Haiti鈥檚 hunger crisis is unseen, unheard, and unaddressed leaving more than 4.9 million Haitians struggling to eat day-to-day. Pervasive insecurity and extreme weather conditions are inhibiting access to the rich food productive areas in the region. is optimistic that despite these challenges, empowering the local community will build long-term capacities in bridging the food crisis. There needs to be a multi-sector response and investments in the local grassroot organizations to stabilize in Haiti.
Humanitarian Aid
Cameroon is affected by three complex crises: the Lake Chad basin conflict, the North-West and South-West (NWSW) crisis, and the Central African Republic (CAR) refugee crisis. One in six people in Cameroon needs humanitarian assistance. This year, an estimated 4.7 million people need humanitarian assistance and protection. However, in recent years, much-needed funding for the humanitarian response in Cameroon has barely reached half of the required amount. presents six things you need to know about this often-forgotten crisis.
鈥淒espite all the failings of the UN, and there are many, we can deliver in the most difficult circumstances. With supplies that make a difference, with support that makes a difference, with presence that makes a difference. So that's what keeps me going. Because we have that opportunity, that potential, those resources, that experience.鈥
Denise Brown knows what it takes to work under the shadow of war. As UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, she and her team must brave considerable risks as they strive to meet the colossal humanitarian needs of the Ukrainian people in the midst of a brutal war. "The missiles slow us down, but they don鈥檛 stop us. That's testament to the courage, determination, and experience of the people we have there.鈥
In this episode of Awake at Night, Denise Brown reflects on life under bombardment, on the dangers of trips to the front line, and on making a difference in the most difficult of circumstances.
Photo credit: 漏OCHA/Saviano Abreu
For the women and girls who are living amid the Horn of Africa crisis, there are increased risks. Cases of child and forced marriage, female genital mutilation, rape, and other forms of violence have all risen sharply. provides medical personnel and supports a range of mobile services and initiatives to reach people, such as this motorcycle ambulance, driven by Mark, who transports women to deliver safely. With increased support from the international community, UNFPA can do more for women to protect them from violence and provide access to medical interventions.
After three years of drought, more than 23 million people across parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia face severe hunger. When the region鈥檚 long-awaited rains arrived in March, they should have brought some relief. But instead, flash flooding inundated homes and farmland, washed away livestock, and closed schools and health facilities. Mortality and malnutrition rates remain a serious cause for concern. and partners launched a rapid scale up of life-saving assistance in drought-hit Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, which helped to keep famine at bay in Somalia.
highlights 5 reasons women and girls in Syria and T眉rkiye still need your support 3 months later after the devasting earthquake.
Unprecedented floods have swallowed large swathes of South Sudan, while other parts are grappling with devastating drought. The climate crisis is also compounding existing challenges in the country, such as conflict, poverty, and rising food and energy prices. This has left almost 8 million people facing crisis levels of hunger. The dyke rehabilitation by is just one of many initiatives that they are rolling out to tackle the climate crisis, improve food security and develop rural economies in South Sudan. Families who had fled their towns when the dykes broke, are returning eager to rebuild their way of life.
Millions of children are experiencing a surge of preventable diseases because of prolonged drought and conflict in Somalia. Women and children make up more than 80 per cent of the displaced people in Somalia, and they are most affected. by the limited access to and unavailability of water, sanitation and hygiene services and increased risk of waterborne diseases. But only 27 per cent of Somalia鈥檚 population have access to essential health care. and its humanitarian partners are noting that the number of IDPs continues to increase due to ongoing conflict, drought-induced displacement and water shortages.
reports the Black Sea Grain Initiative - which has moved 25 million metric tons of grains - mostly benefitted developing countries, supporting food security among the most vulnerable.
More than 9 million people in T眉rkiye and 8.8 million in Syria were affected by two massive earthquakes. provides psychosocial support and and health services across temporary camps.
estimates there are more than 130,000 pregnant women in Syria, around 14,800 of whom will deliver in the next month. UNFPA was part of the first cross-border convoy to arrive with much needed relief items.
![Children Ukraine war](/sites/un2.un.org/files/2023/02/unicef_children_peace.jpg)
Children need peace. Now.
One year into the Ukraine war, an estimated 1.5 million children are at risk of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental conditions. Not many are lucky as Kateryna who left Kyiv with her children at the beginning of the war. Once again, children are paying the price of a war not of their own making. has been working with national and local authorities, as well as civil society organizations in Ukraine and neighboring countries to deliver emergency assistance, access to education, health and mental health support, and life-saving information to children and their families.
![T眉rkiye and Syria earthquake](/sites/un2.un.org/files/2023/02/unfpa_race_against_time.jpg)
Race against time
Rescuers work into the night, racing against time, hoping to find survivors amid the overwhelming devastation caused by the T眉rkiye- Syria earthquake. Thousands of buildings, including maternity facilities and safe spaces for women and girls, have been severely damaged or destroyed. is committed to support the people of T眉rkiye and Syria affected by the earthquakes, including the pregnant women who are expected to give birth in the coming weeks under these difficult conditions. Women working with the are providing postnatal counseling and delivering maternal kits to pregnant women and new mothers.
![Turkey Syria Earthquake UNFPA Turkey Syria Earthquake UNFPA](/sites/un2.un.org/files/2023/02/unfpa_lost_everying_one_minute.jpg)
I lost everything in one minute
Early in the morning of 6 February, while most people were still sleeping, a powerful earthquake rocked T眉rkiye, carving death and destruction in the country鈥檚 southeast and in neighbouring Syria. Among the estimated 15 million people affected in T眉rkiye are over 214,000 pregnant women 鈥 of whom almost 24,000 are due to give birth in the next month. With essential medical supplies wiped out across the two countries and hundreds of health centres, maternity facilities and safe spaces damaged, is on the ground across affected areas in both T眉rkiye and Syria and remains dedicated to re-establishing services critical to the well-being and protection of millions of vulnerable, traumatized women and girls in urgent need of maternal care and support.
As of February 8, had in both countries with hot meals and plans to scale up sharply following the deadly earthquakes that struck T眉rkiye and Syria.