Côte d'Ivoire: Worsening of humanitarian situation as thousands flee Abidjan
| Publisher | Norwegian Refugee Council/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC) |
| Publication Date | 25 March 2011 |
| Cite as | Norwegian Refugee Council/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC), Côte d'Ivoire: Worsening of humanitarian situation as thousands flee Abidjan , 25 March 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4d9033cf2.html [accessed 8 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Thousands of residents have been fleeing Abidjan since 19 March after Laurent Gbagbo's youth leader, Charles Blé Goudé, rallied thousands of youth to fight. Bus terminals were crowded with families trying to head to the east and north of the country, which is under the control of the Forces Nouvelles (FN) allied to president-elect Alassane Ouattara. Many more, however, have been unable to flee as transportation costs have risen sharply in recent days. According to the UN, over 500,000 people could be displaced in Abidjan.
Violations of human rights and humanitarian law are escalating alarmingly and are being perpetrated by forces loyal to both camps. According to a report recently published by Human Rights Watch (HRW), violence perpetrated by security forces and militia groups close to Gbagbo in both Abidjan and the west of the country amount to crimes against humanity.
The crisis is having far-reaching humanitarian consequences throughout the country. A shortage of essential medicines, a disrupted farming season and the lack of access to education for hundreds of thousands of children are all having a dangerous impact on the livelihoods of Côte d'Ivoire's residents. While the country's emergency humanitarian appeal remains severely under-funded, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated $10.4 million to seven agencies working in Côte d'Ivoire to help meet urgent humanitarian needs.
See also: IDMC Côte d'Ivoire country page
