Six of the world’s 10 most neglected displacement crises are in Africa, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. The charity makes the annual list based on lack of political will, media coverage and aid.
Image: Getty Images/D. Kitwood
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The Democratic Republic of Congo, where decades of conflict has left more than five million people displaced, topped this year's list of the world's most neglected displacement crises, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said Thursday.
Other African displacement crises making the annual list were in South Sudan, Central African Republic, Burundi, Ethiopia and Nigeria.
The NRC compiles the list each year based on three criteria: lack of political and diplomatic will to end conflicts, insufficient media attention and inadequate aid.
"The crises on the African continent seldom make media headlines or reach foreign policy agendas before it is too late," said Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland.
"Most people would be surprised to learn that the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in DR Congo now has reached the same level as in Syria. Still, the world's attention on these two crises are miles apart," said Egeland.
Several of the conflicts in Africa have been raging for years, creating millions of internally displaced and refugees spilling across borders. New clashes have also emerged on top of long-running conflicts, creating further human suffering that gets insufficient attention.
"There seems to be little willingness, both locally and internationally, to find a way out of too many of these crises. In some places, this is due to a lack of geo-political importance, while in other places there are too many parties and actors with conflicting interests, and too few willing to protect the interests of the civilians," said Egeland.
In long-running conflicts, international donors experience funding fatigue even as millions of displaced people remain in need of basic necessities, healthcare, shelter and schooling, the NRC said.
The media also often turns its attention away from covering the human side of large-scale humanitarian crises, the NRC said. When the media does report about conflict, coverage of human suffering is often overshadowed by war strategies and politics, it said.
South Sudan: children of the war zone
In South Sudan, internally displaced persons are given sanctuary in UN Protection of Civilians (POC) sites. These refugees include unaccompanied children. Nonviolent Peaceforce is one organization trying to help them.
Image: DW / F. Abreu
Displaced persons, missing parents
More than 30,000 people live in the Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Juba, capital of South Sudan. Around 7,000 are children who have lost contact with their parents. The NGO Nonviolent Peaceforce is trying to reunite them.
Image: DW / F. Abreu
Family tracing and reunification
The first step is to establish a child's identity and then to collect as much information as possible which could assist in locating the parents. This data is placed online and can be accessed by all international organizations working in child protection in South Sudan. If the search for the family proves fruitless, or if the child has been orphaned, foster parents are found.
Image: DW / F. Abreu
All-female peacekeepers
In South Sudan, Nonviolent Peaceforce focuses on the protection of women and children, who rarely participate in armed conflict, but are disproportionately affected by it. To this end, Nonviolent Peaceforce is forming all-female Women's Peacekeeping Teams, specially trained in tackling sexual and gender-based violence.
Image: DW / F. Abreu
Women's Peacekeeping Teams
As well as training, the Women's Peacekeeping Teams are also given follow-up support as they seek to prevent sexual and gender-based violence. The teams liaise with women in the communities, helping them to identify risks and counter them. The teams are also in contact with authorities so that culprits can be held accountable for their actions.
Image: DW / F. Abreu
Ulang in Upper Nile State
The civil war began as a political dispute, but it has reopened ethnic fault lines between the Dinka people of President Salva Kiir and the Nuer of rebel leader Riek Machar . Ulang in Upper Nile State is dominated by the Nuer. It was attacked by government in troops in May 2015 and dozens were killed. The once tranquil region found itself caught up in conflict.
Image: DW / F. Abreu
Child protection projects in Ulang
Nonviolent Peaceforce runs a child protection project in Ulang, one of six in South Sudan. These projects vary in accordance with local needs. In Ulang, community volunteers ensure that the children have access to recreation and sports.
Image: DW / F. Abreu
Soccer on a former battleground
At Ulang's Kopuot Primary School, children are playing a game of soccer as part of a child protection project. The building in the background is pockmarked with bullet holes, an ever-present reminder that the school was a target for government troops during their May offensive.
Image: DW / F. Abreu
Back to school
All teaching materials and other supplies at the school were destroyed in the government offensive. But now, in makeshift classrooms, the struggle to acquire an education goes on. Author: Fellipe Abtreu
Image: DW / F. Abreu
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"The list should serve as a reminder, both for us as humanitarian organizations, for the media and for politicians. The fact that we do not see these people suffer, does not make their suffering any less real, and it does not absolve us from our responsibility to act," Egeland said.
Other countries making the list of the top 10 neglected crises include Yemen, Venezuela and Myanmar; the Palestine territories were also mentioned.
According to the UN, more than 65 million people are displaced internally within their country or across borders due to conflict.
