Oxfam Novib Network nr 3 June 2009 Dear partner, This time Network kicks off with an article on an effective combination of disaster and conflict reduction programmes. There is also attention for the ever-bigger role of women in Arab countries. Alongside, captured in pictures, a unique public enquiry on climate change in Malawi. Furthermore, the state of affairs in the cocoa chain, a report of a performance by De Groene Bende, and much more in this Oxfam Novib Network. Contents: The interaction between conflict and natural disasters 2 Sustainable cocoa chain in sight 4 Cash grants as relief intervention 5 Dreams of Arab Women's NGOs 6 Poor people in Malawi raise their voice 8 Who benefits from private health care? 9 Building Oxfam Mexico 11 Free from Oxfam GB 12 Climate change demands aid reform 13 Promising festival season 14 Oxfam Novib is a member of Oxfam International The interaction between conflict and natural disasters There are many communities in the world that face both the risk of conflict and the risk of natural disasters. However, Disaster Risk Reduction programmes give hardly any attention to conflict and One-sided focus on either disaster risk reduction or Conflict Transformation programmes conflict prevention simplifies local realities. rarely refer to disaster risks and how these interact with (renewed) conflict or its solutions. There is a need to combine approaches. Examples show that the risks of disaster and conflict impact on each other: flooding can cause renewed conflict, conflict over resources can block initiatives for disaster prevention, or awareness about disaster risks can form the common interest around which conflicting parties come together. Either way: where communities face both the risk of disaster and conflict we need to understand how they impact on the communities and how communities deal with them to ensure we develop effective and empowering programmes. Effective approach What can we learn from programmes that were implemented in areas affected by both (the risk to) conflicts and natural disasters? Oxfam Novib and Disaster Studies from the University of Wageningen organised a panel session during the World Conference on Humanitarian Studies in Groningen, the Netherlands, in 2009. Case studies were presented from Nigeria, Burundi, South Sudan, Afghanistan and the Philippines. One of the main conclusions was that a one- sided focus on either disaster risk reduction or conflict prevention simplifies local realities and will make aid programming less effective. We need to be realistic about the risk landscape people live in. Conflicts and disasters are part of this and both severely impact on people’s lives and livelihoods. There is a need to combine approaches. Active citizens All case studies highlight the need to understand vulnerabilities and build on the capacities of people in the affected communities. Approaching people as active citizens and change-makers is the key. Three cases argue that community-based early warning systems can play an important role, by involving a wide range of actors (at different levels) in analysing signs, in early warning and - more importantly - in taking action together. An important aim of the early warning system of Oxfam Novib’s partner Wanep in Nigeria is to generate options and ideas for action. People who might previously have felt powerless now feel more equipped to analyse together and develop action. Social contracts In Burundi Acord uses its peace-building model in the provision of food aid in response to floods and involves key people from conflicting parties in ‘social contracts’. These parties exchange Oxfam Novib Network 2009-3 2 solutions and agree on the action to take. The social contract acknowledges the differences and diverse nature of communities, but also recognises that there are shared interests. Finally various cases point to the importance of understanding and engaging both horizontal (e.g. peace zones in Philippines) and vertical linkages (understanding the institutions that impact on people’s lives and livelihood options, e.g. water access arrangements - like distribution by kinship - in Afghanistan). Read more on how to deal with the interplay between conflict and natural disasters in the September edition of Humanitarian Exchange at www.odihpn.org. Source: Oxfam Novib, June 26, 2009 Author: Tilleke Kiewied, advisor humanitarian programmes, Oxfam Novib Oxfam Novib Network 2009-3 3 Sustainable cocoa chain in sight The world of cocoa and chocolate was on the move early this year. Manufacturers Cadbury and Mars announced that they would be going fair trade. The Tropical Commodity Coalition presented the Cocoa Barometer 2009. And in Trinidad The most important stakeholders must start talking the second Round Table on Sustainable with each other. Cocoa took place. Good news early March: the British chocolate producer Cadbury announced that its most popular product (Cadbury Dairy Milk) would be fair trade certified by the end of this summer. Several weeks later Mars followed suit, with