ReliefWeb Updates
중도 성향
기타
Philippines: Mayon Volcano Summary of 24Hr Observation 2 June 2026 12:00 AM [EN/TL]
Country: Philippines Source: Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Please refer to the attached Infographic.
🌐 국제기구 · "MARY" · 총 44건
필터 보기현재 지수
50.0
0 = 부정 우세
50 = 중립
100 = 긍정 우세
최근 7일 기준 5,638건을 분석한 결과, 뉴스 심리지수는 50.0(균형)입니다. 긍정 0건(0.0%)·중립 5,638건(100.0%)·부정 0건(0.0%)이며, 중립 비중이 뚜렷하게 높습니다. 성향 지수는 종합 0.0(중도 균형)입니다.
Country: Philippines Source: Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Please refer to the attached Infographic.
Country: Sudan Sources: Emergency Telecommunications Cluster, World Food Programme Please refer to the attached file. The WFP-led Logistics and Telecommunications Cluster (LTC) was activated as the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) on 25 May 2023 in response to the conflict crisis in Sudan. This Situation Report provides a monthly update on LTC telecoms activities. All references to the LTC in this report relate to the telecommunications area of the cluster. Summary Points • In May, LTC Telecoms sustained critical connectivity across seven hubs despite funding and access constraints, while expansion plans in Khartoum slowed due to renewed insecurity. UN agencies are preparing phased returns from Port Sudan to the capital. • LTC Telecoms is transitioning to an on-demand service model, managed by WFP, using cost-recovery and costsharing to sustain operations. Piloted in Al Gedaref, the model supports shared connectivity services and is expanding to more stable areas in eastern Sudan. • LTC Telecoms is finalizing a project to support community connectivity in Khartoum, in coordination with the Protection Working Group and partner Go Green, to strengthen digital services at community centres.
Country: Haiti Source: International Organization for Migration Please refer to the attached Infographic.
Countries: Honduras, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Please refer to the attached file. Operational Context & Analysis Honduras faces a multifaceted crisis stemming from a context of fragile law and order, pervasive organized crime, gang violence, widespread poverty and inequality, and high vulnerability to the impacts of extreme climate events. With one of the world’s highest murder rates1, violence in Honduras is generalized, chronic, structural, and indiscriminate, making it a primary driver of displacement. Access to protection and assistance remains a significant challenge, particularly for those facing heightened risks due to their vulnerability. Certain groups are disproportionately affected, including children, women, indigenous people, people of diverse sexual orientation, political activists, schoolteachers, transportation workers, and human rights and environmental defenders. These populations often require urgent and tailored protection responses and alternatives to address their specific needs effectively. More than 247,000 people have been internally displaced in Honduras, with many more at risk of displacement. Internal displacement in the country stems from generalized violence and rights violations, including (i) social and territorial control by gangs, drug trafficking or organized crime groups, (ii) extortion, (iii) forced recruitment, use and association, particularly targeting youth; (iv) dispossession and destruction of housing, land, and property; (v) gender-based violence; and (vi) political violence. These multifaceted challenges faced by the Honduran population are starkly reflected in the significant number of Hondurans seeking asylum. During 2024, 27,888 Honduran nationals sought asylum in México, ranking as the first nationality of asylum requests to this country3 and in 2025 remain in the top five nationalities4. These figures underscore the life-threatening situations that force people to flee Honduras. Additionally, in 2024, 44,394 Hondurans were returned to their country of origin, and from January to December 2025, this figure reached 41,110 people, 7% of whom were identified as having protection needs in Honduras and 14% who had requested protection outside their country. Since 2022, Honduras has also been a transit country for an unprecedented number of refugees and migrants. However, the dynamics changed significantly in 2025. Unlike the unprecedented south to north flows observed in 2023 and 2024, 2025 saw a notable reduction of 89% in entries. According to the Honduran National Migration Institute (INM), between January and December 2025, 39,384 people entered the country irregularly, south to north route6. Meanwhile, according to UNHCR and partners, it is estimated that over 32,200 refugees and migrants have travelled from north to south.
Country: Philippines Source: Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Please refer to the attached Infographic.
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Sources: Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, World Health Organization The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirm their strong partnership and shared commitment to protect the health and well-being of the people of Ituri Province and the nation at large, following the joint mission to Bunia led by Dr Samuel Roger Kamba, Minister of Health, Mr. Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, Minister of Communication and Medias, and the visit of WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. This high-level visit comes at a challenging time, as the country responds to an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus. The Ministry of Health reports a rapidly evolving situation, with cases and deaths notified in several health zones of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. The Government, with support from WHO and partners, is intensifying surveillance, laboratory testing and patient care to interrupt transmission as quickly as possible The Government of the DRC is firmly leading a comprehensive national response, working closely with provincial authorities in Ituri and neighbouring provinces. WHO, alongside the broader United Nations system and health and humanitarian partners, is fully committed to supporting these efforts. Together, DRC authorities, WHO and partners are working to strengthen coordination, mobilize additional resources, and ensure that life-saving interventions reach affected communities quickly and equitably Central to this response is the recognition that communities are at the heart of the solution. Success will depend on the trust, engagement and leadership of local communities. National and provincial authorities, with support from WHO and partners, are intensifying dialogue with community leaders, women's groups, youth representatives, religious leaders and the private sector to better understand local concerns and co-develop solutions that are culturally appropriate and effective. While the Bundibugyo strain presents additional challenges, including the absence of a licensed vaccine or specific treatment, proven public health measures remain effective in slowing transmission and potential full recovery. The Ministry of Health, WHO and partners are working to rapidly undertake randomized control trials on candidate vaccines and treatments. Persistent challenges include early detection and isolation of cases, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, robust infection prevention and control in health facilities, and strong community awareness. The Government and WHO call on all communities to continue adopting protective behaviours, including regular hand hygiene, early care seeking in health facilities, and sharing accurate information. The DRC brings unparalleled experience to this response, having successfully contained multiple previous Ebola outbreaks. This experience, combined with strong political leadership at the highest level of the State and renewed international solidarity, provides a firm foundation for bringing the current outbreak under control. Both parties emphasize that outbreak response must maintain primary health care and essential services and strengthen long-term health system resilience. Investments made today in laboratories, health workers, surveillance systems and essential services will leave a legacy for the people of Ituri and the DRC as a whole. We sincerely thank our international partners for the support already provided to response operations, and we encourage sustained solidarity to bring this outbreak under control. Cooperation between countries must also ensure that borders remain open, and that entry controls do not obstruct the flow of desperately needed medical supplies and personnel. Together, DRC authorities, WHO, Africa CDC and partners are working to strengthen coordination, mobilize additional resources, and ensure that life-saving interventions reach affected communities quickly and equitably. Media Contacts WHO Media Team World Health Organization Email: mediainquiries@who.int
