Central African Republic: Situation Report, 5 Dec 2024

HIGHLIGHTS

• In 2024, the humanitarian community in CAR plans to assist 1.9 million most vulnerable people. US$ 367.7 million is required.
• Humanitarian actors provided life-saving assistance to 2 million people in 2023.
• Increasingly worrying humanitarian situation in the Haut-Mbomou Prefecture.
• Faced with insecurity in their villages, Chadians seek refuge in northwest Central Africa.

Analysis

Gender-based violence: a scourge with devastating consequences

Gender-based violence (GBV) has reached alarming proportions in the Central African Republic (CAR), driven by socio-cultural norms that are unfavorable to women and girls, despite the existence of policies and legislation on the matter. This situation is exacerbated by the ongoing crisis that has affected the country for several years. Violence against civilians and insecurity in localities outside urban centers continue to increase the vulnerability of several million people, including women, whose livelihoods are being eroded and whose access to food and basic services, including health care and water, is severely limited. 2.8 million people - 46 per cent of the population – are so vulnerable in 2024 that humanitarian assistance alone is not sufficient to restore their well-being.

An alarming rise

Although internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees are often the most visible face of the crisis in CAR, GBV, especially sexual violence, has recently reached particularly worrying levels. Every hour in CAR, more than two people are victims of GBV, mostly women and girls. In the first half of this year alone, over 11,000 cases of GBV were reported. During the second quarter of this year, more than 6,000 cases of GBV (32 per cent of rape, 28 per cent of physical assault, 17 per cent of deprivation of resources, 15 per cent of psychological violence, 5 per cent of sexual assault, 3 per cent of forced marriage) were reported. 96 per cent of survivors are women and girls. Among the types of GBV, rape cases (32 per cent) remain the most reported. According to statistics from the Gender-Based Violence Information Management System (GBVIMS) collected by dedicated services in 2023, reported GBV incidents had increased by 1,910 cases, which is an 8 per cent rise compared to 23,644 cases reported in 2022. The prolonged humanitarian crisis, which causes increasing stress within households, leads to the adoption of negative coping mechanisms such as survival sex and early marriage of girls, exacerbating GBV and predominantly affecting thousands of women and girls.

Surviving or facing risks

This is the challenging choice that many women sometimes have to make in CAR, in a context where access to livelihoods such as fields, as well as to basic services such as water and health care, is severely restricted by insecurity resulting from the conflict. The annual multi-sectoral humanitarian needs assessments indicated a feeling of insecurity for at least 25 per cent of surveyed households, showing risks for women and girls in accessing water, wood collection areas, and other distribution points. These locations are of critical importance for the daily survival of households, yet they particularly expose women and girls to high risks of GBV, including sexual violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, domestic violence, survival sex, forced marriage, and denial of resources, among others.

A challenge for available resources

In the 2024 first quarter, only 28 per cent of GBV survivors received psychosocial support and medical care within the required 72 hours, 14.5 per cent received legal assistance and only 4.5 per cent received livelihood assistance. In February, the Humanitarian Coordinator allocated US$ 3 million from the CAR Humanitarian Fund to address the gap in GBV interventions and foster innovation, which represents 25 per cent of required funding for the GBV area of responsibility under the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan. Due to the lack of funding, many if subjected to GBV do not receive timely and required services and assistance they deserve. Attacks on health infrastructures by parties to the conflict make it also difficult for GBV survivors to receive medical assistance, and for the population as a whole to access health care services. Confrontations between parties to the conflict have led to the closure of a number of health facilities, depriving thousands of life-saving health care services. For instance, in April, armed clashes in the south-east region deprived 5,000 people of medical care.

Emergency Response

Impact of Sudan crisis in the Central African Republic

In neighboring Sudan, clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have continued since the beginning of the conflict in April 2023, resulting in massive displacement of population. More than a year of brutal fighting is driving a hunger crisis in Sudan, with some areas likely to experience catastrophic levels of food insecurity by the lean season. In August 2023, the Central African government signed a decree granting prima facie refugee status to Sudanese fleeing the conflict.

