March 2011

Key Points  2011 CAP is 42 per cent funded.  The total IDP population in the country is estimated at 416,593 persons / 68,151 families as of 31 March 2011.  Between 2002-2011, between 5.5 and 6 million refugees returned to . UNHCR has assisted the return of 4,538,409 refugees as of 27 March 2011.  130 incidents in which children were killed or injured due to conflict related violence were reported, out of which 90 were verified (85%, higher than ever)

I. Humanitarian Situation Overview II. Humanitarian Needs and Response From the previous update, there have been no Nutrition significant changes in the humanitarian In order to improve its response activities during landscape in Afghanistan. Humanitarian access, emergencies, the nutrition cluster is rolled out in population displacement and deportations Central region including Central highland and continued to dominate in the past months. Diekundi on March 29th. However, despite all challenges in the operating Since January 2011, a total of 16,671 under five environment, humanitarian agencies and children were admitted in CMAM. Of these, partners continue to advocate and reach out to 7,589 were severely malnourished and admitted needy Afghan populations. in Out Patient Therapeutic Program (OTP) and UNHCR estimates that 416,593 persons Inpatient Care (TFU). 9,082 were admitted in Afghans live in internal displacement (68,151 Supplementary Feeding Program. families) as of 31 March 2011. These estimates The cluster ensures the intervention programs do not include IDPs scattered in urban and semi- are following standards and proper reporting urban areas as well as locations where UNHCR systems where performance is checked against or DoRRs do not have access. Geographically, Sphere Standard Indicators. population displacement is happening all around the country, with increasing trends in the south, None of the 17 projects submitted to the CAP is east, west and central region respectively. funded and this could have an impact particularly the WFP submitted supplementary feeding for Floods and landslides increased during the moderately malnourished children. month under review, increasingly disrupting a

number of humanitarian activities. In some of the WASH Cluster affected areas schools were destroyed, in other Flood, landslides and scarcity of fresh ground regions medical services could not be reached, water in northern and western regions, and other and in some areas in the western region WASH areas of the country continued to keep large interventions remained a challenge for the numbers of people in need for immediate WASH Cluster. emergency WASH interventions. In March there WASH cluster through its members, continued to was great need for safe drinking water for people truck and provide safe drinking water to flood in areas without fresh and safe ground water due and conflict affected communities, particularly in to contamination. Deportees from in the south, central and western regions of the of Eastern Region were country. settled in areas where wells are the main source of drinking water. In order to provide safe water,

these water sources needed to be treated.

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

In Western Region the need of the drought and finalized, and an additional 100 IEHKs were flood affected population for sustainable WASH imported. The new stock will be distributed interventions remained a challenge for the according with the regional/provincial WASH Cluster. contingency plans. 70,000 deportees from Pakistan border areas An assessment of population access to basic benefitted from safe drinking water through health care services was conducted by cluster chlorination of 1,000 wells in Ghanie Khail, members (IMC, ACF, TDH, German Agro Action, Momandara, Rodat and Achin districts of WHO and UNICEF). The result will be available Nangrahar province. in April. Safe drinking water was provided to 250 families WHO conducted a storage capacity assessment in of through for the health sector in Western region. water tankers. The draft document for a proposed 4,300 droughts and landslide affected families Governmental decree regarding protection of (30,800 people) in Farah and Badghis provinces HFs, health staff and patient was finalized by of Western Region benefited from safe and health cluster members. In April, the paper will sustainable drinking water through construction be presented to Minister of Health. and rehabilitation of community water points, 25 health staff from Western Region were pipe scheme and distribution of water trained in Herat on Management of Medical containers. The activities along with hygiene Stock during emergencies. education were started in 2010 and completed in March 2011. Education Although 16% funded the Cluster remains Western Region underfunded for providing long term Tajrobawee Girls School was damaged by the interventions for the drought, landslide and flood recent rains. The Provincial Department of affected population particularly in the Northern Education with support of UNICEF assessed the Region.. needs . UNICEF will partly finance the Proper reporting by the partners on the rehabilitation and repair works. UNICEF will achievements and funding despite follow up provide further inputs, by making the school child remain another gap area for the WASH Cluster. friendly. Afghan specific national water quality Northern Region parameters and guidelines for emergency The regional Inter-agency contingency plan for situation need to be developed. In the absence floods, food insecurity and conflict displacement of such standards WHO guidelines for water was completed and linked to the Provincial quality are used. The Cluster Lead and partners Disaster Management plans. Agencies reviewed are discussing how to overcome this constraint. the prepositioned supplies for education emergency response. UNICEF will provide the

provincial education departments with Teaching Health Learning Materials (TLM), Classroom Tents, On March’ 15 measles outbreaks were reported Recreational Kits, Psychosocial Training, and in Nangarhar, Ghazni, Nimroz, Farah, Badghis, earmark some fund for school rehabilitation. Paktiya, and Herat. 90% were treated. A case of Save the Children will allocate TLM, tents, ARI in Wardak and one of viral hepatitis in human resources and some other resources, Langhman were also reported. WFP has sufficient food to cover emergency Floods affected 1,123 families in Helmand response, SCA contributes stationery, while province (Lashar Gar and Hamishir) CHA, Global Partner Omega International, The distribution of the necessary contingency AWEC, ASET and other agencies will contribute stock for Eastern and Southern regions was assessment, data verification, trainings, and human resources.