Country: Ukraine Sources: Voluntas, World Food Programme Please refer to the attached file. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background As Ukraine enters the fifth year of the full-scale invasion, the country remains heavily affected y ongoing hostilities. As of early 2025, 3.7 million people remain internally displaced, 6.9 million are refugees abroad, and over 40,838 civilian casualties have been recorded.1 The impact is most severe in frontline oblasts such as Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia.2 Continued displacement has deepened poverty, strained social protection systems, and disrupted livelihoods; particularly in rural and conflict-affected areas, where unemployment remains high.3 Social transfers, including pensions and targeted assistance to displaced people, have played a crucial role in preventing further hardship, but coverage may not be reaching hard-to-reach groups such as people without documentation, and hidden groups like Roma communities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people living with HIV/AIDS, or men avoiding military conscription.4 The psychological toll of the prolonged conflict is also g owing, with 63 percent of households reporting mental health challenges related to ongoing uncertainty and displacement.5 According to Ukraine’s 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, 12.7 million people in Ukraine are in need of assistance. Among them, 45 percent are women, 30 percent are older people (60+ years old), 15 percent are children, and 14 percent have disabilities. Within this context, the humanitarian aid landscape is shifting due to funding constraints and a gradual transition from emergency relief to resilience-building efforts 7 Emergency assistance is increasingly concentrated in frontline and war-affected oblasts, while support in cent al and western Ukraine is being scaled back as international organizations shift their strategies away from short-term emergency aid toward resilience- and development-oriented programming in areas perceived as more stable.8 However, humanitarian actors have raised concerns that this shift may create gaps in assistance for vulnerable populations who continue to depend on support in these more stable areas where aid is being scaled back. As operations become more localized, humanitarian actors have also expressed concerns about the capacity of Ukraine’s social security system to take over responsibilities currently handled by international organizations . This is largely due to budget pressures, a shortage of qualified personnel, particularly in social services, and the destruction of essential facilities caused by missile strikes.9 Concerns have also been raised about the long-term sustainability of aid delivery, particularly as the war drags on and humanitarian needs continue to grow. Local organizations also worry that cross-cutting aspects of humanitarian work – such as gender equality, accountability to affected people, the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, and disability inclusion – may be deprioritized amid international funding cuts, due to limited capacity and competing government priorities. As Ukraine navigates these ongoing challenges, a balanced approach between emergency response and long-term resilience-building is essential to ensure that basic needs are met, social tensions between recipients and non-recipients of aid are minimized, and economic recovery is supported.
Country: Ukraine Source: World Food Programme Please refer to the attached file. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2025 was the deadliest for civilians since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, particularly for people living at the frontlines. It marked a significant escalation in hostilities despite efforts to impose a ceasefire, with Ukraine recording the highest levels of deadly violence for every month compared to previous years. The escalation of the war continues to disrupt domestic production, trade routes, energy supply, and foreign investment, further restricting Ukraine’s economic outlook. Attacks on ports significantly reduced Ukraine’s agricultural export capacity, which translated into higher prices and inflation, directly increasing household vulnerability. The human impact of the war continues to deepen, particularly among households living closest to active hostilities, with those residing within 50 km of the frontline bearing the greatest burden. More than 90% of all conflict events recorded in 2025 occurred within this zone, and 67% of civilian casualties also occurred near the frontline. Approximately 2 million war-affected people in Ukraine are identified as high-priority cases for humanitarian food assistance. More than half of the high-priority cases, about 1.2 million people, live within 50km of the frontline. This number reflects a vulnerability-driven analysis centered on four key issue areas: vulnerable populations within 50km of the frontline, IDPs, evacuees, and people affected by strikes. However, a nationwide analysis show that the overall number of food insecure people in Ukraine continues to rise, with an additional 1.5 million people now requiring food assistance across the country, compared to 2024. Households living within 50 km of the frontline are older, poorer, more dependent, and more reliant on assistance than those living further away. The proportion of elderlyonly households rises to 36% in the 0–50 km zone, compared to 27% beyond 50 km, while older persons living alone are significantly more common close to the frontline. Displacement and return dynamics are more pronounced close to the frontline with up to 30% of surveyed household within 50km of the frontline displaced and 20% returnees. Household-level analysis shows that at least one in four households at the frontlines are food insecure. This is more prevalence in the 20km zone in eastern and southern region where more than 30% of the households are food insecure. Rural households tend to experience higher levels of food insecurity than urban households, although the magnitude of this gap varies by proximity to the frontline. Within the 0– 20 km zone, 27% of rural households are food insecure compared to 22% of urban households. In the 20–50 km zone, food insecurity levels are nearly identical between rural and urban households (both around 21%). The higher share of food insecurity within frontline areas particularly among rural residents reflects both the direct effects of conflict and the concentration of vulnerable populations in these locations. Large families, households with elderly members living alone, and households with a member with a disability show food insecurity levels well above the overall average. Many food-insecure households continue to adopt unhealthy coping strategies including spending their savings, and more than half lack the economic capacity to meet their basic need without humanitarian assistance. consuming less preferred food or spending their savings, and more than half lack the economic capacity to meet their basic need without humanitarian assistance. Frontline households face compounded vulnerabilities. Limited economic opportunities, reduced agriculture production, deterioration in security, shelter and health lead to multidimensional deprivation. In fact, about half of food insecure households within 20km of the frontline are also multidimensionally deprived. While market generally functions, households living closest to the frontline continue to experience significant disruption in market access. About 20% of households within 20km of the frontline report lacking uninterrupted access to markets, and around 13%, particularly those living within 10 km of the frontline, report having no market access at all. Food assistance, provided both as in‑kind and cash transfers, has been central to alleviating immediate food gaps for vulnerable households in the frontline. WFP assistance is targeted toward households with the lowest economic capacity, and analysis shows that it translates into a measurable and meaningful reduction in food insecurity, reducing the probability of low economic capacity among assisted households by close to 20 percentage points. But with humanitarian funding declining and needs continuing to rise, many vulnerable households may soon be unable to access the food assistance they depend on. Three actions are critical to prevent a reversal of hard-won progress: First, sustaining monthly food assistance for the 2 million priority cases is essential, alongside protecting the 0–20 km frontline zone from coverage reductions, where the near-total collapse of local markets means that any cut would have immediate and severe consequences for household food security. Due to market disruption, the 0-20km zone is particularly suited for in-kind food distribution. Second, cash transfer values should be regularly adjusted to reflect documented food inflation, as maintaining outdated transfer levels results in a silent erosion of impact and undermines the purchasing power donors intend their contributions to deliver. Finally, robust impact evidence provides strong proof of effectiveness and should be actively leveraged in dialogue to justify sustained investment in Ukraine, particularly in contexts where assistance has successfully reduced visible needs without eliminating underlying vulnerability.
