nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
Poor people living in urban areas and in camps are among the population groups most affected by COVID 19. More specifically, with regards to their vulnerabilities associated with personal characteristics, refugees, IDPs, returnees, vulnerable local people, daily workers, small farmers including those with disabilities in both rural and urban areas constitute high risk groups due to their limited capacities and precarious means of livelihood. Elderly people represent the highest risk group of developing severe COVID 19 disease or dying.
The epidemic is likely to have a particular impact on women's economic wellbeing as they have been historically disadvantaged: While 39% of the population lives below the poverty line, this rate rises to 51.5% for women. Of these, 79.2% are underemployed. Women are also primarily employed in informal, low wage activities that are highly prone to disruption during public health emergencies. Disruption in food production may primarily affect them, the rural sector being mainly driven by women who represent 71.6% in the informal agricultural sector.
The economic effect of COVID 19 on household's food security are felt on both demand and supply sides. The loss of households' purchasing power leads to a change in food consumption habits as a coping mechanism by reducing quantity and number of meals per day and consuming low quality food. Meanwhile on the supply side, households could get affected through shortages of labor thus reduction of food production and processing, transport interruptions and quarantine measures limiting farmers' access to farms and markets; and an increase in food loss and food wastage resulting from food supply chain disruptions.
Children born as a result of these acts of violence are stigmatized in communities and their rights are violated, starting with obtaining a birth certificate. In communities, girls who have survived sexual assault face stigmatization and are sometimes forced by their own families and communities to marry their abusers.
According to the March 2020 assessment of food security monitoring system  ( FSMS ) , 38% of households in the North West and 31% in the South West are female headed. 60% of the food insecure population are living in the North West, while 40% are in the South West. Due to the difficult food security situation, the population has turned to adopting emergency strategies to survive, with about 40% of the IDPs in the North West and nearly a quarter of the IDPs in the South West engaging in such activities as selling land, livestock and houses.
The Cadre Harmonisé, analysis in March 2019 , pre COVID 19, estimated that 601,109people in the North West and 402,177 people in the South West are considered food insecure.
Acute food insecurity  ( stress )  persists in these divisions  [ Logone et Chari, Mayo Sava and Mayo Tsanaga ] . Furthermore, in October 2019, heavy rains caused flooding in the Logone et Chari and Mayo Danay divisions which led to losses in the cereal production and other productive assets of the population, affecting food availability.
In October 2019, the analysis of the Cadre Harmonisé estimated the number of food and nutritionally insecure people at 5,220,000. Of these, 1,370,000 people have immediate survival needs and require emergency food assistance  ( phases 3 to 5 )  and 3,850,000 people need livelihood protection  ( phase 2 ) .
An estimated 1,033,000 school aged children  ( 570,000 from the North West and 463,000 from the South West )  are forced to stay at home due to the dual emergencies, the COVID 19 outbreak and the ongoing conflict. This includes 235,000 students  ( 73,742 from the North West and 161,258 from the South West )  from public schools and about 340,000 learners  ( 197,200 from the North West and 142,800 from the South West )  from community centers as well as 798,000 conflict affected children  ( 496,258 are from the North West and 301,742 are from the South West ) .
In the North West and South West, all 6,379 schools  ( 3,692 in the North West and 2,687 in the South West )  and about 4,200 community learning centers  ( 2,436 in the North West and 1,764 in the South West )  have been, temporarily closed since 18 of March 2020 in an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic.
A total of 145,120  ( 71,548 girls )  refugee children in the target regions need extra emergency education support in the context of COVID 19.
Almost 340,000 adolescent boys  ( 51% )  and girls  ( 49% )  who, until 18 March, were receiving their education in multipurpose centres, universities, and higher institutes are now exposed to several protection risks as they stay idle at home without appropriate platforms for them to continue their learning.
More than 4.3 million children  ( 47% girls )  > 6 years enrolled in 17,551 primary schools  ( of which 66% public )  and almost 1.8 million  ( 40% girls )  secondary school students enrolled in 3,950 schools  ( 30% private )  have seen their school year end abruptly due to the COVID 19 pandemic prevention measures put in place by the Government.
More than 9,350 pre primary schools, mostly run by communities  ( 64% ) , have shut down and almost 550,000 children  ( 51% girls )  aged 3 to 5 are missing out on formal early stimulation and early learning which is very important in creating a solid foundation for life long learning and useful citizenship.
With the closure of almost 32,000 operational schools in Cameroon on 18 March 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic, seven million students have lost access to education. Additionally, with the closure of 177 teacher training colleges  ( 59% private )  17,368 teachers  ( 59% women )  have interrupted their education to become part of the highly needed workforce for Cameroon. More than 1.2 million students are due to take their end of year examination before the end of the school year in 2020.
