Response to Nigeria Crisis - Save the Children Canada 2020

March 2020 - A decade of conflict between government forces and Islamist insurgents in northeastern Nigeria has given rise to one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world characterized by mass displacement and grave human rights abuses including abductions killings and sexual violence. In 2020 assessments indicate that 7.7 million people are expected to require humanitarian assistance including emergency food rations treatment for life-threatening severe acute malnutrition and other healthcare services and protection for vulnerable women and girls at grave risk of sexual and gender-based violence. With GAC’s support Save the Children Canada is providing nutrition and protection assistance to an estimated 152 000 conflict-affected people in Nigeria’s Borno state. Project activities include: (1) providing technical and materiel support to local health facilities to improve delivery of nutrition treatment services; (2) providing cash or other inputs to vulnerable households to combat malnutrition; and (3) implementing activities to strengthen referral and response systems for sexual and gender-based violence.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved access to medical treatment for acute malnutrition; (2) reduced rates of acute malnutrition; and (3) reduced incidence and impact of sexual and gender-based violence amongst conflict-affected populations in Borno State Nigeria. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.