HIGHLIGHTS
Eritrea and Ethiopia: The peace
between the two countries remains and has continued to facilitate the rehabilitation
of the war affected. However, in many areas people remain vulnerable from
the effects of many years of drought. Rains were improved in some areas
leading to improved crops but the Somali Re-gion of Ethiopia still suffers
from poor rains and deteriorating conditions.
Somalia: The situation has deteriorated dramatically as a result of the failure of the Gu rains and har-vest. The situation is exacerbated by the chronic food insecurity of much of the population. The southern area of the country has been particularly badly affected. Water sources have dried up, pasture is poor and livestock deaths have been reported. This has resulted in distress migration to areas with possible resources. The poor economy and an increase in insecurity has also affected the humanitarian outlook.
Sudan: An near normal rainy season in some areas has improved the food security outlook. However, many people in the southern regions, remain extremely vulnerable as a result of ongoing conflict between the government and the SPLA. The conflict continues to displace populations and constrain humanitarian ac-cess particularly in Bahr-el-Ghazal.
Sierra Leone and the West African Region: There has been a marked improvement in the overall secu-rity situation in Sierra Leone as a result of the continued implementation of the Abuja peace accord. This has resulted in the opening up of many areas of the country and the increased return of IDPs and Sierra Leonean refugees from Guinea. The security in Sierra Leone has improved the situation in Guinea but Li-beria is still experiencing conflict in the northern Lofa county. As a result the humanitarian situation in the country is deteriorating.
Great Lakes Region: Advances in the peace processes in Burundi and DRC have increased the potential for an improvement in the humanitarian situation. However, both countries suffer from continued violence which has created huge needs amongst the population and seriously constrained the ability of humanitar-ian agencies to access them. As a result of the continued conflict, refugees continue to enter Tanzania. The situation in Uganda appears to have improved as a result of a decrease in rebel activity.
Angola: There has been an escalation in the conflict between UNITA and government forces. This has increased the level of displacement and agencies are noting that IDPs are making their way to towns and cities with active assistance programs. However, they are arriving in desperately poor condition. Access to many areas is very problematic and as a result many of the most needy are not being assisted.
Afghanistan: The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has been deteriorating drastically over the course of 2001 as a result of both drought and conflict. The crisis was deepened by the events of Sep-tember 11 th , which have resulted in retaliatory American air strikes on the country. The population, many of whom were already =A7unable to cope without assistance prior to September 11th, are now suffering the effects of greatly increased conflict and the beginning of the harsh winter. The entire population is extremely vulnerable but those displaced both pre and post September 11 th are particularly vulner-able. One of the greatest problems is the difficulty of getting aid to many of the most vulnerable who will are unlikely to be able to meet their basic nutritional needs.
Table 1
Risk Factors Affecting Nutrition in Selected Situations
Situations in the table below are classed into five categories (row 1) relating to prevalence and or risk of malnutrition (I-very high risk/prevalence, II-high risk/prevalence, III-moderate risk/prevalence, IV-not at elevated risk/prevalence, V-unknown risk/prevalence, for further explanation see inside of the back page). The prevalence/risk is indirectly affected by both the underlying causes of malnutrition, relating to food, health and care (rows 2 - 4, and also Figure 1 at back of report) and the constraints limiting humanitarian response (rows 5 -8). These cate-gories are summations of the causes of malnutrition and the humanitarian response, but should not be used in isolation to prescribe the necessary response.
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