nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
7,700 people affected, 340 houses destroyed, 1,200 houses damaged
In Sudan, UNHCR is mobilizing resources as part of an inter agency response to assist those affected by the clashes. UNHCR has prepositioned emergency shelters and other core relief items such as blankets to be quickly distributed as soon as the security situation allows.
After accessing Gorlangbang for the first time in June 2020, UNICEF was able to analyze the situation of education there and quickly act. UNICEF then returned in November 2020 with much needed school supplies including recreational kits, and teacher kits for over 800 school children in Gorlangbang elementary school.
Since the first recorded case of COVID 19 in Sudan on 13 March 2020, 195 people have lost their lives, with more than 4,300 cases recorded.
The virus does not discriminate   many migrants, returnees and those forcibly displaced are at heightened risk due to already existing vulnerabilities.
WFP's flood response to date has been made possible by the generosity of donors, including German Federal Foreign Office, the United Kingdom's Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, and the United States Agency for International Development.
Implement another comprehensive country wide COVID 19 household follow up survey with a more specific GBV lense . More emphasis should be given to female staff to interview female respondents in an environmentally friendly/male free setting.
GBV risks remain significant in Sudan, particularly with women and girls on the move, working in fields or undertaking livelihoods activities.
As of 4 February, it is reported that 14 people were killed and another 10 injured due to the attacks. Community leaders reported that houses were burnt, livestock, property, and local facilities looted.
At the onset of the emergency response, WFP rapidly dispatched enough food supplies to feed 60,000 people, as well as specialized nutritious food for emergency nutrition.
Education costs only rose by 2.8 per cent  [ in 2020 ] .
All states reported implementation of microplanning, TOT and cascade training with good progress. The bundle supply mOPV vaccine, dried supplies such as campaign forms and registers, plastic bags, finger markers, PPEs, etc have been reached this week, even far states of Darfur received supply 4 days a head of NIDs .
United Nations Population Fund  ( UNFPA )  in coordination with Society of Medical Officers of Health ( SMOH )  social workers, assisted survivors of Gender Based Violence  ( GBV )  and 9 pregnant women to access GBV and sexual and reproductive health services.
WFP is on the ground to address the immediate food needs of Ethiopian refugees seeking safety in Sudan, following the escalation of the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia on 4 November. WFP is also providing fuel and logistics support for the response of the humanitarian community – setting up storage capacity for food and other vital supplies; and supporting transportation of humanitarian responders to the affected areas with the UN Humanitarian Air Service  ( UNHAS ) .
715 refugees received vocational training, representing 0.3 per cent of those in need. Less than 10% of refugees received livelihood support and productive assets. Energy assistance reached 14 per cent of the targeted population and only 2 per cent of the total refugees in Sudan.
Between January and June 2020, 313,785 medical consultations were made including 16 per cent for the host community. 13,751 children under the age of 5 years were identified and treated for acute malnutrition
In Khartoum, the state with the highest number of people affected, riverine and flash floods have left 100,000 people in need of urgent shelter and household supplies, clean water, sanitation and health services in Sharq El Nile, Jebel Aulya, Karari, Omdurman, Um Badah, Khartoum, and Bahri   Khartoum North localities, according to HAC.
Under the Climate Change Initiative project  ( IKI ) , fuel efficient cookstoves production and distribution are ongoing simultaneously in both White Nile and East Darfur States, along with cooking demonstration sessions on ground. The project contributes to reducing deforestation as the need for firewood collection is less frequent thanks to the ability of the stove to save energy, as well as producing less smoke.
Gender Based Violence  ( GBV )  awareness raising sessions have also been carried out to 743 women and girls during the distribution of dignity kits on GBV concepts, available GBV services, referral system and personal Hygiene.
More sustainable shelter solutions for returnees and protracted IDPs affected by not only recent conflict but also natural hazards need to be addressed.
South Sudanese refugees in Al Lait also exhibited a particularly high level of food insecurity, standing at 72 percent, which is much higher than the level observed in the same harvest season in November 2017  ( 44 percent ) .
Government, UN agencies, NGOs and the private sector are providing life saving assistance to thousands of people across all affected areas. However, the number of people affected has already surpassed the 250,000 initially forecast and partners are running out of supplies, especially shelter, non food items  ( kitchen utensils, jerry cans, plastic sheets, etc ) , health, and water, hygiene and sanitation  ( WASH )  items.
With the activation of the State of Emergency, the Transitional Government created a Higher Committee, led by the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, to mobilize resources and coordinate the operation that now involves all ministries and states. In addition, the Floods Task Force activated in July and headed by HAC, continues to coordinate the response of all humanitarian partners in the country to complement the Government activities.
The torrential rains and flooding compound increasing and emerging humanitarian needs in Sudan and the situation is not expected to change in the coming weeks. River Nile water levels continue to increase, after reaching 17.4 metres, the highest in 100 years, according to the Government. Heavy rains forecast in Ethiopia and several parts of Sudan will likely cause the further increase of water levels and lead to more riverine and flash floods.
