UNICEF Central African Republic Humanitarian Situation Report, November 2018
Highlights
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November was marked by the attack and burning of two IDP sites by armed groups, Batangafo (Ouham, Northwest) on 31 October – 1 November, and Alindao (Basse Kotto) on 15 November, causing several deaths, over 40,000 re-displaced people, widespread material damage and heightened tensions.
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With acute needs, and in the absence of available partners in Education and Child Protection, UNICEF used its newly tested blended approach (partners & direct intervention) to directly responded in these sectors in Batangafo. Within three weeks, despite a highly volatile context, the town’s four schools were reopened and 4,127 children could return to school. Two child-friendly spaces were operational for more than 1,500 traumatized children. At the same time, the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), in coordination with other NFI cluster actors, distributed 3,108 NFI kits to IDPs who lost shelter in Batangafo.
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On 30 November, UNICEF issued the Child Alert Report Crisis in the Central African Republic, highlighting the critical situation of conflictaffected children in the country.
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
1.5 million
# of children in need of humanitarian assistance
2.9 million
# of people in need (OCHA, October 2018)
643,000
# of Internally displaced persons (OCHA, October 2018)
Outside CAR
575,000
# of registered CAR refugees (OCHA, October 2018)
2018 UNICEF Appeal
US$ 56.5 million
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
In November, the humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) continued deteriorating, and was marked by the attack of two IDP sites by armed groups, resulting in casualties, widespread material damage and heightened tensions. On 31 October and 1 November, two armed groups attacked and set on fire the Batangafo IDP site (Ouham, Northwest) killing four IDPs and provoking the displacement of 27,000 IDPs sheltered in the site. The site’s WASH infrastructures, market and temporary learning spaces (TLS) and child friendly spaces (CFS) for IDP children were also destroyed.
UNICEF CAR used the information gathered through the assessments conducted by the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) to identify Education, Child Protection, CDS, SAM and WASH needs and quickly prepare a response. In the case of Batafango, this response was conducted directly by UNICEF in Child Protection, Education, Nutrition screening and immunization. As a result, only three weeks after the alert, despite the highly volatile context, the town’s four schools were reopened and 4,127 children could return to school. Two child-friendly spaces were operational and benefitted more than 1,500 traumatized children At the same time, the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), in coordination with other NFI cluster actors, distributed 3,108 NFI kits to IDPs who lost shelter in Batangafo.
Just two weeks after the Batangafo events, on 15 November, another armed group attacked the Catholic Mission IDP site in Alindao (Basse Kotto, Center). According to UN sources, several dozen people (exact number unclear) were killed, and most of the camp ‘s infrastructure destroyed. Nearly 20,000 people were affected and thousands were forced to flee. UNICEF participated in a joint humanitarian assessment mission. At the end of November, the situation was still too unclear to allow humanitarian actors to intervene.