Women are also primarily employed in informal, low wage activities that are highly prone to disruption during public health emergencies. Earning less than their male counterparts, they are less likely to have assets and savings to fall back on.
In the Far North, from January to October 2019, a total of 2,622 GBV cases were reported to GBVIMS users. The data analyzed revealed significant gaps in the provision of essential GBV services. On average, only 7% of rape survivors received clinical management within 72 hours of the incident, due to delays in reporting and sometimes the unavailability of care, only 4% received legal aid and security services, and 20% received safe space accommodation services.
negative coping mechanisms and peer pressure may result in children being engaged in labor, possibly exploitation or engaged in criminal activities in search for income. Given that children are presented as less likely to be affected by the virus  ( i.e. to show symptoms ) , stigma and discrimination related to COVID 19 may make also children more vulnerable to violence and psychosocial distress.
With already high levels of poverty in the region  ( 41.7% in Adamawa and 30% in the East ) , the influx of Central African refugees has overburdened the already limited basic services to meet the needs of the original population.
This situation  [ lack of birth certificate ]  also raises the issue of their protection in the event of abuse, violence or exploitation, where the issue of age determination is crucial for better protection and adequate and adequate psychosocial and medical services. It also exposes them to the practice of child marriage, which is a major problem in the region, aggravated by the crisis since 2013 and which is equivalent for some parents to a means of survival in a context where access to an income generating activity or to land for agricultural activities is limited and limiting.
The abduction and recruitment of children by non state armed groups continues to be a major issue, particularly for girls aged 9 to 13 and boys aged 10 to 17. In addition, children who were formerly associated with non state armed groups face real difficulties in reintegrating into their communities of origin, not yet prepared to receive persons who have had contact with non state armed groups as they suspect that they are still in contact with these groups.
LGBTIQ+ individuals, sex workers and homeless people, for instance, are likely to experience additional barriers to accessing humanitarian aid and health care services due to discrimination, unwelcoming attitudes, and a lack of understanding from providers.
At risk groups such as female headed households, people with disabilities or LGBTIQ+ individuals who are struggling financially, may be forced or coerced to provide sex in exchange for assistance.
JUNE 2019 : Signing of the tripartite agreement between UNHCR, Cameroon and CAR for the return of Central African refugees. The voluntary repatriation of a first group of 4,000 Central African refugees was planned for 2019. As of 11 March 2020, 3,809 refugees had been repatriated by UNHCR to CAR. 3,309 were repatriated in 2019 and 500 in 2020. With the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic, UNHCR put the repatriation process on hold.
Cameroon is also subject to recurrent epidemics, in particular cholera, which occur almost annually. In addition to the North and Far North regions which are affected since July 2018, a cholera outbreak was declared in November 2019 in the South West Bakassi area. Given the security situation, the deterioration of the health system and the lack of surveillance, this situation was likely to spread beyond the locality of Bakassi.
In the Far North, the two factions of Boko Haram ISWAP and JAS have been increasing attacks on Cameroonian territory. The multiplication of violence against the civilian populations have generated growing tensions within the communities on the one hand, and dangerously weaken the level of confidence between the national forces and the civilian populations on the other.
In the North West, almost 40% of IDP households adopt potentially irreversible emergency food based coping strategies, compromising their productivity and future ability to cope with shocks. Methods of coping include relying on less preferred, less expensive food, borrowing food, reducing portion size or number of meals and reduced adult consumption to prioritize children to eat.
The use, possession and control by women of social or economic household resources is weak. Thus, only 3% of women in the country own a house without a land title and 1.6% own a land title in their name. The unpaid workload that reproductive work implies, combined with the fact that women have extremely limited access and control over resources, partly explains why the female population is more affected by poverty: While 39% of the population lives below the poverty line, this rate rises to 51.5% for women. Of these, 79.2% are underemployed.
Female headed households are more likely to have inadequate housing compared to males, including in terms of water and sanitation facilities, which can increase health risks, especially in cases of overcrowding of shelters.
Widowed women, who represent 31% of households in the South West and 38% of households in the North West  ( an increase of about 10% compared to 2017 ) , not only face economic hardship but are also at particular risk of gender based violence, including sexual exploitation and abuse.
Hygiene conditions for many displaced persons are usually low with a lack of access to clean water, soap and masks, making it difficult for them to respect the Government prevention measures.
