assessment report - humanitarianresponse€¦ · opportunities and threats to livelihood ... in...

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Needs Assessment for Self-Reliance of CAR

refugees in Gado, Borgop, Ngam, Mbile, Lolo

and Timangolo Camps, and In Touboro

Assessment Report Monitoring & Evaluation department

November-December 2017

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Contents List of abbreviations ...................................................................................................................................... 3

List of figures ................................................................................................................................................. 4

Key findings/executive summary .................................................................................................................. 5

Operational Context ...................................................................................................................................... 6

Introduction: The CAR situation In Cameroon .............................................................................................. 7

Objectives ..................................................................................................................................................... 8

Methodology ................................................................................................................................................. 9

Study Design ............................................................................................................................................. 9

Qualitative Approach ............................................................................................................................ 9

Quantitative approach ........................................................................................................................ 10

Study sites ............................................................................................................................................... 10

Data Handling and analysis ..................................................................................................................... 10

Limitations .............................................................................................................................................. 10

Assessment findings/Results ...................................................................................................................... 10

Demographic profile of the sample ........................................................................................................ 10

Trends in Self-Reliance and livelihood activities ..................................................................................... 11

Food Security and Food production........................................................................................................ 16

Amount of food available ................................................................................................................... 16

Dietary Diversity .................................................................................................................................. 17

Civil Registration and access to education .............................................................................................. 18

Civil registration and child labor ......................................................................................................... 18

Access to Education ............................................................................................................................ 20

Youth Empowerment .............................................................................................................................. 21

Gender-Based violence ........................................................................................................................... 22

Opportunities and threats to livelihood ................................................................................................. 24

Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... 29

Success story ............................................................................................................................................... 30

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List of abbreviations CAR Central Africa Republic

IMC International Medical Corps

UNHCR United Nations high Commissioner for Refugees

COP Country Operations plan

CFS Child Friendly Spaces

WGCC Women and Girls Care Center

GBV Gender-Based violence

CP Child protection

MINEDUB Cameroon Ministry Of Basic Education

MINESEC Cameroon Ministry of secondary Education

MINPROFF Cameroon Ministry of Promotion of women and family

PSN Persons with Special needs

LQAS Lot Quality Assurance Sampling

FGD Focus group Discussion

UNDP United Nations Develoment program

CEP Certificat d’Etudes primaires

LWF Lutheran World Federation

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List of figures Figure 1: # CAR Refugees in Cameroon, 2014-2017 ..................................................................................... 8

Figure 2: Trends In livelihood of Refugees Before and after the crisis ....................................................... 12

Figure 3: Coping strategies used to face the crisis during the past year .................................................... 12

Figure 4: Coping strategies used by refugees of the East region ................................................................ 13

Figure 5: Coping strategies used by refugees of the adamawa region ....................................................... 13

Figure 6: Copying strategies used by refugees of the North ...................................................................... 14

Figure 7: Daily income of refugees households in the East camps ............................................................. 15

Figure 8: Daily Income of refugees household in the Adamawa region ..................................................... 15

Figure 9: Income of refugees household in the North region .................................................................... 16

Figure 10: Distribution of Dissatisfaction with the quantity of food usually eaten during meal and the day

before this survey ....................................................................................................................................... 17

Figure 11: Average Weekly Dietary diversity of Household surveyed ........................................................ 18

Figure 12: Ability of households in the Adamawa to afford to take children of school going age to school

.................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Figure 13: Ability of households in the East region to afford to take children of school going age to school

.................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Figure 14: Ability of households in the North to afford to take children of school going age to school .... 21

Figure 15: General Ability of households surveyed to afford to take children of school going age to school

.................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Figure 16: Access to primary education in children aged 6-17 years ......................................................... 25

Figure 17: Access to secondary education in adults who have completed their primary education ......... 25

Figure 18: Nature of assistance received by refugees of the Adamawa sites ............................................ 26

Figure 19: Nature of assistance received by refugees residing in East sites .............................................. 26

Figure 20: Nature of assistance received by refugees in the north (Touboro district) ............................... 27

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Key findings/executive summary Over the last ten years, Cameroon has admitted tens of thousands of refugees fleeing violence in

the Central African Republic (CAR). Most have settled outside camps, with 70% living in rural, peri-urban

and urban areas of eastern Cameroon. With an increasing gap between funding and needs and a growing

crisis with Nigerian refugees in northern Cameroon, supporting CAR refugees’ self-reliance has become

more urgent than ever. Lack of livelihoods to cover daily needs, lack of free access to health and food

insecurity for off-site and even for in-site refugees can lead to the use of dangerous coping mechanisms.

This survey was meant to provide a baseline situation of CAR refugees in East, Adamawa and North

regions and to document key questions related to existing coping mechanisms, livelihood needs and

aspirations as moving toward empowerment.

A total of 418 Household were interviewed, 21 Focus group discussions conducted with 210

participants and 11 key Informants interviwed.

We found that the refugees questioned attempt to restore their flock and that investment in

trade, agriculture and livestock are among the most used coping mechanisms; even these activities are

not reproduced with the magnitude that before the crisis. Before the crisis 51% of refugees interviewed

were involved in trade now only 19% are try to reestablish the activity.

A number of challenges have been identifies in relation to trends in self-reliance and livelihood

activity; Food security and food production; civil registration and access to education, youth

empowerment, Gender based Violence as follows:

Limited access to self-reliance opportunities such as land rental

Limited access to Civil registration and very low access of youth to education

Discrepancies between need in empowerment and the actual status of children, survivors

and vulnerable persons receiving start-up kits or empowered via CMPJ

Limited funding for equipment of CMPJ which have lead to the selection of only 2 CMPJ

to support.

Based on this, the study gives as principal recommendation to advocate and increase focus on developing

self-reliance for refugees and vulnerable population of the East and Adamawa regions.

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Operational Context According to UNHCR Country operations plan 2018 for Cameroon (COP 2018), the protection

environment for refugees will become more challenging. Increased insecurity in some neighboring regions

paired with the continuous demographic pressure on natural resources and social services continue to

cast a level of uncertainty on peaceful coexistence and therefore on the acceptability of continuous

refugee presence to authorities.

