West Africa - Emergency Assistance for Refugees and IDPs - HCR 2015

March 2015 - Security and displacement throughout the region of West Africa have continued in 2015. Across the Sahel insecurity and conflict have displaced 2.8 million people a dramatic increase from 1.6 million in January 2014. Spiraling violence in north-eastern Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR) continues to force people from their homes and undermines livelihoods compounding the needs of the displaced people and their host communities in Nigeria Chad Niger and Cameroon. The situation in northern Mali remains highly unstable preventing the return of IDPs and refugees and the restoration of essential services. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) plays a critical humanitarian role in responding to the urgent needs of refugees returnees displaced and stateless persons as well as promoting and supporting durable solutions for protracted refugee populations. With the support of DFATD and other donors UNHCR is providing protection and addressing basic needs of refugees and IDP’s through the provision of emergency shelter health care water and sanitation education and protection services and through the prevention of and rapid response to sexual and gender-based violence through training and community sensitization campaigns.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to basic services; (2) enhanced protection and asylum; (3) increased access to durable solutions for refugees; and (4) enhanced protection standards for internally displaced people. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.