Croatia

Humanitarian

© UNICEF/ I. Herencic I. ©UNICEF/ Situation Report No. 7

Reporting Period: 17 February to 17 March 2021

Highlights Situation in Numbers · Both adults and children are going through a crisis after the traumatic experiences of the earthquakes. It is expected that the consequences on the 13,750 mental health of children and their families will stay present for many months. children directly affected

· UNICEF delivered 13,5 tons of emergency supplies and approximately 29.000 packages of hygiene products to the earthquake affected areas. 70,000 Mobile teams deployed by UNICEF provided mental health and psychosocial people directly affected support for 171 children 89 caregivers. 46 children with disabilities received a total of 360 occupational, sensory integration and physiotherapy therapy

sessions, and 63 caregivers benefited from 372 individual counselling on how to incorporate occupational, physiotherapy and sensory integration strategies Almost 3,000 into daily routines. Internally displaced people

· On February 13, the move of approximately 150 persons who lost their homes

to the settlement with 80 housing containers in began. New 180 people temporary settlements are being built by the state. accommodated in 7 · The UNICEF Country Office in and the Slovenian National Committee temporary settlements for UNICEF launched emergency fundraising appeals in February 2021

raising thus far USD 445,000 in Croatia and Slovenia for the immediate and long-term emergency response. $1,361,000 Funds UNICEF needs for immediate assistance in the UNICEF’s Response and Funding Status first 6 months of 2021.

UNICEF Appeal 2021 US$ 1,36 million

Funding Status (in US$)

Funding Funding gap: identified: $651.000 $710.000

1

Funding Overview and Partnerships

UNICEF Country Office in Croatia requires US 1,361,000 to provide relief and support in at least the first 6 months after the earthquake and to address the critical needs of children and adolescents. Since the disaster, UNICEF Country Office raised USD 304,000 from individuals and corporations. The UNICEF National Committee in Slovenia raised and transferred USD 206,000. Combined with USD 200,000 received from the Global Humanitarian Thematic (GHT) fund, a total of USD 710,000 has been secured for the initial emergency response. UNICEF expresses its sincere gratitude to all public and private donors for their generous contributions.

The total raised to date amounts to 52% of required resources. Additional flexible funding would enable UNICEF to contribute meaningfully to the government-coordinated response in addressing major humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable children and ensuring that the rights of girls and boys are upheld. Negotiations with corporate partners to support UNICEF’s Emergency Appeal are continuing.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs Map of the epicentre of the earthquake near Petrinja on 29.12.2020. Two strong earthquakes measuring 5.2 and 6.3 on the Richter scale hit the area of Petrinja town in -Moslavina Country on December 28 and 29 2020, causing numerous casualties and widespread material damage. Continuous aftershocks, the latest happening on 8 March measuring 3.9 on Richter scale, increase fear and anxiety of residents and further damage to the buildings. Almost 3000 people have been internally displaced. In the city of Sisak, approximately 500 people still waiting for housing solutions. Many live-in trailers or containers next to their damaged homes. The life of families in such improvised conditions, in cramped space, with lack of sanitary facilities, or an equipped kitchen, including the lack of family privacy causes additional difficulties and increases the risk of domestic violence. 1650 objects are still awaiting the first statics inspection.

Summary Analysis of Programme Response

Child Protection Although key child protection actors and service providers restored their functions, some of them work in improvised conditions and do not have a safe and separated space for individualized case management and to ensure confidentiality and privacy for providing services to children and their families. Children’s Home Vrbina continues to provide accommodation for 11 children without adequate parental care in an alternative location in SOS Village Lekenik. Due to adverse conditions of life and constant aftershocks, both adults (teachers and parents) and children are showing signs of physical and emotional stress and trauma, which will remain for months. In close partnership with the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, social service providers in affected areas, and implementing partners, UNICEF focuses on addressing the urgent, life-sustaining needs of children and their families, with a special focus on the most vulnerable girls and boys. Thus far, mental health and psychosocial support have been provided to 171 children, 89 caregivers, including foster parents. Also, psychological first aid and supportive coaching sessions were provided to 72 critical child protection professionals in centres for social welfare Sisak, Glina and Petrinja, as well as in Children’s Home Vrbina. The outreach teams will continue to provide mobile support until the end of the school year. In close partnership with ECD/Education team, new modalities of mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS) support will be initiated to respond to the needs of pupils and teachers, as well as to ensure the availability of services for girls and boys in newly established container settlements.

