The Pacific Coast region is one of the worst affected areas of the humanitarian crisis in Colombia.  In the Chocó region in particular, where most inhabitants belong to ethnic minorities, forced displacement resulting from armed conflict, precarious infrastructure conditions, and heavy rainfall have led to a critical deterioration in the humanitarian situation.  Although different sources agreed that the numbers of IDPs had fallen since 2005, the number of displaced and newly displaced persons remained disturbing.  According to CODHES (the main NGO working on internal displacement in Colombia) 219,886 persons were displaced in 2006.  The Departments of Chocó and Nariño, where many cases of massive displacement occurred were particularly affected by the conflict during 2006.  Indigenous peoples and afro-Colombian communities suffered disproportionately in these departments and throughout the country.  Of particular concern were the massive displacements of the Embera Wounnan in Chocó and the grave situation of one of the last nomadic tribes in Latin America, the Nukak Makuk in the Guaviare Department.

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Colombian children [Photo: IOM]

As a result of the above and because of poor infrastructure conditions, the health system is weak in the Chocó region and has been experiencing significant difficulties in trying to cope with the burden of displacement.  Increased IDP populations in the area surpassed the local response capacity of health institutions and authorities.  Moreover, the rain season in the first semester of 2006 negatively contributed to the already vulnerable conditions of affected communities, worsening sanitary conditions and increasing risks of severe illness and death.  The population also suffered from malnutrition and a wide range of diseases such as malaria, respiratory illnesses, acute diarrhoea, skin infections, and parasite infestation.  These infections were particularly acute and widespread amongst vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women.  Inappropriate housing conditions, lack of basic sanitation, and no access to safe water also aggravated vulnerability to infectious diseases.  The Medio San Juan region is notably characterized by a lack of potable water and basic sanitation.  Ninety percent of the homes in this region do not have access to water and have no sanitary facilities.  Only fifteen percent of the sanitation needs of the population of this region are met and these services are only available in urban centers. 

The UN needs assessment in Chocó highlighted the importance of an emergency intervention to help increase IDP access to health care, by improving the health care service network, building capacity to obtain technical and material resources to provide assistance for displaced high-risk population, and community based social observation.  Combined with interventions in the water and sanitation sector, these were crucial elements to prevent disease and deaths among this high-risk population.  Efforts in the protection sector were also critical in the response to population displacements due to the ongoing conflict and helped to sustain IDPs’ access to health care and other state-run assistance programs.

IDPs in Colombia [Photo: WFP]

CERF funding has allowed for an effective response to life-saving needs, especially for those isolated communities out of reach of state institutions.  The CERF projects have also been instrumental in preventing systematic human rights violations as communities are now empowered through increased access to IDP relief programmes and through the establishment of preventive and early warning systems, which monitor both potential conflict-induced displacements and IDPs access to health, assistance and protection mechanisms.

 

 

 

[Last Update: 5 September 2007]

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2006 CERF report for Colombia