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SPANISH COOPERATION 2018

HUMANITARIAN STRATEGY 2018-2019 THE AND THE CRISIS

Nigerien girls

The Spanish Agency for the humanitarian principles of established for each context, International Development humanity, impartiality, neutrality in line with the humanitarian Cooperation (AECID), attached and independence. Within the response plans of the United to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs scope of its authority, the OAH Nations (UN) and of the European and Cooperation (MAEC), is the follows the general guidelines laid Union (EU), complementing any main management body of Spanish down in Spanish Cooperation’s Country Partnership Frameworks Cooperation. AECID focuses on Master Plan V for 2018-2021 (CPF) in force. sustainable development and, in particular, the section and the fight against poverty, on “Humanitarian Action AECID has also assumed different and includes humanitarian action Strategy”, focused on improving commitments regarding quality among its priorities. the effectiveness of Spanish of , following the 2016 World Cooperation’s participation in Humanitarian Summit and the AECID’s Humanitarian Action humanitarian action interventions. adoption of the humanitarian Office (OAH), created in 2007, This section states that, in those Grand Bargain in the same year. is responsible for managing and contexts that are a priority for implementing Spain’s official Spain’s humanitarian action, In this respect, the objective humanitarian action, based on humanitarian strategies shall be that gave rise to this strategic

1 document is to plan AECID’s BACKGROUND economic growth. This situation response in the in 2018 poses a severe risk for the most and 2019, meeting the key needs The Sahel can be considered one vulnerable populations, a major that have been identified in this of the world’s poorest : source of conflict, and an obstacle specific context1, and proposing, in more than 30 million people for the provision of the most this exercise, that attention focus suffer from food insecurity; one basic services. In recent years, in on two key intervention sectors: out of every five children under addition to chronic and structural food and nutrition security, and the age of five suffers from acute problems relating to protection. ; and 4.9 million and extreme poverty (, people have fled their homes3. floods, and epidemics), This planning exercise is aimed Out of the nine countries in the region’s population has had at improving the effectiveness of the region, five are among the to face persistent episodes of AECID’s humanitarian response bottom 20 on the 2016 Human violence (the crisis to the principal humanitarian Development Report4. and crises in northern and central crises, whether new or chronic ). Tensions and conflicts (forgotten); its design takes into This region is characterized by have caused great loss of life, the account the changing situation of dynamic migratory flows—within destruction of infrastructure, and the contexts in which actions are each country and between the displacement and suffering of implemented. countries—due, to a large a great many people. All of this is extent, to the socio-economic aggravated by the consequences of In line with AECID’s Master interdependence of the entire governments imposing a state of Plan V, it will provide a quality region and to the demographic emergency to combat insecurity in humanitarian response to the challenges it faces. certain zones, which has led to an crises in the Sahel and promote erosion of rights and an obstacle women’s rights and gender Its annual 3.4% population increase for the population’s self-sufficiency. equality. makes the Sahel one of the world’s fastest growing regions in The recurrence of certain chronic In this context, and in all the demographic terms. This, however, and foreseeable crises in the humanitarian projects it supports, is not accompanied by sufficient Sahel, and the need to address AECID will strive to ensure that women, men, girls and boys all benefit equally from services, resources and protective measures according to their roles, capacities and specific needs, all with the aim of increasing gender equality. Support will be lent to projects that are classified with codes 2a and 2b2 of the Inter- Agency Standing Committee (IASC) gender marker. As regards Spanish Cooperation’s other horizontal priorities and points of focus, priority will be given to those interventions that have an inclusive approach and results-based management, as well as those which effectively mainstream environmental sustainability, cultural diversity and human rights.

1 The present Strategy is based on the information provided by the sources consulted up to December 2017. 2 IASC 2013: “IASC Gender Marker: FAQs.” Downloadable from: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/docu- ments/files/gm-faq-en_0.pdf 3 https://HNRO_Sahel-2017-FR_0.pdf 4 UNDP, 2016: “Human Development Report 2016”. http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/HDR2016_EN_Overview_Web.pdf These countries, in descending order, are: Gambia, Mali, , Chad and .

2 them in a coordinated manner, with a greater diversity of financial and technical instruments and the involvement of other actors, has led to a gradual withdrawal of humanitarian donors from structural crises, as their attention turns to other urgent crises or situations. The reduction in funds and the multiplicity and combination of crises calls for a risk prevention approach and better structuring of the link between humanitarian action and development in basic sectors for the population: education, health, production activities, and .

