January 2021 – In 2021, approximately 235 million people across the world will be in need of humanitarian assistance and protection due in part to ongoing conflicts, natural disasters and recent disease outbreaks. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated the needs globally and placed further strain on an already stretched humanitarian system. In response to the unprecedented level of humanitarian needs, GAC’s humanitarian assistance is providing predictable, multi-year, multi-country support to longstanding partners to deliver quality programming in protracted humanitarian contexts globally. With GAC’s support, Action Against Hunger (ACF) is providing lifesaving assistance to address the urgent needs of up to 2,000,000 crisis-affected people in multiple countries across the globe for three years. This project focuses on improving the nutritional status of vulnerable populations, through delivering emergency nutrition and complementary health and water, sanitation and hygiene services. Project activities include: (1) providing treatment of severe acute malnutrition for girls and boys under the age of five, as well as women of reproductive age; (2) providing gender-sensitive health support for women, girls and boys such as access to baby and child-friendly spaces, and gender-based violence referral pathways; (3) providing gender-sensitive water, sanitation and hygiene services at the community level and in health facilities; (4) providing sexual reproductive health and rights services and support for the decision-making role of women; and (5) providing mental health gender-based violence-related support for women, girls, men and boys.
The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) at least 220,000 acutely malnourished women, girls, men and boys received malnutrition prevention and treatment services; (2) 50,000 crisis-affected people have access to safe drinking water; (3) 260,000 women, girls, men and boys participated in gender-sensitive sanitation and hygiene promotion sessions; (4) 75,000 adolescent girls and women are provided with sexual reproductive health and rights and maternal health services; and (5) at least 75,000 community members and local leaders attended sessions promoting gender equality and greater decision-making role for women within households. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved, suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.