Education UNICEF has partnered with the Roma Youth Organisation of Croatia to provide mentoring support to Roma primary and secondary students living in some of the largest Roma settlements in the country with poor housing conditions which have been affected by the earthquakes. The Roma students are at risk of falling behind or dropping out of school due to the fear of earthquakes and COVID-19. Together with the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation, UNICEF is developing the capacities of teachers to work with children with disabilities in the challenging circumstances of the pandemic and earthquakes. Furthermore, a series of online workshops and drop-in sessions have been developed to run until the end of the school year to provide

2 psychosocial and mental health support to affected teachers so they can recognise and address the MHPSS needs of students in primary and secondary schools. With support from Telemach Croatia, 50 SIM cards with an unlimited data plan until August 2021 have been delivered to 50 students of the Faculty for Teacher Education in Petrinja who are displaced because of the earthquake. The SIM cards will be used alongside laptops secured by the Ministry of Education. The SIM cards help the students to have access to online classes and ensure their continuity of learning.

ECD/Health UNICEF has partnered with the Association for Persons with Disability to support the re-establishment of early childhood intervention services for girls and boys with developmental delays and disabilities. So far, 185 occupational therapy sessions, 128 sensory integration therapies, and 47 physiotherapy sessions have been provided to 46 young children with disabilities. Besides, 372 individual counselling sessions were provided to 63 parents and caregivers on how to incorporate occupational, physiotherapy and sensory integration strategies and activities in daily routines. In cooperation with the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences in , expert support is provided for the assessment of children up to 6 years of age with developmental delays. In cooperation with the Ministry of Health and partnership with UNICEF corporate donors, the first batch of the most needed equipment for primary pediatric health services has been ensured. Partial donation of needed equipment has been delivered (pulse oximeter and oxygen bottles valves) while the second part is on the way (medical fridge for the paediatric vaccines, oxygen bottles and EKG monitor). There is a need for much more equipment to the general hospital in Sisak and primary health care centres in the country as much of it was damaged by the earthquakes (e.g.transport incubators and gynaecological 3D and 4D ultrasounds) once appreciate space has been secured for the functioning of the hospital and other health professionals.

WASH Following the initial distribution of 29,000 hygiene packages (partnership with Paloma) in the value of USD 86,300 to 24 public institutions such as schools, kindergartens, the general hospital in Sisak and primary health centres, UNICEF continues to support emergency assistance in the area of Glina, Sisak, and Petrinja. New hygiene packages of 3,400 items for disinfection and cleaning were distributed to 27 educational institutions (kindergartens, primary and secondary schools) in cooperation with the Meteor Group – Labud.

Humanitarian Leadership, Coordination, and Strategy

The Government declared a disaster in the Sisak-Moslavina Country and parts of Zagreb Country and Karlovac Country. The overall emergency response and coordination are with the local authorities which coordinate civil protection, relief organizations, etc. The Government Coordination Body, led by the Deputy Prime Minister, is in charge of coordinating the national response, while on the local level there are additional coordination mechanisms lead by local authorities at the level of the county and affected cities. Significant support is provided by the Croatian Red Cross, and numerous NGOs, initiatives and volunteers. Coordination of humanitarian initiatives of civil society organizations is established and mostly focused on shelter and delivery of humanitarian aid. UNICEF is closely working with the Government, line ministries, and local authorities to ensure effective and efficient coordination as well as clear roles and responsibilities of all involved actors.