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: ELRHA Author Jennifer O’Keeffe, Augustin Gang Karume and Paul Spiegel This blog series accompanies the Mortality Estimation Systems Innovation Partnership (SIP), supported by UKHIH-Elrha, which brings together diverse partners to strengthen how mortality data is collected, interpreted, and used across humanitarian crises. Earlier blogs in this series highlighted why excess mortality measurement is critical for understanding crisis severity, as well as exploring how to maximise local and national actors' leadership in the mortality estimation ecosystem. In this third blog, we turn to Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Rebuild Hope for Africa and the Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health share how their work is making mortality estimation more accurate, accessible, and feasible for national actors best placed to do this work, even in the most challenging settings. “As an indicator, a mortality rate tries to evaluate the size and scale of a crisis in a single metric.” The Public Health Aspects of Complex Emergencies and Refugee Situations, 1997, Michael Toole, Ronald Waldman In 2023, the Humanitarian Congress in Vienna released a statement saying, "The humanitarian imperative is an absolute moral obligation to save lives and alleviate human suffering on the basis of need, without discrimination”. Yet**,** when resources are constrained, allocation is often based on geopolitical interests, media coverage, or how relatable a population may be to high-income donor countries. In short, human lives are valued differentially. The disconnect is not theoretical. In 2022, Rebuild Hope for Africa (RHA) led a nationwide mortality survey in the Central African Republic which estimated up to 5% of the population had died during the previous year. Despite the scale of these findings, the study received little media attention and did not lead to meaningful changes in donor policy. In conflict-affected settings, various, often compounding, factors make primary data collection difficult or impossible. These include forced displacement, insecurity, system failures, poor infrastructure, limited capacity, and restricted access. In practice, mortality is often not measured at all. And as threats to healthcare workers grow, international agencies have become understandably risk averse, collecting data only safer, accessible areas, where death rates are usually lowest. Without reliable data, decision makers and responders depend on fragmented sources and non-robust estimates. The result is a biased and misleading picture of crisis severity, that often portrays crises as less severe than they are. The magnitude of these biases and their effects on decisions by humanitarian actors, governments, and donors who rely on such data, remain largely unexamined. Our partnership between Rebuild Hope for Africa (RHA) and the Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health (CHH) is working to change this. Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo - An Unquantified Crisis Few places demonstrate the challenges of mortality estimation more than the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), one of the world’s most enduring humanitarian crises. The crisis worsened drastically in January 2025 when the country suffered a devastating double shock: the abrupt withdrawal of USAID funding and a violent military offensive by the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23. The M23 seized large swathes of territory, killing and displacing an unknown number of people in the process. With the departure of many international agencies and a vacuum in humanitarian response, the population has been left vulnerable to the worst effects of the conflict. A year later, the true human cost remains unknown. We recognise that without reliable data, it becomes even harder to mobilise the support that people living in Eastern DRC urgently need. Placing Data and Decision-Making in Congolese hands Augustin Gang Karume, one of the authors of this blog, was born and raised in Eastern DRC, where he still lives and works today. In 2008, he founded RHA to place data and decision-making back in Congolese hands. He understood then that national actors are the future of sustainable humanitarian response. Rooted in the community and living with the long-term consequences of decision-making, national actors have a strong incentive to prioritise community needs over institutional agendas. Using local networks and knowledge, they are the best equipped to conduct primary data collection in insecure settings. While international actors have scaled back amid funding austerity, national organisations like RHA have remained in place, continuing to work for and within their communities. These actors are also proving to be far more cost-effective and efficient. Without international overhead, they can often deliver results at a fraction of the cost of international organisations. As an example, RHA’s 2022 nationwide mortality survey in the Central African Republic, cost a total of 50,000 USD, whereas a single district SMART survey may cost upwards of 15,000 USD*. National actors are the first responders in nearly all crises and remain present long after international attention and funding fade. Bridging Local Leadership with Technical Expertise With funding from the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub’s Systems Innovation Partnership, we are bridging RHA’s local leadership with technical expertise from the CHH, combining community trust with advanced epidemiological and statistical training. Together RHA and CHH are collaborating on a study to assess potential biases in mortality estimation through both primary data collection and innovative use of statistical approaches. We’re working to make mortality estimation more accurate, credible, and efficient, with the intent to apply the findings across humanitarian settings. In the primary data collection component, our study is comparing three different methods of mortality estimation: a retrospective household survey, rapid key informant listing, and a full census. Using a common reference population and recall period, the study aims to identify where biases arise, quantify which deaths are missed, and assess relative performance of a light-, medium- and resource-intensive approach to mortality measurement. In the statistical component, we are applying innovative use of established causal and design-based methods to assess biases. We are testing the utility and feasibility of these methods to answer questions like: to what extent are hard to capture deaths, such as neonatal and violent deaths, systematically missed; can fewer survey clusters still provide estimates precise enough for decision making; and can analytical adjustments be used to address known biases? We are also supporting localisation by building field-ready guidance tools designed to make mortality estimation more accessible to operational actors. These tools include an algorithm to help teams choose a method, an operational readiness checklist, and a guide to data validation, triangulation, interpretation. Our aim is to make mortality estimation practicable in even the most challenging settings, without compromising quality. As the best-placed actors to assess mortality, we hope to pilot the guidance with national actors in the DRC and elsewhere to ensure it is user-friendly, actionable, and scalable for use in any crisis. Looking Ahead: Making Mortality Count Without credible mortality data, humanitarian response risks being inefficient, inequitable, and disconnected from reality. We cannot respond appropriately to crises we do not understand. When those with the greatest capacity to measure mortality have the least stake in the results, the system fails. The best way to ensure efficiency and effectiveness is to place local organisations at the centre. Connecting local expertise with technical knowledge offers a path toward a fairer humanitarian sector, where the reality of a crisis is described by those living through it. *2017 estimate adjusted for inflation.
