West Africa is one of the world’s poorest regions and it has been marred by repeated political crises, which have created great humanitarian needs along the borders between Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea.
Cultural and historical ties between groups living on either side of the Ivorian-Liberian-Guinean border have enabled people fleeing crisis and conflict to find refuge in communities across the border. But the capacity of host communities to provide for and protect displaced populations is frail, and with the global economic crisis also affecting West Africa, the local resources and social relations that help communities cope with crisis are weakened.
DRC’s work in West Africa
DRC has worked in West Africa since 1998, working with displaced people in southeast Liberia. In 2006, DRC opted for a regional strategy in response to continued conflict and displacement across the border between Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea.
Today, DRC operates a regional programme in Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea focusing on the border areas which are particularly vulnerable to suffer the effects of conflict and displacement. DRC’s Regional Office is based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with a supporting office in Monrovia, Liberia.
DRC’s programme in West Africa aims at building up the capacities for protection in the border areas and strengthening durable solutions for the displaced. This is done by working with the communities on either side of the border which over the years have received, hosted and protected the shifting waves of refugees from conflicts in Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire. The programme focuses on emergency response, strengthening of livelihoods in conflict-affected areas, and enhancing the governments’ provision of social services.
Emergency response
In 2011, post-electoral violence in Cote d’Ivoire induced hundreds of thousands of Ivorians to flee their homes. Most of the refugees fled to Nimba County in northern Liberia, while thousands fled to Maryland County and River Gee County in south east Liberia as well as southern Guinea. Close to half a million Ivorians became displaced in Côte d’Ivoire itself. A major challenge for DRC is to assist the displaced Ivorians, as well as the communities hosting or receiving them upon return, in coping with the effects of crisis and displacement and promoting durable solutions with a view to securing their safe and dignified return.
The influx of large numbers of refugees into already poor areas can have devastating effects on the local communities that host them, as local resources are strained and normal coping mechanisms are disturbed. In response to the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, DRC provides recently displaced populations and host communities with emergency relief such as food aid, material assistance, improved access to clean water and sanitation and, where relevant, assistance to transfer to and shelter elsewhere.
Protection and conflict prevention
The human rights of DRC’s target groups in West Africa are not adequately protected. The border areas host armed groups and unemployed ex-combatants willing to engage in armed violence, including as mercenaries. Extortion and intimidation are common and undermine the communities’ ability to engage in trade and agriculture and thus to recover from conflict. Women and children are highly vulnerable to sexual and gender based violence. Insecurity is rife and access to the justice system is very limited. This makes the population living in the border area very vulnerable to human rights violations.
DRC engages in protection monitoring on both sides of the Ivorian-Liberian border, with the aim of deterring human rights violations. DRC also provides documentation of violations and assistance and referral to medical, legal and psycho-social aid to victims of violations. DRC also assists communities to develop their own mechanisms for protecting human rights, particularly for women, children and vulnerable groups.
DRC aims to develop the ability of the communities to protect themselves. Focus areas are enhancing the communities’ conflict resolution mechanisms, providing training on rights, and facilitating the development of community priorities and action plans to ensure the greatest relevance and local ownership. DRC has a particular focus on the inclusion of women in the work promoting protection and conflict prevention.
Livelihoods and community-based recovery
The living conditions for conflict-affected populations in Liberia, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire are precarious, as the majority has limited access to health and educational services, adequate food, clean water and sanitation. Most communities depend heavily on agriculture and small-scale trade, but conflict and displacement have disrupted the local economy, caused a depletion of productive assets, and have cut communities off from local markets.
DRC in West Africa uses a holistic approach, providing assistance to communities and not only individuals. DRC’s community-based interventions are based on community action planning, a participatory approach for communities to identify their needs and priorities and formulate plans to address them. On this basis, DRC supports conflict-affected communities with accessing productive assets and income generation activities.
This is done by providing seeds and tools, by offering regular trainings, and by assisting groups of isolated or vulnerable individuals, particularly women, to establish groups and linking them to local markets. DRC moreover assists communities with the rehabilitation of basic infrastructure as prioritised, most commonly improved water sources, roads, communal houses, and the reconstruction of schools.
