Monthly Report October 2008 Central African Republic
Table of Contents Summary 3 Humanitarian Overview 4 Country Summary 4 Core Country Data 4 Political Summary 5 Insecurity 5 General Funding 6 Programme Updates 7 Education 7 Health and Nutrition 7 Water and Sanitation 8 Protection 8 UNICEF CAR Funding 10 UNICEF Central African Republic 1
Table of Acronyms Acronym ACF HIV/AIDS APRD BONUCA CAP CAR CHF CIDA CREPA DDR DGH DRC ECHO ERF GDP ICRC IDPs IMC IRC JUPEDEC LRA MICOPAX MRM NIDs NFIs NGO NRC OCHA PDDR SGBV Sida UFDR UNAIDS UNCT UNICEF WASH Description Action Contre la Faim Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy United Nations Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic Consolidated Appeals Process Central African Republic Common Humanitarian Fund Canadian International Development Agency Le Centre Régional pour l'eau Potable et l'assainissement à faible coût Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Direction Generale de l'hydraulique Democratic Republic of the Congo European Commission s Humanitarian Aid Office Emergency Response Fund Gross Domestic Product International Committee of the Red Cross Internally Displaced Persons International Medical Corps International Rescue Committee United Youth for Environmental Protection and Community Development Lord s Resistance Army Mission for the Consolidation of Peace in Central Africa Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism National Immunization Days Non-Food Items Non-Governmental Organization Norwegian Refugee Council United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Programme Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Union of Democratic Forces for Unity Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS UN Country Team United Nations Children s Fund Water and Sanitation UNICEF Central African Republic 2
Summary The second meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the so-called Global Peace Accord occurred in Libreville on October 24. In it s final communiqué, the attendees asked Gabon s President Bongo to evaluate the reservations of the APRD about the proposed amnesty law for rebel leaders and soldiers. The Libreville meeting also concluded with an agreement to adopt a three-phased disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process for rebel fighters. BONUCA released a report on the human rights situation in the CAR. It says recent violations can mostly be attributed to government forces. President Bozize dismissed the report, saying the charges are old and exaggerated. UNICEF negotiated the release of 31 child soldiers with the APRD. Global Hand-Washing Day was celebrated on October 31 st at 12 primary schools. A number of government Ministers attended. A grant for $14.8 million was given by the ABD to the CAR. The money has two goals: support the CAR s economic reform program and cover the country s balance of payments. The CAR was relieved of 38 million Euros of debt owed to France. The Central African Republic Mora Mokolo Maroua Kaele Tchollire Bongor Pala Lai Kyabe CHAD Sarh Koumra Moundou Doba Am Timan Haraze BAMINGUI-BANGORAN Ndélé Birao VAKAGA CAMEROON Ngaoundere HAUTE-KOTTO SUDAN Garoua- Boulai Bouar NANA-MAMBÉRÉ Bozoum OUHAM Kaga-Bandoro Bossangoa KÉMO Sibut OMBELLA M'POKO OUAKA Bambari Bria MBOMOU HAUT-MBOMOU Obo Batouri MAMBÉRÉ-KADÉÏ Berbérati Nola Yokadouma BANGUI LOBAYE Bimbo Mbaïki Libenge Mobayi Mobaye Bangassou DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Bondo 0 100 200 km CONGO Bozene Gemena Budjala This report highlights UNICEF s actions in the Central African Republic in September 2008. It covers programmes throughout the country. This report does not summarize every activity undertaken. Instead it provides a sample of UNICEF s programming achievements and constraints in working in CAR. Bumba Aketi Buta Titule Isirio UNICEF Central African Republic 3
Humanitarian Overview Country Summary The Central African Republic s (CAR) political history since independence from France in 1960 has been marked by brutal dictatorships, unsteady and opportunistic interference from France, revolts and coups. In recent years, residents of the country s north have become increasingly victimized by armed groups, including rebel factions, gangs of armed bandits and the government army itself. These tensions have resulted in the displacement of more than 300,000 people and the near-complete decimation of the already under-developed infrastructure. burning homes. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that up to a third of the 300,000 Central Africans forced from their homes in the past several years fled from bandits. Despite some modest improvements over the past few years, the situation of children in CAR continues to be of great concern to UNICEF. With an infant mortality rate of 106 per 1,000 and an under-5 mortality rate of 176 per 1,000, the country has some of the continent s worst child survival indicators. An estimated 38% of the country s under- 5s suffer from Global Chronic Malnutrition, while a further 10% suffer from Global Acute Malnutrition. In addition, the HIV prevalence (6.2%) is the highest in the region. More than 75% of the population is without access to adequate sanitation facilities, which means that preventable diseases are easily spread. UNICEF works closely with its partners to improve these indicators and enhance human welfare. Core Country Data Boy on the street in northern CAR UNICEF CAR/2008/Holtz Current figures estimate that of the one million people in CAR affected by conflict, 108,000 have fled