Lake Chad Basin - Complex Emergency Fact Sheet #12, Fiscal Year (FY) 2017

SC/12773

SECURITY COUNCIL
7911TH MEETING (PM)

Egypt Calls for Full Participation in Negotiations as Russian Federation Says Text Wrongly Defines Situation as ‘Conflict’

The Security Council adopted its first resolution addressing Boko Haram’s presence in the Lake Chad Basin today, expressing concern about the protection needs of civilians affected by terrorism, including those resulting from sexual exploitation and abuse, extra-judicial killings and torture.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2349 (2017), the Council strongly condemned all terrorist attacks, violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses by Boko Haram and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) in the region, including killings, abductions, child, early and forced marriage, rape, sexual slavery and the increasing use of girls as suicide bombers. Those responsible must be held to account and brought to justice.

By other terms, the Council encouraged Governments to enhance regional military cooperation, and to move “vigorously and decisively” to cut funding flows to individuals, groups, undertakings and entities on the ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions List, including Boko Haram. It urged Lake Chad Basin Governments to implement consistent policies to promote defections from Boko Haram and ISIL, to deradicalize and reintegrate those who had already defected, and to ensure there was no impunity for those responsible for terrorist attacks.

On the humanitarian front, the Council urged all parties to the conflict to ensure respect for and protection of humanitarian personnel, and to facilitate safe, timely and unhindered access for humanitarian organizations to deliver aid. In terms of follow-up, the Council encouraged the Secretary-General to carry out a joint visit to the Lake Chad Basin region with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the President of the World Bank Group and the President of the African Development Bank.

In the ensuing discussion, delegates welcomed the Council’s unity in passing the resolution on the heels of its mission to Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria from 2 to 7 March to better understand the conflict’s root causes. Several urged the quick disbursement of funds pledged at the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region, held on 24 February.

Cameroon’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, described the resolution as a “step change” in mobilizing international support for countries to combat Boko Haram. “We are fighting against terrorism,” he stressed, noting that the military response, while essential, should be part of a holistic approach. He pressed States to adopt and implement measures to tackle the causes and consequences of the current situation, expressing hope that the resolution would mark the start of more decisive support to regional countries, which had been forced to curtail spending on education, health and other efforts.

In similar vein, Nigeria’s representative welcomed the resolution’s call for enhanced regional military cooperation and coordination, emphasizing that his country was resolute in its efforts to defeat terrorism. The people of the Lake Chad Basin needed support, he said, pointing out that shrinking of Lake Chad had exacerbated their hardship, with cross-border knock-on effects making it difficult for Governments to meet people’s needs.

Senegal’s representative welcomed the resolution as “the first of its kind”, with its pledge to support the efforts of Lake Chad Basin countries to combat Boko Haram, and in so doing, to resolve the humanitarian crisis sparked in 2009 by that group’s activities.

Other speakers, while having joined the consensus, took issue with the Council’s working methods, with the Russian Federation’s representative emphasizing that the resolution had been rushed through under the United Kingdom Presidency. It did not recognize the irresponsible policy of interference by some States in the affairs of others, he pointed out, while also describing the text as “unrefined” in its description of the Lake Chad Basin situation as a “conflict”, when, in fact, it was of a counter-terrorism nature.

Egypt’s delegate also underlined the need for full participation by all Council members, notably those from Africa, when discussing issues on the continent. The Council must take the concerns and proposals of all countries on board to avoid unacceptable interference in internal State affairs, he added.

The United Kingdom’s representative added: “We will fail the people of the region if we do not respond to what we saw.”

Also speaking were representatives of Japan, Ethiopia, Bolivia and China.

The meeting began at 1:18 p.m. and ended at 1:55 p.m.

Statements

FODÉ SECK (Senegal) welcomed the resolution as “the first of its kind” on the Lake Chad Basin, saying it testified to the Council’s pledge to support countries combating the Boko Haram terrorist movement, and in so doing, resolve the humanitarian crisis. It also arrived on the heels of the Council’s visit to Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria from 2 to 7 March. Noting that the region had faced a security and humanitarian crisis since the advent of Boko Haram in 2009, he said the resolution invited continued action against that group through the Multinational Joint Task Force. Noting that bilateral and multilateral efforts had helped the Task Force boost its logistical, mobility, communications, equipment and intelligence capacities, he called for contributions to its trust fund, requesting that the $400,000 pledged at the Oslo Conference be urgently disbursed. The resolution encouraged Governments to enhance coordination, and for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Lake Chad Basin Commission to devise a joint strategy to tackle the causes behind Boko Haram’s existence.

AMR ABDELLATIF ABOULATTA (Egypt), expressing support for the text, said it underscored the importance of sovereignty, while staying within the Council’s mandate. It also expressed the Council’s solidarity with countries in their efforts against Boko Haram, despite limited capacity, the complex military environment and the severity of the humanitarian crisis. Negotiations had demonstrated the imperative of improving the Council’s working methods regarding consultations on draft resolutions, he said, emphasizing the need to uphold transparency and allow full participation by all members — whether permanent or non-permanent, and notably African members — when discussing issues relating to the continent. The Council must maintain transparent communications on any draft resolution with all countries concerned, taking their concerns and proposals on board, he said, underlining, especially, the need to avoid unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of States and to keep abreast of realities on the ground.

KORO BESSHO (Japan) said the resolution’s unanimous adoption marked a milestone in the Council’s increased attention to the Lake Chad Basin. Describing terrorism, trafficking, food insecurity and climate change as issues that could not be solved individually, he said the text emphasized that security gains must be paired with efforts to address development, human rights and the root causes of instability. Japan urged building on today’s “foundational” resolution by using a variety of tools to achieve such aims through the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and the Peacebuilding Commission, as well as subregional and regional organizations, and bilateral and multilateral support mechanisms.

TEKEDA ALEMU (Ethiopia) said the resolution conveyed the right message following negotiations. Underscoring the impact of climate-change-induced challenges, as well as falling commodity prices on the Lake Chad Basin region, he said there had been little recognition of their severity on the international community’s part. The resolution remained true to the Council’s commitment to the region’s countries, which had enthusiastically welcomed its recent mission and “expect nothing less”, he said. Hopefully, the text would live up to those expectations, he added.

EVGENY ZAGAYNOV (Russian Federation) said his country had supported the resolution in light of the importance of maintaining Council unity on the issue. However, not all its comments and arguments had been taken on board, he said, emphasizing that it was incorrect to describe the Lake Chad Basin situation as a “conflict”. In fact, the Council had designated Boko Haram as a terrorist organization, he recalled, emphasizing that the situation on the ground was, therefore, of a counter-terrorism nature. In addition, the resolution did not recognize the irresponsible policy of interference exercised by some States in the affairs of others — as had been done in Libya. The delegation of the Russian Federation had urged its counterpart not to “rush” the resolution, but the latter had been determined to pass it under the United Kingdom Presidency and had not heeded those warnings, he said, adding that its actions had resulted in an “unrefined” text.

PEDRO LUIS INCHAUSTE JORDÁN (Bolivia) said the resolution aimed to demonstrate support for the Governments of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria in their struggle against Boko Haram. Calling on the Council to maintain its unanimity around that issue, and to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of those countries, he echoed concerns voiced by other delegates over the Council’s working methods. There had not been enough negotiating time on the resolution, he pointed out, saying he would have preferred to hold two further rounds of talks on its contents.

