In May 2025, the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic remained precarious, with continued clashes between armed groups and the military leading to new waves of displacement and deteriorating living conditions. One of the most severe incidents occurred in Zémio, where armed actors attacked a hospital and forced over half of the nursing staff to flee, significantly limiting access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and gender-based violence (GBV) support. Women and girls remain particularly vulnerable in this context, facing increased exposure to GBV while also navigating shrinking access to life-saving care due to insecurity and chronic underfunding.
In response, UNFPA supported a wide range of integrated interventions across the country. More than 3,000 women and girls accessed psychosocial and life skills services through safe spaces, while awareness-raising efforts on GBV prevention and available services reached over 11,000 people. To strengthen access to SRH services, eleven facilities, including mobile and static clinics, provided antenatal, postnatal, and STI treatment to nearly 1,800 individuals. Dignity kits were distributed to over 1,900 women and girls, including during the menstrual hygiene campaign. Additionally, safe spaces offered vocational training, literacy programmes, and peer-led sessions in sewing and menstrual hygiene education. UNFPA also led coordination mechanisms through the GBV Area of Responsibility, introduced innovative programming approaches, and launched data collection for a GBV needs assessment in nine sub-prefectures.
Despite these efforts, funding remains a critical barrier to scaling up and sustaining services. Of the $16.56 million required by UNFPA to meet urgent SRH and GBV needs in 2025, only $1.6 million has been received — just under 10 per cent of the total requirement. This $14.1 million shortfall threatens the continuity of life-saving services for women and girls already navigating one of the world’s most protracted and underfunded humanitarian crises.
