Southern Region Humanitarian Regional Team (HRT) Meeting Minutes Minutes of Meeting – 25 April 2016
Participants OCHA (Chair), UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, FAO, ICRC, MEDAIR, HRDA, SHAO, IOM, MSF, INSO, SCI, ANCC, UNMACCA, SWABAC, Mercy Malaysia, HI, CHA, OHW, DRC and SERVE Afghanistan
Agenda Item and Discussion Action Point By Whom/Status Opening by recitation of Holy Quran of Sharifullah Hussaini - OCHA N/A N/A Minutes of previous meeting were reviewed (including action points) and adopted.
Action points from the last HRT meeting: INSO presentation (Done) OCHA to do follow up on pre- harvest survey and Child protection WHO invitation for Health cluster meeting (Done) OCHA FSAC pre harvest survey results sharing (Pending) assessment reports sharing with WFP & UNICEF UNICEF to share country wide child protection assessment report (Pending) Email circulation asking for staff nomination for assessments (done) 1. Humanitarian overview in Southern Region - OCHA
During the course of this month, the humanitarian situation remained volatile across the region. Hilmand, Uruzgan & Kandahar provinces were the main hotspots for insecurity and Natural hazards.
Access to Dehrawud district continued to be hindered due to AGEs control over Tangi Salang area.
Civilians are allowed to cross the blocked way by walk but no vehicle is allowed. Despite allocation
of food and NFIs assistance up to Tirinkot, the verified families could not be reached by
humanitarian partners. However, market prices are increased and there are reports about movement
of people to other locations and some to Tirinkot. DoRR director in Uruzgan through letter has
informed OCHA that 175 families are displaced which also includes 91 from Dehrawud and are
believed to be families previously verified within the district.
Similarly, Grishk district in Hilmand remains inaccessible for humanitarian partners due to active
fighting between AGEs and ANSF with AGEs presence for more than last two months.
Displacement reported about 105 families report could not be access by humanitarian partners,
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therefore, was shared with ICRC for further consideration. Reportedly, floods incidents were resulted in killing people (including women & children), damaged/ destroyed HH, infrastructure and washed agricultural lands in Dehrawud, Khas Uruzgan, Shahid Assas and Gizab districts but due to AGEs presence and active fight the districts could not be accessed by humanitarian partners to conduct assessment. The conflict has not only resulted in displacement but has also challenged humanitarian activities. A good example is recent attack on polio vaccinator in Zabul and closure of some health facilities in Uruzgan & Hilmand Provinces. These kind of incident may discourage partners to deliver services in remote areas. During the reporting period Insecurity & ND incidents displaced and affected families in Hilmand, Kandahar & Uruzan provinces. There were two flood incidents in Hilmand and Uruzgan. The assessment and response for both caseloads was coordinated on timely manner. The joint assessment team found 149 in Nawa, Garamser districts in Hilmand and 405 families in Tirinkot, Chora, Chinartu in Uruzgan. WFP stated that they were also informed about Market price increase in Dehrawud, however, when they contacted some sources in local market they found the increase of 15-20 % in food items price. OCHA to share the initial report of OCHA informed about recent visit to Hilmand where in meeting with ACTD (CHF implementer) and ACTD about war wounded in OCHA emergency trauma services provider. ACTD shared concerning figures of conflict casualties for one Hilmand. month (20 March to 19 April) in 12 districts of Hilmand, which were 1,500 including 252 women and 151 girls. Moreover, OCHA stated that the figures are too high and requires special attention of protection cluster to verify. The figures will be shared with UNICEF and protection cluster. OCHA emphasized on FSAC cluster participation in ND and conflict IDP incident assessments to FSAC cluster to participate in joint FSAC identify the needs raising from agricultural damages owing to floods and food needs owing to raising assessment teams in the future. market food prices. Security briefing (INSO) INSO informed about heavy fighting started on the main road between Kandahar and Tirinkot in Shahwalikot, near to border with Uruzgan. This has resulted in closing road and movement has been hindered. INSO also informed that roads between Tirinkot and many other districts are also closed, due to flooding and many due to NSAGs control. In Hilmand, there is continuation of puppy harvest and for past few weeks situation has been quitter. Which doesn’t mean that conflict has ended but Present security briefing in future INSO NSAGs are mostly engage with harvest. Sangin, Grishk and some parts of Majra where there was HRT meetings active fight around one month before are comparatively calmer. Nad Ali is the only district with continuation of conflict. Lashkargah itself appears to be stable but ANSF have secured the key entry points to the city and the areas away from Lashkargah city are very much in NSAGs control. A claim was made by gov’t that highway to Sangin is now open but repeated reports about NSAGs activities and attacks on the highway shows that the claim doesn’t appear to be so satisfactory. Kandahar security is much better may be because of regular search operations and reinforced checkpoints. Moreover, INSO informed about attack on polio vaccinators by motor cycle riders in Shahjoy district of Zabul. Reportedly, one was shot dead and another was injured. Las year similar incident United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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happened in Kandahar and Zabul province. OCHA informed INSO about Uruzgan OCT participant’s request for INSO incident reports by SMS/ e Share contact details of Uruzgan OCHA mail. To which INSO stated that once the NGO partners are registered then they can receive based NGOs with INSO security alerts. OCHA will share the contact details of each organization. 2. Cluster updates
FSAC:
FSAC informed about their pre-harvest assessment which aims to determine key areas of concern
that may likely affect food security situation, identify types of shocks that may impact acute food
insecurity and perceive the status of upcoming wheat harvests. This assessment will cover the areas FSAC to share pre-harvest as following: assessment report with HRT when FSAC All 34 provinces of the country, but with a higher focus and precision in higher wheat producing getting completed. provinces.
