A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis:
Context
Niger is facing a complex humanitarian crisis. In addition to persistent insecurity and violence perpetrated by armed groups against civilians and humanitarian actors, endemic poverty, climate change and its associated impacts, seasonal floods, pockets of drought and epidemics make thousands of people vulnerable. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated vulnerabilities and led to an increase in multi-sectoral humanitarian needs. According to the 2022 Humanitarian Needs Survey, 3.7 million people are in need of assistance, or 16.8% of the total population. Another factor fueling this crisis is the insecurity along the border strips with Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Mali. National incident trends show that the number of safeguarding incidents has increased over the past three years, from 1,498 in 2019 to 3,373 on 30 September 2021, an increase of more than 125 per cent. These incidents are mostly blatant cases of human rights violations. The number of internally displaced people has doubled in the last three years in the tri-border regions (Burkina Faso-Mali-Niger) and the Lake Chad Basin.
Despite efforts by the Nigerian government and the governments of neighboring countries to secure areas and encourage the return of the displaced to their places of origin. As of September 30, 2021, Niger recorded approximately 549,000 people on the move, including 264,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), 250,000 refugees mainly from Nigeria and Mali, and 35,445 Nigerians who had migrated to Nigeria due to crisis prevention but returned to Nigeria. Violence linked to the activities of armed groups has led to serious protection problems and limited access to basic social services in a context of high poverty in some areas. The number of protection incidents has increased over the past three years, from 1,498 in 2019 to 3,373 on September 30, 2021, an increase of more than 125 percent. Additionally, by November 30, 2021, 621 schools were closed, depriving more than 55,000 children of schooling. As a result, the needs of those affected have far exceeded the available resources. Cross-sectoral analysis revealed that 58 percent of IDPs have severe cross-sectoral needs (severity class 3) and reside in twelve of the eighteen wards hosting displaced people, while 27 percent have “extreme” humanitarian needs (severity class 4). This category is found in the departments of Guidan Roumdji and Madarounfa (Maradi region), Tassara and Tillia (Tahoua region), Abala and Tillabéry (Tillabéry region).
In Difa, the humanitarian crisis caused by the war against the criminal sect Boko Haram that started in 2013 has caused a humanitarian situation in the region. The humanitarian situation therefore remains serious and alarming in a region already affected by significant underdevelopment, poverty, climate change and its impacts. Women, youth and children are the main victims. In 2019, more than 450,000 people will be in need of humanitarian assistance and protection in Diffa Region (HRP 2019). Although the security situation has improved significantly and population movements have been significantly reduced as a result of military operations and measures related to the state of emergency, the needs remained significant and remained on a large scale in 2019, 2020 and 2021, as communicated in the humanitarian HRP response plan document for Niger.
The increase in attacks against civilians, including internally displaced persons, refugees and members of host communities, has been a serious concern since the beginning of the crisis in 2013 in the Diffa region. Kidnappings, robberies and deadly attacks by armed groups (AGs) are reported almost daily and civilian casualties are increasing dramatically. Since 11 February 2015, the government has periodically renewed a state of emergency declaration. The state of emergency/curfew was renewed on June 15, 2020 and will continue until further notice.
Prior to this, the UN Office of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in May 2020 that a total of 68 security incidents by armed groups in the region had been recorded. According to the same source published on April 30, 2020, the Diffa region is currently home to 265,617 people equivalent to 73,378 households, including 126,492 refugees (47%), 102,726 internally displaced persons (IDPs), 39%, 34,300 returnees.
In addition, the sudden increase in violence in Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina states in northwestern Nigeria in late 2019-early 2020 forced thousands of people, mostly women and children, to flee the violence and seek refuge and protection in Niger’s Maradi region, thus increasing the number of vulnerable people in an area already experiencing an emergency. serious.
For this reason, a DREF (MDRNE023) was launched on 24 July 2019 (with an extension of 3 months, until 24 December 2019) with the aim of providing emergency life-saving services to 30 000 people (4 286 households), including 22 817 refugees ( 3 260 households) and 7 183 people from host communities in community health, WASH and PHE sectors in eight villages in Guidan Roumdji district in Maradi district. This includes Dan Kano, Bassira, Elguidi, Tankama and Kelkele (villages hosting displaced persons) and Dan Dadji, Makaou, Chadakori and Guidan Kaka (opportunity villages identified by UNHCR).
Today, new waves of displaced people continue to seek refuge in villages near the Nigeria-Nigeria border. This increase in the flow of Nigerian refugees into Niger has led UNHCR to appeal (ongoing) to the government of Niger for collective refugee status (prima facia). As this humanitarian situation continues in 2020, with a high probability of an increase in the current number of displaced people from Nigeria taking refuge in Niger, NSRF Niger and IFRC have decided to integrate the DREF population movement operation into the Niger Cluster Emergency Appeal initially implemented in Difa District since April 13, 2018. The reasons and context of this crisis are rooted in insecurity, attacks and violence from similar origins and the consequences of population movements across borders. Humanitarian needs remain high in Niger due to conflict, food shortages, child malnutrition and epidemics.