COMPREHENSIVE NEED ASSESSMENT IN HARD TO REACH DISTRICTS IN BADGHIS AND HERAT PROVINCE
Multi Cluster Need Assessment (WASH, ESNFI, Nutrition and Protection)
OCTOBER 15, 2019 CRDSA 4th District, Mokhaberat Road, Herat city
Introduction
In order to assess the needs of returning IDPs and to their place of origins and most vulnerable host community members who had not been displaced due to prolonged war and recent drought in western region as well as progress of early recovery from negative impacts of recent drought, CRDSA conducted a rapid assessment in Herat and Badghis province. The districts had been targeted for this assessment that are considered as hard to reach areas. These districts have experienced prolonged war which has taken lots of casualties from civilians and their humanitarian conditions have been deteriorated due to recent drought that had affected 22 province out of 34 province of Afghanistan. Western region provinces particularly Badghis and Herat had been affected even severe than other provinces as the two main livelihood sources ( agriculture and livestock) had been severely affected, over 60000 families had been displaced to Badghis provincial center, Qala e Now urban areas and Herat city urban area, Injl and Karokh district residing in informal IDP settlements. However humanitarian communities led by UNOCHA provided valuable life-saving emergency assistance in the sector of food, WASH, ESNFI, Protection and health which saved thousands life in harsh winter 2017 and 2018, but there are lots of families who need assistance despite ending the drought. CRDSA conducted rapid assessment in Badghis and Herat provinces, hard to reach districts where the organization is currently implementing WFP funded unconditional seasonal food support in Herat province and conditional seasonal food support (Bala Morghab, Jawand and Moqur districts in Badghis province). Through this assessment, the overall aspects of the life of the villages were assessed and unique data were collected. The assessment has taken place on 14-15 Oct 2019
Target locations:
Herat Province: Shindand, Pashtoon Zarghoon and Gularn districts
Badghis province: Bala Morghab, Jawand and Ghormach districts
Methodology of assessment
The raid assessment was carried out based on following methods
Field visit from most returned villages and most hosting IDPs in hard to reach districts Community meeting with community elders and CDCs in hard to reach districts in Badghis and Herat (FGD) a total of 10 FGDs Coordination with line departments e.g. DRRD, DoRR, district governors Key informant interview ( 15 interviews)
Summary of the Report The analysis of data collected from the field, indicated that despite valuable assistance provided by humanitarian organization funded by UNOCHA, ERM and ECHO and other donor and Government of Afghanistan, but very low assistance provided for residents in hard to reach areas in Herat and Badghis province. Protracted war in last 15 years in Bala Morghab, Jawand and Ghormach districts in Badghis province has resulted mas civilian causalities due to armed conflict between government forces and AGEs, as well as bombardment and mine explosion. Almost all
1 | P a g e residents of center of Bala Morghab district have been displaced as the center of the district was the battlefield between ANSF and AGEs. The situation in Ghormach also is the same as the Bala Morghab, prolonged war has severely affected the public service delivery in this district, and there is no official government department functioning and providing services for people. There is no development and even emergency programs in this district. Jawand district is not accessible due to presence of AGEs and constrains in access road due to mountainous pathways which are blocked due to snow and flood. The condition in Herat provincial districts including Shindand, and Gulran is not good, prolonged war combined with last drought has crippled many families in their places of origins, but services provided for vulnerable groups are not sufficient. Meantime those IDPs who returned to their place of origin after appropriate spring rainfall, they are still in trouble as they were not able to recover/rehabilitate fully their livelihood sources. They could cultivate some parts of their farms but restoration of livestock based livelihood needs more inputs and times, but almost noting done in this sector. Among the 17000 IDP families who returned back to their place of origins, 50% of them are still in needs of food, WASH, nutrition and protection services.