Minimum of two districts per province, except Badakhshan in which the 4 districts will be
assessed. Total 70 districts.
One with intensive irrigated land
One with low irrigated land
Minimum of two communities per each selected district. Communities’ selection is based on
Land cover data. Total 140 communities
One community with intensive irrigated land
One community with low irrigated land
OHW: Assessment for Economically Stress Population (ESP) has been started on April 1st in
Arghandab, Daman Zheri, Panjwai, Dand, Takhtapul, Maiwand and Shah walikot districts targeting
5,841 families. The assessment has been completed in most parts and will be completed soon.
Distribution for targeted families will be started on 30th April.
FAO: informed about Animal health project in Kandahar the project includes vaccination of animals and will be implemented on trial bases in five districts of Kandahar. FAO has demanded to conduct 26,932 vaccines.
WFP: The ESP assessment has been completed however, access to Khas Uruzgna and Dehrawud districts to conduct ESP assessment remains a challenge.
Health:
MSF: Is working in Kandahar and Lashkargah. Since, the situation in Lashkargah remained very quiet and calm during last one month therefore, there have not been any dramatic changes in patient’s number.
Save the Children: Informed about planned distribution of 40 First Aid and 10 Emergency kits to
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
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Nutrition: MEDAIR informed about expansion of nutrition program to two more areas Haji Aziz and Kokaran in Kandahar. Meanwhile distribution of hygiene kits has been started.
Protection & WASH: OHW: Under PSN project, this month OHW distributed food and NFIs assistance to 81 families which also includes 63 IDP families and rest of the families are also selected under different PSN vulnerability criteria. The project is funded by UNHCR. UNHCR: Protection cluster meeting is planned to be held early next week. The protection monitoring is ongoing in all five provinces. UNICEF: UNICEF: Has approved a project with HRDA related to child protection in emergency. In this project 22 child friendly spaces will be established in Kandahar and Hilmand. The total direct beneficiaries will be cover 3,520 beneficiaries (1,320 IDP Children “660 boys and 660 girls” and 2,200 IDPs “1100 men and 1100 women”). MEDAIR: Informed about progress of ongoing WASH project in Kandahr. Overall activities are ongoing as planned. 24 bore wells construction completed, Mechanics for handpumps repair are trained, CLTS training started. The project covers 2647 households.
Moreover, UNICEF, WFP, IOM & DRC informed participants about their Food, Cash, NFIs and hygiene assistance to ND and conflict affected families in Kandahar, Hilmand and Zabul Provinces. 3. Conflict IDPs coordination:
OCHA stated that petitions screening process has helped a lot to avoid fake petitions and thanked
all those partners operationally involved in IDP response for sharing IDPs related information on
timely manner. Moreover OCHA informed about two conflict displacement incidents took place
during last one month two assessments conducted in Kandahar & Hilmand. Joint assessment team
identified 39 families out of 58 reported and was responded in Kandahar by NRC and DRC with NFIs
and cash for food. DoRR Hilmand had received petitions for 1,058 families and HRT decided to
conduct initial sampling and screening of received petitions. As a result of initial sampling in Musa
Qalat, Marja and Nadali districts and screening 352 families were found eligible for assessment. The
joint assessment team conducted assessment and found 151 families as displaced. The report of
assessment has been shared. UNICEF, IRC and WFP have committed distribution of hygiene, NFIs
and FIs. Grishk caseload was referred to ICRC for their follow-up due to insecurity/ inaccessibility. To follow Grishk IDPs (105 families) OCHA OCHA will do the follow up with ICRC. issue with ICRC. Coordination meeting suggested joint response to identified families in Hilmand. OCHA informed that reportedly Gov.t and NSAGs have informed local people in Khanashin about possible operations and have asked people to leave their houses. ICRC also informed that reports received about displacement taken place in Khanashin distrct. UNHCR also confirmed about alert notice given to Khanashin people by AGEs and the families may
