400,000 people have been displaced within Libya since post-Gaddafi hostilities began in July 2014, and 2,383 fatalities have been reported a UN report shows.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Global Humanitarian Overview 2015 report highlighted Libya as a priority area for humanitarian aid.
“Humanitarian conditions in Libya have deteriorated considerably in 2015 due to ongoing hostilities and the increased presence of non-state armed groups,” the report read, adding that some 2 million people have been affected.
The report mentions that education has been suspended in the Eastern part of the country, and that an estimated 2.5 million people need access to health services.
It reads that healthcare, water and waste collection have been reduced, while some 400,000 people require food assistance.
“Migrants are particularly vulnerable and are subjected to marginalisation and detention and increasing numbers of people are taking huge risks trying to reach Europe by boat”.
The priorities for humanitarian aid in the country consist of the provision of food assistance, health-care support, delivery of basic water, protection assistance to migrants and sanitation services.
“Underfunding has caused some agencies to decrease or shut down humanitarian programmes, with food distribution interrupted due to lack of funds”.
On a positive note, the report shows that over 330,000 people have received aid n the country, and $11.4 million funds were received to date.
“In December 2014, humanitarian partners launched a consolidated appeal for 2015 requesting US$16.4 billion to assist 57.5 million people with humanitarian aid in 22 countries. Since then, requirements have risen to $18.8 billion to meet the needs of the 78.9 million most vulnerable people across 37 countries. $4.8 billion has been committed so far (a mere 26%), leaving a shortfall of $14 billion”.
“New and revised appeals have been added, including for the Burundi crisis, Djibouti, Guatemala, Honduras, Libya, Nepal, the Sahel, Vanuatu and Yemen. The current appeal is more than five times higher than in 2004, when consolidated appeal requirements amounted to $3.4 billion to reach over 45 million people. While donors give more generously every year, the gap between funds needed and funds provided continues to widen”.