The republic of Chad is a large, landlocked country on the African continent, with a population of 16 million people from over 200 ethnicities. Most of its inhabitants live as subsistence herders and farmers. It is ranked second lowest on the human development index facing stifling poverty and corruption. Human rights are frequently violated by state military and militias. Extrajudicial killings, arbitrary imprisonment and infringement on civil liberties are a common occurrence.

Through climate change, droughts and floods occur more often and farmers are at high risk to lose the little they have. Adding on, the discovery of oil has worsened the situation. In the words of a local farmer:

“There used to be enough to eat,” says Auguste Djinodji, 87. “We grew cassava, taro, sweet potatoes, beans and peanuts in the fields. And cattle, sheep and goats grazed in the scrub forest.” The people were not rich, but they made a living. It’s different today. Because for a good decade, large corporations have been producing oil in southern Chad. The billion dollar investment was sold as a poverty alleviation project. “They promised us the moon,” says Auguste Djinodji, village elder of Maïkeri, with a trembling voice. “Clean drinking water, new schools, strong houses, even electricity. And what did we get? Nothing!” It got worse. “They even took our land away from us.“

Violent clashes between different state and non-state groups occur frequently. Most notably, the terror-organization Boko Haram, who is infamous for kidnapping, torture, rape and egregious human rights violations, is active in parts of Chad. However the government forces under Chad’s military dictator are guilty of severe violations of Human Rights as well.

The situation is worsened through an enormous influx of refugees from neighboring countries, who faced severe droughts, political upheaval and armed conflicts. Chad hosts thousands and thousands of refugees who live under precarious conditions at the borders.

The number of refugees from Chad is comparatively low, as most people there are simply too poor to afford to flee the country. The number of officially registered asylum seekers per year is roughly 2000, most of them seeking asylum in France. However, the number of refugees who are not registered is considerably higher.