PAKISTAN HUMANITARIAN CRISES ANALYSIS 2016

Transcription

1 PAKISTAN HUMANITARIAN CRISES ANALYSIS 2016 Each year, Sida conducts a humanitarian allocation exercise in which a large part of its humanitarian budget is allocated to emergencies worldwide. This allocation takes place in the beginning of the year as to ensure predictability for humanitarian organisations and to allow for best possible operational planning. In an effort to truly adhere to the humanitarian principles Sida bases its allocation decisions on a number of objective indicators of which the most important are related to the number of affected people, vulnerability of affected people and level of funding in previous years. One of the indicators is also related to forgotten crises in order to ensure sufficient funding also to low profile crises. Besides this initial allocation, another part of the humanitarian budget is set aside as an emergency reserve for sudden onset emergencies and deteriorating humanitarian situations. This reserve allows Sida to quickly allocate funding to any humanitarian situation throughout the year, including additional funding to Pakistan. For 2016, the Pakistan crisis is allocated an initial 80 MSEK in January Close monitoring on Pakistan will follow throughout the year for potential additional funds. 1. CRISIS OVERVIEW 1.1 Introduction to the crisis, conflict and natural disasters Pakistan faces several security challenges both within its borders and with its eastern and western neighbours. The tribal zone along the Afghan border hosts a range of armed groups, some with global jihadist agendas. Government and the Pakistan military efforts to combat non-state armed actors have caused large-scale population movement and long-term displacement for many families. On its western border, Pakistan has hosted over 1.54 million Afghan refugees during Afghanistan s almost four decades of conflict and this have resulted in one of the largest refugee crisis in the world. Since 2008, more than 5 million people have been displaced from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While many have returned, as of September 2015 an estimated 1.22 million people were still displaced. Humanitarian needs assessments indicate that an estimated one third of IDPs do not have access to clean drinking water and two-thirds cannot afford to buy enough food to meet their basic needs. Poor feeding patterns have been exacerbated by the crisis, increasing already high rates of malnutrition among IDPs and host communities Due to its geographical location, Pakistan faces a variety of natural hazards, such as monsoon rains, earthquakes, cyclones, tropical storms, snowfall and landslides. Starting from 2010, over 37 million people have been affected by floods that have damaged or destroyed more than 3 million houses, and displaced more than 17 million people. In 2015 alone, 1.6 million people were affected by floods followed by the Afghanistan/Pakistan earthquake in October Geographical areas and affected population In 2015, humanitarian needs in Pakistan were mainly related to IDPs, refugees, children and women requiring nutrition support, and increasingly IDPs returning to FATA. The Government plans to facilitate the return of the remaining 1.2 million IDPs to FATA by the end of 2016, including to areas with particularly poor access to health, education and WASH services. As a result, the focus of the humanitarian needs in the IDP complex emergency is expected to increasingly shift towards those IDPs who have and will returned to FATA. As focus is shifting towards returnees, it is crucial not to forget that KP at the moment is still hosting approximately 2 million IDPs in host communities. With 1.54 million registered Afghan refugees, Pakistan hosts the world s largest protracted refugee population. Many of these refugees have lived in the country for more than 35 years, with the majority (74 per cent) being the second or third generation born in Pakistan. The demographic is particularly young, with 64 per cent children or youth (24 years and below). Most of the afghan refugees live in refugee villages and close to 60 per cent live in urban and rural host communities in KP, Baluchistan and Punjab provinces. Pakistan has the third largest caseload (3.3 million) of acutely under-nourished children in the world. The Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 15.1% in Pakistan is classified as critical as per the WHO emergency threshold and represents one of the highest world-wide. Alarmingly high nutritional and food insecurity trends persist in the disasterprone province of Sindh. 72% of the population there are food insecure and 1 million children acutely undernourished, of whom suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM). In rural Sindh, GAM rates of over 20% are routine, with spikes to over 25% in districts systematically affected by floods, and with high concentrations of marginalised and disadvantaged communities. Nutritional vulnerabilities also remain critical in the conflict affected regions of KP, FATA and Baluchistan. 1

