C’est sous un ciel clément du mardi 25 avril que la communauté de Kiwandja, chefferie de Bwisha, dans territoire de Rutshuru au Nord-Kivu, a pris rendez-vous sur le pont Kilabu pour la cérémonie de la remise aux autorités locales du territoire de Rutshuru des ouvrages construits et d’autres réhabilités par le Programme de « Stabilisation dans l’Est de la RDC » sur financement du gouvernement japonais.

Le pont Kilabu est tout un symbole à Kiwandja qui a vu une érosion couper en deux la cité et menaçait d’emporter les maisons et deux écoles. Ce pont rétablit la communication dans la cité, scelle un pacte entre les communautés et demeure un trait d’union pour les habitants de Kiwandja. «Ce pont est un symbole de la paix, de la réconciliation, un signe de liberté pour nous à Kiwandja» explique une dame qui a participé à la construction du pont. «Les enfants vont à l’école sans descendre dans le ravin, les motos, les véhicules peuvent passer et nous avons travaillé la main dans la main entre les membres de la communauté locale. Cela a contribué à renforcer la cohésion sociale et la paix» ajoute une autre femme.

Le projet mis en œuvre vise notamment la réintégration familiale des anciens enfants associés aux groupes armés(EAFGA), et les autres enfants vulnérables de la communauté par la scolarisation et la formation professionnelle ; le soutien des populations affectées y compris les jeunes et les femmes afin d’être les acteurs de la relance économique, de l’innovation, de la cohabitation pacifique ainsi que la sensibilisation des communautés locales dans les zones ciblées sur la violence sexuelle basée sur le genre.

Evelyne Bamba, chef de bureau du PNUD Goma a relevé que «de manière plus particulière, en ce qui concerne la réinsertion socioéconomique des enfants anciennement associés aux forces et groupes armés, les survivants de violences sexuelles et les autres vulnérables de la société, ce projet vient d’investir de manière très significative dans l’humain et pense que cet investissement contribuera effectivement à valoriser durablement cette jeunesse non seulement à se prendre en charge, mais aussi à lutter contre toutes les anti valeurs susceptibles de compromettre la paix sociale encore précaire dans la contrée».

Son appel a été amplifié par Mme Eriko Asakura, premier secrétaire de l’Ambassade du Japon en RDC qui a annoncé une rallonge de l’enveloppe qui devra servir à maximiser les résultats du projet. « Je voudrais aussi faire remarquer que la contribution du Japon ne se termine pas aujourd’hui. Parallèlement à ce projet, le projet de Renforcement de la Stabilisation à l’Est de la RDC à travers un Projet Conjoint des Nations Unies, pour un montant de 2.700.000 dollars américains, est toujours en cours pour compléter et maximiser les résultats », a dit Mme Asakara.

Des résultats palpables

Le projet a atteint des résultats palpables dont 328 enfants associés aux forces et groupes armés dont 126 filles et 192 garçons ainsi que des enfants vulnérables de la communauté locale ont repris le chemin de l’école. Dans cette perspective, 13 000 enfants associés aux forces et groupes armées et d’autres enfants ont bénéficié de la restauration pendant l’année scolaire afin de les maintenir à l’école.

On note aussi que 658 enfants associés aux forces et groupes armés et d’autres enfants vulnérables des communautés locales ont bénéficié des kits de démarrage des activités économiques. La mise en œuvre du projet a permis la création de 1005 emplois temporaires à Kiwandja.

Le projet a pris en compte la dimension genre et a permis de revisiter le plan de développement local de Bwisha par l’intégration des aspects genre. De même, 5 radios communautaires ont été appuyées afin de prendre en compte les aspects de la gouvernance locale, la résolution pacifique des conflits et la lutte contre les violences basées sur le genre et la réintégration de tous les groupes vulnérables.

Parmi les ouvrages remis, on compte entre autres en plus du pont Kilabu jeté sur l’érosion du même, un pavillon couvert et un entrepôt communautaire des produits agricoles au marché de Rutshuru afin de permettre aux petits vendeurs d’exercer leur activité commerciale dans des meilleures conditions et un centre de formation professionnelle de l’INPP équipé pour la jeunesse. Ce centre offre des possibilités de formation aux jeunes dans les domaines de la mécanique automobile, l’informatique, la menuiserie, l’électricité, la coupe et couture, l’art culinaire et la coiffure.

Ce projet conjoint exécuté par l’UNICEF, le PNUD, le PAM et l’ONUFEMMES est financé par le Japon à hauteur de 4 millions de dollars américain. Il bénéficie de la collaboration du Gouvernement congolais à travers l’Institut de Préparation professionnelle (INPP) et la Représentation spéciale du Chef de l’Etat en matière des violences sexuelles. Ce projet a beaucoup contribué à la consolidation de la paix et à la réinsertion sociale des enfants anciennement associés aux groupes armés ainsi que d’autres vulnérables de la communauté.

Marc Ngwanza

Two decades of successive shocks, armed conflicts and intercommunity violence have placed millions of families in the throes of acute consequences such as epidemic outbreaks, malnutrition and food insecurity. Population movement generates over half of the humanitarian needs, including over 2.1 million people internally displaced within the country and half a million refugees at the end of 2016. The humanitarian context is aggravated by political and pre-electoral tensions, economic downturn and the spread of violence. In some areas, the situation keeps deteriorating due to physical and security obstacles. The lack of development and the significant gender inequalities also generate chronic vulnerabilities.

1 Improving the lives of people affected by the crisis, in priority the most vulnerable We will continue to respond to the fundamental needs of people in situation of acute vulnerability by providing assistance to cover their basic needs, access essential services and maintain their livelihoods, while ensuring their protection.

2 Protecting people affected by the humanitarian crisis and protection of their human rights We will provide assistance to ensure protection of people exposed to or victim of violations of their right to life, dignity and integrity. Our efforts will not only focus on assisting targeted people but also preventing the risks of conflict and promoting a protective environment. Appropriate attention will be given to support durable solutions to displacements.

3 Reducting death rates of people affected by the crisis To save lives, we will assist people exposed to or affected by epidemics, acute malnutrition and food insecurity «in emergency phase». The objective will be to assist targeted people and mitigate the main causes and aggravating factors of these issues through multisectoral interventions as well as preventive actions and response.

I. Introduction

1. The present report, which covers the period from January to December 2016, is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2106 (2013), in which the Council requested me to report annually on the implementation of resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009) and 1960 (2010) and to recommend strategic actions. Developments during the reporting period, including the rise in violent extremism and mass migration, drew attention to the attendant risk of trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual violence/exploitation. Among the perpetrators are hybrid criminal-terrorist networks, which have used the bodies of women and girls as a form of currency in the political economy of war. In response, the Council adopted resolution 2331 (2016), the first to address the nexus between such trafficking, sexual violence, terrorism and transnational organized crime. This paves the way for more systematic monitoring and reporting, as well as enhanced information-sharing and judicial cooperation. It further affirmed that victims of trafficking and sexual violence committed by terrorist groups should be eligible for official redress as victims of terrorism. The acknowledgement of sexual violence as a tactic of terrorism, integral to recruitment, resourcing and radicalization strategies, links this issue formally to global action aimed at curbing terrorist financing, including the work of relevant sanctions regimes.

