The number is a reduction in the number of people in need by 34 per cent, from 6.2 million people, in 2018 due to an improved humanitarian context and a more focused definition of humanitarian needs, while still including 60 per cent of all people at stressed level known as Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC 2).
“Of the people in need of assistance, almost two thirds are children and over 2.6 million people are internally displaced persons (IDPs), who live in difficult circumstances, are highly vulnerable and in need of multiple basic services,” said the 2019 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) released by the Somalia Humanitarian Country Team released on Friday.
“The most vulnerable groups, including female-headed households, children, the elderly, people with disabilities and marginalized communities, are particularly at risk and face specific protection concerns,” the overview issued in Nairobi disclosed.
The Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Peter de Clercq said that over 1.5 million people, mainly IDPs and rural populations, face acute levels of food insecurity and require immediate assistance for their survival.
“Malnutrition rates across the country have remained persistently high with nearly one million children expected to be acutely malnourished, including 173,600 expected to be severely malnourished,” he added.