Cameroon

On the 17^th of October 2018, the Shelter Cluster was activated for the South-West and North-West regions to support the response to the recent crisis. The cluster is led by UNHCR. while in the Far North and at the national level, UNHCR leads coordination through a sectorial approach since 2015.

Some 3.4 million people living in Cameroon are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection due to the effects of conflict and violence, climate shocks, and disease outbreaks. The prolonged nature of the Lake Chad basin conflict, the North-West and South-West crisis, and the impact of the Central African Republic (CAR) refugee crisis are compromising affected populations well-being and living conditions. There are nearly one million internally displaced people (IDPs). The country is also hosting nearly half a million refugees and asylum seekers. Humanitarian needs are compounded by structural development weaknesses and chronic vulnerabilities. New or multiple displacements and insufficient humanitarian assistance contribute to the considerable erosion of the already limited resilience of the affected population and to enduring humanitarian needs. Protection needs are widespread: women and girls are at high risk of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and men and boys are most exposed to arbitrary arrest and detention, death, and injury. Over 2.5 million people are facing acute food insecurity. In line with the global guidance,2 which indicates that only populations affected by crises are to be included in the inter-sectoral needs and severity analysis, the following population groups are considered in this overview: IDPs, Returnees, Refugees, Host communities, and ‘Those left behind’, who are people affected by a crisis/shock but who do not flee nor host IDPs and/or refugees. ‘Those left behind’ often were not able or willing to flee, some because of old age and disabilities, and they have been identified as one of the most vulnerable groups.[1]

In 2024 a total of 1.2 million people are in need of a shelter and/or household basic items. As of today the sector has the capacity to assist at least 607,000 individuals through its 21 operational partners  for a total requirement of $ 29 M. 

Far North region

In the Far North region 78 per cent of the locations assessed during the MSNA data collection are officially recognized villages, 20 per cent are informal sites, while only 36 collective centers have been assessed. 

Shelter is considered as the second priority need after food. In fact, adequate housing and food are two fundamental human rights, intertwined, and essential contributors to health. 

The Shelter Sector has identified Mayo-Sava, Logone et Chari and Mayo-Tsanaga as the divisions that present the highest concentration of people in need while Logone et Chari is the division with the highest severity of needs where people are living severe shelter inadequacies. 

The loss of shelter and household items influences the physical and mental well-being of people with greater consequences on children, older people, pregnant/lactating women, and persons living with disabilities. Degradation of shelter forces adoption of negative coping strategies such as early marriage, economic exploitation, recruitment by armed groups and other human rights violations.

Faced with repeated displacements and the lengthening duration of them, the population is increasingly vulnerable and most of the time in need of durable solutions such as integration or relocation. The same family could be displaced in the first place due to the conflict generated by armed groups and then displaced again because of heavy floods or intercommunal tensions. 

In August 2023, population movement trends show an increase over 6 per cent in the number of forcibly displaced people and an decrease in the number of returnees over 2 per cent. The displacements recorded during the period from January to August 2023 were mainly caused by armed conflicts (81 per cent), floods (12 per cent) and intercommunity conflicts (7 per cent).[1] 

Half of the displaced population is away from their place of origin for more than three years and 60 per cent of shelters observed are structurally damaged (roof/walls missing) or unfinished. Since the beginning of the conflict in 2014 a total of 2,058 properties have been intentionally burned in the Far North regions with the highest rate of 1,085 properties registered in Logone Birni. Some 44 per cent of people interviewed live in mud brick houses and 30 per cent in makeshift shelters mainly done in straw and wood. 

The rental accommodation is the option least chosen during displacement as only 0,7 per cent is recurring to it formally or informally. 

Some 48 per cent of people among the non-displaced/displaced/returnees is informally occupying land/properties. This informal occupation of territory not only represents a consistent barrier to more durable shelter solutions but also exposes the population to several natural hazards as majority of these sites are prone to seasonal floodings or landslides. Relocations plans are required to secure land and guarantee better access to basic services which are also lacking in these areas. If access it is not addressed in an equal and sustained manner, it is likely that  social cohesion will deteriorate and  misperception of social justice, criminality, violence, stigmatization, isolation, discrimination, eviction, and poverty will increase.

Some 25 per cent of forcible displaced people are hosted for free and in overcrowded situations. The economic burden of this care substantially affects host populations. Moreover, such congested shelter units lead to improper sanitation and inadequate ventilation risking the transmission of diseases such as cholera, measles, chronic conditions brought on by stress and trauma. This promiscuity increases protection incidents such as domestic tensions and the risk of gender-based violence especially for women and girls. Eight per cent of households reported lack of privacy inside the shelter while 9 per cent reported to have experienced sexual abuse/violence inside the shelter. 

Around 50 per cent of people interviewed have less than 3,5 m2 of living space. The comfort inside the shelter is compromised by additional factors such as bad ventilation, humidity, insufficient household items to practice the basic functions like cooking, eating, sleeping, washing. Matrasses are reported as the least available items as also the most expensive among the household basic items. In the North-West and South-West regions the majority of people cook inside the house and the main source is wood. 

