Common Humanitarian Fund - CAR (CHF-CAR)

Assistance Strategy

CHF-CAR Concept Note

Since 2005 the humanitarian situation in the north of the Central African Republic (CAR) has deteriorated severely, as a consequence of conflict, crime, and insecurity. One million people have been affected by violence, and another million are at risk. As of August 2008, more than 300,000 people have been displaced inside the country or as refugees abroad. To enable NGOs and UN agencies to access critical humanitarian funding, an Emergency Response Fund (ERF) was created in 2007 and replaced in July 2008 by the Common Humanitarian Fund – Central African Republic (CHF-CAR). The CHF-CAR will improve the availability of timely, un-earmarked humanitarian funding to target the most critical humanitarian needs. It will enhance efficiency, increase prioritization and strengthen coordination within and between clusters. It will also allow donors who do not have a permanent presence in the country to programme humanitarian funding in CAR.

Under the overall oversight and coordination of the Humanitarian Coordinator, the CHF-CAR supports projects prioritized in the 2008 Coordinated Aid Programme (CAP), which outlines three strategic priorities for humanitarian action in CAR:

• Enhance the protection of people affected by the conflict in the north of CAR by (a) stepping up the presence of humanitarian organizations amongst affected communities, (b) using a human rights based approach in all sectors, and (c) extending the geographical coverage of ongoing protection projects;
• Provide timely and adequate life-saving assistance to people who are deprived of their rights in the following sectors: health, food security, shelter and non-food items, water and sanitation, and hygiene, while effectively incorporating gender aspects and HIV/AIDS prevention and response;
• Ensure coherence and complementarity between humanitarian assistance, early recovery and development programmes by reinforcing national and communal capacities.

Future CAPs will contain updated humanitarian priorities according to an ongoing analysis of the changing situation on the ground.

There are two funding windows under the CHF-CAR:

• A Standard Allocation mechanism, used for allocating the majority of resources and ensuring early funding for priority projects;
• An Emergency Reserve, usually not higher than 20% of available funding, used in the event of unforeseen needs or emergency circumstances.