Ongoing transmission is placing a huge strain on a health care system already overwhelmed by a lack of capacity and ongoing disease outbreaks such as malaria, measles and cholera, but also on the humanitarian operations. The most vulnerable groups include IDPs, returnees, refugees, and host communities, as well as older people and people with disabilities. Sociocultural norms, coupled with limited access to services and information, place women, girls and children at added risk.
Testing capacities are severely limited, and it is assumed that the number of cases in country are much higher. The transmission is quickly outpacing the response capacity of the Government and UN and other humanitarian organizations.
As of 25 May, reported cases stood at 4,800 making Cameroon the second most affected country in sub Saharan Africa after South Africa. As of 29 April, every region has reported cases.
[ Extrême Nord ]  Vulnérabilité liée à la protection de l'enfance : 0.2%  ( 33 individus )  d'enfants sont engagés dans les pires formes de travaux d'enfants et sont localisés comme suit, 12% à Mayo Tsanaga 88% à Logone Et Chari.
[ Extrême Nord ]  Vulnérabilité liée à la protection de l'enfance : 31%  ( 13 871 individus )  d'autres enfants sont à risque parmi ceux ci 94% d'enfants à risque pour cause de non scolarisation, 1.9% de filles épouses, 1.7% d'enfants avec besoins spécifiques en éducation, 1.4% d'enfants parent, 1% d'enfants ont diverses vulnérabilités  ( enfants en crèches, enfants engagés dans d'autres types de travail d'enfants )
[ Extrême Nord ]  Vulnérabilité liée à la protection de l'enfance : 8%  ( 3 015 individus )  d'enfants sont des enfants séparés et non accompagnés parmi ceux ci 83% d'enfants séparés, 13% d'enfants non accompagnés, 3% d'enfants chefs de famille, 0.1% d'enfants en famille d'accueil, 0.4% d'enfants en institut d'accueil.
[ Extrême Nord ]  Parellèlement, les mécanismes traditionnels de protection de l'enfant nécessite un constant suivi pour favoriser la prise en charge des enfants à risques de toute sorte de violation des droits de l'enfant. Les mécanismes d'identification et de référencement pour une meilleure réponse par les différentes structures de l'Etat, les organisations et les partenaires méritent une constante prise en charge.
[ Extrême Nord ]  L'approche communautaire dans le cadre de la protection de l'enfance reste une priorité en ce qu'elle a vocation à favoriser l'identification et la prise en charge des cas de protection de l'enfance par la communauté elle même. Elle facilite l'appropriation des mécanismes de prise en charge des ENA / ES par la communauté tout en renforçant les mécanismes traditionnels de prise en charge des enfants à risque. Les mécanismes d'identification et de référencement pour une meilleure réponse par les différentes structures pertinentes de l'Etat, les Organisations internationales et non gouvernementales nécessitent un constant appui.
[ Extrême Nord ]  Malgré les efforts de plusieurs acteurs sur l'accès à l'état civil, un nombre considérable de naissance n'est toujours pas déclaré. L'éducation de l'enfant qui est une composante importante de la protection de l'enfant dans l'Extrême Nord se bute à diverses entraves : pesanteurs socio culturelles, pauvreté et ignorance, entre autres.
[ Extrême Nord ]  Certains enfants en âge scolaire sont contraints par les parents et les maitres coraniques à abandonner le chemin de l'école pour les petits métiers et la mendicité. La jeune fille reste exposée au mariage précoce/forcé.
[ Extrême Nord ]  La menace terroriste est persistante dans certaines localités et la poursuite des opérations militaires a poussé les FMO à ériger certaines écoles en postes de sécurité. Les pratiques culturelles représentent encore des obstacles à la promotion de la scolarisation pour tous et particulièrement pour la jeune fille.
As of late June, most poor households in the Northwest and Southwest regions have depleted their food stocks and staple food prices are 30 percent higher than they were in the same period prior to the onset of the conflict.
COVID 19 continues to take the heaviest toll on poor households in the two largest cities  ( Yaoundé and Douala ) , where some food prices have risen above seasonal levels as a result of disruptions to local supply chains and speculative trading practices. Poor households in these cities are Stressed  ( IPC Phase 2 ) , while a percentage of internally displaced persons  ( IDPs )  and urban refugees are in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  on account of their reduced purchasing power. However, the Government has taken measures to contain price increases to below 10 percent.
The main needs relate to protection, including child protection and SGBV, health and food. 3 million people are in need of protection assistance. 2.9 million people need urgent medical care.
Chronic vulnerabilities, diminished coping capacities and a lack of access to basic services have left an estimated 6.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Cameroon in 2020.
COVID 19 prevention and response activities were mainstreamed into all activities still carried out. Mitigation measures, such as the respect of social distancing during distributions, are rendering humanitarian operations more costly.