Refugees, like other population groups, have been severely affected by the COVID 19 pandemic since March facing an already weak national health system with shortages of qualified staff, equipment and medications. By the end of June, the Sudanese Ministry of Health recorded 9,258 identified COVID 19 cases.
2.2 million people assisted in August 2020
Approximately 45 per cent of South Sudanese refugees have sufficient NFI's. Over 19 per cent of refugees targeted for shelter interventions received assistance Only 4 per cent of new arrivals received NFIs. Permanent shelter structure for refugees remains a gap
The cost of the response for 100,000 people in West Darfur for six months is estimated at $30 million. The key priorities are protection, WASH, shelter and NFIs, and education in emergencies.
Overall, humanitarian agencies in Sudan need US$1.9 billion to save lives and provide humanitarian assistance to 8.9 million people across the country in 2021.
Reported malaria cases continued to raise with 38,757 cases reported in week 34 and breaching the epidemic threshold in several states for a consecutive second month, Mainly in White Nile, Blue Nile, West Kordofan, and North Darfur.
Since 2017, nearly 2,700 Sudanese have been provided with Voluntary Humanitarian Return and Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration assistance under the EU IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration  ( the EU IOM Joint Initiative )  and are now re establishing their lives with support from the program.
In addition, 230 water testing kit to cover 1.5 M population procured and distributed in Khartoum, Eastern Sudan and North Darfur. WHO supported the water sampling  ( around 1,480 samples were collected and analysed, this covered 360,000 population, 60% of the samples fitting the human consumption ) .
In 2021, a total of 13.4 million people – a quarter of the country's population – are projected to need humanitarian assistance, according to the 2021 HNO. This is an increase of 4.1 million people in 2020 and the highest number in the past decade. Under the 2021 HRP, humanitarian partners intend to support 8.9 million of the most vulnerable people with the total financial requirements of US$1.9 billion.
The Sudan Humanitarian Fund  ( SHF )  has provided nine humanitarian partners with US$6.3 million to respond to the needs of the refugees. As of 25 February, the UN Refugee Agency  ( UNHCR )  and the Government's Commissioner for refugees  ( COR )  have registered over 61,000 Ethiopian refugees who have crossed the border into eastern Sudan.
The International Organization for Migration  ( IOM )  reported in its 7th update on West Darfur that about 120,400 people are sheltering in Ag Geneina, capital of West Darfur State and its surrounding villages. They have been displaced from the Krinding area  ( 61 per cent ) , Sultan House area  ( 18 per cent )  and other villages in the area  ( 21 per cent
The delivery follows the arrival of 4.5 metric tons of syringes and safety boxes, part of a Gavi funded and supported global stockpile, that UNICEF delivered on behalf of the COVAX Facility on 26 February 2021, critical for the safe and effective vaccination. WHO has worked with national authorities to put a vaccination strategy in place that includes training vaccinators, ensuring vaccine safety, and surveillance for adverse effects.
On 3 March, Sudan became the first country in the Middle East and North Africa region to receive vaccines against COVID 19 from the COVAX facility as over 800,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine touched down at the Khartoum International Airport. The vaccines were delivered with the UN Children's Fund  ( UNICEF )  support through COVAX, a coalition co led by the World Health Organization  ( WHO ) , Gavi  ( the Global Vaccines Alliance )  and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations  ( CEPI ) , working on the equitable distribution of COVID 19 vaccines to countries regardless of their income.
Between February and September 2021, most areas of Sudan will face minimal level of food insecurity   Integrated Food Security Phase Classification  ( IPC )  Phase 1   or stressed  ( IPC Phase 2 )  acute food insecurity, although parts of Jebel Marra, South Kordofan, Red Sea, Kassala, North Kordofan, and North Darfur will be in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 ) .
[ 2020 ] The migrants assisted to return by the EU IOM Joint Initiative are registered from the moment they arrive at the airport to receive national health insurance. To date, 1,010 returnees and their families have been registered with NHIF. Soon after receiving their NHIF cards, they can consult a medical doctor, for any condition.
[ 2020 ]  The NHIF covers services such as medical examinations, laboratory tests, and ultrasonography. Also included is the prescription of drugs, along with surgical and obstetrical operations, psychological and social analysis for patients, and referrals to better health care facilities. This makes a big difference to the physical and psychological well being of returnees at a time when they are rebuilding their lives.
Basic essentials supply for clean normal deliveries is required for +1500 pregnancies.
Notwithstanding the additional COVID 19 related funding to mitigate the spread of the pandemic, as of 30 June the South Sudan Regional Response Plan was largely underfunded. While WASH and health activities have increased, a lot of gaps remain in the response to cover the most basic needs, including livelihood and energy initiatives, strengthened registration, as well as the provision of health services and nutrition.
