Middle East and North Africa

Abstract

The humanitarian crises in the Middle East and North Africa continue to affect a staggering number of people. More than 71 million vulnerable people, including over 35 million children, are in need of assistance.1 The conflicts in the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen, volatility in Libya and upsurges of violence in the State of Palestine are exposing children to extreme risks, including death, injury and displacement,2 as well as forced recruitment into armed groups and early marriage. In Yemen, where the response is challenged by the collapsing health system, millions are facing acute food insecurity, the country is confronting one of the largest cholera outbreaks on record, and nearly half a million children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition. In the Syrian Arab Republic, years of conflict have left more than 2 million children out of school3 and 3.3 million children4 exposed to explosive hazards. In Iraq, nearly 1 million children remain displaced, mainly in Ninewa, Dahuk, Erbil, Kirkuk, Salah al Din, Sulaymaniyah and Baghdad.5 Against the backdrop of ongoing violence, the region is also confronting natural disasters and infectious disease outbreaks, including in Djibouti and the Sudan. In 2018, Djibouti was affected by both drought and a cyclone.