2. The term “conflict-related sexual violence”, as used in the present report, refers to rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage, and any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity perpetrated against women, men, girls or boys that is directly or indirectly linked to a conflict. This link may be evident in the profile of the perpetrator (often affiliated with a State or non-State armed group, including a terrorist entity or network), the profile of the victim (who is frequently an actual or perceived member of a persecuted political, ethnic or religious minority, or is targeted on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity), the climate of impunity (which is generally associated with State collapse), cross-border consequences (such as displacement or trafficking in persons) and/or violations of the provisions of a ceasefire agreement. The term also encompasses trafficking in persons when committed in situations of conflict for the purpose of sexual violence/exploitation.

3. While many countries are affected by the threat, occurrence or legacy of conflict-related sexual violence, the present report is focused on 19 countries for which credible information is available. It should be read in conjunction with my previous annual reports on conflict-related sexual violence, which provide a cumulative basis for the listing of 46 parties (see annex). The majority of listed parties are non-State actors, with seven of these having been designated as terrorist groups pursuant to Security Council resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015), the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions list. Regarding national military and police forces, those that are listed are required to engage with my Special Representative in order to develop specific, time-bound commitments and action plans to address violations and, since 2010, several have done so. Effective implementation of commitments is a key requirement for the delisting of parties. All States repeatedly listed for grave violations against children and/or conflict-related sexual violence will be prohibited from participating in United Nations peace operations.

4. The report is based on information collected by the United Nations. In this regard, the increased presence of women’s protection advisers, who are responsible for convening the monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements on conflict-related sexual violence in the field, has improved the availability and quality of information. Currently, 34 women’s protection advisers are deployed in eight mission settings. All six peacekeeping missions with mandates that include the protection of civilians have established the monitoring arrangements and incorporated the matrix of early-warning indicators of conflict-related sexual violence into their broader protection structures. Two special political missions have also begun to establish these monitoring arrangements. A concerted effort to enhance prevention, early warning and swift responses to this historically hidden crime will require dedicated human and financial resources commensurate with the scale of the challenge. The prevention of sexual violence is an integral part of wider conflict prevention and, as stated in my inaugural address to the Security Council, prevention is not merely a priority, but the priority.

5. Strengthening the capacity of national institutions is critical to ensuring accountability for past crimes, as well as prevention and deterrence for the future. In this regard, the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, in accordance with its mandate under Security Council resolution 1888 (2009), has assisted governments with criminal investigation and prosecution, military justice, legislative reform, protection of victims and witnesses and reparations. Reporting directly to my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, the Team of Experts is composed of specialists from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), supplemented by a roster of experts with a range of specializations. With dedicated assistance, Governments can effectively adjudicate such crimes, as demonstrated by the case of Guinea, where the technical support provided by the Team of Experts to a national panel of judges investigating mass rape and other crimes committed in September 2009, resulted in the indictments of 17 high-ranking military and political officials, including the former President, Moussa Dadis Camara. These efforts also led to the arrest of key suspects through enhanced judicial cooperation with neighbouring countries. During the reporting period, the Team continued to promote the sharing of experiences between countries facing similar challenges and to assist in developing policies and tools such as guidelines for armed forces in Africa. By virtue of its structure and composition, the Team has contributed to enhanced coherence among its constituent entities. To date, it has engaged in the Central African Republic, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Iraq, Liberia, Mali, Somalia and South Sudan.

6. The United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict network, which consists of 13 entities and is chaired by my Special Representative, is aimed at strengthening sexual violence prevention and response through a coordinated, coherent and comprehensive approach. In 2016, through the United Nations Action multi-partner trust fund, catalytic funding was provided for the deployment of the first women’s protection adviser to Iraq. An international expert was deployed to Mali on secondment from the Government of Switzerland to support the development of a national strategy on gender-based violence/sexual violence in conflict. In 2016, the network also funded five projects in the Middle East and North Africa, which support primarily Syrian and Iraqi survivors, including refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. United Nations Action further conducted a workshop in Jordan to foster synergies between the different projects, and to support the development of results-based monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Joint technical support missions were conducted to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Côte d’Ivoire, Jordan and Mali in 2016. A number of tools and knowledge products were produced to improve practice in the field, including a mapping of the global policy landscape on conflict-related sexual violence, in which gaps and opportunities linked to the implementation of the mandate on conflict-related sexual violence are assessed.

7. Recognizing that the United Nations has individuals among its ranks who engage in egregious acts of sexual exploitation and abuse, I have pledged to dramatically improve the way the United Nations prevents and responds to sexual exploitation and abuse by our own personnel and those deployed under the auspices of the United Nations. In my recent report on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse: a new approach (A/71/818), I have undertaken measures within my own authority. I have set out a strategic framework to prioritize the rights and dignity of victims and to end impunity. I have also called on Member States to join me in a unified effort to detect, control and prevent incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse in order to make zero tolerance a reality.

I. Introduction

1. Le présent rapport, qui couvre la période allant de janvier à décembre 2016, est soumis en application de la résolution 2106 (2013), dans laquelle le Conseil de sécurité m’a prié de lui faire rapport chaque année sur la mise en oeuvre de ses résolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009) et 1960 (2010) et de lui recommander des mesures stratégiques. Au cours de la période considérée, des faits nouveaux tels que la montée de l’extrémisme violent et l’augmentation de la migration de masse ont mis en exergue un problème connexe : la traite d’êtres humains axée sur les violences sexuelles ou l’exploitation sexuelle, laquelle est notamment le fait de réseaux hybrides, à la fois criminels et terroristes, qui utilisent le corps des femmes et des filles comme monnaie d ’échange dans le cadre d’une économie politique de guerre. Face à cette situation, le Conseil a adopté la résolution 2331 (2016), la première à porter sur les liens étroits qui existent entre ladite traite, la violence sexuelle, le terrorisme et la criminalité transnationale organisée, ouvrant ainsi la voie à des activités plus systématiques de suivi et de compte rendu, à un meilleur échange d’informations et à une coopération judiciaire plus étroite. Il affirme en outre dans cette résolution que les victimes de la traite d ’êtres humains et d’actes de violence sexuelle auxquels se livrent des groupes terroristes doivent avoir accès aux mesures officielles de réparation, au même titre que toute autre victime du terrorisme. Puisqu’il est admis que la violence sexuelle est une tactique de terrorisme faisant partie intégrante des stratégies de recrutement, de mobilisation de ressources et de radicalisation, cette forme de violence entre en tant que telle dans le champ de l’action mondiale visant à faire obstacle au financement du terrorisme, notamment l’application des différents régimes de sanctions.

2. Dans le présent rapport, l’expression « violences sexuelles liées aux conflits » recouvre des actes tels que le viol, l ’esclavage sexuel et la prostitution, la grossesse, l’avortement, la stérilisation et le mariage forcés, ainsi que toute autre forme de violence sexuelle de gravité comparable, perpétrés contre des femmes, des hommes, des filles ou des garçons, et ayant un lien direct ou indirect avec un conflit. Ce lien peut tenir au profil de l’auteur (qui est souvent rattaché à un groupe armé, étatique ou non, notamment une entité ou un réseau terroriste), au profil de la victime (qui, souvent, appartient ou est soupçonnée d ’appartenir, à une minorité politique, ethnique ou religieuse persécutée, ou qui est prise pour cible en raison de son orientation sexuelle ou de son identité de genre, réelle ou supposée), au climat d’impunité (qui est généralement associé à l ’effondrement de l’État), aux répercussions transfrontières (comme les déplacements de population et la traite des personnes) ou aux violations d ’accords de cessez-le-feu. Cette expression inclut également la traite d’êtres humains axée sur les violences sexuelles ou l ’exploitation sexuelle.

