and food items to enhance resilience hunger in living memory to shock. • Widespread livelihood collapse and food consumption gaps SO 4: Support gender sensitive continuation of learning and delivery of quality education services for floods and conflict affected children in Pibor • Widespread prevalence of coping strategies ‘never use before’ Duration: March-September 2021: Program participants: 276,312 (F: Recommendations: 155,125) • Scale up volume and outreach of food and NFIs to remote and outlying areas (outside Pibor Food distributions town) in Pibor, March • Maintain a forward looking approach to prepare 2021. During 2021, for expected further deterioration and likely Plan International upcoming shocks (such as flooding or violence) South Sudan, in partnership with • Mainstream Accountability to Affected WFP, have already Populations throughout interventions to better distributed 992 understand community perceptions of MT to 52,000 humanitarian assistance community members as part • Maintain a conflict-sensitive approach to of its general food prevent further deterioration in conditions due to distribution potentially increasing rates of violence program.

Key Indicators and Targets for 2021

• 7,750 girls and 7,150 boys women reached with specific child protection interventions • 32,360 children and pregnant and lactating mothers with moderate acute malnutrition reached with targeted supplementary feeding • 243,953 people reached with general food distributions and targeted supplementary feeding • 1,200 HHs reached with emergency livelihood kits • 6,000 children supported to continue their education in safe learning environments including 3,336 children supported with school feeding

plan-international.org 2 Pibor Famine Risk Humanitarian Response – Capacity Snapshot v1 On-going Programme Achievements in Pibor Plan International South Sudan (2020/2021) Capacity and Coordination Plan International Sudan’s Humanitarian Programming portfolio in Pibor Country currently includes general food distributions, blanket and targeted Plan International has been operating in South Sudan since 2006 (before the supplementary feeding programme, child protection, health, education and country’s independence) and has a WASH. Key achievements for each of these sectors are highlighted below: diversity of programme activities in Lakes, Nutrition: Jonglei, Upper Nile, Central, and Eastern Equatorial States. • Admitted and treated 8,329 children with acute malnutrition Plan International South Sudan has been • Admitted and treated 6,391 pregnant and lactating women with acute operational in Pibor since 2011 with malnutrition strong presence in the area that includes • 13,311 under-five girls and boys provided with specialized nutritious 157 full time staff and manages 2 foods warehouses. • 8,641 pregnant and lactating women provided with specialized nutritious foods Plan International has an office in GPAA headed by a Program Implementation General food distributions: Area Manager and supported by the Food Security and Livelihood team. They are • In partnership with WFP, Plan International South Sudan has been also supported by M&E and distributing food in Gumuruk, Pibor, Lekuangole and Verteth within finance/administration staff that provide GPAA. In 2020, a total of 4,146 MT of assorted food was distributed to operational support to the field sites. 78,123 program participants through general food distributions (GFD) Plan International also manages 21 and blanket supplementary feeding programme (BSFP). nutrition sites for targeted supplementary Child Protection: feeding programme (TFSP) and six sites • 394 of at-risk children registered and receiving age appropriate case for general food distributions (GFD) and management services including unaccompanied and separated children blanket supplementary feeding programmes. All sites are located in and survivors of physical assault, sexual abuse and neglect Gumuruk, Pibor, Lekuangole and Verteth • 8 community based child protection networks committees established within GPAA. and functioning • 3,374 boys and 3,067 girls accessing focused and non-focused PSS Participation in national and local activities in CFS. In addition, 1,273 women and 532 men caregivers coordination mechanisms reached with PSS support Plan International South Sudan actively participates in the Humanitarian Coordination meetings and cluster Livelihoods: coordination meetings including health, • Crop, vegetable and fishing kits to 1,660 vulnerable households (9,860 food security and livelihoods, nutrition, people) in Lekuangole Payam of Pibor. A Post Distribution Monitoring child protection, WASH and NFIs. Plan International South Sudan is the Chair of exercise indicated that 72% of the respondents (n=196 HHs) were the Child Protection Working Group in satisfied with the quality and quantity of the kits; Pibor (on behalf of CP Sub-Cluster) and Health: plays a coordination role on all CPiE issues with Greater Pibor. Plan is also the • In partnership with United Networks for Health, 13,381 outpatients have lead agency representing and accessed quality essential health care services in Gumuruk and coordinating the humanitarian agencies in Lekuangole Payams Pibor on behalf of OCHA. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene • In partnership with Stop Poverty Community Initiative (SPOCI), 13,000 people in host communities, IDPs and refugee returnees have improved, equitable and sustained access to safe water in the areas with highest malnutrition rates and heightened health risks

