Humanitarian Thematic Fund

In September 2023, Storm Daniel devastated Libya’s north-eastern region. Heavy rains caused flash floods and the collapse of two dams near Derna. Rivers overflowed in five provinces, causing large-scale destruction and thousands of deaths. A fast combination of funding from the HTF and the UNFPA Emergency Fund supported the rapid delivery of humanitarian aid following the disaster, and facilitated additional resources for the response. The response extended life-saving SRH and EmONC services to 21,400 pregnant women, girls, boys and newborns. UNFPA distributed 800 mama kits, deployed five mobile medical teams to provide SRH and GBV prevention and response programmes, and provided 940 dignity kits.

Women and Girls Safe Spaces extended critical psychosocial support to 8,260 women and girls, and seven mobile psychosocial support teams were also deployed. Three safe spaces established near temporary shelters allowed access to specialized GBV services, reaching 2,160 women and girls.

Following the devastating earthquake in the Syrian Arab Republic and Türkiye, a $1 million allocation from the HTF and UNFPA’s Emergency Fund jumpstarted activities by UNFPA and national and local partners to address the most critical needs of those affected. UNFPA supported its partners in delivering essential reproductive health services through the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) and GBV prevention and response services, while also building capacities to enhance and expand the response.

Significant results included the increased awareness of and demand for reproductive health services and commodities, particularly among the most vulnerable populations in crisis-affected areas. In the immediate aftermath, UNFPA procured and distributed approximately 10,000 dignity kits for individuals in shelters, and established a critical service delivery as support 800 safe deliveries by trained health workers. Furthermore, awareness and information sessions on SRH were provided to 11,200 individuals, while 5,680 individuals received awareness sessions on GBV, reaching a total of 84,630 people.

The conflict in Gaza has caused massive destruction, death and displacement. Since the onset of the crisis in October 2024, the HTF has allocated over $1 million for an immediate response. The distribution of thousands of dignity kits and menstrual hygiene management kits provided a lifeline to women and girls struggling to maintain their dignity, hygiene and menstrual health. HTF funding remained available for the Gaza response into 2024.

On 21 November 2022, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck the Cianjur District of West Java, triggering landslides that severed roads between the Cipanas and Cianjur districts.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, and supported by the HTF, UNFPA swiftly responded, establishing life-saving SRH and GBV prevention and response programmes. A reproductive health tent was set up at the Cugenang Basic EmONC Primary Health Centre within 24 hours, followed by two more, and accompanied by accommodation tents for deployed midwives. UNFPA distributed 1,500 dignity kits tailored for pregnant mothers, post-delivery mothers, newborns, women of reproductive age and older females. Prepositioned supplies quickly reached the most affected population. From November 2022 to June 2023, staff in the three tents safely delivered 194 babies and provided 2,030 women with antenatal and postnatal care and counselling.

A coordination mechanism in Cianjur District strengthened links between government and non-governmental organizations to prevent and manage GBV. A GBV risk assessment and safety audit conducted in the five most affected areas informed cluster meetings and strategies to mitigate risks in the humanitarian response. Altogether, a total of 12,600 females and over 4,000 males were supported.

In Bangladesh, UNFPA drew on the HTF in responding to flash floods in the north-eastern region, reaching 43,900 people. During the response, the Directorate General of Health Services and the Directorate General of Family Planning collaborated with UNFPA local implementing partners to provide SRHR services in the three most affected districts. Twelve health facilities identified for this initiative received a deployment of 6 midwives and 15 community health workers, assisting 10,130 women. The facilities provided over 4,300 family planning services, 3,800 antenatal/postnatal care/diagnostic services, 420 referrals for mental health and psychosocial support and GBV-related issues, and 1,625 SRHR referral services. Additionally, through mobile money transfer mechanisms, 1,610 pregnant women received cash assistance to travel to the nearest health facility to access emergency obstetric services and other SRH and GBV-related care.
 

In 2023, Ethiopia faced a devastating drought, reported as the worst in 40 years, leading to severe and multifaceted health and protection risks. The HTF helped meet urgent SRH and GBV needs, providing 4,950 women and girls of reproductive age with dignity kits that enhanced their safety and abilities to mitigate GBV risks while managing basic hygiene needs. Improvements in maternal and newborn health meant 2,150 women delivered safely under the care of skilled birth attendants. Enhanced access to SRH services brought family planning services to women and girls; 1,500 individuals used services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Better access to GBV services came through specialized care, such as psychosocial counselling and case management, offered through Women and Girl Safe Spaces.

Severe drought in Kenya – considered the worst in the past four decades – has significantly affected women and young girls. Acute malnutrition is widespread among children and pregnant or lactating women, and complications during pregnancy and childbirth have risen. Access to SRH services is hindered by women’s heavy domestic burdens, such as longer distances to fetch water and gather food. Both women’s health and economic prospects are compromised, and they face heightened risks gender-based violence. The ongoing crisis exacerbates gender inequalities; stripping women of options and decision-making power. While the drought forces both men and women into precarious situations, women suffer more severe consequences.

