The Issue
Since 2002, communities in the Central African Republic have endured grave human rights violations, including widespread sexual and gender-based violence. In Kémo Prefecture, hundreds of survivors – mostly women – still live with the physical, psychological, and social scars of those crimes. Many suffer from chronic pain, trauma, or HIV contracted during assaults. Stigma, poverty and isolation continue to erode their dignity and prevent them from rebuilding their lives. Others struggle to access medical care, psychological support, or stable livelihoods.
In response, the International Criminal Court’s Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) has supported survivors in CAR since 2020 through a partnership with DanChurchAid. Over four phases, more than 1,000 victims of crimes under ICC jurisdiction have received medical, psychosocial, and economic assistance. Yet, many still need sustained support to achieve full rehabilitation and independence – a challenge this fifth and final phase aims to address.
The Project
This fifth phase of DCA’s long-term ICC rehabilitation project ensures that survivors can recover and rebuild with dignity. Funded by the Trust Fund for Victims, it focuses on lasting healing and socio-economic self-reliance through four initiatives:
1. Psychosocial care: Individual and group counselling sessions help survivors overcome trauma. Twenty trained counsellors and local health workers provide ongoing mental health support across Sibut, Dékoa, Galafondo and Ferré.
2. Medical and nutritional support: Survivors living with HIV continue to receive monthly food assistance, ensuring adherence to treatment. Local health structures are strengthened to maintain access to care beyond the project’s lifespan.
3. Economic empowerment: Eleven agricultural groups receive oxen, ploughs, and seeds, while 97 vulnerable survivors start income-generating activities with tailored kits and training in business and farming.
4. Fighting stigma: Radio programmes and community messages challenge discrimination and promote positive masculinity – encouraging families and communities to embrace survivors with respect and solidarity.
The Change
By the end of this fifth and final phase, survivors in Kémo will be healthier, more self-reliant, and socially accepted.
Through strengthened local health systems, survivors will continue to access medical and psychosocial services independently. Many will have restored confidence, steady income, and a sense of belonging in their communities. Women will take a leading role in economic recovery and community engagement, supported by men who promote gender equality and respect.
Social attitudes will shift as stigma fades. Survivors will no longer be defined by their victimhood but recognized as resilient actors contributing to peace and stability.
After five years of continuous ICC-funded intervention, this programme will leave behind a strong local survivor network, empowered associations, and a legacy of community-based healing – advancing justice, dignity, and hope in the Central African Republic.
The Results
Having already reached more than 1,450 people, the project has meant meaningful change for many survivors. The project has supported citizens of CAR who are yearning for positive change. And it has helped survivors who are working to move on from the traumas of the past.
About the project
Full title: Physical, Psychosocial and Socio-economic Rehabilitation for Victims of Conflict under ICC Jurisdiction in Kémo Prefecture, Central African Republic – Phase 5
Timeline: April 2025 to November 2025
Amount: 125,000 EUR
Expected number of people reached: 397 directly, 5.100 indirectly
Donor: International Criminal Court – Trust Fund for Victims (TFV)
