The Background
The Consolidated Appeals (CA) for Southern Africa were launched in July 2002. Since then the humanitarian community, Governments, South African Development Community (SADC) and donors have been working in concert to address the acute vulnerability of over 14.4 million people in the region whose lives are threatened by the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, exacerbated by food insecurity, disease outbreaks and limited access to social services. It is clear that the fundamental threat from the HIV/AIDS epidemic will continue to persist for many years to come '
At the launch of the Regional Appeal in July 2002, the UN broadcast that 12.8 million people in southern Africa were facing acute food shortages, disease outbreaks, spiralling poverty, and further deterioration of social services. It was declared that urgent support was needed throughout the region to carry out a massive food aid operation and sustain vital social service sectors. On September 2002, that number increased to 14.4 million. It was becoming obvious that HIV/AIDS was at the centre of the unfolding crisis.
While today the situation in southern Africa can still be defined as a crisis of food insecurity, poverty, HIV/AIDS, and governance issues, numerous changes have taken place in the humanitarian context in the last six months. HIV/AIDS is now at the forefront of the crisis. There has been continued acknowledgement and understanding of the interface between HIV/AIDS and food insecurity. The relief effort has also been confronted by numerous challenges in Zimbabwe where the situation continues to deteriorate and the prospects for recovery are being eroded.
2004 Consolidated Appeal for Zimbabwe
The United Nations in Zimbabwe launched a new appeal on 2nd April in Geneva and New York simultaneously. This appeal run until December 2004. Funding requirements total US$95.4 million, including US$31.1 million requested by local and international NGOs. The revision has been done in consultation with the Government of Zimbabwe, as well as other humanitarian stakeholders
The socio-economic situation in Zimbabwe has seriously deteriorated during the past five years and continues to decline. Inflation has shot from approximately 100% in 2000 to 600% at the beginning of this year. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreased by 13% in 2003. The latest assessment of the urban population indicates that almost 2.5 million are vulnerable due to food insecurity and lack of access to basic services.
At the same time, an estimated 25% of Zimbabwe's sexually active population is HIV positive and some 2,600 adults and 690 children die weekly because of related sicknesses. Nearly 800,000 of the country's children have been orphaned due to AIDS and for many of these and other children, education must often take a back seat to securing food or other survival priorities. Cholera outbreaks are also now occurring in areas previously out affected, as access to clean water and sanitation deteriorates. The result is increasing demands on health and social services colliding with dramatically reduced human resource capacity to address these needs.
This appeal aims to help reverse these trends. Funding is required to prevent loss of life, decrease human suffering and mitigate the impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable groups, through nutrition, critical health, water and sanitation, education interventions and protection initiatives. The appeal also seeks to strengthen household livelihoods, improve food security, develop minimum standards in essential services, address the impact of HIV/AIDS to support recovery efforts, and bolster coordination.
Appeals - Introduction 
