West and Central Africa
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC CRISIS
Two years ago the Central African Republic experienced a political crisis, which devolved into violent conflict. In the country ranked 185 out of 187 on the UNDP’s Human Development Index, this quickly turned into a humanitarian crisis. The CAR crisis is largely forgotten by the world and yet according to UN OCHA over 426,000 people within the country have been forced from their homes. A further 460,000 are now refugees in neighboring countries (Cameroon, DRC, Chad). The humanitarian crisis has seen serious violations of human rights, including kidnapping, murder, child recruitment for rebel armed forces and sexual violence. The recent conflict has left over 2.7 million people in need (out of about a population of 4.6 million) according to UN OCHA.
Children are paying the price of violent conflict in Central African Republic that is denying them their most basic rights to food, education, health and security. Many young children have been orphaned at an early age, conscripted into the warring forces or face long-term effects from experiencing or seeing violence. At the peak of the crisis in mid-2014, seven out of ten children no longer attended school. Out on their own they are most vulnerable to abuse or conscription into armed groups. Additionally the ongoing conflict has disrupted farming cycles, so children are likely to have less food to eat in the coming months. Only five percent of the population has access to a functional family latrine, and 30 percent to safe drinking water.
What has Royal Group Charity done to help?
Royal Group Charity has been working in CAR since May 2014 and in that time we have helped more than 20,000 people – mainly children – with life-saving interventions:
8,500 children have been given school meals
Food has been distributed to 2,200 people
90 children living in the camp in Yaloke have benefited from psychosocial counseling and enjoyed activities at our Child Friendly Space.
21 water points have been built or repaired, ensuring that over 22,500 people have access to safe drinking water
Royal Group Charity has helped identify children who have been separated from their families. Where parents or relatives are still in CAR, we are working urgently to reunite children with their families.