UN experts push for urgent assistance towards Malawi flooding

United Nations human rights experts are urging the international community to rapidly provide all necessary funding and assistance to the Government of Malawi and humanitarian actors in response to some of the worst flooding in the country in living memory.

A statement issued from the United Nations Office in Geneva on Friday, the experts have praised the government leadership for responding quickly to the crisis and welcomed the immediate response by several countries and humanitarian agencies in providing funding and aid.

However they called on others within the international community to do everything possible to meet the current serious shortfall in funds and provision of essential aid.

“The flooding has displaced large numbers of people and presents massive and complex challenges for Governments and their humanitarian allies in the short, medium and longer-term,” said UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons Chaloka Beyani.

Beyani says evacuation of affected populations should be undertaken where necessary to save lives, and an effective humanitarian response is essential to address the needs of internally displaced people and others affected.

“Helping people to return and reconstruct devastated homes – when circumstances allow – will be just one challenge among many to rebuild lives and livelihoods and should be part of a broader recovery plan,” he said.

A Preliminary Response Plan to the emergency developed by the Government in partnership with aid agencies, estimates that USD 81 million is urgently required to respond to essential shelter, food, healthcare, water and sanitation and other urgent needs.

Only around a quarter of this amount has been received to date.

“The impact of flooding on food security poses immediate problems as well as potentially severe food shortages for months to come, as crops have been washed away and livestock lost,” said Hilal Elver, Special Rapporteur on the right to food, adding: “Poor rural communities have lost everything and require early assistance to prevent hunger and malnutrition.”

The UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to water and sanitation Léo Heller, says safe water, sanitation and hygiene must be provided urgently for the survival of those affected, prioritizing the most vulnerable groups, but also for the prevention of water-related diseases such as cholera and malaria.

An estimated USD 3.4 million is needed to respond to urgent healthcare needs and to prevent and control outbreaks of disease.

Flooding has also affected Madagascar and Mozambique where international assistance is crucial to scale up responses.

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