57 per cent of refugee children enrolled in primary school. Refugee children in Central and East Darfur successfully sat for their Grade 8 examinations before schools' closure due to COVID. In the other states, refugees will be supported to sit for these exams safely. Most refugees do not have access to TVs, Radios, smart phones or other devices being used for distance learning as a result of COVID.
With social distancing and movement restrictions due to partial or complete lockdown, many partners were unable to conduct vocational trainings and other life skills trainings planned for South Sudanese refugees. Despite not being able to meet the mid year targets, the sector is making efforts to increase implementation in the second half of the year.
The South Sudanese refugee emergency remains the largest refugee crisis in Africa, and Sudan hosts one of the largest populations in the region. At the end of June 2020, Sudan was hosting 820,687 South Sudanese refugees. There were 1,089 new arrivals in the first half of 2020, a 40 per cent decrease compared to the same timeframe in the past year. Refugees are often living alongside host communities in remote and under served areas with limited infrastructure and basic services.
[ Overview ]  Flooding, rampant inflation, political instability and tribal clashes have triggered higher levels of acute food insecurity during the period of October   December 2020, compared to what had been forecasted for the same period in the last projection analysis conducted in June 2020.
Sector Needs  [ Nutrition ] : 3.6 million people need nutrition assistance
Lack of menstrual hygiene management materials such as sanitary napkins may lead to greater risks of infection, discomfort and negative impacts on mental well being, especially during COVID 19. This also undermines personal hygiene for women and girls who have a primary responsibility to prepare meals at household level and doing other household chores such as fetching water
[ 2021 ]  As per to the fourth IOM update, a total number of 108,870 individuals  ( 21,786 households )  displaced across El Geneina and its surrounding villages.
Responding to the crisis, the UN Development Programme  ( UNDP )  and partners have undertaken civil works – such as expanding health infrastructure by rehabilitating the Um Rakuba health centre – as well as deploying three mobile clinics to the wider area.
In addition to new arrivals, extremely vulnerable households require targeted assistance for replenishment of key items that are worn out, lost and/or stolen such as plastic sheets and mosquito nets.
Children have reduced access to learning supplies, seating and latrines and the pupil to teacher ratio is often over a hundred to one.
All the respondents interviewed said that they understood the message on COVID 19 prevention, and most of them knew the signs and symptoms of COVID 19 as well as how to prevent it. This indicates that the Risk Communication and Community engagement  ( RCCE )  has had a positive impact among refugees in camp and out of camp settings in Sudan.
Access to safe water and sanitation remains extremely limited; this as well as poor hygiene practices will further increase risk of transmission.
The economic crisis not only increased food and non food prices sharply but further impacted health services, economic and agricultural activities across Sudan. At the end of 2018, living costs were at an all time high, leading to decreased purchasing power, while public salaries have not been adjusted since 2012, leaving many households struggling to meet their basic needs. A proposed social protection scheme to offset worsening living conditions was not implemented by the government.
Asked about the symptoms of COVID 19, the majority of the respondents mentioned fever, headache, difficulty breathing and dry cough. Less than half of the respondents mentioned loss of taste, fatigue and diarrhoea. In addition, almost 1 in 10 did not know the symptoms of COVID 19.
Among the respondents, only 28% reported having access to internet services, with 89% reporting having daily access, and 9% weekly access and 2% having monthly access.
On 15 January, armed clashes broke out between members of Arab and Masalit tribes in and around Ag Geneina, West Darfur's state capital.
Exchange rates on the parallel market, often the only available trade, rose to 70 SDG/USD in the end of 2018, restricting foreign trade even further. The shortage of hard currency intensified, adding to rising inflation rates which reached 72.9% in December 2018, a severe increase compared to 25% in 2017. In sum, high inflation rates combined with high external debts, declining national GDP, and the rapid depreciation of hard currency, decreased the private sector's and the government's ability to import necessary commodities such as fuel, wheat and medicines
The economic crisis puts additional strain on Sudan's already under resourced health system. Some medicine prices have increased by around 300% during the past months.
Across Sudan, food prices generally rose 150 200% above average in 2018 and are expected to increase up to 200 250% during the lean season  ( May to September ) .
As of baseline round zero, the DTM has identified a total number of 2,086,934 IDPs within 57 localities, pinpointed at 473 locations, across seven states in Sudan. The state with the highest number of registered IDPs was South Darfur with 676,438 individuals registered  ( 32% of the total IDP count ) . Comparatively, East Darfur registered only 60,396 IDPs  ( 3% ) , the lowest known quantity of hosted IDPs. South Kordofan represented the greatest number of IDP locations – spanning 260 locations  ( 55% of the total targeted in Sudan ) . East Darfur had the fewest number of locations and represented less than one per cent of the total location count.
As of October 2019, the DTM has identified a total number of 483,790 returnees from internal displacement within 57 localities, pinpointed at 1,060 locations, across six states in Sudan. Registration was classified according to the date of IOM registration, not the date of individuals' return.
There are substantial gaps for refugees in the provision of adequate shelter and non food items  ( NFIs )  in camps that continue to host populations which are overcrowded.
