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Home , Bagrami District

April 2011

Key Points • 2011 CAP is 52 per cent funded. • The total IDP population in the country is estimated at 416,593 individuals as of end of first quarter of 2011 and is 41% higher as compared to December 2010. • Between 2002-2011 an estimated 5.5 to 6 million refugees returned to , of whom UNHCR has assisted the return of 4,544,207 refugees as of April 2011. • March was one of the deadliest months ever recorded in the South Easter region tripling from a year ago.

I. Humanitarian Situation Overview Due to less rainfall last winter, water supply sources may not sustain the required quantity of From the previous update, there have been no water in some parts of the country. This is not significant changes in the humanitarian only the case for drinking and other domestic landscape in Afghanistan. Humanitarian access, purposes, but it also affects the level of the population displacement and deportations ground water, hence irrigation and rain fed farms continued to dominate in the past months. are expected to have less yields than normal. However, despite all challenges in the operating environment, humanitarian agencies and II. Humanitarian Needs and Response partners continue to advocate and reach out to Early recovery needy Afghan populations. The Early Recovery Advisor and the Early The safety situation in the country has worsened Recovery Network Coordinator made over the past few months, and also affects presentations on the networking concept to the humanitarian activities. March was one of the Inter-cluster, WASH, Education, FSAC, deadliest months ever recorded in the SE region Emergency shelter/NFI clusters. Other activities tripling from a year ago. The South continued its included attendance at the Health & GBV high toll with most casualties caused by IEDs clusters as well as Afghan Humanitarian Forum. and escalation of force incidents. Ongoing identification of the Early Recovery focal points in each cluster and agency also Despite the claim by the International Military takes place. (IM) forces that there are no children in their detention facilities, reports indicate that more The ERN page on the OCHA website was than 300 children aged 16 and 17 are currently launched: in detention. http://ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan/EarlyRecov UNHCR has confirmed that the total IDP eryNetwork/tabid/7419/language/en- population in the country is estimated at 416,593 US/Default.aspx individuals as of end of the first quarter of 2011 and is 41% higher than the IDP figure as of end Education of 2010 and 43% higher compared to the first There were caseloads of Afghan evictees from quarter of 2010. These estimates are from Landikotal area of Pakistan who camped in the UNHCR and DORR sources and do not include Eastern zone, and were in need of support IDPs scattered in urban and semi-urban areas through education interventions. These children as well as locations where UNHCR or DoRRs do were excluded from school. not have access. The number of persons Assessment of school-aged children in the displaced by the conflict in Afghanistan is the border districts of Nangarhar through joint efforts highest since 2003 and continues to rise rapidly. of Provincial Education Directorate (PED) and UNICEF. A monitoring team went to

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) OCHA Afganistán: http://ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan Monthly Humanitarian Update Issue April 2011

Mohmandara, Lalpoora, Ghanikhil and Doorbaba respond to any future emergency. Meantime, districts, for data collection. The Provincial during the reporting period 185 NDI IDPs in Education Director gave directives to formal (Marmul district) and 12 NDI IDPs in Ghor schools to enroll evicted children prior to ( district) were supported with evaluating their school transfer documents or NFIs. passing an entry exam. Consequently, 907 children (345 girls) were enrolled in the formal Emergency Telecommunications schools during the first assessment and There are 3 ETC projects under CAP2011. Two welcome to school campaign in Feb, 2011. The of the projects require USD510,000 for second round of evictee children assessment implementation while the third project can be was conducted in April 2011 with the financial implemented without financial support. The two and technical support of UNICEF. As per newly projects that require donor financial support are: collected data 1854 school aged children (832 1) Emergency Telecom Stock for UN operation girls) have been provided with access to formal in Afghanistan schools while evaluation of their transfer 2) EPR and Telecom training to UN ICT staff in documents and the entry test are under process. Afghanistan UNICEF supplies TLMS to the affected children ICT equipment restriction lifted: in the southern regions. The imposed restriction on UN IT equipment Education Cluster organizations faced custom clearance was lifted last week. The IT challenges in terms of funding for priority areas equipment which were stuck in the custom are to meet the education objectives set out in the either cleared or in the clearance process. We CAP 2011. Agencies used other resources to highly appreciate the WFP management support implement the emergency education priorities to and joint efforts by all agencies. avert the risk of exacerbating the cluster needs. TV hill is now handed over to national army: OCHA proposed a meeting between donors and As per latest information the safety and security cluster coordinators and launched the education of the TV hill has recently been hand over to cluster at all levels. National Army. Contact has already been established with the unit responsible for the Emergency Shelter and NFIs (ES &NFIs) security of the TV hill and letter and application During April, UNHCR distributed NFIs to over for obtaining the pass to the UN site on the TV 285 vulnerable families (over 1,700 individuals) hill are ready for submission. across the country, majority of whom were Meeting with ATRA/MOC for UN frequencies: conflict displaced and cross border displaced A letter detailing the problems of the families assisted in Eastern region. humanitarian community facing in country in terms of frequencies allotment and custom During April 2011 a total of 3,504 winter and clearance has been sent to the ministry of household kits were distributed to different foreign affairs, communication and ATRA. Will families affected by floods, land and mountain soon receive a response to the letter sent and slides and to conflict affected families in some we hope that the response will be positive. regions where UNHCR has requested for assistance. IOM has also provided some of Moreover, WFP high level officials have also these families with tarpaulins mostly those raised the issue with the government officials as affected by flood. IOM also assisted some 366 well as with other agencies officials. Kochi families surveyed by SOLIDARITES in Buttkhak district of . All these NFIs were Food Security and Agriculture distributed either by IOM staff or through On May 8 2011, the cluster held a workshop to implementing partners in collaboration with gain further understandings of the current GIRoA partners (ANDMA, MORR and MRRD). dryness effecting most of the central, central 250 kits to Mazar, 250 kits to Kunduz and 300 highlands, west north and north-east of the kits to Bamyan were reallocated from Kabul to

