CONGO (Republic of The)
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CONGO (Republic of the) Operational highlights l UNHCR completed the verification of refugees living in the north of the country. More than 131,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) living in 102 sites spread over 600 km along the Oubangui River, were registered. l A verification exercise revealed that the Republic of the Congo (the Congo) was hosting almost 8,000 refugees and some 2,800 asylum-seekers in urban areas. l With UNHCR’s support, the Government established a commission for the revision of the Congo’s Asylum Law, which was expected to be adopted in the course of 2012. l UNCR was involved in the preparation of a contingency plan for a potential influx of refugees from the DRC following the presidential elections of November 2011 in that country. Training sessions were organized for the authorities to help them build their emergency preparedness and response capacity. Fortunately, the influx did not materialize. Working environment With the overall security situation remaining stable throughout the year, the working environment proved conducive to ensuring respect for the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers in the Congo. However, with half of the population still living in poverty, living conditions remained harsh for the majority of people of concern to UNHCR. A positive development in 2011 was the decision by the Congolese Government to resume adjudication before the eligibility commissions of all cases pertaining to former combatants. These asylum claims had been pending for many years, some dating back to 2005. The Congo has enacted three important pieces of legislation: a Child Protection Act, a law on the promotion bill on gender parity in political and administrative functions and protection of indigenous peoples, and another on the was under review by the Government before its referral to protection of people living with HIV and AIDS. In addition, a Parliament. Persons of concern Of whom assisted Per cent Per cent Type of Population Origin Total by UNHCR female under 18 Refugees DRC 131,600 131,600 52 58 Rwanda 8,400 8,400 43 49 Angola 900 900 48 41 Various 290 290 37 32 Asylum-seekers DRC 2,300 2,300 47 39 Rwanda 200 200 46 27 Chad 160 160 28 27 Central African Rep. 130 130 28 30 Various 220 220 19 16 Others of concern Various 330 330 49 98 Returnees (refugees) Gabon 700 700 50 51 Various 30 30 50 51 Total 145,260 145,260 1 The demographic breakdown of returnees refers to the total 730 Congolese returning refugees. UNHCR Global Report 2011 27 Achievements and impact classrooms, and the payment of a monthly allowance to qualified teachers, allowing some 79 per cent of the £ Main objectives and targets refugee children in rural areas to be enrolled in primary schools. In 2011, UNHCR’s main objectives were to ensure that at least l Health care was provided to the refugees through more 85 per cent of adult refugees were provided with individual than 114,000 consultations and examinations. Some 9,000 protection documents; to intensify efforts to prevent and women received antenatal care, among them 196 who respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV); to were less than 19 years of age. Mobile medical services ensure access to drinking water, primary health care and provided health care to those who lived in more remote education; to provide basic domestic and hygiene items to areas, or were too vulnerable to come to the medical refugee women; to improve refugees’ level of self-reliance; centres. and to promote durable solutions. l In addition, all refugees living with HIV and AIDS Favourable protection environment (197 known cases) received anti-retroviral therapy. l The existing nutritional surveillance mechanism l As the Congo has not yet ratified the two Statelessness identified 196 cases of malnutrition, including 109 severe Conventions, UNHCR continued to raise awareness at cases (65 boys and 44 girls). They were treated in different governmental level of the need to prevent and reduce treatment centres in Betou and Impfondo, where they statelessness. It also sought to improve the national received supplementary feeding and treatment; 99 of the administrative framework so as to afford better protection children were restored to health by the end of the year. to people of concern. The 87 moderate cases received outpatient care. The nutritional surveillance mechanism regularly monitored Fair protection processes the status of these children. Information sessions on nutrition and diet have been organized for 2,400 mothers, l The verification exercise conducted in 2011 allowed to ensure that they have the basic knowledge to feed their UNHCR to identify close to 1,300 asylum applications children correctly. that were still pending. Some had been awaiting decisions since 2005, although the vast majority of unexamined l Toimprove drinking water supplies, 