ESNFI Sector
Provision of cash for shelter repair (building repair, door and window repair) for 4000 families who returned back to their villages Provision of cash for NFIs for those IDPs who stayed in informal settlements in hard to reach districts in Badghis and Herat , a total of 2000 families to be supported including elderly headed families, female headed families and chronically ill headed families) Winterization assistance to 5000 families who are in need to keep their homes war within upcoming winter season FSAC Sector Food distribution for most vulnerable families who are unable to recover the impact of recent drought and prolonged armed conflict for at least 8000 families in provincial districts , IDP settlements and host communities Provision of agriculture inputs for farmers including seeds and fertilizers to at least 8000 vulnerable families Livestock support to those families who were fully dependent to goat rearing and sheep rearing before drought. WASH Sector
Provision of safe drinking water for 2600 families in Ghormach and Morghab districts in Badghis through establishment of 7 pipe schemes including 2 pipe scheme in Qala Wali area in Ghormach district and 5 pipe schemes in Bala Murghab district Provision of safe drinking water for 2000 families living in 15 villages in Gulran district of Herat province. As the water in these areas are salty, so the pipe schemes should be
2 | P a g e
supported with water sweetening machines as durable solution initiatives such empowered by solar technology Latrine upgrade for almost 2000 HHs to enhance access to women and girls to clean and safe latrines Hygiene promotion for almost 10000 families in Herat and Badghis and distribution of hygiene kits
GBV and CPiE Sector Provision of outreach psychosocial counseling, mobile team services, and referral services to GBV in place of origins and place of displacement Provision of outreach psychosocial counseling, treatment and referral for specialized services for 3000 GBV survivors in Herat and Badghis Empowerment of at least 1000 GBV survivors particularly who are women who head their families to have access to income generating opportunities Community dialogue on GBV is not supported by AGEs and target community members as a sensitive issue, so CRDSA not recommend/propose dialogue meetings on GBV awareness Child rights and positive parenting skills for 10000 families in Herat and Badghis Establishment of child friendly spaces (CFS) at least on CSF per one village Provision of psychosocial counseling to children Nutrition Sector CRDSA conducted rapid assessment in above mentioned districts in 14-15 Oct 2019 where CRDSA is currently implementing WFP funded conditional seasonal food support ( UCSS) in Badghis ( Bala Morghab, Jawand and Moqur) and Unconditional seasonal food support (CSS) in Herat province. According to the survey findings, over 40% of residents of Bala Morghab, Jawand and Ghormach consuming food once per day, while 35% of families consuming twice per day (FCS). The consumed food specification proved that the majority of people use low calorie food which mainly formed by dried bread, water melon, Dough (water added to yoghurt), or bread with tea. Among 70 community members interviewed 50 interviewed reported that they have not eaten meat with their families since 1 month, however some of them narrated that they had the chance to eat meat in wedding ceremonies. 35 interviewees out of 70 interviewees narrated that they have not eaten egg for 3 months as they had no egg laying hens. The consumption of other protein full food materials such milk, yoghurt is very low as the community people narrated that they had to sell their livestock and other asset to be able to provide basic food during the recent drought hit Badghis and Herat province. Following table indicated the children 6-23 months and pregnant and lactating women in 3 target districts in Badghis and Herat
3 | P a g e
Province District Total Children 6-23 Pregnant and Remark population ( months lactating CSA) women Badghis Jawand 86100 5166 6888 Women and children needs urgent nutrition services Badghis Bala Morghab 106116 6367 8489 Badghis Ghormach 60179 3611 4814 Herat Shindand 46425 2785 3714 Herat Gulran 102780 6169 8222 Herat Pashtoon 109453 6567 8756 Zarghoon Total 511053 30665 40883
Required intervention and inputs to address the needs in western region province
Badghis Province Shelter upgrade and Cash assistance for Winterization
Many homes have been damaged due to war between government forces and AGES in Badghis and Herat, in addition due recent drought thousands of Afghan families left their place of origins when returning for their homes there are no door, window available in their houses while some home were damaged due to heavy rains and snow in last winter season but there was no one to preserve homes from damage. When the people returned to their place of origins so they need support for upgrading their shelters including installation of door, window, isolating roofs and repairing the damage of home. Poor capabilities of people including host families and returning IDPs does not allow them to perform such rapier/upgradation independently so they are in need to receive assistance to be able to be safe in upcoming winter. Through this assessment CRDSA proposes shelter upgrade/repair for at least 1500 per province (500 for each district) to support the most vulnerable families including elderly headed families, women headed families, and those families who lost their supervisors and they are extremely in need. They need following assistance - Shelter upgrade/ repair for 2000 families, 1000 per province - NFI kit ( in kind) for 2000 families, 1000 per province - Cash for winterization for 3000 families including 1500 per province or 500 per target district.
