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Situational Analysis of Vulnerable Conditions in Emergency Shelters in Takhar and Badakhshan Provinces

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Situational Analysis of Vulnerable Conditions in Emergency Shelters in Takhar and Badakhshan Provinces Situational Analysis of vulnerable conditions in emergency shelters in Takhar and Badakhshan Provinces Pre-winter Families using different mechanism (cardboards) to protect the tents reassessmentReport From extreme weather conditions in Khaja Khairab Photo: August 2014 Children are engaged in fletching drinking water from far away springs and streams (Photo: Vijay Raghavan) Report developed by Concern Worldwide with the support Irish Aid funded Humanitarian Response Project in Afghanistan DRAFT VERSON 2 Household Vulnerability conditions in Emergency Shelters in Takhar and Badakhshan Provinces 1. CONTEXT Concern Worldwide along with International Organization for Migration, UNHCR and Shelter Cluster has undertaken a joint assessment of the situation of shelters in the severely affected communities due to landslides and floods. This assessment report was part of the shelter cluster’s presentation to the Honorable Deputy Minister for Rehabilitation and Rural Development on 6th April 2014. The meeting outcomes was that, it recognizes about more than 8,000 families who are severely affected by floods and landslides and their houses are completely destroyed (considered as Category A) and there is about more than 7,000 families need shelter support before this winter. The existing approach of the MRRD and the Shelter cluster envisaged in its Shelter Strategy have limitations includes, availability of funding, very little time and huge demand for shelters. To meet this huge demand, there is need for exploring other shelter options for these communities. The study report of Concern which has come out with different shelter options can be further explored with the affected communities across the flood affected areas by Shelter Cluster partners and IOM to get exact case load for different shelter options. The meeting also endorsed the need for transitory shelter options with minimum standards and basic foundations. It has concluded with request to have a detailed reassessment of the situation in the flood and landslide affected villages in North and North-east Afghanistan. Page 1 of 44 DRAFT VERSON 2 Assessed villages in Takhar and Badakhshan Provinces Concern Worldwide did carried out this re-assessment but decided to do an in-depth analysis of the families living in camp like situations and with host families in the relocated sites and in their original villages. Thus, the re-assessment to understand the vulnerability situations in these emergency shelters in relocated sites and various shelter options were explored. The assessment was carried out with all the affected families in six severely affected communities, where Concern Worldwide has been engaging since their displacement due to landslides and flash floods. Concern Worldwide is closely monitoring the internally displaced persons in 8 villages in Takhar and Badakhshan provinces since mid-April 2014. This assessment didn’t cover the worst affected landslide village, Abb-e-Bareek in Argo district of Badakhshan due to the Government is coming up with a separate response plan to the village. Thus, out of 857 totally displaced and severely affected families in 8 villages, the assessment was carried out with 483 families of six villages, covering all the affected families in these relocated places. S. Name of the villages Name of the camp site No. of Families No. 1 Darai Show, Eshkamesh Aq Para area of Eshkamesh, but many 126 district, Takhar have relocated in Awraw/Kandak ; 2 Dahane Shera, Chaman-e-Mula Wazir and Nawabad e 86 Eshkamesh district, shir localities of Eshkamesh town Takhar 3 Khaja Khairab, Rushtaq Kocha Bridge in Dashteqala dist. and 118 district, Takhar Khaja Khairab village 4 Kuzur, Argu District, In the farm fields and open areas nearer 46 Badakhshan to Kuzur village Page 2 of 44 DRAFT VERSON 2 5 Nawabad Kakan, Argu Living with host families and tents 11 District, Badakhshan installed nearer to their destroyed houses 6 Eshkeshan (Argu District, Badakhshan) 7 Aijil, Yawan district, Outside of Aijil village and Jangal area 37 have moved out of Badakhshan the village and about 86 families are living in outskirts of the village With that in mind, this assessment aims to address the issue of winterization by providing optimum deliverable solutions to the majority camp population, i.e. refugees spending their winter in the current tents. The solutions proposed are an outcome of the analysis of: The climate pattern in NE Afghanistan (where ever possible secondary data was obtained and in other cases, used the Kabul weather details for this report) A rapid site analysis of the services provided, and The current situation of the IDPs, their shelter conditions, their belongings and the aid they have received 2. METHODOLOGY The assessment covered all the