DRC - the largest recipient of CERF funds in 2006

A Congolese child born in exile in Tanzania is among the 488 returness ferried home to Baraka in South Kivu province aboard the UNHCR_chartered Mwongozo [Photo: UNHCR/Schulman]

Recurrent emergencies and population displacement in the eastern provinces have characterized the humanitarian situation in DRC since the beginning of 2006. In fact, international humanitarian actors continue to face serious constraints when they seek to access the civilian population. The estimated number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) increased by 250 per cent in the first six months of this year compared to the previous 12 months.

A total of 38 million has been allocated to DRC from the CERF’s window for underfunded emergencies, making it the largest recipient of CERF funds so far.  The first allocation of USD 17 million came in May 2006 and the second was made in August for USD 21 million. These contributions enable coverage of critical life-saving humanitarian programmes and, thus, enhance quality and timely humanitarian response to the affected populations in DRC.

At the time of the May allocation from the CERF , only 25 per cent of the 2006 Action Plan (totalling USD 668 million) had been funded. The CERF grant contributed to correcting funding disparities across priority sectors. It also accelerated the life-saving activities, such as malaria control and cholera response in conflict-affected areas as well as mine action activities for returning refugees and IDPs in particular, and support to the protection of IDPs.

CERF funding has allowed UN agencies to respond to the population’s needs for a period longer than 3 months. Overall, the impact for the 15 projects funded has been tremendous in the following sectors: health, food security/food distribution, nutrition, logistics, return and reintegration as well as water and sanitation. In total, some 7.5 to 8 million persons benefited from CERF fundingthroughout the country.

The three Eastern provinces of South and North Kivu and Ituri host some 1.2 million IDPs (as of

IDP girl in Mitwaba, Katanga Province, DRC [Photo: UNHCR/Schulman]

August 2006). In the meantime, community resources are stretched by 20,000 refugee returneesand thousands of spontaneous IDPs returning to their homes. Weak food production in areas with a high concentration of the displaced and/or returnees translates into poor levels of household food security for children and pregnant women. Malnutrition is also high, with levels of more than 13 per cent in some of the conflict-affected pockets in Ituri and over 11 per cent in some of the most affected zones in South Kivu,.

Thanks to the CERF funding, UN agencies and their implementing partners were able to respond quickly to the most urgent life-saving needs and worked together to prioritize how CERF funds should be spent. For the first allocation of USD 17 million, the Humanitarian Coordinator, working close with UN Agencies and NGOs, decided to focus CERF resources on:

Emergency food-aid: WFP provided 3,100 metric tonnes of emergency food aid to the internally displaced and returning refugees. A total of 240,000 persons benefited from this assistance. Returning refugees received a one-month food ration to cover primary food needs before they took up agricultural activities. Thanks to the CERF allocation of USD 3 million, WFP was able to replenish its food pipeline for a one-month period.

Emergency agriculture programme  [Photo: FAO]

Emergency agriculture: The CERF made an allocation of USD 3 million to support emergency agricultural activities led by FAO and carried out in collaboration with a wide range of UN and NGO partners. The programme provided vegetable seeds, tools and fishing equipment to 85,000 IDP households and returning refugees from Tanzania. It must be viewed as a timely intervention to address food security. Through the recovery of 100 hectares of arable land and improved skills on agricultural techniques, 500 families were able to start rebuilding their livelihoods by the end of August.

Emergency nutritional services: UNICEF provided assistance to  17 therapeutic feeding centres and 62 supplementary feeding centres in the eastern provinces of Ituri and South Kivu. The centres provided food and services to 35,640 infants, young children, pregnant and lactating women using a grant of USD 800,000 from the CERF. All nutritional services are provided within the framework of the National Programme for Nutrition (PRONANUT) and food security and implemented jointly between FAO, WFP and UNICEF.UNICEF is the only agency procuring therapeutic milk and nutritional supplies needed  forseverely malnourished children in the DRC.

After arriving in Baraka, Congo on a UNHCR chartered vessel, this Congolese man, who had been living in a refugee camp in Tanzania since 1998, is reunited with his long lost family, in his village of Katange in Congo's South Kive province [Photo: UNHCR/Schulman]

Protection for IDPs and returning refugees: UNHCR received CERF funding to support the peaceful resolution of land disputes in South Kivu. As of the end of August, four mediation committees are already active in areas of return to the province. UNHCR protection teams work closely with local authorities and communities to ensure that returning refugees are adequately reintegrated within their communities of origin.

In addition to poor food security and malnutrition issues, constant violations of human rights in South and North Kivu and Ituri are widespread, particularly among IDPs. Moreover, there is only limited access to IDPs and returnees due to ongoing security problems and poor road infrastructure. All of this makes it extremely difficult to access and protect beneficiaries.

CERF resources funded the establishment of protection teams in priority areas within the provinces. These teams  ensure protection through strengthened prevention and monitoring mechanisms and a systematic dialogue with affected communities, local authorities and army representatives.

[Last Update: September 2006]

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