The Global Protection Cluster (GPC) regularly monitors and tracks 15 protection risks across emergencies crisis.
During the second quarter of 2023
Psychological / Emotional Abuse or Inflicted Distress
- Burkina Faso
- DR Congo
- South Sudan
- Syria NW
- Syria WOS
- oPt
- Afghanistan
- El Salvador
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Sudan
- Syria NE
- Nigeria
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Colombia
- Ethiopia
- Somalia
- Venezuela
- Honduras
- Guatemala
In DR Congo, psychological and emotional abuse is one of the critical consequences of unending conflicts and displacement and has been identified as one of the most acute risks by the HCT protection strategy. Prolonged exposure to violence in conflict zones has profound and often long-lasting impacts on people’s mental and psychosocial health, with particularly devastating effects on women, children, and youth. Across Syria, psychosocial needs are significant and increasingly reported, with trauma, stress, and anxiety identified as increasingly reported protection issues affecting all communities, compounded by protracted displacement and severe economic deterioration. In NW Syria, mental health issues, including suicide, drug abuse and anxiety have increased, protection surveys have also shown that mental health related illness is one of the most severe impacts on IDPs and host communities. In Colombia, the constant threats in the context of the armed conflict are having an impact on the mental health of children and adolescents and the psychosocial well-being of their communities, especially indigenous and AfroColombian communities. The IDPs living in camps and returnees living in host communities in NE Nigeria are fearful as a result of the incidents of attacks against civilians in Borno State. Community members expressed fears of being raped, killed, or kidnapped, with some of the victims are traumatized and in psychological and emotional distress. In Afghanistan, a joint report from UN Women, IOM and UNAMA, in which 462 women were consulted across 33 provinces, found that 76% of female respondents scored their mental health as bad or very bad. Depression and insomnia were still reported as mental health conditions affecting women and girls, leading to physical impacts such as headaches, tiredness, loss of appetite. IDPs in gathering sites in Sudan’s safer states are apprehensive of their futures not knowing until when they can stay at the current gathering sites.
Unlawful Impediments or Restrictions to Freedom of Movement, Siege and Forced Displacement
- Afghanistan
- Burkina Faso
- Myanmar
- oPt
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Cameroon
- Colombia
- Honduras
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Syria NE
- Syria NW
- Syria WOS
- Chad
- DR Congo
- El Salvador
- Mozambique
- Venezuela
- Ethiopia
- Guatemala
- N/A
In Borno State in NE Nigeria, freedom of movement is still a critical barrier limiting access to farmlands and livelihood opportunities. Women and girls’ freedom of movement continues to be severely curtailed by the de facto authorities’ decrees and directives in Afghanistan, limiting their access to economic, social, and public life and their access to basic services. Recent report findings indicate that the main reasons for women not being able to move freely are related to no access to a mahram (24,1%) followed by social-cultural barriers (20%) and discrimination (19.6%), whereas only 4% of men and boys reported not being able to move. In Sudan, the Protection Sector documented at least 12 areas where conflicting parties imposed movement restriction towards civilians. In Myanmar, following the recent escalation in October 2023 nearly 700,000 people have been forcibly displaced, freedom of movement continues to be a problem in conflict areas as well as curfews and movement restrictions within the different states. In NE Syria, checkpoints remain problematic for the freedom of movement of the population, compounded by a lack of documentation. A recent Humanitarian Trends and Impact Report highlighted 88,007 victims of confinement across Colombia in 2023.
Gender-Based Violence
- Afghanistan
- Burkina Faso
- DR Congo
- Mozambique
- oPt
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Chad
- El Salvador
- Ethiopia
- Honduras
- Mali
- Syria NE
- Syria NW
- Syria WOS
- Venezuela
- Cameroon
- Colombia
- Guatemala
- Myanmar
- Nigeria
- N/A
- N/A
An increase in GBV has been reported in Ethiopia in relation both to areas affected by conflict/violence, and in areas affected by climatic shocks such as drought, where GBV rates have increased and the affected population sometimes resort to negative coping mechanisms such as transactional sex and child marriage. In Táchira state, Venezuela, 3 cases of femicide and one attempted femicide occurred in the first quarter of 2024. In Gaza, GBV risks are further exacerbated due to severely overcrowded shelters and informal settlements, a lack of dignified and safe bathing or latrine facilities, and severe shortages of food and clean drinking water. These factors have all contributed to a breakdown of coping mechanisms. During the month of February 2024 alone in Haiti, 250 cases of GBV were reported to specialized service providers, 90% of whom were women. In Honduras, during the first two months of the year, 40 femicides were registered. The already high prevalence of GBV against Afghan women and girls—including intimate partner and domestic violence due to their confinement to their homes—has increased. In Syria, the protracted crisis, compounded by economic hardship and natural disasters continues to disproportionately impact women and girls, where it remains a problem for women to have access to equal rights in many domains of their socio-political life. In Sudan, GBV incidents are on the rise, notably cases of domestic violence.
