28 January 2015 – The United Nations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has launched an investigation into the events surrounding a violent protest in the northern city of Gao yesterday during which several people were reportedly killed and a number of others injured.

In an interview with UN Radio, MINUSMA spokesperson, Olivier Salgado, confirmed that a protest took place in the north-eastern Malian city on 27 January with demonstrators reacting to the establishment of a temporary security zone in Tabankort, a town due north of Gao and in a restive area of the country.

Mr. Salgado noted that crowd had surrounded the MINUSMA compound and pelted the facility with stones and Molotov cocktails, injuring two UN Police officers. As a result, he added, UN Police used tear gas and fired warning shots in order to disperse the crowd and prevent it from entering the compound.

The local press have reported four dead, three of them by gunshot, and eight others wounded among the protestors, although Mr. Salgado could issue a confirmation.

“A full investigation by MINUSMA is ongoing to determine facts, to confirm casualties, and clarify how and by whom they have been harmed,” the MINUSMA Spokesperson continued.

Meanwhile, at a press briefing in New York, UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said MINUSMA had called on all concerned to stay calm and refrain from any action that could distract from this investigation or divert further MINUSMA from its focus, which is to bring the parties to respect the ceasefire and resume political talks in Algiers.

In addition, Mr. Dujarric said the Mission urged all stakeholders involved in the Mali peace process to behave responsibly and to call on their supporters to refrain from more violence.

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La ville de Gao, au Nord-Mali, semble avoir retrouvé le calme, au lendemain d'une manifestation de la population contre la force onusienne de la MINUSMA. Les heurts ont fait quatre morts parmi les manifestants, d'après un bilan fourni, mercredi, par la Mission des Nations Unies.

Scandant : « Non à la division du Mali », « Non au fédéralisme et à l’autonomie de l’Azawad », les manifestants ont protesté contre un accord, qui, selon eux, ouvrirait une porte vers l’autonomie de l’Azawad, ont rapporté des médias locaux.

« La situation est relativement calme aujourd'hui. La MINUSMAa rencontré dans son quartier général de Gao le ministre malien de la sécurité intérieure -Sada Samaké,- et plusieurs autorités régionales pour faire le point sur la situation », a déclaré Olivier Salgado, porte-parole de la MINUSMA.

Le porte-parole de la force onusienne déployée au Mali (MINUSMA), Olivier Salgado, a confirmé mercredi, sur les ondes de la Radio des Nations Unies, que quatre personnes sont mortes, mardi, à Gao, au Nord du Mali, lors d’une manifestation contre la mission onusienne.

“Les manifestants ont attaqué le camp militaire des casques bleus avec des jets de pierre et de cocktail molotov. Ils ont blessé deux casques bleus. C’est à ce moment que les policiers ont répondu avec le gaz lacrymogène” a-t-il fait savoir.

Mardi, plus d’un millier de manifestants avaient marché sur le quartier général de la MINUSMA à Gao afin de protester contre le projet d’un accord de zone temporaire de sécurité que voudrait signer la force onusienne avec la coordination des mouvements de l’Azawad (CMA-plateforme réunissant des groupes armés séparatistes), d’après les témoignages recueillis.

Lors d'un point de presse tenu mardi soir, la MINUSMA a assuré avoir retiré son projet de zone temporaire de sécurité, à l'origine des manifestations. Selon la Mission, était un document de travail, une piste de réflexion sans aucune portée juridique, qui constituait un projet en cours d'élaboration destiné à être accepté par l'ensemble des mouvements armés puis soumis au Gouvernement. Ce document, a malheureusement été manipulé dans la forme, puis diffusé par certains médias, entraînant une confusion dans l'opinion publique, fait valoir la MINUSMA.

Arnauld Akodjènou, le Représentant spécial adjoint du Secrétaire général de la MINUSMA chargé des affaires politiques, a précisé mardi que "d'autres dispositions seront recherchées en accord avec l'ensemble des parties concernées ".

La MINUSMA exhorte toutes les parties concernées à respecter scrupuleusement leurs engagements, à résoudre leurs différends par la voie du dialogue, notamment dans le cadre du Comité Technique Mixte de Sécurité (CTMS), auquel elles ont adhéré à travers l'Accord Préliminaire de Ouagadougou, afin de poursuivre le processus de négociation de paix engagé à Alger. (Interview : Olivier Salgado, porte-parole de la MINUSMA à Bamako; propos recueillis par Jérôme Longué)

World Report 2015: Rights Aren’t Wrong in Tough Times
Human Rights a Path Out of Crisis and Chaos

(Beirut, January 29, 2015) – Governments make a big mistake when they ignore human rights to counter serious security challenges, Human Rights Watch said today in releasing its annual world report.

In the 656-page World Report 2015, its 25th edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in more than 90 countries. In his introductory essay, Executive Director Kenneth Roth highlights the counterproductive circle-the-wagons approach to human rights that many governments adopted during the past tumultuous year.

“Human rights violations played a major role in spawning or aggravating many of today’s crises,” Roth said. “Protecting human rights and ensuring democratic accountability are key to resolving them.”

The rise of the extremist group Islamic State (also known as ISIS) is among those global challenges that have sparked a subordination of human rights, Human Rights Watch said. But ISIS did not emerge out of nowhere. In addition to the security vacuum left by the US invasion of Iraq, the sectarian and abusive policies of the Iraqi and Syrian governments, and international indifference to them, have been important factors in fueling ISIS.

While Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq has pledged a more inclusive form of governance, the government still relies primarily on Shia militias, who carry out killing and cleansing of Sunni civilians with impunity. Government forces also attack civilians and populated areas. Reforming a corrupt and abusive judiciary, and ending sectarian rule so Sunnis feel they have a place in Iraq, will be at least as important as military action to stop ISIS atrocities, but al-Abadi has so far failed to implement essential reforms.

In Syria, President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have deliberately and viciously attacked civilians in opposition-held areas. Their use of indiscriminate weapons – most notoriously, barrel bombs – has made life almost intolerable for civilians.

Yet the United Nations Security Council has largely stood by, because of Russia and China using their veto power to stop unified efforts to end the carnage. The United States and its allies have allowed their military action against ISIS to overshadow efforts to push Damascus to end its abuses. This selective concern allows ISIS recruiters to portray themselves to potential supporters as the only force willing to stand up to Assad’s atrocities.

