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Emergencies

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC REFUGEE CRISIS

1.4 million

More than 1.4 million Central Africans have been displaced from their homes, nearly a third of the country’s total population (as of 2023).

500,000

More than 500,000 people are internally displaced in the Central African Republic (as of December 2022).

1.1 million

An estimated 1.1 million Central Africans are at risk of statelessness.

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Right now, war and violence have forced more than 120 million people to flee their homes. Sign up to learn how you can help!

About the Crisis in The Central African Republic

The Central African Republic is a landlocked country in the heart of Africa that consistently ranks as one of the poorest and most fragile countries in the world. The country has struggled with armed conflict and instability for several years. 

In 2013, an outbreak of violence between armed groups forced more than 640,000 people to flee the country in search of safety, and an additional 630,000 were internally displaced. The majority of those who fled the country sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of the Congo, with smaller numbers in Sudan and South Sudan.

Today, the Central African Republic continues to experience sporadic surges of violence. The most recent occurrence was in December 2020, after a troubled election displaced more than 200,000 people in less than two months. These recent displacements bring the number of displaced Central Africans to more than 1.4 million, representing nearly a third of the country’s total population. In 2023, an estimated 3.4 million people need humanitarian assistance, accounting for 56 percent of the population.

The continued volatility and violence has also led to worsening gender-based violence (GBV) across the country. Women and girls are at daily risk of suffering gender-based violence within their communities, either in their own homes or while carrying out tasks such as collecting firewood, water or on the way to the fields or toilets. In 2021, there was a 58 percent increase in gender-based violence cases compared to 2020. Currently, sexual violence poses the greatest security risk to women and girls, especially IDPs. 

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The Central African Republic: A Forgotten Crisis

How to Help

UNHCR is on the ground aiding refugees in CAR, but resources are stretched too thin. Your gift will offer hope for a safe future.

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What is UNHCR doing to help Central African refugees?

The UN Refugee Agency is advocating at all levels for the safety and security of all civilians and ramping up lifesaving assistance to support those who have been forced to flee.

Inside the Central African Republic, UNHCR focuses on delivering shelter and basic relief items to support the growing number of IDPs. In neighboring countries, it assists new arrivals while building refugee’s livelihoods and ability to sustain themselves. UNHCR is also working with other humanitarian partners to support protection activities and humanitarian assistance throughout the region.

UNHCR also coordinates with government agencies and civil society in order to support voluntary repatriations, and in 2022 supported 5,600 Central African refugees to return home.

More Facts About the Conflict in the Central African Republic

Central African refugees sit outside their makeshift shelter in the village of Ndu, Democratic Republic of Congo.

More Facts

  • More than 50 percent of the population in the Central African Republic do not have enough to eat, one of the highest rates of food insecurity globally.
  • Nearly 60 percent of Central African refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are children.
  • The majority of Central African refugees are hosted in Cameroon (47 percent), followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (29 percent) and Chad (16 percent).

Stories from the Central African Republic Crisis

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Conditions dire as CAR displacement tops 200,000

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Boris Cheshirkov – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva

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Number of Central African refugees soars as violence intensifies

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Boris Cheshirkov – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

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365 Days Together

Thanks to donors, UNHCR teams are on the ground around the world, 365 days a year. Here’s a look at some of the ways donors stepped up and made a life-changing difference for refugees in 2018.

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Thousands flee Central African violence into remote region of northern DRC

7,000 Central African Republic refugees have arrived in the DRC in under a week into a situation of little help and desperate need.

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