In 2011, a triple shock of drought, soaring food prices and escalating conflict caused the worst humanitarian crisis in East Africa for decades. More than 13 million people in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti—half of them children—were in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Thanks to strong support from its donors, UNICEF and its partners were able to massively increase their humanitarian operations in East Africa. Tens of thousands of children were saved, and millions benefited from emergency health and nutrition programmes, particularly in Somalia where famine was declared in parts of the country in July and August.
Still, the crisis is far from over, and millions of children are still at risk. Continuing conflict and insecurity in Somalia are limiting humanitarian access, while increased attacks on aid workers, civil and security authorities in northeastern Kenya threaten the continuity of essential services for children in refugee camps and in drought-affected communities.
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