A similar dynamic is at play in Nigeria, where human rights concerns are central to the conflict. The militant Islamist group Boko Haram attacks civilians as well as Nigeria’s security forces, bombing markets, mosques, and schools and abducting hundreds of girls and young women. Nigeria’s army has often responded in an abusive manner, rounding up hundreds of men and boys suspected of supporting Boko Haram, detaining, abusing, and even killing them. But winning the “hearts and minds” of the civilian population will require that the government transparently investigate alleged army abuses and punish offenders.

This tendency to ignore human rights in the face of security challenges was a problem highlighted in the past year in the United States as well. A US Senate committee issued a damning summary of a report on CIA torture, but while President Barack Obama has rejected torture by forces under his command, he has refused to investigate, let alone prosecute, those who ordered the torture detailed in the Senate report. That abdication of his legal duty makes it more likely that future presidents will treat torture as a policy option instead of a crime. This failure also greatly weakens the US government’s ability to press other countries to prosecute their own torturers, Human Rights Watch said.

In too many countries, including Kenya, Egypt, and China, governments and security forces have responded to real or perceived terrorism threats with abusive policies that ultimately fuel crises, Human Rights Watch said. In Egypt, the government’s crushing of the Muslim Brotherhood sends the utterly counterproductive message that if political Islamists pursue power at the polls, they will be repressed without protest – which could encourage violent approaches. In France, there is a danger that the government’s response to the Charlie Hebdo attacks – using counterterrorism legislation to prosecute speech that does not incite violence – will have a chilling effect on free expression and encourage other governments to use such laws to silence their critics.

Meeting security challenges demands not only containing certain dangerous individuals but also rebuilding a moral fabric that underpins the social and political order, Human Rights Watch said.

“Some governments make the mistake of seeing human rights as a luxury for less trying times, instead of an essential compass for political action,” Roth said. “Rather than treating human rights as a chafing restraint, policymakers worldwide would do better to recognize them as moral guides offering a path out of crisis and chaos.”

(Beyrouth, le 29 janvier 2015) – Les gouvernements commettent une grave erreur lorsqu'ils délaissent les droits humains dans leurs réponses à de graves défis sécuritaires, a déclaré Human Rights Watch aujourd'hui, à l’occasion de la publication de son Rapport mondial 2015.

Cette 25e édition annuelle du Rapport mondial de Human Rights Watch, dont la version intégrale en anglais. comprend 656 pages (la version abrégée en français en compte 186), examine les pratiques en matière de droits humains dans plus de 90 pays. Dans son introduction, le Directeur exécutif Kenneth Roth montre à quel point l’approche consistant à « serrer les rangs » en ignorant les droits humains adoptée par de nombreux gouvernements au cours de l'année tumultueuse qui vient de s'écouler, est contre-productive.

« Les violations des droits humains ont joué un rôle prépondérant dans le déclenchement ou l'aggravation de bon nombre des crises actuelles », a déclaré Kenneth Roth. « Or, pour résoudre ces crises, il est essentiel de protéger ces droits et de tenir les auteurs de violations pour responsables de leurs actes dans un cadre démocratique. »

La montée du groupe extrémiste État islamique (également connu sous les sigles EI ou EIIL en français, ISIS en anglais, et Daesh en arabe) est l'une de ces crises internationales au cours desquelles les droits humains ont été relégués au second plan, selon Human Rights Watch. Pourtant, l’EI n'a pas surgi de nulle part. Outre le vide sécuritaire apparu dans le sillage de l'invasion américaine de l'Irak, les politiques abusives et sectaires des gouvernements irakien et syrien et l'indifférence de la communauté internationale à leur égard ont favorisé l'émergence de ce groupe armé.

Tandis que le Premier ministre irakien Haider al-Abadi a promis une forme de gouvernance plus représentative, son gouvernement continue de s'appuyer essentiellement sur les milices chiites qui procèdent toujours au massacre et à l'épuration des populations civiles sunnites en toute impunité. Les forces gouvernementales attaquent également des civils et des zones peuplées. Il est tout aussi important de réformer le système judiciaire répressif et corrompu et de mettre un terme aux politiques sectaires pour que les sunnites aient le sentiment d'avoir leur place en Irak que de mener l'action militaire pour mettre fin aux atrocités commises par l’EI. Or, jusqu'ici, Haider al-Abadi n'a pas mis en œuvre les réformes essentielles promises.

En Syrie, les forces du président Bashar al-Assad ont délibérément et sauvagement attaqué des civils dans des zones occupées par l'opposition. L'usage indiscriminé d’armes létales, les plus notoires étant les bombes barils, rend la vie insupportable pour les civils.

Pour autant, le Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies n’est pas intervenu, car la Russie et la Chine ont fait usage de leur droit de véto pour bloquer les initiatives concertées visant à mettre un terme au carnage. Les États-Unis et ses alliés ont permis que leur action militaire à l'encontre de l’EI éclipse les initiatives visant à contraindre Damas à mettre un terme à ses exactions. Cette inquiétude sélective permet aux recruteurs de l’EI de se présenter à leurs soutiens potentiels comme la seule force prête à contrer les atrocités commises par Bachar al-Assad.

Une dynamique similaire est à l'œuvre au Nigeria, où les questions de droits humains sont au cœur du conflit. Le groupe armé islamiste Boko Haram s’en prend aux civils ainsi qu’aux forces de sécurité du Nigéria, bombardant des marchés, des mosquées et des écoles et kidnappant des centaines de filles et de jeunes femmes. L'armée nigériane a souvent réagi de manière excessive en arrêtant des centaines d'hommes et de garçons suspectés d'avoir apporté leur soutien à Boko Haram, en les emprisonnant, les torturant et en en tuant parfois certains. Pourtant, pour conquérir le « cœur et l'esprit » des populations civiles, le gouvernement devra enquêter de façon transparente sur les abus présumés impliquant l'armée et condamner les auteurs d'exactions.

