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OCHA Policy Brief on Gendered Drivers, Risks and Impacts of Food Insecurity in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2023) CC

It is widely understood that the food insecurity crisis in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is one of the world’s fastest growing and most neglected crises. It lacks sufficient global focus, resources and urgency. As in so many crises, women and girls are disproportionately affected and shoulder t...he consequences of protracted neglect, with unconscionable impacts on their safety, life chances and agency. Gaining a holistic view of the gendered drivers, risks and impacts of food insecurity in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is difficult. This is due to a lack of data and prioritization, and the large geographical and socioeconomic terrain covered by both regions. However, what we do know about this crisis is more than enough to urgently address the needs of women and girls. An OCHA discussion paper on this topic (which will be published imminently, and from which this policy brief is drawn) found that there is: A strong risk of profound regression in gender equality gains made to date in the countries of concern, including on education, sexual and reproductive health, and the economic independence of women and girls (with knock-on effects on broader humanitarian and development outcomes). An increasing challenge to reverse what must be recognized as a protracted and growing gender-based violence (GBV) emergency in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. The food insecurity crisis in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is protracted, multidimensional and highly gendered, with spiralling impacts on gender equality and food security outcomes. It is driven by interwoven and overlapping factors, including climate change, political instability, conflict, socioeconomic conditions, migration and displacement and, more recently, COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. Interlinked with these factors are gendered structural drivers of food insecurity, including deeply entrenched gender inequalities and harmful social norms. Gendered risks and impacts of food insecurity include alarming limitations on access to education, sexual and reproductive health rights, women’s agency and participation, and dramatic increases in different existing forms of GBV and the emergence of new ones. Recognition of such gendered dimensions of food insecurity and of the need for a multisectoral approach in the response is key to addressing the crisis, along-side sustained commitment and adequate allocation of resources. This policy brief draws out key findings from the OCHA discussion paper on this topic, which includes a desk review of studies, assessments and reports, and interviews with local women’s organizations on the front lines of the food insecurity crisis in communities across both regions. Below are the most pressing gendered drivers, risks and impacts of food insecurity (not in order of priority), as well as key gaps in the current humanitarian response to food insecurity, and recommendations to take forward. more

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Gender in Humanitarian Action Brief No. 5. Rohingya Refugee Crisis Response - Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh (July 2018)

Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) (2018) C1

UNHCR and its partners implement interventions focusing on adolescent girls and boys, including:
▪ Formation and capacity building of adolescent girls and boys’ clubs as peer groups for awareness raising, and SGBV prevention and response mechanisms.
▪ Community based protection activ... more

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Sahel Crisis 2020: Responding to the urgent needs of refugees, internally displaced, returnees and others of concern (June 2020)

UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR (2020) CC

he central Sahel region—Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—is facing a severe humanitarian and protection crisis. Massive displacement, most of it driven by intense and largely indiscriminate violence perpetrated by a range of armed actors against civilian populations, is taking place across the regi... more

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Linking Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) - Practical tools, approaches and case studies

World Health Organization (WHO) and InterAgency Standing Committee (IASC), Save the Children, et al. (2021) C_WHO

Technical Note Recently, the approach to hazardous events has undergone a considerable shift, away from reactive activities focused on managing and responding to events and towards a more proactive process of emergency and disaster risk management (DRM). The ultimate goal of this shift in focus is ... more

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Estimation of the global prevalence of dementia in 2019 and forecasted prevalence in 2050: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

GBD2019 Dementia Forecasting Coolaborators (2022) CC

Lancet Public health 2022 January 6, 2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/ S2468-2667(21)00249-8 Growth in the number of individuals living with dementia underscores the need for public health planning efforts and policy to address the needs of this group. Country-level estimates can be used to inform nati... more

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Return Counselling of Children and Their Families

International Organization for Migration IOM (2022) CC

The Return Counselling Toolkit is a capacity-building instrument aimed at providing a harmonized and coherent approach to return counselling, based on key migrant-centred principles while protecting migrants’ rights. Mindful of the specific needs and rights pertaining to children, this additional ... more

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The concept of vulnerability in European asylum procedures

Minos Mouzourakis, Kris Pollet, Ruben Fierens European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), Asylum Information Database (AIDA) (2017) C2

Once identified as vulnerable, applicants enjoy specific rights and safeguards in the asylum process under EU law. Vulnerability should therefore trigger additional or tailored support to ensure that people have the necessary conditions to bring forward a claim for protection.

