Highlights
The UN and its partners have conducted a workshop to develop a multisectoral emergency response plan to respond to the needs of children and their families affected by the ongoing fighting between the so called Islamic State (IS) and the Government of National Accord led forces in Sirte. Approximately 120,000 people are affected by the conflict with an estimated 60 per cent (72,000 people) in need of some kind of humanitarian assistance and protection; of those, 32,000 are children.
179 children, 123 girls and 56 boys, were enrolled during July in the catch-up classes’ educational programme supported by UNICEF in the conflict affected city of Benghazi.
In July 1,922 children have benefitted from the community based psychosocial and child protection programme in Sabha, Ghat, Az-zawiya, Janzour and Bani Walid cities in Libya.
In 2016, UNICEF launched a Humanitarian Action for Children appeal requesting US$19,319,000 to meet the humanitarian and protection needs of children in Libya in 2016, in line with the country’s inter-agency Humanitarian Response Plan. US$ 9,240,100 has been received, leaving a funding gap of US$ 10,079,000. Without timely funding, women and children facing conflict, violence and displacement will not receive adequate assistance to fulfil their basic needs and realize their rights especially in the health sector which has a funding gap of 89.9 per cent.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
The humanitarian situation in Libya continues to deteriorate as a result of the ongoing fighting, insecurity and continuous displacement.
Lack of humanitarian access in some areas of Sirte city during the most recent fighting between forces led by the Government of National Accord and the so-called Islamic state revealed significant information gaps regarding the scale and scope of the humanitarian needs. O the 11th July the UN and its partners held a workshop in Tunis, Tunisia with different Libyan actors, including the local councils and national partners. This enabled the participants of the workshop to agree on the estimated planning numbers, which are essential to develop a Sirte multi-sectoral emergency response plan.
According to workshop agreed figures, an estimated 120,000 thousand people are affected, with 60 per cent (72,000 people) in need of some kind of humanitarian assistance and protection; of those, 32,000 are children. Some 19 areas in Libya received internally displaced families from Sirte. The majority of the displaced families are currently residing in Bani Waled, Abu Salim and Tarhuna followed by Misuratah.
UNICEF partner CESVI – an international NGO - conducted a child protection rapid assessment for Sirte Internally displaced Persons (IDP) in Bani Walid. The assessment established a need for community based child protection and psychosocial support for the internationally displaced and host community children. The assessment also identified and mapped the availability and gaps of child protection services. Two sites were identified through the assessment, in close consultation with local authorities and tribal leaders, to be used as locations for community based child protection services. Two Child Friendly Spaces were established in the last week of July to provide services for an estimated 4,000 affected children in the cities.
The education authorities reported that in Sirte, Bani Walid and Tarhuna cities, 64 schools are partially damaged or accommodating IDPs, representing 17 per cent of the total number of schools in the three cities.
By the end of July UNHCR reports that a total of 37,744 individuals have been registered in Libya, among which 9300 are registered as refugees and 28,444 are registered as asylum-seekers.
IOM estimates that the number of IDPs and migrants in Libya are 425,250 and 264,014 people respectively. This large number of the displaced population also illustrates the magnitude of humanitarian needs in Libya.