Humanitarian operations needed to be drastically adjusted to avoid contributing to the transmission of COVID 19. Life saving activities were prioritized while less urgent humanitarian action was put on hold.
The COVID 19 pandemic travel restrictions by the Government affect operational mobility and constitute a further humanitarian access constraint. This concerns both movement into and within the country. In addition, access by the population to their livelihoods and to markets are also deeply affected by the pandemic, as is access to and availability of health care.
Significant job losses, particularly in the informal sector where job protection is weaker, can be expected. Cameroon has high levels of inequalities, with poverty rates as high as 74% in some regions, and this is likely to increase.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  The most commonly identified at risk groups is the aged, who were identified by 64% of respondents as being at risk. People who suffer from illness were identified by 20% of respondents as being at risk. These correspond with messaging from WHO, government and NGOs on the heightened risk COVID 19 poses to the elderly and to people with underlying health conditions. Other vulnerable groups identified are young people  ( 31% of respondents ) , and extreme poor  ( 20% of respondents ) . 16% of respondents identified the risk of harm for people in urban areas, which corresponds to the fact that the majority of cases and deaths have been in urban centres, as well as the challenges of sanitation and social distancing in overcrowded urban centres.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  Although they are included in the top 5 reported prevention/preparedness strategies, it is worth nothing that relatively few respondents reported avoiding touching, sitting or standing close to others  ( 42% )  and taking care not to cough and sneeze around others  ( 24% ) . This is noteworthy because these two strategies are amongst the most low cost, lowresource strategies that can be adopted; avoiding physical greetings and sneezing into your elbow, for example, require no additional resources to adopt  ( unlike handwashing or using a face mask ) . For actors implementing sensitisation activities, encouragement of these practices could therefore be considered.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  The most common preparedness strategies amongst respondents who reported trying to prevent/prepare are increasing handwashing with soap and sanitizer  ( 73% ) , avoiding crowded and congested areas  ( 70% ) , and increasing hygiene through covering face with a mask  ( 65% ) .
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  Across all regions, the most commonly reported means of receiving COVID 19 information were television  ( reported by 62% of respondents ) , friends  ( reported by 49% of respondents ) , and radio  ( reported by 46% of respondents ) . Although the same mediums were commonly reported in each region, respondents were more likely to receive information through radio and from family and friends in the NW and SW than in the West and Littoral. Possible explanations for this include higher vulnerability, and therefore less access to internet and television in the NW/SW, and greater distrust of government television and radio in Anglophone regions than in Francophone regions
The results of this assessment tentatively suggest that children who were not accessing formal education pre COVID 19 are benefiting from distance learning measures rolled out. As schools re open, continued engagement will be needed to ensure those children reached with distance learning services return to formal education where possible
In order to ensure targeted response, including to protection needs, vulnerabilities must be clearly mapped out. Previous assessments should not be relied on, as vulnerabilities have likely changed – families who have lost livelihoods, for example, will be exposed to new risks and may turn to harmful coping mechanisms.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  The data also shows that very little cash, employment or livelihoods assistance has been provided in any region: only 7% report receiving cash assistance, 2% report receiving livelihoods assistance and 2% report receiving employment assistance. Given the fact that increase in costs of living or expenses and loss of household income have been identified as key concerns, increases in this form of assistance could strengthen coping capacities. Investing in resilience support, including through livelihoods and cash assistance, will not only reduce the risks that households face now, but also mitigate the impact of the COVD 19 in the medium  to long term.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  The mostly commonly reported form of assistance received is hygiene and sanitation assistance, reported by 20% of respondents. However, this includes respondents who have received 1 off assistance of face masks, or a bucket, and therefore does not necessarily correspond to adequate hygiene or WASH facilities.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  A particularly worrying coping strategy is the consumption of seed stocks held for next season, reported by 22%. Alongside other strategies such as the selling of productive and/or domestic assets  ( reported by 7% ) , this points to the longer term impact that the virus will have on these communities as it leads to depletion of resources. There is therefore an urgent need to support the resilience and coping capacities of these communities, to reduce the longer term impact that COVID 19 and associated measures will have.
Government, international and local actors must invest in recovery and resilience support now, including through cash and livelihoods assistance. Preventing negative coping strategies now will reduce immediate risks, but crucially will also reduce the impact in the coming months and years – for example, reducing consumption of seed stocks and selling of productive assets now, to reduce the risk of poor harvests next season.
