Key Results of El Nino Emergency Response

As the COP23 Climate Conference comes to a close, the key take away message is: We need to do more.

Rising temperatures and the impact of climate change are felt most acutely by the vulnerable, especially children. Between 2015 and 2016, southern African nations in particular experienced the worst drought in over three decades, as a result of the El Niño effect. In response and with the support of DFID, UNICEF and partners initiated an emergency response to support families with urgent humanitarian assistance in four of the most affected countries: Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

By October 2017:
Over 21,000 children were treated for severe acute malnutrition
More than 5,700 healthcare workers were trained in emergency nutrition + child health care
259,000 people accessed Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services
Over 5 million people were reached with nutrition, WASH, HIV + other life-saving messages.

But we can’t rest now. The impact of climate change is becoming more extreme, and the most affected need to become much better equipped at weathering the storms that await them.