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

Eastern Region assisted the return of 4,538,409 refugees as of UNICEF and Save the Children rolled out the 27 March 2011. Education Cluster in the Eastern Zone. OCHA The newly released 2010 Protection of civilians and the Education Cluster Co-coordinators report by UNAMA HR/OHCHR and AIHRC organized and facilitated the event. UNICEF and indicates that the human cost of the armed Save the Children are the o-Leads of the conflict has grown since 2009. Civilian casualties campaign, and will continue to provide guidance (deaths and injuries of Afghan civilians) went up and support in the cluster coordination. 19% in 2010 compared to 2009. Three quarters National Level of all civilian casualties were linked to Anti- The translation of the INEE Minimum Standards Government Elements (AGEs). The overall rise for Education is underway. The cluster will in civilian can be attributed to the increased use support the Ministry of Education in of IEDs and intensified military operations implementing the critical areas identified within The conflict continued to have a devastating the Interim Education Plan, that was endorsed impact on women and children. In 2010, women by the Local Education Donor group and casualties increased by 6% and child casualties launched in March 2011 by the Minister of increased by 21%. In August 2010, the Education. Government of Afghanistan launched the Afghan

Local Police Programme (ALP) to protect Emergency Shelter and NFIs (ES &NFIs) communities from AGEs through the recruitment Regional cluster meetings were held in North, of local individuals. UNAMA/AIHRC observed East, South-East and Central Highlands. The the establishment and performance of the ALP in National cluster convened on 19 March, and several regions, and recognizes that longer term adopted the Rapid Assessment Form for the evaluation is required. Cluster. Civilians were also affected by displacement, During March, UNHCR distributed NFIs to over damage and destruction to property, loss of 380 vulnerable families across the country, livelihood, lack of freedom of movement and lack majority of who were conflict induced IDPs and of access to essential services such as health cross border displacements, followed by care, food and education. deported Afghan nationals (non-refugees), and

few returnee families. At the same time, IOM Overall, the situation for children affected by the assisted 3,940 vulnerable families across the conflict has worsened since the last reporting country affected by various man-made and period (November-December 2010). 130 natural disasters. 147 families who were incidents in which children were killed or injured displaced due floods and landslides in Nahre due to conflict related violence were reported to Shahi, Jawand and Shahrak districts of , the Country Task Force, out of which 90 were Badghis and Ghor provinces were assisted with verified (85%, higher than ever). AOGs were IOM Flood and winter kits. 600 winter kits were responsible for 139 casualties (52%) and Pro- handed over to UNHCR which were distributed Government Forces for 85 (30%), 52 incidents to conflict IDPs in Sherberghan district of were un-attributed (17%). 46 children were in Jawzjan in coordination with DoRR, ANDMA ANSF detention on accusation of armed DHSA, provincial and district authorities in the activities/ association with AOGs. presence of IOM Monitoring team. Incidents affecting health services and schools The cluster remains under funded, with only 14% slightly increased. of CAP funding request met as at the end of March 2011. Following the objection of the police to the distribution of food and NFIs on 17 February in Protection Qaisar district and the assault of an OCHA Between 2002-2011, between 5.5 and 6 million national staff by a national security officer, refugees returned to Afghanistan. UNHCR has UNHCR and OCHA, together with the Protection