SHEN BO (China) emphasized the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the region, and to help them upgrade their counter-terrorism abilities. Support should also be provided to help the Multinational Joint Task Force improve the humanitarian situation. The Council should pay due attention to any concerns expressed about the draft, reflecting them in the text, so as to achieve maximum consensus.

MATTHEW RYCROFT (United Kingdom), Council President for March, spoke in his national capacity, emphasizing that it was not enough merely to bring attention to the region. “We will fail the people of the region if we do not respond to what we saw.” The resolution made clear the need for the international community and the United Nations to scale up the response to the humanitarian crisis, notably by quickly disbursing funds pledged at the Oslo Conference, supporting the efforts of regional Governments to build an efficient crisis response, addressing economic inequalities and empowering women, especially since Boko Haram exploited men who viewed women as objects. He called for improved bridging of humanitarian and development programmes, as well as greater support for the Task Force, expressing hope for the deployment of United Nations human rights advisers.

TOMMO MONTHE (Cameroon), speaking on behalf of the Lake Chad Basin Commission — comprising also Niger, Nigeria and Chad — said the Council’s unprecedented visit had allowed it to take stock of the nature of Boko Haram, a nebulous terrorist group that used girls as suicide bombers, burned down schools, raided cattle and ambushed both soldiers and civilians. The Council had witnessed national military, humanitarian, diplomatic and other efforts to counter the group, he said, underlining: “We are fighting against terrorism.” Indeed, Boko Haram was associated with Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), he pointed out. Given the humanitarian, economic, political, social and military costs of the crisis, regional countries understood that the military response, though essential, should be part of a holistic approach, he said, stressing that each State must adopt and implement measures to tackle the causes and consequences of the current situation.

Welcoming the text’s mention of national development plans, he said the Commission had stepped up cooperation with ECCAS and ECOWAS. While the Multilateral Joint Task Force had reduced Boko Haram’s military capacity, the group was not asleep, he cautioned. It continued to carry out suicide bombings, abductions and ambushes. Hopefully, today’s resolution would mark the start of more decisive support for the Task Force and regional initiatives, as well as to Lake Chad Basin countries forced to curtail spending on education, health and other services. He welcomed paragraphs 33 and 34 of the text, on a joint visit by the Secretary-General, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the President of the World Bank Group and the President of the African Development Bank, expressing hope that the Secretary-General’s report would be bold and focused on the most appropriate solutions.

ANTHONY BOSAH (Nigeria), associating himself with the Lake Chad Basin Commission, said his country had expectations that, when military gains were made at the present critical juncture, the international community would continue to engage the Government of Nigeria in efforts to protect civilians and resolve the humanitarian situation. He said he looked forward to a constructive approach from the Council, emphasizing that Nigeria was resolute in its efforts to defeat terrorism and had put a human-rights-based strategy in place to achieve that aim.

He went on to state that a Presidential Committee had been empowered to coordinate various efforts. Nigeria continued to advance existing legal and institutional frameworks to attain humanitarian effectiveness. It was providing food, health care and access to water for those in need, and engaging religious leaders as a way to discourage young people from becoming radicalized. Stressing that the people of the Lake Chad Basin needed United Nations support, he said it was time to provide comprehensive assistance, including help with peacebuilding. Noting that the shrinking of Lake Chad had exacerbated the hardship, with cross-border knock-on effects making it more difficult for Governments to meet people’s needs, he called for spirited efforts to alleviate human suffering, reiterating that the region’s future lay in the security and stability of the resources around Lake Chad.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 2349 (2017) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its previous resolutions and presidential statements on counter-terrorism, conflict prevention in Africa, the protection of civilians, women, peace and security, children and armed conflict, and on the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA),

“Recalling its visit to the Lake Chad Basin region (the region) from 2 to 7 March 2017 to engage in dialogue with the Governments of Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, displaced persons, security and humanitarian personnel, civil society including women’s organizations, and regional bodies,

“Affirming its solidarity and full support for the conflict-affected populations of the region including displaced and host communities who are suffering from the ongoing security crisis, humanitarian emergency and development deficits resulting from the violence by terrorist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da’esh), and its solidarity with the respective Governments in their efforts to address these urgent needs, whilst addressing adverse economic conditions,

“Affirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria,

“Recognizing the determination and ownership of the Governments in the region, as well as subregional and regional organizations, to address the impact of Boko Haram and ISIL,

“Expressing grave concern at the ongoing terrorist attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram and ISIL, and the dire humanitarian situation across the region caused by the activities of Boko Haram, including large-scale displacement, and the risk of famine in north-east Nigeria,

“Reaffirming that terrorism in all forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivations, whenever and by whomever committed, and remaining determined to contribute further to enhancing the effectiveness of the overall effort to fight this scourge on a global level,

“Expressing deep concern that terrorist groups benefiting from transnational organized crime and trafficking in all forms may contribute to undermining affected States, specifically their security, stability, governance, social and economic development, and recognizing the connection between trafficking in persons, sexual violence and terrorism and other transnational organized criminal activities, which can prolong and exacerbate conflict and instability or intensify its impact on civilian populations,

“Recognizing that security, development and human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing and are vital to an effective and comprehensive approach to countering terrorism, stabilization and reconciliation,

“Welcoming the commitment expressed by the Governments in the region to combat Boko Haram, in order to create a safe and secure environment for civilians, enable the return of internally displaced persons and refugees, facilitate stabilization, and enable access for humanitarian organizations, in accordance with the African Union Peace and Security Council’s mandate, commending the important territorial advances by the Governments in the region against Boko Haram, including through the Multinational Joint Task Force which has contributed to the liberation of hostages, the arrest of Boko Haram members, and an increase in the number of defectors, and further paying tribute to all those who have lost lives in the fight against Boko Haram,

“Recognizing the threat posed by terrorist groups Boko Haram and ISIL, and recalling that Boko Haram has been designated as associated with Al-Qaida by the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee (the Committee),

“Underscoring the need for a holistic, comprehensive approach to degrade and defeat Boko Haram and ISIL that includes coordinated security operations, conducted in accordance with applicable international law, as well as enhanced civilian efforts to improve governance, promote development and economic growth in affected areas, tackle radicalization, and ensure women’s empowerment and protection,

“Recognizing the interconnectedness of the challenges facing the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel region and encouraging greater regional and international coherence in addressing these challenges,

Security, Protection of Civilians and Human Rights

“1. Strongly condemns all terrorist attacks, violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights by Boko Haram and ISIL in the region, including those involving killings and other violence against civilians, notably women and children, abductions, pillaging, child, early and forced marriage, rape, sexual slavery and other sexual and gender-based violence, and recruitment and use of children, including increasingly the use of girls as suicide bombers, and destruction of civilian property, and calls for those responsible for these acts to be held accountable, and brought to justice;

“2. Recalls the Communiqués of the African Union Peace and Security Council on Boko Haram, including from the 484th meeting, recognizes the continued support of the African Union to the Multinational Joint Task Force, and calls for the Member States of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin to continue their efforts in the fight against Boko Haram and implementation of the communiqués; further acknowledging the need for an effective and strategic relationship between the African Union Peace and Security Council and the Security Council, to enable both institutions to support stability and development in the Lake Chad Basin;

