CERF provides $4 million in response to refugee influx in Burkina Faso

23 March 2012:As a result of recent instability in Mali, thousands of people have fled their homes. As of 7 March 2012, some 82,000 Malians have been internally displaced and more than 90,000 people have sought refuge in other countries, including some 21,653 people who have fled to the Sahel region of Burkina Faso.

The Sahel region of Burkina Faso is among the poorest regions in the country; people in the region currently face a food deficit due to the poor harvests. The influx of refugees has placed additional pressure on limited food, water and sanitation resources which is further worsening the situation of already highly vulnerable host communities. The absence of water and sanitation systems such as latrines and bathing facilities, are putting refugees, especially children, at an increased risk of hygiene-related communicable diseases.

In response, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) provided rapid response grants of $3,990,300 to six UN agencies to respond to refugees and provide support to affected host communities.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) received a grant of $2.2 million to provide protection assistance to10,000 refugees which will include provision of emergency documentation for refugees; development of camp sites; and purchase and distribution of shelter, clean water and other non-food items. The World Food Programme (WFP) received a grant of $900,000 to provide food assistance through monthly food distributions to some 32,000 refugees and vulnerable host communities. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) was given three rapid response grants totalling $384,000 to prevent and treat child malnutrition, provide health care services and supply clean water and improve hygiene conditions. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was given a rapid response grant of $300,000 to maintain household livestock and ensure food security of people affected by the crisis. A grant of $105,000 to the World Health Organization (WHO) will help reduce illness and death among refugees and host communities through delivery of medicines, immunization campaigns and other activities for the benefit of some 35,000 people. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was given a grant of $100,000 to improve refugees’ access to life-saving reproductive health care services and support gender-based violence prevention activities.

CERF funds will help ensure humanitarian actors respond rapidly to the crisis and provide needed funding in at the start of the emergency. The total amount required for the humanitarian response is $22 million, 18 per cent of which will be provided by CERF to jump-start humanitarian operations.

Updated 23 March 2012