Countries: Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached Infographic. KEY FIGURES 1.47M people internally displaced due to persistent violence across Haiti 2.6M people in Ecuador could face IPC 3-4 food insecurity between April - June 2026 1.2K people displaced or confined due to escalating violence in Antioquia, Colombia Regional: HURRICANE SEASON As the 2026 hurricane season approaches, forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are predicting contrasting conditions across the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins. In the Atlantic, NOAA forecasts a below-normal season, with 8–14 named storms, 3–6 hurricanes, and 1–3 major hurricanes. El Niño, expected to develop and intensify during the season, is the primary driver of the suppressed outlook. Conversely, NOAA predicts an above-normal Eastern Pacific season, with 15–22 named storms, 9–14 hurricanes, and 5–9 major hurricanes. Regardless of overall seasonal activity, NOAA emphasises that uncertainty remains in how storms may develop so early preparedness is essential. ECUADOR: FOOD INSECURITY Approximately 2.6 million people across Ecuador could face crisis (IPC Phase 3) or emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels of food insecurity between April and June 2026, an increase from 2.5 million in March, according to the latest analysis from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. The deteriorating conditions are driven primarily by seasonal factors, including declining food stocks and rising prices, as well as climate shocks affecting livelihoods. Esmeraldas and Pastaza remain the most severely affected provinces, while Guayas is projected to deteriorate to IPC Phase 3 during this period, with around 967,000 people facing crisis levels or above. Conditions of violence and insecurity in border provinces compound the situation, deepening vulnerability among households already facing depleted reserves and limited access to basic services. HAITI: VIOLENCE & DISPLACEMENT Surging violence continues to displacement communities across Haiti. On 10 May, clashes erupted in several neighbourhoods of Cité Soleil, displacing approximately 17,496 people, with the majority seeking refuge across 33 sites in Cité Soleil, Delmas, and Tabarre. On 26 May, armed attacks in Gonaïves, Artibonite department, displaced a further 1,103 people, raising concerns about violence spreading to previously unaffected areas. These incidents contribute to an already severe national displacement crisis. According to IOM’s latest Displacement Tracking Matrix, at least 1,466,862 people - 12 per cent of the population - are now internally displaced, up from 1.45 million in December 2025. Notably, the number of internally displaced persons in the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince has surpassed 300,000 people for the first time, largely driven by armed clashes in Cité Soleil in March and May 2026. Priority needs across assessed areas include food, livelihoods, shelter, water and sanitation, and health. COLOMBIA: VIOLENCE & DISPLACEMENT Ongoing armed confrontations between non-state armed groups (NSAG) in the municipality of Briceño, in Colombia’s northwestern Antioquia department, continue to drive a deteriorating humanitarian situation. Between January and May 2026, successive events have affected approximately 1,200 people, with at least 290 displaced and more than 902 confined. Drone attacks struck educational and health infrastructure, suspending classes for around 230 children, while a motorcycle bomb injured at least 12 civilians. Humanitarian partners have delivered food, shelter, and psychosocial assistance, though access constraints continue to limit humanitarian reach in the most affected rural areas.
Countries: Belarus, Ukraine Source: International Organization for Migration Please refer to the attached file. This report focuses on refugees from Ukraine present in the territory of Belarus, and is based on 301 valid surveys conducted between December 2025 and February 2026. This report complements earlier analytical work, namely the 2023 Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) Belarus report on the needs, intentions, and protection challenges of refugees from Ukraine. Many of the same indicators and survey questions were used in data collection throughout both rounds, allowing for comparability between 2023 and 2026 report findings. Sixty-one per cent of respondents have children, and 47 per cent have at least one household member with a serious health condition or specific need. Financial support was the primary need reported by respondents (87%), followed by a need for employment support (27%), and medicine (22%). More than one quarter of respondents identified food products as a priority need (26%), and 15 per cent indicated a need for hygiene and sanitary supplies.
Countries: Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali Source: International Organization for Migration Please refer to the attached file. The West and Central Africa (WCA) region faces some of the world's most complex displacement crises. Across the Lake Chad Basin, the Liptako Gourma tri-border area, and the coastal countries of the Gulf of Guinea, millions of people are affected by armed conflict, intercommunal violence, climate shocks, and governance challenges, driving large-scale population movements, straining services, and undermining community resilience. In response, IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) has deployed the Solutions and Mobility Index (SMI) to measure perceived stability at the locality level and provide actionable evidence for humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actors. This report presents a comparative analysis of SMI results for 2023-2024 across three crisis contexts: Lake Chad Basin: Nigeria (BAY States), Cameroon (Far North), Niger (Diffa), and Chad (Lac Province); Liptako Gourma: Burkina Faso (Est, Sahel), Mali (Gao, Kidal, Mopti, Ségou, Timbuktu), and Niger (Dosso, Tahoua, Tillabéri); Coastal Countries: Benin (Alibori, Atakora), Côte d'Ivoire (Bounkani), and Ghana (North East, Upper East, Upper West). Drawing on over 5,000 locality-level assessments, the report enables cross-crisis comparison and highlights differentiated priorities for each setting. While crisis-level averages provide a useful summary, they are aggregations of conditions that vary significantly across localities. Different areas face distinct challenges and require differentiated, context-specific support. A stable average can therefore coexist with significant subnational variation.