“3. Encourages Governments in the region to sustain momentum, further enhance regional military cooperation and coordination, comply with obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, secure the conditions to enable safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access, facilitate the restoration of civilian security and the rule of law in areas restored to Government control, and guarantee free movement of goods and persons; and further encourages regional collaboration on the implementation of the 2016 Abuja Regional Security Summit conclusions and strengthened cooperation under the auspices of a third Regional Security Summit in 2018, including with respect to post-conflict stabilization and recovery;

“4. Welcomes the multilateral and bilateral support provided to the military efforts in the region and encourages greater support to strengthen the operational capability of the Multinational Joint Task Force to further the region’s efforts to combat Boko Haram and ISIL, which may include appropriate, logistical, mobility and communications assistance, equipment, as well as modalities to increase effective information sharing as appropriate, given the complex environment in which they operate and the evolving tactics of Boko Haram and ISIL, as well as training, including on sexual and gender-based violence, gender and child protection;

“5. Calls for the urgent deployment of the remaining Multinational Joint Task Force civilian personnel, including Human Rights Advisers through the African Union, and a dedicated Gender Adviser, and for the pledges made at the African Union donor conference of 1 February 2015 in support of the Multinational Joint Task Force to be promptly fulfilled, encourages the African Union to disperse funds provided for the Multinational Joint Task Force by key partners, further encourages Member States to contribute generously to the African Union Trust Fund, and requests the Secretary-General to advocate strongly with the international community and donors in support of this effort;

“6. Reiterates its call on Member States to move vigorously and decisively to cut the flows of funds and other financial assets and economic resources to individuals, groups, undertakings and entities on the ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions List, including Boko Haram, reiterates its readiness to consider listing individuals, groups, undertakings and entities providing support to Boko Haram, including those who are financing, arming, planning or recruiting for Boko Haram, and in this regard encourages all Member States to submit to the Committee listing requests for individuals, groups, undertakings and entities supporting Boko Haram;

“7. Calls upon the countries of the region to prevent, criminalize, investigate, prosecute and ensure accountability of those who engage in transnational organized crime, in particular in arms trafficking and trafficking in persons;

“8. Calls upon relevant United Nations entities, including UNOCA, UNOWAS, and the United Nations Office to the African Union to redouble their support for Governments in the region, as well as subregional and regional organizations, to address the impact of Boko Haram and ISIL violence on the peace and stability of the region, including by addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, and violent extremism that can be conducive to terrorism, in line with the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and to conduct and gather gender-sensitive research and data collection on the drivers of radicalization for women, and the impacts of counter-terrorism strategies on women’s human rights and women’s organizations, in order to develop targeted and evidence-based policy and programming responses;

“9. Calls upon Member States to ensure that any measures taken to counter terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular, international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law; and further encourages Governments in the region to consider, in discussion with communities, the potential impact of operations against and security responses to Boko Haram and ISIL on people’s livelihoods, and freedom of movement;

“10. Expresses regret at the tragic loss of life in the January 2017 Rann incident, welcomes the commitment expressed by relevant Nigerian authorities to investigate and ensure accountability for those responsible, and calls for transparency on the findings of the investigation report and action taken;

“11. Expresses concern about the protection needs of civilians in the region affected by the scourge of terrorism, including those resulting from sexual exploitation and abuse, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detention, torture, and recruitment and use of children in violation of international law; and welcomes initial steps taken such as the deployment of female members of the security services to internally displace persons camps where sexual exploitation and abuse has been reported or confirmed;

“12. Reiterates the primary responsibility of Member States to protect civilian populations on their territories, in accordance with their obligations under international law, and calls on all Governments in the region, and as relevant the United Nations and other actors, to prioritize human rights protection concerns including through: greater cooperation by concerned Governments with the Office of United Nations the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Offices of the Special Representatives on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Children and Armed Conflict; taking urgent measures to prevent arbitrary arrest and detention and ensure that persons deprived of liberty are treated in accordance with international law; enhanced capacity and responsiveness of national human rights mechanisms across the region; and taking measures to increase the number of women in the security sector;

“13. Emphasizes the importance of strengthening cross-border judicial cooperation in identifying and prosecuting perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses, as well as the most serious crimes, such as sexual and gender-based violence; calls on Governments in the region to provide rapid access for survivors of abduction and sexual violence to specialized medical and psychosocial services, and community reintegration, to prevent stigmatization and persecution, and encourages the international community to extend its support in this regard; urges the prompt investigation of all allegations of abuse, including sexual abuse, and holding those responsible accountable; and encourages the creation of a timeline for transferral of camp management to civilian structures to ensure the civilian nature of internally displaced persons sites, whilst taking due consideration of the security situation in these sites;

“14. Urges Governments in the region to ensure women’s full and equal participation in national institutions and mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of conflicts, including in the development of strategies to counter Boko Haram and ISIL, welcomes initial efforts in the region to address women’s representation such as the 25-per-cent quota for elected offices in Niger, and strongly encourages the further development, implementation and funding of National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security by Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria; and encourages all regional organizations engaged in peace and security efforts in the region to ensure that gender analysis and women’s participation are integrated into their assessments, planning and operations;

Humanitarian

“15. Welcomes the efforts of Governments in the region and of regional and subregional organizations, as well as the hospitality provided by host communities for the millions of displaced people, the majority of whom are women and children, who are uniquely impacted, and urges Governments in the region, donors and relevant international non-governmental organizations to urgently redouble their efforts and ensure close coordination, including between development and humanitarian actors, in particular to enhance early recovery, food security, improve living conditions, and increase livelihood opportunities;

“16. Urges all parties to the conflict to ensure respect for and protection of humanitarian personnel, facilities, and their means of transport and equipment, and to facilitate safe, timely and unhindered access for humanitarian organizations to deliver lifesaving aid to affected people, and in particular in the case of Governments, where applicable, through facilitating bureaucratic and administrative procedures such as the expediting of outstanding registrations, and importation of humanitarian supplies, and further calls upon Governments in the region to increase collaboration with United Nations partners including through more effective civilian-military coordination mechanisms;

“17. Welcomes the $458 million in humanitarian assistance pledged at the Oslo conference for 2017 and urges swift disbursement of these funds to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian crisis and to begin to address endemic development needs; and strongly encourages all other/non-traditional donors to contribute in line with the needs highlighted in the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plans of each country;

“18. Further welcomes the Government of Nigeria’s announcement of its 2017 spending plans for north-east Nigeria which project total federal and state government expenditure of $1 billion on development and humanitarian activities, and urges swift implementation of these plans;

“19. Welcomes the scaling up of the United Nations response, especially in north-east Nigeria, and calls for further deployment of experienced staff, measures to reduce staff turnover, and strong coordination, including through creation of civil-military coordination guidelines, provision of training to further improve coordination between armed forces and humanitarian personnel, coordination across borders and the development of multi-year prioritized plans; and further calls on all humanitarian organizations to ensure programming is gender-sensitive, based on strengthening resilience within communities and developed based on the need of, and where possible in consultation with affected people and local organizations;

“20. Urges relevant national and through them local authorities to ensure that resources dedicated to the humanitarian effort are directed to those most in need;