Cette tendance à faire fi des droits humains lorsque l’on est confronté à un défi sécuritaire est un problème également révélé ces huit dernières années aux États-Unis. Un comité du Sénat américain a publié le résumé d'un rapport accablant sur des actes de torture commis par la CIA ; or, le président Barack Obama a non seulement nié l'utilisation de la torture par des forces sous son commandement, mais il a aussi refusé d'enquêter, et a fortiori de poursuivre, les commanditaires des actes de torture détaillés dans le rapport du Sénat. Ce renoncement à ses responsabilités légales rend plus probable le fait que les futurs présidents considéreront la torture comme une option politique et non comme un crime. En outre, cela affaiblit grandement la capacité du gouvernement américain à faire pression sur d’autres pays pour qu’ils poursuivent leurs propres tortionnaires, a ajouté Human Rights Watch.

Dans de trop nombreux pays, notamment le Kenya, l'Égypte et la Chine, les gouvernements et les forces de l’ordre ont répondu aux menaces réelles ou perçues de terrorisme par l'instauration de mesures abusives qui, au bout du compte, alimentent les crises, a déclaré Human Rights Watch. En Égypte, la répression contre les Frères musulmans par le gouvernement envoie le message complètement contreproductif que si les islamistes politiques aspirent à accéder au pouvoir par les urnes, ils seront réprimés, ce qui pourrait encourager des actions violentes. En France, la réponse du gouvernement à l’attaque commise contre Charlie Hebdo, qui consiste à s’appuyer sur une loi antiterroriste pour poursuivre les auteurs de propos qui ne font pas réellement l'apologie de la violence, pourrait avoir pour un effet négatif sur la liberté d'expression et d'encourager d'autres gouvernements à recourir à de telles lois pour faire taire ceux qui les critiquent.

Relever les défis en matière de sécurité exige non seulement de contenir certains individus dangereux, mais aussi de reconstruire le tissu moral qui sous-tend l'ordre social et politique, a estimé Human Rights Watch.

« Certains gouvernements commettent l'erreur d'envisager les droits humains comme un luxe à ne prendre en compte que dans des temps moins difficiles, au lieu de les considérer comme une véritable composante de l'action politique » a affirmé Kenneth Roth. « Plutôt que de traiter les droits humains comme une contrainte encombrante, les décideurs politiques feraient mieux de reconnaître qu’il s’agit de repères moraux pouvant faciliter la sortie de crise et de situations de chaos. »

1/29/2015 - 15:17 GMT

Mali's president pulled out of an African Union summit Thursday to visit the restive city of Gao following the deaths of protesters in violent demonstrations against the United Nations.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita had been due to fly to Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, a day ahead of a meeting of the 54-nation bloc, but changed his plans following the bloodshed in Mali's restive north.

"He has gone there to comfort the people of Gao following the three protesters being shot dead," an aide said after he landed in northern Mali's largest city.

Keita visited demonstrators wounded in the violence and "reaffirmed that Mali is, and will remain, one and indivisible" before flying back to Bamako, an official in the regional governor's office said.

Three people were killed Tuesday on a second day of demonstrations against the UN in Gao.

Witnesses described a huge crowd of angry youths throwing stones and attempting to storm the headquarters of MINUSMA, the UN's military mission in Mali.

MINUSMA initially denied it was behind the deaths but later said it would investigate to establish its role in the violence.

The protesters were angry about a UN plan, since withdrawn, to create a "temporary security zone" in the northern town of Tabankort, which they said would undermine loyalist armed groups fighting rebels in the area.

Tabankort is part of a large swathe of desert which is the cradle of a Tuareg separatist movement that wants independence for the homeland it calls "Azawad", and from which several rebellions have been launched since the 1960s.

The town, northwest of the rebel stronghold of Kidal, is controlled by pro-government militias however which have clashed over the last month with armed rebels, leading to the deaths of fighters and civilians.

Around a dozen people were killed on Wednesday when a pro-government armed group, including suicide bombers, launched an attack on rebel fighters in Tabankort.

Algeria and the UN, which are leading mediation talks between the government and rebels, fear the violence in the north will jeopardise the peace process.

Mali gained independence from France in 1960 but ethnic divisions run deep and the west African nation has been riven by conflict for much of the last half-century.

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© 1994-2015 Agence France-Presse

January 29 2015: Nigeria’s election campaign is hotting up. With voters going to the polls in two weeks’ time, incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan is facing mounting pressure and continuing violence. Kevin McCann reports from a debate at the Royal African Society on what is at stake in Africa’s richest country.

As Africa’s richest and most populous nation, what happens in Nigeria matters. And its citizens are on tenterhooks. On February 14, they will vote on whether to extend the mandate of the current Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, or appoint challenger Muhammadu Buhari in his place.

But politics is a complicated business, and with doubts about the government’s ability to manage its oil wealth, tensions are running high as the election approaches. London’s Royal African Society held a panel discussion in January on the upcoming election, as part of its “How to Fix Nigeria?” series on the country’s prospects for 2015 and beyond. Peace Direct went along.

How to fix Nigeria – but is it broken?

Award-winning Nigerian broadcaster Funmi Iyanda chaired the discussion. Opening proceedings, she highlighted the fear that a disputed result might lead to violence. And noting the tendency to see the poll as a referendum on Goodluck Jonathan, she put the question to a packed room: “Does it matter that the election seems to be all about personalities? Where are the issues?”

The issues, of course, are many. Summing them at up at Iyanda’s request, development expert Zainab Usman – a doctoral candidate at Oxford University – said that corruption, the oil sector, the economy and Boko Haram were the topics on most people’s lips. But she also highlighted the communal violence in the Middle Belt, which has “eluded the media spotlight”.

The reality is that when the shouting is over, the budget will have to be cutThe broader question, Usman said, is that Nigeria is a rich country with lots of poor people. “How does economic growth and expansion translate into poverty reduction, jobs and other human and social development?” Paul Adams, a former foreign correspondent with experience from around the continent, said that a perfect storm of economic factors would lead to one thing – “pain” – for the election winner. With the poll coinciding with a drop in global oil prices and the value of the Nigerian currency, “the reality is that when the shouting is over, the budget will have to be cut.”

Violence: predictable or preventable?

All of this has led to fears that the election could turn ugly, whatever the result. Adams warned: “There seem to be people on both sides who won’t accept the result if it goes against them, and that’s dangerous.”

There are also concerns that some people in Nigeria’s northern states may not be able to cast their votes because of the worsening security situation.

