Central African Republic - IOM’s 6th return intention survey of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Bangui, Central African Republic indicates a continuing decrease in the number of people intending to return home and a continuing struggle to meet daily needs.

The return intention survey was based on interviews with 601 IDPs carried out at 31 displacement sites from 17-19 June. The survey has been conducted on a monthly basis since January 2014 to track the needs and return intentions of IDPs in Bangui.

Compared with the previous survey, IDPs’ indicated that in order to return home, their needs would remain in almost the same order. Security is the highest priority (33%), followed by housing (31%) and non-food aid items (13%.)

Just over half (56%) indicated an intention to return home within the next four weeks. This figure has been decreasing since the January survey when 74% of IDPs indicated an intention to return within a month.

The number of IDPs who wanted to stay at their displacement site increased from 27% in May to 36% in June. This is a significant increase from February, when only 19% wanted to stay at their site.

In December, soon after the violence that displaced people across Bangui, there were more than 390,000 IDPs in the city. Since that time the IDP population, despite fluctuations, has been gradually decreasing.

Over 70% of IDPs in Bangui have now left and here are currently 105,300 IDPs at some 43 sites in the city. In June the IDP figure was just over 117,300. Overall IDP figures countrywide are now estimated at 535,000.

IDP return rates have slowed in the last few months and those remaining at the sites are the most vulnerable. The most frequently cited reason for not returning home was that all their belongings had been stolen (74%.)  “Lack of authorities” (68%) was the second most frequently cited reason – up from 58% in the May survey. Additional reasons included lack of financial means to return (66%) and not feeling safe in their area of origin (66%.)

Food continues to be a critical issue: 97% of IDPs reported a reduction in the number of meals consumed per day, 97% a reduction in family members’ food consumption and 89% a reduction in adults’ food consumption to be able to feed children. Some 92% had experienced interruption of livelihood generating activities due to displacement.

The Return Intention Survey is part of IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), which is designed to monitor population movements and inform the humanitarian response to crises.

To access the CAR IDP Return Intention Surveys, please visit: http://carresponse.iom.int/.

For more information please contact

Sandra Black
IOM Bangui
Email: sblack@iom.int
Tel. +236.7276.3411