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Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso: Situation Report - 22 Aug 2019

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HIGHLIGHTS

  • Burkina Faso is grappling with an unprecedented humanitarian emergency due to a sudden escalation of violence

  • 1.5 million people need humanitarian assistance.

  • More than 271,000 people have been uprooted from their homes. A four-fold increase since the start of the year.

  • More than 95 per cent of the displaced are in host communities 2,024 schools have been forced shut, depriving over 330,000 children of education

BACKGROUND

DISPLACEMENTS

Recurrent armed attacks and insecurity have now displaced more than 170,000 people, over three times as many as in January 2019. An average of 20,000 people have been uprooted from their homes every monthly since the start of the year. It is estimated that the number of displaced will surpass 200,000 before the end of the year. More than 95 per cent of the displaced people have sought refuge in other communities and villages and urgently need shelter, food, water and health services. In one of the latest attacks, thousands of people were forced to flee their villages around in the northern Arbinda and Gorgadji towns in late April. The freshly displaced sought refuge in Barsalogho, Dablo and Pensa localities in Centre-Nord regions, which currently host more than 16,000 displaced people. Many of the displaced are traumatised and afraid to return home owing to the prevalent insecurity and inter-ethnic tensions. The authorities and aid organizations are working to increase assistance to the displaced. Relief efforts are underway to improve food, water, health services and protection of affected civilians against abuse and violations. The National Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Council (CONASUR) is leading Government aid operations with support from NGOs and UN aid agencies.

Tensions and insecurity persist in many localities hit by the inter-ethnic clashes. The authorities, aid groups and other actors are mulling alternatives to resettle the displaced in other communities as well as peaceful and sustainable dispute resolution to eventually allow them return home.

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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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