Country: occupied Palestinian territory Source: UN Children's Fund This is a summary of what was said by UNICEF Communication Specialist Salim Oweis - to whom quoted text may be attributed - at today’s press briefing at the Palais de Nations in Geneva GAZA/GENEVA, 29 May 2026 – “Failure to meet children’s basic needs in Gaza is trapping them in an endless cycle of suffering. “The experiences of the desperate parents I met this past week can illustrate this better than I could: “Hind hasn’t slept since her four-year-old daughter, Masa, was bitten by a rat during the night. “Like many families, they sheltered wherever they could – in their case, the second floor of a building block where sewage water leaks through the ceilings, and rodents crawl through the cracks in the building and climb the exposed pipes. “Amani’s daughter, Lemar, she’s 7, has developed deep lesions and sores on her head, back and legs due to a bacterial infection. Amani tries to clean her wounds each day with the little, hard-to-get, clean water she has, as her daughter screams in agony. “Abdallah’s mother told me that he has developed a skin infection as they live in a tent next to sand contaminated with faeces. His mother has spoken to doctors and desperately needs the medication and enough clean water and hygiene products to help him heal and protect him from exposure to more infections. “Abdel Aleem said that his 8 months old son, Ahmad, and his pregnant sister-in-law were both bitten a couple of weeks ago. They have layered sandbags around the outside of the tent to try to protect themselves, but the rats simply chew through it – stopping them is futile. “The common thread running through every one of these conversations is the sheer heartbreak of parents who no longer feel able to do the thing most innate to them – protect their children’s health and safety. “One look at the conditions that people are being forced to live in is enough to understand why. “We know that Gaza was already one of the most densely populated places in the world. Now, people have been crammed into around 40 per cent of the space left to them – sheltering among broken buildings, rubble and mounting solid waste. “Families across Gaza do not have enough clean water, they are forced to choose between drinking, washing and cooking with what little they have. “UNICEF is trying to reach as many people as possible with clean water– up to one and a half million people a month – but there are significant obstacles: “Firstly – deadly attacks on water operations, including recently at Al Mansoura filling point, where two UNICEF-contracted truck drivers were killed whilst trying to collect water. Now, this main water filling station – which more than a quarter of a million people rely on – is inaccessible. “Secondly, items needed to sustain water systems and repair damaged water infrastructure – including: lubricant oil, water treatment chemicals and spare parts – are not being allowed in at the scale needed, meaning we cannot repair systems as quickly as needed to reach more children with clean water, and existing systems risk failure due to lack of maintenance and overuse. If we cannot repair systems, then we have to rely solely on water trucking which is much more expensive and doesn’t reach populations as effectively. “Thirdly, solid waste is piling up by the day. This, alongside rubble, needs clearing at a scale that is currently impossible because there is no accessible space left to clear it to. “The effects of this are now widely apparent: children with respiratory infections, acute watery diarrhea, and more than half of all households reporting skin diseases. Fleas, lice, and scabies are commonplace. Increasing numbers of children are requiring hospitalization. All without a single fully functioning hospital across Gaza. “The picture is similarly stark when it comes to children’s nutrition. While we have managed to reverse the famine, the number of malnourished and vulnerable children remain extremely serious. More than two years of food insecurity, poor housing, limited water, terrible sanitary conditions and regular disease outbreaks has left the population extremely vulnerable. Without enough clean water and fuel to cook proper meals, even children who recover with treatment will quickly fall back in a cycle of malnutrition – the effects of which can last a lifetime. “No parent should be in a position where they cannot provide their child with the basic needs to keep them healthy. No parent should have to watch as their child writhes in pain from lesions or buckle from weakness because of entirely preventable diarrhoea. That this is happening should be – to everyone – entirely unconscionable. “Access to water, adequate nutritious food, and health care should not be conditional for any child, anywhere. “UNICEF is calling for safe unfettered access to deliver humanitarian operations, the lifting of restrictions on items needed to quickly repair and sustain water and sanitation systems, and for international humanitarian law to be upheld. “Only then will children in Gaza start to break free from the cycle of suffering they are trapped in.”
Country: World Source: World Health Organization Please refer to the attached file. The WHO Botswana Biennial Report 2024–2025 showcases a period of strong progress, resilience, and transformative partnerships in advancing national health priorities. Botswana reached a historic milestone as the first country globally to attain Gold Tier status for eliminating mother‑to‑child transmission of HIV, demonstrating the impact of sustained political commitment and integrated primary health care. Across the health system, key achievements include strengthening immunization, health security, and disease control programmes, while advancing reforms toward Universal Health Coverage and National Health Insurance. The country also enhanced preparedness through the Joint External Evaluation and development of a fully costed National Action Plan for Health Security. At the same time, Botswana continues to address emerging challenges, including non‑communicable diseases, health system investments, and recovery of routine services. WHO Botswana extends heartfelt appreciation to all WHO staff and to national, regional, and global stakeholders and partners for their invaluable collaboration in strengthening Botswana’s health sector. We look forward to further deepening these partnerships to advance a healthier, more resilient future for all.
Country: Philippines Source: Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Please refer to the attached Infographic.
Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Uganda Source: World Bank How is the World Bank Group responding to the Ebola Outbreak The World Bank Group is responding swiftly to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. We are drawing on our investments in health preparedness — and the financing tools built specifically for moments like this — to help countries contain the outbreak and protect vulnerable communities. Our focus is on the people most at risk: the communities facing the outbreak, the health workers responding to it, and the governments working to contain it. Mobilizing financing and technical support Our immediate priority is to help ensure that financing and technical support can be mobilized rapidly to support frontline response efforts, reinforce health systems, and strengthen surveillance and cross-border preparedness. Frontline response support - Getting resources to the people responding to the outbreak, including for health workers, surveillance systems, and community engagement teams doing the hard work of containment on the ground. Health system reinforcement - Strengthening the local and national health systems that communities depend on — including laboratory capacity, referral pathways, and supply chains. Surveillance and cross-border preparedness - Supporting fast case detection and public health interventions that are the foundation of containment, including reinforcing preparedness in neighboring countries at risk of spread. Private sector capacity The World Bank Group is following up with private sector clients to assess the impact of the outbreak on operations, including access to routine healthcare and products, as well as the private sector’s capacity to scale up production and delivery of high-demand products such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), diagnostics, and specific treatment options. Supporting Impacted Countries Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) The World Bank Group has been a long-term partner in building health emergency infrastructure in the country. A current project in DRC, the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience (HEPRR) Project, is financing the deployment of Ministry of Health specialists to the field, including epidemiologists, infection prevention and control experts, and risk communication teams. It is also supporting the deployment of diagnostic equipment and laboratory experts to expand testing capacity in Bunia. At the same time, a separate $555 million nutrition and health project is protecting the delivery of maternal, newborn and immunization services during the emergency across over 3,500 health facilities in the DRC. Through the Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement (REDISSE) project, we helped establish the largest biosafety-level laboratory in Eastern DRC—now