nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
Limited warehousing capacity in Akobo West and Tonj East are limiting the quantities of supplies that can be delivered on the ground. WFP is considering installation of new mobile storage units  ( MSU )  in Tonj East. Nutrition sites were damaged by floods in Pibor. As a result, four of nine nutrition sites remain suspended.
Oral Cholera Vaccination Campaign  ( OCV )  in Pibor targeting over 93,000 people one year of age and above is ongoing.
WASH is urgently mobilizing funds to launch a campaign to rehabilitate and disinfect water points.
In Pibor in February, one aid worker was killed at a roadblock along the Pibor Gumuruk road set up by unknown armed youth.
Health: Flood related health response is ongoing across Jonglei and GPAA. In Awerial, four mobile sites opened to respond to the needs of displaced people from Twic East and Duk and Bor South; in Bor South and Twic East, health mobile sites are operational for the next four months, while health partners are responding in Pibor. Additional mobile sites are planned in Ayod and Pochalla and Fangak. A measles outbreak in GPAA was stopped through a reactive campaign. When flood waters recede, there is a risk of a cholera outbreak. To combat polio, an oral vaccination campaign in Pibor and Bor South and the required funding is planned.
Access to the labour market as well as reliance on coping mechanisms, such as collection of wild food and construction materials, charcoal production and hunting, were constrained by movement restrictions due to floods, insecurity and COVID 19. This has affected the income and resource levels of many people.
Conflict, displacement and economic collapse have also meant that farmers are less likely to invest in building climate resilient livelihoods, leaving them more exposed to environmental shocks.
South Sudan is experiencing the effects of long term climate change, such as increased temperatures and precipitation change, as well as short term changes, like more frequent droughts and floods.
Jonglei is expected to have the highest number of people estimated to face crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity at 1.18 million, followed by Upper Nile, at 765,000.
The Government of South Sudan announced on 21 March 2020 the closure of all educational institutions for a period of one month the school closure was later extended for an unspecified period. The closures were a precautionary measure, to mitigate the risk of human to human transmission of the COVID 19, to protect children from being affected and to minimize the further spread of the virus in the community.
Agriculture and livelihood activities were severely affected by unprecedented flooding in 2019, and people living in the hardest hit flood areas were already struggling to rebuild their lives and livelihoods prior to the arrival of a global pandemic.
Due to the critical role of risk communication in COVID 19 preparedness and response, UNICEF established and maintains a risk communications operations cell which oversees the risk communications technical working group and collaborates with clusters. UNICEF continues to participate in the inter agency protection of sexual exploitation and abuse  ( PSEA )  task force, which functions under the auspices of the Special Representative of the Secretary General  ( SRSG ) /Resident Coordinator  ( RC ) /Humanitarian Coordinator  ( HC ) , and plays an active role to advocate for better protection of children against sextual exploitation and abuse  ( SEA ) .
UNICEF continues to work with partners to operationalize and mainstream cash programming in South Sudan, and identifying opportunities within Education, WASH, Child Protection and C4D sectors. UNICEF's COVID 19 response strategy also aims to embed creating a safety net through cash transfers for vulnerable households within the country, and in line with the UN's socio economic response plan
Radio has for a long time been a popular source of information for people across the country. A recent survey revealed that 51 per cent of South Sudanese respondents list the radio as one of their sources of information, with a weekly reach of 38 per cent of the population. While the largest radio networks in the country are United Nations run Radio Miraya and Eye Radio, other commercial radios are growing in coverage. However, there is a lack of freedom of expression and public radio broadcasts are maintained under tight control, compromising their transparency.
COVID 19 PPEs, for an overall total of 70 mt ad a value of US5.2 million, arrived in Juba between 3 and 7 September. This is thanks to the generous support of the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund and African Development Bank. As the co lead of the Operational Support and Logistics pillar of the National Response Plan  ( NRP )  on COVID 19 Pandemic, WFP, through the Logistics Cluster, supported with the reception and storage of this cargo, to be transported to the field at a later stage.
UNHAS transported 1452 passengers and 48 mt of light humanitarian cargo to 45 destinations across South Sudan.
The most recent IPC )  for acute malnutrition also indicated a decrease in number of counties classified with critical nutrition situation from 43 in September 2017, to 31 during the same period in 2018. Still, 76 per cent68 of the 21 repeat SMART surveys conducted in the same period and locations in 2017 and 2018 depicted critical69 levels of acute malnutrition
Following the mission, a detailed Scoping report and Response Plan including a Risk and Do No Harm matrixes were shared with the CCCM Cluster who in return approved a three month Mobile CCCM intervention in Mangalla.
Among incidents, physical assault perpetrated by an intimate partner accounted for 37 per cent, sexual violence 18 per cent and emotional abuse 25 per cent.
