Chad is a landlocked country in central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west. Chad's population is 9.9 millions (July 2007 estimate); the male/female ratio is 0.92 and 25.8% live in urban areas while 74.8% in rural ones. The country's population is young: an estimated 47.3% is under 15. The birth rate is estimated at 42.35 births and the mortality rate at 16.69 per 1,000 people; the country population growth rate at 2.32%. The life expectancy is 47.2 years (46.17 years for males and 48.27 years for females). The total fertility rate is 5.56 children born per woman, and infant mortality rate is 102.07 deaths/1,000 live births. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in adult population was estimated to be 3.5% (2005), with 200,000 people believed to be living with HIV/AIDS and 18,000 people have died in the pandemic. There were about 57,000 children living with HIV/AIDS (2006) and 57,000 orphaned by AIDS.
What We Do
Issues facing children in Chad
The arrival of so many refugees has significantly worsened the key statistical indicators for children in Chad. Rates of infant, under-five, and maternal mortality are extremely high. One in five children will die before reaching age five.
Only half of Chad’s children are fully immunized against the major vaccine-preventable diseases. Acute respiratory infections, malaria, and diarrhoeal diseases are the most common killers.
HIV/AIDS affects 18,000 children under age 14.
Just over a third of the population has access to clean drinking water. In eastern Chad, there is increased competition for water and sanitation resources. The scarcity of firewood has led to violent attacks against refugee women collecting wood.
The provision of aid to the refugee camps is subject to disruption, as a result of violence, periodic heavy rainfall and other factors.
Crowded conditions and poor nutrition in the camps have increased the risk of polio, measles, and malnutrition. Nationally, nearly 30 percent of children are stunted.
The primary school enrolment rate for girls (51 per cent) lags far behind that for boys (75 per cent).
