Measuring Commitment to Best Practice
HRI 2008
CHAD
The complex humanitarian situation in Chad has gotten alarmingly worse over the past year. Increasing confrontations among the militias in the country – and between these groups and the government – and the conflicts among ethnic groups have dramatically increased the vulnerability of the population. This situation is significantly worse in the southern and eastern parts of the country where the conflicts in Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR) cross the borders. The high levels of violence are limiting the ability of humanitarian actors to provide the aid in an effective way to the more than 500,000 people that urgently need it. In the beginning of 2008, thousands of people left the capital, seeking refuge in Cameroon as a result of the increase in confrontations between the government and the rebels.
The humanitarian crisis
• Displaced. Chad currently takes in 240,000 refugees from Sudan; 45,000 from the Central African Republic – located mainly in the south and east of the country; another 5,000 from different countries who live in urban areas; and approximately 180,000 internally displaced people due to the attacks from militias and the conflicts in Sudan and CAR. Therefore, refugees fleeing from conflicts in neighbouring countries, who have been coming to Chad since 2003, need to be distinguished from those displaced internally as a result of insecurity in the east, who have been greater in number since 2006. They are different dynamics to which the international community responds distinctively.
• Needs. The humanitarian needs are numerous and diverse. First of all, the lack of water is concerning; the sanitation situation is truly precarious and educational resources, minimal. According to UNICEF, overall malnutrition affects 20% of the displaced population and 18% of the refugees. Furthermore, there are confrontations between the displaced and local populations over control of resources, services and arable land.
• Insecurity. The confrontations between rebel groups, the government and militias from CAR and Sudan affect firstly the population forced to abandon their homes and who are afraid to return due to the constant attacks. Insecurity also affects the internally displaced and refugees, as well as humanitarian workers who are very limited in their ability to respond to the needs of the affected people. The rising militarisation of Chadian society is causing the systematic violation of human rights by the groups involved in the conflicts.
• UN and EU Mission. The regional dimension of this conflict was recognised by the Secretariat of the United Nations and the European Union when, in September 2007, they established a joint mission, MINURCAT, which, with presence in Chad and CAR, has the goal of ensuring the minimal conditions needed to stabilise the region and the voluntary return of the displaced. The EU Mission (EUFOR), with more than three thousands employees, is currently deploying in the eastern part of the country. It is expected to improve the security situation so that humanitarian organisations are able to work and create conditions that allow the internally displaced to return.
Background information on Chad
• Population (2004): 10.15 million
• Human Development Index (2005): 170th out of 177 countries
• Gender-related Development Index (2005): 151st out of 177 countries
• GDP per capita (2005): $1,427
• Life expectancy at birth (2000-2005): 50.4 years
• Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (2005): 208
• Undernourished population (%) (2002-2004): 35
• Population not using an improved water source (%) (2004): 58
• Adult literacy rate (%) (1995-2005): 25.7
• Official Development Assistance (2005): -
• Political system: Republic
Source: Human Development Report, 2007
Maps
- Refugee population in eastern Chad
- Refugee camps in southern Chad
Source: Reliefweb.
NOTE: On May 2nd, Pascal Marlinge, Director of Save the Children UK, was killed in an armed incident whose details are still uncertain. A few days earlier, DARA’s HRI team spoke with him in Abeche. During the interview, Marlinge demonstrated great commitment and professionalism. We are deeply saddened by what happened and express our condolences to his family, colleagues and the humanitarian community. We condemn this type of events which violate the most basic rules of International Humanitarian Law and limit the ability to respond to the population’s needs.
The humanitarian response
• United Nations. The 2007 UN Consolidated Appeal rose to $274,216,892. Donors covered 97% of the requested amount, making it one of the appeals with the most coverage in the world.
• Main donors. The main contributions came from the United States (43.3%), ECHO (12.9%), United Nations funding (6.6%) and the United Kingdom (3.5%).
Source: Reliefweb, OCHA
More information
• UNHCR Strategy in Chad, 2008-2009. Document in which the needs of the refugee population in Chad are analysed and which points out the objectives of UNHCR for 2008 and 2009.
• Internal Displaced Monitoring Centre Report. Internally displaced in Chad: Trapped between civil conflict and Sudan´s Darfur crisis, July 2007. Document which assesses the humanitarian situation of the internally displaced in Chad.
The Chad crisis in the HRI
DARA has included the Chad humanitarian crisis in the HRI 2008 as it is a complex emergency in which several regional conflicts intervene and with a high number of displaced, both internally displaced persons and refugees.
Other crises assessed in the HRI 2008