The G100, an NGO comprising influential women with a presence in around a hundred countries through its Migration and Refugee Resettlement branch, recently organized a meeting in Cameroon to discuss the situation of displaced and vulnerable individuals in Central Africa. The aim is to find solutions for these vulnerable populations.
With ongoing atrocities committed by Boko Haram and various sociopolitical demands, countries in Central Africa like Cameroon, Chad, and the Central African Republic (CAR) are grappling with security crises, notes the G100. These crises have led to the displacement of millions of people, explains Caroline Sack Kendem, Global President of the G100:
“In Cameroon alone, there are 1,350,000 internally displaced persons, a massive number. Take Chad, they also have displaced populations. The CAR, which claimed to host 50,000 refugees from Chad and Sudan, is a fragile country.”
These displaced individuals, living far from their places of origin, are often vulnerable and in need of assistance to survive. Empowerment, especially of displaced women who have become heads of households out of necessity, has become urgent. The G100 can count on the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
“How can we address this issue of empowerment? Through direct responses. You can see here, that there are stands run by refugee women who have become entrepreneurs, thanks to support from UNHCR and certain partners, and have been able to develop commercial activities that enable them to earn a living,” says a UNHCR resident representative.
As the guest of honor, Dr. Harbeen Arora Rai, the founder of G100, emphasized that this situation is not unique to Central Africa. In May 2022, more than 100 million people, including 27.1 million refugees, were displaced globally for various security reasons, according to UNHCR.