Actors responding to COVID 19 must implement more targeted, needs responsive solutions to the challenges people are facing, rather than continuing with large scale awareness raising activities. In order to bridge the gap between awareness and behaviour change, actors must work together with communities to develop solutions which respond to community needs as well as capacities.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  The results of the survey suggest that the most significant impact of COVID 19 has been its impact on household income and expenditure. Increased food, fuel and transport prices is the most common issue identified in all regions surveyed, reported by 69% of respondents. Prevention and distancing measures have been in place since mid March and have undoubtedly had an economic effect. 36% report an increase in household responsibilities and 24% report a loss of income in the household.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  Education through television is the most reported form of learning, reported by 72% of respondents assessed in all regions, followed by internet and online  ( 40% of respondents )  and SMS  ( 25% of respondents ) . Though it is possible that this points to the success of government and NGO efforts to provide remote learning through television and radio whilst schools are closed, it is important to note that the most vulnerable communities and children likely don't have access to televisions and radios.
Humanitarian partners   mainly UN agencies   use government armed escorts in areas of particularly high danger in accordance with the principle of last resort. In addition, the poor conditions of the road network worsened during the rainy season, which is often severe in Cameroon, particularly so in 2019. In some cases, authorities required humanitarian actors to obtain written authorizations from the Governor for the implementation of humanitarian activities.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  Stigmatisation has also been identified as a risk, identified by 27% of respondents. This is supported by the fact that there have been reports of families and neighbours of those confirmed to have COVID 19 facing stigmatisation and harassment. However, it should also be noted stigmatisation was reported more in the NW  ( 33% )  and SW  ( 27% )  than in the West  ( 14% )  and Littoral  ( 19% ) ; it is possible that this therefore includes reports of stigmatisation not directly to COVID 19, but rather along Francophone/Anglophone divisions.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  Across all regions, hunger or starvation was identified as the greatest risk  ( 54% of respondents ) , followed by infection or severe illness from COVID 19  ( 44% of respondents ) .  [ Concern of infection or severe illness was reported more by respondents in the West  ( 54% )  and Littoral  ( 60% )  than NW  ( 45% )  or SW  ( 38% ) . This is likely because Douala and Bafoussam have been seen as hotspots, with higher numbers of confirmed cases than cities in NW and SW. ]
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  Only 4% of respondents who reported trying to prevent/prepare for COVID 19 reported stocking up on food items, and only 1% reported stocking up on non food items. This points to respondents being more likely to implement prevention strategies, but less likely to implement preparedness strategies. If households or communities are required to isolate or quarantine themselves, it will be crucial to have stockpiles of food and NFIs. Recognising that stocking up on these items can be challenging financially, this points to the need for communities, NGOs and government to support the most vulnerable households with basic necessities to allow them to reduce their movements and  ( in cases of suspected COVID 19 )  safely follow isolation or quarantine measures.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  Overall, 94% of respondents report that they have tried to prevent or prepare for COVID19. This is equal for both men and women surveyed. The percentage of respondents reporting having tried to prevent or prepare is similar in the NW  ( 94% )  and SW  ( 93% ) . However, respondents in the Littoral were slightly lesslikely to have tried to prevent or prepare  ( only 91% reported doing so )  and those in the West slightly more likely to have done so  ( 98% report doing so ) . Younger people are slightly more likely to have tried to prevent/prepare, as shown in the graph below. The age group least likely to prevent/prepare is 66 75 year olds  ( 88% report trying to prevent/prepare, compared to 95% of 26 35 year olds )
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  These results suggest that overall, the most effective ways to reach people with COVID 19 information are through television and radio. However, it also highlights that different mediums are more relied on in different areas and by different groups, and that therefore messaging mediums should be contextualised to these differences based on target groups.  ( However, it should be noted that the rapid nature of this survey limited its scope, and means that the most hard to reach communities were likely not surveyed. In these hardest to reach and most vulnerable communities, mediums such as television and radio may be less commonly accessed. )
Specific measures support the fight against the pandemic, notably  ( i )  full income tax deductibility of donations and gifts made by companies for the fight against Covid 19,  ( ii )  three month suspension of the payment of parking and demurrage charges in the Douala and Kribi ports for essential goods; and  ( iii )  the establishment of a MINFI MINEPAT consultation framework aimed at mitigating the crisis and promoting a rapid resumption of activity.
[ Survey in NW, SW, Littoral and West region, conducted on 4,638 people through one to one interview using a survey tool ]  Handwashing, social distancing and wearing of face masks are recommended by both the WHO and the Cameroonian government to prevent the spread of COVID 19, and therefore likely point to the effectiveness of government and NGO awareness raising. Although wearing a face mask in public is required by the Cameroonian government, the cost and availability of face masks may be a reason why 35% of those surveyed do not report using masks.
