1 Displaced children in CAR November 2008

2 Numbers at a glance Total population4,302,360 IDPs108,000 Refugees in Cameroon, Chad, Sudan104,000 People in forced displacement212,000 5% of population

3  50% of all IDPs in CAR are children  61% of IDPs in Ouham and Ouham-Pendé are children Disproportionate effect on children

4 Causes of displacement  Conflict and displacement ongoing since 2005  Until 2007, causes of displacement mainly clashes between government forces and rebel groups  New causes of displacement are attacks by road bandits known as coupeurs de route  GoC unable to provide security  Communities have created self-defence militias  50% of all IDPs have been displaced by road bandits

5 Patterns of displacement  Until late 2007, IDPs fled their villages to hide in nearby fields or forests without access to basic services  IDPs are now fleeing to larger towns where they hope to find security, and where they depend on help from host communities

6  Kabo  Batangafo Kambakota   Bangui Areas visited Bocaranga 

7 Specific protection problems  Trauma from extreme levels of violence  Unmet basic needs  Economic exploitation  Ethnic discrimination  Recruitment into armed groups Displaced children have suffered from:

Kabo

Kambakota

Bocaranga

11 National response  Security and social services almost inexistent in north  Government actively supports self-defence militias  IDP-mandated agencies under-funded and under- staffed  No government assistance to IDPs, including children  Allowed international community to access IDPs  No national law or policy to protect IDPs

12 Lack of legal framework  GoC has not implemented the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement  GoC has not enacted national legislation for protecting IDPs, including displaced children  GoC has not ratified the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the involvement of children in armed conflict  National Assembly has not reviewed or enacted the draft child protection law. Draft law does not include provisions for protecting displaced children

13 International response  Cluster approach was activated in 2007  Surge of INGOs and humanitarian funding  Lack of child-mandated organisations working in CAR  Lack of specific focus on the needs of displaced children  Inability to respond to urgent needs of displaced children in timely and efficient ways

14 Developments in 2008  Fragile peace process underway (ceasefire agreements and amnesty law)  CAR on agenda of UN Peacebuilding Commission  Surge in development and humanitarian funding in 2008 (CAP is 91% funded)  SRSG on children and armed conflict visited CAR in May  UNICEF established country task force for MRM  UN SC Working Group on children in armed conflict will review situation in CAR in 2009

15 Recommendations To the government of CAR  Restore security and social services  Create a legal framework to protect IDPs To the international community  Appoint a Humanitarian Coordinator  Preposition and deliver assistance in a timely manner  Encourage all parties to conflict to uphold ceasefire agreements and continue negotiations over amnesty law