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Nigeria: Humanitarian Response Plan (January - December 2018)

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2017) C1

Now entering its ninth year, the crisis in north-east Nigeria has created vulnerabilities and humanitarian concerns. An estimated 7.7 million men, women, boys and girls are in acute need of protection and assistance. While the humanitarian community has provided life-saving assistance to over 5.6 mi... more

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Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Guideline (India)
recommended

Balaji, V., P. Rupali, K. Walia, et al. Indian Council of Medical Research (2018) C2

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health challenge, which is recognized as high priority area by the Government of India. The increasing consumption of antibiotics is one of the key drivers of antimicrobial resistance seen in bugs of public health importance. Irrational prescription o... more

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Zika: Strategic Response Framework & Joint Operations Plan January - June 2016
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2016) C_WHO

The strategy focuses on mobilizing and coordinating partners, experts and resources to help countries enhance surveillance of the Zika virus and disorders that could be linked to it, improve vector control, effectively communicate risks, guidance and protection measures, provide medical care to thos... more

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Rapid Risk Assessment of Acute Public Health Events
recommended

World Health Organization 2012 (2011) C_WHO

This manual has been developed to guide rapid risk assessment of acute public health risks from any type of hazard in response to requests from Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO). The manual is aimed primarily at national departments with health-protection responsibilities, Nationa... more

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Vaccination in Acute Humanitarian Emergencies - A Framework for Decision Making
recommended

World Health Organization (2018) CC

Humanitarian emergencies, regardless of type and cause, have a number of common risk factors for communicable diseases inextricably linked to excess risk of morbidity and mortality which can come from vaccine–preventable diseases (VPDs). The reduction of VPDs is a significant aim of public-health ... more

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Injury Prevention and Environmental Health. Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition : Volume 7

Mock, Charles N.; Nugent, Rachel; Kobusingye, Olive; et al. World Bank (2017) CC

The substantial burden of death and disability that results from interpersonal violence, road traffic injuries, unintentional injuries, occupational health risks, air pollution, climate change, and inadequate water and sanitation falls disproportionally on low- and middle-income countries. Injury Pr... more

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Operational Guidance Mental Health & Psychosocial Support Programming for Refugee Operations

UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR (2013) C1

This operational guidance on MHPSS provides a practical orientation and tools for UNHCR country operations. It covers specific points of good practice to consider when developing MHPSS programming and offers advice on priority issues and practical difficulties, while also providing some background i... more

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Women´s Mental Health: An evidence based review

WHO WHO (2000) C_WHO

This document adopts a health determinants framework for examining the evidence related to women’s poor mental health. From this perspective, public policy including economic policy, socio-cultural and environmental factors, community and social support, stressors and life events, personal behavio... more

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Iodine thyroid blocking Guidelines for use in planning for and responding to radiological and nuclear emergencies

World Health Organization (WHO) (2017) C_WHO

These guidelines provide a recommendation on iodine thyroid blocking (ITB), via oral administration of stable iodine, as an urgent protective action in responding to a nuclear accident. This recommendation aims to support emergency planners, policy makers, public health specialists, clinicians and o... more

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Child Marriage in Zambia

Population Council, UNFPA, and Government of the Republic of Zambia (2017) C1

A policy brief on child marriage in Zambia. Child marriage is a human rights violation, and endangers young people' personal development and well-being; thus reducing opportunities to realize their full potential. Protecting girls from child marriage is a national priority and key towards sustainabl... more

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Population mobility and malaria

World Health Organization ( WHO), Regional Oﬃce for South-East-Asia (2017) C_WHO

Review of International, Regional and National Policies and Legal Frameworks that Promote Migrants and Mobile Populations' Access to Health and Malaria Services in the Greater Mekong Subregion (Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam)
Migrants and mobile popul... more

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National disaster management guidelines. Management of biological disasters

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of India (2008) C1

The intent of these guidelines is to develop a holistic, coordinated, proactive and technology driven strategy for management of biological disasters through a culture of prevention, mitigation and preparedness to generate a prompt and effective response in the event of an emergency. Th... more

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Frequently asked questions about prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention

World Health Organization (Europe) (2020) C_WHO

People in prisons and other places of detention live in a closed environment and in close proximity with one another – conditions that facilitate transmission of diseases. They also have a greater underlying burden of disease and worse health conditions than the general population, and frequently ... more

Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Guideline (India) recommended

Zika: Strategic Response Framework & Joint Operations Plan January - June 2016 recommended

Rapid Risk Assessment of Acute Public Health Events recommended

Vaccination in Acute Humanitarian Emergencies - A Framework for Decision Making recommended

Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Guideline (India)
recommended

Zika: Strategic Response Framework & Joint Operations Plan January - June 2016
recommended

Rapid Risk Assessment of Acute Public Health Events
recommended

Vaccination in Acute Humanitarian Emergencies - A Framework for Decision Making
recommended