FLASH UPDATE


Unfolding crisis in the Central African Republic


2021 continues to be marked by unrest for the people of the Central African Republic (CAR).


An eruption of violence following elections in late December 2020 has forced more than 100,000 people to flee from CAR to neighbouring countries. The overwhelming majority of new refugees from CAR have fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) but most are living in dire conditions in remote areas, without basic shelter, and facing acute food shortages.


UNHCR has strengthened its presence along the Ubangui River where more than 90,000 new arrivals have crossed into the DRC. Working with our partners, UNHCR is currently registering nearly 1,000 refugees every day, providing emergency supplies, repairing water pumps, and planning on relocating refugees further inland for safety reasons.


Significant challenges continue within CAR — some 100,000 people have been internally displaced as a direct result of violence following the election. The ongoing volatility is


hampering the humanitarian response, making it difficult to reach those displaced within the country, while the main road used to bring supplies remains closed by armed groups.


UNHCR is continuing to work closely with authorities and partners in CAR to monitor the protection of the displaced, and to support returnees and reintegration efforts.


UNHCR is working around-the-clock to support individuals and families in need, both within CAR and for communities in neighbouring countries hosting refugees. But the surges seen in the numbers of people displaced means that the humanitarian needs are likely to grow in the days, weeks, and months ahead.


Donor support remains crucial in helping UNHCR provide life-saving aid to the people of CAR and host communities. Give today at unhcr.ca/CAR.


Your gift of warmth to refugees


For Um Ismael, the sense of helplessness can be overwhelming. “We go through desperate moments, where it is very cold and we cannot buy anything,” she says.


I feel depressed when I see my children feeling cold, I cover them with blankets. My husband is sick he cannot work, so I feel depressed at those tough moments.


Um Ismael fled her home in Syria in 2014 to Zaatari Camp in Jordan where she lives with her husband, who suffers from heart disease, and her daughter Kinda, 31, who has Down syndrome. A much-needed lifeline was provided to them after receiving winter cash assistance from UNHCR.


Syrian and Iraqi internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees continue to be in need of support to face the harsher weather conditions and protection risks during the coldest


2


“We bought a gas cylinder, a heater, and clothes for the girls, it was a relief upon us. It helped us, now we can feel warm.” —Um Ismael with her family


months of the year. Sustained funding is needed to reach the most vulnerable. The generous support of our donors helps ensure that UNHCR can provide refugee families like Um Ismael’s the sorely needed cash assistance to meet their needs with dignity.


© UNHCR/Yousef Al Hariri


© UNHCR/Fabien Faivre


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8