These procedural issues are crucial, said Usman: “The best thing that can be done to mitigate the possibility of violence is to ensure that votes count. People must not feel that they have to take things into their own hands.”

For Michael Ehioze-Ediae, a barrister and writer, the violent activity of groups like Boko Haram is the “logical outcome of decades of misgovernance”. There are many dimensions to the causes and consequences of Boko Haram’s actions, he added, saying that problems with deep roots cannot be solved overnight. “Change is not something that happens automatically.”

Nonetheless, cultural critic Tola Sarumi said that Nigeria has “failed to take responsibility for its violence. Every time it happens, no-one gets punished. This emboldens people.” For Sarumi, national cohesion – or the lack of it – is one of the obstacles in the way of fixing Nigeria. She said that the government should do more to bring local, traditional and community leaders together to find common cause.

Preparing for peace: the importance of local leaders

Speaking to Peace Direct after the event, chair Funmi Iyanda said that she had enjoyed the “very spirited – and very necessary – debate.”

These elections are vital to Nigeria’s future. We cannot afford to get them wrong“These elections are vital to Nigeria’s future. We cannot afford to get them wrong,” she added. That much is clear. As for the outcome – it is too close to call. But Peace Direct will be following the results closely. Via our Local Correspondent in Nigeria, Michael Olufemi Sodipo, we will be monitoring the work of local peacebuilding groups around the country. The factors that create the potential for conflict may seem endemic – but violence does not have to be inevitable. We know there are people working to prevent it.

You can help broadcast the work, experiences and opinions of local peacebuilders through the social media tabs on your left. As a forum for peacebuilders we actively encourage debate, and so if the above piece provoked any thoughts or opinions please share them in the comment box below. This article is published under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA License. You are free to republish this article on your website, subject to some conditions. More information on republishing this article.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (CAR)
INSECURITY HAMPERS AID ACCESS
Humanitarian access continues to be hindered by various constraints, particularly violence against civilians and workers, interference with the implementation of humanitarian activities and active hostilities. Up to 21 January, 31 security incidents (four against aid workers) were reported. A French aid worker and a UN staff member were briefly kidnapped this month.

CHAD
15,000 MORE NIGERIANS EXPECTED IN 2015
Given the increase in attacks by Boko Haram and Nigeria’s upcoming elections (14 February), aid groups estimate that about 15,000 additional people could seek refuge in Chad in 2015. In addition, attacks by Boko Haram in Nigeria have also led to pre-emptive internal displacement of people living on the islands bordering Nigeria.

NIGERIA
MONGUNO TOWN SEIZED BY INSURGENTS
On 25 January, Boko Haram attacked and captured Monguno, the largest town north of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Nigerian forces launched air and ground operation to try to dislodge the militants.
5,000 IDPS REGISTERED AFTER TOWN SEIZURE
Over 5,000 IDPs who managed to make the 140-kilometre journey from Monguno to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, have been registered by NEMA. The IDPs are being offered food and non-food items as well as psychosocial support by humanitarian partners in Maiduguri.

MALI
AID WORKERS ATTACKED
Gunmen attacked a truck contracted by an international NGO to transport food in Mali’s central Goundam area. They shot and wounded the driver. Separately, armed men also hijacked seven passengers, including the head of a Malian NGO, a day earlier. All the seven passengers safely returned to Timbuktu.

LIBERIA
300 VIALS OF CANDIDATE VACCINE DISPATCHED
A first batch of a candidate Ebola vaccine has arrived in Liberia. The 300 vials of the vaccine will be used to start the first large-scale efficacy trial of experimental Ebola vaccines in the coming weeks.

REGIONAL / EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE (EVD)
The three countries worst affected by Ebola (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) continue to report a slump in cases.. A total of 145 confirmed cases were reported in all the three countries in the week that ended on January 18, down from 234 the previous week.

EVD ECONOMIC IMPACT DOWNGRADED
The World Bank has revised its predicted economic losses for West African due to Ebola from $ 25 billion to between $ 500 million and $ 6.2 billion. The Bank said the change was due to “intensive global and national responses to the epidemic”

21,689 CASES AND 8,626 DEATHS
There now are a total of 21,689 confirmed, probable and suspected EVD cases reported in the three countries and 8,626 deaths according to WHO’s 21 January update.

29/01/2015 - 16:41 GMT

Dix Camerounais ont été égorgés mardi et mercredi par des hommes armés présentés comme des islamistes nigérians de Boko Haram dans trois localités de la région de L'Extrême-Nord du Cameroun, a-t-on appris jeudi de sources locales.

Mercredi, "les corps de quatre personnes égorgées par des Boko Haram ont été découverts à Achigachia", localité frontalière du Nigeria, a affirmé à l'AFP un responsable sécuritaire en poste dans la zone. "Ils ont égorgé deux personnes chez elles" avant de tuer deux autres dans un "champ de mil", a-t-il ajouté.

Une autorité traditionnelle d'Achigachia, aujourd'hui réfugiée dans une ville voisine, a confirmé ces assassinats. "Deux des victimes sont des vieillards qui ne pouvaient pas fuir (la ville comme l'ont fait beaucoup d'autres). Les deux autres sont des jeunes", a précisé cette autorité qui a fui sa localité parce qu'elle était recherchée par des islamistes.

Toujours mercredi, "trois villageois ont été égorgés par Boko Haram" tandis que trois islamistes ont été tués lors d'un affrontement avec les populations du village de Dola, a expliqué un responsable d'une ONG de la région, Mey Ali.

"Les BH (Boko Haram) sont arrivés dans ce village et voulaient voler les boeufs (mais) les populations sont sorties avec des flèches", a-t-il ajouté, expliquant que c'est lors de la confrontation que trois villageois ont été égorgés et trois islamistes tués.

La localité de Gnam-Gnam, à trois km de la frontière du Nigeria, a été également la cible mardi d'une incursion d'islamistes qui y "ont égorgé trois villageois" et incendié des habitations, a rapporté une source proche des services de sécurité.

"La situation dans les zones proches de la frontière est extrêmement préoccupante", a commenté M. Mey Ali: Les islamistes armés "arrivent dans des villages tous les jours, pillent, tuent, soutirent de l'argent et arrachent (dans certains cas) les pièces d'identité".