The context of IMC’s child protection program intervention has changed significantly. Refugees

are in a situation of 'transition' or ‘development’. Furthermore, IMC’s experience in Adamawa and North

region’s demonstrated that the main child protection issues observed in the areas of intervention have

existed even before the occurrence of conflict in CAR. Different forms of child labor tend to be the worse

of child right abuses which negatively impact school attendance and educational opportunities. Other

forms of abuses include sexual exploitation (prostitution, rape, sexual violence, and harassment), drug

abuse and idleness among youth, child neglect and early marriage of young girls. On the other hand, SGBV

remain among the most serious threats to the safety and security of refugee women and children. Acts

of rape, sexual assaults, domestic violence, child marriage, economical violence, psychological violence,

among others, continue to inflict severe pain and suffering – both mentally and physically. Due to their

high vulnerability, lack of economic empowerment and traditional patriarchal culture across the refugee

populations, women and girls are the most common victims. Case under reporting is a considerable threat

to psychosocial support; and this is mostly attributed to a number of social and cultural risks and the lack

of protection of the survivor in general. While some mechanisms for community participation existed,

Women and girls lack opportunities to participate in decision-making and often faced pushback from their

communities for taking an increasingly public role, as well as community committees being identified as

a source of tension.

In order to address these serious challenges, International Medical Corps since the beginning of

the year 2014, has implemented a series of correctives activities which range from CFS activities to WGCC

in Gado, Borgop and Ngam, and also in offsites in Ngaoui and Mbai-mboum; such activities therefore

contribute in promoting the emancipation of refugees through the promotion of child rights and provide

support to Cameroon institutional protection services and authorities. Since the year 2016, IMC’s GBV and

CP programs implemented through life skills activities and vocational training put together up to 4898 and

527 young men and women respectively. In 2017, for the CAR refugees in North, East and Adamawa

regions, a total of 1414 at-risk children were Identified by IMC; but only 266 were assisted through

theoretical and practical life skills out of 1414 identified (18.8%.). For CAR refugees’ children, due to the

large number of refugee, the vast area of operation, and the limited human, logistical and financial

resources, IMC has not been able to assess the vocational training need of all young men and women.

In the East, North and Adamawa, efforts have been done with the support of MINEDUB, MINESEC

and MINEFOP to increase the level of access of CAR refugees’ children to school but remain insufficient.

Due to lack of resources, preschool education through ETAPES has been suspended and only 5.42 % (1.4%

girls) of refugees students have been enrolled at secondary school and 56.7% (24% girls) in public primary

schools (in and off sites), according to UNHCR COP 2018. In addition to that, Survivors and vulnerable

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women Identified, beside the systematic psychosocial support, are receiving material support for

healthcare coverage such as payment of medical bills for survivors or transport to the hospital.

It is worth to mention that, services that re currently provided, does not meet the standard specific needs

beneficiaries: Person with special needs (PSN) are therefore exposed to protection risks while they are

already vulnerable. The lack of livelihoods to cover the daily needs, lack of free access to health and food

insecurity for offsite refugees can lead to the use of some dangerous coping mechanisms.

Introduction: The CAR situation In Cameroon

Naturalization of a refugee in the country of refuge is a key principle in the refugee convention. As stated

in Article 34, “The Contracting States shall as far as possible facilitate the assimilation and naturalization

of refugees. They shall in particular make every effort to expedite naturalization proceedings and to

reduce as far as possible the charges and costs of such proceedings” (UNHCR Website: 1951 Convention

and Protocol). This fundamental principle is again mandated in the statute that governs the office of

UNHCR where UNHCR is required not only to protect refugees, but also must seek “durable solutions” for

refugees. The three durable solutions for refugees are: (1) repatriation, where a refugee returns to their

country of origin, (2) resettlement, where a third country (not the country of refuge) offers to settle and

provide the necessary steps to full citizenship to the refugee, and (3) naturalization or local integration,

the more common term used, where the country of refuge allows refugees to permanently settle in the

country and is expected to offer necessary steps to citizenship and/or permanent residency status as a

durable solution (UNHCR Website: Durable Solutions).

Over the last ten years, Cameroon has admitted tens of thousands of refugees fleeing violence in the

Central African Republic (CAR). The figure 1 below present the evolution of the number of CAR refugees

in the East Adamawa and North regions. According to the latest biometric registration report that was

conducted in September 2017, The North, East and Adamawa regions do accommodate a total of 219186

refugees with around 6000 new refugees arrived in the District of Touboro in the North region this year

2017.

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Figure 1: # CAR Refugees in Cameroon, 2014-2017 (Source: UNHCR Biometric registration 2017)

Since the year 2014, a number of assessments were carried out in Cameroon to assess the progress of

recovery from the crisis. Among the largest of these in terms of sample size and coverage, was the Field

evaluation of Local reintegration of CAR refugees in Cameroon, led by PRM which was undertaken from

June to July 2014, and the Livelihood strategies of CAR refugees in Cameroon led by the Humanitarian

policy group from October to November 2015. But these studies remains limited in terms of Coverage

because they were only conducted in few sites of the East region therefore not including refugees located

in the Adamawa and North regions. In addition, as of early 2014, there had not been a major study

assessing the recovery process and the prospect of self-reliance as we are moving toward empowerment

and taking into consideration the arrival of new refugees. Accordingly, in November 2017, this self-

reliance need Assessment was proposed to address these gaps in knowledge of livelihood recovery and

need for self-reliance of CAR refugees. This study was therefore designed with the overall aim of

portraying a comprehensive picture of the problems and needs of CAR Refugees in maintaining

sustainable livelihoods, and recommending how their livelihoods can be improved in short term and be

somehow sustainable in the long term.

Objectives This survey was meant to provide a baseline situation of CAR refugees in East, Adamawa and North regions

and to document key questions related to existing coping mechanisms, livelihood needs and aspirations

as moving toward empowerment.