Addressing gender specific shelter needs and capacities ensures an adequate standard of living for women and girls
The economic crisis is disrupting public services, impacting agricultural activities, and resulting in dramatic price increases for staple foods  ( FAO 10/12/2018; Fewsnet 12/2018 ) .
Displaced women and girls are particularly vulnerable without secure shelter or the basic equipment and resources for survival and maintaining their dignity.
Deteriorating living standards triggered renewed countrywide protests since mid December 2018. Calls for President Al Bashir to resign are rising and protection concerns are increasing as protests are often violently dispersed, leaving many dead or injured and at least 1,000 demonstrators arrested.
UNICEF is supporting thousands of families affected by the worst floods to hit Sudan in over a century. Up to 770,000 people, including 462,000 children have been affected across Sudan's 18 States.
Among the respondents, 26% said that they have noticed an increase of some negative attitudes such as domestic violence towards women as a direct result of COVID 19, while 74% said they had not.
At the start of 2018, the economic situation severely worsened due to a set of economic restructuring reforms to access foreign exchange and governmental funds as recommended by the International Monetary Fund  ( IMF ) . Among other changes, the government cut wheat and fuel subsidies and devaluated the Sudanese pound  ( SDG )  several times; from 6.7SDG/USD to 30SDG/USD in February 2018, and to 47.5SDG/USD in October 2018.
Additionally, there are an estimated 95,000 Syrian and Yemeni refugees living in Khartoum.
The initial consignment of vaccines received on 3 March in Sudan will support the vaccination of health care workers and people above 45 years old with chronic medical conditions, living in areas with high transmission or anticipated high transmission, marking the first phase of the nationwide vaccination campaign.
“The vaccines are a critical part of controlling the spread of the virus in Sudan and eventually return to normalcy,' said Dr. Omer Mohamed Elnagieb. He urged those eligible to register and get vaccinated as soon as they get an appointment.
UNHCR represents the RCF  [ Refugee Consultation Forum ]  at the national COVID 19 Coordination Forum and works to ensure the refugees are included in national and state COVID 19 plans.
Under nutrition exacerbates morbidity and mortality risks especially for children, and cause physical and mental underdevelopment including cognitive development and a weak immune system in the long term.
WHH ( Welthungerhilfe )  is also ensuring that refugees get timely access to emergency shelter and household supplies. Protection activities are also being provided to women and children from both the refugee and host community where they are provided with safe spaces and are sensitized on key protection issues and referral pathways.
WFP is providing logistics support to the humanitarian community responding to the crisis – establishing mobile warehouses for the storage of food and other vital humanitarian assistance, moving essential supplies for the set up of the response, as well as fuel and emergency telecommunication expertise. WFP is also playing a critical role in transporting humanitarian responders to the affected areas on the WFPmanaged UN Humanitarian Air Service  ( UNHAS ) .
Promoting resilience on GBV prevention and response through strengthening community structures  ( community based protection networks and women centres )  plus behaviour/ attitude change.
Recommendations: Implement a national programme to expand production of improved seeds, increase the availability of certified seeds, with timely delivery to farmers.
To support the integration of refugee children into Sudan's national education system, UNICEF in partnership with the European Union  ( EU )  launched a project on the Integration and Mainstreaming of Refugee Children into the Sudanese Education System  ( IRCSES )  in South Darfur and South Kordofan.
Children who are out of school have a higher risk of falling victim to violence, abuse and exploitation.
An estimated 2.9 million children  ( 6 13 years )  are out of school in Sudan, with refugee and internally displaced children being among the most vulnerable.
The increased cultivation of cash crops such as sesame and groundnut, the latter of which are highly labour intensive, has also driven increases in labor demand.
Prices for locally produced wheat were 173 percent higher than in November 2018 and 285 percent above the five year average.
In the 1,271 public schools that are currently hosting refugees throughout country, refugee enrollment does not account for more than five per cent of the total enrolment.
Women and girls are often tasked with the management of water for their households. Access to water – in terms of distance, time and cost – has an impact on their safety, available time for livelihoods or education and economic options.
Conflict affected children need psychosocial support, a protective learning environment and the normality of a school routine.
The intercommunal clashes, which started on 15 January in West Darfur and spread to South Darfur the next day, have claimed the lives of 250 people – including three humanitarian workers – and displaced more than 100,000.
Of the four key populations groups identified during the joint inter sectoral analysis, vulnerable residents account for most people with humanitarian WASH needs.
Since the COVID 19 pandemic started, over 30 per cent of existing health facilities are not functioning mainly due to lack of staff, personal protective equipment  ( PPE )  and financing. 33 per cent of health facilities offer the complete basic healthcare package
Child marriage is also high – 12 per cent of women were first married before age 15, and 38 per cent before age 18.
On 14 March 2020, the Government approved measures to prevent the spread of the virus which included reducing congestion in workplaces, closing schools and banning large public gatherings
High cost of transportation is a major issue hindering access to health services with 27 per cent of people reporting difficulties to reach health facilities because of it.