De nombreux Camerounais des zones frontalières, cibles de raids meutriers de Boko Haram, ont fui vers l'intérieur de la région.

Les troupes tchadiennes, dépêchées au Cameroun pour contrer l'expansion de Boko Haram, ont pris position mercredi et jeudi dans la ville stratégique de Fotokol, poste frontière camerouno-nigérian à quelques dizaines de mètres des positions des islamistes armés.

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© 1994-2015 Agence France-Presse

1/29/2015 - 16:07 GMT

Nigeria's main opposition party on Thursday accused the government of blocking foreign journalists from covering next month's elections and urged international monitors to press for access.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) claimed there had been a "systematic denial of visas" by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

"A regime that has nothing to hide or fear will not hesitate to allow international coverage of what is undoubtedly one of the most important elections in the world this year," said APC spokesman Lai Mohammed.

"Information reaching us indicates that most of the foreign journalists who applied for visas to travel to Nigeria from different parts of the world for the elections have been kept in abeyance under the guise of security clearance.

"This is totally unacceptable and it is another indication that this administration has a lot of skeletons in its cupboard as far as the forthcoming elections are concerned."

The APC, which is expected to push the PDP close at the February 14 presidential and parliamentary vote, called on local and international election observers to take up the matter with the government.

The opposition alleges that the PDP is trying to "scuttle" the vote with a smear campaign on its candidate, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, and through the courts because it fears it will lose.

There was no immediate comment from the government on the visa issue.

Sue Valentine, Africa programme director at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said they were "extremely concerned" by the situation.

"When Africa's largest economy and most populous democracy goes to the polls it is global news," she told AFP in an email.

"In keeping with its claim that it respects press freedom and that these elections will be transparent and democratic, the Nigerian government should expedite the accreditation of journalists.

"The world can only understand the challenges and opportunities in Nigeria if journalists are on the ground and free to report a multiplicity of stories."

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© 1994-2015 Agence France-Presse

En mai 2014, la Mission de l’Union Africaine pour le Mali et le Sahel (MISAHEL), la Direction du développement et de la coopération suisse (DDC) et la station malienne Radio Kledu ont signé un accord tripartite pour la production et la diffusion de l’émission «An ka Ben! – Faisons la paix!».

Cette émission, qui est diffusée tous les samedis à 15h00 sur la Radio Kledu représente la contribution des trois partenaires aux efforts entrepris par le Mali pour une paix durable et une réconciliation nationale que tous les acteurs appellent de leurs vœux.

«An ka Ben! – Faisons la paix!» a été envisagée comme une plateforme d’échanges et de débats, ouvert à tous les Maliens, plus particulièrement aux jeunes. Tout en libérant la parole dans un cadre constructif et respectueux de la déontologie journalistique, l’émission véhicule des messages de paix et d’unité. Le but principal de cette émission est de montrer que la réconciliation concerne tous les citoyens maliens, au-delà de la sphère politique. Grâce à ce programme radiophonique, la MISAHEL, la DDC et Radio Kledu ont souhaité apporter leur contribution à l’enracinement de la culture de la paix dans le Mali d'aujourd’hui.

Source : MISAHEL

29 janvier 2015 – Le Secrétaire général des Nations Unies, Ban Ki-moon, a déploré jeudi les incidents qui ont eu lieu mardi 27 janvier lors d'une manifestation devant la base de la Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation au Mali (MINUSMA) dans la ville de Gao, au nord du pays.

Le chef de l'ONU « est attristé par la violence qui a entouré la manifestation et les informations faisant état d'au moins trois morts parmi les manifestants et de nombreux blessés », a dit son porte-parole dans une déclaration à la presse.

Selon la presse, les manifestants, qui étaient près d'un millier, auraient tenté de pénétrer au sein de la base de la MINUSMA, située en plein centre-ville.

« Le Secrétaire général a décidé de lancer une enquête pour déterminer les faits entourant cet incident tragique. L'Organisation des Nations Unies collaborera avec le gouvernement du Mali et toutes les parties sur le terrain dans cet effort », a ajouté le porte-parole.

Ban Ki-moon a présenté ses sincères condoléances aux familles de ceux qui sont morts, et a souhaité un prompt rétablissement aux personnes blessées.

Il a réitéré l'engagement des Nations Unies à soutenir la stabilisation du Mali. « Il reste profondément préoccupé par la poursuite des combats dans de nombreuses régions du pays. Le Secrétaire général rappelle à toutes les parties la nécessité de respecter leurs engagements concernant le cessez-le-feu afin de permettre la reprise urgente des négociations de paix à Alger », a précisé son porte-parole.

UNICEF is requesting US$40.2 million to meet the humanitarian needs of children in Cameroon in 2015.

Cameroon faces multiple concurrent emergencies particularly affecting the North and East of the country bordering CAR and Nigeria. Both countries are respectively torn by internal conflict and Boko Haram insurrections causing large population displacement. 312,000 refugees are expected in 2015 (CAR 242,000 and Nigeria 70,000). Most of them will be children, including 20 per cent below the age of five. Over 250,000 school-age children are in need of humanitarian assistance, including access to education. Droughts and climate hazards combined with structural weaknesses and chronic under-development result in food insecurity and under-nutrition. In Northern Cameroon between 5 per cent and 10 per cent of children are affected by acute malnutrition. For 2015, the total expected number of people experiencing global acute malnutrition (GAM) is 228,178, mostly concentrated in the four priority regions. This same area is also at high risk of cholera outbreaks and accounts for 98 per cent of all cases in 2014. In addition, 43 health districts (22.7 per cent) are at risk of a measles epidemic while nine cases of polio and suspected cases of meningitis have also emerged in the East.

