Although there was an armed popular uprising in 2011 that overthrew dictator Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is now immersed in internal divisions, and international efforts to unite rival administrations into a unity government have failed. The proliferation of weapons and independent militias, the expansion of criminal networks and the presence of extremist groups have weakened security in the country. Continued violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and human rights conditions have steadily worsened.
The past conflict and the long political crisis have had a significant impact on public services, especially in health, sanitation and social protection. Some 1.5 million people are still in need of humanitarian aid.