Country Office Humanitarian Situation Report No. 154

Pupils in ©UNICEF/South /Chol

Reporting Period: 1-28 February 2021

Highlights Situation in Numbers • According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released in December 2020, approximately 104,000 people 4.4 million will likely face catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity between children in need of December 2020 to March 2021 in six at risk counties. humanitarian assistance

• During the period January to February 2021, a total of 32,684 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) were treated in inpatient and outpatient therapeutic programs. The performance 8.3 million indicators for SAM treatment were above the acceptable minimum people in need of SPHERE standards, with a cure rate of 95.9 per cent, a death rate of humanitarian assistance 0.3 per cent and a defaulter rate of 2.0 per cent. (OCHA, HNO, January 2021) • According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 8,010 COVID-19 cases were reported as of the end of February 2021 (100 per cent increase 310,000 from the cumulative cases that were reported during the period April 2020 to January 2021). Cumulatively, a total of 94 deaths have been Refugees and asylum seekers recorded since the beginning of the outbreak. As a key member of the in need of humanitarian national vaccine technical working group (TWG), UNICEF continued assistance to provide technical support in the preparation and implementation of (OCHA, HNO, January 2021) the national deployment and vaccination plan for COVID-19. 2.24 million UNICEF’s Response and Funding Status South Sudanese Refugees in neighbouring countries SAM Admission 10% (UNHCR Regional Portal, Situation 30 September 2019) Funding status 51% Nutrition UNICEF Appeal 2021 Measles vaccination 0% US$ 198 million

Health Funding status 17% Funding Status (in US$) People with safe water 17% Funds

WASH Funding status 21% Availa Children reached with PSS 5% ble, n 48M Carry- Child Funding status 15% Protectio forward,

Children in school 0% Funding $23M n Funding status 5% gap, Educatio $149M

Households… 11% n

Social Funding status 2% Protectio Community engagement 18%

C4D Funding status 20%

0% 50% 100%

*Funding available includes funds received in the current year; carry-over from the previous year; and repurposed funds with agreement from donors. 1

Funding Overview and Partnerships In 2021, UNICEF is appealing for US$198 million to provide life-saving services for women, men and children in South Sudan. UNICEF expresses its sincere gratitude to all public and private donors who have continued to support multi- sectoral humanitarian programmes. Without adequate funding, UNICEF and partners will be unable to continue supporting ongoing integrated humanitarian programmes as well as the provision of critical and protective services for women, children and men displaced by conflict and flooding, affected by gender-based violence, facing life-threatening diseases (including COVID-19), and impacted by extreme food and nutrition insecurity in 2021.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs Two years after the signing of the revitalized peace agreement, women and children in South Sudan continue to be faced with multiple risks which include extreme food and nutrition insecurity, residual impact of floods, localized conflict, an ongoing economic crisis and disease outbreaks including COVID-19. As of 28 February 2021, a cumulative total of 8,010 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 94 deaths had been recorded in South Sudan with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.2 percent. The country had conducted over 110,226 COVID-19 tests since the beginning of the outbreak.

Overall the food and nutrition situation has worsened, and some communities are facing catastrophic needs. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment results shared in December 2020, in the first projection period of December 2020 to March 2021, an estimated 5.82 million people (48.3 per cent of the population) will likely face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse acute food insecurity, with 11,000 people likely to be in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) acute food insecurity in County in Pibor Administrative Area. During this period, an estimated 1.79 million people are likely to face Emergency (IPC Phase 4) acute food insecurity. More children are expected to be acutely malnourished than in the past three years. Approximately 1.4 million children under the age of five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2021, including 313,391 children who are projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition. The estimation of the nutrition caseload was based on seasonal historical data from food security and nutrition monitoring systems, SMART nutrition surveys and the admission trends for 2020.

Several attacks against personnel in the humanitarian community were reported during the reporting period. An attack against a vehicle carrying a polio vaccination team in state on 14 February, resulted in three deaths and 4 injuries of humanitarian personnel. Earlier in the month, an International NGO staff member was killed in State, after he was force marched from a vehicle and shot as the team were returning from a distribution site. Dry-season intercommunal violence continued to be the most significant country-wide threat to humanitarian operations. There has been an increase in violence in and Lakes States as well as sub-national conflict in Upper . The appointment of State Level Governments in seven of the ten States may ease some political tension but it is too early to make definitive conclusions.