into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Sudan, and 197,000 are internally displaced. In return, CAR has received thousands of refugees from the neighbouring conflicts in Sudan and Chad. Landlocked and encircled on three sides by countries in the midst of long-running wars, CAR is suffering from a multi-faceted crisis of ongoing waves of violence coupled with steep poverty. All this is creating a significant negative impact on the lives of women and children. Bandits, known in CAR as Zaraguinas or Coupeurs de Route, frequently disrupt traffic and prevent the delivery of humanitarian aid. Banditry, rather than political conflict or military operations, is now the principal cause of human suffering in CAR. These bandits roam the dangerous northern areas of CAR, assaulting and killing travelers and villagers, kidnapping women and children, looting property and Indicator Value Population 4,302,360 Human Development Index Rank 171 of 177 People affected by violence 1,000,000 Refugees in Chad, Cameroon and Sudan 108,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) 197,000 GDP per capita $380 Life expectancy at birth 40(m), 45.7(f) Infant Mortality Rate (per 1,000) 106 Child <5 Mortality Rate (per 1,000) 176 Maternal Mortality Rate (per 100,000) 1,102 People living on below US$1/day 67.0% Population without access to safe water 73.9% Children fully immunized 32.0% HIV overall prevalence 6.2% Global Acute Malnutrition 10.1% Global Chronic Malnutrition 38.0% Primary School Enrolment (net) 55.5% UNICEF Central African Republic 4
Political Summary In early October, an amnesty agreement adopted by the CAR s parliament was renounced by the APRD rebel faction. The APRD was concerned that the amnesty, which proposed to forgive rebels and their leaders for crimes committed after March 15, 2003, didn t go far enough. Several weeks later, at a meeting in Libreville between the government and rebel factions, Gabon s President Bongo was asked to evaluate the fairness of the amnesty law. He will report back with his findings. That meeting also ended with an agreement between the government and the principal rebel factions to a three-phased disarmament, demobilization and reintegration schedule. Insecurity The security situation in the CAR remains highly unstable. While Bangui remains relatively safe, areas outside the capital are lawless and violent. Rumors of attacks and conspiracies abound. The biggest security incident of the month occurred October 4, in Ouham Prefecture when a MICOPAX convoy patrolling along the Paoua - Pougol road was attacked by the APRD. Two fighters from both sides were seriously injured. The MICOPAX soldiers were airlifted back to Bangui for treatment. The CAR has two principal rebel groups, the UFDR and the APRD. The APRD, whose rebel fighters operate in the northwest of the country since 2003, had signed a peace deal in May 2008 as part of the government s bid to hold an inclusive political dialogue. That dialogue aims to bring together rebels, civil society, opposition politicians and the government to end years of war and destruction. Led by former army lieutenant Florian Djadder, APRD is said to enjoy support from former president Ange-Felix Patasse. APRD activity in the northwest has displaced large numbers of civilians into the bush and prompted vicious reprisals from government troops, who have targeted villages suspected of supporting the rebels. APRD is thought to number between a few hundred and a few thousand fighters. Having long resisted peace overtures from the government, the APRD agreed in March 2008 to join a national process of political dialogue. A modest UN security presence remains in the country. The rationale for the force is to try to create the conditions for a voluntary, safe and sustainable return of refugees and displaced people. The Security Council will decide by December 15, 2008, on the status of a force to succeed EUFOR, whose departure is slated for March 15, 2009. The CAR remains one of the most indebted nations on earth, with an external debt estimated in 2007 to be about $1.12 billion. In October, France erased 38 million of the debt it is owed by the CAR. Freeing up this money will allow the government to continue servicing other debts under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries program, an IMF-supported initiative that supports countries with unsustainable debt. UNICEF helps reunite families. UNICEF CAR/2008/Pirozzi On October 6, the UNHAS aircraft broke down in Vakaga. There were no injuries. In Bangui, 400 liters of kerosene was reportedly stolen from the airport. On October 23, bandits kidnapped 6 women and 2 men in the village of Moudou, near Kabo, in Ouham Prefecture. One of the women was said to have been raped. A rescue operation launched by government forces succeeded in freeing the hostages and killing two of the bandits. CAMEROON NANA-MAMBÉRÉ Baboua 0 50 100 km Koui Ngaounday Bouar Bocaranga CHAD Paoua OUHAM PENDÉ Baoro Bozoum Markounda Nana-Bakassa OUHAM Bossangoa Bossemptele OMBELLA M'POKO UNICEF Central African Republic 5
General Funding The CAR relies heavily on international support. The African Development Bank recently gave the country a grant for $14.8 million so the country could institute its economic reform programme and continue servicing its international debts. France relived the CAR of about 38 million Euros of the country s debt. This move will allow the CAR to meet its debt obligations to other sources and may qualify the country for more debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The CAR has participated in this IMF and World Bank-led program since 2006. The program lasts three years and will allow the CAR to benefit from about 456 million Euros in debt relief. A student at school for the first time.. UNICEF CAR/2008/Holtz UNESCO donated $1.2 million to the Ministry of Education to help with its sector strategy and capacity building. UNICEF Central African Republic 6