Humanitarian strategy

UNICEF takes a lead role in mobilizing and involving key stakeholders in humanitarian crisis response, specifically in nutrition, WASH and education. The technical lead role undertaken by UNICEF is aimed to define critical interventions to be carried out, and to set up practical monitoring mechanisms. UNICEF supports malnourished children through community-based management of acute malnutrition and the delivery of nutritional supplements and essential drugs for treating complications among children with SAM and other childhood illnesses that are directly linked to the incidence of malnutrition. WASH activities are developed for nutritional centers and at the household level to protect children with SAM and to halt the vicious cycle of malnutrition and diarrhea. UNICEF supports the prevention and treatment of cholera through behavior change activities, including activities related to water, sanitation and hygiene services. This also includes cholera case management by making essential supplies available and by training partners in case management. In the East and Adamawa regions UNICEF has established a permanent presence, and is implementing an Integrated Emergency Response package for refugees (CAR and Nigeria) and for host communities including nutrition, health, HIV, WASH, education and child protection related interventions as part of the coordinated humanitarian effort with UNHCR. In the North of Cameroon, targeted kidnappings and armed attacks by Boko Haram are on the rise. UNICEF is increasingly concerned of the impact on the protection of children especially as several cases of children associated with armed groups are reported. UNICEF response includes Nutrition, WASH and child protection interventions for refugees, host communities and IDPs.

UNICEF is requesting US$63.1 million to meet the humanitarian needs of children in Chad in 2015.

Chad is currently experiencing simultaneous acute emergencies that are stretching response capacities. Children in Chad face malnutrition, recurrent disease epidemics and outbreaks, cyclical floods, drought and displacement. The situation is exacerbated by political instability in neighboring countries, which has resulted in 460,000 refugees and 270,000 returnees in Chad, all of whom need access to protection, education, nutrition, health, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. As of December 2014, more than 150,000 people have fled the war in the Central African Republic (CAR) and entered Chad; among them, 20,000 refugees and 130,000 returnees have settled in the south of the country in temporary centres, camps and host communities. With little rain, the long dry season there has had a significant impact on agricultural production, particularly in the Sahel belt. Over 2 million people experience food insecurity, with over 274,500 suffering from extreme food insecurity. This situation may further compromise the nutritional status of vulnerable children. It is estimated that in 2015, 334,000 cases of acute malnutrition are expected in the Sahel belt, including 95,500 cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Particularly in regions affected by food insecurity and displacement, women and children are more vulnerable to exploitation. They are often the victims of gender-based violence or at risk of being recruited by armed groups. As such, access to psychosocial support, protective services and quality education are imperative.

Humanitarian strategy

In 2015, UNICEF will continue to work with the Government of Chad to support preparedness and response efforts for the more than 5.5 million people affected by crises there, including 150,000 people affected by the CAR crisis who are in need of immediate assistance. Working with partners, UNICEF is supporting the scale-up of life-saving child survival, education, and social protection interventions. UNICEF works to decrease rates of top childhood illnesses including pneumonia, diarrhoeal-related diseases and malaria. More than 2 million children under age 5 will be vaccinated against measles, and 152,000 children with malnutrition will receive a lifesaving package of WASH and nutrition services. Up to 1,000,000 people will be reached with appropriate hygiene practices, and over 100,000 refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees will be provided with access to potable water and sanitation. In the south of Chad, UNICEF aims to provide access to education to 100,000 children living in transit/temporary centres and host communities. In regions affected by crises, UNICEF will foster a protective environment for girls and boys in accessing education, including early childhood development interventions, and will continue to support family reunification efforts. In the education sector, UNICEF will promote the child-friendly school approach as an entry point for peacebuilding programming and conflict and disaster risk reduction. To prevent the spread of water-borne diseases, such as cholera, UNICEF is building community partnerships to promote safe hygiene practices and other essential family practices. UNICEF will work with partners to assess child vulnerability and continue to strengthen government and community response capacity, to prevent and build resilience against cyclical and predictable shocks. UNICEF will enhance its readiness to provide adequate life-saving interventions by building strong partnerships and coordination mechanisms through cluster leadership roles for WASH, Nutrition, Education and Child Protection as well as a key partner role in the Health cluster.

UNICEF is requesting US$37.5 million to meet the humanitarian needs of children in Mali in 2015.

Nearly three years after its eruption, the conflict in northern Mali has an impact still felt across the country and most poignantly in Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal regions. Access to basic social services in the north remains limited in many places and non-existent in others. Due to the conflict and insecurity, there still remain over 86,000 internally displaced persons and 139,000 refugees in neighbouring countries. While efforts toward finding a political solution to the conflict in the north continue, humanitarian partners are playing a critical role in supporting lifesaving interventions through re-establishing basic social services as well as reinforcing social cohesion through peace building at the community level. The slow-onset food and nutrition crisis remains a major concern, with an estimated total of 181,000 children ages 6-59 months suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in 2015. UNICEF will continue to work with the Government on addressing the needs of malnourished children, as well as building the capacities of communities to respond to crises and reinforce their resilience against them, including natural disasters and conflict. The humanitarian situation is also marked by the threat of a further spread of the Ebola Virus Disease, cases of which were confirmed in Mali in 2014.

Humanitarian strategy

UNICEF will continue working with partners including national counterparts to improve access to and the quality of basic social services, including for populations in the north. This includes the rehabilitation of infrastructure to ensure access to safe water for 300,000 people; support for improved quality education (targeting 200,000 children) with a focus on returnees and nomadic populations; peacebuilding and mine risk education; support to survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and to the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM), in addition to mainstreaming child protection across all UNICEF sectors of intervention. UNICEF will also prioritize its response to the nutrition crisis in Mali through integrated nutrition, health, education, water, sanitation and hygiene interventions. Using innovative approaches with new technologies, UNICEF will address monitoring and reporting of nutritional information and support disaster preparedness for flooding. UNICEF humanitarian action will also keep its focus on the Ebola crisis preparedness and response through strengthening the capacity of health facilities and staff, hygiene promotion, and social mobilisation.

UNICEF is requesting US$42.5 million to meet the humanitarian needs of children in Niger in 2015.

Niger is facing a multifaceted humanitarian crisis caused by food insecurity, malnutrition, population movements, epidemics, and natural disasters – and the crisis is compounded by an increase in the frequency of calamities and insufficient emergency preparedness. As of October 2014, 5.3 million people are considered to be at risk of food insecurity1, and this number is expected to decrease in 2015 to 4.3 million2. Prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children aged 6 to 59 months is 14.8 per cent and 2.7 per cent, respectively3. Due to security concerns in Mali, the return of Malian refugees has almost stopped in 2014, with 50,000 Malian refugees still hosted in Niger. In addition, worsening security in the northeast Nigeria and cholera outbreaks in that region caused displacement of 105,000 people to Niger4 and additional influx is expected during 20155. Since the beginning of 2014, Niger has faced outbreaks of cholera, including 1,660 cases and 51 deaths registered as of the end of October, mainly in the districts neighboring Nigeria. In 2015, UNICEF will continue to support the Government in implementing measures aimed at preventing and preparing for an Ebola outbreak. Humanitarian access, especially in the border areas of Mali and Nigeria, remains a challenge due to security constraints.

