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United Nations hands over supplies for dzud affected households
Ulaanbaatar, April 11 2016 - In response to the recent Dzud disaster that has directly
affected the lives of as many as 63,000 nomadic households in Mongolia, the United
Nations mobilized $2.4 million from its Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) under the
rapid response window.
As part of this assistance, food, nutrition packages and hygiene kits were handed over
today to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for immediate distribution
to women and children in affected communities.
Since last December an estimated 41 percent of the total herder population have been
affected by harsh winter weather conditions involving extreme cold and compact layers of
snow, which are locally known as Dzud. Out of this, an estimated 11,800 herder
households with less than 100 animals in the most affected districts are considered
particularly vulnerable.
Over 1,800 children under five years old and more than 900 pregnant and lactating women
in 45 ‘soums’ in six provinces - Uvs, Bayankhongor, Arkhangai, Zavkhan, Dundgobi and
Sukhbaatar – are targeted to receive the UN packages.
UNICEF in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Sport and World Vision InternationalMongolia provides life-saving food and nutrition interventions to ensure food security of
the affected households and prevent them, particularly vulnerable children, and pregnant
and lactating women from micronutrient deficiencies.
The nutrition component covers supply and distribution of multiple micronutrient
supplements for children aged 6-59 months old and pregnant and lactating women in
target soums and provinces affected by dzud. It will also provide nutrition screening for
identification of cases of acute malnutrition and adequate nutrition counselling to the dzud
affected population, particularly for parents of children under two years old and pregnant
and lactating women.
UNFPA provides 7,962 Dignity Kits, i.e. 2 kits per household, to the women and girls in
the affected areas which include sanitary supplies, underwear, clothes, socks, towels and
soaps and protection items including whistles and torches with batteries. The kits are to
preserve an appropriate level of sanitation of women and girls as well as their health,
safety and dignity, and they are to prioritize and meet their special needs in humanitarian
settings. UNFPA also extends support to soum health centers so that an estimated 500
pregnant and post-partum women receive ante-natal care and other reproductive health
services in the affected areas.
“In any emergency, women and children are the most vulnerable. Children are especially
vulnerable to disease and malnutrition. Extreme cold poses increased risk of Acute
Respiratory Infections (ARI), pneumonia and other infectious disease (measles and
chickenpox) among children, as their immune systems are lower due to undernutrition.”
says Roberto Benes, UNICEF Mongolia Representative. “That is why micronutrient
supplements are so important in reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality in
dzud affected areas”.
"Women and girls are the backbone of Mongolian society and we must take concrete steps
to ensure their safety and dignity is protected in Dzud situations" says Naomi Kitahara,
UNFPA Representative. "Working with the Government of Mongolia to target support to
women through the provision of dignity kits will help promote the health and well-being of
herding communities across the country."
“The assistance provided by the UN aims at addressing the most urgent survival and
livelihood needs of 4,390 vulnerable herder households affected by the dzud and
complements the Government response, which focuses on infrastructure and service
provision” says Beate Trankmann, UN Resident Coordinator.
For further information, please contact:
Ariunzaya Davaa, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Mongolia, [email protected],
Phone: 99112652
Angelica Esguerra, Partnerships Officer, UNFPA Mongolia, [email protected], Phone:
353501