In just 130 days, over one million people in Somalia have been forced to abandon their homes in search of safety, thanks to a lethal combination of severe drought, devastating floods and conflict. This number represents a record level of internal displacement for the country.

Conflict was among the major causes of displacement between January 1 and May 10, 2020, as recorded by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). Additionally, over 408,000 people fled their homes as a result of floods, while another 312,000 were displaced by a ravaging drought. Most of these displaced people, who have limited resources, have headed to Hiraan in central Somalia and Gedo in the south of the country.

While there are overcrowded urban areas available for shelter, they are already hosting internally displaced people and are unable to offer more space for additional refugees. This puts immense pressure on already limited resources, which exposes the vulnerable to even more protection risks such as gender-based violence, evictions, and family separation. People’s urgent needs are food, shelter, and protection services, including child protection and prevention of gender-based violence.

“The humanitarian needs in Somalia continue to grow. We are working together with humanitarian agencies to respond as best we can, but with new displacement climbing by the day, the needs are overwhelming,” said UNHCR’s Representative in Somalia, Magatte Guisse.

Moreover, more than 3.8 million people are now displaced in Somalia, exacerbating an already dire situation where about 6.7 million people are struggling to meet their food needs. The crisis is particularly serious among youngsters, with over half a million Somali children being severely malnourished. But aid agencies have received only 22% of the resources required to provide much-needed aid this year.

“We urge the international donors to step up funding to better protect those who are most likely to bear the brunt of the current crisis, otherwise we will never see the end of this unfolding human tragedy,” added Guisse.

This level of internal displacement is alarming, and there are fears that the situation will deteriorate further in the coming months. Hence as a nation, there is an urgent need for prompt action to preserve and protect vulnerable Somali citizens.