Summary Analysis of Programme Response Health UNICEF continues to work closely with the Government of South Sudan and NGO partners in supporting integrated primary health care services in all the 25 counties of Jonglei and states targeting an estimated 1.8 million people. The support includes the distribution of essential drugs and medical equipment to 1911 health facilities, support for emergency preparedness and response activities as well as national and sub-national support to the Ministry of Health.

During the reporting month a second-round polio campaign using the monovalent vaccine (mOPV2) was conducted at a national level jointly with WHO and the Ministry of Health. A total of 2,295,803 children under the age of five were reached through the vaccination campaign. Similarly, a vaccination campaign for maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination (MNTE) was conducted in Jonglei and Upper Nile states, reaching 76,702 people. The distribution of essential medicines and supplies to boost service delivery also continued during the reporting period. As a key member of the national vaccine technical working group (TWG), UNICEF continued to provide technical support in the preparation and implementation of the national deployment and vaccination plan (NDVP) for COVID-19. The final version of the NDVP was approved after a regional peer review exercise. In February 2021, UNICEF through partners provided curative consultations to 143,440 individuals (66,908 males and 76,432 females) through static health facilities, community outreach activities and the Boma Health Initiative (BHI). A total of 79,826 individuals reached with the

1 After almost a year of discussion with local authorities, it has been impossible to handover two health facilities from MSF to Livewell (PEHSP-Implementing Partner). These two health facilities were removed from the PEHSP List. 2 curative consultations were under the age of five and 63,714 individuals were aged five years and above. Most children and adults received consultations for malaria (30 per cent) followed by pneumonia (11 per cent) and diarrhoea (7 per cent). UNICEF and partners provided 108,180 Long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLITNs) for the prevention of malaria to 54,090 families which were comprised of 216,360 children and pregnant women.

Nutrition UNICEF is providing preventive and curative nutrition services to children and women in South Sudan in partnership with nutrition sector implementing partners. During the period January and February 2021, a total of 32,684 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) were treated in inpatient and outpatient therapeutic programs. The highest admissions were recorded in (21.8 per cent), followed by Unity state (15.4 per cent) and State (11.7 per cent).The performance indicators for SAM treatment were above the acceptable minimum SPHERE standards, with a cure rate of 95.9 per cent, death rate of 0.3 per cent and a defaulter rate of 2.1 per cent. During the same period, infant and young child feeding counselling services reached a total of 282,901 pregnant women and caregivers of children aged 0-23 months. In the 10 most food insecure counties, there are more than 150 functional nutrition sites which are being supported by 12 implementing partners. In Pibor which is a priority county due to multiple shocks and hazards, admission of children suffering from SAM doubled from 744 during the first two months of 2020 to 1,496 during the same period this year. A total 380,000 long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINS), 181,000 bars of soap, 368 buckets, 1,737 cartons of water purifying tablets and 12,874 rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits for malaria were distributed to nutrition partners in the Greater Upper Nile region. A total of six food insecure counties in Jonglei are expected to benefit from these supplies. In addition, 250,000 bars of soap will be prepositioned and distributed in South, Tonj, North, Tonj East and Aweil South in Warrap State.

Child Protection UNICEF and partners reached 2,874 children (1,502 boys and 1,372 girls) with psycho-social support activities in child- friendly spaces in Jonglei, Eastern and Western , raising the total to 5,792 children reached since January 2021. A total of 7 children (4 boys and 3 girls) were newly identified, registered and documented as unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in Upper Nile and states. In addition, a total of 143 children (77 boys and 66 girls) were registered and received case management services according to the vulnerability criteria, in Jonglei, Lakes, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap and , states. During the reporting month 3,053 individuals (770 girls, 809 boys, 709 women and 765 men) were reached with explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) key messages in the communities in Lakes, Central and states. This includes 133 community liaison leaders (49 women and 84 men) who were trained on key EORE messages and 14 teachers (2 women and 12 men) who were oriented on key EORE messages in schools. The child protection sector is working with partners to ensure the continued provision of child protection services for the most vulnerable children in the context of COVID-19 in Reformatory Centre and Yei prisons. The support includes COVID-19 awareness messaging, distribution of soap and handwashing buckets to support vulnerable children. As part of the national response, and in collaboration with implementing partners, UNICEF reached 4,746 beneficiaries (954 girls, 1,236 boys, 1,706 women and 850 men) with gender based violence (GBV) prevention, risk mitigation messages and GBV response services, individual and group case management services, referrals for other specialized and non-specialized services, as well as skills-building courses on livelihoods and well-being through the Women and Girls Friendly Spaces (WGFS). During the reporting period, a total of 490 people (37 girls, 29 boys, 219 women and 205 men) received protection of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) awareness messages. A total of 50 staff and volunteers from implementing partners (25 women and 25 men) were trained on GBV prevention and response basics, multi-sectoral safety audit data collection and other GBV risk mitigation skills.