the central testing hub in the heart of the outbreak zone. The lab is fully operational and actively testing for Ebola. We are currently financing critical laboratory equipment in DRC to keep the lab fully operational through an existing health investment in the country. DRC's national response is being coordinated from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Kinshasa, which was rehabilitated four years ago with World Bank funding through REDISSE. A warehouse in the same building holds stockpiles of emergency supplies — pre-positioned for exactly this kind of crisis. Uganda The World Bank Group has supported Uganda through previous major outbreaks and is mobilizing funding to help contain this one. We are in close coordination with national authorities and partners to assess evolving needs on the ground and are discussing additional options to support the country’s response. Regional and cross-border preparedness Cross-border transmission is a serious concern given the movement of people, goods, and trade across this region. In South Sudan, the Ministry of Health has deployed surveillance teams to border areas and is working with WHO — contracted under an ongoing World Bank project — to strengthen preparedness and ramp up Ebola response activities. Other neighboring countries are also activating preparedness measures, and the WBG is supporting these efforts alongside governments and development partners. WBG Health Emergency Response Tools Crisis Response Toolkit and Crisis Response Window These mechanisms allow countries to reallocate and access emergency financing more quickly in times of crisis. This outbreak underscores the importance of having these options pre-positioned. The Crisis Response Toolkit includes the Rapid Response Option, which allows countries to repurpose existing portfolio funds without new approvals; pre-arranged contingent financing; and catastrophe insurance mechanisms that mobilize private capital. The Crisis Response Window provides additional concessional financing for countries responding to major emergencies. We are actively exploring options under both mechanisms to support a robust response. The Pandemic Fund The Pandemic Fund, hosted by the World Bank, is the first multilateral financing mechanism dedicated specifically to strengthening pandemic preparedness and response capacity in low- and middle-income countries. The Fund is coordinating closely with countries as well as regional and international partners to support the rapid scale-up of surveillance, diagnostics, risk communications and community engagement, and other emergency response measures in affected regions of the DRC and Uganda, as well as neighboring countries, including Burundi and South Sudan. The Pandemic Fund has active projects in all affected countries and stands ready to scale up efforts to contain the outbreak and strengthen core health systems. An extraordinary meeting of the Fund’s Governing Board will be held this week to determine concrete measures, including the reprogramming of available resources to meet urgent needs. Commitment to Resilient Health Systems This outbreak is also a reminder of why resilient health systems matter. The World Bank Group is committed to reaching 1.5 billion people with quality, affordable health services by 2030 by mobilizing public and private sectors together—strengthening health financing, expanding the health workforce, scaling primary care, and boosting local manufacturing of medicines and supplies. That ambition requires resilient health systems that are strong enough to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies. One key initiative supporting this goal is the Africa Initiative for Medical Access and Manufacturing (AIM2030), a partnership led by the World Bank Group, the African Union Commission, governments, and partners to expand access to essential medicines and health products while building sustainable regional manufacturing capacity across Africa. Partners We are coordinating closely with governments across the region and with partners, including WHO, the Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC), Gavi, CEPI, and other partners. The Africa CDC, supported in part by World Bank funding, has been central to strengthening African countries' capacity to detect and respond to outbreaks, including this one. Stay Updated The situation is actively evolving. We are monitoring it closely and will continue to update this page as our response develops.
Country: Moldova Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. Description The late-May 2026 floods were one of Moldova’s sharpest localized hydrometeorological shocks in recent months, with Călărași and Ungheni identified by the government as the most affected districts after the torrential rains of 22 May. The damage profile was dominated by flooded households, damaged roads, pressure on dams and lakes, disrupted rail traffic, and agricultural losses. The human impact was serious but uneven: the confirmed district-level reporting shows at least one death in Călărași, multiple rescue operations, households inundated in both districts, and preventive evacuation planning for additional residents at risk. As of 28 May 2026, authorities were still assessing total monetary losses, so the available picture is operational and preliminary rather than final. The heavy precipitation led to rapid water level rises in rivers, streams, and artificial reservoirs, resulting in multiple cascading impacts: Dam and embankment failures, including a reported rupture of a local dam in Hîrjauca (Călărași district), which caused sudden downstream flooding. Overflow and flooding of lakes and ponds, raising concerns about inadequate maintenance and compliance with safety standards for water basins. Flash floods affecting rural settlements, with water entering households, agricultural land, and public infrastructure. Transport disruption, including blocked roads and temporarily halted rail traffic in affected zones. Power outages and preventive disconnections in several villages due to safety risks. Soil erosion, mudflows, and damage to agricultural assets, including greenhouses and crops. The combination of saturated soils and high runoff intensity significantly amplified the destructive capacity of the floods. The strongest cross-source figures available so far show that across the wider affected zone of Călărași, Strășeni, Ungheni, and Criuleni, the floods damaged or inundated 25 localities, affected 69 households, threatened around 400 households, flooded about 400 hectares of farmland, and damaged 55 km of roads. These are important numbers because they come from the crisis-management structure after the first response phase, so they likely reflect a more consolidated operational picture than the first-night reports. However, they are not yet final compensation figures. What happened The triggering event was the 22 May storm system, which brought torrential rain, strong winds, and major water accumulation. Moldova’s authorities shifted into crisis mode, with emergency teams, police, road services, rail services, and local authorities deployed to pump water, reinforce dikes, reopen transport links, and secure high-risk areas. The government explicitly said that Călărași and Ungheni were the hardest-hit districts. gov.md IGSU The disaster affected dozens of localities across at least two key districts, with secondary impacts reported in neighboring areas. Călărași: damage analysis Călărași appears to have suffered the most intense direct household and infrastructure shock. The immediate crisis was tied to dam failure/partial rupture, especially around Hîrjauca and Mîndra, where multiple reports say over 40 households were affected. Radio Moldova also reported that in Mîndra six households were completely destroyed, while many courtyards, wells, and agricultural plots were flooded. Local officials further said that in some mayoralties 70–80% of infrastructure was affected, with bridges and local transport links damaged. Radio Moldova Radio Moldova Human impact in Călărași was severe. The government confirmed the death of a 48-year-old man in Dereneu, linked to the flooding and heavy rains. Residents were trapped in houses and vehicles, and emergency services prepared for wider preventive evacuation around Bularda/Hîrbovăț if dikes failed. One operational report noted preparations for possible evacuation of over 20 households, while a TVR Moldova report said a field camp was readied for more than 200 people in case conditions worsened. Persons at the “Codru” sanatorium were also evacuated preventively. From an analytical perspective, Călărași’s vulnerability was not just rainfall intensity. It was the combination of intense runoff, small-basin/dam failure, and cascade effects from connected lakes and drainage channels. That made the district especially prone to sudden, high-energy flooding that damaged homes, roads, yards, wells, and local agricultural assets rather than only causing shallow standing water. Ungheni: damage analysis Ungheni’s impact pattern looks broader geographically but somewhat less concentrated in destroyed homes than Călărași, at least from the public reporting now available. The government said 11 localities in Ungheni district were affected. Emergency reports and media coverage describe flooded households and basements, people stranded in vehicles or on rooftops, and drainage work in both rural settlements and the