Mali. Despite the signing of peace agreements in May 2015 between the Government and the armed groups, the situation, far from improving, has steadily deteriorated, with instability spreading to central Mali. Even though the number of returnees is on the rise (60,181 at 31 July 2017), the number of internally displaced persons continues to grow (55,382 at said date). More than half of these are victims of forced displacement in the northern regions caused by the escalation of conflicts. Five hundred schools have been shut down, affecting 150,000 boys and girls in central and northern Mali; 3.8 million people are facing food insecurity (approximately 20% of Mali’s population), and 600,000 are in an emergency situation5.

Mauritania. An estimated 51,502 refugees from the northern Mali conflict are currently in the M’bera camp, in the south-eastern region of Hodh El-Chargui, one of ’s most vulnerable regions, with more than 430,000 inhabitants. The difficulties in northern Mali make a large- scale return unlikely in the near

5 OCHA. Rapport Inter-cluster janvier-juin 2017. https://reliefweb.int/report/mali/mali-rapport-inter-cluster-janvier-juin-2017

3 future, putting increased pressure Niger. The number of displaced, in Mali and . In parallel, on the host population’s scarce refugee and returned persons in the number of people needing resources. In the rest of the Niger is estimated at more than food and nutrition assistance and country, most of the needs are 180,000, of whom 120,692 are in who are suffering from structural chronic and require a long-term Diffa and 57,286 in the regions poverty remains high. The number approach combining humanitarian bordering Mali (Tillaberi and of people in need, to varying and development interventions in Tahoua). The direct causes of this degrees, is estimated at 2.2 the same programme framework. population flow are the conflicts million. No improvements have been seen and, year after year, numerous families are affected by rising prices, adverse weather conditions, and insecurity.

Nigeria. The eight years of violent conflict throughout north- eastern Nigeria have given rise to a severe humanitarian crisis. The violence triggered, especially in 2013 and 2014, by the Nigerian army’s offensive on the terrorist group to regain control over the territory has affected all the neighbouring countries in the Lake , causing one of the most acute crises in the world. It is estimated that 8.5 million people need external assistance, mainly in the states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (north-eastern Nigeria), and that approximately 900,000 people are trapped in the conflict zone without access to aid. By mid-2018 4.8 million people are expected to be at high risk of food insecurity.

Throughout the region there is an ongoing risk factor from the high prevalence of endemic and epidemic diseases, together with the limited capacities of health systems to address outbreaks as quickly as required. Measles, cholera, meningitis, yellow fever, Lassa fever, Rift Valley fever, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, and Ebola are all diseases with huge epidemic potential.

Strategic positioning in the region is conditioned by a number of challenges:

• Access and security. Conflicts, organized crime, the presence of armed groups, the blurred line between civilians and

4 combatants, anti-personnel VULNERABLE GROUPS children and adolescents, is a mines and unexploded matter of great concern, due ordnance (UXO), and The most vulnerable population to the high number of early increased criminality, all make groups identified in the region marriages and pregnancies, security conditions in the are: short birth spacing intervals, region highly volatile. Access and the low school enrolment to people in need in such a • Children: The nutritional rate, which is exacerbated in context is, therefore, very status of children is alarming. times of crises and conflict. limited. Moreover, Mali, Niger According to the latest report and Nigeria are very large published by the WHO and • Displaced communities that countries with minimal road UNICEF10, the Sahel region are victims of conflict, as well infrastructure, which hinders is one of the regions that has as their host communities, access to territories and made the least progress in suffering from great pressure populations with humanitarian this regard—it is bordering on resources, have seen an needs. emergency levels. The increase in their needs for average prevalence of Global protection (especially against • Coordination. The expansion Acute Malnutrition (GAM) in gender-based violence), refuge of humanitarian space and children under the age of five and humanitarian assistance. the provision of impartial was 13.3%, including 2.9% of assistance will require Severe Acute Malnutrition • Populations exposed on appropriate coordination (SAM). Moreover, chronic a seasonal basis to food among the different malnutrition affects nearly a insecurity, droughts, and stakeholders in the zone. third of children (28.1%), with hikes in food prices, whose a highly negative impact on production capacities are • Predictability and timely their development. also diminished. All of this response, especially as regards constitutes a multiplying food security, because food • Women and girls: The factor for the above- must be delivered in periods situation of girls, both mentioned needs. of shortage, and seeds and means of production must be delivered at the right time for Table 1. The Sahel and Lake Chad: general and humanitarian information6 sowing and harvesting. POPULATION 145 MILLION • Complementarity among People in a situation of food insecurity 30.1 million humanitarian and development Children with acute malnutrition 4.7 million agencies. In a context of recurrent crises, efforts Internally displaced persons and returnees 3.8 million need to be pooled in order Malian/Nigerian refugees 140,776 / 176,653 to work with communities Malian/Nigerien () displaced persons 61,920 /127,299 using a resilient approach. Nigeria: People displaced by the conflict in the north-eastern part of the 1,800,000 It is important to identify, country by sector, opportunities for providing support jointly Human Development Index7: Niger/Mali 0.348 / 0.419 and maximizing synergies, Vulnerability Index8: Niger/Mali 3 out of 3 / 3 out of 3 in order to restore States’ Crisis Index9: Niger/Nigeria/Mali 1 out of 3 / 3 out of 3 / responsibility to provide basic 3 out of 3 social services in specific areas.

