The Republic of Congo has served for over a decade as a host country for refugees following repetitive armed conflicts known in the subregion. The latest is the Central African armed disturbance unleashed in March 2013. This conflict has caused a massive influx of people to the countries bordering the Central African Republic. In Congo, the majority of refugees have been received in the department of Likouala. This influx was added to the DRC and Rwandan refugees already present in the area.
Since the beginning of the operation, the humanitarian organizations, AARREC, Solidarité Internationale and the Congolese Red Cross have implemented the actions Water Hygiene and Sanitation in the hosting camps and villages through the financing of UNHCR. Various structures (latrines, wells and boreholes, washing area, etc.) have been installed for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
The aim of these actions is to ensure for all sites: (i) access to sufficient and good quality drinking water, (ii) sustainable access to sanitation facilities, and (iii) improve knowledge and practices in personal and collective hygiene. To better understand and measure the current state of knowledge and practices of the populations living in the various refugee sites, a KAP survey focusing on water, hygiene and sanitation issues was conducted from December 13 to 27, 2017. The survey results reported in this document will also serve as a benchmark for measuring the impact of actions conducted in the area of the operation at the end of each year.