From 8 July 2020, the Government started to ease the lock down in Khartoum State. The nationwide curfew was changed from 6:00 pm to 5:00 am and bridges in the capital were re opened. Travelling between Khartoum and other states is still not allowed and airports will gradually open pending further instructions from the Civil Aviation Authority. Schools and universities will remain closed. Work at Government institutions started on 12 July, at 50 per cent capacity
New IDPs that were previously not known to the sector were identified as a result of assessments that reached new areas including non government controlled areas.
Four new cases of cVDPV2 have been confirmed in Sudan, taking the total number of children paralyzed to 56 from 15 states. Of the four new cVDPV2 cases, 2 cases were reported from South Kordofan state and one case each was reported from North Darfur and North Kordofan. Dates of onset of most recent case is 03 December 2020 from North Darfur.
During 2020, 1.3 million children  ( 45 per cent girls )  were reached with Education in Emergencies interventions  ( 1.2 million with HRP activities ) . Most of the support was in the form of school feeding  ( adapted to take home food rations in the context of COVID 19 ) .
As part of the efforts to minimize the number of times beneficiaries come to distribution sites, when possible, WFP implemented double distributions to cover June and July food requirements for internally displaced people and refugees
COVID 19 has reinforced implementation of WASH programming, where interventions have up scaled to tackle the pandemic. For instance, 564 communal hand washing facilities were installed in various refugee camps and locations benefiting over 300,000 refugees. In addition, 85 per cent of refugees and host communities have been reached with COVID 19 related messaging including good sanitation and hygiene practices. Due to early closure of schools, hand washing facilities and soap distribution earmarked for schools were shifted to public places and health facilities in response to COVID 19.
During the reporting period, soap distribution has been prioritized to ensure refugees have access to this basic commodity and are able to follow good hygiene practices. At least 2,125,192 pieces of soap were distributed, benefiting 263,632 refugees to promote personal hygiene.
Early marriage and survival sex are among negative coping mechanisms practiced by different nationalities.
94% of the respondents have heard about the COVID 19 coronavirus. 75% believes that COVID 19 has no cure. 41% have seen COVID 19 posters in the camps.
The Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator  ( RC/HC )  also call the United Nation/Humanitarian Country Team  ( UN/HCT )  and members of the Sudan Protection against sexual exploitation and abuse  ( PSEA )  Network to provide strong leadership to ensure adequate SEA prevention and response measures are integrated in all humanitarian response including the existence and functionality of SEA measures, dissemination of key PSEA related messages and mandatory PSEA training for staff.
Main concerns voiced by the population are the following: ● Women and girls in shelters expressed that they experienced different forms of Gender Based Violence  ( GBV )  including rape and attempted rape during the displacement. Some survivors disclose their cases to UNFPA staff during private discussions seeking for support. Survivors have been referred to health and Psychosocial Support Services  ( PSS )  services.
Addressing the root causes of harmful traditional practices including female genital mutilation  ( FGM )  and child marriage. FGM remains prevalent in Sudan, affecting 87 per cent of women aged 15 49 years old, and 32 per cent of girls aged 0 14 years old.
Authorities have mobilized additional security forces to restore law and order, but tensions remain high and protests are ongoing.
Prices of fresh food have increased because of a lack of availability caused by shop closures and blocked supply routes
High malnutrition rates are widespread in Sudan, with estimated GAM rates up to 24.5% in some affected localities. An estimated 2.4 million children are acutely malnourished, 700,000 of those severely. Limited health and WASH services, as well as reduced access to affordable food for most vulnerable people, will severely deteriorate the nutrition situation.
More work to address domestic violence: 80 per cent of women interviewed in Darfur recognized domestic violence as a problem, 70 per cent identified economic violence as an issue, while 5 per cent cited rape as a concern.
Through the RCF ( Refugee Consultation Forum ) , UNHCR develops the annual Country Refugee Response Plan  ( CRP ) , a multi sectoral plan bringing together 38 partners to respond to the needs of all major refugee populations in Sudan in 2021.
Community protection structures remained weak with few localities with functioning community based protection networks and women's centres offering GBV services.
86% of the women assessed said they haven't witnessed negative attitudes as a direct result of COVID 19; like increased instances of gender based violence  ( GBV )  such as domestic and intimate partner violence, and the impact on livelihoods and economic opportunities, while 14% said they have. More women  ( 63% )  also expressed that they have no special concerns as a result of COVID 19, while 37% expressed concerns.
In the case of an outbreak of COVID 19 in a refugee camp, 28% of respondents said that they would avoid physical contact, 26% that they would call a health worker, 16% that they would isolate immediately, 15% that they will call the hotline, and 12% that they and all contacts would go into quarantine.
41% of all the respondents have access to television  ( TV ) . 74% reported having daily access, while 20% is having weekly and 6% monthly access to television.
