Forced displacement in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The project in brief

Implemented by

United Nations Development Program UNDP and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR – Democratic Republic of Congo

Country

Democratic Republic of Congo

Duration

July 2018 - Ongoing

Description

In addition to humanitarian assistance, UNDP and UNHCR are building capacities of authorities including security forces, strengthening local governance and improving people’s participation.  

Project aims

• To provide better responses to chronic movement of population. 
• To strengthen inclusive local governance and democracy and improve the security situation in hosting areas.
• To strengthen community preparedness.
• To improve access to basic social services for both hosting and hosted communities.
• To address humanitarian needs and identify key interventions necessary to accompany longer-term development programming goals. 
• Reduce number of people facing forced displacement. 

Resources used

Programming in refugee hosting areas within the DRC part of the country Refugee Response Plan (RRP), which facilitates contributions to Regional RRPs, to the DRC Humanitarian Response Plan, and to the UNSDCF and other coordination mechanisms. 

Main activities of the Good Practice

The joint programming contributes to reducing number of people facing forced displacement through:  

(1) Local governance programming to strengthen capacities of local authorities in development planning to be able to provide basic social services for both hosting communities and hosted communities. Capacity building of governments includes training on the decentralization of roles and responsibilities, on planning (local development plans, monitoring and evaluation tools, financial monitoring) and on community accountability. 

(2) Improving security through strengthening capacities of national police forces, implementing the doctrine of proximity police and establishing inclusive security governance mechanisms. Police officers in different territories have been trained on the doctrine of proximity policing, respect and protection of human rights, responding to sexual and gender-based violence, maintaining public order and ensuring the security of the sites housing refugees and IDPs. 

(3) Strengthening collaboration with other actors on preparedness programming to support communities faced with recurrent displacement and facilitate local-level responses without the need for international intervention. 

Partners

• Government (national, provincial and local) 
• National Police
• MONSUCO UNPOL
• Civil society organizations
• National and international NGOs (humanitarian and development) 

Challenges and how they were overcome

Challenges

The precarious security situation has negatively impacted the implementation of joint programming through preventing access to some areas and stressing humanitarian needs of vulnerable people. 

How they were overcome

Strengthening local governance, decentralization process and the rule of law are long term objectives which require multidimensional interventions including high level advocacy and direct programmatic activities. 

Results of the Good Practice 

• Technical capacities of local authorities have been strengthened on decentralization, on development planning and on accountability mechanisms towards the communities.
• More than 100 police officers deployed in the different targeted territories have been trained on the doctrine of proximity police, respect and protection of human rights, fight against sexual and gender based violence as well as on technics to maintain public order, ensure security and safety of refugees’ and IDPs’ sites.
• Trainings of trainers have been specifically organized on ensuring the security and protection of refugees’ and IDPs’ sites.
• As October 2020, assistance and protection to 500,000 refugees and asylum seekers originating from 9 countries.

How the project meets the GCR Objectives

Objective 4: Support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity 

The joint program targets refugees, IDPs, returnees and host communities in general. Institutional, technical and operational support are provided to local authorities (decentralized institutions) as well as to national police forces.

Next steps

UNDP and UNHCR are pursuing joint programming in the different targeted provinces and territories, and collaboration and cooperation between the two agencies will be strengthened. They will contribute to mobilize other humanitarian and development actors to join their approach.  

Elaborating inclusive local development plans, strengthening accountability of local authorities towards communities, promoting social cohesion, improving access to basic social services for all and ensuring security and safety for all communities’ members are planned. 

Conduct a study/survey on the socioeconomic consequences of refugees and internally displaced people on rural host communities in the DRC that could yield concrete recommendations for future programming to humanitarian and development actors.