Humanitarian strategy

In 2015, UNICEF’s humanitarian strategy remains harmonized with the Government’s ‘National Support Plan’. UNICEF and partners will support the Government in responding to the needs of approximately 1.4 million vulnerable people including: an estimated 367,000 children affected by SAM; 121,500 people affected by displacement (105,000 people displaced from Nigeria and 16,500 refugee children from Mali); and 880,000 people vulnerable to water-borne diseases (including 400,000 through Cholera- and Ebola-prevention activities, 420,000 people through Wash in Nut activities, and 60,000 affected by flooding). As the lead of the Nutrition, WASH, Education and Child Protection clusters in Niger, UNICEF supports the integration of activities through the integration of WASH and psychosocial support packages within nutrition interventions to increase WASH access, improve child development, promote healing and reduce the risk of relapse. Through a Letter of Understanding with UNHCR, UNICEF is supporting the Malian refugees and the displaced people from Nigeria (refugees and returnees) by ensuring their access to primary services. In 2015, UNICEF will ensure quality education for 11,500 Malian refugees and 8,500 displaced children from Nigeria; and psychosocial support for 5,000 children from Mali and 36,000 children from Nigeria. In addition, UNICEF will support increased access to water, hygiene and sanitation for approximately 52,500 people who found refuge in host communities in Diffa. UNHCR will cover access to water and sanitation for the Malian refugees in the camps. UNICEF will support prevention and treatment of malnutrition for all the refugee children from Mali and for displaced children in Diffa. To prevent a further spread of cholera, UNICEF is partnering with Ministries of Health, Water and Sanitation and WHO to deliver an integrated package of services to cholera-prone areas, including distribution of a minimum cholera non-food item kit to 400,000 people at risk, including soap and household water treatments tabs (PUR or Aquatabs).

Les stocks des récoltes limitées impactent négativement la sécurité alimentaire

MESSAGE CLES

• La baisse de la production de céréales de 37 pour cent par rapport à la moyenne réduit la disponibilité en céréales locales particulièrement dans les régions du nord, de l’ouest et du bassin arachidier. La baisse des revenus agricoles à cause de la réduction de 51 pour cent par rapport à la moyenne de la production d’arachide, principale culture de rente du pays, réduit le pouvoir d’achat des ménages.

• L’épuisement précoce des stocks dès mars contrairement à juin en année normale prolonge plus que d’habitude la dépendance des ménages pauvres au marché et rend difficile la couverture des besoins alimentaires. Malgré le recours plus intense que d’habitude des ménages aux emprunts, à la réduction des dépenses non alimentaires les affectées seront en insécurité alimentaire aiguë de Stress (Phase 2 de l’IPC) de mars à avril et de Crise (Phase 3 de l’IPC) à partir de mai.

• Le déficit de pâturage dans les zones du nord et du centre affectera négativement les productions animales et par conséquent le pouvoir d’achat des éleveurs. Le risque élevé de mortalité de bétail à partir d’avril réduira les moyens d’existence des ménages agropasteurs et éleveurs.

By Jolien Carnel

With recent flooding and displacement in Malawi heightening children’s vulnerability, UNICEF has intensified its efforts to treat and prevent sickness and malnutrition.

CHIKWAWA, Malawi, 29 January 2015 – It’s a new day at Tizola Green Bank Camp. Those who managed to find a comfortable place to sleep have woken up hungry after another night. As children are particularly affected by the lack of food, the District Health Office organizes an under-5 clinic in the camp every morning.

The camp houses 1,470 inhabitants who have been displaced after Malawi experienced heavy rains and flooding on a scale not seen for over 20 years. More than half the camp’s population are children.

At the clinic, community health workers and volunteers carry out growth monitoring and nutrition screening. The measuring equipment scares some of the little ones, who struggle and cry when placed on the wooden height boards. Others have been here before, and bravely allow the Health Surveillance Assistant (HSA) to measure their length and weight, and check their middle upper arm circumference (MUAC) with the coloured tape.

Usually, children are monitored and screened once a month, but with UNICEF support the under-5 clinic is running daily. This enables health workers to follow up the children’s health and nutrition situation more closely, so sickness and malnutrition can be detected early.

Serious situation

This southern district of Malawi has some of the poorest communities in the country, mostly existing on subsistence agriculture, and often suffering food insecurity and poor diets.

“When I heard about the clinic, I rushed to have my daughter Elisa screened,” says Alefa Wilson, who found shelter close to Tizola Green Bank Camp. “Elisa is almost 2 years old and suffered minor diseases when the water came. As our house collapsed, we were trapped for three days, and her situation deteriorated,” Alefa recalls.

At the clinic, the HSA quickly noticed that Elisa’s situation was very serious. She was diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition and was immediately referred to the district hospital.

While Alefa accompanies little Elisa to the hospital, five other mothers receive therapeutic food and information on how to feed their malnourished children through the outpatient programme.

Malnutrition is generally a problem in Malawi, where 4 per cent of the children suffer from severe acute malnutrition and 42 per cent are affected by stunting (too short for age), which can slow physical and cognitive growth. Moreover, the diet of many Malawian children looks just about the same every day, depriving them of the variety of food they need to grow into strong adults. According to the Malawi MDG Endline Survey, only 26.6 per cent of children between 6 months and 2 years received foods from four or more food groups during the previous day.

Children in Malawi are thus already at risk for malnutrition, and being displaced after the flooding is making them more vulnerable. Many people at Tizola saw the water completely submerge their crops and belongings, leaving them without food and with a lot of worries. Without an adequate and diversified diet, it is projected that more children in the affected areas will become malnourished. The conditions in the camp also expose them to a higher risk of diseases such as diarrhoea and infections, making health and nutrition screening even more essential.