An allocation of $139,927 from the HTF enabled UNFPA to provide 101,248 females and 33,749 males with integrated SRH and GBV services. Those reached with SRH services included 78,444 females and 26,148 males. Those receiving GBV services comprised 22,804 females and 7,601 males. The project also trained 239 health care workers on the MISP for reproductive health and distributed 6,520 dignity kits. These efforts, among other results, helped keep adolescents in school and reduced cases of child marriage.

As the conflict in Ukraine persists, ongoing violence has displaced millions of people, exacerbating humanitarian concerns and straining resources and support systems. In 2023, UNFPA allocated $23.2 million from the HTF. The funding was pivotal in delivering life-saving reproductive health and protection services in the most affected areas, including through close partnerships with civil society groups, notably women-led organizations. Enhancing the GBV and SRH response capacity of both national and local partners was a cornerstone of a localization approach based on training, technical advice and development guidance. Through this process, UNFPA facilitated and sustained the operations of 109 psychosocial support mobile teams, 29 Women and Girls Safe Spaces, eight women’s economic empowerment career hubs, and 11 centres specialized in assisting survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. Moreover, 14,575 dignity kits were distributed. These efforts collectively reached over 375,000 individuals.

UNFPA also established and supported 28 SRH mobile outreach units in Ukraine, including a maternity unit, and 108 service delivery points. Services comprised the clinical management of rape and were accessible to women with disabilities. With HTF funding, 240 metric tons of IARH kits, pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies reached 94 health-care facilities to support quality services.
 

After clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan displaced over 136,770 individuals from the Batken and Leilek districts, UNFPA’s humanitarian response provided integrated SRH and GBV prevention and response programmes. Mobile health teams were deployed and over 88 health care providers trained to manage pregnancy-related complications, provide family planning and offer post-partum services. IARH kits were distributed to two health facilities to support midwives. The Emergency Fund and HTF enabled over 3,230 individuals to access psychological counselling and other life-saving services, with a team of 25 professionals providing mental and psychosocial health and GBV referrals across eight affected districts. Around 200 women, particularly those at high risk of maternal mortality, received cash assistance to access SRH and GBV services. In total, interventions reached 14,180 people.

On 27 September 2022, Hurricane Ian struck the western region of Cuba, impacting over 630,000 women of reproductive age, including 330,000 adolescents aged 10 to 19. The HTF supported a rapid response to sustain essential SRH services and supplies, including EmONC, safe births, family planning and care for STIs and sexual violence. As a result, 5,560 pregnant women received obstetric services and life-saving SRH information. Seven health facilities were supplied with STI and family planning kits, benefiting 26,770 women of reproductive age, including adolescents, pregnant women and transgender individuals.

In Guatemala, a heavy rainy season and Tropical Storm Julia damaged homes, schools, infrastructure and communications networks, and harmed the economy, health and food security. A total, of 871,480 people were affected,  including 235,300 women of reproductive age and 191,726 girls between the ages of 10 and 19. Thanks to HTF funding, UNFPA reached an estimated 12,065 individuals, including 500 women of childbearing age to address family planning issues, 500 high-risk pregnant women and 1,250 adolescents on pregnancy prevention. Survivors and women and adolescent girls at high risk of GBV gained quality, safe, survivor-centred multisectoral services and referral pathways in six municipalities. Individual and group psychosocial care sessions reached 3,511 individuals, and 13 safe spaces were established.

Heavy rains and severe floods in Nigeria have taken lives, displaced populations and destroyed homes, farmland and infrastructure. Through the HTF, UNFPA provided training for disaster management agencies, emergency responders and local government personnel on GBV case management, psychosocial support, MISP and comprehensive malaria responses. Additional training equipped state government personnel with skills on basic GBV and SRH concepts, the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, and referral pathways for responding to humanitarian crises.

UNFPA distributed a GBV referral directory to all stakeholders and community members across three states, and provided 1,500 locally procured dignity kits. Successful community mobilization efforts raised awareness about GBV and SRH. Effective monitoring of the use of reproductive health kits and hospital consumables helped ensure reductions in child and maternal mortality rates. Many women and girls actively engaged in SRH and GBV sensitization sessions; fostering open discussions about issues impacting their health and well-being.

The deteriorating situation in Burkina Faso in 2023 forced thousands of refugees, mostly women and children, to flee to Togo. The influx of refugees increased pressure on already strained social services, including SHR and GBV prevention and response services. An HTF allocation of $185,000 at the end of the year initiated cross-year emergency response activities, including capacity-building on MISP implementation for health system executives at the central and regional level, and on the clinical management of rape and psychosocial assistance for doctors, midwives and nurses. IARH kits were also provided.