3. Même si de nombreux pays sont exposés à la menace de violences sexuelles liées aux conflits, en sont le théâtre ou en subissent les r etombées, le présent rapport se limite aux 19 pays pour lesquels on dispose d ’informations fiables. Il convient de le lire en tenant compte de mes rapports annuels précédents sur le sujet, l ’ensemble des informations qu’ils contiennent indiquant les raisons qui ont présidé à l’inscription de 46 parties sur la liste (voir annexe). Ces parties comptent une majorité d’acteurs non étatiques, parmi lesquels sept ont été désignés comme groupes terroristes en application des résolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) et 2253 (2015) du Conseil de sécurité et inscrits sur la Liste relative aux sanctions contre l’EIIL (Daech) et Al-Qaida. En ce qui concerne les armées et les forces de police nationales, celles qui sont inscrites sur la liste sont tenues de coopérer avec ma Représentante spéciale chargée de la question des violences sexuelles commises en période de conflit en vue de définir avec elle des engagements et des plans d ’action concrets visant à mettre un terme aux violations selon un calendrier précis, ce que plusieurs d’entre elles ont fait depuis 2010. Pour être radiées de la liste, les parties doivent absolument honorer leurs engagements. Il sera interdit à tous les États parties qui ont été inscrits à maintes reprises sur la liste pour des faits de maltraitance concernant des enfants et pour des violences sexuelles liées à un conflit de participer aux opérations de paix des Nations Unies.

4. Le présent rapport a été établi sur la base d ’informations réunies par l’Organisation des Nations Unies. La présence renforcée, sur le terrain, de conseillers pour la protection des femmes chargés de mettre en place les dispositifs de suivi, d’analyse et de communication des informations se rapportant aux violences sexuelles liées aux conflits, a contribué à accroître la quantité et la qualité des informations. À ce jour, 34 conseillers sont déployés dans huit missions. Chacune des six missions de maintien de la paix investies d ’un mandat de protection des civils a mis en place un dispositif de suivi et intégré dans sa structure de protection au sens large le tableau des indicateurs relatifs aux violences sexuelles établis à des fins d’alerte rapide. Deux missions politiques spéciales ont également commencé à mettre en place ce type de dispositif de suivi. Des ressources humaines et financières adaptées à l’ampleur de la tâche seront nécessaires pour mener l’action concertée visant à renforcer les mesures de prévention et d ’alerte et d’intervention rapides face à ce crime longtemps passé sous silence. La prévention de la violence sexuelle fait partie intégrante de la prévention des conflits au sens large et, comme je l’ai déclaré dans mon premier discours devant le Conseil de sécurité, la prévention n’est pas simplement une priorité, elle est la priorité.

5. Le renforcement des capacités des institutions nationales est essentiel si l ’on veut que les auteurs d’actes passés soient tenus d’en répondre et que les crimes futurs soient évités grâce à la prévention et à la dissuasion. Conformément au mandat que le Conseil de sécurité lui a confié dans sa résolution 1888 (2009), l’Équipe d’experts de l’état de droit et des questions touchant les violences sexuelles commises en période de conflit apporte une assistance aux gouvernements dans plusieurs domaines : enquêtes et poursuites pénales, justice militaire, réforme législative, protection des victimes et des témoins, et réparations. Cette Équipe, qui relève directement de ma Représentante spéciale, est composée d ’experts du Département des opérations de maintien de la paix, du Haut -Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l’homme (HCDH) et du Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement (PNUD), appuyés par un groupe de spécialistes de différents domaines. En bénéficiant d’une assistance spécialisée, les pouvoirs publics peuvent donner la suite qu’il convient aux affaires de violences sexuelles liées à tel ou tel conflit, comme en Guinée, où l’appui technique apporté par l’Équipe au collège national de juges chargé d’instruire le dossier des viols multiples et d ’autres infractions perpétrés en septembre 2009 a permis l ’inculpation de 17 hauts responsables militaires et politiques, dont l ’ancien Président, Moussa Dadis Camara. L’entreprise a également abouti à l’arrestation de suspects clés grâce au renforcement de la coopération judiciaire avec les pays voisins. Pendant la période considérée, l’Équipe a continué de promouvoir l’échange d’expériences entre les pays qui rencontrent des difficultés du même ordre et de les aider à élaborer des politiques et des outils, notamment des lignes directrices à l ’intention de forces armées opérant en Afrique. Grâce à sa structure et à sa composition, l ’Équipe a gagné en cohésion. À ce jour, elle est intervenue en Colombie, en Côte d ’Ivoire, en Guinée, en Iraq, au Libéria, au Mali, en République centrafricaine, en République démocratique du Congo, en Somalie et au Soudan du Sud.

6. Formé de 13 entités et présidé par ma Représentante spéciale, le réseau de la Campagne des Nations Unies contre la violence sexuelle en temps de conflit vise à intensifier les activités de prévention et les dive rses interventions au moyen d’une approche coordonnée, cohérente et globale. En 2016, un financement issu du fonds d’affectation spéciale pluripartenaires de la Campagne a permis le déploiement du premier conseiller pour la protection des femmes en Iraq. L e Gouvernement suisse a détaché au Mali un expert international chargé de contribuer à l ’élaboration d’une stratégie nationale relative à la violence sexuelle et sexiste liée au conflit. Dans la région du Moyen-Orient et de l’Afrique du Nord, le réseau a financé cinq projets visant principalement à soutenir les victimes syriennes et iraquiennes, dont des réfugiés se trouvant au Liban et en Jordanie. Un atelier a en outre été organisé en Jordanie pour favoriser les effets de synergie entre les différents pro jets et faciliter l’élaboration de cadres de suivi et d ’évaluation fondés sur les résultats. Également en 2016, des missions conjointes d ’assistance technique ont été menées en Bosnie - Herzégovine, en Côte d’Ivoire, en Jordanie et au Mali. Plusieurs outils et des produits pédagogiques ont été conçus en vue d ’améliorer les activités sur le terrain, notamment une carte mondiale des politiques relatives aux violences sexuelles liées aux conflits permettant d’évaluer les problèmes qui subsistent et les perspecti ves qui s’offrent au regard du mandat établi par le Conseil de sécurité au sujet des violences sexuelles liées aux conflits.

7. Conscient que des individus, parmi le personnel des Nations Unies, commettent des actes abominables d ’exploitation et d’atteintes sexuelles, je me suis engagé à améliorer de manière drastique la façon qu ’a l’Organisation de prévenir la perpétration de ce type d’actes par les membres de son personnel et toute autre personne déployée sous ses auspices et de prendre des mesures en la ma tière. Dans mon récent rapport intitulé « Dispositions spéciales visant à prévenir l ’exploitation et les atteintes sexuelles : une nouvelle stratégie » (A/71/818), j’ai pris des mesures de mon ressort, présenté un cadre stratégique qui vise à donner la priorité aux droits et à la dignité des victimes et à mettre fin à l ’impunité, et demandé aux États Membres de se joindre à moi pour que nous prenions ensemble des mesures de détection, de contrôle et de préventio n des actes d’exploitation et d’atteintes sexuelles afin de mettre en oeuvre la politique de tolérance zéro.