A tough task

In Tizola, 81 children have been screened on this day, including the 2-year-old twins Johanna and Joanna. Their mother Kenti is breastfeeding, but it’s difficult because she hasn’t eaten much herself. Kenti is in the camp with her four other children and husband. And feeding so many mouths is a tough task. “All our crops are washed away, and when the boat came to rescue us, we couldn’t take anything from our destroyed home. I literally don’t have anything. All I could rescue are my children.”

For now, growth monitoring and nutrition screening is being initiated in the camps in Nsanje and Chikwawa, where the flooding has hit hardest. UNICEF is supporting the daily clinics run by the district health and nutrition staff, as well as supplying the therapeutic food supplies needed to treat malnourished children.

When we visit Elisa the next day in the pediatric ward of the hospital, she is already doing better. She enjoys drinking her therapeutic milk and is visibly improving.

Background: Malawi suffered prolonged heavy rains in early January, leading to unprecedented flooding in southern and eastern districts. With at least 170,000 displaced, UNICEF is working through its teams on the ground in Blantyre and Zomba to deliver life-saving interventions to those in the hardest-hit districts: Nsanje, Chikwawa and Phalombe. Focused on displaced women and children, UNICEF is supporting its partners, including the Government of Malawi, to provide clean water and temporary sanitation, treat acutely malnourished children, and support mobile health clinics in the evacuation camps. UNICEF is appealing for US$9.3 million to provide emergency interventions for the next three months.

Les rapports sur les perspectives de la sécurité alimentaire de FEWS NET pour janvier à juin 2015 au Sahel et en Afrique de l’ouest sont basés sur les hypothèses régionales suivantes établies en fin décembre 2014:

PERFORMANCE DE LA SAISON

Production céréalière

Malgré des déficits localisés, la production céréalière pour 2014/15 est supérieure à la moyenne. La réunion de concertation technique régionale du CILSS/PREGEC de novembre 2014 sur les bilans alimentaires prévisionnels a évalué la production céréalière prévisionnelle 2014/2015 au Sahel et en Afrique de l’ouest à 48 510 000 tonnes. Cette production ne tient pas compte de celle du Mali et du Niger. FEWS NET estime que si l’on considère les productions prévisionnelles rendues disponibles par le Mali après la réunion du PREGEC, et 2012 comme année similaire pour le Niger la production céréalière prévisionnelle 2014/2015 en Afrique de l’ouest se situerait autour de 60 600 000 tonnes, soit une hausse de 7 pour cent par rapport à 2013/2014 et de 10 pour cent par rapport à la moyenne. Le maïs, le riz et le sorgho sont en hausse par rapport aux deux périodes de référence tandis que le mil connait une baisse de 8 pour cent par rapport à la moyenne. Les zones ayant enregistré des baisses les plus importantes de production céréalièresincluent la Mauritanie (l’ouest et le centre-sud du pays), le centre-nord du Sénégal, la Gambie, l’extrême nord du Burkina Faso, le Niger (localement dans les régions de Diffa, Tillabéri et Tahoua), le Nigeria (nord-est et centre-ouest du pays), le Mali (localement dans les régions centre du pays et à l’ouest de Kayes) et le Tchad (Sahel et l’ouest du Chari Baguirmi).

Agroclimatologie

L’installation de la saison agricole pourrait intervenir aux dates habituelles dans la plupart de la région. En janvier 2015, le Front Intertropical (FIT) fluctuera autour de l'équateur, occasionnant au cours de la même période des précipitations faibles et limitées dans la zone bimodale des pays du Golfe de Guinée. Cependant, à partir de février, le FIT pourrait reprendre sa remontée saisonnière normale vers le nord. Cela provoquera un démarrage de la saison des pluies à temps dans toute la région avec le début des pluies dans la zone bimodale en fin février/début mars et plus tard en mai/juin dans les régions plus au nord. Par conséquent, le démarrage des activités agricoles pour la saison agricole 2015/16 commencera à une période normale dans toute la région.

Le criquet pèlerin et autres infestations phytosanitaires et aviaires

La situation phytosanitaire est globalement calme et pourra le demeurer tout au long de la campagne de saison sèche. La reproduction du criquet pèlerin est restée faible dans les aires grégarigènes au Niger et dans l’ouest de la Mauritanie. Il se peut que des criquets soient présents dans le nord du Mali mais en raison de l’insécurité civile qui y prévaut, aucune prospection ne permet de le confirmer. Avec le dessèchement de la végétation qui a débuté en octobre, les adultes se concentrent pour former des groupes dans les ilots encore verdoyants sans pour autant représenter un danger majeur pour les cultures de décrue et les pâturages pendant la saison sèche (octobre à mars).

Since 2011, an estimated 15.5 million people in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe have been adversely affected by the Boko Haram insurgence. An inter-agency assessment mission in May 2014 showed that the number of IDPs had almost reached 647,000 but more recently the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) estimated that there are 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the six states of that region. The large majority of IDPs are women and children who are accommodated in host communities with limited resources, consequently putting pressure on these hosts. Insurgent attacks this year have escalated in frequency and intensity, resulting in increased displacement and the establishment of camps accommodating over 103,000 IDPs. The indicators in the northern states of Nigeria are significantly worse than the central and southern states. In the northeast, Global Acute Malnutrition rates are 12 per cent; and only 44.5 per cent of children are vaccinated against measles, with only 46 and 21 per cent of the population, respectively, having access to improved sources of drinking water and latrines. The number of out-of-school children across Nigeria has reached 10.5 million (around 60 per cent girls). Almost one out of every three primary age children and one out of four junior secondary age children are out of school.

Total affected population: 15.5 million

Total affected children (under 18): 7.3 million

Total people to be reached in 2015: 922,000

Total children to be reached in 2015: 440,000

2015 Programme Targets

Nutrition

• 98,000 children ages 6-59 months admitted for SAM treatment

Health

• 440,000 children will benefit from a high-impact health package

• 482,000 women of reproductive age will benefit from a high-impact health package

WASH

• 210,000 conflict-affected people including IDPs and host communities provided with access to safe water per agreed standards

• 40,000 IDPs benefitting from improved sanitation

• 210,000 conflict-affected persons benefiting from hygiene promotion messages

Child Protection

• 45,000 conflict-affected children reached with psychosocial support and referred to specialist support services where required

Education

• 80,000 displaced children access education in a protective and safe learning environment

• 200,000 conflict-affected schoolaged children reached with pedagogic materials