“21. Calls upon Governments in the region to ensure that the return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their areas of origin is voluntary, based on informed decisions, and in safety and dignity; urges relevant national and local authorities to work cooperatively with displaced persons and host communities, to prevent secondary displacement of affected populations, and to take all necessary steps to respond to the humanitarian needs of host communities, and encourages the international community to extend its support in this regard; welcomes the signing by the Governments of Nigeria and Cameroon, and the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), of the tripartite agreement on 2 March 2017 on the voluntary repatriation of Nigerian refugees, and urges its swift and complete implementation;

Root Causes and Development

“22. Calls upon the Governments in the region to take further measures to address social, political, economic and gender inequalities, and environmental challenges, and to develop strategies to counter the violent extremist narrative that can incite terrorist acts, and address the conditions conducive to the spread of violent extremism, which can be conducive to terrorism, including by empowering youth, families, women, religious, cultural and education leaders, in order to help address the conditions which have enabled the emergence and survival of Boko Haram and ISIL;

“23. Recognizes the complex challenges faced by the region and welcomes the development of programmes by the respective Governments to help build and sustain peace by addressing the root causes of the crisis, namely the ‘Buhari Plan’ of Nigeria, the Programme ‘Renaissance’ of Niger, the ‘Recovery Road Map’ the Special Youth Triennial Programme of Cameroon, the ‘Vision 2030: the Chad we want’ of Chad, and the Lake Chad Development and Climate Resilience Action Plan of the Lake Chad Basin Commission; calls upon respective Governments to strengthen their coordination and prioritization within these programmes to enable effective implementation, and calls upon international partners to extend their support in this regard;

“24. Calls upon Governments in the region, including through the support of the international community, to support early recovery activities and long-term investment in vital services such as health care and education, agriculture, infrastructure such as the safe trade corridor and livelihoods, social cohesion, good governance, and the rule of law, to enhance longer-term recovery and resilience of populations, particularly for the areas with the most pressing need;

“25. Encourages the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), together with the Lake Chad Basin Commission, to develop a comprehensive and common strategy that effectively addresses the drivers that contributed to the emergence of Boko Haram and ISIL, with a particular focus on longer term development needs; and further urges the two subregional organizations to convene their planned summit on Boko Haram to adopt a common strategy and develop active cooperation and coordination mechanisms;

“26. Recognizes the adverse effects of climate change and ecological changes among other factors on the stability of the region, including through water scarcity, drought, desertification, land degradation, and food insecurity, and emphasizes the need for adequate risk assessments and risk management strategies by governments and the United Nations relating to these factors;

“27. Acknowledges the important contribution of civil society, in particular women’s and youth organizations, to conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts in the region, and encourages greater dialogue between respective Governments and civil society, as well as support;

“28. Calls upon the United Nations and its partners to make further progress towards the implementation of the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel (UNISS) in order to address comprehensively the security, political and developmental challenges and the underlying root causes and drivers of instability and conflicts in the Sahel region;

Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration, and Accountability

“29. Encourages Governments in the region, in collaboration with regional and subregional organizations, relevant United Nations entities and other relevant stakeholders, and in the context of this resolution, to develop and implement a regional and coordinated strategy that encompasses transparent, inclusive, human rights-compliant disarmament, demobilization, de-radicalization, rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives, in line with strategies for prosecution, where appropriate, for persons associated with Boko Haram and ISIL, drawing upon regional and international best practice and lessons learned; and urges relevant national and through them local actors, to develop and implement appropriate plans for the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and where appropriate prosecution of the Civilian Joint Task Force and other community-based security groups;

“30. Stresses the need to pay particular attention to the treatment and reintegration of women and children formerly associated with Boko Haram and ISIL, including through the signing and implementing of protocols for the rapid handover of children suspected of having association with Boko Haram to relevant civilian child protection actors, as well as access for child protection actors to all centres holding children, in accordance with applicable international obligations, and the best interests of the child;

“31. Urges Governments in the region to develop and implement consistent policies for promoting defections from Boko Haram and ISIL and for deradicalizing and reintegrating those who do defect, and to ensure that there is no impunity for those responsible for terrorist acts, and abuses and violations of international human rights and violations of humanitarian law; and invites the international community to extend its support to the Governments in the region in developing and implementing their disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration strategies and policies;

“32. Calls upon concerned governments to urgently develop and implement, consistent with international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law as applicable, vetting criteria and processes allowing for the prompt assessment of all persons who have been associated with Boko Haram and ISIL in the custody of authorities, including persons captured or surrendered to authorities, or who are found in refugee or internally displaced persons camps, and to ensure that children are treated in accordance with international law; and encourages Governments in the region, within the context of this resolution, to prosecute those responsible for terrorist acts, where appropriate, and to develop both rehabilitation programmes in custodial settings for detained terrorist suspects and sentenced persons, and reintegration programmes to assist persons either released from custody having served their sentence or those who have completed a rehabilitation programme in an alternative setting, in order to facilitate reintegration into their communities;

Follow-up

“33. Encourages the Secretary-General, with a view to enhancing collaboration and responsibility among relevant entities and mobilizing resources for the region, to make a high level visit to the region, and invites him to consider undertaking a joint visit with the World Bank, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the President of the World Bank Group, and the President of the African Development Bank, to strengthen the focus on and commitment to the region of the international community;

“34. Requests the Secretary-General to produce a written report within five months on the United Nations’ assessment of the situation in the Lake Chad Basin Region as it relates to elements of this resolution, particularly regarding the progress made and remaining challenges, and possible measures for consideration, including with respect to achieving greater coherence of efforts in the context of overlapping regional strategies, and thereafter to include these elements in regular reporting by UNOCA and UNOWAS.”

1. Introduction

Au cours de l’année 2016 qui s'est achevée 476 cas de violences basées sur le genre ont été notifiés dont 85 survivantes sont des réfugiées, 355 personnes déplacées internes et 36 personnes de la population hôte dans les départements de Fouli et Kaya (Région du Lac). Et 138 cas de VBG à Sido (département de la Grande Sido).

2. Les prises en charge

Au Lac, les partenaires intervenant dans les activités des VBG, à travers le système de référence établi dans le cadre du Groupe de Travail sur les Violences Basées sur le Genre (GT-VBG), ont offert aux survivantes/victimes plusieurs services notamment: 334 appuis psychosociaux, 108 prises en charge médical, 33 ayant reçu une assistance sécuritaire et 35 assistance juridique.

A sido, 138 survivantes ont reçu l’appui psychosocial, 26 la prise en charge médical, 20 assistance sécuritaire et 19 assistance juridique.

