At least 1.5 million people in northern Mozambique need life-saving and life-sustaining humanitarian assistance and protection due to the continued impact of armed conflict, violence and insecurity in Cabo Delgado province. More than half of them are children and more than 60 percent of adults are women, who fled horrific brutality in search of safety.
Since the beginning of the year, the number of people displaced has continued to rise steadily in northern Mozambique, deepening the needs of displaced people and host communities. There were an estimated 946,508 people who have left their homes (June), up from 784,564 in the last IOM/DTM round of February. This represents a net increase of approximately 100,000 IDPs. In addition, another 62,228 IDPs were recorded in newly assessed locations and sites, most especially in northern Cabo Delgado districts. Since early June, a string of attacks in Ancuabe and Chiure districts led to the displacement of 92,000 people within Cabo Delgado and to Nampula provinces. Attacks have taken place in areas where no security incidents had been reported in the last two years.
Displacement is placing a heavy burden on host communities who, living just above self-subsistence, have been sharing their scant resources with displaced people in an amazing show of solidarity. In Metuge District, the number of displaced people (126,030) is higher than the original population (101,339). Mozambican institutions have accelerated their response and have made the most out of their limited budget stretched due to COVID-19. While the flow of internally displaced persons continues, without an end in sight, this solidarity is reaching breaking point.
Conflict has heightened food insecurity and malnutrition as families have been forced to abandon their homes and fields with erratic rainfall compounding crop losses. In northern Mozambique, more than 1.1 million people are acutely food insecure, thus only marginally able to meet their food needs and at risk of acute malnutrition (IPC Phase 3 or above). Food insecurity and malnutrition have devastating consequences for women and children, heightening the risk of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, and hampering children’s access to education. In some communities of Cabo Delgado, rates of child marriage have reportedly risen.
Many conflict-affected communities are struggling to cope with the cumulative consequences of other shocks such as climate change and rising inflation, food and energy crises. Mozambique is one of three countries in Africa most exposed to extreme climate shocks. Northern Mozambique has been hit by two cyclones, three tropical storms and flooding in the last three years. Mozambique imports approximately 30 per cent of wheat from Russia and 8 per cent from Ukraine (OECD). The current conflict Russia-Ukraine conflict may have a ripple effect on food and fuel prices spikes that would further deepen people’s food insecurity.
In the course of the year, some people displaced by the conflict have spontaneously returned to areas retaken by the government and international forces. Since July 2021, some 140,000 people returned to their areas of origin. Intention surveys by humanitarian organisations in Palma sede revealed that the decisions to return were prompted by the search for livelihoods due to insufficient assistance and competition over natural resources with host communities rather than a perception of increased security in the areas of return. The Government of Mozambique is making efforts to re-establish service provision by recalling civil servants. The destruction of key infrastructure has hindered the government’s ability to provide public services in conflictaffected communities. In Cabo Delgado province, 89 of the pre-existing 135 health facilities are functional with no health facility funcioning in Quissanga district. The people who have returned will need continued humanitarian assistance to meet their food needs until they begin generating income.
The humanitarian community strivesto stay and deliver as close to the people in need. A series of measures is being taken to overcome access restrictions and ensure the continuation of the humanitarian operations; additional flights are being put on following clearance of additional airstrips. Partnerships with national organisation on the ground is being strengthened to ensure the greatest reach of the response.
Humanitarian partners plan to provide assistance and protection to 1.2 million people in Mozambique through 44 humanitarian partners. A total of 1.09 million people were assisted between January and May 2022 in northern Mozambique, out of 1.2 million people targeted. 18.8 per cent of the funding required – of US$388.5 million – has been received ($72 million). The humanitarian community thanks the donors for the $223.3 million contributed for the humanitarian response in 2021 and counts on its renewed and sustained support this year.
At least 1.5 million people need life-saving humanitarian assistance in northern Mozambique
Source: Philippines Legacy PH
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