Programme Updates Education Most activities centered around monitoring the effectiveness of our Back-to-School campaign. We check to make sure schools were receiving blackboards and that students were receiving notebooks and pens. These missions also gave us the chance to meet with partners and strategize on ways to improve the community education system. In preparation for the annual review, UNICEF reviewed its own education programs in the north of the CAR. This activity was done in order to study the constraints and obstacles the program faced in implementing its 2008 goals. A tour was done of the Bouar and Bozoum area with UNICEF and its government counterparts to inspect schools and study the present work plan. The tour lasted several days. In Ouham Pende Prefecture a study of school enrolment revealed a disturbing trend. That is, by the end of the school year there were about 8,000 fewer students enrolled in schools than at the beginning. In Boua, school projects supported by UNICEF but managed by an NGO revealed that while teacher trainings projects had been completed, initiatives to build new latrines for public schools had stalled owing to a lack of materials. It is hoped that the latrine project will be finished by December. Health and Nutrition Severe acute malnutrition remains a problem in some regions and about 600 children were admitted to 18 UNICEF-supported Output Therapeutic Programs and five Therapeutic Feeding and Stabilization Centers. A nutrition survey supported by UNICEF announced tentative results. The study found that in Bangui the rate of global acute malnutrition for children between 6 and 59 months is 6.2% The rate of severe acute malnutrition among children in the same age bracket is 0.6% The same study of the same age groups reveals that in Ouham Prefecture the rate of global acute malnutrition is 9.1% The rate of severe acute malnutrition is 2.4% Four nutrition projects were selected to be funded through the Consolidated Appeal Process. A training for 24 health workers drawn from all 16 health districts was held in Bangui. The training examined the theory behind the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses as well as the practical aspects of carrying out this kind of work. Next year, the recipients of this training are expected to offer similar trainings to health workers throughout the country. Throughout October, UNICEF continued to prepare for the upcoming ITN campaign. So far, UNICEF has received 600,000 of the 740,000 ITN s that will be distributed throughout the campaign, which begins in November. As well, vaccines for measles, soap and immunization devices will also be ready for the campaign. A rapid survey was carried out in three cities adjacent to the border with the DRC Bangui, Bangassou and Gbadolie revealed a coverage rate of about 97% for the polio immunization campaign held in September. UNICEF assists dozens of schools throughout CAR UNICEF CAR/2008/Holtz HIV/AIDS A fact-finding tour of hospitals and health care centers across the CAR was undertaken with partners from the Ministry of Health. UNICEF Central African Republic 7
The purpose of this tour was to determine the determine the levels of the practice of transmission of HIV from mothers to their children. The tour highlighted worrying numbers. For instance, while about 90% of women at these health centers were tested, only about 30% returned to learn the results of the tests. It also revealed that many health centers in the CAR lack adequately trained staff to treat and educate women about the dangers of HIV. On the other hand, the tour showed the high level of commitment among senior officials with the Ministry of Health and NGO partners days that NGO is also chlorinating the water in the eight wells available to the displaced population. Periodic checks indicate that the chlorine levels meet the accepted standard for drinking water. The construction of about 1,000 family latrines were commenced in Bossangoa, Nana Barkassa and Bouca. Construction materials had been prepositioned. In Markounda, two wells were built by a partnering NGO. Promoting Hygiene to Protect Health In the Prefecture of Kemo, 14 masons were taught to build latrines which will be set-up near primary schools. Four primary schools in the area received were upgraded with new latrine pits, washing facilities and rain water collection facilities. Hygiene education campaigns were also held in Nana Outa, Patcho and Ouandago. About 10,200 residents of these communities participated. UNICEF supports HIV/AIDS education and prevention UNICEF CAR/2008/Holtz Water and Sanitation In Nana Gribizi Prefecture 39 fences were constructed around water pumps and five handpumps were installed onto wells located adjacent to schools. Another 29 wells have been identified for further improvements. 