In addition to TV, more respondents  ( 60% )  replied having access to radio and on a more frequent basis, with 40% having daily access, 7% weekly and 2% monthly access.
Women respondents were asked if there are any special concerns of the impact of COVID 19 that they are facing, 63% said they have no special concerns, while 37% expressed concerns
• Insecurity and lockdown in Port Sudan have impacted WFP port operations and supply stocks at the field level.
There is also a need for development emergency funding to complement humanitarian response early to address under development and marginalization
The CwC findings illustrate the important role of Community leaders and Sultans in the dissemination of information, with the majority of the respondents  ( 63% )  preferring to receive information from these sources. In addition, 27% preferred to receive it through mobile phones. The finding also shows that whereas 86% of those assessed have access to a mobile phone, majority  ( 75% )  have access to an ordinary phone while only 25% have access to a smart phone. This implies that to communicate effectively with refugees, social media can only be used to compliment traditional channels of communication i.e community leaders and mobile SMS
Number of health consultations in health facilities accessed by refugees is 375,819 and number of refugees and host community reached with COVID 19 related messaging is 275,490.
The national retail price of goat increased by 103 percent compared to the same month of the previous year. It is also higher by 303 percent compared to the fiveyear average of the same month.
The national average price of goat increased by 4.6 percent, compared to the previous month  ( March 2019 ) . This is mainly attributed to the inflationary increase the cost of production.
Based on a ranking scale, the three main priority needs identified are food, non food items and emergency shelter
Reports indicate that six individuals have died and eight sustained injuries, whilst at least 800 internally displaced persons  ( IDPs )  have lost personal belongings and livestock
The nutrition sector received $75.3 million  ( 49.2 per cent )  of the $153 million USD required for 2020. Such shortfalls constrained delivery of services to people in need.
In West Darfur, UNHCR is monitoring the situation closely with needs assessments in affected areas and assisted about 56,000 newly displaced people with supplies since the start of the response.
The spark of inter communal violence in September 2019 have led refugees from Central African Republic  ( CAR )  to flee to safety in Sudan.
Kassab, Kutum, Fataborno cluster also experienced deterioration of food security from 43 percent of the population being food insecure to 76 percent in November 2018.
Furthermore, an increasing number of persons with disabilities have approached the protection desk, requesting services, such as hearing aids, crutches or cash assistance, currently unavailable at any sites.
The area is considered to be the conflict hotbed between the Government of Sudan and the SLA AW  [ Sudan Liberation Army  Abdulwahid ] .
The approach is a multi sectoral one through which different actors exert efforts to address different humanitarian needs and increase access to different services sectors such as health and nutrition, WASH and food security, protection, agriculture and education sectors. Despite the efforts of the humanitarian actors, all the communities visited still face many challenges in for example access to water and health services.
In 2020, it  [ UNHCR ]  supported five schools with extra classrooms and furniture in White Nile state, benefitting more than 8,400 refugee students.
Few localities have functioning community based protection networks and women centres. The existing centres have limited capacities and thus do not function optimally in GBV prevention and response. Low levels of GBV awareness among communities make it challenging to ensure prevention, mitigation and access for survivors to the relevant multi sectoral services.
100 mobile storage units  ( MSUs )  are being procured from UNHRD  [ United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot ]  to increase storage capacity where needed.
In 2020, the Humanitarian Response Plan  ( HRP )  partners provided 7.6 million people across Sudan with humanitarian assistance from one or more sectors. This includes IDPs, returnees and other vulnerable residents and 745,000 refugees, according to the 2020 HRP Periodic Monitoring Report
The first phase of the program  ( $400 million )  was launched on 24 February 2021 in Khartoum in the presence of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Sudan Family Support Programme  ( SFSP )
Several thousand people fleeing escalating violence in Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz region have sought safety in Sudan's Blue Nile State over the last month.
[ According to the Multi Sector Needs Assessment, ]  refugees identified needs were shelter, health, and livelihoods.
19,235 people affected, 1,416 houses destroyed, 2,431 houses damaged.
14,850 people affected, 1,774 houses destroyed, 1,196 houses damaged
1,000 New arrivals in November 2018, 31,420 total new arrivals in 2018 so far and 851,313 South Sudanese refugees in Sudan.
In Sudan, a third of schools do not have latrines and fewer than half of schoolchildren have access to soap and water for hand washing at school.
At present, there are 1,648 persons with physical disabilities, 352 persons with mental disabilities and 1,897 persons with chronic diseases/serious medical conditions.
10,315 people affected, 440 houses destroyed, 1,623 houses damaged
3,775 people affected, 354 houses destroyed, 401 houses damaged.
1,000 people affected, 123 houses destroyed, 77 houses damaged.
Over 212,000 people were already facing Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  and above levels of food insecurity in Ag Geneina before the conflict, with IDPs among the most vulnerable
Access to education, healthcare, and income is less likely for people with disabilities, and these inequalities are intensified by COVID 19.
