Mozambique Appeal
Humanitarian Action for Children
UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children appeal helps support the agency’s work as it provides conflict- and disaster-affected children with access to water, sanitation, nutrition, education, health and protection services. Return to main appeal page.
Mozambique snapshot
Appeal highlights
- The humanitarian needs in Mozambique are substantial and cumulative, with multiple crises affecting the country including conflict-related displacement, cyclones and public health emergencies. More than 1.2 million people among displaced and returnee populations are in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 200,000 children under age 5 in need of life-saving treatment for wasting.
- UNICEF prioritizes equitable and inclusive life-saving interventions for those in need and will support the resumption of basic services where critical infrastructure is damaged and service provision is limited. UNICEF adopts a cross-cutting approach to gender-based violence risk mitigation, accountability to affected populations and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse through raising awareness, building partners' capacities and fostering community engagement.
- UNICEF is requesting $114.3 million to address the needs of 2.3 million people by providing safe water, integrated nutrition and health care, child protection, safe learning spaces and response to cholera outbreaks.
Key planned targets
833,649 children vaccinated against measles
371,716 children receiving vitamin A supplementation
2 million people reached with critical WASH supplies
6.3 million people reached with timely/life-saving information on access to available services
Funding requirements for 2024
Country needs and strategy
Humanitarian needs
Mozambique is facing multiple crises – conflict-related population displacement, cyclones, and public health emergencies – that are leading to increased humanitarian needs . In the north, conflict and displacement persisted (although there were fewer violent incidents in 2023), with 668,939 people internally displaced, 50 percent of them children. While small-scale displacement continued, in 2023 there were a number of spontaneous returns of those who had been displaced internally: by August 2023 more than 571,400 people had returned, 49 percent of them children. The conflict in the north remains a protection crisis for children. Grave violations of children’s rights, exposure to violence and other child protection concerns can lead to long-term mental and physical challenges.
In addition to the cyclone and flood risks facing Mozambique each year, projections show a strong likelihood of the El Niño weather pattern impacting the country, bringing expected drought or extremely dry conditions to the southern parts of the country, increasing people's vulnerability. Cyclones and floods also impact between 500,000 and 1 million people every year in Mozambique, straining coping strategies. Residual damage to water and health infrastructure from previous storms negatively impacts public health emergency responses; and crop losses due to storms/flooding may result in higher rates of severe wasting. The multiple crises and stresses on public systems are deeply affecting children’s ability to thrive and participate in learning activities.
Public health emergencies are a significant challenge. In 2023, Mozambique suffered the largest cholera outbreak on record with more than 34,960 cases reported. New cases continue to be reported and the case load is expected to increase between January and March 2024. Additional risks of polio and measles/rubella outbreaks are likely given the situation in conflict- and cyclone-affected areas.
The compounding effects of conflict and storms have worsened the food security and nutrition status of children and women. UNICEF estimates that 211,938 children under 5 years of age in conflict and climate shock-prone districts need life-saving treatment for wasting , of whom 75,604 have a high mortality risk due to severe wasting.
Structural gender inequalities are widespread throughout the country. This means that women, girls and people with disabilities are systematically excluded from decision-making and access to services. Conflict and climate-related shocks can deepen such inequalities and increase exposure to multiple forms of violence, including sexual exploitation and abuse. About 40 percent of the child population in Mozambique are adolescents. Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable during emergencies, with greater exposure to violence and a heightened risk of child unions .
UNICEF’s strategy
UNICEF works with the Government and with local and international actors to implement an integrated approach to meeting the humanitarian needs of internally displaced persons, returnees and host communities in Mozambique. Equitable, gender-responsive and disability-inclusive life-saving interventions are prioritized. At the same time, UNICEF supports social cohesion and resilience through linkages to development programmes. UNICEF aims to support the resumption of basic services where key infrastructure is damaged and services are limited.
Critical planned interventions cover essential health, HIV and nutrition services, which include support for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and health and nutrition interventions for children under age 5, including treatment of severe wasting. Methodologies employed include integrated mobile brigades, in-service training and support to front-line health workers. UNICEF is prioritizing the restoration of WASH services and the rehabilitation or construction of strategic and accessible water points in communities, schools and health facilities to meet needs stemming from both conflict-related and public health emergencies. Supporting behaviour change initiatives to address hygiene and sanitation issues will be critical in the current context.
UNICEF also prioritizes learning opportunities for children and adolescents by providing safe, gender-responsive, inclusive learning spaces, education and menstrual supplies and capacity building for teachers. Alternative learning pathways are promoted through accelerated learning, job training and literacy programmes for those outside the formal school system.
Ensuring children and adolescents' protection and safety through provision of inclusive mental health and psychosocial support, effective case management and accessible child-friendly spaces, along with reintegration of children associated with armed forces/groups are the key areas of UNICEF’s child protection work. UNICEF monitors and addresses child rights violations and protection risks, in support of children affected by armed conflict. To tackle gender-based violence and ensure inclusivity, UNICEF focuses on risk mitigation and empowering women, girls and people with disabilities and addressing adolescent needs.
UNICEF works on strengthening core national social protection systems to enable government-led shock-responsive social protection programmes. UNICEF mobilizes communication and community engagement platforms for social and behaviour change to promote inclusive practices across health, nutrition, hygiene and protection activities. Accountability to affected populations and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse are prioritized through community engagement, increased awareness and training of government counterparts and implementing partners. UNICEF is strengthening community complaint mechanisms for safe and accessible reporting and will continue to enhance coordination, preparedness and response mechanisms at the national and subnational levels through its lead roles in the WASH, Education and Nutrition Clusters and the Child Protection Area of Responsibility.
Programme targets
Find out more about UNICEF's work
Highlights
Humanitarian Action is at the core of UNICEF’s mandate to realize the rights of every child. This edition of Humanitarian Action for Children – UNICEF’s annual humanitarian fundraising appeal – describes the ongoing crises affecting children in Mozambique; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor support that is essential in this response.