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

Cluster have raised concern over the action The APC co-ordinator attended the MACCA undertaken by the district police. MoRR is Operation Review Workshop and provided a requested to urgently follow up the issue and lay training on the notion of protection of civilians down guidelines for prevention of such incidents. and the identification and reporting of protection issues. .Rounds of training will be conducted at The UN Country Task Force Children and Armed the regional levels for MACCA staff and their Conflict (CAAC) is preparing a draft implementing partners on protection issues, implementation structure and matrix that will be before being repeated at field level with MACCA shared with the GoA Technical Working Group community volunteers. Such training of MACCA shortly. There are ongoing talks with the extensive field staff on protection issues will Minister, APRP Afghanistan Peace and benefit the Protection Cluster and the overall Reintegration Programme to join the Steering humanitarian community in reaching out to Committee. otherwise inaccessible populations and learn Child protection had several meetings with the more on their urgent protection concerns NATO Training Mission Afghanistan to negotiate Based on the feedback received on the APC the establishment of an alert system for grave Protection Overview of the Southern Region, child rights violation for IMF. A pocket guide on and given the evolving protection situation in the identifying recruitment of under 18's and sexual North it was agreed that the APC will start abuse is being developed and an email address initiating a draft of the overview. This was for anonymously reporting violations will be endorsed earlier by the UNHCR co-ordinator for established. the NR PC. A first draft was circulated among The new Child Protection in Emergencies Sub- the APC members for feedback and inputs will Cluster was established to bring together child be requested from other the other Clusters at a protection actors and partners operational in later stage. areas affected by conflict, to facilitate the development and coordination of child protection Food Security and Agriculture strategies and responses, including the On 29 March the FSAC hosted a contingency development of contingency plans and advocacy planning workshop with cluster partners to with authorities. It will also function as prevention gather information about populations that could of and response to psychosocial distress and be food insecure in the coming three months, to violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect of make an early season forecast of summer crop children as a result of conflict and natural conditions and to make an initial attempt at disaster. describing best, most likely and worst case food insecurity scenarios. These scenarios will be The ECHO funded project on GBV Responders further updated during the coming months as Capacity building has been rolled out. 7 trainers more detailed information about the condition of are selected to lead the Project. The newly summer crops becomes available. assigned GBV SC co-ordinator at UNFPA has taken over the responsibility of the project Emergency food assistance is currently being alongwith UNHCR and UNICEF who are provided to conflict displaced populations from partners to the global project. Pakistan in in and in Nanagarhar An NRC presentation on HLP took place from Province for flood affected populations in 21- 23 February 2011 in Kabul. The objective of Lashkargar and Khanishen Districts in Helmand the training was to provide guidance to Province and for people who have been forced humanitarian organizations involved in land to return from Iran in Nimroz Province. The issues and recovery projects. The training was distribution of winter food assistance for part of an ECHO funded project titled “Building vulnerable populations is 93% complete and the Capacity of Humanitarian Actors on Housing, 87% of planned food assistance has been Land and Property”. distributed to beneficiaries.

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

The FSAC Seed Stakeholders Group is currently frequencies was raised and the UN concerns working to secure emergency and early recovery were presented to the new head of ATRA. The wheat seed allocations for the 2011/12 season head of ATRA requested WFP to draft a letter and distribution methodologies appropriate for giving valid reasons for using HF and VHF hazard effected and vulnerable populations frequencies. The requested letter and proposal under the 2011/12 National Seed Distribution are ready for submission to ATRA. WFP officials Program. have also raised the issue with government officials as well as with other agencies. Humanitarian Regional Team Contingency Plans, which are currently in development, III. Humanitarian Financing demonstrate that the broader humanitarian The 2011 Consolidated Appeal (CAP 2011), is community has a weak and variable funded at 42 per cent. understanding of food insecurity concepts and the humanitarian consequences of increased The Emergency Response Fund (ERF) has food insecurity. This lack of food security currently USD 4, 500 000 at hand; in 2011, the concepts and humanitarian consequences was fund seeks USD10, 000 000 in order to address also recently reinforced at the recent FSAC urgent needs of those affected by rapid onset Contingency Planning Workshop. To improve hazards and emergencies in Afghanistan. awareness a capacity building program about Details on humanitarian financing are at: food security will be proposed and an outline will http://fts.unocha.org/ be presented to FSAC Partners at the April FSAC. IV. Coordination It has also become apparent through the FSAC For coordination meetings, please refer to the Contingency Planning Workshop and the FSAC meeting calendar on OCHA Online. Partner’s Needs and Capacity Assessment that For more information, please visit common humanitarian concepts and processes http://ochaonline.un.org/Afghanistan are not well understood by the broader humanitarian community as well. It is To be added or deleted from this list, please e- recommended that OCHA in partnership with mail Christophe Verhellen at [email protected] clusters develops a standard training package with a copy to [email protected] introducing common humanitarian concepts, documents and processes to the broader humanitarian community. Contact Details Emergency Telecommunications Joseph Inganji, D/HoO, OCHA Afghanistan The imposed restriction on UN IT equipment custom clearance was lifted. The IT equipment [email protected], Tel: +93 79 300 1126 that was stuck with customs is either cleared or Christophe Verhellen, , OCHA Afghanistan in the clearance process. [email protected], Tel: +93 (0)79 300 1132

As per latest information the safety and security Benoit Pylyser, Desk Officer, OCHA NY of the TV hill has recently been handed over to [email protected], Tel: +1 3472377636 National Army. The cluster coordinator is in the process of establishing contact with the National Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, OCHA Geneva [email protected], Tel: +41 22 917 26 53 army unit responsible for the TV hill. After this contact we will know their procedure for Stephanie Bunker, Spokesperson, OCHA NY obtaining access to the TV hill. The information [email protected], Tel: +1 917 367 5126 will be shared with all members. A meeting was held with ATRA regarding licenses for HF and vhf frequencies. In the meeting the long standing matter of HF and VHF

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