UNICEF Situation Report No.71 - Liberia
09 May 2013
Reporting Period: 05 April – 09 May 2013
Ivorian refugee students at PTP School Camp,
Grand Gedeh County, Liberia
©UNICEF/LBR/2013/AJallanzo
Highlights
1. According to UNHCR statistics, 61,153 Ivoirian refugees are living in camps (56.7%) and host communities
(43.3%) in Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland and Monrovia, of which:
 75.4% (46,154) are women and children under the age of 18
 49.4% (30,259) are girls and boys under the age of 18
 39.6% (24,237) are girls and boys under the age of 11
 Only 18.8% (11,542) of the total population of refugees are men over the age of 18
2. UNICEF and WHO supported a four-day integrated nationwide Polio, Vitamin A and De-worming campaign for all
under-5 children living in Liberia. More than 945,463 children including 11,007 Ivorian refugee children were
targeted.
3. UNICEF continues to support County Health Teams (CHT) in PMTCT and HIV/AIDS prevention, diagnosis and
treatment in Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee and Maryland. There is presently a county planning by MOH&SW
for future HIV/AIDS interventions in the refugee-affected counties.
4. A total of 672 children under-5 suffering from severe acute malnutrition were admitted to the inpatient and
outpatient therapeutic program in March 2013 in the four refugee-affected counties.
5. The MOHSW has now taken over child protection interventions in Nimba and Grand Gedeh and 10 additional
social workers were trained and deployed to those counties.
6. Basic emergency WASH stocks have be transferred and prepositioned with the MOHSW in Nimba, Grand Gedeh,
River Gee, and Maryland counties in order to strengthen local capacity and resilience. In partnership with
government and civil society organisations, UNICEF is working to develop a planned 36 new water points in
communities, schools and health facilities.
7. Following UNICEF successful experience in preparing the final primary school exam for Ivorian refugee children
living in Liberia last year, UNICEF is now assisting UNHCR in organizing the second Ivorian national final
primary school exam in refugee camps.
8. As of 07 April 2013, UNICEF Liberia received US$7,174,844 which is about 45% of the required
US$16,016,500.
9. The overall security situation in Liberia remains calm and the conditions along the Ivorian-Liberian border are
being closely monitored. All border crossing points are currently opened.
10. UNHCR resumed its voluntary repatriation activities, which were halted following security incidents in Cote
d’Ivoire last March that led to the displacement of 6,000 people near the Liberian border.
This situation report is produced regularly for UNICEF headquarters in New York in addition to contributions submitted for the ‘One UN’ Weekly
Refugee Humanitarian Response update.
UNICEF Liberia SITREP#71 [05 Apr – 09 May 2013]
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1. Situation Overview
Despite the decrease in the number of refugees and expected continuation of voluntary returns to Côte
d’Ivoire, a significant number of refugees are expected to remain in Liberia this year. While 50% of the
refugees opted to move into refugee camps established by UNHCR, the remaining will stay in Liberian
communities, where access to basic services remains poor. While UNHCR is taking full responsibility for
the needs of refugees in refugee camps, UNICEF and other UN agencies, together with implementing
partners and the Government of Liberia, are currenttly responding to the humanitarian needs of Ivorian
refugees and Liberians living in host communities – over 25,000 Ivorians and 140,000 Liberians.
Humanitarian Needs
Both refugees and host communities require access to essential services such as health, nutritional
screening and treatment, water and sanitation and schooling particularly focusing on vulnerable children.
Malnutrition remains the principal underlying cause of child
Levels of Stunting in West Africa
mortality in Liberia, where more than 40% of children suffer
from chronic malnutrition and 60% from anaemia. Acute
malnutrition rates were reported to be lower among the
refugee population than among Liberian host communities.
Of the main childhood diseases, malaria and pneumonia are
the leading causes of child morbidity and mortality.
Amongst all age groups, women and adolescents are most
at risk of HIV infection. In many host communities, only 4%
had access to improved sanitation facilities and 77%
practiced open defecation before the crisis. Despite
improved sanitation conditions, diarrhoeal disease among
children in refugee-affected counties remains high and
cholera is endemic in Liberia.
Many girls and women were subjected to rape and other forms of violence and abuse during the war in
Liberia and its legacy in terms of the damage to survivors and impact on the attitudes and behaviours
remains. This contributes to increased vulnerability of many refugee women and children, who are often
exposed to sexual abuse and exploitation, physical violence and neglect, or separation from their primary
caregivers. Liberia has 60% of children out of school and lack of appropriate integration strategies of
Ivorian refugee students in host communities into the Liberian system for Ivorian children is contributing
to the already visible dropout of Ivorian students.
