community-based to community-led Protect From community-based to community-led Protection programming: people at the centre of how harmful effects of protracted conflicts and climate change could be efficiently mitigated
From community-based to community-led Protection programming: people at the centre of how harmful effects of protracted conflicts and climate change could be efficiently mitigated. The situation in Niger is characterized by four interconnected crises: armed conflicts, food and nutrition crisis (aggravated during the lean season), epidemics (suchas COVID-19, cholera and meningitis) and climate crisis (causing floods and droughts). Together, these crises lead to forced populations displacements, food insecurity and malnutrition, health emergencies, and growing widespread insecurity. According to the UNHCR, as of April 2023, the country hosted 703,282 people victims of insecurity linked to the presence of non-state armed groups and in a situation of forced displacement, including 361.593 IDPs, 255.509 refugees and 48.576 asylum seekers. The population is also facing increased protection risks, with a total of 2.805 protection incidents affecting more than 15.495 people (representing an increaseof 5% compared to 2021) between January and September 2022, in the Diffa, Maradi, Tillabéri and Tahoua regions. The Protection cluster also recorded 4.155 cases of GBV in 2022 (representing an increase of 22% compared to 2021), with 653 children affected.
In total, 4.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, including 50% of women. According to the National System for the Prevention and Management of Disasters and Food Crises, the population in acute food and nutritional insecurity (IPC 3 to 5) was estimated at 3.280.361 people country wide. The country also regularly faces natural disasters and extreme climatic events such as floods and droughts, causing internal displacements and significantly increasing people’s vulnerabilities. It is estimated that the 2022 floods left 365.418 people affected and 195 dead nationwide. Following the coup d’Etat and the overthrown of President Bazoum’s government on July 26th 2023, the reaction of part of the international community resulted in a number of individual and collective sanctions such as the closure of land and air borders or the suspension of development aid and of financial and commercial transactions. This will very likely have an impact on Niger’s most vulnerable population if humanitarian exemptions are not introduced.
In order to address these urgent needs and given the multidimensional crises affecting all aspects of protection, it is crucial that the responseis holistic and integrated. Oxfam has therefore designed a multi-country programme using a multi-dimensional and integrated approach to increase the resilience of the most vulnerable communities. Oxfam will address the desperate needs in protection and access to essential services while working on longer term issues and the root causes of conflict and inequalities. This two-stage approach will allow to combine immediate relief assistance with resilience building. Oxfam will use a human-rights based approach centered on communities and beneficiaries, ensuring accountability to the most affected people. The critical role played by local actors in humanitarian responses is also recognized as they will be at the core of the programme. This programme is also built upon the lessons learned and achievements of the current ongoing phase of the Protection programme.
Under outcome 1 focusing on Protection, Oxfam, following its Protection vision for 2021-2030 (can be found under Annex 2) will aim at contributing to ensure that civilians caught up in conflict and crises are safe and have their rights respected and fulfilled. Oxfam will support communities to develop and implement community-based initiatives to respond to and address protection threats. Crisis-affected households will also be supported to have access to timely and inclusive protection services and basic humanitarian needs. Joint activities and active participation in policydiscussions on protection will also be encouraged under this outcome. Communities will seek that parties to conflict, both state and non-state, uphold their responsibilities to protect civilians. Capacity building of community protection committees will continue to be strengthened, while financial and in-kind assistance for protection and group cash transfer will be provided. Protection is not only seen as a specific outcome, it is also mainstreamed across other outcomes, outputs and activities. Protection is considered as the entry point to support the overall intervention carried out by the communities, the partners and Oxfam. Covering the differentneeds of a person will increase their resilience to future shocks and allow for a faster recovery from the crisis situation.
Under outcome 2, focusing on the access to essential services (food and economic security and WASH) and the resilience to future shocks, Oxfam will work to enhance the resilience, public health and food security status of households affected by protracted conflicts and climate change. This will be done through the provision of protection-risk informed life-saving basic needs, livelihoods support andthe building of community-led disaster preparedness and response capacities. Oxfam will support vulnerable households of IDPs, refugees, host communities and survivors of violence with income generating activities and financial and in-kind assistance, as well as social safety nets in some cases to increase these households’ resilience. Small scale farming and breeding activities will also be supported. Autonomous water supply stations will also be rehabilitated with management committees set up and trained, and sanitationinfrastructures with gender-disaggregated latrines and hand-washing stations will be built, alongside awareness raising activities on public health promotion.
Under outcome 3 focusing on Advocacy, Oxfam will support local civil society organisations to lead advocacy for better protection and promotion of rights of the marginalized groups. Networks, groups and local NGOs will be supported to develop advocacy action plans and carry out advocacy activities, while evidence-based advocacy (including studies, research, policy briefs and events) will also be conducted at the national and international level.
Finally, under outcome 4, emergency life-saving assistance will be provided to communities in case of disaster or crisis through the Crisis Modifier mechanism. A specific budget percentage will be dedicated to respond to sudden shocks in a coordinated, safe and timely manner.