2010 UNHCR country operations profile - Central African Republic

Working environment

The context

Following the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement in June 2008 by three rebel groups and the Government, the political situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) has been dominated by efforts to foster national reconciliation. The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad has been deployed in the north-east of the country, with a mandate to protect refugee and displaced populations. For UNHCR, the three main groups of concern are IDPs in the north and in Haut-Mbomou; Sudanese refugees in Sam Ouandja; and refugees in urban areas and Haut-Mbomou.

The protection situation in the north-eastern region is precarious, particularly with incursions from Sudan and Chad. Ethnic conflict and rebel activities pose a threat to the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The region is remote and inaccessible during the rainy season, making the monitoring of protection from Bangui extremely difficult.

Following the repatriation of most refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Southern Sudan, UNHCR is promoting local integration for those who remain, taking into account the extreme poverty of the local population.

Although the peace accord has improved security in some areas, the northern provinces and the province of Haut-Mbomou continue to experience varying levels of insecurity and new displacement. In particular, fighting between Government forces and rebel groups in Bamingui-Bamgoran and attacks by the Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), have caused new displacement. This has resulted in more than 16,000 persons crossing into Chad and generated a similar number of IDPs. Moreover, State security and social services are almost absent in the north.

The needs

Given the dire economic situation in the CAR, UNHCR's efforts to help people of concern achieve self-reliance have met with little success. The majority of refugees continue to be dependent on assistance. Refugee data and information remain inadequate.

The refugee status determination (RSD) process has been disrupted as the Commission Nationale pour les Réfugiés (CNR), the national refugee commission, is unable to meet to examine asylum claims. This has resulted in a backlog of more than 1,000 cases. Refugee identification documents are not being issued, putting refugees and asylum-seekers at risk of harassment and arrest.

IDPs continue to face grave violations of their human rights. UNHCR has noticed an overall increase in the awareness of applicable laws and guidelines thanks to training sessions targeting various armed forces, but more training is required. Self-reliance and employment opportunities are almost non-existent for IDPs, as they have no access to agricultural land, or other opportunities.

Even though many IDPs have returned to their villages, there is a lack of security, housing and basic services. The lack of infrastructure in IDP-hosting areas has led to tensions, particularly in urban areas.

In the absence of schooling and employment opportunities, many young girls have turned to prostitution. Sexual and gender-based violence occurs in most of the areas where IDPs live, but its extent is not known.

An assessment conducted with the refugees indicates a need for income-generating activities, including farming. Due to the fighting, most farmers are engaged in subsistence agriculture. Meanwhile, cattle herders have moved to Cameroon with their animals. This has created a scarcity of basic food items, leading to severe malnutrition. The few water points available have been damaged by intensive use.

Many villages have been burnt down, leaving an acute need for shelters. The distribution of non-food items by UNHCR and other humanitarian actors is inadequate to fill the vast needs of the affected population. Access to health care is limited, particularly for IDPs. The education system is weak as few qualified teachers are willing to work in these areas.

Main objectives

Fair protection processes

• In collaboration with the authorities, ensure prompt asylum processing and deliver relevant documents to refugees to reduce the risk of harassment and arrest.

• Increase UNHCR's presence in Sam Ouandja and establishment of a permanent presence of the CNR to address protection issues promptly and monitor assistance.

Security from violence and exploitation

• In partnership with other UN agencies and humanitarian actors, encourage the Government to increase the presence of the civil authorities in the north of the country, where violence and human rights abuses are at the root of displacement.

• Provide robust prevention and response measures to counter gender-based violence and accusations of witchcraft.

Basic needs and services

• Ensure adequate assistance for refugees in the Sam Ouandja camps.

• Ensure adequate international protection and assistance is provided to Congolese refugees recently arrived in Haut-Mbomou, having fled LRA attacks.

• Under the cluster approach, coordinate protection, emergency shelter and humanitarian assistance for new IDPs in Haut-Mbomou.

Community participation and self-management

• Promote income-generating activities for refugees in urban settings and rural areas in order to reduce dependence on UNHCR assistance.

Durable solutions

• Accelerate the identification of refugees eligible for resettlement.

Key targets for 2010

• At least three eligibility sessions are held and the backlog of asylum applications is cleared, with documents delivered to refugees, leading to a 60 per cent reduction in arrests of refugees.

• Some 100 urban refugee households benefit from micro-project finance, leading to reduced dependence on UNHCR assistance.