This bulletin examines trends in staple food and fuel prices, the cost of the basic food basket and consumer price indices for 70 countries in the first quarter of 2017 (January to March).1 The maps on pages 6–7 disaggregate the impact analysis to sub-national level.

Global Highlights

• During Q1-2017, FAO’s global cereal price index increased by 5 percent compared to the previous quarter. Global cereal supplies remain ample and are expected to continue to meet current demand. However, the FAO global food price index is 16 percent higher yearon-year, mostly attributable to increases in the indices for dairy, oil and sugar prices.

• The real price2 of wheat went up by 13 percent compared to the previous quarter. World ending stocks (2018) are expected to increase further to new record levels.

• The real price of maize dropped 2 percent in Q1-2017 compared to the same period in 2016. Globally, FAOAMIS forecasts 2017/18 maize production to increase by 1.25 percent compared to last year.

• During Q1-2017, the real price of rice fell by 5 percent compared to Q4-2016 thanks to supplies rising faster than consumption and global ending stocks expected to increase to levels last seen in 2001/02.

• The real price of crude oil increased 4 percent on average in Q1-2017; it is 54 percent above last year’s level.

• The cost of the basic food basket increased severely (>10%) in Q1-2017 in eight countries: Burundi,
Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, the Gambia, Somalia, Tanzania, Viet Nam and Yemen. High increases (5–10%) were seen in Guatemala, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, South Sudan, Sri Lanka and Ukraine. In the other monitored countries, the change was moderate or low (<5%).

• Price spikes, as monitored by ALPS, were detected in 27 countries, particularly in Burundi, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Sudan, Tanzania, Ukraine and Zambia (see the map below).3 These spikes indicate crisis levels for the two most important staples in each country, which could be beans, cassava, maize, milk, millet, oil, pasta, rice, sorghum, sweet potatoes, sugar or wheat.

El Niño and the shifting geography of cholera in Africa

Moore SM, Azman AS, Zaitchik BF, Mintz ED, Brunkard J, Legros D, Hill A, McKay H,
Luquero FJ,, Olson D, Lessler J.

Pub Med az of 2017 april 07

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and other climate patterns can have profound impacts on the occurrence of infectious diseases ranging from dengue to cholera.

In Africa, El Niño conditions are associated with increased rainfall in East Africa and decreased rainfall in southern Africa, West Africa, and parts of the Sahel. Because of the key role of water supplies in cholera transmission, a relationship between El Niño events and cholera incidence is highly plausible, and previous research has shown a link between ENSO patterns and cholera in Bangla‐desh.

However, there is little systematic evidence for this link in Africa. Using high‐resolution mapping techniques, we find that the annual geographic distribution of cholera in Africa from 2000 to 2014 changes dramatically, with the burden shifting to continental East Africa‐and away from Madagascar and portions of southern,Central, and West Africa‐where almost 50,000 additional cases occur during El Niño years.

Cholera incidence during El Niño years was higher in regions of East Africa with increased rainfall, but incidence was also higher in some areas with decreased rainfall, suggesting a complex relationship between rainfall and cholera incidence.

Here, we show clear evidence for a shift in the distribution of cholera incidence throughout Africa in El Niño years, likely mediated by El Niño's impact on local climatic factors. Knowledge of this relationship between cholera and climate patterns coupled with ENSO forecasting could be used to notify countries in Africa when they are likely to see a major shift in their cholera risk.

Le phénomène El Niño et la géographie changeante du choléra en Afrique.

Moore SM, Azman AS, Zaitchik BF, Mintz ED, Brunkard J, Legros D, Hill A, McKay H,
Luquero F, Olson D, Lessler J.

Pub Med du 07 avril 2017

L'oscillation du sud d'El Niño (ENSO) et d'autres modèles climatiques peuvent avoir des répercussions profondes sur l'apparition de maladies infectieuses allant de la Dengue au Choléra.

En Afrique, les conditions d'El Niño sont associées à l'augmentation des précipitations en Afrique de l'Est et à la baisse des précipitations en Afrique australe, en Afrique de l'Ouest et dans certaines régions du Sahel. En raison du rôle clé de l'approvisionnement en eau dans la transmission du choléra, une relation entre les événements El Niño et l'incidence du choléra est hautement plausible, et des recherches antérieures ont montré un lien entre les modèles ENSO et le choléra au Bangladesh. .
Cependant, il existe peu de preuves systématiques de ce lien en Afrique. En uƟlisant des techniques de cartographie à haute résolution, nous constatons que la répartition géographique annuelle du choléra en Afrique de 2000 à 2014 change radicalement avec le déplacement des charges vers l'Afrique de l'Est contoinentale (loin de Madagascar et des régions d'Afrique méridionale, centrale et occidentale) où près de 50 000 cas supplémentaires surviennent pendant les années El Niño.

L'incidence du choléra au cours des années El Niño était plus élevée dans les régions de l'Afrique de l'Est avec une pluviométrie accrue, mais l'incidence était également plus élevée dans certaines régions avec une pluviométrie réduite, ce qui suggère une relation complexe entre l'incidence des précipitations et le choléra.

Ici, nous montrons des preuves évidentes d'un changement dans la répartition de l'incidence du choléra dans toute l'Afrique à El Niño, probablement médiée par l'impact d'El Niño sur les facteurs climatiques locaux. La connaissance de cette relation entre le choléra et les modèles climatiques couplée à la prévision ENSO pourrait être utlisée pour notifier les pays en Afrique lorsqu'ils risquent de voir un changement majeur dans leur risque de choléra

Executive Summary

In 2016, attacks on—or interference with—health care occurred in 23 countries in conflict or experiencing political unrest around the world. The sheer number of countries and the intensity of attacks on health facilities, health workers, ambulances, and patients are staggering. International law requires hospitals, clinics, and ambulances to be places of safety, yet health facilities are too often among the most dangerous places in communities. Moreover, health workers, who are bound by ethical codes to provide care to all who need it, were arrested, punished, and even killed for fulflling their duty of impartial care.

The lack of a global data collection system, using common defnitions and methods to track attacks on health care, makes it impossible to quantify the exact number of these attacks and their resulting deaths and injuries, or to identify global trends. However, data are available from organizations that use their own methodologies to track and verify attacks in specifc countries, as well as from other sources of information used to compile this report (see Methodology section). Syria was by far the worst case, in terms of the intensity and impact of attacks. Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) reported 108 attacks on hospitals and other health facilities in Syria throughout 2016, most by Syrian government and Russian forces. These data also show that in other countries—including Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan, and Yemen—the level of violence inflicted on health facilities and health workers was remarkably high.

