CARE Canada

Published purpose

February 2021 - Nearly twelve years of conflict between Islamist insurgents and government forces in northeastern Nigeria have left the region facing a desperate humanitarian crisis, characterized by mass population displacement and severe human rights abuses, including abductions, killings, and sexual violence. Destruction of infrastructure has left most of the population without access to safe water, sanitation, or healthcare and widespread food insecurity, exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has left the region on the brink of famine. Across the three conflict-affected states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe, an estimated 8.9 million people will need humanitarian assistance in 2021. With GAC’s support, CARE is improving access to healthcare, particularly sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, and protection for conflict-affected internally displaced persons and host communities in Nigeria’s Borno state. Project activities include: (1) providing training and support for local health facilities, with a focus on SRHR; (2) providing case-management and other services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) or those at risk; and (3) engagement with community stakeholders to improve understanding of and response to protection risks.