Humanitarian Programme Responses to Protracted Crises
IPPF’s humanitarian section is responsible for coordinating responses to emergencies. It does this in partnership with the various regions where the crisis are happening. A coordinated, federation wide approach to humanitarian relief is essential in providing support quickly and efficiently to those in need.
Our role here is critical and can only be strengthened with your support so that we can be prepared as well as have rapid and coherent responses to natural disasters and other emergencies.
Right now IPPF has active crisis responses in Tigray, the Gaza Strip, Sudan and Ukraine.
Tigray Crisis
In the Northern Ethiopian regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar, an estimated 5.2 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, and an estimated 3.5 million people from these regions have been displaced after conflict broke out in November 2020. The number of refugees has increased since fighting intensified late in 2021. IPPF has launched a regional humanitarian response to the Tigray Crisis in Ethiopia, and to assist refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries Sudan and Djibouti.
Sudan hosts 59,511 refugees who have fled from the civil war in Tigray. There are 19,073 refugees in Um Rakuba camp, where the Sudan Family Planning Association has established a sexual and reproductive health clinic. The country’s already weak health system has been stretched by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, further challenging their ability to cope with the arrival and hosting of high numbers of Ethiopian refugees. As of 1 March 2022, this response has reached 2,112 clients with clinical SRH services.
In Djibouti, the Djiboutian Association for Family Planning (ADEPF), in collaboration with the National Office for Assistance to Refugees and Sinister (ONARS), has developed a participatory approach towards diverse groups of refugees living in the capital for reproductive health awareness and MISP. This response not only serves refugees from Ethiopia, but also Somalia and Yemen.
In Ethiopia, the insecure operating environment initially impeded the efforts of the Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (FGAE) to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced populations. A field assessment on the safety and security of the implementation areas, the towns of Dessie and Kombolcha, both conflict-affected areas of Amhara region, was conducted. Based on the findings, a security management plan was developed, and Humanitarian Safety & Security training was provided for all field and project staff. The response commenced at the end of October 2021. More than 450 IDPs have received SRH and SGBV services in FGAE clinics and outreach sites; and various medical and emergency supplies including sanitary materials were distributed to IDP community.
Escalation in hostilities in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
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On 10 May 2021, an escalation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip resulted in more than 220 fatalities, the demolition of buildings, and over 75,000 internally displaced people. At the time there were an estimated 87,000 pregnant women and more than a third were expected to give birth in the following three months. 60% of the Ministry of Health (MoH) clinics were forced to close, whilst only 16 of the 22 UNRWA primary health care clinics remained open. Between 1 June and 30 September 2021, PFPPA’s staff and project team were able to successfully reach 802 homes in the Gaza Strip through their humanitarian response. Throughout these visits, 5,219 women and girls were provided with essential sexual and reproductive healthcare in their homes, including contraceptives, HIV and STI testing, counselling (including pre and post abortion counselling) and prenatal care. The response also included youth volunteers to distract children with activities, which allowed the medical team to provide private services to women in their homes.