town. The key infrastructure signal in Ungheni was instability around water bodies and transport links. In Rădenii Vechi, landslides damaged two bridges in Novaia Nicolaevca. Authorities also reported an alarming situation at Lake Delia, which had accumulated water from failed upstream basins, while controlled water release operations took place near Mănoilești and Cornova to reduce pressure. Floodwater was also removed from multiple households, basements, and a kindergarten in Ungheni. Ungheni was also significant in the rescue and transport-disruption dimension. Multiple calls for help were recorded there, including incidents with people trapped in vehicles and on rooftops. Rail disruption near Pârlița temporarily stopped the Chișinău–Kyiv train with 142 passengers, illustrating that the flood impact extended beyond houses into inter-district mobility and economic connectivity. Key human impact indicators include: The public reporting allows a careful estimate of population impact, but not yet a precise district-by-district headcount. What is solid: - 69 households were actually affected across the four main districts. Moldpres - More than 400 households were considered at risk, but authorities say they were protected through dike reinforcement and drainage operations. Moldpres - In Călărași, over 40 households were flooded in Hîrjauca and Mîndra, and more than 20 households were under evacuation contingency in Bularda/Hîrbovăț. Radio Moldova Moldpres - In Ungheni, 11 localities were affected, with flooded households, a kindergarten, damaged bridges, and multiple rescue incidents. What remains uncertain: - There is no finalized official headcount of people directly affected in Călărași and Ungheni alone. - There is also no final published monetary damage estimate yet. - One media roundup referred to two deaths across Călărași and Ungheni, but the clearest official district-level confirmation currently available is one death in Dereneu, Călărași. Based on household estimates and rural population density, the directly affected population is estimated at several hundred people, while the indirectly affected population (service disruption, mobility constraints, power outages, and economic losses) likely extends to several thousand residents across the two districts. Casualties and Vulnerable Groups At least one fatality was reported in Călărași district (Dereneu village) as a result of flooding-related incidents. Preventive evacuations were conducted, including from areas near the Codru sanatorium, to avoid loss of life. Vulnerable groups include rural households, elderly populations in isolated villages, and communities located near water basins and low-lying river valleys. The main analytical conclusion is that Călărași suffered the more destructive household and infrastructure blow, while Ungheni experienced wider spatial disruption and acute water-management stress, especially around lakes, slopes, and transport corridors. This distinction matters for recovery planning: Călărași needs more household reconstruction and local infrastructure repair, while Ungheni may need stronger slope stability, drainage, and basin management measures. Why these floods were so damaging The event shows a classic compound local flood pattern: Short, intense rainfall Overflow and failure pressure on ponds/dikes Cascade effects between connected basins Localized flash flooding in villages Secondary impacts on roads, rail, wells, and farmland That combination explains why relatively small localities could suffer disproportionate destruction. In other words, this was not only a “rain event”; it was a water-retention and drainage system stress event. Authorities at national and local levels activated emergency mechanisms: Deployment of emergency response teams, firefighters, police, and road services. Continuous water pumping, reinforcement of embankments, and clearance of blocked infrastructure. High-level field visits by government officials, with ongoing coordination between ministries. Ongoing damage assessment processes, as many impacts remain under evaluation due to receding waters. The situation remains dynamic, with residual risks linked to: further rainfall forecasts, saturated ground conditions, structural vulnerabilities of water retention infrastructure. On 26 May 2026, the leadership of the Red Cross Society of Moldova (MRCS), together with regional directors from affected districts, conducted a field visit toCălărași district, one of the areas most severely impacted by recent flooding caused by heavy rainfall. The mission aimed to assess field conditions, identify urgent community needs, and determine appropriate humanitarian support. In Dereneu village, discussions with local authorities focused on flood impacts, damage to households, and coordination of emergency response efforts. The MRCS team also met with a bereaved family affected by the disaster to express institutional solidarity and assess immediate support needs. In the Bularda area, the delegation met with GIES (IGSU) emergency responders engaged in flood protection works, including embankment reinforcement using sandbags and the creation of diversion channels. The team also reviewed ongoing emergency infrastructure measures and identified operational needs for responders and affected communities. In Mândra village, field visits to affected households were carried out in coordination with social workers to assess urgent humanitarian needs, including material assistance and psychosocial support for vulnerable families. MRCS reaffirmed its continued presence in the affected areas and its commitment to provide humanitarian assistance, psychosocial support, and coordination with local authorities. The organization emphasized its role in strengthening local response capacity and community resilience in line with its humanitarian mandate. By 27–28 May, authorities indicated that the immediate flood danger had been reduced through dike strengthening, pumping, and controlled drainage, but the recovery phase was only beginning. The local emergency commissions were still inventorying losses, and support from local budgets plus central government top-ups was being considered. That means the current picture is best read as initial impact analysis, not a completed loss-and-needs assessment. Călărași and Ungheni were the epicenter of Moldova’s May 2026 flood emergency. Călărași suffered the heaviest direct destruction to homes and local infrastructure, including dam-related flooding and at least one confirmed death. Ungheni experienced widespread multi-locality flooding, bridge damage, water-basin instability, and transport disruption. The total economic loss is still being assessed, but the event already shows a major combined impact on households, roads, farmland, and local resilience. Request For Assistance Government Requests International Assistance: Yes NS Requests International Assistance: No Information Bulletin Published No Actions taken by National Society General Damage/Needs assessment Relief/Supply distribution Psychosocial support services Summary Since the onset of the flooding emergency, the Red Cross Society of Moldova (MRCS) has been actively engaged in field presence, coordination, and rapid needs identification in the most affected districts, including Călărași and Ungheni. During the latest field engagement, MRCS leadership and regional teams conducted on-site visits to affected communities to assess humanitarian needs, strengthen coordination with local authorities and emergency services, and identify priority support areas. Special attention was given to severely affected households, vulnerable families, and cases requiring immediate assistance, including psychosocial support. Based on ongoing assessments, MRCS is preparing targeted assistance for approximately 200 affected households, including the provision of non-food items (NFIs), basic household support, and tailored assistance packages (PFA) where required for the most vulnerable cases. In parallel, the National Society has reinforced coordination with all relevant decision-making actors, including local public authorities, emergency response services, and social assistance structures, to ensure an integrated and timely response. MRCS remains actively present in the field and continues to adjust its response based on evolving needs, with a focus on humanitarian relief, psychosocial support, and strengthening local response capacities. Actions taken by others The Government of the Republic of Moldova is leading the emergency response through national and local authorities, with coordinated operational support on the ground. The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) has been actively deployed, carrying out evacuations, water pumping, installation of sandbag barriers, and reinforcement of flood protection infrastructure in affected areas. The Ministry of Environment, the State Hydrometeorological Service, and the “Apele Moldovei” Administration have provided technical monitoring, hydrological updates, and support for water management interventions. Local authorities in Călărași and Ungheni are coordinating local response efforts, including damage reporting, community support, and identification of affected households. No large-scale UN emergency deployment has been reported at this stage, while coordination with humanitarian partners and local actors remains ongoing within existing national response mechanisms.