Ces cas ne sont pas exhaustifs. Ils ne mentionnent que les cas déclarés sachant pertinemment qu’un grand nombre de survivantes ne sont pas rapportés au vu des conditions socioculturelles. La réponse multisectorielle complète aux VBG reste pour l’heure limitée du fait de l’insuffisance des ressources allouées et aussi de la faible capacité de prestation de services.

a) La prise en charge (PEC) médicale

La prise en charge médicale des survivantes reste encore très faible malgré le nombre des acteurs intervenant dans le domaine (UNFPA, IMC, MSF, IRC, CARE et le ministère de la santé). En effet, seules 108 (Lac) et 26 (Sido) survivantes ont été prises en charge. Cette disparité peut s'expliquer par : i) le manque de service dans certains sites du Lac (les sites sur l’axe Liwa et Daboua qui n’ont pas de postes de santé, l’offre de soins se fait à travers les cliniques mobiles temporaires. ii) l’inaccessibilité pour de raisons sécuritaires ou pluviométrique dans certaines localités du Lac; iii) la culture du silence des victimes ; iii) le coût des consultations qui sont financièrement inaccessibles pour les survivantes dans les centres de santé étatique au vu des vulnérabilités préexistantes. Ici, même s'il faut reconnaître que l'État a proclamé la gratuité des soins au Tchad, la réalité sur le terrain pose effectivement problème. Les kits 3 (pour la prise en charge clinique des cas de viol) et les ARV connaissent des ruptures fréquentes faute de non maitrise de la consommation afin de passer la commande en temps réel. Il faut également relever comme élément affectant la PEC médicale, le manque de formation des prestataires sur la gestion clinique du VBG (une seule formation a été organisée par UNFPA en novembre 2015, seule 17 prestataire de soin ont pris part). Il faut aussi signaler que certaines survivantes de viol viennent après les délais requis (72h après).

By: Darius Sanyatwe

Darius Sanyatwe, CARE food security expert, writes from South Sudan:

The beginning of 2017 saw my worst fears come true, with the declaration of famine for hundreds of thousands of people in parts of Unity State in the northern-central part of South Sudan.

For those of us working in the country and in the field of food security the warning signs have been there since 2014. This was not just something that happened overnight.

People did not wake up on the 22nd of February and suddenly have nothing to eat. It is the result of months – in many cases, years – of prolonged hunger and conflict.

The chronic lack of funding for the crisis and the inability to establish any lasting peace means that for years, humanitarian organisations have only sporadically been able to get access to the worst affected areas.

Let’s be clear; with this famine declaration, we have failed the people of South Sudan.

Two of the thresholds needed to declare a famine (death rates and global acute malnutrition rates) are lagging indicators, which means that by the time that these thresholds are met, people are already dying.

The ‘failure phase’

The 2011 Somalia famine (which killed about 260,000 people) is a case in point: by the time famine was declared, it was already too late for thousands; half of them children. It’s for this reason that I have now come to think of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) phase 5 (famine) as the ‘failure phase’.

But numbers and terminology alone mean very little.

Our staff on the ground in Unity State who are working to deliver support to severely malnourished children with distended bellies, and seeds to farmers who have had their homes burnt and families killed, see this first hand every day.

In the UN protection of civilians [POC] site in Bentiu, which borders the famine-affected areas, the number of people arriving from these areas has greatly risen and there are high levels of malnutrition among them.

Families – including young children – are walking up to seven days to reach the POC in search of food and safety.

Without livelihoods, people are going hungry

Conflict is a crucial driver of acute food and nutrition insecurity. In the case of South Sudan’s famine, it is the principal cause. When people are unsettled or internally displaced, their normal livelihood routines are disrupted and to some extent completely lost.

The majority of South Sudanese depend on agriculture, livestock, trade and labour for their livelihoods. In many states, because of the current conflict, these livelihood options have been completely disrupted.

People can’t plant crops, nor can they tend to their animals, farms, places of trade or work.

Unsurprisingly, the conflict is having a negative knock-on impact on almost all basic needs. For instance, the Consumer Price Index increased in July by 661% year-on-year (up from 150% same time last year) and food was at 778.6%; which is the highest in the world, ever! This is not sustainable.

We need to react now

The declaration of famine in South Sudan is meant to mobilise resources from the international community so as to help the poor and vulnerable food-insecure households. But after more than three years of fighting South Sudan remains among the least discussed and most under-funded crisis in the world, despite its extraordinary scale, scope and human impact.

A huge scale-up of emergency food security and livelihoods interventions (food, cash and inputs) is needed, not just in the famine-declared areas but also in areas that are at risk of falling into famine.

Perhaps more importantly though, we need fighting to stop, to allow NGOs to access these areas with emergency aid and for people to cultivate, rear livestock and trade again without risk of attack.

Aid is only ever a band-aid, it does not stop fighting, and without peace the outlook remains grim.

PLEASE DONATE NOW

Assistance reaches Leer and Koch; Famine (IPC Phase 5) likely ongoing in parts of central Unity

Key Messages
- Emergency food assistance was distributed to over 30,000 people in Koch, nearly 128,000 people in Mayendit, and over 98,000 people in Panyijiar in February. In March, over 71,600 people were reached with assistance in Leer. It is likely Famine (IPC Phase 5) remains ongoing in Leer and is possibly ongoing in Koch. It is expected that ongoing, large-scale humanitarian assistance in Mayendit continues to prevent the occurence of Famine (IPC Phase 5), and this county remains in Emergency (IPC Phase 4!). Results from a recent SMART survey in Panyijiar indicate Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes persist.
- According to UNHCR, an estimated 53,880 people have migrated to Sudan between January and mid-March 2017, many of whom are from Northern Bahr el Ghazal. Extremely low food access is likely driving the displacement, although FEWS NET cross-border monitors note that recent migration is primarily single household members, in contrast to entire household migration, which was observed during the 2016 lean season. Food security is expected to further deteriorate during the lean season, and many poor households will face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) acute food insecurity.
- Insecurity and low food availability are forcing thousands to flee Greater Equatoria. Over 53,700 refugees arrived in Uganda between March 1 and 28. Clashes in and around Torit and Magwi of Eastern Equatoria in early March have limited household access to farms and driven many from their places of origin to Uganda and Kenya. For those internally displaced, food security has significantly declined in recent months due to the loss of last year’s harvest, disrupted markets, and limited humanitarian assistance.
- In Jonglei, fighting between Government troops and armed opposition in Uror County in mid-February displaced an estimated 2,000 to Nyirol and more than 9,800 to Akobo. Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes are expected in these areas throughout the outlook period, due to disrupted livelihoods, very low purchasing capacity, below-average food availability in markets, and restricted humanitariain access to some areas of need. In Ayod, a MUAC screening of 125 children conducted in February reported a proxy GAM prevalence of 26 percent. Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes are expected from April through July.

Below-average harvests and continued high staple food prices maintain high levels of concern in South Kordofan

Key Messages
- Food security remained stable in most areas between February and March 2017 thanks to above-average 2016/17 harvests and improved market access. Most areas of the country are expected to face Minimal (IPC Phase 1) or Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes through September 2017. However, most IDPs in Jebel Marra in Darfur and some IDPs and host communities in SPLM-N controlled areas of South Kordofan are facing food consumption gaps and are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) due to displacement, limited agricultural opportunities, above-average staple food prices and limited humanitarian access.
- Above-average harvests are contributing to greater than usual staple food supplies on markets, with retail sorghum and millet prices remaining stable in February. Prices for sorghum remain particularly high in Kadugli, near SPLM-N-controlled areas where staple food prices are reportedly even higher and crop production was below average.
- Sporadic conflict was reported during February 2017 in parts of South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur, despite the unilateral ceasefire declared by government of Sudan and conflicting parties. However, additional displacement as a result of conflict was reportedly very limited.
- Approximately 54,000 refugees from South Sudan have entered Sudan January 1 and March 15, increasing the total number of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan to more than 300,000 since mid-2013. Flows of refugees into Sudan from South Sudan are expected to remain high, particularly before the onset of seasonal rainfall in May/June 2017.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.