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get displaced to Lashkargah, Marja, Nawa districts of Hilmand and Charburjak district of Nimroz. However, they have informed their focal points in Province to keep close eye on the areas. Furthermore, OCHA informed that reportedly, ANSF has plan to conduct military operation in Marja and Babajee areas which may result in more displacement of families. OCHA informed about received petitions 175 families displaced to Tirinkot, 161 in Kandahar and 604 in Hilmand (255 Lash & 349 within Nahre Siraj - Grishk). Kandahar petitions are not screened so far. Therefore, the meeting suggested DoRR to conduct initial sampling followed by screening of petitions together with assessment team to avoid time and resources waste during assessment. After long discussion DRC took the leading role for Kandahar assessment. Since, participants were not willing to take the the Conduct initial sampling and role in assessments therefore, participants suggested to handover the leading role and screening of Kandahar petitions DoRR and partners transportation facilitation to a specific organization. While for transportation DRC and Save the Children will provide one vehicle each. In Hilmand, petitions for 255 families received in from Lashkargah and 349 from Nahrisiraj (Grishk). Transport facilitation for joint Grishk security to be assessed by joint assessment team and then decision for joint assessment will assessment in Kandahar SCI & DRC be made, in case of no access, the case will be shared with ICRC. However, initial assessment and screening of petitions has been done. Since, none of present participant was willing to take assessment lead in Hilmand. Therefore OCHA was asked to contact partners in the field to take assessment leading role. Moreover, the meeting also decided to conduct joint assessment for 175 Contact field partners and request reported IDP families in Tirinkot. OCHA will contact field partners for selecting team lead and them to take assessment leading OCHA transportation service. role UNHCR informed about displacement of 09 families took place from Nawbahar and Arghandab district of Zabul to Qalat (central district) initial verification has been done. OCHA will follow up with Zabul displacement follow up with OCHA DoRR and partners in the ground for further action. DoRR and partners in the field 4. AOB Take IDP coordination & HRT Meeting participants suggested to separate IDP coordination meeting from HRT. Because, IDP meetings separation issue to OCHA coordination meeting discusses many IDPs related issues which remains unnoticed due participant’s Kabul OCHA exhaustion in HRT meeting.
SWABAC: Informed about consultation meeting held by ACBAR in Kandahar. The aim of the meeting was to promote NGOs in the region. Meanwhile SWABAC together with ACBAR is planning to facilitate Donor meeting with NGOs in Kandahar. 5. Next HRT meeting will be convened on 30 May 2016 at 10:00 hrs Inform participants through email OCHA
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Attendance Sheet SR HRT Meeting – 25 April 2015
S/No Name Agency Position Attendance
1. Abdullah Agha OCHA HAO Yes 2. Ahmad Wali Raisi OCHA HAO Yes 3. Nomyalai Aryan UNHCR Protection Associate Yes 4. Dr. Niamatullah Hayat WFP Program Associate Yes 5. Abdul Khaliq UNICEF Child Protection Officer Yes 6. Sakhi Ahmad Sarwari ICRC Field Officer Yes 7. Abdul Qadir Palwal UNODC HoO No 8. Ahmad Shah MEDAIR Nutrition Manager Yes 9. Nasratullah Yarr SCI M&E Officer No 10. Andrew Watkins INSO SRA – Mobile Yes 11. Dr. Mohammad Halim AHDS PO No 12. Sardar Popal INSO DSA South Yes 13. Ahmad Zia Darmal BARAN PO No 14. Dr. Rohullah WHO Emergency Officer No 15. Mohammad Haroon Mercy Malaysia Admin Assistant Yes 16. Sher Ahmad Nizami HRDA Trainer Yes 17. Shamsudin Shams SHAO Director Yes 18. Dr. Mohammad Sarwar Ferozi DEWS DEWS Coordinator No 19. Wahidullah Maiwand IOM FO Yes 20. Mateen Ahmad SWABAC Admin Officer Yes 21. Hidayatullah ANCC Computer Operator Yes 22. Sayed Abdul Wajid Sadat ARCS DM Officer No 23. Humayoon Osmani OHW Program Coordinator Yes 24. Dr. Khair Ahmad Hafid ALO Training Manger No 25. Abdul Rauf DRC Snr. POE Yes 26. Abdul Wahid Zaland NRC EFP Apologies United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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27. Abdul Latif SERVE Afghanistan Manager Yes 28. Sharifullah Hussaini OCHA Admin/Finance Yes 29. Jastin Arastrong MSF Head of Program Yes 30. Sayed Ahmad UNMACA OPS Assistant Yes 31. Mir Agha HAPA P.M No 32. Eng. Yosuf Sediq UN FAO OIC Animal health Yes 33. Mohammad Sabir Khan HI Project officer Yes 34. Jaka Magoma DRC AM Yes 35. Naseebullah MEDAIR Hygiene Supervisor Yes 36. Mohammad Qahir CHA Field Office manager Yes
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