840 sites have been identified for latrines. Along the Ouandogo axis hygiene kits were distributed at three health centers. Each of these centers also hosted four information sessions where residents learned about issues like personal hygiene, water storage and food management. About 21,000 residents attended these sessions. Extensive water repairs were carried out in Ouham Prefecture. These included repairs to traditional style wells and hand-pumps and the creation of waterpoint committees to keep these sites hygienic. About 1,800 hygiene kits were also distributed throughout the community. An NGO supported by UNICEF continues to supply the community of displaced people in Ouham with potable water at the rate of about 20 to 30 liters per person per day. Every two Global hand-washing day was celebrated on October 31 and in the CAR this event was implemented in 12 schools across the country. To emphasize the importance of hand-washing sketches and dances were performed, and these had sanitation related themes. Competitions were also held and winners were awarded soap and one-on-one meetings with government ministers. The celebration coincided with the national sanitation week. A capacity-building event, called the International Learning Exchange on Water, was held in India. The event lasted 10 days and was attended by two government partners and one UNICEF staff. Protection DDR of Child Soldiers Agreements were signed with four NGOs to work together on issues related to children affected by armed conflict and the demobilization and reintegration of into peaceful society of several hundred child soldiers. Most of these children are from the war-drenched North. Three temporary care centers are being built to help these children. The project will last for three years and it is expected to impact 300,000 children and women affected by armed conflict. UNICEF Central African Republic 8
The program is expected to cost about $6.5 million. So far about $2 million has been allocated from the UN Peace Building Fund for CAR. In mid-october UNICEF became aware that a group of 31 children living in Boya, north of the town of Paoua, an area within territory controlled by the APRD, were facing serious problems. UNICEF was able to negotiate access to these children to attend to their needs. At the same time, UNICEF used this opportunity to negotiate access and create a disarmament and demobilization process with the APRD rebels. An agreement, yet to be signed by all parties, was negotiated and drafted whereby the government of CAR and the APRD rebel group agreed to stop recruiting and using children as part of their military strategies. The agreement also covers issues related to the release and reintegration of children. UNICEF shared the study s findings with the UN and NGO community. In general, it revealed all the armed groups operating in CAR regularly violate the rights of children. One important outcome of a reliable system for determining when the rights of children have been violated is that it will provide real examples of abuses and so will help enable UNICEF and its partners to lobby the government and other armed actors. The MRM is being established in CAR and the Monitoring and Reporting Working Group has been accepted by the UN Country Team. The group will be co-chaired by the SRSG-CAR and the UNICEF Representative. An agreement was reached with the ICRC on the process for registering children affected by armed conflict. Training of military personnel from MICOPAX continued and 60 Cameroonian and 50 Gabonese peacekeepers were taught the basics of the rights of children and other child protection issues. A training plan of action has been agreed upon with the Ministry of Defense. Under this plan the Presidential Guard will be given instruction on human rights and child protection issues. These trainings are especially important because the Presidential Guards are one of the country s chief human rights violators. Monitoring and Reporting A three-day training in the area of protection was held for 33 residents of the villages of Sido and Kabo. Participants included NGO volunteers, teachers and religious leaders. The training examined the rights of women and children and community outreach techniques, and the sessions were helpful because participants recognized these were subjects they did not know much about. Participants were concerned about FGM and said afterwards that they intended to host awareness-raising campaigns in their communities A displaced child at play. UNICEF CAR/2008/Holtz UNICEF Central African Republic 9
UNICEF CAR Funding CAP Funding Status at end of October 2008 Appeal Sector Requirements (US$) Funds Received (US$) Unmet Requirements (US$) Unfunded Education 3,500,000 2,964,984 535,016 15% Health and Nutrition 6,499,985 976,998 5,522,987 85% NFIs and Shelter 835,000 0 835,000 100% Protection 1,316,900 539,268 777,632 59% Water and Sanitation 1,425,255 1,307,638 117,617 8% Cross-Sectoral N/A 384,890 N/A N/A Monitoring/Evaluation N/A 322,141 N/A N/A Total: 13,577,140 6,495,919 7,081,221 52% Funding Received in October 2008 Greek Government (1%) French Committee (5%) UNDP (10%) CIDA Belgium (2%) (7%) Ireland (12%) SIDA (13%) Japan (38%) UNOCHA (12%) UNICEF would like to express its gratitude to donors who have recently contributed to the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP). Your donations have significantly improved the ability of UNICEF CAR to respond to the needs of some of the country s most vulnerable women and children. UNICEF hopes that this support will continue in the future so that we can expand our programmes to areas where they are most needed most notably Health and Nutrition, NFI s and Protection, for which funding is most lacking. Contact Anne Boher, UNICEF Communications Officer Email: aboher@unicef.org, Tel: +236 21612850, Mob: +236 75589601 UNICEF Bangui, PO Box 907, CAR. Web: www.unicef.org UNICEF Central African Republic 10