icon icon icon icon icon icon icon

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

A woman pours cooking oil into containers at a food distribution at a center in Ethiopia. The communities of subsistence farmers are feeling the direct impact of the prolonged drought, which has seen the loss of crops for two harvest cycles and the depletion of local water sources. CREDIT: Josh Estey/CARE 
A woman pours cooking oil into containers at a food distribution at a center in Ethiopia. The communities of subsistence farmers are feeling the direct impact of the prolonged drought, which has seen the loss of crops for two harvest cycles and the depletion of local water sources. CREDIT: Josh Estey/CARE 

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.

ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition and complications during pregnancy due to the devastating food shortages. It is expected that 27,000 women will give birth this month alone, facing the prospect of not being able to provide sufficient food and milk for their newborns.

“From our work with affected communities, we know that pregnant and breastfeeding women are at greater risk of malnutrition and they experience high levels of stress during droughts. Traditionally, women are often the last to eat in a household, and with families being forced to reduce meals to one a day, pregnant and lactating women will not get the nutrition they need,” says Esther Watts, country director for CARE in Ethiopia.

“Without proper nutrition, pregnant women will give birth to malnourished infants. Children deprived of good nutrition during the first thousand days of life often have stunted growth, poor cognitive development and low immunity to disease. It is a very vicious cycle.”

CARE workers also are observing that lactating mothers are forced to cut the frequency of breastfeeding due to their increased workload. As a result of the drought, women have to walk further to get water and many spend all day collecting firewood to sell at markets.

The drought caused by El Niño across the Horn of Africa, Southern Africa and the South Pacific has put great strain on the capacity of the global humanitarian system. In February, CARE warned that a gap in international emergency funding for the response in Ethiopia would leave communities without food within weeks. Fortunately, additional funding was secured. While a break in the food pipeline has been averted so far, the risk remains.

“We still face a massive funding gap in Ethiopia, with $702.6 million needed to support the Ethiopian government in its efforts to assist the most vulnerable people, including pregnant women and lactating mothers. We call on the international community to ensure everyone gets the assistance they need,” says Watts.

“People are already reverting to coping strategies that will have dire consequences for their futures. Girls and boys are dropping out of school to find work and help with household chores. Men are migrating to find work, while women are forced to sell off productive assets and consume seeds intended for planting to survive.”

Although much awaited rain has arrived in several areas of the country, it has actually worsened the humanitarian situation by causing floods that have claimed lives, damaged crops and delayed the delivery of emergency assistance.

CARE continues to scale up emergency assistance delivered in coordination with the government, with 675,000 people reached so far. In addition to monthly food distributions, CARE has reached 42,000 people with emergency nutritional assistance, of which 23,440 have been pregnant and lactating women. Health and nutrition education is provided to mothers and their communities, as some traditional practices and a lack of knowledge about proper feeding practices exacerbate the undernutrition stemming from reduced access to food.

Media Contacts

Nicole Harris, nharris@care.org, 404-979-9503 (office), 404-735-0871 (mobile)

About CARE

Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package®, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside poor girls and women because, equipped with the proper resources, they have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. Last year CARE worked in 90 countries and reached more than 72 million people around the world. To learn more, visit www.care.org.

[1] 244,800 pregnant women and 159,900 mothers with babies under six months (exclusive breastfeeding) in a given month, calculated on the basis of an affected population of 10.2 million and other available statistics.

Resources

Cash and Voucher Assistance During COVID-19

Guidelines and a tip sheet for adapting cash and voucher programming during COVID-19.

Read More

From Cholera to COVID: Applying Lessons Learned

Lessons learned and program recommendations for COVID based on CARE's learning from previous epidemics.

Read More

Working with Savings Groups During COVID 19 (French)

Un outil de CARE sur comment travailler avec les groupements d'epargne et credit dans le context de COVID 19

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

CARE Cash and Voucher Playbook

A substantial body of evidence shows that giving vulnerable people money instead of in kind assistance allows them to meet a variety of needs while making aid budgets go further.

Read More

Doing Nexus Differently

How can Humanitarian and Development Actors link or integrate humanitarian action, development, and peace?

Read More

Typhoon Haiyan Resconstruction: Results So Far

4 page summary highlighting results so far from the Typhoon Haiyan Reconstruction Project, funded through Global Affairs Canada

Read More

Helsinki Report Stand and Deliver digital

On 4 February 2016, the international community agreed on a ‘comprehensive new approach’ to address the protracted Syria crisis at the “Supporting Syria and the Region” Conference in London. Donors, and neighboring countries, which host the vast majority of those who have fed Syria, committed to significant financial pledges and policy changes to improve the lives of refugees and host communities. As the one-year mark of the conference approaches, 3 NGO platforms and 28 organizations have reviewed whether donors and host governments have fulfilled their commitments, and whether their actions have led to an improvement in the situation for refugees and host communities in the region.

Read More

Suffering in Silence: 2016

In 2016, we saw numerous news-breaking humanitarian crises. Yet these headlines were just the tip of an ever-growing humanitarian iceberg. Underneath these more visible crises lay many more that never made it into the news. This report highlights where the global community must step up action to bring an end to human suffering and promote a world of peace and social justice.

Read More

SOUTH SUDAN Emergency Factsheet January 2016

Read More

CARE Impact Syria Crisis March 2016

Read More

CARE Syria Crisis Fact Sheet March 2016

Read More

CARE On Her Own refugee media report Sept 2016

Read More

Yemen Factsheet (March 2016)

A one-page factsheet showing the humanitarian needs of Yemen and how CARE is responding as of March 2016.