Existing social services struggle to meet the needs of the Liberian population and the continued Ivorian
refugee presence has had serious ramifications on an already fragile situation within the border counties.
Despite the decrease in the number of refugees, the overall population in need of humanitarian
assistance remains high – over 140,000 Liberians and over 25,000 refugees in communities.
UNICEF Child – Centred Analysis based on UNHCR statistics as of 03 April 2013:
%
Total
Children
Under 11
39.6
24,237
Children Under 18
49.4
30,259
Female and
children under 18
75.4
46,154
Female adults
Adult Men
26
15,895
18.8
11,542
Of the number of 61,153 refugees:
75.4% (46,154) are women and children under the age of 18
49.4% (30,259) are girls and boys under the age of 18
39.6% (24,237) are girls and boys under the age of 11
Only 18.8% (11,542) of the total population of refugees are men over the age of 18
Location
Camps
Host communities
Number of refugees
%
34,682
26,471
UNICEF Liberia SITREP#71 [05 Apr – 09 May 2013]
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56.7%
43,3%
UNICEF Response
UNICEF, in collaboration with partners, has developed strategic sector plans considering the different
programmatic environments in the four counties.
Nimba
Bahn refugee camp; designated host communities; over 80 border community/entry points
Solo Town refugee camp; PTP refugee camp; more than 50 communities close to the border and along
Grand Gedeh
the main road
Maryland
Little Wlebo refugee camp; more than 30 border communities
River Gee
Over 25 border communities
Key Partners
Nimba
Grand Gedeh
River Gee
Maryland
WASH
CIPORD, OXFAM, CARE,
LRRRC, MOHSW
CARE, GAA, OXFAM,
RIDA, MPW, LRRRC,
MOHSW
GAA, OXFAM, MPW,
SPIR, MOHSW
DRC, ERS, OXFAM,
RCM, LRRRC,
MOHSW
Nutrition
MOHSW, Africare, LRRRC,
UNHCR
MOHSW, LRRRC,
UNHCR
MOHSW, Samaritan’s
Purse, LRRRC, UNHCR
MOHSW, Merci,
LRRRC, UNHCR
Education
MoE, IRC, SC, LRRRC
MoE, SC, LRRRC, IRC
MoE, LRRRC
MoE, VIA, LRRRC
Child
Protection
MOHSW, MoGD, UNHCR,
IRC, SC, LRRRC
MOHSW, MoGD, IRC,
SC, LRRRC
MOHSW, MoGD,
LRRRC
MOHSW, MoGD,
LRRRC
Health
Mentor Initiative, CHESS,
MOHSW, LRRRC
MOHSW, LRRRC
MOHSW, LRRRC,
LRRRC
MERCI, MOHSW,
LRRRC
HIV&AIDS
MOHSW, MoYS, LRRRC
MOHSW, MoYS,
LRRRC, RESPECT
MOHSW, MoYS,
LRRRC
MOHSW, MoYS,
LRRRC
2. Programmatic Interventions
HEALTH
 From 26 - 29 April, UNICEF and WHO supported integrated
nationwide Polio, Vitamin A and de-worming campaign for all
under-5 children living in Liberia. During this first of three polio
rounds for 2013, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
(MoHSW) targeted more than 945,463 children including 11,007
Ivorian refugee children. Round two of the polio vaccination
campaign will be targeting similar number of children and will take
place from 24 – 27 May.
 The first in a series of Routine Immunization (RI) Toolkit trainings
for over 300 General Community Health Volunteers (gCHV) in
Liberia were conducted in three counties in Southeastern Liberia
(River Gee, Grand Kru and Maryland Counties) from 6 – 11 April.
These trainings are geared towards ensuring that all of Liberia’s
frontline health workers working with communities, and County
Health Team (CHT) staff learn how to use the RI toolkit along with
posters, to communicate essential Routine Immunization
messages to caregivers in order to improve routine vaccination Figure 1 - WHO Representative, Dr.
Nestor, giving polio vaccine to
coverage rates in Liberia.
infant UNICEF/LBR/2013/Callaghan
HIV/AIDS



UNICEF continues to support CHT in PMTCT and HIV/AIDS prevention, diagnosis and treatment in
Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee and Maryland. There is presently a county planning by MOH&SW
for future HIV/AIDS interventions in the refugee-affected counties.
For PMTCT, 35 pregnant women counseled and tested in River Gee: 0 were tested positive.