The planned continuation of educational activities online as schools are closed because of COVID 19 thus risk to further deepen social inequalities, with a large majority of children unable to benefit from such programs due to a lack of access to internet and/or a computer.
[ Site de NGARISSINGO ]  PRINCIPAUX DEFIS PROTECTION   Limitation des déplacements des réfugiés au delà des départements d'installation, Absence de carte d'identité nationale pour réfugié, Prise en charge des PBS, Prise en charge des enfants à risques, Prévention et réponse juridique aux SGBV, Pesanteur culturelle, Cohésion sociale, Organisation du rapatriement volontaire facilité.
[ Site de NGARISSINGO ]  316 personnes ont des besoins spéciaux, Soit 23,58% de la population totale.
The effects of armed conflict in the Lake Chad Basin and Central African Republic, violence in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, and the COVID 19 pandemic affect the physical and mental well being, living standards, and resilience and recovery of the people living in Cameroon.
Areas that were hard to reach before the crisis have become even more isolated, increasing their vulnerability. The weekly “ghost town' days, set up by non state armed groups, particularly affect displaced persons and host communities, limiting their movements and therefore their economic and agricultural activities.
People in rural or hard to reach areas are most affected due to limited or no access to basic medical services. This population is mainly composed of women and children. In terms of access to WASH infrastructure, it should be noted that IDPs often share shelters, water points, latrines and showers with host populations. The increased proximity increases the risks of COVID 19 transmission and does not give girls and women the necessary privacy, exposing them to the risk of violence.
Children's nutritional status is deteriorating due to multiple health and food insecurity issues. Global Acute Malnutrition  ( GAM )  in the South West is 7.3% and in North West 5%. Severe Acute Malnutrition  ( SAM )  is 2.7% in the South West and 2.1% in the North West.
Attacks on medical personnel and infrastructure have become another feature of the crisis with the closure of more than 35% of all health facilities and many of the remaining not functioning at full capacity. As a result, maternal and child mortality rates have increased, and an average of only 12% of women give birth in health centers.
In an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic, all 6,400 schools and 4,200 community learning centers in the two regions have been temporarily closed since 18 March 2020. An estimated 1,033,000 school aged children are forced to stay at home due to the COVID 19 outbreak and the ongoing conflict.
As of 11 March 2020, 3,809 refugees had been repatriated by UNHCR to CAR. 3,309 were repatriated in 2019 and 500 in 2020. With the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic, UNHCR put the repatriation process on hold.
The inter relation between COVID 19 and the environment is not well known. The only certainty is the negative impact of pollution on the severity of the disease.
Isolation and treatment centres have been set up for confirmed cases of COVID 19 at:   Yaoundé Central Hospital, for Central Region,   Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, for Littoral Region,   Garoua Regional Hospital, for North Region,   Kribi District Hospital, for South Region
Une quarantaine de personnes supplémentaires ont été guéries. Si la tendance générale de la pandémie dans la région a été à la baisse, on a noté néanmoins une flambée de cas dans certains districts de santé notamment à Moutourwa dans les établissements scolaires. Ces foyers ont été rapidement maitrisés grâce au renforcement des mesures de contrôle mises en œuvre avec l'appui des partenaires en particulier, l'OMS et OCHA sous la coordination de la DRSP  [ Délégation régionale de la Santé Publique ] . Cependant on observe une baisse des performances des districts de santé dans le testing et ceci pourrait expliquer le nombre relativement bas des cas confirmés.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Improve the protection of youth, especially females from all forms of violence: / Intensify programmes which focus on promoting gender equality and reducing gender based violence  ( GBV ) , sexual harassment and domestic violence / Develop mechanisms to make the safe spaces functional in the context of COVID 19. / Put in place and communicate widely to the populations the COVID 19 sensitive mechanisms to report Child Protection, GBV and any abuse cases.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Ensure responsive and adequate healthcare in the context of COVID 19: /Organize public outreach and communication campaigns which raise awareness of the pandemic, its symptoms, the ways of contamination and the preventives measures. / Include in the communication campaigns some activities of psychosocial well being to alleviate the trauma and stress of the situation on youth / Discuss with the health workers about appropriate communication and behaviours towards the patients in the context of COVID 19 / Support healthcare services to organize and deliver effective care and treatment for the community members especially youth from the suspicion to the confirmation of the case. / In the case of lockdown, ensure that young women have access to dignity kits for effective menstrual hygiene and services on their SRH
In Cameroon, the young people interviewed  [ Impact of Covid 19 on youth in the Lake Chad Region, not only cameroon Cf. Methodology doc ]  reported an improvement of the overall protection situation as the parents spent more time with their children which reduced the uncontrolled and unsupervised movement of children.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Take measures to address food insecurity, especially for youth: /Put in place food distribution activities which target the needs of youth of all categories with appropriate location of collection points and collection times / Put in place projects which offer livelihood and economic opportunities for vulnerable youth women and their families / Promote micro enterprise programmes for youth which include development of businessrelated skills and start up kits and cash.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Take measures to ensure access to water in the communities to support hand washing measures and alleviate the pressure of water collection on young women: / Put in place projects which offer potable water to communities, reducing the distance the youth especially females cover to fetch water