• Approximately 500 refugees are submitted for resettlement.

• The standard of 20 litres of potable water per person per day is attained in Sam Ouandja refugee camps.

• Regular UNHCR monitoring missions to Sam Ouandja are undertaken.

• Subject to developments in Haut Mbomou and the DRC, refugees and IDPs are helped to return voluntarily.

Strategy and activities

Following the end of the voluntary repatriation operations to Southern Sudan and the DRC in 2007, some 8,500 refugees and asylum-seekers of various nationalities remained in the CAR. Approximately 5,000 of them are in Bangui.

While voluntary repatriation on an individual basis will still be possible, the office will focus on enhancing opportunities for local integration. UNHCR and the CNR will encourage refugees in urban areas to achieve greater self-sufficiency.

Under the national refugee law, UNHCR will improve protection in partnership with the CNR. The Office will support applications for permanent residence or naturalization, especially for the residual caseload of Congolese refugees in Molangue, and will sensitize the authorities on the legal aspects of local integration.

UNHCR will also promote a revision of the nationality law to facilitate naturalization on humanitarian grounds. In 2010, UNHCR will continue its activities aimed at strengthening the Government's asylum-processing capacity and monitoring the access of asylum-seekers to RSD procedures. UNHCR will support the implementation of the new national refugee legislation.

In the north-eastern region, UNHCR will focus on strengthening community empowerment and participation in camp management, while paying specific attention to human rights and the mainstreaming of age, gender and diversity considerations. Given the remote location of the camp and associated security risks, UNHCR will ensure the presence of its staff as a protection measure. Other interventions will emphasize access to health care, improved nutrition, formal education and literacy.

Vocational training will continue to facilitate the economic integration of refugees in urban areas. The Office will support the creation of women's and youth groups. UNHCR will promote refugee rights among affected populations, the local population, and the authorities, through discussions, training and simulation exercises to facilitate the acceptance of displaced people and an understanding of their rights.

The refugee-managed health service initiative in Bangui will be reviewed. The service operates on a co-financing and cost-recovery basis, but the interim results are not encouraging and the Office will seek a more cost-effective means. The provision of financial assistance to some refugees in urban areas with specific needs, will be replaced by assistance for micro-projects. Sensitization on HIV and AIDS prevention, and the provision of medical assistance, will continue. UNHCR will also ensure that all survivors of sexual and gender-based violence receive medical, psycho-social and legal follow-up.

UNHCR will increase the number of resettlement submissions to 500 in 2010, targeting refugees for whom neither voluntary repatriation nor local integration are viable durable solutions, as well as those who have specific protection needs.

Constraints

The political and security situation in the DRC, Southern Sudan, Darfur and eastern Chad remains precarious, and any deterioration could cause a refugee influx into CAR.

The current political and military situation does not bode well for the successful completion of the Government's Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programme in 2010. This will have a negative impact on the ability of IDPs to return to their villages of origin. Therefore, UNHCR does not foresee any significant change in the numbers of IDPs in 2010.

The lack of security in the north poses a threat to humanitarian actors working in the area and could prevent UNHCR from effectively carrying out its activities. Security may remain a problem in 2010 if the current recommendations for an inclusive political dialogue are not implemented rapidly, particularly the DDR process and reform of the security sector.

Organization and implementation

Coordination

Due to the volatile security situation, UNHCR will work with its partners to increase their participation in the monitoring of displacement and return patterns, as well as in the delivery of assistance to displaced people and returnees. UNHCR chairs the protection cluster and is also the focal point for refugees and IDPs;

UNICEF is the focal point for women and children; UNFPA for gender and gender-based violence; UNDP for the rule of law and BONUCA for human rights. Activities that address sexual and gender-based violence and HIV and AIDS, will be mainstreamed into all programmes in 2010 and 2011 in the framework of the protection cluster. UNHCR will also continue to engage with donor countries in Bangui, keeping them informed about interventions, as well as of the difficulties encountered in carrying out the mandate of the Office, seeking their assistance as necessary.

Financial information

UNHCR's budget has increased significantly for the Central African Republic since 2007, mainly due to the increase of the number of internally displaced people in the country. Over the last 5 years, the number of internally displaced people receiving assistance from UNHCR has increased, and approximately 150,000 IDPs are expected to receive assistance in 2010. The increase in the refugee programme is similar to the one under the IDP programme and is mainly due to efforts to remedy gaps identified during the global needs assessment.

Source: UNHCR Global Appeal 2010-2011