Out of the 38 sites, 13  ( 34% )  had GBV actors on ground at the main IDP locations while 25  ( 66% )  of the sites did not have GBV actors.
In October 2020, malaria reached epidemic levels in 11 out of the 18 states of Sudan.
Since the beginning of 2021, Sudan has seen an increase in intercommunal violence in the Darfur regions  ( West, South, and North ) .
As of 1 March 2021, Sudan had over 28,505 confirmed COVID 19 cases and 1,892 associated deaths, since the first COVID 19 positive case was announced on 13 March 2020.
Emergency Shelter/ Non food items: There were 1.4M people in need with 0.51M people targeted and 0.11M people were reached. $25M budget was required.
Food Security and Livelihoods: There were 5.7M people in need with 4.39M people targeted and 4.3M people were reached. $314 budget was required.
Nutrition: There were 2.9M people in need with 1.42M people targeted and 0.39M people reached. $110M budget was required.
In 2020, 559 schools in Sudan were damaged or destroyed by the impact of the floods, and 63 schools were used as temporary shelters by people displaced.
Destruction of homes and displacement led to further disruption of food security systems and access to markets for vulnerable population.
Refugee hosting areas are affected by what was identified as a vaccine derived polio virus type 2 and a country wide response is being planned.
48% respondents said that they were aware of people who might be unable to access available information about humanitarian assistance because of their specific needs.
The scale up has started in Jebel Marra  ( Central Darfur ) , reaching over 260,000 residents with food assistance.  [ Specified assessed location: Jebel Marra ]
There are over 40 basic and secondary schools in Gorlangbang and are in far distances for many villages, students usually walk one to two hours daily.
The area  ( Gorlangbang )  lacks basic necessities, including safe drinking water, health care centers and proper school infrastructures.
An additional 17 million people are estimated to be under stress  ( IPC Phase 2 ) , and any additional shocks like floods, inflation and poverty can push them to severe levels of hunger.
Meanwhile, eastern and central/northern Sudan accounted for 22 per cent of the total assisted, despite the fact that they have 42 per cent of the total number of people in need.
Indeed, intercommunal conflicts have an adverse impact on livelihoods and economic wellbeing. Pastoralism and farming livelihoods in Darfur evolved through developing symbiotic relationships between the people who practisce them.
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: There were 2.9M people in need with 2,33M people targeted and 1.48M people were reached. $51M budget was required.  ( As per the study done by HRP )
The social norms in the area oblige male community members to take part in intercommunal conflicts and that exposes them to the risk of death. However, harassing and raping women is also a way to humiliate men.
Deployment of joint security forces to hotspot areas of Darfur, regular protection monitoring and protection by presence by protection sector actors. The Protection Sector has identified a total of 40 localities with over 200 hotspot locations, where security and police presence lack.
Children need to receive a full package of education activities in order to have improved access to education and quality of education. ( HRP Recommendations )
Sudan also continues to host 1.1 million refugees many of whom have shelter and NFI needs.
In February 2021, the average national retail price of wheat flour in areas where WFP  [ World Food Programme ]  operates was 242.75 SDG per kg, an increase of 36.17 per cent compared to January 2021. This is mainly due to the deterioration in the Sudanese currency during January and February 2021, as Sudan depends on the importation of wheat  ( 70 80 percent of its needs ) .
Between November 2017 and November 2018, the local basket price increased by 107 percent reaching SDG 24.19 from the previous year's SDG 11.7.
Additional child friendly spaces in Village 8 and Hamdayet are also needed.
As part of UNAMID  [ African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur ]  transition plan for Darfur, a range of capacity building activities were implemented under the human rights and rule of law components of the State Liaison Functions  ( SLF )  projects.
In addition, around 200,000 persons were affected by 280 incidents of intercommunal violence, factional fighting and other incidents in different parts of Darfur, South Kordofan and Red Sea states. While some of them returned after the security situation improved in their places of origin, many of them, including IDPs, remained displaced.
The highest levels of need were found in Darfur, West and South Kordofan, Blue Nile, White Nile, Sennar, Kassala, and Gedaref. This included over 786,000 children in an extreme or catastrophic situation  ( severity level 4 and 5 )  and approximately 674,000 children in a severe situation  ( severity level 3 ) .  [ Specified location : Darfur ]
The Central Emergency Response Fund  ( CERF )  allocated US$100 million to support Sudan in its transition. This allocation was divided between an underserved emergencies programme  ( $60 million ) , focusing on school feeding programmes in the eastern states and a durable solutions programme implemented in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan  ( $40 million ) . Further allocations were given for COVID19 response  ( $6 million )  and the Tigray response  ( $5 million ) .
Lack of funding for those areas and lack of implementing partners were the main factors limiting the ability of humanitarians to lift the response to the levels of Darfur, Blue Nile and Kordofan where humanitarian agencies have historically had the bulk of their operations as well as stronger presence and capacity.
In Blue Nile and Kordofan region, this ratio was 84 per cent. In central Sudan, 43 per cent of the people in need received assistance, while in the east about one third of the people in need were reached with aid.