Staple Food Markets in East Africa: White maize is the main staple grain consumed in Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia. In Uganda, white maize is grown mainly as a commercial crop for export in the region. Imported rice is a major staple for Djibouti and Somalia, which mainly consume belem—the imported red rice. Tanzania is also a major producer and source of rice in the region while Kenya and Uganda are minor producers. Both red and white sorghum are produced and consumed in the region. This is an important staple in Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia as well as in other marginal agricultural areas of the region. It is also a substitute cereal among the rural poor. Red sorghum is mainly grown in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia, and is the preferred type for households in Djibouti. Beans are an important source of protein and a complementary food crop grown in the high potential agricultural areas of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia. It is consumed across household types. Maize and beans are the most heavily traded commodities in the region. The cooking banana–matoke is the primary staple in Uganda. Uganda is also a main source of cooking and other types of bananas traded in the region especially in Southern Sudan. However, bananas are not traded nearly as heavily as maize or beans.

Food security begins to deteriorate in the Sahelian zone as households exhaust their food stocks

Key Messages
- Food security for poor households in BEG, Kanem, Guera, Tandjilé, and Wadi Fira continues to deteriorate as households exhaust their food stocks earlier than normal and begin to face livelihood protection deficits, resulting in Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes. Food security for households in Borkou and Tibesti will continue to be influenced by the security situation in southern Libya.
- Pressure on host households’ food reserves due to the presence of displaced households is leading to an earlier than normal exhaustion of food stocks and to food consumption deficits, with these households in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). This situation is also due to the high demand for maize from neighboring regions of BEG and Kanem where 2016/17 rain-fed production was below average.
- On most markets, prices for millet, sorghum, and maize are below the five-year average thanks to favorable 2016/17 cereal production. In Abéché, millet prices in February 2017 were as low as 35 percent below the five-year average. In Massakory, maize prices are down by 33 percent compared to the five-year average. However, rice prices are higher than normal on main markets due to below-average production.
- The recent reopening of the border with Libya should facilitate increases in trade flows, benefitting households in northern areas of the country who depend on trade flows from Libya and whose food security should improve as trade returns to normal. However, compared to normal, trade flows still remain low.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.

Sorghum, millet, white maize, and local and imported rice are the most important food commodities. Millet is most heavily consumed in the eastern and northern regions of the country. Local rice is another basic food commodity, especially for poorer households. Imported rice and white maize are most commonly consumed in and around the capital. The Marché d'Atrone in N’Djamena, the capital city, is the largest market for cereals. Moundou is an important consumer center for sorghum and the second largest market after the capital. The Abéché market is located in a northern production area. The Sarh market is both a local retail market and a cross-border market.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.

Local rice and sorghum are the most consumed food products by poor households in Mauritania followed by imported wheat which is a substitute that these households turn to the most. Local rice is grown in the river valley (in the southern regions of Trarza, Brakna, Gorgol and Guidimakha). Sorghum is produced in all areas of production (rainfed) and in flood-recession areas. However, a significant portion is imported from Mali and Senegal. Mauritania depends greatly on food imports (70% in a good agricultural year and 85% in a bad year) than on internal production. Nouakchott is the principal collection market for imported products and also the distribution market where traders acquire supplies for the secondary markets referenced below. Cooking oil is consumed mainly in urban areas. The sale of animals is a lifestyle in all areas and an important source of income and food.

Extreme levels of acute food insecurity persist in the conflict-affected northeast

Key Messages
- Household returns continue to be noted in northeast Nigeria as some areas become more accessible. Although localized improvements in the security situation are permitting these returns, many households are returning to their local government headquarters with insufficient means to maintain livelihoods. At the same time, large areas of the northeast, in Borno State in particular, remain inaccessible.
- In recent months there has been a significant increase in humanitarian assistance provision in the northeast, however a large portion of the population continues to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse outcomes. Worst-affected accessible areas are facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) acute food insecurity with an increased risk of high levels of acute malnutrition and excess mortality. Less accessible areas, likely experiencing similar or worse conditions to neighboring, accessible areas, face an elevated risk of Famine (IPC Phase 5) in 2017.
- Resource based farmer/pastoralist conflict in central states, cattle rustling activities in the northwest, and insecurity in the Niger Delta in the south also persist. These resource based conflicts have led to restricted access to pastoral incomes, fishing activities, and other income-earning opportunities. Additionally, deprecation in the national currency, the naira, continues to maintain high staple food prices across the country.
- Average to above-average dry season harvests for cereals and vegetables in areas outside of the northeast are underway, contributing to food availability and agricultural wage labor opportunities. Most households are expected to have typical access to food through much of the summer, with much of the country in Minimal (IPC Phase 1) through May. Northern states more vulnerable to price shocks related to the depreciation of the naira and those areas impacted by farmer/pastoralist conflict will face Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes between June and September 2017.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.

Millet, maize, cowpea, and imported rice are the most important food commodities. Millet is consumed by both rural and poor urban households throughout the country. Maize and imported rice are most important for urban households, while cowpea is mainly consumed by poor households in rural and urban areas as a protein source. Niamey is the most important national market and an international trade center, and also supplies urban households. Tillaberi is also an urban center that supplies the surrounding area. Gaya market represents a main urban market for maize with cross-border connections. Maradi, Tounfafi, and Diffa are regional assembly and cross-border markets for Niger and other countries in the region. These are markets where households and herders coming from the northern cereal deficit areas regularly buy their food. Agadez and Zinder are also important national and regional markets. Nguigmi and Abalak are located in pastoral areas, where people are heavily dependent on cereal markets for their food supply. They are particularly important during the rainy season, when herders are confined to the pastoral zone.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.

Millet, maize, and sorghum are the most important food commodities for household consumption. Millet is the staple of the most vulnerable households, while maize and sorghum also contribute to the food basket of a majority of all households. Sankaryare market is the largest and most important market in Ouagadougou and supplies other markets within the country and region. Koudougou is located in one of the most populated areas in the country, where a majority of households depend on the market for their food needs. Djibo is in the highly vulnerable Sahelian zone. Pouytenga is an assembly market for products from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, and Togo. Solenzo is a rural market located in the middle of a surplus production zone. Bobo Dioulasso is important center for both consumption and production – it functions as both the economic capital of Burkina Faso and is located in an important cereal production zone.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.

Millet, rice, and sorghum constitute the basic staple foods for the majority of the Malian population. Millet has traditionally been the most widely consumed, but since 2005 rice has become a popular substitute in urban households. Sorghum is generally more important for rural than urban households. Markets included are indicative of local conditions within their respective regions. Ségou is one of the most important markets for both the country and region because it is located in a very large grain production area. Bamako, the capital and largest urban center in the country, functions as an assembly market. It receives cereals from Koulikoro, Ségou, and Sikasso for consumption and also acts as an assembly market for trade with the northern regions of the country (Kayes and Koulikoro) and Mauritania. Markets in the deficit areas of the country (Timbuktu and Gao) receive their supplies of millet and rice from Mopti, Ségou and Sikasso.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.

