HIGHLIGHTS
The World Humanitarian Day 2016 was celebrated three months after the World Humanitarian Summit held 23 and 24 May in Istanbul (Turkey).
The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated US$10 million in favour of those affected by the forgotten crisis in southern Chad.
The protection situation is increasingly worrisome in the Lac with incidents that threaten displaced people and host populations
FIGURES
Population 13.2 m
Literacy rate 37.3
GDP/capita US$2,021
Life expectancy 50.7 yrs
Under 5 mortality rate 150/1,000
Maternal mortality rate 1,100/100,000
Access to potable water 48.2%
Returnees 93,000
Refugees 388,339
IDPs* (registered as of 01/09/2016)
FUNDING
567 million requested (US$) 24% funded
A colourful 19th of August in Chad
Renewed solidarity for those affected by crisis
This year’s World Humanitarian Day (WHD) was special. It was celebrated about three months after the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, and was an historic turning point that gave new guidelines for aid delivery worldwide. Participants to the summit adopted the Agenda for Humanity, which brings together five key guidelines (see OCHA Humanitarian bulletin May-June 2016), including the strengthening of global leadership to prevent and end conflict, upholding norms that safeguard humanity and switching from aid delivery to ending needs.
The 2016 theme “One humanity” has enhanced awareness on the results of the World Humanitarian Summit. Thus humanitarian actors in Chad celebrated the WHD alongside local communities, people affected by crises and the authorities.
Humanitarian actors, donors and the Government have amplified the voice of vulnerable people by calling for more engagement in addressing their urgent needs and favouring their empowerment. "It is painful to see that one in seven children dies before reaching five years or a woman in a hundred dies in childbirth due to lack of access to healthcare. During a recent visit to Lac, I was struck by the total lack of access to healthcare and medicine in some villages. It is the same for all basic social services: to Abougoudam, near Abéché, where I visited in early July, the children crowded around a well, the only water source in a twenty kilometre perimeter.
Access to water is a major challenge in the country", the Humanitarian Coordinator,
Stephen Tull deplored in his speech. Beside official speeches at the National Museum, a round-table on the future of humanitarian action in Chad gathered humanitarian partners, authorities and populations affected by crises, in order to discuss the implications of the World Summit humanitarian for Chad, as well as the necessary transformations of humanitarian work, which must in particular address the urgent needs while ensuring the empowerment of vulnerable populations. "If, in addition to facilitating our access to basic services, we can be granted support for agriculture, livestock, fisheries and small businesses, we would not need humanitarian assistance anymore", Cheikh Saleh, IDPs representative from Lac region said (he was invited to share the conclusion of a mini-summit organized in Baga-Sola by OCHA in May 2016 between IDPs, refugees and host communities. A strong advocacy was made in order to strengthen the capacity and role of local non-governmental organizations. Increased assistance via cash transfer and the promotion of social safety net programs were also discussed.
The WHD has not only served to raising awareness of the results of the Istanbul Summit, but also to remember the basics of humanitarian aid: humanitarian principles. Thus, young Chadians from Gaoui, returnees from the Central African Republic joined their comrades from Maison de Quartier de Chagoua (a cultural centre in N’djamena) to paint a fresco depicting the humanitarian principles. This fresco, signed by participants on 19th August symbolizes the re-engagement of all for a more humane and humanitarian action based on the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.
Recognizing the media as agents of change, OCHA organized on 16 and 17 August, an exchange workshop with journalists on the theme "Journalism and Humanitarian Action”, in collaboration with UN agencies.
With the aim of strengthening collaboration between the United Nations and the media, these exchanges have allowed journalists to improve their knowledge, especially on humanitarian action, humanitarian principles and techniques of writing articles on humanitarian issues.
Moreover, an exhibition installed on the side-lines of the celebration ceremony at the Museum gathered photographs of several partners on humanitarian action and populations affected by crises in Chad, including portraits of participants to Baga-Sola Humanitarian mini-summit.