In 2020, HRP partners reached close to six million people in Darfur, the Kordofan and Blue Nile. About a third of Darfur's total population with some form of humanitarian assistance. In Blue Nile and the Kordofan region, about 1.3 million people received humanitarian assistance.
HRP partners expanded their response in central and eastern Sudan, with almost 2 million reached, over a quarter of the total response. This is a significant scale up compared to 2019 when 890,000 people were reached.
Several areas were affected. For example, in Jebel Marra  ( Central Darfur )  the road to Kwila was partly washed away due to flooding. Similarly, damage to road infrastructure made it difficult to reach areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, with some villages were accessible by boat or helicopter.
School feeding programmes have been defined by the World Bank as "targeted social safety nets that provide both educational and health benefits to the most vulnerable children, thereby increasing enrollment rates, reducing absenteeism, and improving food security at the household level.
As a result, a COVID 19 SAFE School Kit was developed in partnership with the Ministry of Education allowing for more schools to open safely.
Food, emergency shelter and household supplies, health services and water have been provided to the most vulnerable.
Unfortunately, significant funding gaps persist for the refugee response in Sudan. This is exacerbated by Sudan's ongoing difficult economic situation and the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic. For instance, the inflation continues to have a negative impact for unaccompanied children  ( UAC ) , as some of their foster families who received cash based assistance to provide for the child's basic needs refused to take care of them as the funds did not cover the expenses.
Medicines and lifesaving supplies including safe blood transfusion to perform normal deliveries and manage complicated pregnancies, miscarriages and cesarean sections, for an estimated of 900 deliveries and pregnant women are needed over the coming three months.
100 clean delivery kits are distributed to visibly pregnant women inside El Geneina.
UNHCR co chairs the interagency Accountability to Affected Populations  ( AAP )  working group and is an active member of the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse  ( PSEA )  working group.
Sudan remains a massive protracted humanitarian crisis with an increase in WASH needs exacerbating by a deteriorating economy, episodes of localized conflict large internally displaced and refugee population, civil unrest, flooding, food insecurity, undernutrition situation, and disease outbreaks.
The situation has rapidly escalated in the past three months. The federal Government of Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in the area on 21 January 2021. UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, is working closely with Sudanese authorities and partners to assess the situation and respond to the humanitarian needs of the newly arrived, many of whom have arrived in hard to reach locations along the border.
The disrupted relationship between Golo villages and Golo damrahs' resulted in the loss of the symbiotic relationships the pastoralists and farmers in both sides used to enjoy. Farmers cannot access lands near the damrahs and pastoralists cannot go for grazing in Golo.
1. Lack of regular gender sensitive needs assessments in all sectors. 2. Unclear information on access to public services in rural and remote areas. 3. Information about refugees, their exact whereabouts, and the severity of their needs is limited. 4. The last population census by the government was conducted in 2008, meaning that information on population numbers heavily relies on estimations or extrapolated data. 5. Lack of updated information on education, including attendance rates and WASH infrastructure in schools. 6. Comprehensive data on areas across Sudan affected by explosive ordnance is lacking, making mapping of risk areas challenging. 7. Lack of information on the access of people with disabilities to basic services, including healthcare.
UNHCR's 2018 Participatory Assessment findings indicates that the primary concern for refugees across all populations is the prevalence of SGBV in their communities. Data collection on SGBV is challenging, as is establishing prevention, referral and treatment services, with a service gap affecting over 560,000 children and women at risk.
Access to documentation and birth certificates also remains a challenge, particularly for refugees and for children living in conflict affected and inaccessible areas.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, implements the refugee coordination model in Sudan and co leads the national inter agency Refugee Consultation Forum  ( RCF )  with the Government Commissioner for Refugees  ( COR ) , which includes Technical Advisory Groups on sector level and Refugee Working Groups on field level for a more effective coordination.
Some of the states with the highest malnutrition rates are North Darfur, Red Sea, Northern State, East Darfur, and South Darfur with GAM rates ranging between 16 – 19 per cent and SAM between 3.7 and 4.9 per cent.
Due to COVID 19, all schools in Sudan were closed on 15 March 2020, with a planned reopening for 6 September 2020. Grades 8 and 11 briefly re opened in October and then closed again shortly thereafter. A phased reopening began in December 2020, with states prioritizing grades 8 and 11.
Furthermore, encampment policies and movement restrictions force refugees and asylum seekers to use people smugglers to facilitate their internal and onward movements, which often exposes them to human trafficking and grave protection risks.
In addition to this, the ongoing agriculture season witnessed high costs of agricultural inputs and labor, resulting in high production costs, and lower production. The situation has been further exacerbated by the flooding situation, that resulted in widespread destruction across most parts of the country from August to September 2020.
All bus travel between states has been banned as of 26 March 2020 with the exception of humanitarian, commercial and technical shipments. Bridges linking Omdurman, Khartoum and Khartoum North are closed.