Education UNICEF, in coordination with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) distributed 4,650 additional sets of solar-powered radios to 23,250 vulnerable school going children (19,972 girls and 3,278 boys) in Akoka, Fashoda, and Manyo counties in Upper Nile state, Centre, Rumbek East, Unity states and Administrative area. The solar-powered radio sets were instrumental in facilitating underprivileged children to be engaged in remote learning programmes. During the reporting period UNICEF and Education Cluster partners supported the national examinations for Primary-8 learners across the country. Approximately 23,045 Primary-8 candidates (9,671 girls and 13,374 boys) were supported to attend the examinations. The support provided included transportation of examination question papers, and the provision of transport for candidates and government officials in remote locations. UNICEF supported the registration and writing of exams for 315 candidate children (121 girls and 194 boys) who had missed the Primary-8 examinations due to insecurity through the transportation of examinations to the former South Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) areas in Upper Nile and Jonglei State. In addition, during the reporting period 134 schools and examination centres were provided with handwashing facilities, in Lakes state and Abyei Administrative Area. Furthermore, UNICEF in collaboration with Education Cluster partners is supporting the 3

Ministry of Education and General Instruction to prepare for the Senior-4 national examinations taking place from 22 March 2021.

WASH During the reporting month, the WASH programme provided critical life-saving support to vulnerable and at-risk populations through the provision of access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene services to individuals in former protection of civilian (POC) sites, host communities and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in collective sites. As a result, a total of 135,678 individuals have so far been provided with access to safe drinking water through the rehabilitation of non-functional water facilities in communities, schools and health care facilities. UNICEF also continued to provide support for the operation and maintenance of water yards, surface water treatment (SWAT) systems and urban water systems.

UNICEF supported construction works to complete the water supply systems for urban and peri-urban communities in Juba. The project is now at commissioning stage and will serve an estimated population of 70,000 people living in the city and an additional 33,000 vulnerable people living in the former protection of civilian (PoC) sites which have now been designated as IDP camps. UNICEF is currently trucking water to the IDP sites in Juba and constructing water kiosks as part of a voucher program for the provision of safe water supply. A procurement process for construction contractors is underway for planned water supply projects in , Torit and Yei. These projects will benefit approximately 45,600 people in Yambio, 20,000 people in Torit and 61,200 people in Yei. In addition, investigations and feasibility assessments are ongoing for the upgrade of the Bor water supply system. This project is expected to benefit up to 250,000 people residing in Bor town.

Through UNICEF support, a total of 18,292 individuals have gained access to basic sanitation facilities through the construction and rehabilitation of latrines in schools and health facilities. In relatively stable communities in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Eastern Equatoria, community led total sanitation (CLTS) is being implemented as a sustainable approach to promote sanitation and increase the coverage. A cumulative total of 58 villages have so far been triggered in both locations. A total of 1,570 people have been reached with key hygiene promotion messages. As part of the inter- agency WASH programme, an assortment of WASH Non-Food Items (NFIs) from the core pipeline were distributed to a total of 13,694 individuals during the reporting month. The WASH Cluster established that there were no static Emergency preparedness and response partners in some highly food insecure areas in Greater Pibor Administrative area (GPAA) namely, Manyabol, Gumuruk, Boma, Mewun and Labarab as well as Tonj East county in Warrap state. During the reporting month, UNICEF solicited for partners to rapidly assess needs, rehabilitate 28 boreholes, construct 15 new water points, distribute hygiene Non-food items (NFIs) to nutrition centres, and implement sanitation and hygiene promotion interventions.