West Africa can be divided into three agro-ecological zones or three different trade basins (West Basin, Central Basin and East Basin). Both important for understanding market behavior and dynamics.

The three major agro-ecological zones are the Sahelian, the Sudanese and the Coastal zones where production and consumption can be easily classified. (1) In the Sahelian zone, millet is the principal cereal cultivated and consumed particularly in rural areas and increasingly, when accessible, in urban areas. Exceptions include Cape Verde where maize and rice are most important, Mauritania where sorghum and maize are staples, and Senegal with rice. The principal substitutes in the Sahel are sorghum, rice, and cassava flour (Gari), the latter two in times of shortage. (2) In the Sudanese zone (southern Chad, central Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, southern Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Serra Leone, Liberia) maize and sorghum constitute the principal cereals consumed by the majority of the population. They are followed by rice and tubers, particularly cassava and yam. (3) In the Coastal zone, with two rainy seasons, yam and maize constitute the most important food products. They are supplemented by cowpea, which is a significant source of protein.

The three trade basins are known as the West, Central, and East basins. In addition to the north to south movement of particular commodities, certain cereals flow horizontally. (1) The West basin refers to Mauritania, Senegal, western Mali, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and The Gambia where rice is most heavily traded. (2) The Central basin consists of Côte d'Ivoire, central and eastern Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Togo where maize is commonly traded. (3) The East basin refers to Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Benin where millet is traded most frequently. These three trade basins are shown on the map above.

Key Messages

• Dans le nord-est du Nigeria durement affecté par le conflit de Boko-Haram, l’insécurité alimentaire de niveau Crise (Phase 3 de l’IPC) persiste dans plusieurs zones des Etats de Yobe, Borno et Adamawa avec des niveaux d’Urgence (Phase 4 de l’IPC) surtout dans l’Etat de Borno. Le risque de niveaux élevés de malnutrition aiguë et de surmortalité y est accru. Les zones moins accessibles, connaissent probablement des situations similaires ou pires et sont confrontées à un risque accru de famine (Phase 5 de l’IPC) en 2017.

• Bien que l’assistance humanitaire ait augmenté ces derniers mois dans le nord-est de Nigeria une grande partie de la population a encore besoin d'une aide alimentaire et d'autres services de base. Aussi, avec la dépréciation persistante du naira, les ménages vulnérables dans la région du lac Tchad seront les plus touchés, et les ménages pauvres dépendants du marché à travers le pays seront également confrontés à des contraintes d'accès à l'alimentation.

• La majorité de la région de l'Afrique de l'Ouest restera en situation Minimale (Phase 1 de l’IPC) jusqu’en septembre 2017 grâce au bon niveau des stocks ménages, des tendances de productions agricoles supérieures à la moyenne cette année, au fonctionnement normal des marchés et à la mise en œuvre des stratégies habituelles de moyens d’existence.

• Toutefois, des niveaux d’insécurité alimentaire Stress (Phase 2 de l’IPC) s’observent déjà dans l’ouest et l’est de la zone agropastorale en Mauritanie du fait des faibles productions agricoles et de la vente élevée de bétail. Ce niveau sera atteint entre mars et juillet 2017 dans la zone pastorale du Niger en raison des déficits de productions pastorales et la baisse générale de la demande de bétail, entre juin et septembre au Mali dans les zones de riz de submersion de Mopti, Tombouctou, Gao et dans le Sahel occidental et la zone des lacs de Goundam du fait des baisses importantes de production.

• L’insécurité alimentaire de niveau Crise (Phase 3 de l’IPC) pourraient s’observer dans la région de Diffa où la crise sécuritaire persiste et perturbe le fonctionnement normal des marchés et les principaux moyens d’existence, et dans les régions du Lac et de Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti (BET), dans la Tandjilé, dans le Bahr El Gazal (BEG), et le Wadi Fira au Tchad du fait de la baisse importante des revenus.

• Les marchés sont bien approvisionnés en divers produits issus des nouvelles récoltes avec des prix stables voir en baisse, facilitant ainsi l’accès. Cependant, au nord du Mali et dans le bassin du Lac Tchad, l’insécurité civile continue de perturber le fonctionnement des marchés. Aussi, la dépréciation continue Naira continue de maintenir une tendance haussière des prix des denrées aux Nigeria de limiter les opportunités de vente de bétail et de produites de rentes des pays sahéliens vers le Nigeria.

31 March 2017, AWEIL — As part of the UN Secretary General’s call for action to respond to the famine crisis and heightened food insecurity in South Sudan, UNDP has activated its crisis response mechanism to provide boosted capacity and resources towards joined up humanitarian and recovery interventions that serve the needs of the most vulnerable.

The UNDP crisis response planning team led by David Clapp, from the Regional Bureau for Africa, and senior officials from the Crisis Response Unit and Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, joined UNDP South Sudan country office led by Jean-Luc Stalon, Acting Country Director, in Aweil.

The team met and discussed with the key stakeholders including Governor of Aweil State His Excellency Ronald Ruay Deng; Aweil State Minister of Finance and Public Service Honorable Garang Majak Bol; UNMISS, UNICEF, WFP, UNOCHA, UNFAO, and other development partners.

‘The state is extremely appreciative of UNDP’s support which has injected a sense of hope amongst the vulnerable communities,” said Honourable Mr. Ruay Deng.

The mission visited key community infrastructure constructed with UNDP support.

“I am encouraged to visit the newly completed vocational training institute and the community market infrastructure in Aweil, which are key for kick-starting recovery and building resilience through sustainable livelihood opportunities for women and youth in Aweil,” said Mr. Stalon.

Contributing towards a scaled up strategic response, UNDP jointly with UNICEF, FAO, UNHCR and WFP are advancing on an integrated recovery and resilience-building area-based programme, to build a bulwark against the spread of famine in South Sudan. Aweil will serve as one of the first pilot initiatives in a three-pronged approach addressing basic services, social cohesion and reinvigorating the local economy.

This case study describes implementation of the project Institutionalizing Gender in Emergencies: Bridging Policy and Practice. The project, supported by ECHO Enhanced Response Capacity and Oxfam, was implemented by Oxfam in South Sudan between September 2015 and March 2017 in collaboration with members of the Cluster Gender Focal Point Group (CGFPG).

1 THE PROJECT IN CONTEXT

South Sudan has an estimated population of 12.34 million as of 2015. It is the world’s youngest country and seceded from Sudan on 9 July 2011. However, independence did not bring the country the stability that so many had hoped for, and conflict has worsened since December 2013. In 2015, South Sudan ranked 169th out of 188 countries on the UN Human Development Index and holds the same rank on the UN Gender Development Index (GDI), which compares disparities between women and men in three basic dimensions of human development – health, knowledge and living standards. As at 2016, the extreme poverty rate (percentage of population living below the poverty line) had increased to 65.9 percent, up from 51% in 2010. As of 2013, the country’s maternal mortality rate of 2,054 deaths per 100,000 births remained one of the highest in the world.

There are urgent humanitarian needs across South Sudan as a result of multiple and interlocking threats, including armed conflict and inter-communal violence, economic decline, disease and climatic shocks. Across the country, 1.9 million people have been internally displaced since 15 December 2013, 6 including more than 900,000 children under 18 years old, as at June 2016. In 2017, more than 70% of refugees are children, while nationwide, over 276,343 children are likely to be affected by Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). At the same time, 51% of South Sudan’s children are out of school and only 40% of those who remain in school are girls. As of November 2016, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) estimated that the six Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites are currently sheltering more than 200,000 internally displaced people (IDPs). Currently, there are at least 1.6 million refugees, the impact of which is being felt across the region.