Read More

Women, Work, and War: Research Study

Five years of war and displacement have triggered fundamental shifts in gender roles and responsibilities, both in Syria and in neighboring countries. In Syria before the crisis, women’s economic participation was relatively low at 22 percent in 2010, with some legal barriers but mainly sociocultural norms and practice limiting women’s roles and responsibilities inside and outside the house. As a result of the upheaval, however, Syrian women and men feel that their roles and responsibilities have been reversed: while women increasingly participate in decision-making on income and expenses and assume responsibilities outside the home, men have lost their traditional role as the sole breadwinner and decision-maker.

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

The Forgotten South Executive Summary: Food Security and Livelihoods in Southern Syria

This executive summary analyzes the current economic and livelihoods challenges in conflict-affected communities in Southern Sudan.

Read More

The Forgotten South Executive Summary: Food Security and Livelihoods in Southern Syria

This executive summary analyzes the current economic and livelihoods challenges in conflict-affected communities in Southern Sudan.

Read More

REACH-S Project

Eliminating the immediate suffering of Internally Displaced Persons in host communities

Read More

SHOUHARDO II

Innovative USAID-funded program that links food aid with building long-term food and nutrition security 

Read More

Multi-Sectoral Assistance for Populations in Crisis (MAP)

Providing a means for survival for IDPs experiencing economic and humanitarian uncertainty 

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Paper: “Our small peace cannot survive alone”

Lessons in peacebuilding and economic development in South Sudan. 

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Emergencies: CARE In Action

Read More

Six Months Later: CARE’s Nepal Earthquake Response

A two-page report about CARE's response to the deadly earthquakes in Nepal in 2015.

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Nepal Earthquake: Factsheet

As of July 2015

Read More

Factsheet: Nepal Earthquakes

Read More

Nepal: Rapid Gender Analysis Overview

Read More

Charting a New Course: Overcoming the Stalemate in Gaza

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Factsheet: Floods in Southern Africa

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: Progress Report, 2010-2015

Read More

Impact Update: Five Years After the Haiti Earthquake

Read More

Factsheet: CARE’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: Five-year Progress Report

Over the last five years, CARE has transitioned from post-earthquake emergency relief into programming aimed at addressing the underlying causes of poverty that increase vulnerability to disaster. Our efforts have focused on sustainable economic development, rebuilding of the urban fabric, improved education, and food security.

Read More

Learning from Crisis: Strengthening Humanitarian Response Since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

Read More

Five Years After The Haiti Earthquake:

Building Back Safer, Stronger - A Financial Update

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: 5 Year Donor Report

Haiti Earthquake Emergency Response Fund - January 2010 – December 2014

Read More

CRITICAL DIAGNOSIS

The Case for Placing South Sudan’s Healthcare System at the Heart of the Humanitarian Response

Read More

One Year Later: Typhoon Haiyan Emergency and Recovery Response

One year later, CARE continues to reach needy families and communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

Read More

One Year After Typhoon Haiyan

From Emergency Aid to "Build Back Safer"

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Fact Sheet:Syria Crisis: CARE’s response in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt

June 2012 through March 2014

Read More

‘THE GIRL HAS NO RIGHTS’

This 12 page report on Gender-Based Violence in South Sudan, from May 2014, provides the results of interviews and research CARE is...

Read More

The Syrian Humanitarian Crisis

Read More

South Sudan Crisis Factsheet April 2014

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Lives Unseen: Urban Syrian Refugees and Jordanian Host Communities Three Years into the Syria Crisis

Urban Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities three years into the Syria Crisis

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Reaching Resilience Handbook

A handbook for aid practitioners and policymakers in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and poverty reduction

Read More

Three Months After the Storm

Update on CARE's Response to Typhoon Haiyan

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

White Paper on Food Aid Policy (2006)

This paper briefly summarizes our analyses, options, and directions on food resources and spending on food aid. 

Read More

South Sudan Humanitarian Snapshot

January 4, 2014

Read More

South Sudan Crisis Response Plan

January to March 2014

Read More

South Sudan Crisis

Situation Report as of January 4, 2014

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

The Syrian Humanitarian Crisis: Raising the Profile of Women and Girls

We call on donor governments to address the specific needs of women and girls affected by the crisis in Syria.

Read More

Humanitarian Action at CARE USA: Capacity Statement

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Roadmap for Continued U.S. Leadership to End Global Hunger

Read More

Sex and Age Matter: Improving Humanitarian Response in Emergencies

Read More

Food Security and Humanitarian Implications in West Africa and the Sahel

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Syria: Humanitarian Snapshot

As of 17 September 2013

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: Three Year Report

Three years after the worst earthquake in Haiti’s history, the massive task of recovery and reconstruction continues.

Read More

More than 400,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk in Ethiopia, warns CARE

Donors must close funding gap to support government efforts assisting families in need.ADDIS ABABA (May 26, 2016) — As the effects of the El Niño drought in Ethiopia continues, the poverty-fighting organization CARE warns that of the 10.2 million people affected, an estimated 404,000[1] pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are at particular risk of malnutrition

Read More

CARE Haiti: Governance

CARE Haiti places strong emphasis on developing the principles of good governance in all its program sectors.

Read More
Back to Top