Cash-based Programming UNICEF continued to provide support to partners to enable them to continue operationalizing and mainstreaming humanitarian cash programmes in South Sudan. In an effort to expand its overall cash programmes, UNICEF continued the implementation of the WASH sector voucher project focusing on the provision of hygiene materials to vulnerable households in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Aweil, Bor and counties. In February 2021, 3,288 households with a total population of 21,762 people (12,479 females and 9,283 males) were reached with soap and hand washing buckets fixed with a tap. The initiative, which started during the last quarter of 2020 came to an end during the reporting month after reaching a cumulative total of 9,285 households with a total population of 49,045 people (28,399 females and 20,646 males). The households targeted for WASH voucher project were identified and registered by UNICEF through a collaborative effort with WFP using the SCOPE platform. Local vendors were also identified in each target location in a bid to support local traders and markets. In addition, UNICEF reached 113 vulnerable households and a total of 420 people (257 females and 163 males) through an unconditional cash support programme in Bor. Cumulatively over 500 households with a population of 2,069 people (1,195 females and 874 males) were reached through this complementary intervention targeting COVID-19 affected households in Bor. Preparatory work to initiate an unconditional cash support project to vulnerable households in as well as a WASH voucher pilot targeting the former Juba POC site is ongoing. The continued depreciation of the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) against the United States Dollar (USD) however remains a cause for concern as it is affecting the cash transfer programme as there are rising basic commodity prices in local markets, and a much lower purchasing power for vulnerable households targeted with cash programmes.

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Communications for Development (C4D) During the reporting period, a UNICEF supported integrated community mobilizers network (ICMN) was instrumental in the successful rollout of the vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) vaccination campaign targeting over 2.8 million children with monovalent oral polio vaccines. UNICEF generated demand for services among the targeted individuals, communities, and families through the distribution of IEC materials, posters, banners, flyers and conducted radio talk shows in all the targeted states. Social investigations for cVDPV2 cases were completed during the reporting period, in addition, a total of 53 children who defaulted on routine immunization were traced and referred to various health facilities. A total of 943,209 people (424,672 males and 518,537 females) from 152,016 households were engaged in integrated messaging for positive behaviour and social change since the beginning of the year. The community mobilizers reached out to nearly 300,000 households through inter-personal and mass communication sessions at marketplaces, health facilities, and water points. The sessions focused on promoting positive health and hygiene seeking behaviours, as well as the importance of routine immunization and polio vaccination in supported areas in all the ten states.

UNICEF is advocating for the safe re-opening of schools. Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) interventions were scaled up in response to an increase in COVID-19 cases witnessed during the reporting month. Over 4,327 calls were received at the UNICEF supported hotline-2222. Over 80 per cent of the calls were generally inquiring about COVID-19, specifically an appraisal of the situation, where to get tested, and when the COVAX initiative supported vaccines would be available in the country. During the reporting period, UNICEF and partners supported the data collection exercise for the second round of the Community Rapid Assessment (CRA) which is being implemented in five states namely (Jonglei, Western Equatoria, Western Bahr el Gazal, Northern Bahr el Gazal, and Central Equatoria. UNICEF also contributed to the finalization of the Communication strategy and the National Deployment Plan for the forthcoming COVAX vaccination initiative in South Sudan. The communization strategy is focusing on addressing vaccine eagerness and vaccine hesitancy.

Humanitarian Leadership, Coordination and Strategy UNICEF is co-leading three Clusters and one Area of Responsibility (AoR) out of a total of ten clusters and three AoRs currently active in the country. UNICEF at a national level co-leads the Child Protection AoR and the Education Cluster with Save the Children, the Nutrition Cluster with Concern, Action Against Hunger (ACF) and the World Food Program (WFP) and the WASH Cluster with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). UNICEF continued to participate in the inter- agency protection of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) task force, which functions under the auspices of the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG)/Resident Coordinator (RC)/Humanitarian Coordinator (HC), and plays an active role of advocating for better protection of children against sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).

Human Interest Stories and External Media UNICEF South Sudan launched a video series focusing on nightmares and mental health for the day against the use of child soldiers which was commemorated on 12 February. The new materials were used for the international commemoration. The country office published two press releases and made an online special feature. The second round of the national polio campaign was launched in February, aiming at reaching 2.8 million children. The first round started in November 2020 as a reaction to a confirmed outbreak of the vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2. UNICEF South Sudan was instrumental in assisting Primary-8 students to sit for their exams during the reporting month. UNICEF supported the Ministry of General Education and Instruction in getting exam papers to former SPLM-IO controlled areas. The communication section documented how examination papers were sent by air on just four days’ notice and how students living in the IDP camps outside Juba were transported to examination venues. Throughout the reporting period, UNICEF continued to advocate for the reopening of all schools in South Sudan which is provisionally scheduled for April 2021, as children out of school are more at risk of exploitation and abuse and there are already many empty seats in the candidate classes that have resumed. In response to the nutrition crisis in South Sudan, China Aid handed over some 14,000 boxes of ready-to-use therapeutic food to UNICEF, which is the main treatment for severe acute malnutrition in children. In February, UNICEF South Sudan published an online feature on the Provision of Essential Health Services programme which is implemented in partnership with the World Bank, including three specially designed stories; New life, Game Changers and Freight for Fashoda. The radio reporting training for UNICEF’s child reporters commenced in February.