The specific objectives of this livelihood assessment were:

0

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# of CAR Refugees in Cameroon, 2014-2017

# of CAR Refugees in Cameroon

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Identifying past, current and likely future: livelihoods activities of the CAR refugees; land access

and management arrangements; irrigation systems; market opportunities of agricultural and

forest products;

To evaluate the extent to which refugees households have recovered from the crisis in terms of

self-reliance and food security;

To give insight on the impact and effectiveness of interventions aiming at supporting self-reliance

and food security of vulnerable person;

Understand and document problems and issues which remain unresolved for livelihood recovery

and implications for future proposal development;

Deriving recommendations that can form a basis for future development intervention activities

to promote sustainable livelihoods that can cope with Refugees crisis, and take into account

challenges related to land, water and access to markets.

Methodology

Study Design

This assessment was conducted to understand the impact of the assistance received by refugees’

households, the current issues of livelihoods and prospects for the future. The methodological approach

used included a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative data collected through a detailed

survey with qualitative data collected through focus groups discussions, Key informants interviews and

case studies.

Secondary data were also collected through literature review to complete this analysis. This literature

review was performed to allow us to document strengths and insufficiencies of life skills activities

conducted so far; as well as weaknesses in the collaboration and support provided to multifunctional

center for the promotion of youth in Ngaoui and Garoua-boulai, and provided evidences of additional

need for support to functional center of Djohong, Touboro, Meiganga and Batouri communes.

Qualitative Approach: We used 3 basic instruments: Focus Group discussion, Key informants

interviews and Case studies. This approach allowed the target to have an active role in identifying and

explaining the challenges they face, their strengths and opportunities, and what they most need to

support them to build a more sustainable livelihoods. It was also intended to encourage them to feel

ownership of the findings of the assessment and therefore be more likely to support and collaborate to

implement possible resulting projects. Cases included in case studies were selected among known

beneficiaries of empowerment kit given by IMC protection team. The selection of cases were based on

the consent of the beneficiary to share his success story and the availability at the time of data collection.

Key informants interview targeted community leaders as well as administrative authorities, to gather

information on the tendency of civil registration globally, youth work or idleness as well as gender based

violence in their community.

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Quantitative approach: This was done through direct interview and observation at the household

level. Targeted Household selection were done using the LQAS methodology in the camps and offsite in

Touboro.

Study sites

This assessment was conducted in Camps of the East and Adamawa regions and in the off sites in

Touboro District in the North region.

Data Handling and analysis

The household survey data have been collected on paper questionnaires and thereafter entered into excel

data bases for statistical analysis. Records of interviews have been coded according to the objectives of

the assessment.

Limitations

Linguistic diversity made FGDs difficult

During the data collection it was a challenge to conduct focus group discussions in the highly multi-

lingual areas. It imposed a choice between either isolating language groups and only include a limited

number of the groups who are part of the project, or to make an attempt to conduct focus group

discussions with interpretation for the different language groups represented. Giving the time constraints

to conduct various focus groups, the second option was found conducive to the data collection process

notwithstanding the fact that this prolongs the duration of a single focus group. As this specific situation

were only encountered in some few cases in the North and Adamawa regions, the hindrances for data

collection that was found when participants in a focus group could not discuss dynamically with each

other, was not systematic.

Assessment findings/Results

Demographic profile of the sample

We conducted a total of 418 Household interviews, 21 Focus group discussions with 210 participants and

performed 11 interviews of key Informants.

Tableau 1: # of Interviews planned and achieved

Household survey

# Planned # Achieved

EAST 209 209

ADAMAWA 133 133

NORTH 57 76

TOTAL 399 418

The 418 household visited do accommodate a total of 2145 habitants including 1124 (52.4%) female and

1021 (47.6%) male. A total of 305 (73%) of household accommodate at least a children aged 0-59 months,

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17.7% (74) and 45,7% (191) of household had at least a pregnant women and a lactating women

respectively. Additionally, 316 (75,6%) household visited have at least one child of school age (6-14 years).

The average size of the household in the sampled population was 5,5 habitants (Min=1; Max=36). The

sample description reveals that 72% of the household visited accommodate no more than 10 inhabitants

while the remaining 28% (116 household) have at least 11 members.

Participants to Focus group discussion were diversified so as to include all the socio economic and

livelihood categories. Therefore Males and Females focus groups included farmers, tailor (simstress) land

owners, traders and unemployed. We also organized focus group discussions with responsible of Host

families in Lolo, Gado, Borgop and Touboro; and focus group discussions with young adolescents were

conducted in all the study sites. Concerning FGDs with young, solarized and non-solarized one where

included. As far as key informants interviews are concerned, the followings key informants were included

in this survey:

3 Departmental representatives of the MINPROFF of Kadei, Lom et Djerem and Mbere divisions

2 Responsible of Multifunctional centers for youth promotion In Gado and Ngaoui

2 traditionnal authorities in Dompla and Mbai-Mboum

The president of refugees of Gado

The youth President of Mbai-Mboum

A UNHCR staff of the community service

A community worker of LwF

Trends in Self-Reliance and livelihood activities

The livelihood goals and priorities of the refugees interviewed for this study range from the very

immediate need to find safety and security for new refugees in the short term to long-term concerns

around the future of their family in displacement. Trying to re-establish their herd and investing in trade,

agriculture and herding are among the most used coping mechanisms. Refugees try to meet their long-

term aspirations in various ways, as presented in the chart below.

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Figure 2: Trends In livelihood of Refugees Before and after the crisis

Some of these strategies have changed in response to failure rather than success: for instance, initial

efforts to re-establish a herd would switch to seeking a field to farm. There is a great increase in the

proportion of Household involved in informal activities (unskilled workers) and other activities; and this

include temporary work sometimes found out of their living communities, used as coping mechanism of

around 40% of household followed by selling of productive assets and marrying girls in exchange of money

as shown below.