The threat of Ebola Virus Disease transmission from the Democratic Republic of the Congo is heightened because the drivers for contagion are present in the Equatorias region bordering the country. These include population movement, weak border monitoring systems, limited health, water and sanitation services along border areas, and multiple border points located in opposition controlled areas to which humanitarian access is already constrained.
In Abyei Administrative Area, IOM, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture ploughed five feddan  ( 7 Acres )  of farmland for one of the IOM supported farming groups in return villages of Abyei. In addition, the group received a training on groundnuts production and simple farm tools
In Eastern Equatoria, WFP and FAO are working closely to monitor the threat of desert locusts. Its swarms invaded areas in Kapoeta, Budi and Ngauro Counties of Eastern Equatoria for the third time in 2020. There are fears that large hectares of farms and crops would be destroyed by the locust infestation and threaten food security in the area.
In Eastern Equatoria State, tensions and disputes related to intrusion by out of state cattle keepers into farmland are worsening. Increasing confrontations between herders and farmers may become more complex.
WFP is reviewing enrolment figures to determine food requirements for a possible resumption of school feeding activities. This follows an announcement of the Ministry of General Education and Instruction  ( MoGEI )  that schools will reopen within the month of September for final class students  ( primary 8 and form 4 ) .
The USD $30,375,000 funding comes at a time when South Sudanese are working towards nation building following the revitalization of the peace process and the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity in February 2020.
In August, the CCCM Cluster participated in various workshops, including scenario building workshop for the 2021 Humanitarian Needs Overview organized by the Inter Cluster Coordination Group  ( ICCG ) , Needs Analysis Working Group  ( NAWG ) , and Information Management Working Group  ( IMWG ) , to prepare for the 2021 Humanitarian Needs Overview and Humanitarian Response Plan. The CCCM Cluster also finalized severity indicators for inter sectoral severity analysis to contribute to the 2021 Humanitarian Needs Overview. In addition, the state level CCCM Cluster actively engaged in coordinating COVID 19 related response and preparedness activities in the PoC sites.
IOM deployed a field surge CCCM team to coordinate life saving assistance and support with site management capacity through partner coordination, advocacy and liaison, service monitoring, COVID 19 risk communication, and community governance and participation in the Pibor Adjacent Area  ( AA )  and four collective centres.
In coordination with OCHA and CCCM Cluster, IOM is responding to localized inter communal violence in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area  ( GPAA )  that forced approximately 11,000 individuals to seek protection in an area adjacent to the UNMISS United Nations Mission in South Sudan base in Pibor.
During the mission, the following was conducted: ● 6,834 outpatient consultations were conducted; ● 5,772 people were reached with health promotional messages ● 45 health workers trained on common illnesses management, including COVID 19 prevention
IOM continued carrying out COVID 19 response activities, focusing on health screenings; risk communication and community engagement; health and hygiene promotion; WASH/Infection, Prevention, and Control; and displacement tracking. IOM also continued mainstreaming COVID 19 prevention protocols across all of IOM's humanitarian, transition/recovery and development programming in South Sudan
Aside from the larger armed conflict in the country, feuds between families, clans and age sets have been a major source of violence among the Lou Nuer and the Murle. Women from both groups have used shame, or the threat of public shaming, to hold young men to account for their actions. The interaction of shame, gender and age can be a powerful means of accountability, for instance in encouraging young men to engage in violence, or to prevent them from fighting.
Monitor agricultural performances of crops and their pests and diseases  ( desert locust, fall armyworm, etc. )  and their impact on food security
IOM continued supporting nine points of entry  ( PoE )  screening sites in April 2020 and five PoE screening sites in May and June 2020, where a total of 75,152 travelers were screened for COVID 19/EVD. Additionally, IOM supported three health facilities near the PoEs where 1,329 individuals were seen in the outpatient clinic, 895 people were reached with information on EVD, and a total of 102 individuals screened for EVD/COVID 19 in the health facilities.
The next two to three months will see a reconfiguration of most of South Sudan's cattle camps as the seasons transition, and this may present transmission risks if the virus spreads to market towns within major agropastoralist or pastoralist areas. Cattle camps, with problematic clean water access and sanitation situations already, may present conducive environments for transmission.
Crop production estimates for South Sudan for the 2020 consumption year indicate that a cereal deficit of 482 000 tonnes is expected. This deficit is generally covered by imports from neighbouring countries. However, this year, if COVID 19 related border closures and neighbouring countries' restrictions are applied to cereal exports it will likely result in cereal shortages in South Sudan. It is therefore critical to enhance food production in order to ensure continued food availability within South Sudan. As previously mentioned, the pandemic has also further highlighted the vulnerability of urban populations, who depend on markets for their food security.
