MHF Allocation Strategy Paper | 1 Allocation Strategy Paper Myanmar Humanitarian Fund 2018 – Second Standard Allocation Submission Deadline: Sunday, 25 November 2018 (23:59 Yangon time) I. ALLOCATION OVERVIEW A) Introduction / Humanitarian situation The Myanmar Humanitarian Fund (MHF) is an OCHA‐managed country‐based pooled fund (CBPF) led by the Humanitarian Coordinator to provide emergency response to urgent needs of people affected by natural disasters or conflict. Since 2007, the MHF has mobilized $45.4 million, providing life‐saving assistance to 1.8 million people through 122 projects.1 A total of US$5 million will be made available from the MHF under this Second Standard Allocation for 2018, which will target humanitarian activities in Kachin, Shan, Rakhine and Chin States. As per analysis conducted, 62 per cent ($3.1 million) of the expected allocation will target activities in Kachin and Shan states, while 33 per cent ($1.65 million) will focus on activities in Rakhine State and 5 per cent ($250,000) in Paletwa Township, in Chin State. Protracted crises in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine continue to bring suffering to many thousands of people in Myanmar, who are affected by displacement and serious protection issues. In the northern part of the country (Kachin and Shan states), civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with fighting often taking place in or near to civilian areas. Many people in Kachin and Shan have been displaced multiple times. The conflict has escalated since the beginning of the 2018 and about 28,000 civilians have fled conflict and been temporarily displaced since January 2018. In some areas, fighting broke out in or in close proximity to civilian areas, including villages and displacement camps. In other areas, particularly in Shan, temporary displacement was followed by return to areas of origin, which presents challenges in humanitarian planning, response, and monitoring of the protection risks faced by returnees. In Rakhine State, the situation remains very difficult for the nearly 600,000 Rohingya remaining in both central and northern Rakhine, after the exodus of more than 725,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh since August 2017. They continue to face serious hardships and are in need of humanitarian assistance due to displacement, restrictions on their freedom of movement, limited access to essential services, and other deprivations (this includes all those still in Rakhine, including displaced people in camps). More than 128,000 Muslims, the vast majority of whom are stateless Rohingya, remain confined in camps after the episodes of inter‐communal violence which occurred in 2012. They are living in deplorable conditions as a result of movement restrictions, lack of adequate access to healthcare, education and livelihoods, over‐crowded‐shelters, and other challenges. In Chin State, armed clashes between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army since November 2017 have caused multiple displacement. According to the operation partners in place, about 2,600 people remain displaced in Paletwa Township. B) Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) This Second MHF Standard Allocation in 2018 aims at covering critical funding gaps in alignment with the 2018 Interim HRP for Myanmar and its strategic objectives, particularly meeting needs of displaced people and 1 More information is available at the CBPF Business Intelligence website: https://gms.unocha.org/bi Myanmar Humanitarian Fund (MHF) http://www.unocha.org/myanmar/about-mhf MHF Allocation Strategy Paper | 2 supporting efforts to achieve durable solutions; ensuring that vulnerable crisis‐affected people have access to essential services and livelihoods opportunities; and ensuring the protection of civilians; all of them through the strengthening national capacities and the resilience of communities. Considering the 2018 Interim HRP and the coming 2019 HRP, the funding already allocated by donors and the real‐ time analysis of the humanitarian situation, this Standard Allocation will prioritize humanitarian activities in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states, with focus on key humanitarian sectors, particularly shelter and non‐food items (NFIs); water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); and health. Funding will be also extended to other critical humanitarian interventions in food security and protection. Some specific activities in education and nutrition will be also covered. In the case of Chin State, a multi‐sectoral approach is required to respond to the most basic needs of the displaced population and the host communities. In Kachin and Shan States, priority activities are concentrated in shelter and NFIs, but also supporting key priorities in WASH, food security, health and protection. Funding gaps in education and nutrition