Figure 3: Coping strategies used to face the crisis during the past year

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55%

No activity Agriculture Herding Trade civil servant Privatesector

employee

unskilledworker

Other

Trends in livelihood

Before crisis After the crisis

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sell moreanimal than

usual

Look fortemporary

job

work for food Send childrento Beg

send childrenout to work

Marry girl inexchange of

money

Sellproductive

assets

Coping strategies used in the past 1 year

Coping strategies used in the past 1 year

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The various coping mechanisms used by refugees to face the crisis for the past one year greatly varies

between regions as illustrated below. It is worth noticed that some practices such as sending children to

work, sending children to beg, marrying girl in exchange of money, selling of productive and house assets

are some existing mechanisms used in various sites. In order to understand the picture of strategies used

by refugees during the past year to cope with the crisis, a more detailed analysis per region was

undertaken to search for differences and particularities between regions.

Figure 4: Coping strategies used by refugees of the East region

Figure 5: Coping strategies used by refugees of the adamawa region

0%

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sell more animalthan usual

Look fortemporary job

work for food send childrenout to work

Marry girls inexchnage for

money

Sell productiveassets

Coping strategies used in the past 1 year (East region)

Coping strategies used in the past 1 year (East region)

0%

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sell more animalthan usual

Look fortemporary job

work for food send childrenout to work

Send childrenfor beg

Sell productiveassets

Coping strategies used in the past 1 year (Adamawa region)

Coping strategies used in the past 1 year (Adamawa region)

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Figure 6: Copying strategies used by refugees of the North

These findings can be attributed to the fact that, refugees need ranged from immediate need to have a

refuge and food to eat to long term one. For the East region and for the past year, refugees declared to

have been involved in marrying their girl children to have enough money.

“I arrived Cameroon with all my family, including my 23 children, 3 of them died. I could not have enough

food for all of them and even the food assistance we received was not enough. Where could I find money

to feed my family? I have 15 girls. I was therefore oblige them in marriage so than their husbands can give

me something to use to buy food for the rest of the family. I did this with 6 of my girls before I had the

opportunity to rent a piece of land to work.”

Working for food is also among the used mechanism and this can be attributed to emergency situation

and immediate needs of refugees to have Food to eat and for their families as well. Traditional authorities

encountered for the purpose of this study raised concerns about refugees typically used to be obliged to

send their girl children to get married in order to have some money to for them and the rest of their

family.

“Refugees use to receive food assistance, but since early 2016, they are not more receiving food assistance

here in Dompla, some of them have to go to Mbai-Mboum to receive Food. And from Dompla to Mbai-

Mboum the taximan will ask at least 4000 FCFA that they do not have. Since Food assistance was

suspended here, the hope of some young ladies is to find a man with whom they can get married and who

will support their family”

In the household survey, respondents were asked about their average daily income in before the crisis,

and were furthermore requested to estimate their actual income as after the crisis. As this measurement

is based on memory, there is some uncertainty related to the estimation of income changes. The data,

however can be used to conclude that while major changes are represented among all the selected.

Figures below indicates to crisis making negative effect to the incomes of the refugees and the low

0%

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20%

30%

40%

50%

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70%

80%

sell moreanimal than

usual

Look fortemporary

job

work for food Send childrento Beg

send childrenout to work

Marry girl inexchange of

money

Sellproductive

assets

Coping strategies used in the past 1 year (North region)

Coping strategies used in the past 1 year (North region)

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recovery rate from the crisis in term of daily average income. This low recovery rate, coupled with the

crisis of the arrival of new refugees in the North region are signs of urgent need of livelihood and self-

reliance activities.

Figure 7: Daily income of refugees households in the East camps

Figure 8: Daily Income of refugees household in the Adamawa region

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Previous income Actual income

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Figure 9: Income of refugees household in the North region

Food Security and Food production

Amount of food available The refugees from CAR are learning to farm and some are involved in life skills activities that can help

them approaching food self-sufficiency. In fact, at this point, food from external sources is considerably

decreasing, and therefore only being provided to the most vulnerable population (children) and with a

very limited caseload in such a way that 100% of the most vulnerable target cannot be covered. Therefore,

the majority of refugees are fully responsible for securing their own food.

It appears that the refugees who settled in and around established villages have a similar standard of living

as the people in the host villages. This means that there are refugees who live above the average and that

live below the average, just as with the Cameroonians. Unfortunately, the standard of living is low for

both groups, with many living a hand-to-mouth existence. Cameroon is among the poorest nations in the

world – ranking 150th out of 187 countries on the UNDP Human Development Index – and within

Cameroon, the East Adamawa and North regions, where CAR refugees have settled, are three of the

poorest regions.

In locations where food production does not reach the level of surplus food production, a qualitative

difference is observed in the source of income households turn to in order to facilitate needs like school

fees and medical care, as these households are prone to selling food intended for consumption or to sell

off household items. As such, when households and Farmer Groups are not successful in raising the

productivity level to surplus production, catering for basic needs can be at the expense of food security.

To the question related to the number of daily meal they usually have in their household, only 16% of

household reported to have 3 meal per day, 31% reported 2 meal/ day while 53% of households reported

to usually have 1 or 0 meal/day. And globally, 72% of Household reported that dissatisfaction with the

quantity of food during those meals. In this survey and in order to evaluate the extend of food security in

details, respondents were asked questions related to quantity of food they had the day before the survey.

0%

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So, 53% (225) of household declared to have had less than 2 meals with 73% of these household hosting

at least one of the most vulnerable group –children of less than 5 years, pregnant and lactating women-.

Moreover, nearly 40% of Household surveyed reported that food was not enough for all the members

during the meal they had the day before the survey. This dissatisfaction hide a strong difference between

regions as shown in the figure below.

Figure 10: Distribution of Dissatisfaction with the quantity of food usually eaten during meal and the day before this survey

Dietary Diversity In the household survey, respondents were asked to estimate how many days in one week different types

of food are included in the meals. The response shows that the main menu comprises of Vegetables and

Groundnut/beans/peas with the basis been fufu corn and cassava and a fairly rare access to meat, fish

and fruits.

