Zimbabwe Children and women in crisis The children and women of Zimbabwe are under threat. The crises affecting them are multiple and complex: political and economic instability, abject poverty, the deterioration of the social service sector, an HIV epidemic that has raged across the country, erratic rains, and food insecurity. Only 10 per cent of children in the country eat a nutritious diet, exclusive breastfeeding is only 6 per cent, and as a result, undernutrition affects 34 per cent of children 6–59 months old.1 Diminished water and sanitation access, particularly in rural areas, means that 33 per cent of all Zimbabweans must practise open defecation.2 Social and education limitations perpetuate violence, exploitation and the trafficking of children. Assistance is hampered by systemic vulnerability, the country’s reduced resources and its lack of child protection mechanisms.
Meeting urgent needs and building resilience in 2011 UNICEF, working with the Government of Zimbabwe, UN agencies and civil society partners will continue to meet the needs of children and women in 2011 through humanitarian relief, recovery programming and transitional activities designed to strengthen essential social services. UNICEF, as the co-lead of the nutrition cluster with the Government, co-lead of the WASH cluster with OXFAM, and co-lead with education cluster with Save the Children and the Government, expects to reach around 6,612,000 people, particularly mothers and newborns, orphans and other vulnerable children, child migrants, and those affected by HIV and AIDS.
Humanitarian funding at work: Highlights from 2010 UNICEF estimated that US$108,700,000 was needed to fund its humanitarian work in Zimbabwe, according to the mid-2010 revised request. As of October 2010, a total of US$19,819,156 had been received, or 18 per cent of the 2010 request. This funding enabled UNICEF to achieve key results for women and children, among them: 375,000 mothers and newborns benefited from essential supplies for emergency obstetric care and rapid HIV testing; 13,200 children with severe acute malnutrition were treated, partly in 229 new treatment sites; the scourge of cholera was put at bay when 211,000 people in areas at high risk for cholera gained access to safe water; 2.8 million primary school children saw the quality of their education improve because of better teaching and learning materials.
• Up to 1 million people, including 100,000 pregnant women and their children, will benefit
from integrated paediatric HIV and AIDS services within maternal health, immunization and nutrition programmes.
• More than 17,000 children, about 70 per cent of those in need, will be treated for severe acute malnutrition.
• Safe water in sufficient quantities will become reality for 4 million people through the distribution of essential water treatment chemicals in 20 urban locations and the construction of boreholes and rehabilitation of wells in the neediest urban centres and rural areas.
• To support the recovery of the education system, so crucial to children’s well-being and the foundation of a stable society, UNICEF will target 2.8 million students, 10,000 out-of-school youth, 15,000 unqualified teachers and 1,000 schools, providing them learning materials, alternative education programmes, emergency in-service teacher education upgrading and school WASH. Additionally, a national network of civil society organizations will be launched to improve disaster risk reduction.
• The protection and well-being of 25,000 boys and girls who have survived violence will be enhanced through work to ensure their access to essential legal, care and support services.
Funding requirements for 2011 UNICEF is requesting US$119,973,000 for its 2011 humanitarian work in Zimbabwe. UNICEF has aligned its request with the 2011 Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) requirements. Any delay in funding puts the well-being of vulnerable women and children at risk during a crucial time in Zimbabwe’s transition out of complex crisis into political and economic recovery. More information on 2010 results and humanitarian action planned in 2011 can be found at www.unicef.org/hac2011 or the country office website at www.unicef.org/ zimbabwe. 1. Food and Nutrition Council, ‘Zimbabwe National Nutrition Survey – 2010: Preliminary findings’, Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Harare, 2010, pp. 31, 47, 18. 2. Central Statistical Office, Zimbabwe, and United Nations Children’s Fund, ‘Multiple Indicator Monitoring Survey (MIMS) 2009: Preliminary report’, CSO and UNICEF, Harare, November 2009, p. 19.
UNICEF EMERGENCY NEEDS FOR 2011 (in US dollars) Total
$119,973,000 9,475,000
55,400,000 Health 11,796,000 Nutrition
Child protection
30,335,000 WASH
11,615,000 Education 1,352,000 Cluster coordination
www.unicef.org/hac2011 | 2011 UNICEF Humanitarian Action FOR CHILDREN
Zimbabwe
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