If COVID 19 related business closure is affected on a massive scale, trading households will experience a reduction in income and savings in the upcoming weeks that is likely to be followed by a reduction in food supply and demand due to reduced purchasing power. Shifts to less expensive and less nutritious foods are likely to be observed as households try to make the most of their income and savings.
IOM MHPSS continued to support the MHPSS Technical Working Group, including supporting the development of a guidance note on MHPSS considerations during COVID 19 pre outbreak response in South Sudan.
On 6 March, the South Sudan National Police Service established a national committee to oversee the implementation of its action plan. UNMISS is providing technical support to the South Sudan Peoples' Defence Forces to develop a standardized conflict related sexual violence curriculum for staff colleges.
In Western and Eastern Equatoria, UNMISS disseminated the Revitalized Agreement to help improve intercommunal relations. UNMISS also encouraged influential local leaders to promote social cohesion and counter hate speech and the spread of misinformation as a measure to address COVID 19 fears across the country.
As at 31 May, the number of UNMISS civilian personnel stood at 2,278, comprising 885 international staff members  ( 245 women, or 28 per cent )  and 1,393 national staff members  ( 195 women, or 14 per cent ) , as well as 401 United Nations Volunteers  ( 159 women, or 40 per cent ) .
In August 2019, nearly 6.4 million people or 54 per cent of the population were classified in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity. Among them, an estimated 1.7 million people faced Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity while 10,000 people were in Catastrophe  ( IPC Phase 5 ) .
In 2019, it was estimated that more than 860,000 under five children and nearly 600,000 pregnant and lactating women suffered from acute malnutrition.
Mental health care services remain scare and specialized services are mainly located in the capital, Juba, where the Juba Teaching Hospital is the only public medical facility offering inpatient psychiatric care in the country.
At the same time, South Sudan has seen progress regarding certain legal instruments, especially related for forced displacement. South Sudan ratified the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol in 2018, and these instruments came into force in 2019. Also, in 2019, South Sudan acceded to the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, also known as the Kampala Convention. It is the world's first and only regional legally binding instrument for the protection and assistance of IDPs.
The country's airstrips are poor quality, however, and the availability of fuel, aircraft maintenance facilities and handling services is low, especially in remote areas
Reported access to food rapidly decreased, with a low percentage of assessed settlements reporting adequate access in March.
Central Equatoria, Aweil, Turalei, Mingkaman & Kapoeta TRC broadcasted on the differences between COVID 19 and the common cold as many people do not know how to differentiate corona virus disease from other diseases.
Citizens across Juba report that there is a strong disbelief around the existence of COVID 19, with many stating that “COVID 19 is over'. Additionally, speculations about COVID 19 being “good business' for response organizations was common, particularly across Juba.
301K Refugees in South Sudan  ( who came to South Sudan )   [ data as of December 2020 ]
Reticence to visit UN facilities, especially if they contain medical clinics, may make it less likely that people seek medical care for treatable illnesses.
Another 1.6 million vulnerable people – most of them in urban settings and cities – have been pushed to the brink as well. Overall this year, 7.5 million people now need humanitarian assistance –and that's close to levels in 2017 when we warned of famine.
The total requirement for the current response was estimated at $81.9 million. More than $16 million has been mobilized from ECHO, DFID and USAID in response to the floods, displacement as a result of violence or any other acute emergency.
Following the first confirmed cases of COVID 19 in South Sudan in March, UNHCR's offices are implementing their Business Continuity Plans. Implementation is tailored to local conditions and situations taking into account staff safety, health and security as well as operation continuity.
Rumours suggest that South Sudanese are immune, due to a belief the virus cannot be transmitted to black skinned Africans and that the hot weather will kill it. Some PoC residents, particularily in Bentiu, Bor and Wau, had reportedly been influenced by this rumour, choosing to stay in the PoC in the belief that the virus will not affect them.
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund  ( IMF )  today approved a disbursement of SDR 36.9 million  ( about US$52.3 million or 15 percent of its SDR quota )  to South Sudan under theRapid Credit Facility  ( RCF ) . This is the first Fund supported financial assistance provided to South Sudan since it joined the Fund in 2012.
In order to address this, what is needed is sustainable peace, the allocation of land, and the presence of basic services in areas of return or where people choose to settle, including in urban areas.
Lack of adequate road infrastructure has left Panyijiar disconnected from the rest of the state, and reliant on air and river transportation for goods and humanitarian assistance.
The Government has little money to respond to the health and socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic.
Restrictions on river trading from Juba due to COVID 19 are likely to cause some depletion of staple foods and high market prices.
As of March 2020, according to KIs, Gok Machar had not been targeted with messaging surrounding COVID 19, indicating that traders and the host community might be unaware of methods to protect themselves and stop the spread.
Once roads are closed, WFP must deliver food by air which is seven times more expensive than delivering by road.
The Protection Cluster Roving team is closely monitoring the general protection situation of IDPs in settlements in Juba.
