Eritrea is characterized by harsh climatic conditions, including cyclical drought, which affects groundwater resources, and flooding during rainy seasons. These events exacerbate the vulnerability of communities, making it difficult for families to fully recover from the effects of one emergency before another strikes. In recent years, the country’s climatic conditions have tested the coping capacities of the population, which is largely dependent (80 per cent) on subsistence agriculture.1 In 2010, half of all children under 5 years were stunted,2 and children are affected by sporadic outbreaks of diarrhoea and measles. The risk of landmines and explosive remnants of war continues to affect border communities, particularly children. Some 300,000 children are out of school, with the majority of out-of-school children from nomadic communities that are vulnerable to natural disasters.3 In July 2018, following the signing of the Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship by Ethiopia and Eritrea, tensions softened significantly between the neighbouring countries, and in November 2018, the United Nations Security Council lifted sanctions against Eritrea.

Humanitarian strategy

In 2019, UNICEF and partners will mainstream humanitarian preparedness planning and response within regular programmes to reach children in need in Eritrea. Integrated and multisectoral approaches will be used to deliver life-saving interventions. For example, the provision of safe water and sanitation to affected populations will be used as an entry point to reducing stunting among children under 5 years, and the nutrition response will focus on the integrated management of acute malnutrition. UNICEF will reach communities in hard-to-reach areas with integrated services using mobile outreach clinics. Local communities will be supported to strengthen their capacities to manage common childhood illnesses, including diarrhoea, and promote positive health-seeking behaviours, such as handwashing and other hygiene practices. UNICEF will also prioritize strengthening health systems and improving immunization coverage. Out-of-school children, particularly in nomadic and seminomadic communities, will be reached through a back-to-learning campaign. UNICEF will provide basic services, such as education, health care, psychosocial support and cash grants, to strengthen community resilience, protect children on the move and build the life skills of adolescents in danger of irregular migration. Mine risk education and other critical life-saving interventions will target schoolchildren in communities at risk of landmines and unexploded remnants of war.

Results from 2018