Window of opportunity for humanitarian aid in Darfur is closing
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© UNICEF/HQ06-0540/Noorani
School staff members speak with UNICEF and WFP assessors outside a primary school in Kabkabia, North Darfur State. They are evaluating a school feeding program at the school. The program was later suspended due to lack of resources and security.
NEW YORK, USA (June 25, 2008) — As the people of Darfur face an impending hunger gap—a yearly recurrence leading up to the harvest in October—UNICEF and its partners in the humanitarian community are warning that limited time remains to safeguard against an increasingly precarious situation.
Increased levels of insecurity in the region have brought about this crisis, which has led to an additional 180,000 people being displaced from their homes in the first five months of 2008.
Attacks on UN World Food Program convoys have seriously delayed the delivery of food aid to Darfur, resulting in food ration reductions of more than 40 percent since May. At least 2.7 million people will be affected for at least the next two months.
© UNICEF/HQ05-1000/Haviv
Men sort through a delivery of dry food rations from the UN World Food Program at a camp for displaced people near the town of Kass in South Darfur State.
Eight aid workers killed
The increasing number of vehicle hijackings affecting humanitarian agencies in Darfur—160 to date in 2008—is undermining the delivery and quality of lifesaving assistance. Eight humanitarian workers have been killed this year.
In addition, Darfur experienced a substantially lower cereal harvest in 2007. In South Darfur in particular, the cereal harvest was significantly low. Combined with rising food prices, this is of great concern. If crops cannot be cultivated due to fighting and displacement, many households will become even more vulnerable.
© UNICEF/HQ04-1163/LeMoyne
Government soldiers escort a World Food Program food convoy to a camp for displaced people near the Sudan border. UNICEF works with national authorities and local partners to provide the camp with safe water and sanitation facilities, family tracing services, educational materials and other supplies.
Water and sanitation services are already over-stretched. The impact of diseases such as diarrhea and acute respiratory infections in the upcoming rainy season will certainly be more severe.
In order to monitor, assess and alleviate the impact of these factors, it is essential that humanitarian workers have safe access to all communities. Aid agencies can succeed in their missions only if they are able to undertake and release the results of surveys and assessments in a timely manner and without restrictions.
© UNICEF/HQ04-0265/Nesbitt
Displaced people walk amidst temporary shelters made of straw and plastic that cover a flat expanse land in the Abu Shouk IDP camp near El Fasher, capital of North Darfur. UNICEF is supporting the provision of health services, education, safe water and sanitation.
All parties must act now
There is still a window of opportunity to protect the population of Darfur from the worst effects of this year’s difficult hunger gap, but it is closing.
Overall, malnutrition and morbidity rates in Darfur are currently comparable to the same time last year. However, all parties must act now to allow humanitarian agencies to safely monitor the situation and deliver lifesaving assistance. Without these conditions in place—specifically the security necessary to deliver full food rations—the situation will deteriorate.
A failure to respond now will have serious repercussions on the wellbeing and development of the people of Darfur — not just during the coming days and months but in the longer-term.
