Rapid Assessment COVID-19 in East Jerusalem April 20th, 2019 Global Communities Organizational Background Global Communities (Formerly known as CHF International) is an international development and humanitarian organization committed to working in partnership with communities worldwide to bring about sustainable, impactful change that improves the lives and livelihoods of the vulnerable. We make a difference by engaging with communities, governments, the private sector, and NGOs—as partners for good—to bring together complementary strengths and shared responsibilities in pursuit of common goals. We currently implement 42 programs in 24 countries worldwide, managing an annual budget of approximately $101 million and a total multi-year program portfolio of nearly $365 million. We have implemented programs in partnership with communities in the Middle East since 1994 and successfully managed 21 large programs in the oPt. We have deep relationships and dependable humanitarian assistance and emergency response systems across the area. Global Communities has been the implementing partner of the World Food Programme (WFP) food security program since 2002 through which we have been responsible for distributing food and emergency assistance to vulnerable groups in oPt. Over almost two decades of partnership we’ve established transparent, reliable systems for implementation, beneficiary registration, reception, handling and distribution of food, as well as monitoring distributions, food storage and secondary transport. We are presently managing the WFP electronic voucher system in Gaza under which beneficiaries receive pre-paid credit cards that they can take to local shops selected to accept WFP vouchers, reaching thousands of beneficiaries each cycle. A similar electronic voucher food assistance program was implemented in Jerusalem communities and neighborhoods. Global Communities (formerly CHF) - West Bank & Gaza Ramallah Office: Al Wa’d Building, Al Mob’adeen Street, Al Balou’, Al- Bireh City, Palestine Phone: 972 2 2413616 vFax: 972 22413614 Jerusalem Office: YWCA Building, 6 Ibn Jubier Street, AlShaikh Jarrah P.O. Box. 25122, Jerusalem, 97300vPhone9722 5855827 [email protected] v www.globalcommunities.ps v www.globalcommunities.org In efforts to combat the spread of the virus, Global Communities in partnership with Shiam – Youth Make the Future1 have received a small grant from the McNulty Foundation to support local communities in their COVID-19 relief efforts. Five youth councils in five different localities (Tulkarem, Jenin, Yatta, Beit Fajjar and Salfeet) have been selected to receive food packages, sanitizations kits, etc. to be distributed to citizens who are severely impacted by the virus and are not covered by other institutions. Over the past 25 years, Global Communities responded to every emergency and crisis in the oPt including the second Intifida, the 2009, 2012 and 2104 wars on Gaza. With funding provided by USAID, DFID, the Islamic Development Bank, UN-OCHA, and private foundations we’ve deployed more than US$ 50 million to augment needed humanitarian relief, delivering water, NFIs, winterization kits, and food packages to households, renovated hundreds of destroyed homes, established home gardens, built irrigation systems, and created job opportunities through implementing community social and economic infrastructure. Rapid Assessment Findings: The presented report is a summary of the rapid assessment Global Communities team conducted in East Jerusalem to measure the impact of COVID-19 on Palestinian citizens (approximately 350 thousand). The report focuses on presenting the affected communities and number of cases in East Jerusalem, what measures are being implemented and what can be done to control the spread of the virus. Based on what the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs shared, the number of confirmed cases in East Jerusalem has surpassed 105 as of April 18, 2020. However, according to meetings conducted with the Doctors’ Union in Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Coalition to Combat Corona, the documented number of cases is less than the actual, due to the lack of testing. Currently, 60-70% of infected citizens are being quarantined 1 Shiam -Youth Make the Future, is a Palestinian locally registered non-governmental, that aims to spread the principles of good citizenry, human values, gender equality, democracy and good governance among Palestinian youth – currently incubated at Global Communities office. Global Communities (formerly CHF) - West Bank & Gaza Ramallah Office: Al Wa’d Building, Al Mob’adeen Street, Al Balou’, Al- Bireh City, Palestine Phone: 972 2 2413616 vFax: 972 22413614 Jerusalem Office: YWCA Building, 6 Ibn Jubier Street, AlShaikh Jarrah P.O. Box. 25122, Jerusalem, 97300vPhone9722 