As conditions worsen for civilians in the Ivory Coast and on the border with neighbouring Liberia, Handicap International’s first team of emergency specialists will arrive in the field today.
© Reuters/Luc Gnago, courtesy Trust.org – AlertNet
According to the United Nations, at least 500,000 people have fled their homes following an upsurge in post-election violence in the Ivory Coast since the end of 2010. In an attempt to escape the conflict, more than 90,000 people have sought refuge in neighbouring Liberia, where living conditions are highly precarious. Following the recent resurgence in fighting between the supporters of Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattra, the situation for the population is deteriorating.
Handicap International, which has been based in Liberia for some 20 years, arrived on the scene last week and confirmed reports that refugees were fleeing the country. In an attempt to alleviate the crisis, we are sending a team of emergency response specialists into the field this Wednesday, 23rd March. The team will seek out refugee groups close to the border with Liberia.
Their task will be to identify the needs of the most vulnerable people(people with disabilities, pregnant women and the elderly), who form a small part of the population of these camps or who are scattered in larger numbers across host communities.
Handicap International may subsequently set up disability and vulnerability focal points, both permanent and mobile, for these vulnerable persons. The aim will be to identify them, assess their needs and refer them to relevant facilities in order to ensure they receive appropriate aid and to cover their basic needs, in association with other humanitarian stakeholders present in the field. Our team may also take part in emergency aid distribution activities.
Depending on how the situation evolves, a second team consisting of emergency and rehabilitation specialists is also expected to leave for Abidjan at the end of the week, to evaluate needs on the ground, particularly in terms of case-managing the injured.
