Somalia/ Somaliland > Country Background and Current Challenges
Nutrition project in Burao's camp.
A widespread humanitarian crisis persists in Somalia/Somaliland, where 42 percent of the population or an estimated 3.2 million people are in need of emergency livelihood and life-saving assistance.
Emergency levels of acute malnutrition continue to be reported, with one in six children in Somalia/Somaliland acutely malnourished and in need of specialised care. These national rates of acute malnutrition continue to be among the highest in the world.
Mortality rates are high in Somalia/Somaliland. Malaria, tuberculosis (TB), diarrhoeal diseases, and other preventable or easily treated diseases continue to kill thousands each year. Somalia/Somaliland has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world (MMR 1,400/100,000 live births) as a result of pregnancy-related complications due to lack of access to trained midwives, limited emergency obstetric care, and limited availability of referral services.
Security is relatively stable in Somaliland compared with the rest of Somalia. Rural areas of Somaliland are experiencing a humanitarian emergency due to drought as well a lack of basic services, the influx of displaced persons from areas of Somalia, and little humanitarian assistance provided. There is a significant risk of outbreaks due to a lack of basic health care.