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Involve youth in the design and the implementation of the measures to respond to the pandemic: • Support youth to organize themselves in groups especially youth females and to take actions regarding the pandemic • Ensure youth voices in their diversity inform awareness raising efforts.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  The COVID 19 pandemic has added many challenges to the problems that youth are facing due to the protracted Lake Chad crisis. Among these are the loss of jobs and the slowing down or stopping of economic activities with the disruption of the usual gatherings for playing or socialising. It is important to mention from the responses shared by the youth that they felt that the pandemic is not affecting them any differently to the rest of the community.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  The majority of the respondents expressed fear for the future of young people because of the uncertainty that lies ahead. Economic uncertainty might lead to youth migrating to cities to look for jobs thus exposing them to protection and health risks
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  It is important to mention that in addition to household chores, young women are more engaged in making sure that water is available for the handwashing stations as they are also in charge of monitoring the adherence of the children to the preventive measures thus increasing their workload. It was also reported that some youth, especially males, contribute financially to the purchase of soap used at the hand washing stations.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  It is important to note that the youth who still do not believe in the existence of the disease continue to behave as before which tends to create misunderstanding between this group and those who believe in the existence of the pandemic.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Apart from awareness raising, young people support the implementation of the response both at household level and community level by respecting the preventative measures and encouraging other household members to do so, and in supporting the functioning of hand washing systems.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Generally, youth used to be involved in many activities or leisure requiring physical contact. Even the greetings implied hand shaking thus physical contact. But with the pandemic, the youth restrained themselves from their peers and the other community members.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  The COVID 19 pandemic has led to a constant atmosphere of fear in the communities. This fear of physical contact has affected relationships among the youth and relationships with other community members. This has affected young women and men differently because they socialize differently. For example, young women socialize mostly through the ceremonies they attend while young men socialize during their economic activities. As such, the movement restrictions affect them equally but differently.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  The pandemic has also impacted livelihoods as life has become more expensive. In reaction to the situation, the support provided by the parents/ caregivers to the youth has stopped in some cases or started to decline. Most of the youth are daily workers and are not able to cope financially with the situation. Businesses have collapsed in most of the research sites. For the rural people, it has become difficult to sell their produce as people have no money to buy it.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  It is important to note that young married girls and young men who are heads of household suffer more than the rest of the youth as they have to cover beyond their own needs. The youth have stressed the need for income generating activities  ( IGA )  as a gap in the COVID response, but the need for IGAs for young people was identified as a need even before the pandemic.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  With the closure of the borders, many economic activities have slowed down as cross border trade is no longer possible. The suspension of NGO activities in some cases has also had a negative impact on the livelihoods in the communities.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Regarding the education sector, schools have been closed without any alternatives being proposed. Cases of dropout have increased as some young people have abandoned school to support their parents in their activities. Other youth don't want to go back to school. Petty theft has also increased..
In Cameroon and Nigeria, there were bans or restrictions in interstate travel except for the essential movement of goods and/ or services. In addition to this, certain services in each country were shut down including schools, religious/worship centres, bars, restaurants and clubs. In Nigeria and Cameroon domestic air travel was also shut down and operating hours of markets and supermarkets were limited.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Data from the IOM  ( December 2016 )  showed that 92.9% of those displaced in Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria were fleeing insurgents, principally Boko Haram, while 5.5% were fleeing violent clashes between herdsmen and farmers  ( notably in Nigeria )  and 1.5% fleeing natural disasters  ( principally flooding in Cameroon ) .
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  It is important to note that while the vast majority of people who are displaced in the region are so because of insurgent activities, some also fled violence over clashes over scarce resources  ( land and water )  between herdsmen and other groups, and some also fled natural disasters.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ] Province have perpetuated the humanitarian crisis throughout the four countries across the Lake Chad Basin. Escalating violence, including deliberate, targeted attacks on civilians, has characterised the conflict, hindering humanitarian access and the delivery of assistance and restricting access to basic services for all the communities affected.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Lastly, the youth shared how they envisage the future in the context of the pandemic. The majority of the respondents expressed their belief that a return to normality will require the following: God's help, support from the INGOs, and the government for Income Generating Activities, respect of COVID 19 preventative measures and the development of a vaccine against the virus. Some think that the situation is already so bad that it is not possible to return to normality.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  More than 2.4 million people have been displaced  [ Lake Chad Basin ] , half of these children, and 10.8 million people need humanitarian assistance.