0%

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90%

Adamawa East North

Distribution of dissatisfaction with the quatity of Food eaten

Dissatisfaction with the Quantity of food usually eaten during meals

Dissatisfaction with the quantity of food eaten during meals of the day before the survey

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Figure 11: Average Weekly Dietary diversity of Household surveyed

Following WHO nutritional recommendation of main sources of protein weekly frequency of consumption

– 3 times a week for fish and beans; twice a week for meat-. Only 26% of households were able to eat

meat at least twice a week ; 7,2% to eat fish at least 3 times a week.

Civil Registration and access to education

Civil registration and child labor Birth registration, the official recording of a child's birth by the government, establishes the existence of

the child under law and provides the foundation for safeguarding many of the child's civil, political,

economic, social and cultural rights. Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child specifies that

every child has the right to be registered at birth without any discrimination. Apart from being the first

legal acknowledgement of a child’s existence, birth registration is central to ensuring that children are

counted and have access to basic services such as health and education. Knowing the age of a child is

central to protecting them from child labor, being arrested and treated as adults in the justice system,

forcible conscription in armed forces, child marriage, trafficking and sexual exploitation. A birth certificate

as proof of birth can support the traceability of unaccompanied and separated children and promote safe

migration. In effect, birth registration is their ‘passport to protection.’ Despite the importance of

obtaining official and documented proof of registration, UNICEF latest estimates stated at around 45%,

the proportion of children under age five worldwide, that do not possess a birth certificate. Universal birth

registration is one of the most powerful instruments to ensuring equity over a broad scope of services

and interventions for children. Similarly, it plays a key role in the determination of refugee status

procedures, for family reunification, and in some instances, in ensuring that children are provided with

appropriate humanitarian assistance, as well as with respect to, for example, immunization campaigns or

school enrolment. Hence, birth registration is underpinning the realization of many children’s rights.

0

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Green vegetables Bread Fruits fats and oil Groundnut/beans/peas Fish Meat

Food diversity in One week

Food diversity in One week

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm#art7

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Being an integral part of civil registration systems, the demographic information provided by birth

registration is imperative for governments to create and monitor national population statistics. Improved

birth registration records contribute to statistical data that are crucial for planning, decision making and

monitoring actions and policies aimed at protecting children.

Key informants encountered and interviewed for the purpose of this assessment clearly raised up the

issue of child labor and birth registration of children of their communities –Cameroonians and refugees

included-. According to them and generally more 50% of children of their communities do not have birth

certificates. These mostly concern children form 2 years and above including children of more than 15

year old. This issue of civil registration correlates with the poor and very limited access of children to

education and basic rights protection. It is important to note that various sensitization carried by IMC and

other humanitarian actors on the importance of civil registration and delivery in a health facility IMCs and

other humanitarian sensitization has increase the number of birth declaration done at the health facility,

but due to the limited transport means and the remote location of the various study sites, some health

declaration failed to be systematically transmitted by responsible of health center. Adding this to the

existing problem of birth certificates as raised by key informants, there is a very pressing need of support

to civil registration.

“Our children do not have birth certificates but they are admitted at school once you pay the registration

fees, APE fees and the uniform. Nothing is done for them until time reached to do CEP examination for

which they cannot register because they do not have a birth certificates.”

IMC’ achievement regarding civil registration

Improved access to birth registration with more than 4000 court decisions rendered for children in

need of birth certificate through auxiliary judgment.

Improved of the identification of children in need of auxiliary judgments

Improved sensitization on civil registration.

Improved access to civil registration by support to forward of birth declarations to the mayor’

office.

Later in life, the lack of official identification documents can mean that a child may enter into marriage or

the labor market, or be conscripted into the armed forces, before the legal age. In adulthood, birth

certificates may be required to obtain social assistance or a job in the formal sector, to buy or prove the

right to inherit property, to vote and to obtain a passport. Registering children at birth is the first step in

securing their recognition before the law, safeguarding their rights, and ensuring that any violation of

these rights does not go unnoticed. So, to the question related to child labor in their communities, it

clearly came out, local authorities and other key informants interviewed that, child labor is a great concern

that became a threat to their development. It is important to note that child labor is tightly correlate with

the lack of civil registration.

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“For children that cannot complete their primary education because of lack of birth certificates, the only

option is to help their parents taking care of them either by trading or farming. They cannot stay at

home and wait for the day they will received their birth certificate to continue school, it is better for

them to find a work to support their family because they cannot more continue schooling”

“I am a young Cameroonian of this village. I go to primary school thanks to the support of IMC. My only

concern is that my school did not have enough classrooms and teachers say that they will separate

children and some will have classes outside while other are inside. If additional classes can be

constructed then It will be good for us.”

In some areas of the adamawa region, Key informants interviewed in Ngaoui reported that children tend

to go to school when they are young, but when they reach around 11 years old, they use to stop schooling

and start small businesses without training such as driving of motor bike, butcher and so on.

Access to Education The ability to take children to school was investigated. More precisely, assessment was done to gauge to

what extent children in school going age in a household are enrolled for primary or secondary education.

The data showed that 84% of the households reported having children in school going age. The analysis

of the ability to enroll them in school shows a significant differences across the three regions with 100%

of household interviewed in the East sites demonstrating inability to afford taking children to school.

Globally, 62% of household with children in school going age reported inability to afford taking them to

school.

Adamawa stands out as the location where most households are able to take all children to school. This

is also reflected in the interviews conducted, where a general trend exists of people who would like to

send their children to school as one of the Female Group leader emphasizes:

“More children are sent to school. Today, it is very difficult to find a child at home as it was the case when

we arrived cameroon”.

This positive trend is also found in the North region, where 45% reported to be able to take some of their

children to school. It was commonly stated that

“The extra food produced is used to facilitate school fees and the things you cannot manufacture. We do

also received support in the payment of school registration fees and furniture. We are able to buy uniform

and APE fees not for all children but only for some of them. This is the reason why some of our children go

to school but later are chased out because of lack of uniform or payment of APE fees”.