Even tough 50 per cent of shelters are relatively close to water points, these are reported to be crowded. The other 26 per cent of shelters assessed are far from schools and water points. Overall, markets are accessible.

Around 60 per cent of households indicate that no formal complaint mechanism exists  in their communities and that the main topic people would require more information on are on the provision of humanitarian aid and the eligibility criteria to receive it. The set-up of appropriate mechanisms, through which affected populations can measure the adequacy of interventions, address concerns, complaints and apply corrective action is crucial to the humanitarian shelter/non-food items response.

North-West and South-West regions

The shelter needs of the conflict affected population in the North-West and South-West regions persists  mainly due to the continuous destruction of property, burning of houses, and the recurrent armed operations between NSAGs and SSFs and violence among the communities. This had led to mass displacement of people into areas they consider safe, with some people moving to urban or semi-urban centres while others have moved into the bushes. 

Shelter has been reported as fourth priority need after food, education, and water.

The forcibly displaced persons in the North-West and South-West regions have settled mainly in official villages (98 per cent), bush settlements (1,5 per cent) and collective shelters (0,5 per cent). The majority of IDPs in bush settlements are found in the Donga-Mantung, Menchum, Mezam divisions of the North-West region and in the Ndian, Meme and Lebialem divisions of the South-West region. 

Most displaced and returnees are living in mudbrick houses followed by wood houses, makeshift shelters, and a small number are living in collective centers. It is important to note that 22 per cent of the  population affected by the crisis lives in damaged houses. Some 25 per cent of shelters are damaged due to the violence with most of them destroyed in Bui, Donga-Mantung, Menchum, Manyu and Meme. The main cause of damage is lack of maintenance and accidents during the armed clashes. Some 3 per cent of the people interviewed during the MSNA reported that their shelter has been intentionally burnt. 

Roofs (42 per cent) and walls (28 per cent) are the parts of the houses that are reported as mostly damaged. Even with important structural damages, 23 per cent of the IDP returnees and host population are reported to still live inside the house. This poses serious protection concern as it exposes people to the weather elements such as wind, rain, humidity, seriously affecting people’s physical and psychophysical conditions. 

The number of returnees is increasing as the crisis has grown more protracted, and the IDPs are finding it difficult meeting the high cost of living in urban centers. People are returning to the rural areas where they have engaged in doing some repairs, however, often they lack the financial and material resources and, while waiting for their homes to be repaired, they stay with host families, mostly in overcrowded conditions.

The Shelter Cluster has identified Donga Mantung, Bui, Menchum in the North-West and Ndian, Lebialem in the South-West as the divisions with severe shelter inadequacies (severity level 4), where some IDPs are living in makeshift shelters in bush settlements, seeking protection from the threats of hostilities and conscription by armed groups. Not being able to find materials for shelters, these IDPs also settle in agricultural infrastructures or cocoa ovens to have a simple roof over their heads. 

In host families and rented shelters, overcrowding and lack of privacy increase the risk of gender-based violence. Furthermore, 20 per cent of the people sleep on the ground at nights and some family members are forced to sleep outside at night, exposing themselves to the risk of malaria and other diseases. 

In terms of common tenure types, 22 per cent of households which are experiencing severe inadequacies are renting with a formal agreement. Over 47 per cent of these households pay over 40 per cent of their income to rent their current shelter. About 22 per cent of the households found to live severe inadequacies are hosted for free by a host family. These families are lacking essential household items and must rely on alternative sources of energy for lighting and cooking. Some 47per cent of households in severity 4 are cooking inside their homes using wood as they lack the space to cook outside or do not feel safe enough there. This will eventually pose a health challenge with the risk of upper respiratory tract complications due to the smoke.

In addition to insecurity generated by the crisis, the areas of Limbe and Buea are exposed to recurrent natural hazards such as flooding and landslides which destroy or render shelter inhabitable forcing people to move. The elevation profile of this piece of land is connected to Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Cameroon. As the zone is deemed not suitable for construction, the affordability of rental fee and building cost has encouraged people to settle there. If proper relocation and zoning plans will not be developed and enforced, then climate change will continue exacerbating the situation constraining people to leave cyclically. 

In the North-West and South-West regions, 19 per cent of displaced households and 14 per cent of the returnee population interviewed lack adequate living space (3,5 M2 per person). The shortage of essential household items is also a critical driver of inadequacy. In addition to overcrowding, Shelter Cluster partners have found that larger families are sometimes forced to share mosquito nets and mattresses and often there are not enough sleeping places. The comfort inside the shelter is essential to gain a minimum of dignity and psychological stability especially after a forced displacement. 

Water points are reported too far away from the shelter units (40 per cent) or not being enough (60 per cent) so long queues form while some others are not accessible for security reasons (13 per cent). Only for 27 per cent of the households interviewed the nearest health facility is less than 30 minutes away. Some 72 per cent of households confirmed access to the market. [1]

[1] Humanitarian Needs Overview, OCHA, 2024