38 women and men were tested and counseled for HIV/AIDS, out of which 3 were tested positive. A
total of 45 Liberians are ongoing ART treatment.
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WASH





While improvements in the WASH situation in communities in the emergency affected counties of
Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, and Maryland have been made, UNICEF is currently working to
improve access to perennial water sources, strengthen sustainable community operation and
maintenance arrangements, and support the transition away from subsidised emergency sanitation in
these areas in order to improve access to WASH services and strengthen recovery and resilience.
In partnership with government and civil society organisations, UNICEF is working to develop a
planned 36 new water points in communities, schools and health facilities, and continue to work with
local people to strengthen handpump sustainability arrangements through community level operation
and maintenance of handpumps, and support to spare parts shops in 130 communities in the Ivorian
border counties.
UNICEF is working to strengthen awareness of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) to assist the
transition away from subsidised family latrine construction, with CLTS triggering and post triggering
follow-up planned in 60 communities in the Ivorian border counties.
In 2013 UNICEF plans to work in 50 schools and 27 health facilities in these counties, with a
package including hygiene promotion, the construction and rehabilitation of gender separated latrine
cubicles following the alternating pit design, which allows for manual emptying in future years.
UNICEF plans to support a WASH Knowledge Attitudes and Practices (KAP) study in Nimba, Grand
Gedeh, River Gee, and Maryland in 2013 in 2013 in order to have an updated picture of the WASH
situation in these counties, and gain insights in to how WASH programming and communications
activities can be further targeted to address needs.
Nimba
Grand Gedeh
River Gee
Maryland
Total
Communities
36
12
40
0
20
22
130
Schools
20
8
8
0
4
10
50
Health facilities
12
4
5
6
27
Activities
New water points
15
5
5
11
36
Rehab. Water points
31
14
0
26
71
New institutional latrines
30
15
0
28
73
Rehab institutional latrines
40
20
0
40
100
Hygiene Promotion and Operation and
Maintenance in communities
36
12
22
130
CLTS communities
KAP study



40
0
40
yes
yes
20
60
20
yes
yes
Basic emergency WASH stocks have be transferred and prepositioned with the MOHSW in Nimba,
Grand Gedeh, River Gee, and Maryland counties to strengthen local capacity and resilience.
Supplies include point-of-use water treatment products suitable for communities with improved and
un-improved water sources.
UNICEF is also working to strengthen a programme of support to government WASH partners at the
county level to strengthen their ability to monitor and report on WASH activities.
Efforts are being made to ensure that implementation of planned activities is well underway before
the peak of the rainy season when diarrhoea disease outbreak risks will increase and access to
remote areas decrease.
NUTRITION



A total of 672 children under-5 suffering from severe acute malnutrition were admitted to the inpatient
and outpatient therapeutic programme in March 2013 in the 4 refugee affected counties.
Among children enrolled in the program in March 2013, 204 (93%) were cured, 13 (6%) defaulted
and 3 (1%) died.
By the end of March 2013, 641 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition were enrolled in the
programme for comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation.
UNICEF Liberia SITREP#71 [05 Apr – 09 May 2013]
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Nimba
 In OTP treatment sites, 84 severely malnourished children were admitted, 70 were cured, and no
defaulter or death was reported.
 By the end of March 2013, 79 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition remained in the
programme for treatment and rehabilitation.
Grand Gedeh
 59 severely malnourished children without medical complications were admitted in OTP sites. In the
same period, 7 severely malnourished children with medical complications were admitted in IPF
sites.
 Among children suffering from severe acute malnutrition enrolled in the programme, 53 were cured, 2
defaulted, and 1 died.
 239 children were still enrolled in both OTP and IPF by the end of March 2013.
River Gee
 In OTP treatment sites, 58 severely malnourished children were admitted, 73 were cured, and no
defaulter or death was reported.
 By the end of March 2013, 128 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition remained in the
programme for treatment and rehabilitation.
Maryland
 4 children with severe acute malnutrition were admitted in OTP and IPF and among children enrolled
in the program for both OTP and IPF, 25 were cured, 1 defaulted and no death was reported.
 36 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition are currently enrolled in the programme.
EDUCATION

UNICEF is assisting UNHCR organizing the second Ivorian national final primary school exam in
refugee camps in Liberia. Key UNICEF Education partners submitted a list of Ivorian children who
are qualified to take the exam to UNHCR. Detailed planning including budgeting, administrative and
logistical arrangements is currently underway.
