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OCHA Policy Brief on Gendered Drivers, Risks and Impacts of Food Insecurity in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2023) CC

It is widely understood that the food insecurity crisis in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is one of the world’s fastest growing and most neglected crises. It lacks sufficient global focus, resources and urgency. As in so many crises, women and girls are disproportionately affected and shoulder t...he consequences of protracted neglect, with unconscionable impacts on their safety, life chances and agency. Gaining a holistic view of the gendered drivers, risks and impacts of food insecurity in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is difficult. This is due to a lack of data and prioritization, and the large geographical and socioeconomic terrain covered by both regions. However, what we do know about this crisis is more than enough to urgently address the needs of women and girls. An OCHA discussion paper on this topic (which will be published imminently, and from which this policy brief is drawn) found that there is: A strong risk of profound regression in gender equality gains made to date in the countries of concern, including on education, sexual and reproductive health, and the economic independence of women and girls (with knock-on effects on broader humanitarian and development outcomes). An increasing challenge to reverse what must be recognized as a protracted and growing gender-based violence (GBV) emergency in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. The food insecurity crisis in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is protracted, multidimensional and highly gendered, with spiralling impacts on gender equality and food security outcomes. It is driven by interwoven and overlapping factors, including climate change, political instability, conflict, socioeconomic conditions, migration and displacement and, more recently, COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. Interlinked with these factors are gendered structural drivers of food insecurity, including deeply entrenched gender inequalities and harmful social norms. Gendered risks and impacts of food insecurity include alarming limitations on access to education, sexual and reproductive health rights, women’s agency and participation, and dramatic increases in different existing forms of GBV and the emergence of new ones. Recognition of such gendered dimensions of food insecurity and of the need for a multisectoral approach in the response is key to addressing the crisis, along-side sustained commitment and adequate allocation of resources. This policy brief draws out key findings from the OCHA discussion paper on this topic, which includes a desk review of studies, assessments and reports, and interviews with local women’s organizations on the front lines of the food insecurity crisis in communities across both regions. Below are the most pressing gendered drivers, risks and impacts of food insecurity (not in order of priority), as well as key gaps in the current humanitarian response to food insecurity, and recommendations to take forward. more

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“Female genital schistosomiasis is a sexually transmitted disease”: Gaps in healthcare workers’ knowledge about female genital schistosomiasis in Tanzania

Mazigo, H.; Samson, A.; Lambert, V. et al. PLoS Global Public Health (2022) CC

Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) is a gynaecological disease caused by Schistosoma haematobium, a parasitic worm that is acquired by skin contact with freshwater contaminated by schistosome cerceriae. Communities in which the infection is most endemic have limited access to clean water and healt... more

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Rwanda: FAMILY PLANNING STRATEGIC PLAN 2012–2016

Ministry of Health, Rwanda (2012) C2

In recent years, Rwanda has been on the fast track to achieve major health improvements for its entire population. With the support of government agencies and various non-governmental partners, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has endeavored to decentralize Rwanda’s health system and bring health serv... more

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Trends in maternal mortality 2000 to 2020: estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group and UNDESA/Population Division

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

Every day in 2020, approximately 800 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth - meaning that a woman dies around every two minutes. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.1 is to reduce maternal mortality to less than 70 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births by ... more

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Kasai: A Children’s Crisis – Coping with the impact of conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) (2018)

UNICEF CHILD ALERT May 2018
As part of a UNICEF series highlighting the challenges faced by children in current crisis situations, this Child Alert examines the situation of children affected by violent conflict in Kasai region, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The alert outlines what UNICEF a... more

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South Sudan Response Plan April 2020–March 2021

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO (2020) CC

Previous crises, such as the Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa in 2014, indicate the direct impact movement restrictions and disease containment efforts have on food availability, access, utilization and violence – particularly gender-based violence (GBV). The importance of maintaining and ... more

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Optimizing community health worker programmes for HIV services: a guide for health policy and system support.

