The United Nations is appealing for US$152 million to scale up aid organisations’ priority response in multiple sectors, from now until April 2013, in a bid to help meet the immediate needs of people affected by the ongoing crisis in the Central African Republic.

The funding for the 100 Day Plan for Priority Humanitarian Action , which is part of a wider response strategy for the country in 2014, needs to be implemented now to provide life-saving assistance and implement programmes that will ensure the protection of civilians.

Some of these programmes will focus on establishing women- and child-friendly spaces where people can feel safer and receive psychosocial support, as well as rehabilitating houses to improve security for families, according to OCHA.

Some 2.2 million people need assistance while over 800,000 have been displaced countrywide including almost 400,000 living in the over 60 spontaneous Internally Desplaced Peoples' (IDP) sites in Bangui alone.

UNFPA is providing emergency assistance for women and girls of reproductive age affected by the fighting. There are 159, 750 women of child bearing age (15-49 years) with 6,390 estimated pregnant women, with an expected over 2400 births per month.

Since 8th December, UNFPA is delivering Reproductive Health kits on a daily basis to health facilities and in IDPs spontaneous sites. It contributes to ensure delivery in safe condition as well as strengthen the prevention and response aspect of gender-based violence on IDPs sites in Bangui and in Bossangoa, Bouar, Kaga-Bandoro, Paoua and Zemio.

Throughout 2014, humanitarian organizations need a total of $247 million to help provide emergency assistance and support recovery efforts across the country. The funding requirements could rise if the situation worsens and the needs increase.