ASSESSMENT KEY PARTNERS .......................................................................40

Genital Mutilation (FGM) is widespread across the country. A rise was reported during COVID-19, with 31 per cent of community members surveyed stating there had been an increase in FGM incidents.

IDPs remain the most vulnerable population group in Somalia. The protracted nature of displacement caused by floods, conflict and drought continues to affect the physical and mental wellbeing of 1.6 million IDPs who require humanitarian assistance. Many IDP households have faced a steady depletion of assets and increase in negative coping mechanisms, culminating in severe conditions with regards to their food insecurity, malnutrition, disease outbreaks, water and hygiene conditions, and critical protection concerns.

Of particular concern are displaced households in IDP sites who are facing extreme needs at greater rates than other population groups. The Nutrition Cluster estimates that the highest rates of acute malnutrition continue to be found in IDP sites, while 95% of all IDPs in need of humanitarian assistance are hosted in urban areas in informal sites.

Poor urban households are of particular concern in both IDP and non-IDP population groups. The urban poor have limited livelihood opportunities and mostly rely on income from casual labour, which they need to compete for with other IDPs, nondisplaced urban poor and an increasing number of rural migrants. There is a severe lack of access to the labour market in urban settings, particularly for the most vulnerable and uneducated. As the urban poor spend a major portion of their income on food, they are also adversely affected by increases in food prices. Both food prices and work opportunities were impacted by COVID-19 in 2020, further aggravating conditions.

Across all population groups, the most vulnerable include households with a significant proportion of persons with disabilities or medical conditions, children, older persons, and pregnant and lactating women. As families lose their socio-economic safety net and the capacity to cope with shocks, these vulnerabilities are further increased if those members are the sole household head.

Against a backdrop of increasing needs, Somalia remains one of the most insecure countries in the world to operate in, particularly for aid workers, impacting on humanitarian’s ability to reach those in need. Humanitarian partners face multiple obstacles to the delivery of assistance across Somalia, including active hostilities and access challenges. Between 1 January and 31 December 2020, 255 incidents impacting humanitarian operations were recorded in which 15 humanitarian workers were killed, 12 injured, 24 abducted and 14 detained or temporarily arrested. By comparison, 151 incidents were recorded for the whole of 2019.

Despite challenges, humanitarian partners continue to reach people in need across Somalia. During 2020, 2.3 million people (87 per cent) out of a targeted 3 million were reached with assistance. Over 1.5 million people were provided with health and Water,