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 2 OCHA Afganistán: http://ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan Monthly Humanitarian Update Issue April 2011

country. Reporting from the Early Warning producing food to having to purchase food in Information Working Group of the FSAC the market. suggests the following: Emergency food assistance is currently being • Low levels of precipitation and low soil provided to: moisture during the period October to • Conflict displaced populations from Pakistan December 2010, the cultivation season for in Khas Kunar, Kunar and Shygal Districts in winter wheat, will produce a yield deficit in (15.12 MTs for 578 the winter wheat crop. Above normal beneficiaries), Goshta, Mohmandara, precipitation levels during February to March Ghanikhil, Achin, Lal Pur, Rodat, Bati Kot, will not recover this yield deficit. Deh Bala, Dur Baba and Nazyan Districts in • Low levels of precipitation and low soil (253 MTs for 11,190 moisture during the period March to May beneficiaries) 2011, the cultivation season for spring • Conflict affected IDPs in Herat, Injil, Guzara, rainfed wheat, will produce a significant yield in (22.68 deficit in the spring rainfed wheat crop. MTs for 450 beneficiaries) Precipitation deficits have been so large in some areas that farmers have chosen not to • Landslide affected populations in Marmul cultivate their seeds. District in (43 MTs for 1200 beneficiaries) • Low levels of spring precipitation combined with poor soil moisture levels have reduced • Flood affected populations in Lashkargar and the amount of vegetative growth in mountain Khanishen Districts in pastures and rangelands. (The snow was (113.2MT for 6738 beneficiaries) and late to arrive and melted on time and as such Bagram District in (241.92 was on the ground for approximately half the MTs for 4,800 beneficiaries) time that it normally would have been on the • Kuchis and IDPs in Kashkarger District in ground. Therefore the soil is not as moist as Helmand Province (302.4 MTs for 18,000 it usually is during the spring and early beneficiaries) summer.) As such farmers believe that there will be insufficient fodder for livestock in the • Returnees from Pakistan in summer and autumn and that they will not be of (297.99 MTs for 354 able to harvest enough food for winter feed. beneficiaries)

• Sudden cereal price spikes are being Health experienced in markets in the north and the Epidemic outbreak: 36 disease outbreak alarms north east regions. In some places prices for where investigated and responded; 24 of them wheat, wheat flour and rice have risen by where measles. The affected areas: Khost, more than 38% in just over one week. Paktya, Takhar, Laghman, Herat, Nangarhar, • Livestock prices have fallen suddenly in Badghis, Nuristan, Takhar, and Badakhshan. markets in the north and the north east by up Of special concern was the increase in the to 20% in the past week as livestock number of Pertussis outbreaks (seven) in Kabul, volumes increase in the market place. Kapisa, Kandahar, Badakhshan, Paktya, Khost • The sudden cereal price spike and the and Maidan Wardak. WHO provided additional livestock price slide are both early warning stock of Erythromycin (40,000 tabs and 600 indicators that environmental conditions in bottle paediatric form) to support the response in the north and north-eastern regions are not Badakhshan where the number of cases was the favourable and that there could be increased highest. food insecurity problems in the coming year Other outbreaks reported and investigated were for these regions as people transfer from ARI, AWD, Mumps, and Chickenpox. The