6 The Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) does not show sex-disaggregated data. 7 UNDP, 2015: “Human Development Report 2015”. http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr15_standalone_overview_en.pdf 8 ECHO, 2014: “Global Vulnerability and Crisis Assessment”. http://echo-global-vulnerability-and-crisis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/PublicVisualization.aspx 9 Ibid. 10 UNICEF, WHO, World Bank Group, 2015: “Levels and trends in child malnutrition” http://www.who.int/entity/nutgrowthdb/jme_brochure2015.pdf?ua=1

5 PRINCIPAL moderate malnutrition are each country’s processes in HUMANITARIAN NEEDS expected to receive assistance. order to advance in nutrition AND INTERNATIONAL Coverage of assistance needs policies and in the multisector RESPONSE is still very low (approximately integration of the problem, 50%). The number of cases and to continue working on The humanitarian needs identified receiving assistance in the political advocacy so that in 2018 stem from different region is steadily rising. In principal donors’ support for factors: a context of fewer available the sector is maintained. resources, it is essential to • Chronic food insecurity, strengthen the link between • Displacement of caused by pasture shortages, humanitarian programming population: Violence in risk of pests and diseases, and development, investing the region has resulted in and poor rainfall, affecting 30 more in prevention to address large-scale population flows, million people, 12 million of risks and vulnerabilities and affecting 4.9 million people. whom are in an emergency improve resilience. To achieve The ongoing conflicts in Mali situation. The fact that these this, actions to identify and and the Lake Chad region have crises are protracted and treat severe malnutrition uprooted many families. This foreseeable makes it easier to must continue, as must work prolonged exile also affects plan the response. Therefore, on reducing the incidence host communities, which must and faced with the evidence of malnutrition through share their scarce resources. that certain populations will community-based awareness- be chronically vulnerable to raising programmes, and the • Vulnerability to epidemics fluctuations in prices and early detection and treatment and diseases: Certain in weather conditions, it is of moderate malnutrition communities are frequently important, on the one hand, to and associated diseases. Most afflicted as a result of the address the structural causes, of the Sahel countries are shortage of and and on the other, to adapt already undergoing processes lack of adequate sanitary the assistance to the type to include treatment of facilities, combined with weak of multifactor vulnerability, malnutrition in the minimum epidemiological surveillance including these populations in service package for children. and treatment systems. food and nutrition assistance The aim is to have a single programmes during certain circuit of medical monitoring, The international community’s periods to mitigate shocks and improved quality and call for the region, in relation and prevent the productive coverage in the district, as well to11 eight Sahel countries in undercapitalization of as an information system. It 2017 totalled USD 2.66 billion, households and negative is important to participate in to assist 15 million people, of nutritional impacts. Moreover, areas affected by conflicts require special attention: northern and central Mali; Diffa, Tillaberi and Tahoua in Niger; and the M’bera area in Mauritania. All of these areas need assistance until security is restored in their countries, or until the displaced populations are integrated into the host countries.

• High malnutrition rates, reaching critical levels in certain regions, where 1.4 million children with severe acute malnutrition and 3.3 million children with severe

11 https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/system/files/documents/files/hnro_sahel2017_fr_1.pdf

