Burundian refugees are enduring cuts to food rations, lack of medicines, overcrowded schools and inadequate shelter. Despite the best efforts of all, a massive increase in support is needed to adequately provide for even the most basic needs.

The SGBV WG met regularly in December 2018 reviewing achievements of the annual workplan and starting brainstorming for 2019 planning. Among identified priorities there is a stronger information management system. Moreover the WG has started the development of an app to strengthen the referral pathway. Package for the safe referral training has been updated and disseminated to participants to the ToT for the replication at field level at the beginning of next year.

At the beginning of 2018, 130,668 Syrian refugee children were enrolled in formal education and 29,247 were enrolled in NFE. Nearly one in three of the 233,052 registered Syrian refugee school-aged children were out of any form of education at the beginning of the year. Children across Jordan face geographical and socio-economic disparities in access, overcrowded or dilapidated classrooms, low learning outcomes; social tension, bullying and violence, and few learning pathways for the most vulnerable children.

UNICEF and partners completed the KG Data in August 2018, which indicated that 84 per cent of five to six-year olds have access to KG or KG-like services, an increase from earlier figures which cited 59 per cent of children accessing KGs. The difference identified in the study quantified the number of unlicensed KGs or community centres in the country.

UNHCR welcomes Malta disembarkation of Sea Watch and Sea Eye passengers, calls for better, predictable approach

Five years on since the civil war started, over 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees have sought safety in six neighbouring countries: Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Central African Republic (CAR). Another 1.9 million are internally displaced inside South Sudan.

Support scheme in Rwandan capital and elsewhere sees refugee businesses including Burundian-owned LPG store create 2,600 new jobs countrywide.

In 2018, UNHCR and its partners received just 38 percent of the required US$1.4 billion requested to support South Sudanese refugees. Education, health and food supplies are all severely underfunded, exacting a heavy toll on women and children, who account for 83 percent of the refugees.

2018 MARKS LOWEST RATE OF NEW ARRIVALS TO SUDAN SINCE START OF SOUTH SUDAN CONFLICT IN DECEMBER 2013 – Nearly 1,700 South Sudanese refugees arrived in Sudan in December, bringing the year-end total of new arrivals in 2018 to 33,117. This is below the revised annual arrivals estimate for 2018 of 50,000. Inter-agency partners estimate a maximum of 50,000 new arrivals in 2019.

UNICEF AND UNHCR COMPLETE 2nd ROUND OF NUTRITION CAMPAIGN IN WEST KORDOFAN STATE – The campaign is part of the accelerated nutrition action plan initiated in October following the outcomes of the 2018 Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS). Nearly 3,700 South Sudanese refugee children were screened, with referrals of malnourished and at-risk children made to local nutrition programmes for treatment. The action plan also integrates infant and young child feeding (IYCF) support, with over 2,700 pregnant and lactating women referred for IYCF counselling and supports. These campaigns have also been completed for refugee camps in White Nile State and targeted localities in South Kordofan State, as part of inter-agency efforts to scaleup the nutrition response to address critically high global acute malnutrition (GAM).