Recommandations to the government and humanitarian organisations in the Lake Chad Region  [ 7 ] : Build skills set and provide economic and social activities for the youths
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  The young people complained about the fact that they were not consulted for the different initiatives taken in response to the pandemic by either their community or by the few organisations that are responding to the pandemic in their communities.
Recommandations to the government and humanitarian organisations in the Lake Chad Region  [ 5 ] : Improve the protection of young women from all forms of violence
Recommandations to the government and humanitarian organisations in the Lake Chad Region  [ 4 ] : Ensure responsive and adequate healthcare especially SRHR in the context of COVID 19
Recommandations to the government and humanitarian organisations in the Lake Chad Region  [ 1 ] : Involve youth in the design and the implementation of the measures to respond to the pandemic
Recommandations to the government and humanitarian organisations in the Lake Chad Region  [ 2 ] : Take measures to ensure access to water in the communities to support hand washing measures and alleviate the pressure of water collection on young women
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on nations' economies, the pressure for economic survival is heightened for this group who already face bleak employment or income generation prospects. Beyond the impact on youth as individuals, there's a threat to their ability to contribute to community building through youth groups, as their focus shifts to economic survival.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Youth groups however, provide a critical voice for accountability at the community, state/district and national level. In addition, most youth groups tend to be self led, volunteer based, internally funded and informal with little to no structure.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ] humanitarian contexts ] , youth face increased vulnerability. The “Adolescent Girls in Crisis: Voices from the Lake Chad Basin' report indicates that young women and girls are particularly affected, given the challenges that they already face around access to basic social services, and lack of voice.
[ LAKE CHAD REGION, not only on Cameroon ]  Drawing on exchanges with young women and men and their communities in sites across the Diffa region in Niger, North East Nigeria and Far North Cameroon in June   July 2020, it emerged that most of the issues reported are affecting community members in mostly the same ways as others in the community, for example, parents, notwithstanding that young women were more exposed to rape and harassment whereas young men were more exposed to violence from security forces.
[ Site de NGARISSINGO ]  PRINCIPAUX DEFIS EDUCATION   Insuffisance des infrastructures scolaires, Intégration des enfants réfugiés dans le système éducatif national, Mise à disposition des enseignants par l'Etat, accès des élèves réfugiés aux enseignements à distance préconisés par le Gouvernement à la suite de la situation COVID 19, notamment ceux des classes d'examen.
• 15 laboratoires sont opérationnels dans 9 régions sanitaires. Seule la Région du Sud ne dispose pas encore de laboratoire pour la PCR fonctionnel. • Toutes les régions sont désormais autonomes en matière de testing grâce aux tests TDR Ag • Un cumul de 88 255 échantillons PCR analysés sur l'étendue du territoire national avec un taux de diagnostic de PCR pour 1 000 habitants de : 3,4 • Un cumul de 406 730 échantillons TDR analysés sur l'étendue du territoire national avec un taux de diagnostic de TDR pour 1 000 habitants de : 15,5 • Formation du personnel médical des sites de Ngam et Borgop sur le dépistage à la COVID19 par TDR ( Ag )  dans la Région l'Adamaoua,
Le personnel de prise en charge psychologique durant cette période a reçu les informations des 4 régions  ( Centre, Adamaoua, Est et Ouest  )  • 605 patients ont bénéficié d'un accompagnement psychologique dans les formations sanitaires • 14 personnels de santé impliqués dans la riposte ont bénéficié d'un accompagnement psychologique sur la gestion du stress dans la région de l'Ouest • 3 564 counselings pré prélèvement effectués dans les sites de dépistage de masse pour 1 229 counselings post prélèvement. • Accompagnement psychologique durant le rendu des résultats dans les 4 régions dont 37 résultats positifs. • Accompagnement psychologique par téléphone des populations en détresse confrontées à la COVID 19 chez 1061 nouvelles personnes
The Cameroonian Prime Minister has announced that from 18 March all land, sea, and air borders are closed until further notice due to COVID 19.
Des formulaires de contrôle des passagers et des contrôles de température ont été mis en place aux points d'entrée. Il existe des cabines d'isolement temporaire pour les passagers présentant des symptômes à l'aéroport international Nsimalen de Yaoundé.