Situation in numbers

39,000
# affected children in need of assistance in Irma and Maria-affected countries
19,800
# affected children in Dominica
2,900
# people in temporary shelters in Dominica
1,070 # children from Dominica and Barbuda estimated to be integrated in schools in Antigua

Highlights

• Since the beginning of the humanitarian response to the Hurricane emergency in the Eastern Caribbean, significant progress has been made to reopen schools and bring children back to school in Anguilla, Antigua and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Yet around three quarters of school-age children in the British Virgin Islands and Dominica are yet to regain access to formal education.
• As of 24 October, some 12,000 children in the affected countries of Anguilla,
  Barbuda, British Virgin Islands (BVI), Dominica and the Turks & Caicos Islands, are now back to schools with UNICEF support. In BVI, 866 children (3-8 years old) are accessing temporary learning spaces. Additionally, 2,741 children received psychosocial support, while another 8,541 children have access to safe community spaces – a 20 per cent increase since mid-October.
• Continued heavy rains over the past few days, as well as logistical challenges related to telecommunications and the transportation of humanitarian relief and building materials are among the major operational constraints for UNICEF and partners on the ground.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

Since the beginning of the emergency response in the Eastern Caribbean Area, Governments, the UN and partners have been working hard to restore basic infrastructure and social services for affected populations. Yet, much remains to be done as close to 80 per cent of people in Anguilla, British Virgin Islands (BVI) and Dominica still do not have electricity; land/mobile line coverage is yet to be restored; and, some 3,400 people – 2,900 of whom in Dominica alone – remain in temporary emergency shelters. To get a greater understanding of the situation and recovery needs, comprehensive post-disaster needs assessments are being conducted in Dominica, while Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands are conducting damage and loss assessments led by UN ECLAC.

Significant progress has been made to reopen schools across the Eastern Caribbean: all children in Anguilla and Barbuda and 90 per cent of those in Turks and Caicos Islands are now back to school. Yet, this is the case only for around a quarter of school-age children in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and Dominica. In the latter, a total of 20 primary public schools reopened doors on 23 October, benefitting some 2,000 children. Schools in the BVI are scheduled to re-open on 6 November. Following Hurricane Maria, Antigua has received close to 200 school-age children from Dominica, and their integration into Antiguan schools is gaining momentum.

Overall, the restoration of schools and other social service buildings – particularly in BVI but also in Dominica and other locations – have been hampered by recent heavy rains, insufficient stocks of building materials and continued logistical constraints linked to telecommunications and the transportation of humanitarian relief. In the case of the BVI, a recovery plan has been endorsed by the Government. It is estimated that US$3.3 billion is required for recovery.

For more on this story and to download Report go to: https://reliefweb.int/report/antigua-and-barbuda/unicef-eastern-caribbean-humanitarian-situation-report-25-october-2017