The ICCG approach enabled a first phase flood emergency response package consisting of a variety of commodities and services provided by clusters to support affected households.
In 2017, only half of schools opened.
Agencies such as UNHCR, UNDP, IOM, UNICEF and UNMISS have supported the production of thousands of masks which have been distributed to vulnerable IDPs and frontline community and health workers in areas such as Baliet, Fashoda, Malakal and Renk counties. Mask production is also in progress in other states.
On 15 January, large scale clashes among young Nuers occurred in Paguir, Fangak, which reportedly re sulted in five dead and 18 wounded. The clashes were reportedly triggered by young people attempting to disarm other local young people without instructions or permission from local authorities. Violence persisted in Pibor and surrounding areas through Dec ember and January, primarily between the Kurenen and Lango groups.
With the onset of the rainy season, road access to many locations in Jonglei became a challenge and air support was required to reach people in need.
In light of the outbreak of COVID 19 in Maban County and at the request of the Maban County COVID 19 technical working group, the Maban mental health and psychosocial support  ( MHPSS )  sub working group – in close coordination with the National RCCE Technical Working Group – generated a set of harmonized key messages aligned to the new reality. These messages were disseminated to all partners in Maban County on 11 August 2020.
In April 2020, humanitarian partners in Maban County activated a COVID 19 risk communication and community engagement  ( RCCE )  working group. The aim of the working group is to support partners to have a harmonized approach to COVID 19 RCCE interventions, in line with guidelines issued by the government of South Sudan and the World Health Organization  ( WHO ) .
Despite the start of the main season harvest, staple food prices are unlikely to decline significantly in the near term due to deficit crop production and economic factors. Additionally, a new, mandatory COVID 19 testing fee of 65 USD levied against cargo truck drivers may contribute to higher costs. Drivers are protesting the fee, and traders importing goods from Uganda and Sudan reported delays by a median of six days, according to market data collected by REACH in August. According to FEWS NET's weekly cross border monitoring data, weekly trade volumes of maize declined by 22 percent from the second to third week in September, though volumes were 30 percent above the same period of 2019.
Following confirmation of COVID 19 in South Sudan, there are rising concerns that if the COVID 19 pandemic continues to spread in its current trajectory, particularly in the Protection of Civilians  ( PoC )  and collective sites, and sites where internally displaced persons  ( IDPs )  are taking shelter, thousands could voluntarily return to insecure places, locations without basic services or areas with humanitarian access constraints as a mitigation measure to avoid infection.
UNHCR, through essential movements and continued coordination with partners and community based networks, is ensuring lifesaving and protection assistance to its persons of concern continues with the necessary COVID 19 precautionary measures in place.
Five GeneXpert machines have been installed, but require cartridges, to begin COVID 19 testing at Pamir primary health care centre  ( PHCC ) , Gentile PHCC, Makpandu PHCC, Yei Civil Hospital, and Maban County hospital.
Two separate attacks on aid workers in Jonglei on October 29 and 30 resulted in the deaths of two people and injuries to three others, according to the UN.
Based on a spatial overlay with JRC's GHSL, 87.7 per cent of IDPs  ( or 1,403,069 individuals )  and 85.8 per cent of returnees  ( or 1,316,232 individuals )  live in rural areas.
UNHAS needs to enhance access control for clients delivering cargo or booking flights, in order to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID 19 to customer care staff.
Supply chain disruptions put humanitarian and development programmes at risk and significantly complicate any scale up in South Sudan
Quarantine and isolation policies, critical to flatten the exponential growth curve of the pandemic, exacerbate the conditions for those already vulnerable to domestic violence, estimated to be at least one third of all women  ( WHO, 2017 ) . Domestic and intimate partner violence reduces the access of women and girls to justice and contributes to their further victimization and ability to effect social change.
According to the Open Budget Survey  ( 2019 )  South Sudan has a transparency score of 7  ( out of 100 ) , and ranks 106 out of 117 countries; a public participation score of 11  ( out of 100 ) ; and budget oversight score of 43  ( out of 100 ) , with very limited budget oversight by legislature and supreme audit institutions. It is not surprising therefore that South Sudan is ranked the second most corrupt country in the world according to the Corruption Perception Index.
In such a context, diaspora remittances have been an important source of income for some households, allowing them to smooth consumption and afford fees related to services such as schools and health care. In 2019 remittances represented 34 per cent of GDP, the highest in the region  ( Adegoke, 2020 ) . These funds come mostly from Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America, but some also come from neighbouring countries to which many South Sudanese moved as a result of the conflict, especially Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda.
In addition, UNICEF distributed 4,600 hand sanitizers and over 5,000 cartons of soap to nutrition sites  ( the latter for distribution to beneficiaries for hand washing ) .
