Refugee women in Chad face violence and gaps in healthcare
Chad is grappling with a deepening humanitarian crisis as over 1.3 million refugees and returnees, predominantly women and children, seek shelter in a nation already strained by poverty and an underfunded healthcare system. This alarming situation was highlighted following a recent assessment by a United Nations agency.
Humanitarian strain in eastern regions
Andrew Saberton, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations agency focused on sexual and reproductive health, recently returned from a week-long mission to Chad’s eastern provinces. His observations revealed a stark reality: while communities show remarkable resilience, the strain on resources is unsustainable. In regions like Ouaddaï, near the Sudanese border, the influx of refugees fleeing conflict has overwhelmed local infrastructure.
Safety concerns and daily struggles
In Adré, a town close to the Sudanese frontier, Saberton visited an UNFPA-supported center where refugee women shared harrowing accounts of violence they face when leaving camps to gather firewood. The journey, often necessary for survival, exposes them to harassment, assault, and sexual violence. “Collecting firewood has become a moment of dread,” Saberton noted, echoing the fears expressed by women in multiple camps.
Despite these dangers, programs providing psychosocial support, vocational training, and income-generating activities have empowered many women to rebuild their lives. The agency’s efforts underscore the critical role of holistic support in crisis zones.
Healthcare disparities and maternal risks
In Wadi Fira province, home to the Iridimi refugee camp, healthcare facilities are stretched to their limits. Local authorities report over 333,000 refugees distributed across eight camps in the region. At the camp’s health center, midwives handle up to 300 deliveries monthly with minimal resources. The scarcity of anesthetics has, at times, forced unsafe cesarean sections, a practice Saberton condemned unequivocally: “No woman should endure a cesarean without anesthesia.”
A poignant example emerged during his visit to Abéché, where he met a young woman who suffered obstetric fistula after being married at 15. Her first pregnancy ended tragically after three days of labor without medical intervention, leading to her baby’s death and her husband’s abandonment. She lived with the condition for nearly a decade before receiving treatment. “She still faces pressure to remarry,” Saberton shared, highlighting the compounded vulnerabilities faced by survivors of gender-based violence.
Funding shortages exacerbate the crisis
The UNFPA’s Chad office faces a severe funding shortfall this year, with a 44% reduction in resources compared to 2025. Of the $18.7 million requested for 2026 to sustain maternal health services and protection programs, only 2.5% has been secured. Chad already has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with approximately 860 deaths per 100,000 live births. The agency warns that without urgent international support, the situation will deteriorate further.
Saberton emphasized the lifeline these services represent: “For women and girls in eastern Chad, assistance means safe childbirth, care after violence, and a chance to survive.”