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Sources: Logistics Cluster, World Food Programme Please refer to the attached file. Summary These are the Standard Operating Procedures to access Logistics Cluster common logistics services. The Logistics Cluster services are provided at no cost to the user. Content Overview This document provides an overview of the logistics services made available through the DRC Logistics and Telecommunications Cluster (LTC) to support humanitarian actors responding to the Ebola crisis, how to access them and the conditions under which these services are to be provided. The objective of these services is to enable responding organisations to establish an uninterrupted supply chain that supports the delivery of humanitarian relief items to the affected population in DRC. The services include warehousing and transport provided under the specific conditions described below. These services are not intended to replace the logistics capacities of other organizations or compete with local service providers. Rather, they are intended to fill identified operational gaps and provide a last-resort option in case other service providers are not available, and/or existing capacity is inadequate to respond to humanitarian needs. These services are planned to be available until 30 August 2026, with the possibility of further extension. However, partial or complete withdrawal of the services may occur prior to this date due to specific circumstances: Changes in the situation on the ground Services are no longer an agreed upon/identified need Funding constraints This document is subject to regular updates based on evolving operational requirements and situational changes. Service requestors are responsible for consulting the latest version prior to submitting any requests. Updated versions will be shared on the DRC Operations page.
Country: World Source: International Rescue Committee Please refer to the attached file. Which humanitarian interventions deliver the most impact per dollar? The International Rescue Committee has identified, through years of rigorous research, a set of high-impact interventions that deliver outsized results for every dollar invested. Download the two-pager for the evidence behind each, or read on for a summary. Humanitarian needs have reached record levels while available funding shrinks. Seventeen countries at the intersection of extreme poverty, conflict and climate vulnerability are home to 70% of people in humanitarian need, yet receive a fraction of the funding required. Every dollar must work harder. The two-pager addresses the following questions, drawing on evidence across health and survival, women's empowerment, education, and cash and resilience: How can we reach children with vaccines in conflict zones at low cost? Through the IRC's REACH program with Gavi, mobile teams and pop-up clinics have delivered over 24 million doses, with delivery costs falling to ~$2 per dose at scale. What is the most cost-effective way to treat acute malnutrition? A simplified malnutrition treatment protocol matches standard care outcomes at one-fifth less cost, enabling treatment for more children with the same resources. How can health systems prevent maternal deaths in low-resource settings? Community-based distribution of misoprostol cuts postpartum hemorrhage risk by 80%, extending coverage to communities that facility-based care cannot reach. What is the return on investment for infection prevention in crisis settings? Effective prevention and control halves infection-related deaths and saves over $16 in treatment costs for every $1 invested. How cost-effective is reproductive health programming in humanitarian contexts? Every $1 spent on contraceptive services saves $2.50 in health care costs, while self-injection innovations and community health workers extend access to women in crisis settings. Can humanitarian programming reduce intimate partner violence cost-effectively? An integrated IRC approach in the DRC achieved a 77% reduction in intimate partner violence at 27% lower cost than stand-alone programs. Is remote early learning a cost-effective response to disrupted schooling? The IRC's Remote Early Learning Program delivers a year's worth of preschool gains in 11 weeks via WhatsApp, at 20% lower cost than in-person preschool. How does cash compare to in-kind aid in cost-efficiency? Cash transfers reach 18% more people and generate $2 in local economic activity for every $1 transferred, by removing supply chain costs and giving families direct purchasing choice. Can anticipatory action reduce humanitarian costs before disasters hit? Pre-shock cash and early warning systems help families preserve assets and meet basic needs, reducing the cost burden of post-crisis response. The IRC's anticipatory action model now operates in five countries. As the gap between humanitarian need and available funding widens, these highest-return investments offer the clearest path to reaching more people with fewer resources.
Country: Zambia Source: Famine Early Warning System Network Please refer to the attached file. Executive Summary Zambia is located in southern Africa and is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola (Figure 1), making it a key transit and trade hub in southern and central Africa. Zambia’s population is estimated to be between 21 and 22 million in 2025, with an annual growth rate of approximately 2.8 to 3.0 percent. The topography features high plateaus, major rivers, and escarpments with an elevation suitable for settlement, rainfed farming, and livestock. Zambia’s agro-ecological regions and zones vary according to rainfall patterns and soil quality, and each region has different agricultural production potential that shapes livelihood opportunities. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood and employment for about 55 percent of Zambia’s workforce, although it contributes a relatively smaller share to the GDP. Smallholder farmers rely on rainfed cropping and produce much of the domestic food supply. Large-scale commercial farming is concentrated in high-potential regions with production of cash crops for export and domestic industrial use. Maize is the dominant staple crop, and other significant food crops include cassava, sorghum, millet, and sugarcane. Major cash crops include cotton, tobacco, soybeans, and wheat. Mining is a central pillar of Zambia’s economy, contributing approximately 10-17 percent of the GDP. Copper and other mineral exports make up about 70 percent of total export earnings, making the sector the primary source of foreign exchange for the country. Rural households primarily rely on own production of crops and livestock for food, supplemented by market purchases, while urban households are mainly market dependent. The main income sources for rural households are crop sales, livestock and livestock-product sales, agricultural labor, fishing, forest product sales, self-employment, and petty trade. In urban areas, income is primarily derived from informal employment, trade, construction and mining services, transport, and retail trade. Food purchases constitute the largest share of household expenditures, particularly for poor households in both urban and rural areas, while better-off households use a smaller share. Household expenditures also include productive inputs, transport, education, and household assets. The main chronic and intermittent hazards affecting Zambia include drought, prolonged dry spells, localized flooding, crop pests, livestock diseases, wildlife damage in valley areas, and market shocks. The food security situation and prevalence of malnutrition are of low to moderate concern at the national level. However, there are notable regional variations, with the more concerning outcomes concentrated in the Western, Northwestern, and Southern provinces. Acute food insecurity is primarily driven by prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and high domestic food prices, which reduce households’ own production and drive increased need for market purchases amid constrained purchasing power.