Protection Data for Informed Actions to the Sahel Crisis
Communities in the Sahel+ region face a deepening protection crisis, driven by food insecurity, forced displacement, and movement restrictions, aggravated by armed conflict. Without timely, evidence-based actions, the situation will further deteriorate. Project 21 provides the data and analysis needed to guide effective, protection-centered responses.
Burkina Faso
Currently, over 2 million Burkinabes had fled their homes. Recent data collected in 2025 show that considerable level of movement restrictions across the country continue to exacerbate protection risks, whose heaviest impact fall on the most vulnerable groups.
Chad
Chad is facing multiple displacement situations: several provinces on the east are facing increasing numbers of displaced populations fleeing the Sudanese civil war; the western Lac province is deeply affected by the Lake Chad Basin conflicts; while the southern regions host major displaced populations from Central African Republic.
Mali
Conflict has severely affected the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable groups, with the impact spreading further into central and southern regions. Numerous armed groups remain active, and violence against civilians is increasing.
Niger
Food insecurity and malnutrition are widespread. Conflict-related protection risks remain especially high in the provinces of Tillabéri, Tahoua, and Diffa—areas affected by the crises in the Central Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin—and the situation has also worsened in Maradi.
Project 21
-Protection Data for Informed Actions
Project 21 is an inter-agency protection monitoring system that gathers community-based data across the Sahel. Through regular interviews and joint analysis, we identify key risks and emerging trends to inform more effective responses, improve coordination, guide advocacy, and address the needs of both displaced and host communities.