In Afghanistan, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) found that the number of reported attacks targeting health facilities and personnel rose from 63 in 2015 to 119 in 2016. On April 20 in Paktia province, armed opposition groups fred mortar rounds that landed on or around an NGO-run medical facility, damaging the building and causing the evacuation of patients. In Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) shelled hospitals, used ambulances as car bombs, took over health facilities, and executed health workers; government and allied forces sometimes conducted airstrikes against ISIS-occupied health facilities. In South Sudan, a major humanitarian crisis, including aid blockages, that has left only 43% of health facilities functional has been exacerbated by attacks on clinics and health workers, including in UN Protection of Civilian (POC) sites. In Yemen, UNICEF verifed 93 attacks on hospitals from March 2015-December 2016.In 2016, attacks on health care took many forms, including:

In 2016, attacks on health care took many forms, including:

• Bombing, shelling, and looting of hospitals and clinics

• Killing of health workers, emergency medical personnel, and patients

• Intimidation, assault, arrest, and abduction of health workers and patients

• Obstruction of access to care including blockage of and attacks on ambulances

• Takeover and occupation of health facilities by police, military, or other armed actors

• Attacks on and blockage of humanitarian actors, supplies, and transports.

Bombing, shelling, and looting of hospitals and clinics

Hospitals and clinics were bombed in fve countries—Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen—and shelled, attacked by car bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), or otherwise destroyed in six other countries—Afghanistan, Niger, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, and Ukraine. In August, Syrian and Russian forces bombed one of the main trauma facilities in Aleppo four times in ten days and eventually completely destroyed it. In Libya, hospitals were targets of aerial bombardment, car bombs, suicide bombs, and IEDs. In Yemen, the Saudi-led coalition bombed hospitals even when MSF had provided the coordinates of facilities in an attempt to protect them.

In Pakistan, a suicide attack targeted a health facility, killing 74 civilians and wounding 112. In Niger, Boko Haram destroyed an MSF health post that served as the lone health facility for 20,000 people and averaged 400 consultations per week, killing six people and wounding eight. In Afghanistan, armed groups used rockets and mortars against several health facilities. In South Sudan, shelling hit the maternity wing of an International Medical Corps hospital within a POC site in Juba, interrupting the availability of medical services and humanitarian aid to the 50,000 people living there.

Even when they were not direct targets, fghting in proximity damaged, often severely, hospitals and other health facilities in Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan, Turkey, Ukraine, and Yemen. In Iraq, fghting in and around Mosul damaged or destroyed a maternity hospital and a pediatric hospital, as well as three primary health care centers— none of which are now functioning. In Ukraine, 152 hospitals have been damaged during the ongoing conflict and 30 of these are now completely nonfunctioning.

Looting of health facilities and destruction of equipment and supplies has been reported in at least 11 countries, including Afghanistan, the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Egypt, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, and South Sudan. Hospitals and health clinics in Mozambique were raided, with medical records burned, equipment and supplies destroyed, and medication stolen. In Afghanistan, a health facility was looted and set on fre in retaliation for male staff treating female patients. In the DRC, there were multiple reports of hospitals being looted, sometimes by armed assailants, with equipment, medications, and documents stolen.

Killing of health workers, emergency medical personnel, and patients Health workers were killed by government security forces and armed groups in eleven countries: Afghanistan, CAR, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. In Syria, there were 91 documented cases of health workers killed by bombing or shelling, shooting, or torture. In Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) executed doctors for refusing to abandon their patients, and in Libya, health workers were shot for upholding their ethical obligations and providing care for the national army. Elsewhere, health workers were shot on roads and killed in attacks on hospitals.

Emergency medical personnel were killed in Syria and Yemen in so-called “double-tap” attacks. After frst responders rushed to provide aid to people wounded in an attack, security forces or armed groups launched a second attack on the same location, targeting and killing the responders. Patients have been killed as well. In CAR, members of a rebel group took patients belonging to an ethnic minority group and killed them at the hospital entrance. In Libya, patients have been targeted and attacked while being admitted to the hospital.

KILLING AND ABDUCTION OF VACCINATORS AND THE SECURITY FORCES PROTECTING THEM

Community health workers often work tirelessly to deliver medications and vaccinations to ensure equitable access to health care and to protect groups from communicable diseases, especially polio. Their provision of services in communities often places them at high risk and they have been subject to targeted killings and abductions in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Nigeria. In recent years, under pressure to eradicate polio, Pakistan has increased police protection for vaccinators. The increased security has saved the lives of many vaccinators and has enabled children to receive the vaccinations they need, but it has also resulted in the targeting and killing of police and armed forces charged with providing security for vaccinators.

Executive summary

To understand the extent of how disasters impacted children’s lives, as well as to gain insight into how effective World Vision’s (WV) relief efforts were in helping children, two researchers from Claremont Graduate University worked with WV to conduct an archival document review and qualitative content analysis of 23 WV reports. The reports covered a 10-year timespan from 2005 to 2015 and described the experiences of approximately 11,390 children between the ages of five and 17 years old. This study focused on understanding disasters and disaster relief from the perspective of the children who experienced them.

The 23 reports were synthesised into 11 events that occurred in 15 different countries, with four events taking place across multiple countries. These events were associated with geophysical events (e.g. earthquakes, tsunamis) (two out of 11 events), climatological events (e.g. drought) (four out of 11 events), hydrological events (e.g. flood) (one out of 11 events), meteorological (e.g. typhoons) (one out of 11 events), complex humanitarian emergency (e.g. conflict) (one out of 11 events), and other (e.g. multiple events combined) (two out of 11 events).

The most common factors that disrupted children’s lives pertained to food insecurity, poor economic development and livelihoods, and lack of access to education and play. These factors influenced children’s lives across all 11 events. Other powerful factors were poor physical health (10 out of 11 events), diminished mental health as a result of coping with disasters (eight out of 11 events), negative consequences regarding child protection and safety (seven out of 11 events), poor water, sanitation and health (WASH) (seven out of 11 events), and damaged, insufficient or unsafe infrastructure for accessing necessary resources (seven out of 11 events). In six out of 11 events, children also mentioned faith-related consequences.

1. Brief description of the emergency and impact

Ongoing armed conflicts between the DRC government forces and the Kamuena Nsapu militia faction in Lunda Norte Province have triggered large displacements. As of the 13th of April, it was reported that a total of 11,051 refugees had arrived from the DRC and were settling in two camps. These numbers continue to rise as it is estimated that there is an additional 300-400 refugees arriving each day.

Tensions on both sides of the border are high. Still, the Angolan authorities assure that the border is not closed, but that the commercial movements are being closely monitored and the usual local market closed. The government sent a multi-sector team to assess the situation. The government of Angola has to date not declared an emergency, as the governments of Angola and DRC are analysing the situation and hope voluntary repatriation to DRC will be possible within one month or so.

In the meantime, the situation in the camps is dire as the access to basic services is very limited. The situation is further compounded by the fact that the camps are over-crowded causing a lack of shelter, food & NFIs, and poor sanitation. Furthermore, protection issues are frequent as there are cases of unaccompanied minors and violation of human rights, particularly with regards to the risk of repatriation. An immediate humanitarian response is needed to cover basic needs such as shelter, WASH, food and NFIs, child rights protection, human rights and health care assistance for life-saving. UN Agencies are advocating for an official emergency declaration, in order to facilitate a more comprehensive response.

2. Why is an ACT response needed?

Local authorities have limited capacity and are not prepared for the number of people who have already arrived and those still expected to arrive in the country.

The refugees will not be able to meet all their shelter, food and NFIs, WASH, child rights protection, human rights and health assistance for life-saving needs. They require basic needs covered for settling and starting a new life, should they remain in the camp for long time. While the national and international response through government, UN and non-governmental channels will in some way help to meet the needs, there are significant gaps that will still not be covered, consequently the need for ACT members to respond to complement national and international response measures.

