Update

UNICEF REQUIRES US$ 6,162,352 TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN IN THE AREAS OF HEALTH & NUTRITION, WATER AND SANITATION, EDUCATION, CHILD PROTECTION AND COORDINATION
- 2006 appeal less than 20 per cent funded

- Recent resurgence of insecurity in the northern region has displaced more than 25,000 children

- 50,000 children at risk from preventable diseases

- More than 49,000 children out of school in conflict-affected areas

- Abuse, sexual violence and recruitment of children reported in conflict areas

- 1.4 million people, including 500,000 adolescents, at high risk of HIV transmission

1. ISSUES FOR CHILDREN

The decade-long armed conflict in the Central African Republic has gravely worsened the well-being and livelihood of children and women throughout the country. Results from the latest assessments (including the 2003 National Census and the 2005 Post-conflict nutritional survey) and sector surveys indicate a continuous degradation of basic social indicators, well below figures from 2000. Only 37 per cent of primary school-age girls attend school. Less than 30 per cent of children are immunised against vaccine preventable diseases. Moreover, 3 per cent of children under five are suffering from nutritional marasmus, the most frequent form of protein-energy malnutrition in conditions of severe food shortage. HIV prevalence is estimated at more than 15 per cent, the highest in the Central African region, resulting in an increasing number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) affected by HIV/AIDS, including 110,000 AIDS orphans and more than 6,000 OVC living in the streets. As a result of these conditions, the population in CAR has lost 6 months of life expectancy every year since 1988.

In 2005, the country returned to democracy and constitutional legitimacy following a well-conducted legislative and presidential elections process. But the post-election era has been characterized by increasing violence and insecurity. Recently, fighting between the national army and rebels groups, as well as increased banditry, have displaced approximately 50,000 persons inside the country (15,000 in Markounda area; 25,000 in the surroundings of West Paoua; and 10,000 on the axis Batangafo- Moyenne Sido), most of which are women and children scattered into forests and other safe havens, fearing reprisals from a variety of armed groups. Between June 2005 and March 2006, an estimated 18,000 people have sought refuge in Chad due to the violence and growing insecurity at home. In addition, there are 30,000 CAR refugees who entered Chad between 2001 and 2003, which brings the total number of refugees to an estimated 50,000 (this figure includes refugees spontaneously settled along the border). New waves of displacement towards Cameroon are in progress; some 10,000 to 20,000 refugees are believed to have left the Central African Republic for Cameroon since January 2006. They are mostly Mbororo shepherds, frequently attacked and ransomed by highway robbers. At times, their children are kidnapped to be released only against payment of money.

2. UNICEF RESPONSE: ACTIVITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONSTRAINTS

In close collaboration with local, national and international partners, UNICEF has continued to respond to the humanitarian needs of the population affected by the crisis. Interventions are mainly focused on the priority areas of health (re-establishment of immunization, Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses, fighting HIV/AIDS), nutrition (documentation of nutritional status of under five children in the ex-conflict zone, establishment of therapeutic and supplementary nutritional centres), water and sanitation (rehabilitation of water pumps, training of water pump managers), education (replacement of wooden benches destroyed during the conflict, support to communities in the rehabilitation of school buildings, provision of school materials) and child protection (protection, care and support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), rehabilitation of the birth registration system destroyed during the conflict). However, these interventions were hindered due to the resurgence in violence, as well as under funding.

Main achievements are as follows:

- Measles immunization campaign undertaken in January 2006 reached 332,500 children aged 6 months-14 years (95% of target);

- 117,900 children aged 11-59 months de-wormed with Mebendazole (90% of target);

- 143 children aged 9-59 months immunized against measles during a mop-up campaign in 6 villages in the northern part of the country (Markounda) following a measles outbreak among displaced children;

- At least 2,500 pregnant women and under 5 children among displaced population protected against malaria through the distribution of 1,000 Long Lasting/Impregnated Mosquito Nets ;

- 2,000 displaced persons benefited from safe drinking water through the provision of jerry cans and water purification tablets;

- A national protocol for the treatment of severe malnutrition has been developed and endorsed by the national counterparts from the ministry of health, NGOs and UN agencies;

- 56 peer educators from 2 post conflict districts improved their competencies on HIV/AIDS and related issues;

- 2,500 wooden benches out of 5,000 planned will be distributed in the coming days to improve learning conditions for 7,500 primary school children;

- The network of NGOs working with street children (RFERC) has strengthened operational capacities to offer quality care and support services to more than 2,000 street children in Bangui;

- Government and civil-society partners’ capacities are strengthened for data analysis, planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation in the area of OVC;

- Two sites for alphabetization and income generation activities for OVC living in the street have been created in Bangui;

- Operational capacities of the office have been reinforced through the recruitment of international child protection staff.

3. APPEAL REQUIREMENTS AND RECEIPTS

As part of the joint appeal (CAP 2006) launched in November 2005, UNICEF currently needs US$ 6,162,352 to be able to respond to the needs of children and women in Central African Republic. The response from the donor community has been limited thus far, with only US$ 1,228,248 received.

(*) As part of a broader submission by the UN Country Team, UNICEF CAR submitted request for funds from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for life-saving interventions for the 50,000 internally displaced persons identified in the northern part of the country. UNICEF requested US$ 724,185 for core life-saving activities through this mechanism. No CERF funds have been received so far, and there is no chance to receive such funds.

4. IMPACT OF UNDER-FUNDING AND CURRENT PRIORITIES

The vast majority of UNICEF’s financial requirements for the conflict affected zones (Ouham, Ouham-Pendé and Nana-Grébizi) are unmet. At the moment, key projects are on hold and remain unimplemented due to the shortage of funds. Should additional contributions fail to materialize soon, UNICEF may be forced to revise the size and scope of its planned activities. Immediate consequences of under funding for children and women will result in: i) 200.000 under 5 children are seriously exposed to water related and other preventable diseases; ii) loss of opportunities to be educated for 49,000 children; iii) increased numbers of children and women victims of abuse, sexual violence and forced enrolment into armed groups; iv) 1.4 million people, including 500,000 adolescents exposed to HIV/AIDS.

UNICEF expresses sincere gratitude to the donors who have thus far contributed to its emergency interventions and hopes that other donors will soon extend their support as well. The timely provision of resources will allow UNICEF to avoid any critical disruption in the provision of essential services and supplies across its six sectors of intervention, as well as to launch new important projects.

Moreover, due to the vastness of the country, the difficulties of communication and the security risks, there is a lack of monitoring of activities in the ground. It is therefore absolutely urgent and crucial that the 2 sub-offices witch existed before and were looted during the 2002 crisis be rehabilitated and equipped. All the UNCT is very much in favour of such action and wishes to use the 2 sub-offices as regional HQ for their humanitarian activities.

Details of the Central African emergency programme can be obtained from:

Joseph Foumbi
UNICEF Representative
Central African Republic
Tel: + 236 612860/501250
Fax: + 236 61 3073
Email: jofoumbi@unicef.org

Olivier Degreef
UNICEF EMOPS
Geneva
Tel: + 41 22 909 5655
Fax: + 41 22 909 5902
E-mail: odegreef@unicef.org

Gary Stahl
UNICEF PFO
New York
Tel: + 1-212 326 7009
Fax: + 1-212 326 7165
Email : gstahl@unicef.org