COTE D'IVOIRE: Ivorian Women and Children Continue to Flee Into Liberia

Côte d'Ivoire, the world's biggest cocoa producer, has been in turmoil since early December when President Laurent Gbagbo refused leave office despite opposition leader Alassane Ouattara's UN-certified victory in November's run-off election. If the situation worsens, the number of refugees in Liberia could increase dramatically.

In the border village of Douplay, in Nimba county, Liberia, women are busy preparing food under the watchful eye of children.

They belong to a group of Ivorians who have recently fled to Liberia following the contested presidential elections in Cote d'Ivoire last November.

The majority are women and children.

Mullay J. Sandi, a Supervisor for the Liberian Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission in Nimba County describes what the conditions are like:

"You know, we just came from war, and the agricultural situation here is somewhat, like, lacking. The food that is produced is very small, ok, so food is the problem."

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an estimated 25,000 individuals from Côte d'Ivoire have crossed the border into Liberia.

Many are staying with host families or in schools, with access to few resources in already impoverished villages.

With an estimated 600 people arriving every day into Liberia, the water and sanitation resources are severely strained.

Nearly half of the water pumps in the host villages are broken, and the working pumps are pushed beyond capacity, forcing refugees and Liberians alike to use unsafe, water for drinking and cooking.

Elise Batou is a 17 year old refugee from Côte d'Ivoire:

"The pumps are sorted, but here, it is not protected. It's like this, we come, we collect it, and then we drink it. It's not protected. Animals fall in it and there are germs."

Health facilities are also feeling the burden. Outpatient care in these border villages have doubled over night. Liberia's free health care system is being stretched beyond its limits.

Furthermore, nearly 10% of refugee children are suffering from malnutrition, and pregnant and lactating mothers are filling the clinics.

Peter Towah, a registered nurse at the Gbarlay clinic explains why.

"When these pregnant women are not actually taking in a balanced diet, or the most nutritious food that they are supposed to take in, it will also have an impact on the foetus."

UNICEF and its partners are responding to the crisis, helping with the most elemental needs of both the refugee and host populations.

Fazlul Haque, UNICEF's Deputy Representative in Liberia elaborates:

"What we are doing is providing water and sanitation facilities. There is still a community level assessment of malnourishment in progress now. Immunization is being done and we have also identified the unaccompanied children for their reunification."

With daily reports of incitement to hatred and violence, human rights violations and attacks against civilians and peacekeepers, there are fears that Côte d'Ivoire could return to civil war.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Liberia, UNICEF and its partners are continuing to provide assistance to Ivorian refugees, while bracing themselves for the worst.

In case the crisis is not resolved, the refugee numbers could increase dramatically overnight.