Today's top news: Colombia, Syria, Afghanistan

OCHA's Johana Botia speaks with a member of the indigenous community in ocas del Yi during a MIRA evaluation. OCHA/Andrés Torres

Colombia

There has been a rise in the number of people affected by clashes, with 7.7 million people in need of assistance.

Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities are facing increased protection risks. In the first three months of 2023, more than 25,000 people have been newly displaced or forcibly confined due to violence.

Despite indigenous people representing only 4 per cent of Colombia’s population, they comprised more than 40 per cent of the people affected by humanitarian emergencies of mass displacement and confinement in 2022.

OCHA and the Government have jointly launched a humanitarian response plan to reach 1.6 million people, mostly women, children, people with disabilities, indigenous people and others.

Syria

With the regard to the ongoing response to the earthquakes, humanitarian workers have vaccinated some 1.7 million people against cholera during a 10-day vaccination campaign in northwest Syria.

More than 235,000 people have received access to water and sanitation after some water infrastructure was fixed in some parts of the country.

In areas under Government control, humanitarian partners have assessed thousands of schools for safety and structural integrity and have started conducting light rehabilitation in some of the affected areas. They have also provided recreational kits, early childhood education kits, heaters and stationery to over 2800 girls and boys in collective shelters and schools.

Torrential rains have impacted displacement sites in north-west and north-east Syria. OCHA and its partners are assessing needs and responding accordingly, including by replacing damaged shelters.

Afghanistan

Following the earthquakes that struck Afghanistan and the region on 21 March, OCHA and its partners have deployed teams to Afghanistan to support relief efforts and assessments which are still ongoing.

According to local authorities, five people were killed and 55 injured across six provinces in the eastern and northern regions. More than 900 houses have been destroyed or damaged, but assessments continue and the number could rise.