CERF allocates almost $1 million to provide essential care for the children suffering from acute malnutrition in Côte d'Ivoire

Children playing in a refugee camp [Photo: UNHCR]

24 October 2008: After recovering from a political crisis that began in 2002 and accelerated the deterioration of the humanitarian situation, Côte d’Ivoire faces increased challenges.  The 2008 global food and fuel price increases have had a negative impact on food security and nutrition. Many households are food insecure and malnutrition rates have reached nearly 20 percent in some parts of Côte d’Ivoire.

CERF funds are allowing World Food Programme (WFP) and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to assist nearly 30,000 malnourished children the northern regions of Côte d’Ivoire.

UNICEF is providing medical and nutritional therapeutic treatment to 15,000 severely malnourished children in health facilities through therapeutic foods, micronutrient supplements, and essential drugs.  WFP is providing food rations to 15,000 additional moderately malnourished children in supplementary feeding programmes and 1,500 caretakers.

[Last update: 24 October 2008]

CERF assists vulnerable rural households in Cote d'Ivoire 

Refugees in Guiglo (Cote d'Ivoire) ranking for food distribution [Photo: UN]

26 June 2008: The situation in the north of Cote d’Ivoire has become worrying following the poor maize and rice harvest in 2007. Erosion of the means of production due to the loss of oxen, and cotton and cashew crop losses has compounded the food security problem. The global rise of food prices has diminished the purchasing power of many households leading them into debt, leaving them unable to purchase basic foods.

[Last update: 22 August 2008]

18 March 2008: Following the Ouagadougou Peace Accord of 4 March 2007, the United Nations Country Team adopted as its priority axis for 2008, providing protection and assistance to vulnerable groups, including internally displaced persons, with a particular focus on the western regions of the country. 

In early 2008, approximately 50,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) returned to their areas of origin or habitual residences.  Numerous IDPs returned to their places of origin and/or habitual residence but were prevented from having access to their plantations for months. Deprived from eking out a living, these returnee populations were compelled to depend on humanitarian assistance or support from already stressed communities.  In certain instances, violent incidents sparked reversed return movements of hundreds of IDPs, thus putting a brake to the return momentum, and further exacerbating inter-community tensions. Numerous human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence, were reported in areas of return.  

In support of ongoing humanitarian activities, CERF allocated $7 million through its first-round underfunded emergencies window to Côte d’Ivoire for emergency relief for IDPs.  Programs covered obstetrics and neonatal care for women, nutrition, water and sanitation, and education.

CERF in Côte d'Ivoire 2007