Integrated critical lifesaving intervention to respond to underserved emergencies in high-insecure areas of Afar Region, Ethiopia (Envelope 1 - Afar) The dire humanitarian situation in the northern Ethiopia has affected the Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions. The situation in Afar is at a critical stage where thousands of households closer to the border areas of Tigray are being affected. The conflict crisis has resulted in displacement of many and left thousands without basic livelihoods, public and private infrastructures have been destroyed

In Afar Region, close to 40,000 (7200 men and 8,800 women, 11,600 boys , and girls 12,400) people were newly displaced in Aba’la and Berhale woredas according to local authorities, following the resumption of hostilities in northern Ethiopia in the third week of August 2022. Food, nutrition and shelter and non-food items supplies as well as health services are priority needs for the newly displaced. Across Afar, the rate of malnourished children with complications is increasing, calling for additional support in early detection and treatment of moderately malnourished children. The Regional Health Bureau and health partners are planning a nationwide find-and-treat campaign to identify early signs of malnutrition and address them this week. While the provision of nutrition in emergency services continued across the region in all functional health facilities, the services provided are sub-optimal in quality and scale and the number of health staff available is not commensurate with the high needs. Though the loss of productive resources because of the conflict put both men and women in a deteriorative situation yet, women are mostly found to be distressed and discomforted because of the overlayed reproductive roles and safety and protection risks.  Inadequacy in the provision of sanitation and hygiene kits has become a critical concern for adolescent girls and women to maintain personal and menstrual hygiene.  Limited or no electric power in the IDPs (use flashlight at nighttime) has puts girls and women safety at high risk. Sexual harassment and domestic violence are the two most significant safety and security concerns in the community. Besides, women and girls devote most of their time in mostly domestic chores which include food preparation, fetching water and firewood, care and support for children resulting for limited time to take care of themselves and their children. Besides since the communal norm imposes women to manage available food items in the house, they are mostly observed to prioritize their husband and other male members and eat what is left from others. As coping mechanism for the food insecurity, men have started to sell livestock and buy necessary consumable goods to their houses. Women have also engaged in selling items such as wood. Boys are engaging in daily laborer by migrating to nearby towns whereas girls follow in their mother’s footsteps. 
Hence, an urgent escalation of humanitarian response is needed to respond to the crisis in Afar region where food assistance, clean water, sanitation, ESNFI, nutrition services, medical care, mental and psychosocial support are considered the main humanitarian needs of the conflict affected population.
In this fragile and rapidly evolving context, GOAL Ethiopia in consortium with other 2 partners have designed this integrated multisectoral project with the aim to provide life-saving assistance in Agriculture Nutrition, Health, WASH, ESNFI, and Education with strong inclusion of AAP, Gender, and PSEA.

This project will be implemented through two International NGOs (GOAL Ethiopia and Islamic Relief Fund) and one National NGO (Mothers and Children Multisectoral Development Organization - MCMDO). 

All organizations have existing presence in the region and strong relationship with the local authorities as well as good understanding of the situation on the ground and of the humanitarian needs. The consortium has been created having each organization focusing on the sector where they have strong expertise and capacity to delivery humanitarian aid.