All activities have integrated SGBV and protection issues, whilst ensuring they do not contribute to increasing conflict, discrimination, and/or xenophobia. For instance, IOM is scaling up WASH infrastructure, community hygiene promotion and SGBV case management whilst simultaneously transitioning to COVID 19 sensitive programming.
Additionally, through its Urban Safety Nets programme, WFP is providing cash transfers to over 16,500 vulnerable urban households to address their short term food needs, while building their livelihoods and providing life skills training.
There is limited assistance to access health services for vulnerable people such as persons with disabilities, the elderly, victims of SGBV and unaccompanied children.
The COVID 19 pandemic is leading to an increase in demand for health care services, supplies and workers, which overstretches the fragile public health system and leads to the neglect of other forms of disease prevention and routine health services. These include the disruption of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, regression in the prevention of communicable diseases such as malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, and suspension of mass drug administration for preventive chemotherapy to prevent neglected tropical diseases.
“South Sudan is facing its highest levels of food insecurity and malnutrition since independence 10 years ago', said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs  ( OCHA ) , adding that the plan aimed to reach 6.6 million people with life saving assistance and protection.
Years of conflict have weakened or eradicated the social, physical, political, cultural, economic and security structures required for societies and communities to function, impeding opportunities for sustainable recovery and increasing the likelihood of repeated crisis and insecurity
The government allocated only 3 percent of its 2017 18 budget to education.
From the assessment, it was evident that the biggest support required by schools is teaching and learning supplies, school feeding, teachers incentives, rehabilitation of infrastructure, and teacher training.
Advocacy to include women in the COVID 19 response, and protect women who are at the forefront of fighting the pandemic, has been done through technical briefs and gender analysis by IOM, UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF and WFP.
IDPs face more violence than host community members, with poor access to safe WASH. One third of IDPs and 37 per cent of returnees live in settlements located more than 5 kilometres from a functional health facility  ( IOM DTP & WHO, 2020 ) .
United Nations built a case management centre in the primary health care centre in Mukhtaah, and set up water supply systems at Jebel Kher primary health care centre, both in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal.
The United Nations is also renovating rooms in Malakal Teaching Hospital to use as a case management centre, and supported primary health care centres in Geri, Kaya, Kerwa, Kirikwa, Morobo and Yei with water supply system rehabilitation and medical waste management systems.
Flooding affected over 1 million people and displaced 480,000 persons between July and December 2020.
Humanitarian access deteriorated during the reporting period. As at 1 February, 86 humanitarian access incidents were recorded.
Some 91,121 people are in need of protection response in the six counties
Intimate partners most often perpetrate this violence at home. According to 2019 GBV Information Management System data on the alleged perpetrator survivor relationship, 54 per cent of the reported incidents were perpetrated by intimate partners. Intimate partner violence is anticipated to increase with stay at home and other disease containment measures.
A Protection Reference Group under the leadership of the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare and the Protection Cluster was created to ensure that protection and human rights issues remain central to the COVID 19 response and that vulnerable populations are not left behind.
To further help relief agencies deliver in South Sudan, the free for user IOM  managed Common Transport Services  ( CTS )  supports logistical operations across the country by transporting humanitarian supplies to key locations to help partners reach vulnerable populations.
The United Nations continues its logistical operations for essential commodities and services such as food, time critical agricultural inputs and for SRHR, to ensure continuity of life saving humanitarian response.
The World Bank is also processing additional financing of US$5 million under the COVID 19 Fast Track Facility to replenish the already activated Contingency Emergency Response Component. In addition, it is funding the Safety Net Project  ( US$40 million )  through UNOPS to address the increasing vulnerabilities resulting from COVID 19 effects, especially in urban areas.
The African Development Bank has granted US$4.1 million to finance the emergency assistance for COVID 19 response in South Sudan in collaboration with WHO. The funds are directed to case management and prevention and strengthening the health system's capacity for emergency preparedness, with WHO as sole implementing agency.
UNDP is providing policy advice and analytical services to the government on the socio economic impacts of COVID 19. This includes support for reallocation of funds within the current budget, review of the National Development Strategy and plans for the FY2020/2021 budget.
Finally, collection of COVID 19 samples would be better managed with drones: they are effective, cheaper and can be deployed in the main hubs to make the process more efficient.
To increase access to justice and security, the United Nations provides coordinated technical, programmatic and logistical support to all actors in the justice chain. This includes measures to support the deployment of the justice chain to locations with limited or no justice presence; strengthening of traditional and formal justice actors on jurisdictional limitations; fair trial safeguards; human rights and gender equality; and creating an enabling environment for transitional justice.
United Nations response activities in 2020 in addressing logistics challenges aim to achieve logistics cost efficiencies through the expansion of road and river transport modalities and a decreased reliance on air operations.
United Nations response activities in 2020 in addressing logistics challenges aim to achieve cost efficiencies through the expansion of road and river transport modalities and a decreased reliance on air operations.