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

This document synthesizes key elements of the World Health Organization (WHO) normative guidance on health policy and system support for community health worker (CHW) programmes and their application for HIV programmes. Building on relevant elements of HIV guidelines, tools and evidence identified b... more

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Global progress report on WASH in health care facilities: Fundamentals first

World Health Organization WHO; UNICEF (2021) C_WHO

The report identifies major global gaps in WASH services: one third of health care facilities do not have what is needed to clean hands where care is provided; one in four facilities have no water services, and 10% have no sanitation services. This means that 1.8 billion people use facilities that l... more

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Targeted and selective strategies in measles and rubella vaccination campaigns: Interim guidance

World Health Organization WHO (2025) C_WHO

The World Health Organization provides regional and national strategies and operational plans that aim to support countries in work to achieve measles control and elimination. These are guided by high level frameworks including the Immunization Agenda 2030 and the Measles and Rubella Strategic Frame... more

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South Africa Emergency Appeal for the Impact of Covid-19

UNCT South Africa (2020) C2

South Africa reported it fist case of COVID-19 on 5 March 2020. While the first cases were imported, local transmission has led to a rapid increase in the number of cases. As of 21 April 2020, more than 3,400 cases and 58 deaths had been confirmed. On 15 March, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a n... more

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Continuity of essential health services: Facility assessment tool
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

Interim guidance. 12 May 2021. The Continuity of essential health services: Facility Assessment Tool can be used by countries to rapidly assess the capacity of health facilities to maintain the provision of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. It can help to alert the authorities ... more

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The Ukraine war and threats to food and energy security

Benton, T.; et al. Chatham House (2022) CC

Cascading risks from rising prices and supply disruptions, April 2022. Global resource markets are still reeling from the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the two countries are major suppliers of energy, food and fertilizers. Supply disruption and the sudden imposition, in response to the... more

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JRP for Rohingya humanitarian crisis

Inter Sector Coordination Group - Bangladesh (2018) C1

March - December 2018 The Government of Bangladesh has kept its borders open to Rohingya refugees and leads the humanitarian response. The people of Bangladesh continue to show tremendous generosity and hospitality in the face of a massive influx. In keeping with its policies, the Government of Ban... more

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Ghana National Newborn Heath Strategy and Action Plan 2014-2018

Ministry of Health, Ghana (2014) C2

This document, Ghana’s National Newborn Health Strategy and Action Plan 2014–2018 outlines a targeted strategy for accelerating the reduction of newborn deaths in Ghana. Furthermore it provides a costed action plan with clearly marked timelines for implementation to facilitate resource mobilisat... more

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Adolescent Girls in Crisis: Voices from South Sudan

Plan International (2018) C1

In the last 5 years, the conflict in South Sudan has displaced 4 million people and placed 7 million in need of humanitarian assistance.
This report commissioned by Plan International draws on research conducted with girls and members of their families and communities in multiple sites in South... more

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Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2019) C_CDC

The Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008, presents evidence- based recommendations on the preferred methods for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of patient- care medical devices and for cleaning and disinfecting the healthcare environment. This docume... more

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The Democratic Republic of Congo Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) January 2019 - December 2020

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) (2018) C1

Looking forward, the 2019-2020 Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) for the DRC situation aims at addressing the needs of new arrivals of Congolese refugees in the region, and those in protracted situations. By supporting livelihoods opportunities and through a resilience-based approach, refugees w... more

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Engaging health and care workers in health emergencies: implementation toolkit

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2024) C_WHO

The active participation and engagement of health and care workers (‎HCWs)‎ in health emergency preparedness, readiness and response is crucial to support risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management (‎RCCE-IM)‎ interventions during emergencies. HCWs hold unique position... more

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United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: Guidance from the Conference of the Parties and Responses by the Global Environment Facility, COP1 - COP28

Global Environment Facility GEF (2024) CC

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established its Financial Mechanism to facilitate the provision and transfer of resources from developed to developing countries. The Global Environment Facility became the first operating entity of the Financial Mechanism after the ... more

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Guidance and technical packages on community mental health services: promoting person-centred and rights-based approaches: executive summary

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

The WHO Guidance on community mental health services: Promoting person-centred and rights-based approaches document is part of the WHO Guidance and technical packages on community mental health services set of publications. It provides a detailed description of person-centred and human rights-based ... more

Continuity of essential health services: Facility assessment tool recommended

Continuity of essential health services: Facility assessment tool
recommended