Armed conflict and inter-community tensions continue to fuel displacement in the east of DRC. More than 95% of IDPs live in host communities in DRC. UNHCR’s response will be anchored in its IASC-defined responsibilities, including protection, shelter and site management. Building on its Cluster responsibilities, UNHCR will engage operationally in all phases of the displacement cycle; from prevention to durable solutions, with the aim of strengthening local, provincial and national capacity to take ownership of the management of the IDP response, and to increase the participation of displaced women, men and youth in community structures and decision-making. The 2020-2021 strategy will build on the interventions started in 2018-2019, including the reinforcement of capacity to lead all Clusters (Protection, Shelter and CCCM), the systematic analysis and reporting of protection monitoring data, and a community-based approach that aims to strengthen IDP participation and community resilience. The main priorities will be:
Ensure the Centrality of Protection in the inter-agency IDP response in Eastern and Central DRC:
- Strong protection monitoring, information management and protection analysis will provide all Clusters with timely and quality information at all stages of the displacement cycle, from emergency to solutions. In greater Kasai, protection monitoring activities will be intensified in the main areas of return of IDPs and returnees.
- Cluster coordination capacity will be maintained and enhanced. Through its interventions, the Protection Cluster will emphasize the need for accountability to affected populations, with a focus on the individual needs of groups at-risk. A dedicated Shelter Cluster Coordinator will ensure basic common standards and tools; CCCM capacity will be reviewed as needed.
- UNHCR and the Protection Cluster will coordinate with emergency response mechanisms active in eastern DRC (RRMP, RRM, FLEX) to ensure that the emergency response is based on protection considerations, and to facilitate the transition from emergency (3 months) to mid- to longer-term response and solutions.
Promote access to rights and services for IDPs in eastern DRC
- UNHCR will expand its emergency response capacity to complement existing emergency mechanisms. The main focus will be on community based protection, protection evaluations and analysis, profiling and movement tracking, emergency shelter and site coordination in support to local and provincial authorities.
- Partnerships with development actors will be strengthened to build the capacity of duty-bearers, in particular local authorities and provincial governments, and to manage the IDP response in their areas.
- The potential of protection monitoring will be harnessed not only to record human rights violations, but also to provide avenues for restitution of rights and reparation. UNHCR will also engage with UNDP on multi-agency, multi-year projects aiming to improve access to justice, in particular for SGBV survivors of sexual or gender-based violence. In greater Kasai, self-reliance activities and shelter response will be intensified using cash modalities and support will be provided to the populations in order to secure their land.
Promote participation of IDPs and communities in all stages of the response
- UNHCR will promote the participation of IDP women, men and youth in local protection structures, to strengthen local capacity to work on prevention (root causes) and solutions.
- UNHCR will promote the representation of IDP women, men and youth in local decision-making structures, including through increased self-organization (IDP committees), capacity-building, and fostering spaces for dialogue at local and provincial level.
- UNHCR will support efforts to provide local solutions to displacement in all its stages, including through quick impact projects and partnerships with stabilization and development actors, aiming to harness the potential of young IDPs.