The main implications relate primarily to the disruption of movement of cargo and people, and the interruption of services, including the suspension or limiting of flights and maritime traffic due to, for example, the imposition of quarantine periods, screening requirements, border closures, decreased availability of containers, equipment and space, port closure or reduced market functioning.
The United Nations continues to assist the government of South Sudan in responding to mobility through engagement in policy advocacy, capacity development, and provision of technical support
South Sudan is ranked as the fourth country with the lowest human development in the world  ( UNDP, 2019 ) , and in 2015 its GDP per capita was US$1,120  ( World Bank, 2020a ) .
Through its resilience portfolio, WFP is providing livelihood support across the country to increase agricultural production and address productivity constraints while providing food to meet short term hunger gaps.
The Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan  ( R ARCSS )  was signed in 2018, putting an end to a prolonged conflict that had devastating consequences.
To reduce contagion, the government acted swiftly and introduced policies such as reduced trading hours and a curfew.
UNICEF and WFP have reallocated funds to preposition core nutrition supplies to different strategic locations in South Sudan and avoid pipeline breaks in case of lockdown. Both agencies are procuring PPE for distribution to nutrition workers at the 1,150 nutrition sites in the country.
The country's health preparedness has also been enhanced via the adoption of international health regulations, including integrated disease surveillance and response, public health emergency operations and the National Public Health Laboratory to test most infectious diseases.
Key COVID 19 Cumulative Response Figures: 214 healthcare workers trained in Intensive Care Unit  ( ICU )  care.
According to the 2019 WOA Assessment, 39 per cent of children had been exposed to Acute Watery Diarrhea  ( AWD )  in the preceding two weeks. Hence, there is an continually extreme risk of disease outbreak, including cholera.
UNICEF assessed that around 12 million Afghans could be pushed to food security deprivation. If these people are unable to go back to being food secure, the incidence of multidimensional poverty could rise from 51.7% to 61.4%
In June, the Ministry of Public Health had reported shortage of testing kits and treatment capacity at state owned health centers and announced that private clinics and hospitals would conduct Polymerase Chain Reaction  ( PCR )  testing of COVID19 samples to increase testing capacity.
Poverty has continued to climb during 2019. It is estimated that more than 80 per cent of the population is now living on less than $1.90 per day, reducing their financial resilience to shocks, and pushing people into debilitating debt from which they are unlikely to recover. Almost a quarter of the population is unemployed and this number is growing.The situation is particularly dire for those who are displaced.
Afghanistan has an INFORM Risk Index of 7.9 the fifth highest risk country out of 191 profiled. At the same time, the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index ranks it as one of the least prepared countries against climatic shocks and the 11th most vulnerable country in the world to climate change.
In 2020, the Health Cluster expects up to 15,000 people will need immediate trauma care at the place of conflict primarily at first aid trauma posts which have been significantly scaled up over recent years. In addition, it is expected that the need for prosthetics, rehabilitation, mental health and psychosocial support will increase due to the cumulative and continuing impact of the conflict.
[ Risk communication and community engagement  ( RCCE   accountability to affected populations )  ]  IOM has reached 147,964  ( 47,288 men and 98,676 women )  people with awareness raising sessions on hygiene practices and COVID 19 prevention.
The revised HRP identified 14m people in humanitarian need, 11.1m of whom were prioritised for assistance requiring $1.1billion to implement.
While movement of humanitarian personnel and assets had been challenging due to COVID 19  related restrictions for some of 2020, the lifting of lockdown measures across the country greatly eased these constraints. However, many humanitarian organisations continue maintain a preventative posture and are limiting field missions to protect staff and beneficiaries from transmission risks.
Ongoing conflict has also forcibly displaced more than 294,600 people across 31 of 34 provinces in the first 11 months of 2020. This is considerably lower than 2019 where 441,141 people were displaced in the first 11 months of the year
The United States International Development Agency  ( USAID )  estimates that only 30 per cent of Afghans have access to electricity, while figures from Afghanistan Transparency Watch suggest it may be as high as 65 per cent. Thus, sustained and reliable access to electricity is an ongoing issue for many Afghans.
It is estimated that 73 per cent of the population live in rural areas are where access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services is lowest, where open defecation is still common and hand washing with soap is not widely practiced.
Finally, the lack of a Tazkera  [ Afghan identity card ]  can impede freedom of movement and the ability to formally migrate from the country because identification is required to secure a passport.
HLP  ( Housing, Land and Property )  information counselling and legal assistance was also provided at border points for returnees. HLP partners undertook enhanced eviction monitoring and prepared guidance notes on land ownership and tenure, in order to support agencies working to secure tenure for vulnerable groups.