Presence of Mines and other Explosive Ordnance
- Burkina Faso
- Colombia
- Myanmar
- oPt
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Afghanistan
- DR Congo
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Sudan
- Syria WOS
- Syria NE
- Syria NW
- Mozambique
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Ethiopia
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Venezuela
The risk of IEDs spreads to new communities in Somalia, as military campaigns recover new areas, with children the most vulnerable to ERW accidents, accounting for up to 80 per cent of all recorded victims in the last four years. A significant increase in the number of landmine victims in Myanmar has been reported in 2024, particularly in Rakhine and Shan states. Additionally, there are reports of new layers of landmines being laid in these areas. Colombia continues to face widespread explosive ordnance contamination in 24 of its 32 departments, mainly from anti-personnel mines laid by NSAGs. Of the total number of civilian victims, 36.8% belong to ethnic communities (14 indigenous and 7 Afro-Colombian). At least 70% of casualties in Khartoum, Sudan are from the presence of explosive ordnance resulting from bombing, shelling, and air strikes. In DR Congo, since fighting broke out in the town of Sake on 7 February 2024, at least 20 civilians have been killed by indiscriminate bombing, including children. Across Syria, past and present hostilities continue to result in widespread EO contamination throughout the country, affecting approximately a third of communities. The most vulnerable groups are children, IDPs and agricultural workers. There are still 1,255.6 km2 of contaminated areas in Afghanistan, affecting at least 1,727 communities. Between July and December 2023, unexploded ordnance killed at least 77 people and wounded at least 163 others. Given the scale and intensity of the assault on Gaza, the risk of exposure to mines, ERW, and UXOs is extremely high.
Discrimination and Stigmatization, Denial of Resources, Opportunities, Services And/Or Humanitarian Access
- Afghanistan
- Burkina Faso
- Myanmar
- oPt
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Chad
- Colombia
- Mozambique
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Syria NW
- Cameroon
- DRC
- Ethiopia
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Syria WOS
- Venezuela
- El Salvador
- Syria NE
Minority and marginalised communities in Somalia, estimated to comprise 30% of the population, face a long history of discrimination, exclusion from access to services and participation in decision-making processes which directly affect them. Discriminatory norms compounded by denial of resources, opportunities, access to services and humanitarian assistance remain significantly prevalent across Afghanistan, especially for women, girls, and other vulnerable groups. Conflict between host and IDPs are constantly reported in Mozambique, with instances of host communities demanding money to access water, reported during to the sharing of limited resources. In Syria, women may face particular difficulties accessing services. For example, in Aleppo governorate in a number of sub-districts lack of access to services available are reported due to restrictions of movement.
Attacks on Civilians and other Unlawful Killings, and Attacks on Civilian Objects
- Burkina Faso
- DR Congo
- Myanmar
- Nigeria
- oPt
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Cameroon
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Syria NW
- Syria WOS
- Afghanistan
- Chad
- Colombia
- Ethiopia
- Honduras
- El Salvador
- Syria NE
- Venezuela
- Guatemala
oPt continues to experience extreme levels of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. In Nord Kivu and Sud Kivu, the increased use of artillery is causing civilian casualties in areas of DR Congo affected by M23 crisis. In Colombia, during 2023, attacks on schools increased within the context of the armed conflict, including 46 events of attacks on schools, hospitals, and other civilian assets, a 50% increase from what was recorded in 2022. It is estimated that these attacks affected the right to education of 16,764 children and adolescents. In Somalia, civilians continue to pay the price of conflict and insecurity. Attacks on civilians and civilian objects are reported on by partners in Myanmar conducted by MAF and EAOs. From 13-16 January 2024, 40 verified strikes were conducted across NE Syria. At least six civilians have been injured in this escalation alone, while at least 26 critical infrastructure sites are either severely damaged or out of service. In Sudan, an estimated 70% of hospitals in conflict affected states remain nonfunctional because of ongoing attacks combined with insecurity and shortages of medical supplies.
Impediments and/or Restrictions to Access to Legal Identity, Remedies and Justice
- Burkina Faso
- Mozambique
- oPt
- South Sudan
- Afghanistan
- El Salvador
- Honduras
- Myanmar
- Sudan
- Syria NE
- Syria NW
- Syria WOS
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Colombia
- Ethiopia
- Guatemala
- Mali
- Somalia
- Venezuela
- DR Congo
- Nigeria
In Sudan, the civil registry has been closed since the start of the conflict, posing serious barriers to access legal documentation. Lack/loss of civil documentation was reported by 50% of households across Syria based on needs assessments. In some areas, people reported having no access to any legal services. Many barriers still exist for the population in NE Syria to have access to legal documentation of all sorts. In NW Syria, access to justice remains as a challenge for some specific population groups including minorities and women. The situation of children in contact with the law is also a main challenge, where access constitutes one of the most significant barriers. There are limited opportunities for legal remedies and justice. Protection actors are concerned about the lack of and loss of documents in Gaza, and the destruction of infrastructure such as civil registries.
Theft, Extortion, Forced Eviction or Destruction of Personal Property
- Burkina Faso
- Nigeria
- oPt
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Chad
- Honduras
- Myanmar
- Sudan
- Syria NE
- Syria NW
- Syria WOS
- Afghanistan
- Cameroon
- Colombia
- DR Congo
- El Salvador
- Mozambique
- Venezuela
- Ethiopia
- Guatemala
- Mali
- N/A
There has been an increase in criminality, including stealing of IDP’s livestock, bicycles, foodstuff, and humanitarian community assistance such as solar panels at water points in Borno State, NE Nigeria. In Gaza, over 60% of residential homes have been partially or totally destroyed. In the first quarter of 2024, in Aleppo, 5,000 buildings were in the pipeline for demolition without due process and forced evictions were recorded in Aleppo, Hama, Homs and Idleb governorates of Syria. Confiscation of property, land grabbing and occupation continues across NW Syria, affecting particular population groups (ethnic minorities, widows, orphans, older persons). In Chad, atrocities committed by NSAGs are followed by the destruction of property and looting. Since the start of the dry season, there have also been several cases of fires. As of the end of February 2024, a staggering 1.5 million IDPs in Somalia have been subjected to forced evictions, with Banadir accounting for 66% of these cases.
