New York, 9 January 2022 (TDI): There is an unprecedented level of conflict, human rights abuses, and displacement occurring in the Central Sahel region, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, as a consequence of climate change.
An increasing number of people are becoming increasingly aware that the situation is rapidly escalating into a complex humanitarian crisis that is widely ignored.
There is no escaping the fear and hunger that are afflicting the people of the Swahili nations at the moment, and there is also no escaping the climate crisis impact because these nations are suffering greatly right now.
Spotlight on History and Geography of Swahili Land
The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta (d. 1368) brought with him a North African understanding of racial differences that were unfamiliar to the people he encountered during his visits to the Sahel in 1352 and 1353. Ibn Battuta divides the people of that region into three groups in his written narratives: Berbers, Blacks, and Whites.
According to him, the white population is made up solely of people like him: Arab immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East who live in the Sahel towns, the majority of whom are merchants.
There were some exceptions to the rules regarding color terminology in his narrative, including the Massfa and Bardma of Walata and Timbuktu, as well as the Hakkr and Bardma of the southern and central Sahara. As noted by Ibn Battuta, the native Berber people did not follow white cultural practices, despite the fact that those Berber were of the Muslim faith.
He compared them to non-Muslims he met in South Asia due to their social interactions with men and their matrilineal system of descent. The use of colour terminology to differentiate human groups was common in medieval North Africa and the Middle East.
The Sahel stretches from Senegal to Sudan in Western and North-central Africa. To the north is the Sahara desert, while the south possesses humid savannas. From the Atlantic to Sudan, the Sahel region extends through northern Senegal, southern Mauritania, Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), southern Niger, northeastern Nigeria, and south-central Chad.
Throughout the year, rain is scarce except for a few inches (100–200 mm) in June, July, and August. The Niger and Senegal rivers also flood much of the pasture. There are many regions where peanuts (groundnuts) and millet are suitable for growing.
With the growth of vulnerable populations, the Sahel region became increasingly troubled by erosion and desertification during the second half of the 20th century. In addition to growing crops and using the trees for firewood, the remaining vegetation was consumed by livestock. The result is arid and barren wastelands that are eroded by runoff and wind.
A severe drought nearly wiped out Sahelian crops, killing 50 to 70% of the cattle. A lack of rainfall in 1972 caused the Sahara to move southward by 60 miles (100 km) in 1973. About 100,000 people died from disease and starvation that year.
The Sahel region was struck by famine and drought in 1983–85, despite reforestation efforts. As a result, the Sahel region expanded into the Sahara.
Concerning the humanitarian situation in the Sahel, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated;
Humanitarian conditions have rapidly deteriorated in the Sahel. Conflicts are intensifying, food insecurity is increasing, climate emergencies are multiplying, and the pandemic is deepening people’s vulnerabilities, making their needs unprecedented.
The Sahelian people are resilient, generous, and show great strength and solidarity. Concrete action and support are required in order for that resilience to be strengthened and for millions of people and their lands to be protected. 29 million Sahelians require assistance and protection.
There are 5 million more people than there were at the beginning of 2020. Climate change, extreme poverty, rapid population growth, and violent conflict, insecurity, and violence affect livelihoods and communities.
⚠️ People’s needs across the Sahel are now at unprecedented levels.
Their vulnerabilities are deepening and increasing due to escalating conflict, rising food insecurity, multiplying climate emergencies & the #COVID19 pandemic.
Here are 🔟 things you need to know 👇
— UN Humanitarian (@UNOCHA) January 3, 2022
Conflict is the primary cause of need and displacement.
During the past decade, more than 5.5 million people have fled the Sahel. The number of violent attacks in the Central Sahel and the Lake Chad basin has increased eightfold and tripled between 2015 and 2020.
Most civilians forced to flee their homes in search of safety are caught in the middle of armed groups, intercommunal violence, and military operations. The displacement of considerable numbers of individuals strains weak services and already limited resources.
More people than ever are experiencing food insecurity.
14 million people in the region are experiencing severe food insecurity this year. Violence and insecurity, coupled with climate change, are causing vulnerable communities to lose their livelihoods, struggle to access food, and go hungry everywhere.
The future of children is at risk.
Armed violence threatens the lives, education, and security of hundreds of thousands of children. At present, there are approximately 5,000 schools in Burkina Faso, the remote north of Cameroon, the Lac Province of Chad, Mali, Niger, and the northeast of Nigeria that are in the process of closing or ceasing operations. As long as the crisis persists, generations are at risk.
Climate change remains a significant issue in this region.
In the Sahel, climate change has caused higher temperatures, droughts, and destructive floods. As a result, all of these factors have a significant impact on the well-being and livelihood of people. Temperatures are projected to increase 1.5 times faster than the global average over the next five years, while floods are expected to nearly double.
Climate-related hazards have destroyed 80% of farmland in the Sahel, and food resources have been significantly depleted. As a consequence of climate change, people’s safety and well-being are at risk because water, food, and other resources will be affected.
For women and girls, there is a soaring price to offer.
Due to the soaring cost of providing for their families, women and girls are exceptionally vulnerable to climate-related hazards. It is likely that these hazards will have a multiplicative effect, resulting in an increase in violence against intimate partners, sexual violence, and child marriage.
Women and girls in the region are often responsible for providing food and water to families. Due to a lack of resources, they often skip meals in order to provide for their families and have to walk long distances to obtain water. It is more likely that they will be sexually harassed or assaulted when they are away from home.
When there is insecurity, it is more challenging to contact those who are vulnerable.
Aid workers have been abducted and killed in increasing numbers. As a result, the population has been traumatized, disrupting relief efforts. Due to the extremely volatile environment, humanitarian hubs and offices in Borno State are regularly attacked.
This causes them to cease their activities. Consequently, people in dire need of assistance are left without assistance, which exacerbates the effects of the crisis.
Cross-border areas are markedly affected by the crisis. As a result of their elevated socioeconomic status, rural communities are difficult to reach.
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