3. National and international response

Unfortunately, the government has yet not declared an emergency. Although the government has not launched a declaration, there are provincial government calls for support. An immediate humanitarian response is needed to cover basic needs such as shelter, food and NFIs, WASH, child rights protection, human rights and life-saving health assistance.

Tackling the menace of the tenacious fall armyworm pest and avoiding economic hardship for smallholders across Africa requires quick and coordinated action, a massive awareness campaign, scientific innovation and multi-institutional collaboration, indicated scientists attending the Stakeholders Consultation Meeting on the Fall Armyworm in Nairobi this week.

The fall armyworm, a recent interloper in Africa, widely prevalent in the Americas, attacks more than 80 different plant species, including maize, a major food staple in sub-Saharan Africa on which more than 200 million people depend.

“The truly frightening risk of the fall armyworm to food security in Africa must be recognized and tackled with a holistic integrated pest management program,” said Dr B.M. Prasanna, Director of the Global Maize Program at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the CGIAR Research Program on Maize. “We cannot eliminate the pest from Africa – now that it is here, it will stay, but we can provide support to farmers and provide options to manage their crops against the fall armyworm.”

The female fall armyworm can lay up to 1 000 eggs at a time and can produce multiple generations very quickly without pause in tropical environments. A conservative estimate indicates the loss of Africa’s maize due to the fall armyworm could cost the continent US$3 billion in the coming year, according to Dr Roger Day, sanitary and phytosanitary coordinator at the Center for Agricultural and Biosciences International (CABI).

The fall armyworm has been reported in all countries in southern Africa except Lesotho and the island States, and most of the countries in eastern Africa, including Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. It has also been reported in several countries in West and Central Africa, including Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, and the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe.

It is not yet clear how the pest got to the African continent or how it will adapt. In North America, cold winter temperatures halt its proliferation. This could explain why it has not been reported in Lesotho, which experiences colder winters than other mainland countries in Southern Africa.

“We just don’t know how far this could go,” said Joe DeVries, Vice President, Program Development and Innovation at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). “Fall armyworm is a very recently introduced pest in Africa and even the experts are unsure what its long-term impact will be. We agreed on the urgency of enabling national plant protection groups to work with farmers in controlling the level of damage on their farms. For the longer-term, though, only a truly collaborative effort between international and national agencies can provide a solution.”

Partners task FAO to coordinate fall armyworm control and management in Africa

Because of the transboundary nature of the fall armyworm infestation, the Nairobi meeting tasked the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to coordinate control and management interventions in Africa. According to Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, the Organization has the capacity to take on the responsibility, which also fits in well with the current FAO programmes on the continent.

“FAO has prioritized building resilience of farmers and countries to prepare for, manage and recover from disasters, including pests and diseases. We are currently implementing a project, funded by the African Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF) to strengthen controls on food safety, plant and animal pests and diseases to boost agricultural productivity and trade in Southern Africa. Information, experiences and lessons on management of transboundary plant pests from this project are being shared to inform interventions targeting the fall armyworm infestation on the rest of the continent”, he said.

Integrated Pest Management

Among options explored by various governments is to provide emergency pesticides to smallholder farmers. However, this costly option can deliver only mixed success due to the capacity of the fall armyworm to develop resistance to the chemicals and the fact that most small-scale farmers tend to use pesticides inappropriately.

“The first step to an effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy is to survey and monitor pest movements, assess yield loss levels and to compile data using remote sensing equipment at the field level,” said Gabriel Rugalema, FAO Representative in Kenya. “Accumulated data can contribute to establishing uniform cross-continent government standards for identifying and fighting the pest”, he added. “We need to act fast, failure is not an option,” Rugalema said, adding that adequate funding and taking a regional approach to controlling the fall armyworm are vital.

Future challenge

Scientists believe that the fall armyworm may have spread and proliferated on the continent due to warmer global temperatures over the past few years. They suspect the pest might have been introduced from Americas through trade in plant products, via warm ocean jet streams or by some other form of transportation. Scientists fear the fall armyworm could continue to multiply and become endemic across the continent. Professor Kenneth Wilson at Britain’s Lancaster University, who has extensive experience working on the African Armyworm, predicts the pest is likely to spread into the Middle East and eventually to Europe. The moth has been known to fly distances of up to 1 600 kilometers (1 000 miles) in 30 hours, according to experts.

Learning from Brazil

Scientists noted that Brazil, a tropical country that also battles the fall armyworm, could be a useful benchmark for understanding how to manage the pest in Africa, which typically does not have the natural control measure of freezing temperatures. “We need to develop and deploy in a fast-track manner improved drought-tolerant, disease-resistant hybrids adapted to Africa that are also resistant to the fall armyworm,” Prasanna said. “This is possible in the medium term of five to six years, while other effective integrated pest management options are scaled up and delivered to the farming communities.”

Build resilience

Despite the challenges, we are continuing to build resilience, increase agricultural productivity and regional coordination on agriculture, said Candace Buzzard, Deputy Mission Director at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Kenya and East Africa. “Resilience is the ability of communities, countries and systems to respond to shocks,” she said. Hopefully, by building more resilience within all these systems, which includes early warning, we can reduce the effects of these shocks and be more prepared for them.”

In order to develop and disseminate effective, more affordable and sustainable control options, research must be urgently undertaken to better understand the biology and ecology of the fall armyworm in the various African cropping systems and ecosystems and to identify its local potential enemies.

PHOTO REPORTAGE- Les Enfants reporters se mobilisent de partout et de plus en plus pour promouvoir les droits de l’Enfant. Jean-Paul, Emmanuel et Grace sont descendus sur le terrain pour enquêter sur la situation des droits de l’Enfants dans leur province, le Kwilu. Découvrons en images leur combat en faveur des enfants et de leur avenir à Bandundu.

Enfants reporters pour l’égalité et l’avenir à Bandundu

Réunis dans les locaux de la division du genre du Ministère du Genre, Famille et de l’Enfant, à Bandundu ville, Emmanuel, Grace et Jean-Paul mettent en forme le reportage qu’ils viennent de réaliser sur le travail des enfants dans le principal marché de la ville et échangent leurs impressions. Bien que la promotion des droits de l’enfant soit un élément central de l’agenda national ces dernières années, la participation des enfants n’a souvent été que symbolique.

Forts de ce constat, l’UNICEF et le Ministère du Genre, Famille et Enfant de la RDC, à travers le programme « Enfants reporters », ont choisi de donner aux jeunes la parole pour qu’ils défendent les droits des enfants et soient acteurs des décisions qui les concernent.

Enfant reporter : un rôle souvent mal compris

« Notre travail demande de la patience et de la préparation », témoigne Emmanuel, 17 ans, le plus âgé des trois apprentis reporters, « certaines personnes nous demandent de l’argent ; ils pensent que l’interview est payable ! ». « C’est sans doute à cause de la tenue », réplique Jean-Paul, 13 ans, le plus jeune, en montrant les logos de l’UNICEF et de l’Union Européenne sur son T-shirt. « Un homme m’a interpelé m’accusant de bouffer l’argent pour vendre le pays ! », ajoute-t-il. Tous rient de bon cœur.