In the three region, the proportion of households which are able to take all children of school going age

to school is below 25%. Charts below presents the general trends and breakdowns per study regions.

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Figure 12: Ability of households in the Adamawa to afford to take children of school going age to school

Figure 13: Ability of households in the East region to afford to take children of school going age to school

Figure 14: Ability of households in the North to afford to take children of school going age to school

Figure 15: General Ability of households surveyed to afford to take children of school going age to school

Youth Empowerment

All along the implementation of its protection program, IMC supported 2 Multifunctional centers for youth

promotion. In the Adamawa region, the center of Ngaoui have been supported and that’s of Garoua-

Boulai in the East region. This support included equipment of the Centers with working material, chairs,

computers, furniture’s and support in the payment of training fees of some young.

14%

26%60%

Ability of household to afford to take children of school going age to school

Adamawa region

None

some of thechildren

All of them 100%

0%0%


East region

None

some of thechildren

All of them

50%45%

5%


North region

None

some of thechildren

All of them

62%17%

21%


None

some of thechildren

All of them

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Responsibles of CMPJ interviewed for the purpose of this study raised up the importance of this support

and more important the direct impact those training have on youth impowerment.

“Thanks to IMC support, there is now a space for young to learn and this is the way toward self-reliance”

“Here in Ngaoui we are in our second batch of learners but among learners of the first batch, one have

been recruited as a trainer here at the CMPJ, there are some who have been recruited at the red cross. And

all our young people at the end of their training are systematically enrolled at the National Observatory of

Youth”

However IMC support provided to CMPJ remains insufficient in terms of young supported as emphasised

by the Ngaoui responsibles of CMPJ

“ Approximately 80% of young people are not going to school here in Ngaoui and they are involved in small

short term businesses without prior training. It will be good If the partmenr can release enough fund to

cover the demand”.

The situation is similar in The East region where the only concern is the sustainability of IMC support and

its extension to all children in need and other CMPJ of the East, Adamawa and North region.

Gender-Based violence

Global issues such as deepening poverty, food insecurity cannot be fully addressed without full and active

participation of affected populations and communities, and in particular, women. This is particularly the

case in the context of humanitarian crises. Although much work still needs to be done to assess the

impacts of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) on agriculture and rural livelihoods, the available literature and

findings indicate that the burden of violence, notably in the humanitarian context, falls on women,

affecting their health, confidence and self-esteem as well as their capacity to provide for themselves.

Therefore, GBV remains among the most pervasive problems confronting women across the globe, with

adverse consequences for almost all sectoral livelihoods.

Achievement of IMC support to youth empowerment Since 2016

Support to full equipment of 2 CMPJ with computers, printers, office materials, chairs, tables

and training materials

Improved practical and theorical training including theorical training in citizenship education

Improved access to practical training with equipment of CMPJ with sewing machines,

maintenance of out of use sewing machine, sewing material such as roll of fabric, buttons

Oars of format, pack of pen and chalk, cooking material for trainees in pastry and Kitchen-

Hotel.

Support to the practical training cost and equipment for the training of 72 young people in

the domains of agriculture, livestock, carpentry-tapestry, hairdressing, kitchen-hotel,

computer-maintenance in Garoua-Boulai ‘ CMPJ

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GBV is even more severe and widespread during a humanitarian crises, where state and community social

structures are disrupted and agriculture fails to ensure food and livelihood security of populations. Such

circumstances may lead individuals to engage in sexual behaviors (e.g. sex work for food rations, safe

passage and access to basic goods) that can expose them to higher risk of HIV infection. Orphaned and

vulnerable children (OVCs) especially girls, and demobilized or rescued child soldiers are an especially

affected group within populations of humanitarian concern, due to their lack of sources of livelihoods,

knowledge and skills, and thus their dependence on others.

By affecting mostly the productive population age groups, GBV has a devastating impact on the

agricultural sector and food security. A responsible of the UNHCR community service emphasized the issue

of gender based violence. “I can estimate half of the women and girls of the camps are victims or have

been victims of GBV incidents”. And this range from cases of rape, to sexual and physical assault, as well

as forced marriage of young girls and adolescent.

Lack of access to education, information and services increases the vulnerability of people to various

forms of violence. Uneducated or illiterate people are less likely to integrate information about GBV,

about available social benefits, and their rights, including procedures to access the (social, health and

legal) services when they exist/function. They are less likely to have the technical and life skills to diversify

their livelihood strategies, access employment opportunities, and resist various forms of violence. A

recent WHO study found that higher education of women was associated with less violence in many

settings (e.g. Brazil, Namibia, Peru, Thailand and United Republic of Tanzania). In this line, IMC has

conducted various sensitization on GBV topic all along its GBV program implementation with nearly

112741 people sensitized in 2016 on GBV prevention and response messages including 15000 participants

to GBV mass awareness campaign.

Whereas violence occurs at all levels of society, poverty remains a factor that increases people’s

vulnerability to GBV by increasing their exposure to potentially violent situations, in particular by reducing

their ability to avoid or escape from such situations. This has been emphasized by young girls during the

group discussion with young as follows:

“My only concern is to support my family, if I find a man who will accept to take care of my family, then I

will consider getting married with him.”

Several studies indicate that fear of loss of food and shelter and lack of economic options are among the

reasons why women continue to stay in abusive relationships. This literature review correlate with the

qualitative findings of this survey.

“I am 14 years old but I am married to a man, I will not say that my parents forced me but I have accepted

because this man promised to help my parents and this is what he is doing. My parents could not afford

taking me to school anymore so I stopped but now with the money my husband gave them my younger

brother can go to school and they have something to eat.”

Uprooted populations generally encounter problems of protection and safety, with women and girls in

particular suffering sexual and physical abuse. As women are mostly responsible for ensuring the food

security of their families, they are the ones who collect firewood, queue for water and care for children.