3 Pibor Famine Risk Humanitarian Response – Capacity Snapshot v1 plan-international.org Resource Mobilisation Key Advocacy Messages Plan International South Sudan 2015-2021 South Sudan Famine Risk Over the past six years, Plan International South Sudan has raised €202m in cash and Gifts in Kind (GIK). The largest funding partner is WFP who Plan International is calling for: has provided €131m (GIK) and €19.2m in cash. Figures 1&2 illustrate both The international community to urgently large (>€3.0m) and mid range funding partners (€0.5m-3.0m). Apart from support a rapid scale up of the response to WFP, the largest funding partners include general donations from Plan the food insecurity crisis in South Sudan, with a particular focus on Pibor county. International’s National Offices (NOs), Netherlands Ministry of Foreign There is a limited window of opportunity to Affairs (MFA), UNICEF (Cash/GIK) and FAO (GIK/Cash). respond to the needs of most affected populations in Pibor before the onset of the Figure 1: Large funding partners (>€3m) supporting Plan International South Sudan rainy season and subsequent flooding that will (2015-2021) further compromises access. General FAO (GIK) All actors to uphold International Donations (€3.0m) MFA Humanitarian Law and ensure respect for (€12.5m) Netherlands humanitarian space, and the government of (€5.6m) South Sudan to take all necessary steps to UNICEF ensure continuous access for humanitarian (Cash) organizations to all populations in need of (€4.7m) assistance. This includes road improvement and clearing pathways to support humanitarian supply chains and logistics, unhindered access to set up humanitarian assistance pipelines and prepositioning of stocks and ensuring uninterrupted delivery of services. The humanitarian community to increase WFP (Cash) (€19.2m) the prioritization of and funding for gender responsive and integrated child protection, GBV and education in emergencies Figure 2: Mid range funding partners (€500,000 – €3m) supporting Plan International interventions, alongside the provision of South Sudan (2015-2021) lifesaving food and nutrition services, in order to ensure that the immediate protection and longer-term wellbeing of children, particularly 2,000,000 girls is not undermined. This includes 1,800,000 integrating child protection and GBV prevention 1,600,000 across sectors. 1,400,000 All humanitarian actors must monitor 1,200,000 impacts of food insecurity, including indirect 1,000,000 impacts, such as the impacts on protection 800,000 and education, are closely monitored, 600,000 assessed and responded to, including how 400,000 food insecurity impacts different groups within 200,000 affected populations, including by age, gender, ethnicity, location and socioeconomic status. 0

EC Prioritise children’s, particularly girls’ DEC CHF ECHO UNDP OCHA Takeda Irish Aid safety, dignity and wellbeing during food FAO Cash insecurity programmes to avoid causing harm MFA Germa ny UNICEF (GIK) and ensure that accountability mechanisms, including child-friendly feedback mechanisms Plan International South Sudan supported are established which provide gender- and age- consultations with adolescent girls in South Sudan. responsive, inclusive, safe and confidential This report (right click to open hyperlink) how adolescent ways for children and young people to receive girls understand the unique impact of the information, provide feedback and meaningfully humanitarian crisis has upon them. It seeks to amplify participate in influencing humanitarian their voices and perceptions of the crisis, and programming. presents their views on how the humanitarian sector might respond. While the consultations were Support should be provided to locally-led conducted in 2018, many of the recommendations responses wherever possible. Local are still relevant today. organisations, including youth-led organisations, South Sudan Country Director: need direct, flexible and increased funding and [email protected] to have a central role in decision making about Programs Director: the response. [email protected]

4 Pibor Famine Risk Humanitarian Response – Capacity Snapshot v1 plan-international.org