Reportage sur le travail des enfants

Inquiétés de constater que de nombreux enfants passent leurs journées à vendre divers produits au marché, plutôt que d’aller à l’école, ces Enfants Reporters ont décidé d’aller enquêter. Malgré la curiosité et les quelques invectives qu’ont suscité leur démarche, ils ont pu récolter plusieurs témoignages d’enfants et se faire une meilleure idée des raisons qui poussent les parents à envoyer leurs enfants travailler. « C’est la pauvreté et les conditions de vie déplorables qui entraînent l’exploitation économique des enfants », résume Grâce. « Aussi, malgré la loi qui impose la gratuité des écoles, elles restent payantes. Par conséquent, les parents n’ont pas les moyens de scolariser leurs enfants, et ils les envoient travailler », déplore-t-elle.

Les enfants reporters mobilisés pour leur futur

Tous les trois ont souhaité devenir Enfants Reporters pour plaider en faveur de l’amélioration de la situation des enfants à Bandundu ville. À travers leur reportage, ils apprennent, s’expriment, partagent et donnent la parole aux autres enfants, afin que tous participent à l’amélioration de leurs conditions de vie, afin de militer pour l’égalité et l’avenir à Bandundu.

L’UNICEF remercie l’Union Européenne pour son soutien au programme Femmes et hommes progressons ensemble, dans le cadre duquel les Enfants Reporters ont été formés.

En savoir plus sur les Enfants reporters

Rejeté par tous, Ange est aujourd’hui journaliste grâce à sa formation d’Enfant Reporter

J’étais Enfant Reporter et je suis reconnaissant pour cette belle expérience

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

• Overall favourable prospects for 201 7 season crops

• Crop diseases, armyworms, floods and population displacements resulted in localized crop losses

• Inflation rates forecast to slightly increase in 2017

• Food prices at high levels in eastern and southern parts of the country

• Serious humanitarian situation in eastern and southern provinces due to persisting civil conflict

Good start of 2017 cropping season

In the northern provinces of Equateur and Oriental, planting activities of the second season crops to be harvested from June were completed in March and precipitation levels have mostly been average to above average. In southern most uni-modal rainfall areas, harvesting of the 2017 maize crops is currently underway and will be completed in May, while in central/southern and northern bi-modal rainfall areas the 2017 secondary season maize crops will be harvested from May and June, respectively. According to satellite images, vegetation conditions at the start of the 2017 second cropping season were generally favourable (see ASI map).

Abundant rainfall benefited crops in 2016, but floods resulted in localized crop losses

Harvesting of the 2016 main maize crops was completed in November in northern bi-modal rainfall areas, while in central/southern bi-modal rainfall areas it has been recently concluded. According to remote sensing analysis, nearly average rainfall was received in most cropping areas. However, crop diseases, armyworms, floods and population displacements affected the growing season in parts. As a result, a below-average 2016 maize output was estimated.

Inflation rates forecast to slightly increase in 2017, food prices remain at high levels in eastern and southern provinces

Inflation, which stood at 46 percent in 2009, fell to 1 percent in 2013 and remained stable at this level in 2014 and 2015 as a result of the implementation of economic reforms and tighter fiscal and monetary policies. In 2016, inflation rates are estimated to have slightly increased to 1.7 percent due to a relatively strong economic growth and a loosening fiscal policy which boosted domestic demand. In 2017, inflation rates are forecast to continue to grow to about 2.7 percent.

In Goma market, located in the northeastern North-Kivu Province, prices of cassava flour, the main staple in northern and central areas, declined between August and October by 10 percent. Subsequently, prices increased by 19 percent between October and January, when they were still 38 percent higher than 12 months earlier. In March 2017, cassava prices increased by 7 percent compared to February 2017.

In Lubumbashi market, located in the southern Haut Katanga Province, prices of maize, the main staple in southern areas, have been highly volatile since early 2016. In February 2017, maize prices peaked and were 143 percent higher than 12 months earlier, mainly due to reduced imports from neighbouring Zambia. In March 2017, maize prices decreased by 11 percent compared to February 2017.

Humanitarian situation remains serious in eastern and southern provinces due to persisting civil conflict

The escalation of the civil conflict since 2013, especially in eastern and southern provinces, severely disrupted local livelihood systems and caused massive population displacements. As of March 2017, the IDP caseload was estimated at 2.2 million, 300 000 more than the previous estimates in late September 2016. Most of the displaced population is located in North Kivu, South-Kivu, Maniema and the former Katanga Province.

Over 1.5 million IDPs are hosted by local families and communities, putting added strain on their limited resources with high risk to further push them into unsustainable coping mechanisms and livelihood strategies. Moreover, as of late February 2017, the country hosts 104 000 refugees from the Central African Republic, 71 000 from South Sudan and 36 000 from Burundi.

According to the latest available IPC analysis, conducted in June 2016, the number of people in acute food insecurity and livelihood crisis (IPC Phase 3: “Crisis” and IPC Phase 4: “Emergency”) was estimated at about 5.9 million, about 10 percent less than a year earlier, due to a relative improvement in the security situation in the conflict-affected Tanganyika, Sud-Kivu, Nord-Kivu, Maniema and Ituri provinces, where more than half of the total national food insecure population reside. However, armed clashes in late October-early November 2016 in the Dibaya Territory (Kasaï Central Province) caused the destruction of standing crops and food stocks and affected about 100 000 individuals, thus bringing the food insecure total caseload to 6 million.

In the framework of the 2017-2019 Humanitarian Action Plan, FAO is expected to assist 2.1 million people (about 350 000 households), mainly residing in du North-Kivu, South-Kivu, Ituri, Haut Uélé, Maniema, Tanganyika, Bas Uélé, North-Ubangi and South-Ubangi provinces.

The main activities include:

• Support to food production through agricultural, fishing and livestock rearing input distributions.

• Cash-for-work activities.

• Promotion of income-generating activities, particularly for vulnerable women.

• Strengthening household resilience through the implementation of the “Caisses de Résilience”, a community-centred approach which brings together sustainable agricultural practices, improved access to credit and strengthened social cohesion through farmers’ group and women’s associations.

Contents

229 Progress towards measles elimination – African Region, 2013–2016
239 Monthly report on dracunculiasis cases, January– March 2017

Sommaire

229 Progrès réalisés en vue d’éliminer la rougeole – Région africaine, 2013-2016
239 Rapport mensuel des cas de dracunculose, janvier-mars 2017

Tribal tattooing helps woman flee militia rampage in Kasai province, which has driven close to 20,000 people to seek refuge in neighbouring Angola.

By: Pumla Rulashe

DUNDO, Angola – The smoke form the burning village hung in the air as the militiamen fanned out through the fields in search of residents to butcher.

As her family scattered in different directions, Elena Kita was grabbed from behind by a strong pair of hands. The man who snatched her took out a machete and she begged for her life.

“It was then that something quite surprising happened,” recalls Elena. “He whispered to me to listen to him. He recognized me through certain traditional markings on my body and that I was from the Chokwe tribe, which was his tribe too.”

The man beat her feet with the handle of his machete, telling her to run into the forest in a certain direction that would ensure she avoided the militia.

“After letting me escape, I ran in the direction he suggested. I couldn’t believe he had let me go!”

She eventually found some of her family members deeper in the forest, and is now among thousands of men, women and children who have fled surging violence in their native Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC, to seek safety in neighbouring Angola.

