Since 2010, DRC has endeavoured to profile internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable groups in order to respond to protection needs and to facilitate the returns process as well as to assist communities in developing mechanisms for self-protection. The project was initiated in the north-western provinces of Ouham and Ouham-Pendé and has since directed its focus to the northern Bamingui-Bangoran province, which is the scene of continued armed clashes and displacement.
The IDP profiling exercise takes place in collaboration with the Joint IDP Profiling Service (JIPS), an inter-agency service that assists in the development of methodologies and good practice through a collaboration on some of the world’s leading agencies in displacement and migration. The project is implemented in CAR in cooperation with Echelle, a Central African development NGO, to undertake the profiling which entails interviewing a wide array of local authority representatives, community leaders and a number of IDPs, returnees and other conflict-affected people.
The profiling exercise aims, firstly, to provide a clearer understanding of the ongoing displacement process, the nature of the violation of human rights as well as other protection concerns. Having detailed and up-to-date socio-economic data on IDPs is essential for providing appropriate life-saving assistance, both protection and in multiple other sectors such as food security, health and conflict-mitigation.
Secondly, profiling helps identify the needs and capacities for protection at the level of the community. Trainings based on profiling data can help communities build their coping mechanisms, strategies and capacities for self-protection taking as a starting point the resources and needs of the people themselves.
Thirdly, knowing the nature and gravity of human rights violations is pivotal to effectively undertake advocacy towards the concerned national authorities to ensure that an adequate legal and protective environment is put in place for the benefit of the most vulnerable individuals. Such data is essential for sharing up-to-date information to improve humanitarian coordination and to identify priorities with key stakeholders, such as local authorities, the national government and donors.
DRC’s profiling exercise is assisted by funding from UNICEF, SIDA, JIPS and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund.