Families also frequently select girls to collect fuel wood used for the preparation of food inside refugee

camps, and girls receive food in return. Land degradation, water degradation and scarcity, and

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deforestation often cause women and girls to walk longer distances to collect fuel wood and water, with

consequences for their health and safety. The most recent safety audit conducted by IMC in all sites of

the East and Adamawa regions revealed great insecurity conditions, notably related to the absence of

lightening in some areas of some sites by night, the absence of security actors in the camps and the

insufficiency of water points in such a way that women and girls have to walk long distance out of their

communities to fetch water. A wide varieties of actions and activities which range from community

awareness campaign, to household sensitization, communication for behavior change, mediation,

psychosocial support, case management and material support –through life skills and start-up kits- are

carried out at the community and comps level by IMC with the support of UNHCR and PRM; but these

remain limited as emphasized by a member of UNHCR community services.

“Resources available to the partner to cover 100% of sites and off sites are very limited, case management

are not always performed under minimum standards and the cultural barrier is still an issue to the

detection case management of men victims of GBV”

Opportunities and threats to livelihood

While the legal framework for land access in Cameroon is favorable, the decision on how land is rent/share

and the cost is extremely variable. In some cases, the village chief assigns a plot of public land for the

refugee to farm. In other cases an individual Cameroonian may rent or sell private land to a refugee and

the rental of land varies from regions and can sometimes reached 50000 FCFA yearly.

Refugees use the land primarily for farming. Because their history is pastoral, the Central African refugees

have had to learn agricultural practices. As pastoralists, the Central African refugees had cattle and

therefore had more resources when they lived in CAR. Unfortunately, most refugees lost their cattle

before fleeing, either because the cattle were stolen or the refugees needed cash to pay ransoms to have

their children returned. Although few brought cattle with them, the farmer-Herder issue is very common

with cattle’s destroying farms of some Cameroonians and vice-versa. When this happens, the livelihoods

of the farmers are at risk and because they are subsistence farmers, the loss of one seasons’ crop is

devastating.

“It is not easy to have access to land here, you will be asked 12000fCFA to rent a piece of land for one year,

We are oblige to go very far away from the village where we can have a bigger portion of land at low cost.

And because of this we cannot oversee our crops which can either be destroyed by cattle or stolen. If we

succeed to have fund to rent the land, there is nothing left to fence off and avoid destruction by cattle for

example”

Access to credit has the potential to strengthen self-reliance through refugees starting businesses or

purchasing greater quantities and varieties of seed, fertilizer, and ultimately modern farm equipment and

means to transport crops to markets. Through credit, one can also pay for education which leads to

additional economic opportunities and greater self-reliance. During group discussions, refugees reported

having borrow money to start their business. Women involve in trading of food, use to borrow cooking

ingredient (usually a bag of flour) and give the money once she has use the ingredient and sell the food.

“Cameroonians traders use to give us credit, they allow you to take a bag of flour to go and cook and sell

food. You can even use it for Months before giving him the money back. They accept that because they

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know that we do not have money. And some Cameroonians women also do the same so it is not only

refugees who are allow to borrow”

For the most part, CAR refugees are not employed in the formal sector. This is because they do not usually

have the required education or training for such employment. Globally, up 75% of young people aged 6-

17 years have never attended primary school in the household interviewed; additionally, only 6% (45) of

adults aged 18-50 years have completed their primary education and only 16% (7) of them completed

their secondary education as well.

Figure 16: Access to primary education in children aged 6-

17 years

Figure 17: Access to secondary education in adults who have

completed their primary education

Farming and herding are the main forms of livelihood. Some refugees are also involved in such things as

small animal husbandry, tailoring, or trading. Starting a formal business is difficult because the registration

process is long and complicated, and this is not dissimilar to how Cameroonians of the zone are dealing

(involved in informal sector rather than a formal registered business). To work around this, refugees

combine their efforts with a friend or family member who has a business that is already registered or

bypass the registration process altogether. Some refugee’s beneficiated from the support of humanitarian

actors such as IMC of LWF in start-up and empowerment kits to be able to start their business and rely on

their own.

“We do receive support from LWF to bring our

children to school. They pay registration fees,

books and bags but children still cannot go to

school because of the lack of uniform and APE

fees.”

“LwF have their list of children to whom they pay

those fees and not all vulnerable children are

included”

75%

14%

11%

Primary Education in children aged 6-17 years

Never Been toschool

Primary schoolNot completed

Primary schoolcompleted

60%24%

16%

Secondary Education for adults aged 18-50 years who have

completed primary education

Not attended

Attended but notcompleted

Completed

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On the other hand, almost all (95%) the household visited do receive some kind of humanitarian support

or aid. This varies from regions with only 76%; 98,5% and 100% of household receiving some kind of

assistance respectively in the North, Adamawa and East regions.

Figure 18: Nature of assistance received by refugees of the Adamawa sites

Figure 19: Nature of assistance received by refugees residing in East sites

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

In-Kind food Livelihoods support-Inputs/tools

Livelihoods support-assets/livestocks

cash transfers Livelihoods trainings

Nature of assistance received Adamawa region

Nature of assistance reveiced Adamawa region

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



cash transfers Food Vouchers Livelihoods trainings

Nature of assistance received East region

Nature of assistance reveiced East region

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Figure 20: Nature of assistance received by refugees in the north (Touboro district)

For the purpose of this survey some people who have benefited from support to income-generating

activities have been interviewed. It is interesting to note in these examples how many individuals benefit

from relatively small investments. It is also important to know that even with these investments, their

families are still living in extreme poverty with no real prospects for progressing. Additionally, it is

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



Food Vouchers Livelihoods trainings

Nature of assistance received North region

Nature of assistance reveiced North region

Achievement of IMC Life skills assistance and empowerment Since 2016

Improved access to young and adolescent to theorical life skills with 639 young receiving

theorical training on various themes including peaceful conflict management and resolution,

leadership, social responsibility and entrepreneurship

Improved access to empowerment activities of young, including training of 588 young and

adolescents in sewing, embroidery, hair-dressing, shoes manufacturing, Trade.