 Most of the exam certificates for Ivorian refugee children who took the examination last year were
delivered and the tracking of children who did not attend the certification ceremony has been
completed. The remaining undelivered certificates will be returned to the Ministry of Education (MOE)
in Cote d’Ivoire for official recording of children’s attestation. The children will also be tracked in their
home country using UNCHR records for returnees.
Nimba
 3-hour Data Management Refresher Training sessions are continuing with 33 School Administrators
in 5 communities. Topics covered include data collection, verification, and validation, Data storage
and data processing, school-related data and methods of calculating school daily attendance. The
daily attendance of children in these communities increased thanks to improved data management
capacity of school administrators.
 Computer literacy training for the Gbehlay-Geh District Education Officers (DEO) is ongoing.
 Joint monitoring school visits with the DEO started in one school.
 The list of candidates for this year’s Ivorian grade 6 examination was finalized and submitted to
UNHCR, with a total of 22 exam takers in Bahn camp school.
 In Bahn camp school, PTA committees were restructured as some PTA members were repatriated to
Cote d’Ivoire and new executive committee members had to be selected.
Grand Gedeh
 In Solo Camp, one UNICEF tent was erected to reduce the number of children in the camp school as
most of the classes are overcrowded.
 Additional assorted learning materials such as pens, copybooks and rulers were distributed to 1,270
Ivorian children in the ECD center and primary school in the camp.
 The list of candidates for this year’s Ivorian grade 6 examination was finalized and submitted to
UNHCR, with a total 52 exam takers (39 boys, 13 girls) in Solo camp school.
 In PTP Camp, 3,045 pieces of assorted learning materials were distributed to over 1,500 Ivorian
children in the ECD centre and camp primary school. Additional playing toys were distributed to
2,236 Ivorian children.
 Regular supervision, monitoring and coaching activities for teachers in PTP camp school are
ongoing. Teaching skills of teachers have improved compared to the skills they had when the
coaching activities began. 30 pieces of English and French dictionaries were distributed to 27
primary school teachers.
 The list of candidates for this year’s Ivorian grade 6 examination was finalized and submitted to
UNHCR, with a total of 50 exam takers (21 boys, 29 girls) in PTP camp school.
Maryland
 A mentorship training was organized for caregivers at Pedebo ECD centre. The participants included
caregivers from neighbouring villages.
UNICEF Liberia SITREP#71 [05 Apr – 09 May 2013]
PAGE 5



A supply distribution plan was finalized: one ECD kit to every ECD centre and one school-in-a-box kit
to every Liberian primary school that integrates Ivorian refugee students. Distribution will start in 2
weeks.
Tracking of Ivorian children who took the examination last July was completed. Only 5 certificates
remained undelivered to exam takers.
Consultative meetings were held with local communities to reassess the type of skills needed to
address local market needs. Auto-mechanic skills training was identified as a new relevant area
requiring development of a training module, in addition to the other trainings already ongoing (soapmaking, baking and catering, hairdressing, sewing and carpentry).
