Global Protection Update: Protection and Food Security, June 2023

Crises are lasting longer, driven by conflict, climate change, food insecurity and economic turmoil, and highlighting the need to link humanitarian work with development and peacebuilding efforts. Violations of international law, attacks on hospitals, schools and critical infrastructure and rampant human rights violations are being committed, including against women and children. 

This Global Protection Update, covering the second quarter of 2023, provides a country-by-country news update, explores emerging protection trends and tracks the risks faced by vulnerable populations in crises.

According to the Global Protection Cluster’s Global Protection Risks Tracker, in the second quarter of 2023, 44% of Protection Cluster operations reported a combined severity of 15 protection risks as high. 

The population in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, DR Congo, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, South Sudan, oPt, Syria and Ukraine is extensively exposed to simultaneous sources of harm directly related to human actions. Similarly, in these countries the population faces serious barriers in accessing protection services.

This Update places a thematic focus on protection and food security. For millions around the world, conflict perpetuates a deadly and persistent cycle of protection risks and food insecurity. Not only is the connection between hunger, protection, and conflict strong, but evidence shows it is also growing more widely. 

Protection partners are working towards identifying protection risks related to food insecurity, elaborating guidance and recommendations aimed at reducing risks, and taking forward joint strategic advocacy efforts. The Global Protection Update provides examples from South Sudan, Myanmar, Honduras, DR Congo, Nigeria, and Somalia, which highlight collaborative efforts and partnerships between food security and protection sectors.