Improved livelihood with youth empowered

Improved access to vulnerable women to life skills activities

9 WGCCs Constructed or equipped or rehabilitated and supported in various sites of the East,

adamawa and North

1419 women and vulnerable persons involved in vocational training including sewing, hair-

dressing, embroidery, shoe manufacturing, brickwork, pastry and trade.

Improved livelihood with survivors and vulnerable persons including men and boys

supported with start-up kits.

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important to notice that, for a large majority of refugees residing in Touboro zones (Dompla precisely),

general food distribution stopped since early 2016 for security issues in the said zone.

There continues to be a significant gap between needs and availability of health services, education,

livelihood support, and transportation to help lift refugees – and their hosts – out of their impoverished

conditions. Overall, with various donor funding, IMC, and other livelihood NGOs have helped provided a

wide range of vocational skills. Nevertheless, these support remains insufficient regarding the number of

person in need.

“We succeeded having lands to farm, and we are grateful for all the training provided to us. But we need

more support especially to launch and/or expand our business. Start-up kits are good but these are not

enough for all person in need and we need more support and follow up to expand our business. I would

have appreciate if IMC can rent a land for me for 2 year so that I can really have money for my family

and have time to be rely autonomous.”

“I have successfully completed life skills activities in bakery. I have beneficiated from a startup kit and

now I have a small place where I used to sell bake and tea. I really need additional support to extend

this activity.”

“We have beneficiated from empowerment in tailoring but it is difficult because they obliged us to rent

a house for our business and as we are just beginning, it is difficult because we do not have enough

client. They should have rent this local for us for at least one year before living us to rely on our own.

We are 4 young using this house and it is very difficult. If we do not have client, we will consider selling

the sewing machines because we cannot afford the rental of the house.”

Uncovered aspects of Life skills assistance and empowerment activities of IMC Since 2016

64% of survivors and vulnerable persons in need of empowerment beneficiating from start-up

kits.

7% of young involved in vocational training and in need of empowerment beneficiated from

empowerment kits. The remaining 93% have been referred to a UNHCR’ livelihood partner but

only 3% of them beneficiated from empowerment due to limited funding.

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Recommendations Recommendations listed here are centered on How IMC can deployed and develop strategies to

capitalizes existing actions toward self-reliance and the way forward in enhancing livelihood and self-

reliance of refugees and vulnerable host population.

1. Develop a longer term strategy (at least a three year) to formed autonomous livelihood groups

and to defining how a group’s livelihood outcomes should be utilized to fulfill identified

requirements for self-reliance. This could include food security, Income, seed multiplication and

investment in farming and tools

2. Ensure continuous support to birth registration process which is a key and a basis to be self-reliant

and given the high number of children in need of auxiliary judgment which are not covered by

IMC’ current donor funds.

3. Advocate to gather enough fund so as to be able to support 100% of youth, survivors, vulnerable

children and vulnerable person in need of self-reliance.

4. Advocate for fund to support more young involved in training with existing equipped CMPJ and

advocate to expand support to other CMPJ of the Adamawa and East regions.

5. Advocate to have funds to be able to Support key livelihood group including farmer, trader, tailor

in cash saving activities, including organizing them into groups.

6. Systematically give start-up kits to young and vulnerable person involved in practical life skills

activities and draw up a follow up mechanism

7. Advocate to have enough human resource to be able to meet technical international standard in

terms of case management

8. Support to scholarized children by providing them with the complete material to have access to

school and the process of supplementary judgment so they they have their birth certificate and

are able to complete at least primary education and continue their studies.

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Success story Taking a stand with IMC for protection of vulnerable person and sustained livelihood and self-reliance

For an IMC refugee staff, joining efforts with the protection program to address protection issues in its

community was a welcome challenge.

“I arrived Cameroon with my mother. She entered Cameroon in Garoua-Boulai and I entered Here in Mbai-

Mboum. I had heard about the fact that a humanitarian NGO is looking for young dynamic individual who

are able to write and speak French and are accepted in their community. I had never heard about neither

sexual and gender based violence nor child protection before, but honestly when IMC came and talk to us

about it for the first time I feel very impressed and interested. I successfully went through all the test and

became animator for IMC protection program” said Issa.

IMC’ CP and GBV programs are helping communities and had helped lots of young and vulnerable persons

here. The stresses caused by living through years of war and violence such as tight living quarters for

families; constant threats to safety; and lack of access to safe drinking water, food, and shelter result in

psychological trauma and a subsequently high incidence of alcohol and drug abuse which inevitably

resulted in gender based violence and child protection issues. This kind of violence can become a strong

contributing factor to reduced access to livelihood and self-reliance activities.

“Once trained as an animators, I started my work with IMC and I really appreciated that, the trust that all

the young have in me, they trust me and if they have a problem, they know that they can come to me.

They also know that IMC is here to help them. Already I have seen more than 50 cases and follow up many

young through practical lifeskills. There is a young that marked me very positively, a young talented

separated one who came into lifeskills 6 months ago, learning sewing; He progressed very rapidly and

Have beneficiated from the few start up kits available at the level of IMC, Now he used to sew clothes at

his place and people pay him. He is even planning to rent a house very soon. And this has been a very great

example to others because even children who were not regular to life skills classes became more regular

and concentrated because they knew that if they perform well and giving IMC’ resources, they can

beneficiated from a start-up kits too. IMC is really doing a good job in improving livelihood of people of

this communities. I can also take my own example because thanks to IMC, thanks to the salary I have

monthly as an animator, I succeeded to buy a piece of land, constructed a house and bring my mother

from Garoua-Boulai to here to live with me in my house. Such examples are many, even some victims of

rape. Another example that came up now is a young girl, a case of forced marriage that I identified and

referred to GBV program; (a young girl involved in lifeskills activities of bakery whose parents wanted her

to stop and get married) The team manage the case very well including mediation with the parent to help

them understand that what they want to do is not good. After the successful case management, the girl

countinue the lifeskills activities normally and keeps thanking me for the support. These are some great

and practical examples that permit us to say a good thank you to IMC and pray so that they countinue

helping us.”

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