families living in emergency shelters, living with host families and other locations (like in market yards, damaged houses etc.) in these seven villages of Takhar and Badakhshan. During the assessment findings, the 11 families living Nawabad Kakan village are living with host families and beside their damaged houses are not considered for the assessment as they are falling under Category B for shelter response. Thus, the analysis for the assessment covers 483 families who are severely affected in six villages in Takhar and Badakhshan provinces. Household Questionnaire was used for understand their risks, vulnerabilities and living conditions in the current shelters and identification of shelter needs. Focus Group Discussions at community level were held on WASH, Health and Food Security situation in all the villages assessed. Focus Group Discussion and observation was made by the technical team visited in relocated camp sites/identified land site for relocation/building shelters. The later was done by technical engineers using a check list. Whereas, for other assessments, both at the community level and household level a designed questionnaire was used. All the formats used for the assessment are enclosed in Annexure 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. The assessment teams were oriented by the Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator, Senior Programme Coordinator and Head of Technical /Engineering Department. Location wise assessment team list are. S. No. Name of the Name of the camp site Date(s) of Team Members involved villages Assessment 1 Darai Show Aqpara area of 10.08.2014 1. Asia Jan (Eshkamesh) Eshkamesh, but many 11.08.2014 2. Alia Jan have relocated in 12.08.2014 3. Lina Jan Page 3 of 44 DRAFT VERSON 2 2 Dahane Shera Awraw/Kandak ; Chaman- 17.08.2014 4. Bahrullehsan (Eshkamesh) e-Mula Wazir and 18.08.2014 5. Jaj Shah Mohammad Nawabad e shir localities 6. En. Suhrab of Eshkamesh town 7. Arif Salangi 8. En. Wais 3 Khaja Khairab Kocha Bridge in 6th – 7th August WALI JAN, AHMAD JAN, SAYEED (Rustaq) Dashteqala dist. and 10th August 2014 JAWEED, HOWAIDA JAN, JAMILA Khaja Khairab village JAN, LAMIA JAN,AB RAOF 4 Eshkeshan Living near by the village 9th -10th August Monib, Eng Fridoon, Laila , (Argu) and in farms Arefa and Bsimillah 5 Kuzur (Argu) 6 Nawabad- Kakan (Argu) 7 Aijil (Yawan) Outside of Aijil village and 09.08.2014 Waris, Eng Murad , Eng Najeeb, Jangal area 10.08.214 Massoda and Masomullah 3. Demographic Profile A reliable estimate of the total population size including age and gender distribution is important for planning the response. This information helps, To be aware of the true population at risk including that of host population. To be aware of the estimated amount of basic needs required (food, water, shelter, health resources etc). To be able to have a consensus for supporting response plans by the host families, government agencies and donors. To have this information which can act as baseline information for programme monitoring and evaluations To plan long-term solutions including contingencies and future mitigations. The overall population in these sites is 3,380 from 483 families, with an approximately 7 persons per family Name of the Total No. of No. of Any new Infants (less Pregnan Sl.No village number women Family born (one than 1 year) t . of headed Member month old) Woman families families s B G B G in the assessed assessed family 1 Khaja Khairab 118 1 791 5 4 28 11 19 2 Eshkamesh 212 0 1491 27 11 115 2 60 IDP camp 3 Eshkeshan 29 0 220 3 3 5 0 15 4 Nawabad 13 0 82 1 0 3 2 4 5 Kuzur 42 2 306 2 0 9 9 16 6 Aijil 69 12 490 3 3 18 7 16 Total 483 15 3380 41 21 178 31 130 Page 4 of 44 DRAFT VERSON 2 The demographic features of these camps are as follows: 28 % are children < 5 Yrs. (with about 271 < 1 year) 29% are children < 18 yrs. 41% are adults < 60 yrs. 2% are elderly > 60 yrs. and about 1.5% are persons with disability (including war-related disabilities) 8.02% of the population is Infants (271 in real number) out of which 62 are less than one month old (at the time of assessment). About 55% of the families have reported to have infants living in their shelters. About 16% of the families assessed have new born children at the time of the assessment (less than 4 weeks). 34% of the families assessed have pregnant women (130 pregnant women, with highest in Eshkamesh camp of 46%). With the onset of winter just couple of months away, there is need for safeguard the lives of these vulnerable families with high infants and pregnant families living in these temporary shelters. 4. Type of Shelter Though, temporary shelters constitute a crucial step of recovery and reconstruction in the post- disaster aftermath. The plans for executing reconstruction and rehabilitation phases to incubate the affected population from the onset of the disaster until permanent housing solutions are available. This area of study likes to know how the affected communities have chosen their shelter options at the time of the assessment.
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