HI assists the most vulnerable as violence hits northern Mozambique

For several days, HI’s teams have been working to guide and assist vulnerable populations - pregnant women, older people, people with disabilities, and children - displaced by recent fighting in Palma, northern Mozambique. They urgently need access to water, food and shelter.

Family of refugees in northern Mozambique | © HI

Some 3,000 people have been displaced following attacks by armed groups on the town of Palma since 24 March. Since 2017, a total of 670,000 people have fled violence in the region.

“Many people are terrified by the attacks and have gone into hiding, without access to food or water,"

says Marco Tamburro, HI's programme director in Mozambique.

“Humanitarian response to the crisis must take into account the most vulnerable and ensure no one is left behind. The aid effort should guarantee vulnerable people, such as people with disabilities and older people, receive the support they desperately need.”

HI has just completed a needs assessment in Cabo Delgado, in the districts of Ancuabe and Chiure, heavily affected by movements of displaced people. Our teams are also setting up a disability working group in Pemba, with two local organisations, FAMOD and AIFO[1], to ensure people with disabilities are included in the emergency response. People with disabilities often have difficulty accessing humanitarian aid, for example because they are unable to move around or understand aid mechanisms. This group of NGOs is working to monitor displaced people and to identify people with disabilities from Palma and determine their needs.

[1] FAMOD: Forum of Disabled People’s Organisations

AIFO: Disability Support and Services Organisation

Date published: 07/04/21