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 3 OCHA Afganistán: http://ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan Monthly Humanitarian Update Issue April 2011

largest outbreak responded to was AWD receive nutrition education on caring practices (cholera) in Ghazni (215 cases). All alerts were and food demonstrations. The Nutrition Cluster investigated within 48 hours from notification. will discuss with WFP about the possibility to The outbreaks were effectively controlled by the provide Supplementary Feeding to moderately joint efforts of MOPH and health program malnutrition children. implementing NGOs. During April, the CMAM program admitted 3661 WHO also supported the provision of 200 doses under five children. Of these, 1968 were of anti-rabies vaccines for Badakhshan where 27 severely malnourished and admitted in Out cases of dog bites were reported (Rabies not yet Patient Therapeutic Program (OTP) and confirmed). Also, another 600 doses were Inpatient Care (TFU) 1693 were admitted in provided by WHO to the MoPH to be distributed Supplementary Feeding Programs (SFP). This at provincial level. brings the total to 20,332 since January 2011. A number of provinces have not reported at this Emergency mobile and static health teams stage, otherwise numbers would have been continued to provide services for the previously higher. identified underserved/isolated communities in Badakhshan, Kandahar (Spinboldak), Faryab For proper preparedness and response, the and Bamyan. These activities are funded by nutrition cluster is rolled out in Eastern Region. health cluster and implemented by MERLIN, Protection IBNISINA, SHRDO and IMC NGOs. NEEDS

The total IDP population in the country is Nutrition estimated at 416,593 individuals as of end In April, Baghacha Quchi, Parwaz Olia and March 2011. These estimates are from UNHCR Parwaz Sufla villages of Marmul districts in and DORR sources and do not include IDPs Northern region experienced landslides causing scattered in urban and semi-urban areas as well destruction of houses, spring water sources and as locations where UNHCR or DoRRs do not displacement leading to need of emergency have access. The number of persons displaced services support including nutrition. About 100 by the conflict in Afghanistan is the highest since houses were destroyed and 316 families were 2003 and continues to rise rapidly. Current mid- displaced. term displacement can be explained both by the Due to lower saturation of water in the ground, continued insecurity and by the nature of warfare irrigation and rain fed farms are expected to that severely impacts housing and livelihoods have less yields than normal. FEWS NET and and affects the likelihood of return. Such new WFP VAM conducted an assessment on the displacement trend requires a review of the yield regarding irrigation and rain-fed farming in current assistance package designed to cater for a number of regions. Preliminary observations the needs of short-term displacement only and a indicate the Northern region and Central temporary working group under the IDP Task Highland irrigation and rain-fed farms to be the Force was established to discuss this. No natural worst when compared to Western and Eastern disaster induced displacement was reported. regions reportedly. Between 2002-2011 an estimated 5.5 to 6 million WFP provided 43 MT of food ration to 1,200 refugees returned to Afghanistan, of whom beneficiaries of affected communities in the UNHCR has assisted the return of 4,544,207 Marmul district of Balkh province in Northern refugees as of April 2011. Region. Save the Children conducted screening In March 2011, 75% of civilian casualties were in the landslide affected area and other districts. attributed to AGE, 17% to PGF and 8% A total of 17947 children were screened. Of unknown, according to UNAMA HR. March was these 831 (4.6%) were severely malnourished one of the deadliest months ever recorded in the and were referred to OTPs. 4616 (25.7%) were SE region tripling from a year ago. The South found to be moderately malnourished and were continued its high toll with most casualties referred to their PD Hearth programme to

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 4 OCHA Afganistán: http://ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan Monthly Humanitarian Update Issue April 2011

