“Global Humanitarian Crisis: Nearly 300 Million People in Need of Assistance in 2024”

Accident – death – Obituary News : Attachments PEOPLE IN NEED

299.4 M PEOPLE TARGETED

180.5 M REQUIREMENTS (US$) $ 46.4 B APPEALS

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In 2024, nearly 300 million people around the world will need humanitarian assistance and protection, due to conflicts, climate emergencies, and other drivers. In the coming year, 74.1 million people will need humanitarian assistance in East and Southern Africa. The crisis in Sudan accounts for almost 40 percent of this total.

The requirement for Sudan and the whole region has increased since the conflict erupted in August 2023, with a massive outpouring of people to neighboring countries. Sudan is experiencing a precipitous rise in needs from 15.8 million people in 2023 to a staggering 30 million people in 2024.

In West and Central Africa, 65.1 million people are in need, and the crises in Burkina Faso and Niger have expanded and intensified, driving increased needs compared to 2023.

In the Middle East and North Africa, 53.8 million people require assistance, with the crisis in Syria resulting in 32.5 million people in need, both inside Syria and neighboring countries.

In Asia and the Pacific, 50.8 million people are in need, of whom 30.6 million is due to the Afghanistan crisis. In Myanmar, needs have risen as the crisis deepened.

The Latin America and the Caribbean region is now home to 38.9 million people in need, 15.9 million of whom are impacted by the Venezuela crisis. In Eastern Europe, 16.8 million people are still in need because of the war in Ukraine.

There are three main drivers of these needs: conflict, the global climate emergency, and economic factors.

Conflict is causing devastating consequences for civilians, with conflicts becoming more entrenched. In 2023 alone, the eruption of widespread conflict in Sudan and hostilities between Israel and Gaza resulted in a dramatic spike in civilian deaths. Almost 1 child in every 5 around the world is living in or fleeing from conflict zones.

The global climate emergency is spiraling, leaving a trail of destruction. 2023 is expected to be the hottest year on record with concurrent climate disasters occurring worldwide. Internal displacement caused by climate change surged by 45 percent in a single year.

Economic factors are overlapping with conflict, climate disasters, and infectious disease outbreaks, becoming a significant driver of humanitarian need. Afghanistan, Syria, and Venezuela are just a few examples where economic dynamics are contributing to rising needs.

As a result, more people are displaced now than at any other time since the beginning of the century. Worldwide, more than 1 in 73 people are forcibly displaced. Conflict and climate disasters remain the main factors driving displacement.

Acute food insecurity is a reality for 258 million people in 58 countries, driven by armed conflict, economic shocks, climate extremes, poverty, and inequality. Wasting threatens the lives of 45 million children under 5, with 13.6 million suffering from severe wasting.

Disease outbreaks are causing significant loss of life, with cholera outbreaks reported in 29 countries. These outbreaks have grown deadlier in the past two years due to overstretched health systems, lack of access to clean water and sanitation, and parallel disease outbreaks.

Despite the increasing needs in many places, the number of people identified as being in need has decreased in several countries between 2023 and 2024 for three main reasons. Firstly, some countries have discontinued their humanitarian plans/appeals for 2024 due to improvements and recovery efforts. Secondly, some countries have seen improvements within their humanitarian plans/appeals, although needs remain acute. Lastly, a new methodology for needs analysis has enabled more accurate pinpointing of people and places with the greatest needs.

In 2024, the UN and partner organizations are appealing for $46.4 billion to assist 180.5 million people across 72 countries. The Middle East and North Africa region requires the largest total, followed by East and Southern Africa, West and Central Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Humanitarian response efforts will focus on delivering better for people in crisis in 2024, including acknowledging and centering the work of local and national actors, pursuing people-centered and accountable responses, and leveraging existing resources and hotlines for protection and support.

Overall, the global need for humanitarian assistance is increasing due to conflicts, climate emergencies, and economic factors. The international community must come together and provide the necessary support to alleviate the suffering of millions of people in need..