LARGE INTERNAL REFUGEE MOVEMENTS OBSERVED WITH START OF HARVEST SEASON – In White Nile State, the Government of Sudan’s Commission for Refugees (COR) estimates that at least 50,000 refugees are working on farms outside of the camps. Refugee schools in camps are temporarily closed, and will reopen in November, when families are anticipated to return to camps. Education partners and the State Ministry of Education agreed in September to adjust the school calendar to address low attendance rates anticipated during the harvest season. In East Darfur, a 10 per cent reduction in attendance to therapeutic and supplementary feeding nutrition programmes in camps has been observed. Where possible, programming is being adapted so beneficiaries can still receive sufficient nutrition support.

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.

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.

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.

The consequences of underfunding are being felt across the board by Burundian refugees in four neighbouring countries, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Uganda.

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.

CASH AND FUEL SHORTAGES DRIVING RESPONSE DELAYS – Persistent cash shortages is delaying assistance projects in all refugee locations, especially for procurement activities and the implementation of cash-based interventions. The situation is compounded by logistical delays due to ongoing fuel shortages. State authorities are working closely with partners to mitigate the situation and support activities where possible.situation and support activities where possible.

TOTAL SOUTH SUDANESE REFUGEE POPULATION INCREASED TO 851,313 INDIVIDUALS, FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF UPDATED POPULATION STATISTICS – This revised figure incorporates updated statistics from finalized registration processes conducted by the Government of Sudan’s Immigration and Passport Police (IPP) in Gedaref, Al Gezira, Nile and Northern States. It also includes the increase of the out-of-the-camp population in White Nile State by 79,000 based on as inter-agency assessment targeting out-of-camp locations. The revised total population figure is reflected in the 2019-2020 Refugee Response Plan (RRP) and in the 2019 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). The revised figure will not affect RRP or HRP budgets, as refugee programming is based on assessed needs.