Since December 2013, some 3.4 million people have been displaced, including about 1.5 million who fled to neighbouring countries. Vulnerable people who are out of reach of life-saving assistance as a result of the conflict are paying the ultimate price. As so often in a crisis, women and children are the worst affected.

Nearly one in every three pregnant and lactating women is malnourished, and on 20 February 2017, famine was declared in parts of the country, with 100,000 people facing starvation and a further 1 million people classified as being on the brink of famine. By the height of the lean season in July, it is estimated that some 5.5 million people will be severely food insecure across the country.

Traditional gender roles have been altered, reversed, shifted or accelerated during the current crisis in South Sudan. Besides no longer having farms to cultivate or animals to graze, those settled among host communities are no longer able to enter the forests to cut poles or grass or to fetch firewood, for fear of harm by armed actors.

According to the South Sudan Gender Analysis,15 in both host communities and the PoC sites, men identified confinement and idleness as major negative consequences of the crisis, noting that these conditions had substantially eroded their roles as household heads and providers for their families. Across the country, families have been separated, leaving elderly and other vulnerable members behind, while children, especially boys, face the risk of recruitment by armed forces. Adolescent boys and young men fear violence and death when moving outside the camps and settlements.

The breakdown of the social fabric within communities reduces protection for women and engages them in multiple new roles. Women and girls observed that the crisis had brought about new responsibilities for them related to care work, which had led to increasing social acceptance of their participation in new productive roles such as petty business and working as hired labour. Nevertheless, the most significant increases in participation in paid labour and petty trade/business were observed among girls and boys, and levels of sexual violence are catastrophic, including harassment, rape and abduction.

The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) articulated commitments to gender equality, which prompted the creation of the Cluster Gender Focal Point Group (CGFPG) in 2014. The group was established to support gender equality programming in the clusters. UNOCHA has been working in collaboration with UN Women to take this forward. This group has been supported by the ECHO-funded project Institutionalizing Gender in Emergencies: Bridging Policy and Practice between September 2016 and March 2017. It consists of a collaboration of UN agencies and international and local NGOs active in South Sudan (UN Women, Oxfam, Safer world, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), CARE, UNMISS, Nonviolent Peace force (NP), South Sudan Development Agency (SSUDA) and Nile Hope Development Forum (NHDF), among others). As part of the ECHO–ERC project Institutionalizing Gender in Emergencies: Bridging Policy and practice, Oxfam has been strategically collaborating with UN Women and UNOCHA to support the work already being done by the CGFPG.

THE CHALLENGES

Globally, good policies and international standards on gender in emergencies do exist. However, the implementation of humanitarian assistance with a strong gender perspective remains ad hoc, with limited accountability of implementing agencies.

The ECHO-funded project: Institutionalizing Gender in Emergencies: Bridging Policy and Practice was designed to explore how to better institutionalize gender-related standards in humanitarian assistance. It was built on an analysis of policy and practice both at a global level and at country level, and piloted in four countries.

The project focused on the following issues in which significant gaps were identified:

• Insufficient gender analysis and evidence to inform humanitarian response planning and practice;

• Low technical capacity in gender in emergencies across sectors and organizations;

• A lack of coordination on gender across different agencies to support sector programmes;

• Lack of accountability for implementation of gender-related standards within organizations and across the humanitarian system.

1. Introduction

The Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) is developed to facilitate joint referral pathway for women, men, boys and girls at risk in the humanitarian operation, including Reception Centers, camps and host communities where the IDPs live. Gender Based Violence (GBV) is a life threatening protection, health, and human rights issue that can have devastating impact on women and children in particular, as well as families and communities.

Standard Operating Procedures are developed to facilitate joint action by all actors to respond to GBV in a humanitarian crisis setting. It describes clear procedures, roles, and responsibilities for all actors.

Furthermore all organizations listed above agree to the same procedures, guiding principles and working together for the best interest of women, men, boys and girls in the humanitarian setting in YOBE state.

These SOPs, initially drafted in April 2016, are updated and expanded to reflect more comprehensive prevention and response interventions. The members agreed to review the SOPs bi-annually.

2. Setting and Persons of Concern

These SOPs have been developed for use in the following settings: IDPs camps and Host communities in YOBE State.

3. Definitions and Terms

Actor(s) refers to individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions involved in preventing and responding to gender based violence.

Gender based violence (GBV) is an umbrella term for any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will, and that is based on socially ascribed (gender) differences between males and females. Acts of GBV violate a number of universal human rights protected by international instruments and conventions.

Incident refers to the specific act of gender based violence or rights violation.

Survivor: Refers to any person woman, man or child who suffers any act of violence or rights violation. Perpetrator: Refers to any person woman, man or child who commits or alleged to have committed an act of gender based violence.

GBV Classification Types

1. The GBV classifications relate directly to the GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS), and has the following tools: Incident classification Tool: standardizes incidents, making the data easy to compile, compare and analyze.
   
2. Intake and Consent Form: collects information from survivors and protects survivors control over information
   
3. Incident recorder : An excel database that gathers corresponding information from the intake form and automatically generates data(Please note that the IDP location await the roll out of the GBVIMS)
   
4. Information Sharing Protocol: regulates the sharing of GBV data with other actors such as coordinating agencies.

The classification types are:

1. Rape
   
2. Sexual assault
   
3. Physical assault
   
4. Forced marriage
   
5. Denial of resources or opportunities or services
   
6. Psychological /Emotional Abuse

The nine resident EU Ambassadors in Sudan welcomed the announcement by the Government of Sudan to open one additional overland humanitarian corridor to famine-stricken South Sudan. The first UN convoy from the city of El Obeid in Sudan to Bentiu in South Sudan on March 30 is delivering lifesaving aid in a timely and cost-effective way. This adds significantly to the humanitarian corridor between Kosti and Renk, which the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan opened in 2014.

It is crucial to maintain the two corridors and consider expanding access to South Sudan with additional corridors, especially in view of the upcoming rainy season. The European diplomats also called for sustained and timely access for humanitarian organisations in Sudan seeking to provide assistance to the rising numbers of refugees fleeing from South Sudan.

The EU is providing massive support for the response to the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, and to South Sudanese refugees in the neighbouring countries. In 2017, the European Commission announced €182 million EUR to support humanitarian actions to the South Sudanese in South Sudan and in countries of the region which are facing large influx of refugees, including the Sudan. Further support is provided through EU Member State bilateral assistance programmes.

Khartoum 30 April 2017

• The resident EU Member States Embassies are France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom

For more information or press inquiries, please contact:

Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of the Sudan

Address: Block 1B, Plot 10, Gamhoria Street, Khartoum, P.O. Box 2363

Tel: 249.(0) 183 79 93 93 - Fax: 799 399 – Mobile: 990095577

E-mail: delegation-soudan-info@eeas.europa.eu

Website: eeas.europa.eu/delegations/sudan/

Facebook: /www.facebook.com/European-Union-in-Sudan