Since the beginning of the Sudan crisis in April 2023, the Central African Republic has received 28, 871 refugees as of 11 August 2024. A total of 20,060 Sudanese refugees have been biometrically registered and live in 13 localities, mostly in hard-to-reach locations outside Vakaga prefecture and need protection and assistance. In September 2024, the trend is 27 arrivals per week, a decrease from 98 arrivals per week in August, 124 in July, 204 in June, and 231 in May. In the week of 10 to 16 November 2024, a total of 98 Sudanese refugees arrived in Korsi, Birao, Vakaga prefecture, reflecting an increase of 56 individuals compared to the previous week. Ongoing attacks between conflicting parties in Sudan continue to create risks of further displacement, potentially prompting additional groups of Sudanese refugees to cross the Am Dafock border. With the end of the rainy season improving road accessibility, increased refugee arrivals in CAR, including in Korsi, are anticipated.

Economic consequences

As a result of insecurity along the border area, traffic between Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR) has been severely disrupted, causing a sharp increase in the price of basic commodities. Sudan supplies several towns in CAR, particularly Birao in Vakaga Prefecture and Ndélé in Bamingui-Bangoran Prefecture. During the rainy season from April to October, access is very challenged and supplies largely depend on Sudan. For some items, prices have doubled at the onset of the crisis. A 50 kg bag of sugar, which was sold for XAF 40,000 before the conflict, rose to XAF 80,000 in Birao. Similarly, a small bowl of millet, previously sold for XAF 500 was priced at XAF 1,000. Subsequently, humanitarian community intervention helped establish some price stability by supplying several tons of certain products from Bangui to Birao. The northern region of CAR was already experiencing acute food insecurity, a situation that is projected to reach one of its most severe stages if an adequate response is not forthcoming.

Facing additional needs

In 2024, 913,000 individuals will be extremely vulnerable to the extent that humanitarian assistance alone is not sufficient for their well-being in the northern region of the country, encompassing the prefectures of Vakaga, Bamingui-Bangoran, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, and Nana-Gribizi. They numbered over a million (1,093,000) in 2023. This decrease is mainly due to the reduction in the number of shocks faced by the populations, such as clashes between conflicting parties and the resulting population movements. Despite the decrease, attacks against civilians persist, forcing the population to seek refuge elsewhere. Conflicts in neighboring Sudan and Chad have also impacted the vulnerability of populations, increasing the magnitude of needs in the northeast and northwest regions.

Humanitarian response

In 2023, the humanitarian community airlifted emergency multi-sector assistance to Birao, as part of the stock pre-positioning plan implemented every year in northern CAR, where access is extremely limited during the rainy season from April to November. The same year, the UNHCR relocated refugees and spontaneous returnees from Am-Dafock to Birao, a safer area identified by authorities further away from the border with Sudan. Assisted relocation has been suspended, as the road between Am-Dafock and Birao becomes impassable during the current rainy season, but spontaneous relocation movements have been recorded.

The humanitarian response continued at the Korsi site in Birao, Ndele and Sam-Ouandja. NGOs, UN agencies and other international organizations distributed food, essential household items, provided clean water, built emergency shelters and latrines, provided health care, education and protection support.

In 2024, according to the UNHCR’s Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP), US$ 46.2 million are required to respond to preliminary needs of 40,000 refugees, 3,300 returnees, and 28,000 members of host communities. In its first phase, partners will continue to collaborate with the government to ensure access to territory, asylum, and provide support to individuals requiring international protection. The principle of "do no harm" will be at the core of the response.

In its second phase, emphasis will be placed on continuing refugee relocation activities from insecure border areas to the Korsi zone. Cash assistance will be provided to enhance the ability to meet specific needs and reduce the likelihood of individuals and households resorting to harmful coping strategies. The listening centers will remain operational to address gender-based violence prevention, along with the provision of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) kits for HIV, frontline worker training, and community member training. Food distribution, clean water provision, emergency shelter, healthcare services, and essential relief items such as mosquito nets and hygiene kits will be ensured at entry points.

In its third phase, partners will also direct their response towards building resilience, livelihoods, and economic inclusion. This will include supporting local organizations with agricultural inputs and necessary tools, enhancing existing skills by leveraging local resources while establishing links with existing businesses to create economic opportunities.

Decrease in Humanitarian Funding

In 2024, the situation remains concerning, with 2.8 million people – 46 per cent of the population – who are extremely vulnerable to the extent that humanitarian assistance alone is not sufficient for their well-being.

The humanitarian community aims to provide vital multisectoral assistance to 1.9 million of the most vulnerable Central Africans and calls for the mobilization of US$ 367.7 million, in a global context of decreasing humanitarian funding. The capacity to absorb additional needs is very limited.