Regional update – Southern Africa Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. UNHCR and the World Food Programme (WFP) are collaborating on advocacy measures to improve refugee food security and nutrition in the region. Support to WASH systems is vital to combat the spread of COVID-19. UNHCR is focusing on community initiatives, such as capacity-building, infrastructure and hygiene promotion, waste disposal and access to clean water. Insecurity and insufficient funding pose significant challenges to WASH activities in the Congo (Republic of) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Shelter needs are high among the newly displaced. Some 500 IDP families in Mozambique and 2,700 IDP families in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have received emergency shelter kits and equipment to rehabilitate their current dwellings. UNHCR is implementing a range of energy initiatives, powering health centres, guest houses and street lighting from renewable sources. To promote clean energy at the household level, solar-powered lamps, biogas and clean cooking fuels are being used in Malawi and Zimbabwe, and some 2,300 IDP households in the Democratic Republic of the Congo received solar lanterns. Cash-based interventions are part of regular programming in the Congo (Republic of), the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. Some 30,000 families across the region have received cash assistance from UNHCR since the start of the year. Efforts to improve access to e-learning for school students are of marked importance, especially as the pandemic continues to compromise classroom time across the region. The “connect my school” project in Malawi will improve connectivity and e-learning platforms for teachers and learners in the country’s refugee camps from October 2021. Community empowerment and self-reliance Empowering the displaced is at the heart of the response in southern Africa. Community protection structures aim to be inclusive and representative of the whole community, promote dialogue between displaced populations, local communities and the authorities, and strengthen empowerment through participation in decision-making processes. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, community protection groups received support and training from UNHCR to enhance the protection of marginalized groups. In Mozambique, a network of community focal points was trained to raise awareness of protection issues, especially to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse. In Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, community leaders play an active role in COVID-19 risk communication. The socioeconomic impact of the pandemic has devastated refugee livelihoods, leaving many previously self-sufficient people dependent on assistance to survive. In the first quarter of 2021, UNHCR provided livelihood assistance to more than 11,700 displaced persons and host community members in the region. Partnerships are generating new opportunities for self-reliance, especially in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization, UNHCR and WFP have led to the inclusion of more than 900 refugee families from the Central African Republic in established resilience and livelihood programmes. Also in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a joint multisector programme in which UNHCR plays a key role is anticipated to begin shortly. The programme is expected to support the livelihoods of 2,000 refugee and host community families. States are making progress towards implementing pledges made at the Global Refuge Forum in 2019 aimed at enhancing economic inclusion. Notably, Malawi and Zambia have taken steps towards including persons of concern in agriculture programmes, and Eswatini formalized its pledge to allocate 500 hectares of land to the refugee population for agricultural purposes. UNHCR collaborates with a broad range of stakeholders to ensure refugee and host community inclusion in national and international development plans and programming. It is working with the World Bank Group in the Congo (Republic of) and the Democratic Republic 4