are also huge, and specific funding envelopes will be considered in these two sectors. Within these envelopes, humanitarian rapid response mechanisms (RRM) to sudden onset crises in Kachin and Shan states will be also listed as high priority, to cover immediate needs for relief assistance in relation to new displacements due to the increasing fighting or related to natural disasters. In Rakhine State, priority activities are related to health, WASH, food security and nutrition. However, specific envelopes will be also considered for protection, education and shelter considering the huge funding gaps for some key activities in those sectors. A part of these priority activities are related to emergency interventions in some displacement sites in order to provide emergency repairs of shelters, temporary learning spaces and WASH infrastructures, as well as basic health and protection services, as defined in the Emergency Repairs and Activities Plan developed by HCT partners. In Chin State, the intervention will consider a multi‐sectoral approach including emergency activities for the displaced people but also for the surrounding host communities. II. ALLOCATION STRATEGY A) Purpose of the Allocation Strategy and linkages to the HRP This Second Standard Allocation in 2018 prioritizes projects that are in line with the MHF operating principles,2 ensuring the application of minimum humanitarian standards (depending on the local context), particularly in displacement sites, and preventing a worsening of the situation and increased vulnerability. The allocation follows the overarching goal of the 2018 Interim HRP for Myanmar to ensure that the lives, dignity, well‐being and rights of persons affected by conflict, natural disasters and other emergencies are protected.3 The MHF aims at achieving three main objectives through this allocation: To fill underfunded priority activities in protracted crisis in Kachin and Shan States. To address urgent needs of internally displaced people and other vulnerable people in Rakhine State. To address basic needs of displaced people and host communities in Paletwa Township, Chin State. This allocation strategy paper is the result of consultations with stakeholders in October; including national and international NGOs, UN agencies, donors, the Inter‐Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) and the MHF Advisory Board. Consultations at sub‐national level have been also conducted, with the involvement of partners, clusters and 2 MHF Operational Manual (July 2018): http://www.unocha.org/myanmar/governance‐policy‐and‐guidance 3 See full document at: https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/2018‐interim‐humanitarian‐response‐plan‐myanmar Myanmar Humanitarian Fund (MHF) http://www.unocha.org/myanmar/about-mhf MHF Allocation Strategy Paper | 3 sectors in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states within the existing coordination mechanisms. In addition, in‐depth analysis has been conducted on the funding levels recorded by the Financial Tracking Service (FTS) and other additional information. After feedback provided by the MHF Advisory Board (AB) on 8 November 2018, the allocation strategy paper has been endorsed by the HC on 9 November 2018. Throughout 2018, the MHF has received $14.3 million in contributions from ten donors4, including a pledge of $1.14 million. The MHF has already allocated $7.8 million through two allocations, supporting 21 projects and targeting 455,000 persons, of which 52% are women and girls, and 44%, children and adolescents under 18. Additional contributions from other donors are expected in the coming months. B) Allocation Breakdown Indicative Envelope5 Priority funding level TOTAL US$ Kachin / Shan Rakhine Chin Shelter and NFIs 1 900,000 800.000 100.000 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 1 800,000 500.000 300.000 Health 1 800,000 450.000 350.000 Food Security 2 750,000 500.000 250.000 Protection 2 600,000 400.000 200.000 Education 3 500,000 300.000 200.000 Nutrition 3 400,000 150.000 250.000 Multi‐sector (Paletwa, Chin) 4 250,000 250,000 TOTAL 5,000,000 3,100,000 1,650,000 250,000 C) Prioritization of Projects / Envelopes The selection of projects will be done against the agreed MHF operating principles6 and the prioritization provided by clusters, sectors and partners, as below. All the submitted project proposals will be strategically assessed by the MHF Review Committee using a general score card and sector‐specific criteria. For project proposals related to activities in Kachin and Shan states, the Review Committee will observe all the questions related to the coverage of the most underfunded activities, as per sector prioritization. Special attention will be paid to interventions addressing the most urgent needs of those people who have been newly displaced in the past months. According to the last Shelter/NFIs/CCCM