Danish emergency funding to UNHCR boosts lifesaving support to Congolese refugees
By late March 2018 tens of thousands have fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo to neighbouring countries, bringing the current number of Congolese refugees in Africa to 740,000.
Twelve-year-old refugee Reida Tabu is one of many children affected by the emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Fresh waves of unrest and violence in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have forced hundreds of thousands of Congolese people to flee to other countries in Africa, making this one of the world’s most complex, challenging and forgotten displacement crisis.
UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, has allocated DKK 10 million from Denmark’s Emergency Reserve Fund to strengthen the underfunded humanitarian response. The money allows UNHCR to boost lifesaving support to Congolese refugees seeking protection, shelter and food in Uganda, Zambia and Angola and undertake preparations for a larger influx in the neighbouring countries of Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Republic of the Congo.
People are fleeing their homes at a worrying pace. By late March 2018 tens of thousands have fled to neighbouring countries, bringing the current number of Congolese refugees in Africa to 740,000. More than half (nearly 55 percent) of the refugees are children, many crossing borders unaccompanied or separated. The risk of further displacement is high, as political and ethnic conflicts affect many areas with a disastrous impact on the precarious humanitarian
situation in the DRC, a country almost the size of Western Europe, and the entire surrounding region. By the end of the year it is estimated that the number of Congolese refugees seeking protection across Africa, will surpass 800,000.
Protection needs are enormous, particularly for the most vulnerable, like the numerous women who have been subjected to sexual and gender-based violence before and during their flight. Furthermore, the challenge of getting aid to those in need of protection and assistance intensifies with growing numbers of new arrivals of Congolese refugees. Existing camps are saturated and available basic services are stretched to the limit. Conditions in reception centres are extremely poor, and an outbreak of cholera is still threatening Congolese refugees in Uganda, killing more than 40 people in two refugee settlements in western Uganda since mid-February. Access to clean water and proper sanitation is an urgent priority.
The allocation from the Danish Emergency Reserve Fund to UNHCR will be used to ensure that the Congolese refugees can benefit from adequate medical care, food security, effective water systems and quality education.
“The allocation from the Danish Emergency Fund is greatly appreciated in our efforts to avoid more suffering or loss of lives in this emergency, which is one of the most complex and challenging humanitarian situations globally. Denmark’s support is an important sign of solidarity to help both the refugees and the host communities generously sharing their land and resources with refugees,” says Ann Encontre, Regional Refugee Coordinator for the DRC Situation and the Regional Representative for Central Africa.
For newly arrived refugees, UNHCR is distributing hot meals and identifying those with specific needs, as well as providing psycho-social support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Together with authorities and partners in many hosting areas, UNHCR is relocating refugees to safe spaces away from the borders.
Because of over-crowding in some of the transit facilities in the region, UNHCR has started to work on increasing capacity to receive the growing number of new arrivals. Temporary shelters are being erected, boreholes are being drilled for drinking water and temporary latrines are being constructed. UNHCR is undertaking preparations to develop a more permanent settlement where new arrivals will be able to stay longer and develop some self-sufficiency.
UNHCR, together with 30 humanitarian partners, is now appealing for USD 504 million for the Congolese refugee population, highlighting the urgent need to scale up aid and assistance. The United Nations, the European Commission and the Dutch government co-hosted a humanitarian conference on 13 April in Geneva to address the humanitarian challenge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Denmark is a strategic donor to UNHCR
Denmark has long ranked among UNHCR’s top donors and was UNHCR’s 4th largest donor per capita in 2017.
The UNHCR Emergency Reserve Fund of DKK 50.5 million is part of Denmark’s annual contribution to UNHCR, and UNHCR can allocate to where the needs are most urgent. The flexibility of the fund allows UNHCR to respond to emergencies, which saves lives and assists displaced people with critical protection needs and acute basic necessities.