Human Interest Stories and External Media Communication activities in support of resource mobilization, advocacy, and programme response priorities include human-interest stories from the field, UNICEF response web page and fundraising appeal web page, press releases and social media posts with regular updates on UNICEF supplies delivery and programme response with CTAs for donations, advice on mental health for young people, youth blogs, leaflets for parents about the reaction to traumatic events and advice for families with children. CO regularly disseminates a Newsletter for private and public sector partners, with updated information regarding UNICEF’s intervention and latest stories from the field. Announcement by Civil protection HQ about UNICEF’s support for the Association for Persons with Disabilities of Sisak-Moslavina County Social media – Corporate donation to support mobile teams in Sisak -Moslavina County Social media – Support for healthcare system in Sisak-Moslavina County Social media – Support for educational institutions in Sisak-Moslavina County

3

Next SitRep: 17 April 2021

UNICEF Croatia Earthquake Response: www.unicef.hr/help-children-affected-by-earthquakes/ UNICEF Croatia Flash Appeal: www.unicef.org/eca/media/15056/file

Who to contact for Regina Castillo Ana Dautovic Martina Tomic Latinac further information: Representative Deputy Representative Child Protection Specialist Croatia CO Croatia CO Croatia CO Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

4

Annex A Summary of Programme Results UNICEF and IPs Response 2021 Total Change* Sector Disaggregation target results ▲▼ Health and Nutrition # health facilities that received UNICEF support to maintain essential maternal, new-born and child 2 1 ▲ health services # health workers trained to provide IYCF 35 0 ▲ counselling services as per national standards Child Protection # of critical CP professionals strengthened to F 65 65 ▲ adequately respond to all forms of violence, M 20 7 ▲ exploitation, abuse, neglect and harmful practices. # of CP institutional service providers supported to 4 4 ▲ restore their functions. # of children/adolescents accessing MHPSS girls 550 103 ▲ (disaggregated by age and gender) boys 450 68 ▲ # of caregivers accessing MHPSS (disaggregated F 150 66 ▲ by age and gender) M 50 33 ▲ Availability of safeguarding mechanisms to prevent Yes Yes ▲ SEA Education and ECD

# young children (0-8) with disabilities accessing community-based occupational, physiotherapy and girls 20 12 ▲ sensory integration therapy services (disaggregated by gender) boys 50 34 ▲

# parents and caregivers of young children (0-8) F 80 44 ▲ with disabilities supported by community-based therapy services how to incorporate occupational, physiotherapy and sensory integration strategies and activities in daily routines (disaggregated by M 25 19 ▲ gender)

# of Roma students accessing skills development girls 80 0 programmes (disaggregated by age and gender) boys 70 0

# of children with disabilities benefitting from girls 40 0 disability accessible school design and adaptation (disaggregated by age and gender) boys 60 0

# of adolescents accessing skills development adolescent girls 30 0 programmes (disaggregated by age and gender) adolescent boys 20 0 RCCE # of people, including adolescents and youth, reached through mainstream mass media, social 900.000 756.000 ▲ media, web and other channels # of people engaged, including adolescents and youth, through social media and other channels (e- 30.000 10.576 ▲ mail, on-site, direct contact) # of adolescents and youth engaged through 50 0 informal interventions and civic engagement WASH girls 3,500 3,500 ▲ # of persons reached with critical WASH boys 3,500 3,500 ▲ equipment and supplies women 1,000 n/a men 1,000 n/a 5

Annex B Funding Status

Programme areas Funding needs Funds available Funding gap Funding gap in % Emergency supplies $500,000 $121,000 $379,000 76 Education and ECD $250,000 $200,000 $50,000 20

Health and Nutrition $50,000 $32,000 $18,000 36

Child Protection $360,000 $279,000 $81,000 23 WASH $161,000 $38,000 $123,000 76 RCCE $40,000 $40,000 $0 0 Grand total $1,361,000 $710,000 $651,000 48

6