Support to the Somalia Humanitarian Fund - OCHA 2019

March 2019 - Decades of political instability have left Somalia facing a complex and protracted humanitarian crises with an estimated 4.2 million Somalis (35 percent of the population) expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2019. Some 2.6 million people have been forced from their homes with little or no access to the basic services. Acute malnutrition rates remain near or above emergency thresholds particularly among displaced populations. Violence due to terrorist threats and multiple conflicts has made access a challenge in many regions hampering the ability of humanitarian workers to reach those in need. With the support of GAC and other donors to the Somalia Humanitarian Fund the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is providing funding to United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations to respond to newly emerging crises and shifting/deteriorating humanitarian situations. Project activities include: (1) supporting life-saving activities such as shelter healthcare and protection by filling critical funding gaps; (2) promoting needs-based assistance in accordance with humanitarian principles; (3) strengthening the coordination of humanitarian assistance; (4) improving the relevance and coherence of humanitarian response by strategically funding priorities as identified under the Humanitarian Response Plan; and (5) expanding the delivery of humanitarian assistance in hard-to-reach areas of the country by partnering with local and international non-governmental organizations.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved coordination of the humanitarian response to effectively address priority humanitarian needs; (2) improved timeliness in implementing life-saving activities; (3) increased humanitarian access by partnering more effectively with local humanitarian non-governmental organizations; and (4) increased oversight and monitoring of humanitarian assistance projects in hard-to-reach areas. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or that are facing acute food insecurity.