the announcement to be making its production more sustainable using the Rain Forest Alliance and Utz certificates. Not for another eleven years though, but still. Verkade in the Netherlands Cadbury and Mars buy 1 billion dollars worth of cocoa beans every year. Mars on its own is responsible for about half the global trade in cocoa. Oxfam Novib has held, as earlier on with Royal Verkade in the Netherlands, extensive critical dialogues with both Cadbury and Mars on their role in the sustainable cocoa chain. With Verkade this has resulted in this producer only selling chocolate made from fair cocoa since October 2008. Relationships The Tropical Commodity Coalition (TCC), an alliance of ten Dutch civil society organisations with the goal to achieve better conditions at the bottom end of the coffee, tea and cocoa chains, and Oxfam Novib published the Cocoa Barometer in 2009. This report uses recent developments in the sector to clarify the relationships in the cocoa chain and how millers and manufacturers could make that chain more sustainable. Sustainability principles TCC presented the Cocoa Barometer 2009 during the second Round Table on Sustainable Cocoa in Trinidad late March. The business sector as well as governments and civil society responded positively. The report takes the debate on sustainability in the cocoa and chocolate industry another step further. At the end of the meeting the Round Table for Sustainable Cocoa Economy (RSCE) the stakeholders adopted the ten sustainability principles in main line. Stakeholders For the next summit, planned in the Netherlands early 2011, the intention is that all stakeholders understand, subscribe and practice these principles. That means that in the most important cocoa producing and consuming countries the different stakeholders start talking to each other, about the role of each in the chain and the financing of implementing the sustainability principles. It is a merit to civil society that all those involved consider it a serious discussion partner. Source: Oxfam Novib, June 26, 2009 Author: Gine Zwart, policy officer Oxfam Novib Network 2009-3 4 Cash grants as relief intervention The Pakistani army’s military offensive against armed religious militants in North West Frontier Province began late April triggered an exodus of well over 2 million women, men and children. Oxfam Novib’s partner the Sungi Development Cash grants increase people’s sense of dignity. Foundation responded - for the first time - with cash grants. Though the Pakistani government and UNHCR have established some camps, around 90 percent of the internally displaced people (IDPs) are staying with host families. Oxfam Novib is currently funding four partner organisations in the response. One of them, Sungi, has opted for cash grants as a relief intervention. As Sungi’s executive director Samina Khan says: “Markets are still functioning in the area. Cash grants give people the opportunity to buy what they think is most relevant. It is important for them to make this decision; it increases their feeling of dignity.” 3,000 households Sungi is planning to provide cash grants to 3,000 IDP households. The households will be selected on the basis of vulnerability, for example women whose husband have died, or families with disabled family members. Sungi aims to reach out to those people other agencies do not reach. Host families are not eligible. Programme co-ordinator Abida Swati explains: “With cash, IDPs are in a better position to exercise their right to choose. Most likely they will use a part of the money as rent for the host families or according to their immediate needs, which are currently still unmet or being provided by the hosts. In that way, the host families indirectly benefit from the programme as well.” High-risk intervention As working with cash grants is a new experience to Sungi and as distributing cash grants is a high-risk intervention, Sungi is planning the programme meticulously. Director of Programme Operations, Manzoor Ahmed Awan, adds: “We have to ensure the security of our staff. Therefore we hope to be able to distribute the money from bank branches. Also, we will not announce the distribution widely, as that might attract the wrong people.” To ensure transparency, accountability and participation Sungi is going to formulate humanitarian accountability management committees made up of representatives of IDPs (men and women), host families and the local government. Furthermore, Sungi is going to monitor the markets. Awan: “If inflation is high, a cash grant may not be appropriate.” Towards the end of the programme, Sungi will study how people have used the cash grant. This will help them gain insight in what the IDPs really needed, which is also useful information for future post-disaster interventions. Source: Oxfam Novib, June 26, 2009 Author: Rixt Bode, programme officer Oxfam Novib Network 2009-3 5 Dreams of Arab Women's NGOs There is a wide diversity in the Arab world when it comes to women’s rights and the interpretation of the Sharia.