6 which USD 1.06 billion was for 1. Strategic objectives for chronically vulnerable and needs Nigeria alone. Despite the efforts this context food assistance, mainly during being made to raise the profile periods of shortage. of the different crises, through SO1. Support populations in international conferences (such vulnerable situations facing As for Mauritania, efforts will as the Oslo conference for Lake food crises. focus on working towards the Chad in February 2017) and donor self-sufficiency or autonomy of SO2. Combat child meetings, financial coverage was refugees, and on promoting peaceful malnutrition. only 51%, resulting in significant coexistence with host communities. shortfalls in key sectors, as well as SO3. Provide humanitarian considerable differences between assistance, basic services and The estimated geographic countries. The call for Niger had protection to populations distribution of the funds is 84% coverage, whereas Mali only affected by armed conflicts. approximately: 35% Mali, 35% had 38%. The European Union, Niger, 20% Nigeria, and 10% through the Directorate-General Mauritania. for European Civil Protection and 2. Target countries for Humanitarian Aid Operations intervention 3. Sectors of intervention (ECHO), allocated EUR 234.9 million to the region in 2017. In the context of the Sahel, the The sectors on which humanitarian countries in which AECID’s OAH response is initially planned to In 2018, all of the UN’s will focus its intervention are Mali, focus have been prioritized on the humanitarian response plans Niger, Nigeria and Mauritania. basis of the humanitarian needs in the region will have a larger identified and in line with the budget than in 2017, except for Mali, Niger and Nigeria receive Strategic Objectives defined in the Mali plan. special attention due to their paragraph 4.1. context of crisis: Mali, directly STRATEGIC POSITIONING affected by the armed conflict in This response essentially focuses its northern and central areas; on three sectors: multisector The Sahel is the second priority Niger and Nigeria, because protection and assistance to context for Spain’s humanitarian they are suffering from the displaced populations; and food action in terms of volume of consequences of Boko Haram’s security and child malnutrition funding, in response to the actions, with millions of displaced in northern Mali, south-eastern humanitarian challenges facing the persons and refugees. Moreover, Mauritania, in the regions of region’s population. all of this is compounded by the Tillaberi, Tahoua and Diffa in Niger, fact that part of the population is and in north-eastern Nigeria. In order to fulfil the commitments undertaken by AECID at the Table 2: Priority intervention sectors/subsectors by country World Humanitarian Summit and in the Grand Bargain, and SECTOR SUBSECTOR in response to the region’s NIGER Protection Multisector assistance to refugees, displaced persons and host structural challenges, priority communities affected by the conflicts in Mali and Nigeria, with will be given to promoting the particular attention to the region of Diffa. link between humanitarian action Prevention, and assistance to victims of gender-based violence and development, especially in (GBV). the food security and nutrition Food security and Support for farming livelihoods. sectors, as well as to promoting nutrition Fight against severe and moderate acute malnutrition. cash transfers in programmes, as a NIGERIA Protection Multisector assistance to refugees, displaced persons and host way to empower the population. communities affected by the conflict in Nigeria. Prevention, and assistance to victims of GBV. Below are the strategic objectives MALI Protection Multisector assistance to displaced persons and host for this context, the countries communities affected by the conflict in northern Mali. on which attention will focus, the Prevention, and assistance to victims of GBV. priority sectors for interventions, and the main partners through Food security and Fight against severe and moderate acute malnutrition. nutrition which AECID will channel its humanitarian response. MAURITANIA Food security and Food assistance to refugees and host communities in south- nutrition eastern Mauritania.

7 4. Main partners in the (ICRC). These two partners In the food security sector, the intervention will make it possible to provide World Food Programme (WFP) protection and humanitarian will also be a partner. AECID’s response will be assistance to the victims of channelled through organizations armed conflicts, while at the Lastly, in the Strategy’s priority specializing in emergency same time promoting respect for sectors support will also be humanitarian response with International Humanitarian Law provided by non-governmental proven technical and financial (IHL). organizations (NGOs) with proven solvency, as well as with the experience in the sector and in capacity to respond immediately. In the nutrition sector, support will this specific geographic context. primarily come from the United These organizations will work in Its partners in the protection Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). coordination with national public sector are the United Nations Priority will be given to interven- institutions and with local NGOs, High Commissioner for Refugees tions including the prevention and and will also actively and effectively (UNHCR)—an international treatment of child malnutrition, the participate in the different actor within the United Nations promotion of breastfeeding, and coordination forums established in system—and the International immunization against preventable each country. Committee of the Red Cross diseases, among others.

ACCOUNTABILITY MATRIX GENERAL Indicators Final annual budget disbursed in relation to the Sahel and Lake Chad Final annual budget disbursed by sector and country Annual no. of beneficiaries of interventions in these regions Annual budget for these regions allocated to cash transfers (cash and coupons) Annual budget disbursed on interventions with gender marker codes 2a and 2b (IASC) or Gender-Age Marker code 2 (ECHO) in these regions No. of local/national organizations financed in these regions SECTOR PROTECTION Indicators Partners No. of victims of GBV that have received assistance No. of children that have received psycho-social assistance No. of unaccompanied children under alternative care and protection NGOs No. of beneficiaries of support in documentation and/or voluntary repatriation processes No. of people made aware or informed of and/or trained in IHL No. of people at risk of forced displacement who have received support/assistance FOOD SECURITY Indicators Partners No. of people receiving food assistance NGOs Cash transfers distributed (cash and coupons)

NUTRITION Indicators Partners No. of people with moderate and severe malnutrition assisted annually

No. of people caring for children receiving information/training about child nutrition NGOs

No. of centres with strengthened capacities for treating malnutrition

Printed Official Publication ID No.: 502-18-031-3 Online Official Publication ID No.: 502-18-032-9

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