5855827 [email protected] v www.globalcommunities.ps v www.globalcommunities.org in their own homes and are not receiving the required care or attention to ease their suffering and help in controlling the spread of the disease. Many of their identities have not been revealed, which makes it difficult to conduct contact tracing which will further increase the spread of COVID-19, and further thwart efforts to contain. The rest of the cases that required medical attention are being quarantined in two main hotels; Olive Tree Hotel and Dan Jerusalem Hotel. The Palestinian Authority is being prevented from operating in East Jerusalem, and Israel’s absence of a clear COVID-19 plan for the area proves to remain a barrier in implementing COVID-19 relief efforts in East Jerusalem. The number of documented cases varies between the different communities in East Jerusalem. Following-up on the increase in the number of cases over the last week, it is becoming clear which areas can become the epicenters of the pandemic in East Jerusalem. Below is a list of the currently documented cases in East Jerusalem according to the collected data: Communities Number of Cases Communities Number of Cases Silwan 50 Jabal Al-Mukaber 6 Shu’fat Camp 30 Al-Suwwaneh 1 Kufr Aqab & Qalandia 20 Old City 1 Beit Safafa 20 Wadi Al-Joz 1 Beit Hanina 16 Sheikh Jarrah 0 Al-Isaweyah 16 2 Until recently – April 14th, there was only one testing center serving the Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, located in Jabal Al Mukabir, a fact that has halted the testing rates and mislead the actual numbers of Covid-19 infected in the area. In regard to quarantine centers; while West Bank have already identified and prepared over 30 quarantine centres, East Jerusalem had to rely on civil society and private donors to establish only one quarantine centre with the capacity of around 70 beds (St. George Hotel). UNRWA, is currently establishing quarantine centres in all 19 refugee camps. 2 The presented number of cases - Jerusalem Coalition to Combat Corona and Doctors’ Union in Jerusalem (April - 2020) Global Communities (formerly CHF) - West Bank & Gaza Ramallah Office: Al Wa’d Building, Al Mob’adeen Street, Al Balou’, Al- Bireh City, Palestine Phone: 972 2 2413616 vFax: 972 22413614 Jerusalem Office: YWCA Building, 6 Ibn Jubier Street, AlShaikh Jarrah P.O. Box. 25122, Jerusalem, 97300vPhone9722 5855827 [email protected] v www.globalcommunities.ps v www.globalcommunities.org It can be observed from the collected data (interviews and reviewing briefings from the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs, Doctors’ Union in Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Coalition to Combat Corona) that the most affected locations and that have the potential to become the epicenters of the virus are; the Old City, Silwan, Kufr Aqab, Al-Isaweyah and Shu’fat Camp. In conjunction, the dense population and the degraded public facilities such as the public health system, roads, etc. in the mentioned communities are important factors that increase the spread of the virus. Until now, East Jerusalem has received limited aid for its COVID-19 relief efforts especially in relation to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH). Based on the current projections and the assessments being conducted under the WASH Cluster and others, the need is 1000 HHs kits for families in home quarantined and most affected and support 20 community centers and institutions with hygiene material and disinfectant tools to control the spread of the virus on the community level. Global Communities is aiming to support 500 Households (HHs) in East Jerusalem and 10 local councils and institutes affected or are vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19 virus with hygiene and sanitization tools, materials and kits and awareness packets about the spread of the virus and how to contain it. The purpose of the intervention is to support local communities in East Jerusalem by minimizing the spread of the disease and control the number of cases. As a result of quarantine and COVID-19 risks, many HHs are unable to gain income to cover their basic needs including buying hygiene materials. Therefore, a voucher system will be put in place, where vouchers will be distributed to families that are quarantined and affected by the lockdown. The HHs beneficiaries and the community centers will be selected in collaboration with Jerusalem Coalition to Combat Corona and the WASH Cluster. The mentioned alliance has more than 82 legally registered organizations, councils and institutions that operate in East Jerusalem. Those institutions have gathered their resources for the purpose of coordinating their relief efforts to control the spread of the virus and aid affected families. Global Communities (formerly