Heading into a second wave of the pandemic, official figures indicate that by mid December 2020, just over 2,000 people had died due to COVID 19 since the start of the year. However, due to limited public health resources and testing capacity, lack of people coming forward for testing, as well as the absence of a national death register, these official figures are most useful as an indicator of trends only.
The Government of Afghanistan is primarily responsible for managing and leading the COVID 19 response, with support from the UN and NGOs. Health partners established 12 laboratories  ( across 7 provinces – 4 in Kabul, 2 in Hirat, 2 in Kunduz, 1 in Nangarhar, 1 in Mazar e Sharif, 1 in Paktya, and 1 in Kandahar )  which tested in excess of 65,000 samples in the reporting period. Some 2,000 beds were provided for isolation and intensive care. 34,000 polio surveillance volunteers were re tasked to conduct COVID 19 surveillance, case identification and contact tracing activities across the country. Several thousand more health workers and volunteers have been trained and are engaged in laboratory testing, mental health and psychosocial support  ( MHPSS ) , infection prevention and control, as well as risk communication work.
Around 20 km of local roads were damaged in several parts of Dangam District  [ from flooding ] .
Mine Action partners continued to deliver all life saving activities despite challenges posed by movement restrictions and physical distancing requirements. Explosive ordnance risk education  ( EORE )  was adjusted to ensure the safety of the participants and trainers. This included switching from classroom  based sessions to delivering messages through mass media, loudspeakers and posters.
In an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus during food distributions, the FSAC  ( Food Security and Agriculture Cluster )  adopted an approach of staggered distributions to ensure physical distancing; instituted handwashing stations at distribution points; ensured use of personal protective equipment among frontline staff; and provided communication and awareness raising materials.
Additionally, Food Security and Agriculture cluster's COVID 19  specific response reached 326,648 COVID 19 affected people with cash and partial in kind support.
The Risk Communications and Community Engagement ( RCCE )  Working Group has produced a rumour tracking sheet that has been disseminated through MoPH and UN/NGO partners. It has also carried out an assessment showing communication preferences and the most trusted information sources by geographical area, down to the district level. The RCCE Working Group has also developed Self Isolation at Home Guidance Messages. Working Group members include national and international NGOs, UN agencies, and an international consultant who is an expert in communication and community engagement.
As of January 2021, wheat flour prices remained 12 % higher than the same time last year and 27 % higher than the four year average. However, the prices of other basic food items have increased in recent months as the lean season progresses and households increase reliance on markets to meet their food needs.
MoPH data shows that as of 12 November, 42,795 people across all 34 provinces in Afghanistan are now confirmed to have COVID 19. Some 35,024 people have recovered, and 1,591 people have died   79 of whom are healthcare workers.
17,246 IEC materials including posters, leaflets and brochures related to COVID 19 were distributed by nutrition partners during the reporting period; 125,654 IEC materials have been distributed by Nutrition Cluster partners since the start of the crisis.
[ Key COVID 19 Cumulative Response Figures / Health Sector ]  IPC training conducted for 4,350 healthcare workers by health cluster. 3,931 healthcare workers trained in surveillance and risk communication in contested areas. 2,000 beds made available for isolation and intensive care. Medical equipment provided for 1,642 isolation beds across all 34 provinces.
Moderate wasting programming is guided by the Humanitarian Response Plan  ( HRP ) , with locations prioritised by the Nutrition Cluster based on global acute malnutrition  ( GAM )  rates and food security vulnerability  ( Integrated Phase Classification  ( IPC )  phase 3 and above ) .
Considering the budget deficit in Afghanistan and lack of sufficient capacity to render relevant services to all vulnerable in different parts of the country, can work towards bridging the budget and capacity gap, particularly in underserved provinces and communities. This will ensure sustainable institutionalization of government and non government actions towards prevention of GBV in the country.
Ensure hand washing facilities availability at the entrance of the camp and make handwashing mandatory for anyone entering.
59 houses were completely destroyed and 97 were severely damaged  [ from flooding in August 2020 ]
Just in the past month, the price of wheat flour and cooking oil in Afghanistan's main city markets have increased by up to 23 percent as supply is unable to meet demand, while the cost of rice, sugar and pulses have increased by between 7 and 12 percent, according to the World Food Programme.
In the poorest and more remote areas of the country, enrollment levels vary widely, and can be as low as 14 per cent with girls still lacking equal access to education in virtually every part of the country. Consequently, literacy rates remain low, particularly for young women; only 37 per cent of adolescent girls are literate, compared to 66 per cent of adolescent boys.
A women's shura council in Sarobi district, Kabul, that had been established and supported through a local peace initiative sponsored by UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ] , redirected its work to support COVID 19 prevention efforts.
Since the start of the pandemic, the United Nations and its partners have reached at least 4.7 million people with risk communication and community engagement messages.