Latest statistics on Education Sector Interventions in refugee-affected counties
County
Partners
Nimba
Bahn Camp
Host Communities
SCI
SCI
Host Communities
Bahn Camp
IRC
FCA*
Grand Gedeh
PTP
Solo Camp
Duogee Camp
Host Communities
ECD
Data as of
Male
30-Apr-2013
11-Dec-2012
40
539
Female
38
460
19-Apr-2013
779
815
31-Dec-2012 N/A
N/A
Total
1,358
1,313
Nimba Grand Total
Partners
Data as of
Male
Female
SCI
15-Apr-2013
132
121
SCI
30-Apr-2013
133
125
SCI
31-Jan-2013
Total
Grand Gedeh Grand Total
Secondary School/
Youth Skills training
Primary School
Total
78
999
Male
Female
433
452
1,180
884
1,594
1,037
1,029
0 N/A
N/A
2,671
2,650
2,365
Total
Male
Female
253
548
568
258
583
687
Closed
164
295
255
675
1,426
1,510
81
346
83
329
185
324
509
183
282
465
368
606
974
2,213
51%
2,107
49%
ECD
4,320
100%
29%
Total
Male
885 N/A
2,064 N/A
2,066 N/A
0
5,015
Female
N/A
N/A
Total
N/A
0
296
296
7,982
Total
0
0
184
184
Total
Male
1,116 N/A
1,270 N/A
112
112
Female
N/A
N/A
550 N/A
2,936
-
N/A
-
522
426
948
1,089
903
1,992
91
0
91
54
0
54
5,120
4,823
51%
49%
Primary School
9,943
100%
68%
275
62%
166
38%
Youth
0
0
0
3,611
Maryland
Little Wlebo Camp
Host Communities
DRC
VIA**
20-Feb-2013
8-Apr-2013
Total
Maryland Grand Total
TOTAL per level of education
Male/Female % per level of education
Distribution of beneficiaries per level of education
Grand Total
567
477
1,044
145
0
145
3,111
441
100%
3%
14,704
*FCA - Informal secondary education
**VIA - Youth skills training and literacy classes completed by end Dec 2012.
CHILD PROTECTION
Throughout the first quarter of 2013, the MOHSW
has taken over child protection interventions in two of
the refugee-affected counties: Nimba and Grand
Gedeh. On the ground, UNICEF NGO partners, SC
and IRC, handed over child protection activities to
trained social workers from the MOHSW, including
Child Friendly Spaces (CFS), case management and
psychosocial support.
Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) in Grand Gedeh County
 Through UNICEF support, the Department of
Social Welfare from MOHSW is working with
local structures and CP partners to continue
psychosocial support to host community children
and Ivorian refugee children in CFS.
Picture 2 - Host and Ivorian refugee children in Toe Town,
 513 children attended CFS centres (160 male Grand Gedeh County, UNICEF/LBR/2013/SMamy
and 353 female) weekly, out of which 460 are
host community children and 53 are Ivorian children.
Case Management and Psychosocial Support for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Nimba
County
 31 children were followed up in four communities: 6 UAMs and 23 SCs.
 Out of the 31 children monitored, 4 expressed desire to be reunified with their parents in Cote d’Ivoire
and referral was made by a social worker from MOHSW to relevant Child Protection partners.
UNICEF Liberia SITREP#71 [05 Apr – 09 May 2013]
PAGE 6
Other Child Protection Activities
 In response to building the child protection system in Liberia, the Department of Social Welfare from
MOHSW, with support from UNICEF, recently assigned 10 additional social workers to cover all 12
districts in Nimba and Grand Gedeh counties.
 In collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, 3 districts (Cavala, Putu and B’hai) in Grand
Gedeh County were identified to expand lifeskills and livelihood activities, including agriculture and
soap making, for young people aged 18 – 35.
 UNICEF will also be supporting the MOHSW in birth registration, outreach activities and certification
in the 12 districts of Nimba and Grand Gedeh.
 ICRC successfully repatriated 8 (2 female and 6 male) refugee UAM and SC and reunified with their
guardians in Cote d’Ivoire on 23 April 2013.
3. Human Resources
UNICEF Liberia has 110 staff and most are engaged in the humanitarian response. 22 staff are actively
working on humanitarian-related issues.
4. Funding
As of 05 April 2013, UNICEF Liberia received US$7,174,844 which is about 45% of the required
US$16,016,500.
Emergency Funding by Sector, funding needs and available funds
Sector
Total Funding Needs
Nutrition
WASH
Health
Child Protection
Education
HIV/AIDS
Emergency Coordination
Operations, Inf/Com and M&E
Cross-sectoral
Total
Available Funds
2,365,000
4,200,000
1,162,500
3,300,000
3,500,000
1,000,000
489,000
16,016,500
2,432,440
948,706
1,295,572
689,869
822,011
100,170
36,263
591,382
258,431
7,174,844
UNICEF Liberia Office would like to thank all Donor Governments, EU/ECHO and
UNICEF National Committees for providing the much needed financial support in
response to the Ivorian refugee crisis. Your support has been crucial. UNICEF looks
forward to your continued generous support to enable us to provide the urgently
needed humanitarian assistance to children and families affected by the Ivorian
refugee crisis in Liberia.
5. Inter-Agency Collaboration, Coordination, Cluster
Leadership and Key Partnerships


UNICEF is represented at the monthly Humanitarian Action Committee (HAC) briefings and the
operational coordination meetings in Monrovia; and in the monthly sector working groups and general
coordination meetings in Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Rive Gee and Maryland counties.
UNICEF is leading the WASH, Nutrition, Education (co-lead with Save the Children) sectors, the Child
Protection sub-cluster, and is participating in the Health and HIV/AIDS coordination mechanisms.
6. Contacts



Fazlul Haque, Resident Representative a.i., fhaque@unicef.org Tel: +231 770 267 400
Laura O’Hara, Deputy Representative a.i., lohara@unicef.org Tel: +231 770 267 450
Miraj Pradhan, Communication Specialist, mpradhan@unicef.org Tel: +231 770 267 110
UNICEF Liberia SITREP#71 [05 Apr – 09 May 2013]
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