Rapid Response Payment Request No. 14/2009
Funds Sent To: Church World Service- Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS-P/A)
Amount Sent: US$ 59,574
Date: October 23, 2009
Details of Response
Emergency: Increased Internal Displacement Due to New Military Offensive in South Waziristan, Pakistan
Date of Emergency: October 17, 2009
Implementing Member/Partner: CWS- P/A with SARHAD
DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY:
The full-scale offensive launched by Pakistan military on October 17 at South Waziristan resulted to a new influx of IDPs. The North West Frontier Province government has registered 106,800 displaced people in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank Districts. South Waziristan has a population of 450,000 and it is estimated that when registration of displaced population is completed, the number of IDPs will increase to approximately 250,000.
To date, a total of six IDPs camps have been reportedly set-up in D.I. Khan and Tank. Five IDP camps have been set up in Nairela, Runhpur, Sheikh Yousaf, Mufti Mehmood and Muryali areas of D.I. Khan and one in Tank.
Due to the security situation in the area, direct access to deliver assistance by UN agencies and international organizations has been denied by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). Owing to insecurity in the area, very few local organizations also are able to operate and provide assistance to the affected population.
ACTIONS TO DATE, AND EMERGENCY NEEDS:
The GoP has distributed cash cards to IDPs at registration points and some other local organizations are distributing food and NFI's. However, with the large influx of IDP's into this area and the limited humanitarian access, shortages in basic relief assistance for the displaced population is expected. IDPs have only been able to carry with them very limited supplies and emergency food rations are a priority.
CWS-P/A has been closely monitoring the new influx of IDPs in the affected area working through its local partner organisation, SARHAD. SARHAD has the capacity and presence through local partners to be able to distribute basic food and non-food relief items, as well as expertise in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)- related activities. CWS P/A is applying to international donors at the national level for funding of NFIs and crisis phase WASH assistance. This RRF request is for complementary crisis phase assistance for one-month's food rations.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
- OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Goal: To minimize the suffering of Internally Displaced Population through provision of emergency food assistance.
Objective: To provide one-month food ration to 675 families currently staying in D.I. Khan within the next six weeks.
- TARGET POPULATION
A total of 675 families who were displaced by the recent military operations in South Waziristan will be provided with the food ration.
Criteria for Beneficiary selection
• Families who were recently displaced by the military operations in South Waziriztan
• IDP's living with host families
• Particular attention will be given to women, widows, children, aged, disabled and vulnerable persons with special needs
- PROPOSED ASSISTANCE
One-month food basic food rations according to SPHERE standards will be provided. The food package consists of:
o 80 kg wheat flour
o 8 kg pulses
o 4.5 liters cooking oil
o 4 kg. sugar
o 400 g tea leaves
o 800 g iodized salt
o 2 kg milk powder*
*The milk powder included in the food package is intended for tea preparation which is customary in Pakistan.
- IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS
The assistance will be implemented by CWS-P/A's partner Support Agency for Rural and Human Association's Development (SARHAD). SARHAD has established strong relationship with local organizations in D.I. Khan, carrying out human institutional training programs and providing support to facilitate various projects in the areas. Currently, SARHAD is facilitating an education project funded by UNICEF, with a local organization in the area.
SARHAD has also worked with CWS-P/A in its emergency response activities for flash flood affected families in Peshawar on 2007.
CWS P/A will work with SARHAD to monitor the displacement and collect updated information of the situation. Identification of beneficiaries will be in close coordination with community-based organizations and local authorities in the area.
Procurement of food items and delivery to pre-identified location will be facilitated by CWS-P/A. Existing policies and guidelines on procurement will be followed. All project activities will be coordinated by SARHAD with the local government authorities to avoid duplication of efforts and to reach the most deserving families.
CWS-P/A, through its Disaster Management Program, will oversee the implementation of the activities under the RRF. The office in Islamabad will directly monitor implementation of the program, while CWS-P/A head office in Karachi will provide support especially on the financial requirements of the project.
All activities of the projects will be carried out keeping in mind SPHERE standards and principles for accountability to the affected population (HAP).
Movement in the target area is very difficult, therefore CWS is giving significant support to SARHAD to facilitate their access to the IDPs working with local organisations in the area.
- COORDINATION
From the ACT Forum members in Pakistan, only CWS-P/A is planning to respond to this emergency. Nevertheless, updates on activities under this response will be regularly shared with other ACT members.
CWS-P/A remains an active member of the UN-led cluster system in Pakistan. At the national level, a CWS-P/A focal person attends meetings regularly to get updates on the situation and to know the activities being carried out by other humanitarian agencies.
At the local level, SARHAD will work closely with the Provincial Relief, rehabilitation and Settlement Authority (PaRRSA) who is entrusted by the government to look into the immediate needs of the population affected by the crisis.
- COMMUNICATIONS
CWS-P/A through its Communication Office shares regular updates on its response activities. Information, along with pictures/documentation of activities will be shared with the ACT Coordinating Office as well as other, I/NGOs, UN and the rest of the international community. CWS-P/A also pro actively collects case studies and human interest stories in the field.
- PLANNED IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD
The distribution of food items will be implemented within 6 weeks. (For detailed table, kindly visit the ACT site. Thank you.)
BUDGET: US$ 59,574
(For detailed table, kindly visit the ACT site. Thank you.)
ACTION
The ACT Co-ordinating Office has approved the use of $59,574 USD from its Rapid Response Fund and would be grateful to receive contributions to wholly or partially replenish this payment. Should there be an appeal for this emergency, the RRF payment will be considered as an advance.
(ends)
ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.
The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
A boy, fleeing a military offensive in South Waziristan, squats as hundreds of other men line up to wait for handouts at a distribution point for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in ...