229 wells were built cases dated from 2008, confirming the need to strengthen in Likouala (including one hundred directly by UNHCR), the authorities’ capacity for refugee status determination for the benefit of some 68,000 refugees, but the average (RSD). In this respect, the Office continued to encourage water consumption per person and per day remained the Government to conduct eligibility sessions and below standards. In addition, some 230 water organized several training sessions for the newly management committees were established to maintain recruited RSD staff within the Comité national d’assistance the wells. aux réfugiés. Community participation and self-management Security from violence and exploitation l Some 19,400 refugees (7,600 men and 11,800 women) l Some 90 cases of SGBV were reported in 2011 among received agricultural tools and seeds for refugees living in rural areas. About 75 per cent of these income-generating activities. cases involved sexual violence against minors, all of l Thanks to UNHCR’s support for refugees working in whom received medical and psychosocial support. agriculture, there was a significant increase in access to However, despite the offer of legal assistance to survivors, self-employment opportunities, rising from 45 per cent in most perpetrators were not brought to justice, creating a 2010, to 80 per cent in 2011. This allowed many families to situation of impunity that exacerbated the problem. The cover their nutritional needs, and compensate for the Government needed to strengthen the capacity of the reduction of WFP food rations. courts in the Likouala Department, before which a total of 81 complaints were pending at the end of 2011. In spite of l Some 35 per cent of refugee committee members in these difficulties, the Office provided assistance to SGBV rural areas and 38 per cent in urban areas were women. survivors, including legal support. UNHCR further Though UNHCR’s advocacy efforts have already continued its advocacy efforts with the Government in increased women’s participation in these committees, order to sensitize officials and decision makers on the more were required in order to reach equal issue of SGBV. representation. Basic needs and services Durable solutions l At the end of 2011, out of a total of some 35,000 children l The overall objective for 2011 was to resettle 70 refugees aged 6-11 years, more than 27,500, including some 13,400 in need of this solution. By the end of 2011, this target had girls, were attending primary school. This achievement been surpassed, with 74 people resettled in Australia, was made possible by the construction of 27 additional Sweden and the United States. 28 UNHCR Global Report 2011 Republic of the Congo A young refugee from DRC concentrates on arithmetic in Malala school in Yoi Na Yoi. UNHCR / F. NOY Logistics and operational support UNHCR’s presence in 2011 l Household goods and hygiene materials were procured o Number of offices 3 for 35,000 people, and 77 per cent of the goods were delivered and distributed to beneficiaries. Some 24,000 o Total staff 74 out of 31,000 adult women received hygiene kits: International 10 National 47 remaining items were distributed when remote locations UNVs 17 became accessible. Constraints Working with others In Likouala Department, the absence of infrastructure and UNHCR worked with UN County Teammembers to limited movement by river during the dry period made it develop a contingency plan for a possible influx of refugees difficult at times to implement planned activities. from the DRC in the aftermath of the presidential elections UNHCR faced serious constraints in implementing the in that country. Under an agreement between UNHCR and programme combating SGVB. No trials of perpetrators took World Food Programme, food aid was provided to some place due to the lack of competent courts in the Likouala 112,000 refugees in 2011, while the UN Population Fund Department. facilitated access to reproductive health in areas where refugees were living. Financial information UNHCR’s funding requirements for its operation in the Overall assessment Congo amounted to USD 27.6 million in 2011. However, due to limited resources, the operation only received USD 15.7 UNHCR’s objectives in the Congo were only partially million. Earmarked contributions amounted to only USD 1.3 achieved due to logistical and financial constraints. The lack million, making this operation one of the main beneficiaries of fuel combined with the low level of water during six of unearmarked contributions. months made river travel difficult. Significant progress was made with respect to the asylum Organization and implementation law which was prepared by the Government in close collaboration with UNHCR. Consultations were in progress UNHCR managed its programme in the Congo with to ensure that the legislation was in line with international 74 employees working in the Country Office in Brazzaville standards.