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Burkina Faso: Situation Report - 29 Aug 2019

Countries
Burkina Faso
Sources
OCHA
Publication date
Origin
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HIGHLIGHTS

  • Burkina Faso is grappling with an unprecedented humanitarian emergency due to a sudden escalation of violence

  • 1.5 million people need humanitarian assistance.

  • More than 271,000 people have been uprooted from their homes. A four-fold increase since the start of the year.

  • More than 95 per cent of the displaced are in host communities

  • 2,024 schools have been forced shut, depriving over 330,000 children of education

BACKGROUND

DISPLACEMENTS

Armed attacks and insecurity continue to affect parts of northern and eastern Burkina Faso, driving forced displacement and increasing the number of people in need of assistance and protection. By the end of August, more than 270,000 internally displaced people are living in host communities or displacement sites in Centre-Nord, Est, Nord and Sahel regions. An average of 30,000 people have been uprooted from their homes monthly since the start of the year. More than 95 per cent of the displaced people have sought refuge in other communities and village. In fact, they are increasingly seeking refuge in or near urban centres such as Djibo and Dori (Sahel) and Kaya (Centre-Nord), and secondary displacement, particularly from Sahel to Centre-Nord is being reported.

Access to food, livelihoods and basic services is becoming increasingly difficult for both displaced and host communities. Over the month of July, there has been a nearly 35 per cent surge in the number of health facilities closed due to insecurity, from 39 to 60, depriving almost 626,000 people of access to basic health care. The revised Humanitarian Response Plan, released in August, is calling for US$187 million to provide urgent assistance to nearly 1.3 million people, including 800,000 affected by violence and insecurity. As of 29 August, only 30 per cent of the required funding has been mobilized.

The authorities and aid organizations are working to increase assistance to the displaced. Relief efforts are underway to improve food, water, health services and protection of affected civilians against abuse and violations. The National Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Council (CONASUR) is leading Government aid operations with support from NGOs and UN aid agencies.

Tensions and insecurity persist in many localities hit by the inter-ethnic clashes. The authorities, aid groups and other actors are mulling alternatives to resettle the displaced in other communities as well as peaceful and sustainable dispute resolution to eventually allow them return home.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.