The conflict in DRC’s Kasai Province began with the violent uprising of the Kamwina Nsapu militia in August 2016, which displaced over one million people in the country and destroyed their livelihoods. By the end of last month, over 20,000 people had sought refuge in Angola’s Lunda Norte Province.

Elena, who reached Angola last week, is among 5,000 newly arrived refugees currently staying in Cacanda, a temporary reception centre that the Angolan government has made available to those fleeing the current upsurge in violence.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has dispatched an emergency team from the regional office in Southern Africa and its headquarters in Geneva. It is working closely with the Angola’s Social Assistance Ministry and other humanitarian agencies to identify refugees’ most pressing needs and provide assistance.

There are numerous accounts like Elena’s of summary executions and other violent acts targeting those perceived to support either the government or militia. Concerned over the ongoing violence, UNHCR is coordinating a joint response with the government and humanitarian agencies to protect and assist refugees, pending a more long-term solution.

Top on the list of priorities is to identify and develop a refugee hosting site to which the new arrivals can be relocated.

“The government has identified three sites which are almost 100 kilometres from the border with DRC,” says Asis Das, a UNHCR official leading the emergency response team. “We are inspecting the sites jointly with the Government and then we will begin the ground work to make the sites habitable as quickly as possible.”

UNHCR has already started registering refugees currently living in two of the reception centres in Dundo. “This is important as we are getting reliable data about the refugees’ origins and identifying people with vulnerabilities and specific needs,” Das explains. “The process will strengthen the delivery of humanitarian assistance.”

The registration will culminate in the distribution of food and non-food items which are desperately needed. As the numbers continue to rise beyond the initial planned figure of 5,000 people, UNHCR is working closely with the World Food Programme to continue providing food to the arrivals. Other humanitarian agencies including UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders are continuing to provide water, sanitation and health care.

“Once we are able to stabilize the population by providing the most basic needs, especially at reception centres where they usually arrive exhausted, malnourished or ill, we can then look into issues relating to sexual and gender based violence, child protection and some of the psycho-social concerns that occur due to trauma,” adds Das.

As she adapts to her new circumstances, Elena is still in pain, both physically and emotionally, although she can now smile. She is unexpectedly grateful to the militia man who beat her so as to deflect any suspicion about his actions towards her.

“Though he beat me, I will always be grateful to him for sparing my life and allowing me to reunite with my family. It is what puts a smile on my face, in spite of the pain in my feet,” she says.

Meanwhile her brother-in-law, Celeste Kasenga, is simply relieved that she is alive. “If she hadn’t escaped we would have been accused by her family of neglecting to protect her,” he says.

“That would have destroyed relations between both families. At a time like this, unity is the strength families need to heal the trauma and stress we have just gone through.”

Faits saillants

• La résurgence de conflits fonciers entraine la mort de quatre personnes et un déplacement de population dans les territoires d’Aru, Djugu et Mahagi.

• 40 000 personnes privées d’eau potable à Bunia faute d’exonération de matériel d’importation.

• La répétition d’incursions des éléments armés Sud-Soudanais à Aru fragilise la protection des civils.

Aperçu de la situation

Au cours de l'année 2016, la Division provinciale de la santé (DPS) de l'Ituri a enregistré environ 4 000 cas de tuberculose dont 210 décès dans l’ensemble de la Province. Selon le ministre provincial de la santé, cette situation est consécutive, entre autres, au faible taux de dépistage dans la plupart des zones de santé de l'Ituri et l’implication moins active des communautés dans les activités de sensibilisation. Le ministre provincial a invité les autorités sanitaires et les communautés à tout mettre en œuvre pour éradiquer cette maladie dont le traitement est gratuit. Pour sa part, la DPS a appelé les professionnels de la santé et les partenaires à unir leurs efforts pour améliorer le dépistage et la prise en charge de la tuberculose, particulièrement chez les enfants. Selon les structures sanitaires, les zones minières, notamment Bambu (Territoire de Djugu), Mongwalu, Niania (Territoire de Mambasa) et Nizi sont les plus touchées en raison de la forte promiscuité.

Selon le suivi de protection, le 26 avril, des présumés éléments de l’armée populaire de libération du Soudan (APLS), en provenance de la localité sud-soudanaise de Morobu, ont fait une incursion dans le village Rakanya (environ 40 km au nord d’Ingbokolo, Territoire d’Aru). Au cours de cette incursion, une rapatriée spontanée âgée d’environ 65 ans a été battue et est décédée. La population vit désormais dans la peur des éléments de SPLA et autres hommes armés qui insécurisent la zone, encouragés par la faible présence des forces de défense et de sécurité. La société civile du Territoire d'Aru et les acteurs de protection se plaignent de la récurrence de ces incursions et recommandent aux autorités de prendre des dispositions pour renforcer la protection des civils et des réfugiés. Celle-ci est fragilisée par l'insécurité qui prévaut au Soudan du Sud et qui s’étend peu à peu au Territoire d'Aru.

Le suivi de protection a signalé un conflit foncier, survenu le 26 avril entre les habitants de Yimbu et d’Akara (environ 150 km au nord de Bunia), qui a causé la mort de quatre personnes et forcé un nombre inconnu d’habitants à fuir Yimbu vers la localité de Mosongwa en Territoire de Mahagi. On déplore également l’incendie d’une vingtaine de cases, la destruction de champs et autres biens. Davantage d’efforts devraient être déployés par les décideurs pour renforcer la présence de l’autorité de l’Etat dans cette zone où les conflits demeurent endémiques. Pour rappel, dans la même zone de Djugu, un conflit intercommunautaire signalé à la mi-mars dans le groupement de Linga avait provoqué un déplacement de plus de 12 000 personnes qui n’ont pas encore regagné leur milieu d’origine. Dans le Territoire d’Aru, la population de Kamaka a fui la localité de Kamaka (environ 350 km au nord-est de Bunia) à la suite du conflit foncier qui l’oppose au village d’Irivo depuis le 28 avril. Une trentaine de cases ont été détruites au cours des affrontements. Dans le Territoire de Mahagi, depuis le 30 avril, on assiste à un rebondissement des conflits entre les villages de Jupafoyo et Jupanyar Unore. Par conséquent, près de 12 000 personnes retournées dans la zone en décembre 2016 ont été contraintes à un nouveau déplacement vers diverses localités situées entre Ndrele et Ngote.

Grâce à un compromis trouvé entre les autorités locales et les concessionnaires du site adventiste de Komanda (75 km au sud-est de Bunia), plus de 1 500 personnes déplacées internes n’ont pas été expulsées du site le 30 avril 2017. L'insécurité qui prévaut dans les villages d'origine qui se trouvent dans le sud du Territoire d'Irumu en Ituri et dans la région de Beni n'incite pas les déplacés à regagner leur milieu d’origine. Pour rappel, il y a une année, des attaques de miliciens de la Force de résistance patriotique de l’Ituri (FRPI) contre les villages d’Apinzi 1, 2 et 3 et Mandibe (Territoire d'Irumu en Ituri), d'une part, et les exactions commises par de présumés éléments des Forces démocratiques alliées (ADF) contre les civils dans le Grand-Nord (Nord-Kivu), d'autre part, avaient provoqué un déplacement de près de 2 000 personnes sur l'axe Komanda - Luna (Ituri).