4 | P a g e
Rehabilitation/restoration of Livelihood
Livelihood rehabilitation/restoration is the first step toward makings the communities and families resilient against any shocks or crisis (manmade like war and natural disaster like drought, flood, and avalanches and etc. livelihood sources were relied on agriculture and livestock in Badghis province, almost 90% of Badghis residents were dependent to these sectors as their source of livelihood. Prolonged war statue jungles wasهcombined with drought severely affected the livelihood sources. For instance, the p one of the main income sources for Badghis people and even neighboring provinces, but in recent 20 years, the area of the jungle has reduced from 90000 hector to less than 20000 hectors and remaining jungle also has been confiscated by war lords and other community influential . Rehabilitation of agriculture and livestock requires huge input such seeds and fertilizers as well as distribution of livestock to the families.
Furthermore, that are lots of families (30%) of total population who are still in need of urgent assistance as they have no land to cultivate and no livestock to rear, so their vulnerabilities are further exacerbated by stopping emergency assistance. Increasingly poverty exposes women and girls to further rights violation. Particularly the girls are the first victims just to be engaged in childhood and the marriage fee support other family members to have access to food and other basic needs.
IDPs who are still in informal settlements suffer from joblessness. 90 percent of IDPs responded whom don’t have access to the livelihood and daily income
WASH Sector
Access to safe drinking water has always been a big challenge for Badghis residents. In some districts such Moqur, Ab Kamari and Qala e now, the water in wells is salty and even bitter which is not safe for drinking. The water has over range minerals which has changed the taste of the water. Even this water is not suitable for washing purposes. In Bala Morghab and Ghormach district despite existing sweet water, but the people use the water of the river and streams originated from the river, so in summer and autumn season where the water level in river is significantly decreased, so the families have to uses very contaminated water or they have to bring water from springs outside their villages. Drinking contaminated water is caused the water borne disease including diarrhea, typhoid fever and Malaria and etc. according to health clinic data and confirmation of Badghis DoPH HMIS, almost 50% of clients in summer season are children and women who have been affected from contaminated water.
5 | P a g e
6 | P a g e
Furthermore, the hygiene practices is absolutely poor and hand washing after toilet is not usual. Water storage is very poor and the water containers are not cleaned regularly. Furthermore, the open defection is widely practiced and condition of latrines in homes are very poor. More than 40% of home have no latrines and they uses open spaces as latrines which is not suitable for women.
In order to promote personal hygiene and keeping the villages’ clean community CDC should be mobilized on CLTS just to eliminate open defection through proper sensitization of community members on the side effects of such behavior. Furthermore hygiene promotion sessions should be conducted and religious leaders should be engaged in the awareness raising activities.
Distribution of hygiene kits and provision of items for menstrual management can play a key role in reduction of illness
GBV and CPiE
Women and children particularly the girls have been most affected within conflict and drought in Badghis. 76 out of 100 women who were interviewed narrated signs of moderate to severe depression, mood changes, due to family violence, poverty, illness and food insecurity. Almost 60% of the interviewees had very low knowledge in their rights. Almost 80% of the interviewees (women at productivity age) were not using family planning even during the disaster.
70% of interviewees expressed physical punishment is necessary for child upbringing as they had been experiencing physical punishment in their childhood period. Safe feeding of infants is not highly valued by their mothers and the children over the 5 month were given mostly sugar mixed tea or water which is not suitable for safe feeding of the children 6-23 months. Further, putting name is still a fan for most of parents, there are many meaningless name put to the children just to me similar with their father’s names.