Next SitRep: 20 April 2020

UNICEF South Sudan Crisis: www.unicef.org/southsudan UNICEF South Sudan Facebook: www.facebook.com/unicefsouthsudan UNICEF South Sudan Appeal: http://www.unicef.org/appeals/south_sudan

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Who to contact for Hamida Lasseko Yves Willemot further information : Representative Chief of Communications UNICEF South Sudan UNICEF South Sudan Email:[email protected] Email: [email protected]

Annex A

Summary of Programme Results

UNICEF and IPs Response Cluster/Sector Response Change Sector Change since last Total 2021 Total since last 2021 Total report Needs Target results report Target results Indicator | Disaggregation ▲▼ ▲▼ Nutrition # children aged 6 to 59 Girls 120,304 17,830 9,545 ▲ 120,304 17,830 9,545 ▲ months with severe acute malnutrition Boys 122,245 6,885 122,245 6,885 admitted for treatment

# of children reached Girls 1,283,921 - 1,283,921 - with vitamin A supplementation Boys 1,304,629 - 1,304,629 - # of caregivers of children aged 0 to 23 months who received Female 1,138,303 282,901 265,020 ▲ 1,138,303 282,901 265,020 ▲ counselling on maternal, infant and young child nutrition Health # of children aged 6 Girls 253,820 0 0 months to 15 years vaccinated against Boys 264,180 0 0 measles # of pregnant women and children provided with insecticide-treated 340,000 216,360 19,092 ▲ nets in malaria-endemic areas WASH Girls 782,167 # of people accessing a sufficient quantity of Boys 799,351 safe water for drinking, 817,000 135,678 11,111 ▲ 109,437 cooking and personal Women 726,230 hygiene Men 692,251

Girls 782,167

# of people accessing Boys 799,351 safe and appropriate 303,500 18,292 1,029 ▲ 66,739 sanitation facilities Women 726,230 Men 692,251 Child Protection # children and Girls 2,802 1,372 ▲ caregivers accessing Boys 2,990 1,502 ▲ 127,000 250,000 35,403 15,834 ▲ mental health and Women psychosocial support Men # of children and Girls 2,280 954 ▲ women accessing Boys 100,000 2,358 1,236 ▲ gender-based violence Women 2,543 1,706

6 risk mitigation, prevention or response Men 1,466 850 interventions Education

Girls Host # accessing quality formal or nonformal Girls IDP early learning, pre- 770,000 797,024 primary, primary or Boys Host secondary education Boys IDP

Female # of teachers trained on education in emergencies, basic 4,000 4,355 pedagogy and learner Male centred methodologies

Social Protection HHs 30,000 3,401 1,509 # of households Female 90,000 12,736 7,982 reached through the Male 60,000 9,446 6,176 cash transfer programme Girls 27,000 NA Boys 18,000 NA Communication for

Development # of people accessing Female 1,320,000 185,860 88,039 mechanisms to voice their needs/concerns/ feedback, including on Male 1,080,000 256,660 121,576 Ebola

Annex B

Funding Status* Funds available Funding gap Resources Funds available Humanitarian Sector Requirements available from resources $ % 2020 (Carry- received in 2021 over) Health 6,776,000 - 1,154,547 1,154,547 5,621,453 83% Nutrition 60,000,000 25,000,000 5,365,032 30,365,032 29,634,968 49% WASH 45,587,800 316,501 9,330,016 9,646,517 35,941,283 79% Education 52,032,200 - 2,801,317 2,801,317 49,230,883 95% Child Protection 25,292,600 316,501 3,443,705 3,760,206 21,532,394 85% Social Protection 4,117,000 - 102,659 102,659 4,014,341 98% Community 4,000,000 - 807,311 807,311 3,192,689 80% engagement Total 197,805,600 25,633,001 23,004,588 48,637,589 149,168,011 75%

* The Fund Received are gross (including global recovery) whilst the Carry Forward are programmable at CO level (figures are provisional).

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