Despite escalating conflict, climate shocks, economic instability and widespread displacement, we reached over 26 million people, including 16.4 million children

International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 calls for “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.” (United Nations). In Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia, these words resonate in contexts where drought and conflict collide - driving displacement, hunger, and protection risks while stretching already fragile services for women and girls. As the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG), we issue this joint call to recognise and respond to the compounded realities facing women and girls across these crises.

2025 had been a challenging yet productive year for World Vision in South Sudan. Despite funding cuts and growing humanitarian needs, we pressed on—guided by our faith and our commitment to serve. The year had been a testament that when Christ is placed at the centre of our work, hope endures and impact is possible, even in the most difficult circumstances.

The escalation of hostilities in Lebanon is intense and rapidly expanding, resulting in nearly 820,000 forcibly displaced people - more than 200,000 of them children - in less than two weeks. Evacuation orders are expanding, with the country to the south launching the ‘South of Zahrani River’ initiative. Evacuation orders now encompass the entire region south of the Litani River, triggering waves of mass displacement as well as repeated displacement among already vulnerable families. In several Christian-majority towns in the South, residents initially resisted leaving their homes, but were ultimately evacuated under the escort of UNIFIL for civilian protection. Hostilities are increasingly affecting areas beyond the ‘traditional’ frontline zones, a troubling trend that points to a more aggressive escalation than that of 2024. Recent airstrikes hit the neighborhoods of Haret Saida, Tyre, Aramoun, Ramlet El Bayda, areas deemed safer, in one case targeting a car nearby displaced families staying in tents. Targeting of central Beirut is new - with strikes on hotels and residential buildings that inevidably affect civilians in the surrounding areas. An estimated have been killed, with 81 children killed since March 1. UNICEF estimates that 10 children per day are killed. Lebanon’s Ministry of Social Affairs reports 822,600 internally displaced people self-registered on the Government’s digital platform, indicating that overall displacement is significantly higher than that captured through collective shelter reporting. In addition, almost 84,000 Syrians and more than 8,000 Lebanese have crossed into Syria since 2 March. Violations to International Humanitarian Law continue, with frontline responders at great risk. To date, 14 paramedics were killed, including one member of the Lebanese Red Cross, underscoring the growing risks faced by emergency personnel.

Children are at the heart of everything we do, their voices, dreams, and well-being drive our mission.  We are excited to share that amid the ever-growing humanitarian needs we reached 16.4 Million children in the East Africa Region.

According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), attacks between 2 and 8 March have resulted in 394 people killed and 1,130 injured, with figures Increasing daily. Displacement orders issued in the last days, including renewed orders affecting areas south of the Litani River and the entirety of Beirut’s southern suburbs, have triggered further population movements and repeated displacement for many households. As of 8 March, the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Unit reports 117,228 displaced individuals residing in 538 collective shelters. The Government of Lebanon has launched a national self-registration platform for internally displaced persons, with over 517,000 people, indicating the potential scale of displacement beyond those recorded in collective shelters. Recent days have seen hostilities expand beyond traditional frontline areas, including blanket evacuation orders affecting Beirut’s southern suburbs, warnings and subsequent strikes targeting branches of the Al-Qard- Al-Hassan Association. Airstrikes have also impacted locations outside the declared warning zones, including a hotel in central Beirut and an earlier strike on a hotel in Hazmieh, both situated outside the primary red-zone areas. These incidents highlight the widening geographic scope of the conflict and the continued risks to civilians and humanitarian operations across areas.

Drawing on first‑hand experience from one of the world’s most fragile contexts, Paul Kinuthia, Senior Director, Food, Cash & Markets, Disaster Management, argues that repeatedly cutting food, health and protection services traps communities in endless crisis. He makes the case that narrowing aid to short‑term survival is a false economy that drives higher costs, deeper instability and repeated emergencies. The solution, the author provides, is urgent investment in resilience alongside life‑saving aid. This investment should be seen as a credible way to protect children and reduce the need over time.

In Kuac South village in Warrap State, South Sudan, providing for a family of 13 once felt impossible for 45-year-old Joseph Ayok Ayok. But one Sunday in March 2024, during a church service, he heard about the Empowered Worldview program — a moment that would begin to change his life.