In Herat Province
ESNFI sector
Shindand, Pashtoon Zarghoon and Gurlan are the hard to reach districts in Herat province where the community members have experienced years of armed conflict, frequent displacement, and wastage of their harvest and high causalities of civilians due to military operations, bombardment and mine explosions. The suffer of people has bene exacerbated by last drought unprecedentedly recoded in last 20 years which made thousands of families displaced to Herat city.
Re-integration of IDPs has also other challenges such refusal of host community members to rent their home to IDPs as surveyed by IOM in 6 month ago, host community members look at to IDPs as a threat, so the risk of forces eviction is still high. According to CRDSA assessment among 120 people interviewed randomly 30% of them expressed they are prepared to retuned back to their place of origin if proper assistance such food ration, seeds, and WASH assistance to be provided for at least 6 months, while 70% others pretended that they are not prepared to return as they have no asset or land to rehabilitate their livelihood. So provision of return kits including transportation fee, food package, seeds and other services to the voluntarily returnees will therefore increase the rate of return to their paces of origin
7 | P a g e
Provision of cash assistance for winterization for almost 18000 drought affected IDPs in Herat and newly conflict induced IDPs will support the families to overcome on the cold weather of Herat in upcoming winter. Cash based intervention is highly recommended as the target beneficiary have the change to manage the cost properly.
Furthermore, the returned ones to provincial districts of Herat as well as most vulnerable host community members should be included in winterization assistance.
GBV and CPiE in Herat
GBV is the main aspect of human right violation in hard to reach areas in Herat and Badghis provinces, but this is a very sensitive issue for the families in hard to reach districts particularly for those have control the areas physically. Responding to GBV is very critical work and will be only implemented through multi cluster approaches particularly through health teams with significant treatment output. CRDSA will form of mobile teams to provide of outreach psychosocial counselling and referral services will contribute effectively in managing the GBV case improvement. Returning cheers and hops to the life of GBV survivors, furthermore, family planning among poor people and IDPs is the fundamental step toward managing the life expenses and better management of input and resources. At least one mobile team will be formed for each target district and the team will have on assistant doctor with adequate medication to cure the GBV survivors who suffers from psychological and somatic pains. CRDSA targets 500 GBV survivors per district (3000 in total) for outreach PSS, treatment and referral. Furthermore, the empowerment of GBV survivors particularly the women will contribute in prevention of recurrence of psychological problems. At least 20% of target GBV survivors who are the women who heading their families to be empowered through creating income generating opportunities based on need assessment of local market
Child rights and positive parenting stands important among human rights preservation. Conducting child right session and practicing positive parenting skills contribute significantly on converting violence to peaceful family life with good prosperity. Establishment of child friendly spaces support children under 7 years old to forget the shocks and start enjoying in a different atmosphere including counseling, sport, basic life skills and strengthening norms of morality
Recommendation:
1. Provision of shelter kit repair (cash and in kind for those IDPs who return back to their place of origins in close coordination with DoRR. 2. Provision of cash for rent for women headed families, elderly headed families and chronically ill persons to reduce the exposure to further harm. 3. Provision and distribution of cash for winterization for IDPs and host community members who are extremely vulnerable. 4. Supporting durable solution and effective re-integration of IDPs and returnees 5. Rapid assistance for restoration/rehabilitation of livelihood (agriculture and livestock based livelihood) in those area which the majority of people are involved in agriculture and livestock through provision of inputs for farmers and livestock keepers’ 6. Investing in durable solution initiatives for provision of safe drinking water such establishment of water purification and water sweetening facilities for Herat (Gulran district) and pipe schemes in Badghis
8 | P a g e
7. Community mobilization on CLTS, promoting hygiene promotion and hygiene kit distribution 8. Improvement of latrines 9. Assisting regard children education 10. Conducting awareness program about the GBV, child marriage, right of women and children. 11. Psychosocial counseling (outreach) and mobile team for proper PSS services provision for GBV survivors 12. Referral services for GBV as well as economic empowerment of GBV survivors through Cash intervention for livelihood such support for Persons with Specific Needs (PSN) 13. Policy making for durable solution or integration. 14. Self Help Group and environmental building streaming.
9 | P a g e