On 8 June, the Anti Corruption Justice Centre resumed trials in an open tent as a COVID 19 transmission prevention measure. Four trials were held in June and July, raising the total number of cases tried by the court since its inception to 76, with 289 defendants.
The country task force on monitoring and reporting on grave violations against children in armed conflict verified 620 child casualties  ( 186 killed, including 57 girls and 129 boys; and 434 maimed, including 138 girls and 296 boys )  during the second quarter of 2020.
In partnership with Ministry of Interior Affairs, UNDP  [ UN Development Programme ]  is operationalizing five new hospital facilities to quarantine, isolate, and treat infected Afghan National Police personnel. These hospitals will receive health equipment and medical supplies and comprise some 300 beds, with quarantine facilities and intensive care units, across five provinces.
The provinces of Faryab  ( both rural and urban ) , Ghor, Helmand urban, Jawzjan  ( both rural and urban ) , and Nangarhar urban have the highest percentage of populations facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with half or more of their population in IPC Phase 3 or 4.
When comparing to the same period last year, the number of people in Emergency  ( IPC  [ Integrated Food Security Phase Classification ]  Phase 4 )  increased from 2.43 million to 3.7 million, while the number of people in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  decreased slightly, from 7.7 million to 7.54 million. This means that a greater number of people moved into Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  during the last year, primarily due to the impacts of COVID 19, including: loss of employment, reduction in income and food prices increases.
During the reporting period, 9 incidents were claimed by or attributed to ISIL  KP  [ Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant   Khorosan Province ] , compared with 109 over the same time period in 2019. Seven of the incidents were in the eastern region, including six in Nangarhar and one in Kunar provinces, and two in Kabul.
The UN verified 192 attacks on schools and staff in 2018, tripling from 68 such attacks in 2017; 123 of these attacks were attributed to the Taliban and another 42 to the Islamic State.
Between 1 January and 30 September 2020, Pro Government Forces were responsible for more than a quarter of all civilian casualties – 28 per cent – amounting to 1,640 civilian casualties  ( 602 killed and 1,038 injured ) .
The frequent fighting in populated areas had a particular impact on women and children, who made up more than two thirds of civilian casualties from indirect fire, including mortars, rockets, and grenades during ground engagements between the Taliban and the Afghan national security forces.
There is a need to support MSMEs  [ Medium and Small Size Enterprises ]  in the health sector by enabling their access to digital technologies. For example, MSMEs could provide medical and scientific expertise to clinically and sociologically contextualize and interpret diagnostic tests as well as drugs and vaccines that will be deployed in the coming months as part of the global collective response to the COVID 19 pandemic.
A new 100 bed COVID 19 hospital has opened in Heart  [ Herat ] , funded by the government under direct orders of President H. E. Ashraf Ghani.
Afghanistan's population is estimated to be 37.6 million people in 2020 of whom 51 per cent are men and 49 per cent women. The country has a population growth rate of three per cent per annum, which is among the highest in the world. The most striking feature of Afghanistan's population profile is its very young average age. Almost half of the population  ( 48 per cent )  is under 15 years old, which is the highest proportion on Earth.
Constant exposure to high  stress, conflict situations, movement restrictions and financial pressure, as well as repeated loss of friends and family members from sickness and war, are also taking their toll on the mental health of people living in Afghanistan.
To address the acute food insecurity needs of the affected families, the following actions are required to save lives and livelihoods: Integrated and coordinated actions are required to contain high rates of asset depletion and food consumption gaps through food and livelihoods assistance for the populations classified in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  and Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 ) . The modality  ( cash or in kind )  of the humanitarian assistance should be considered based on proper market analysis as prices of food commodities are significantly high in hotspot areas.
UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  also notes that after the US Taliban agreement, civilian casualties from airstrikes by international military forces and search operations by National Directorate of Security  ( NDS )  Special Forces and the Khost Protection Force all but ceased, while civilian casualties caused by the Taliban and the Afghan National Army, mainly during ground engagements, continued at high levels.
Of additional concern is the increase in civilians killed and injured attributed to the Afghan National Army during this period. Civil  ian casualties and the number of incidents attributed to also undetermined Anti Government Elements increased significantly, indicating that there are more incidents, especially in relation to the use of improvised explosive devices  ( IEDs )  and targeted killings, in which UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  could not determine which Anti Government Element group was responsible. This trend corresponds with a decrease in the number of incidents for which the Taliban or ISIL KP  [ Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant   Khorosan Province ]  claimed responsibility.
IDPs who were initially in schools and in the open have mostly found shelter with relatives ) .
Depending on the region, between four and 12 per cent of IDPs are exposed to landmines.IDPs are also widely exposed to human rights abuses, including gender based violence.
Households including people with physical disabilities or people with indications of mental health concerns were also more likely to have multiple sectoral needs: 69 per cent of households headed by a person with physical disability had two or more needs, compared to 61 per cent of other households.