BANGUI, Central African Republic — The recent armed conflict in the Central African Republic has contributed to poverty in the area, as well as malnutrition among adults and children. Over 1,000 children have been under treatment for severe acute malnutrition and, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 40 percent of the country’s rural population is in need of urgent assistance.
Subsistence farming is the primary livelihood for the majority of families in CAR, which allows farmers to feed themselves and sometimes yield a little extra to sell at the market. The conflict, occurring during harvest season, has disrupted the livelihoods of many by inhibiting access to one’s farmland, and therefore disrupting a vital activity of CAR’s economy. The impact of the conflict has contributed to post-traumatic stress among citizens who have been exposed to violence, which affects one’s ability to adequately care for their children in cases of extreme fear, anguish and horrific experiences.
The need for ante-natal and post-natal consultations is necessary for women to provide critical health and nutrition information including feeding practices, benefits of breastfeeding and the importance of nutrition during pregnancy. The impact of teaching hygiene practices, signs of malnutrition and reducing susceptibility to illness is critical to alleviate the dire situation in CAR as well.
The looting of cattle, seeds, tools and food reserves has been detrimental. It has been observed that when the rebels come in and take everything, they are truly taking everything. If one is able to return to their land, they are unable to produce enough due to a lack of seeds, money or food to feed their workers and family. Sometimes there is only one meal a day available, and sometimes less.
“CAR’s nutritional situation has been steadily deteriorating, with soaring food prices in the short term, food insecurity in the midterm, and devastating nutritional conditions for the most vulnerable in the long term. A recent Emergency Food Security Assessment by the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs revealed that 484,000 people—or 10.5 percent of CAR’s total population—are at risk of food insecurity,” Laura Jepson, Project Reporting & Communications Officer in the CAR, said.
Non-state actors have been increasingly invested and perplexed at the malnutrition in CAR. While the World Food Program claims eight percent of children under five years old are malnourished, the International Medical Corps claims that the malnutrition rate is as high as 16 percent, which is considered “critical” by the World Health Organization. The conflict in CAR further affects this endemic, for it has increased insecurity regarding humanitarian access, the transportation of vital food supplies and treatment services for malnourished children. The International Medical Corps director for CAR, Timothee Shelulabe, describes the damage of malnutrition on mothers and children:
“Most of the damage caused by malnutrition occurs during the 1,000 days between conception and a child’s second birthday. Pregnant women who are malnourished are more likely to give birth prematurely or have an underweight baby. For the children that survive, a lack of nutritious food, combined with repeat infection or illness, affects the development of their brains and bodies. Even if a child’s diet improves later in life, the damage caused by malnutrition can be irreversible,” Shelulabe said.
Because the intersection of conflict, children and malnutrition in CAR is detrimental to its citizens, significant attention ought to be dedicated to the region in order for peace and stability to prosper in the penurious region.
– Neti Gupta
Sources: ReliefWeb, IRIN News, UNICEF
Photo: Huffington Post