caused by IEDs and escalation of force MACCA. UNHCR in each region is extending incidents. The NE region continued to display a such training to MACCA staff and implementing massive increase in civilian casualties over (107 partners to further explore the possibilities for in 2011 as compared to 14 in 2010) mostly due mine action's support in gathering protection to suicide attacks, but kept pace with last related information, particularly from volatile month’s 103 casualties. The East saw an overall areas where APC members have no access. 70% increase from the previous month. The The training sessions are supposed to be West saw a drop in civilian casualties over last completed by end of June Afghanistan wide. year though abductions are on the rise. Central The semi-final draft of the APC Protection region also saw a decline and Central Highlands Overview of the North and North Eastern Region saw no new cases. 3 suicide attacks were is currently being reviewed by other Cluster responsible for the majority of civilian casualties leads in order to broaden the scope of the (by type) in March, 68 deaths and 115 injuries. protection issues reported. The document is Despite the claim by the International Military expected to be finalised shortly. (IM) forces that there are no children in their At the monthly APC, ICRC provided a briefing on detention facilities, reports indicate that more International Humanitarian Law (IHL) relevant to than 300 children aged 16 and 17 are currently Afghanistan. The discussions that followed the in detention. The UN Country Task Force on presentation focused on current IHL issues in Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) has Afghanistan and provided an opportunity for requested the IM to grant access to detention members to better understand the nature of the facilities. conflict and its implications. RESPONSE Regarding the deportation of UAMs from Iran, GAPS and CONSTRAINTS IOM is set to start a pilot project to help tracking A fact-finding mission to Herat by UNICEF the children when they cross the border, while showed that there is currently no proper UNICEF will beef up its advocacy towards the mechanism to identify the UAMs and that few local authorities. The Child Protection in humanitarian organizations are involved in Emergencies Sub Cluster called for a better addressing this. According to IOM, around 140 coordination among the main stakeholders. A UAMs are monthly deported to Afghanistan. workshop on the implementation of the However, as mentioned earlier, efforts are Convention of the Rights of the Child was held underway under the coordination of the regional with government counterparts and relevant Protection Cluster to better coordinate the humanitarian actors. The Government was response to this issue. reminded its obligations as party to the Protection gaps remain as the Protection Cluster Convention, especially with regard to the CRC projects remain largely under-funded under CAP concluding priorities. The latest data collected by 2011. the UN Country Task Force on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) shows increase in WASH Cluster detention of under-18s. Due to less rainfall last winter water supply sources may not sustain the required quantity of The GBV Sub Cluster coordinator is actively water during the year for drinking and other taking part in the update of the shelter regulation domestic purposes . This situation is serious in project along NGOs, donors and Government Central Highland provinces like Bamyan, officials. Daikundi, Ghor and Oruzgan. The need for Following the recommendation of the Global developing alternative sources of water in these Protection Cluster Mission to use the Mine parts of the country remains a challenge. Action network as a platform for gaining Northern region (Balkh) experienced landslides information on protection issues, the Protection with destruction of houses, spring water sources, Cluster Coordinator (UNHCR) carried out and displacement leading to the need for training for all Regional Managers of the

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 5 OCHA Afganistán: http://ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan Monthly Humanitarian Update Issue April 2011

Emergency WASH and other humanitarian IV. Coordination services.. For coordination meetings, please refer to the The need for emergency WASH response meeting calendar on OCHA Online. continued during April in drought and flood For more information, please visit affected areas of western region and in IDP http://ochaonline.un.org/Afghanistan camps in Kabul. To be added or deleted from this list, please e- Emergency WASH interventions reached to mail Christophe Verhellen at [email protected] more than 5,000 landslide, drought and conflict with a copy to [email protected] affected people in different parts of the country. Details are reflected as follows: In Herat province of western region 1,100 people Contact Details (165 families) were provided with safe drinking Joseph Inganji, D/HoO, OCHA Afghanistan water in the drought affected areas along with [email protected], Tel: +93 79 300 1126 hygiene education reaching to 800 people. Christophe Verhellen, , OCHA Afghanistan Another 50 IDP families benefitted from [email protected], Tel: +93 (0)79 300 1132 emergency latrines. Benoit Pylyser, Desk Officer, OCHA NY The 185 landslide affected families in the north [email protected], Tel: +1 3472377636 (Balkh) benefitted from safe drinking through Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, OCHA Geneva water trucking during the month and WASH none food items such juryman, etc. [email protected], Tel: +41 22 917 26 53

Twenty five deportee families benefitted from Stephanie Bunker, Spokesperson, OCHA NY [email protected], Tel: +1 917 367 5126 emergency hygiene kit and sanitary latrines in Nangrahar. Also water trucking continued for 250 families in district of WASH Cluster partners in the April cluster meeting elected OXFAM as the new Deputy Lead for the Cluster for a period of one year. Funding constraints remained the main gap area in the WASH cluster. The best season for construction of WASH facilities has started, however due to lack of fund under the CAP 2011 the planned projects could not make a start.

III. Humanitarian Financing The 2011 Consolidated Appeal (CAP 2011), is funded at 52 per cent. The Emergency Response Fund (ERF) has currently USD 1.5 million at hand in 2011; however, there are five projects in the review pipeline that soon could take out the fund at hand significantly. Quick replenishment to ERF is highly required and the fund seeks USD 5 million in order to address urgent needs of those affected by rapid onset hazards and emergencies in Afghanistan. Details on humanitarian financing are at: http://fts.unocha.org/

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 6 OCHA Afganistán: http://ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan