​The Central African Republic (CAR) is in the midst of a protection crisis. The latest round of violence in the country has left thousands dead and several million displaced. Civilians have been systematically targeted and their property looted and destroyed.

The government has no capacity to safeguard its people, who have instead looked to a range of non-state actors – armed groups, churches and mosques and peacekeeping and humanitarian organisations – for what little protection they can find.

This report looks at how people in CAR affected by the conflict see protection threats, how they mitigate them, and what they expect from those seeking to provide protection.

This has revealed, amongst other findings, how civilians look to armed groups for protection, more than peacekeepers; the important role that faith-based groups are playing in emergency mediation and rebuilding trust; and how the international community failed to respond quickly and adequately to the crisis, leading to a protection gap.