2 Most vulnerable group Protection monitoring and community outreach teams are insufficient to continuously capture the specific needs of women, children, older persons, persons with disability and other groups with specific protection risks to feed into protection mainstreamed interventions across the clusters. Children constitute approximately 53 per cent of registered IDPs and returnees and are the most vulnerable and in need of support to access community-based child protection mechanisms. Approximately 73 per cent of key informants reported that displaced families in their community face problems obtaining assistance. The most common problem (31 per cent) is the lack of documentation, namely having a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC). The lack of a CNIC is the major barrier for getting registered which is the entry point for government assistance. Accelerating the acquisition of a CNIC and extending support to extremely vulnerable families prior to registration is urgently needed. Women who have no CNICs are excluded from humanitarian response as they cannot be registered as IDPs. Without access to humanitarian assistance these young women and girls are not protected and more vulnerable to Gender-Based Violence (GBV). In addition, there are an estimated 2-3 million Afghans living in the country un-registered and thus un-protected. 1.3 Risks and threats The most prominent risk and threat to the provision of humanitarian assistance is the lack of or delayed access to affected areas and the risk of protection projects being denied NOCs (Non objective Certificate). Access for humanitarian organizations to operate independently and where the needs are greatest is increasingly restricted. The clearance process by the different government departments at federal and provincial level takes time, particularly to obtain Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and project and travel NOCs, negatively impacting the ability of humanitarian organisations to deliver emergency assistance to vulnerable communities. The average processing time for NOCs in for example KP is 60 days. Insecurity hinders humanitarian actors in entering areas to provide assistance. Pakistan has the fifth highest number of attacks against aid workers in the world. The neutrality of humanitarian staff members has eroded with continued attacks against aid workers, particularly against polio workers. Humanitarian space and the environment for relief organizations to operate under the humanitarian principles, is unpredictable and challenging. Other threats and risks that may affect the provision of assistance in 2016, is for example increased involvement of military actors into humanitarian space, government capacity, decreasing donor funding and of course the high risk of corruption. According to Transparency International (TI), Pakistan ranks 126 out of 175. Strategic objectives identified in the Humanitarian Strategic Plan According to the HSP, the total financial requirements to meet the humanitarian needs for 2016 are 442 MUS. People in need and targeted are the same as in 2015 that is 3, 6 million. 2. IN COUNTRY HUMANITARIAN CAPACITIES 2.1 National and local capacities and constraints Government In the last few years, the Government has been reluctant to adopt the cluster approach as a mechanism to support natural disaster responses. Although the Government doesn t request international assistance through a launch of an international appeal, they have requested bilateral assistance and in-kind support. In 2007, the Government established a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at the federal level to deal with disaster management activities. In April 2010, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution devolved disaster management to the provinces. Since then there has been limited implementation and resourcing of required measures to fully enact the Provincial Disaster Management Authority s (PDMA) capacity throughout the country. The Government, however, is aware they are the primary responders to a crisis and have acted so when needed. While there are weaknesses in the national disaster management system it has demonstrated effective planning, resource mobilization and response capacities in relation to monsoon hazards. The Armed Forces also provide relief response activities and is often the primary actor called to support civilian authorities in natural disasters. In 2015, for example, the Government responded to monsoon floods and the Afghanistan/Pakistan earthquake of magnitude 7.5 without requesting international support. Civil Society NGOs, local, national and international along with community-based organizations, operate in the hundreds throughout Pakistan. The National Humanitarian Network (NHN) serves as the national NGO forum with a secretariat in Islamabad and provincial chapters. The Red Crescent has branches in each province and district. The role of national NGOs and civil society as some of the first responders and critical actors in responding to humanitarian disasters is recognized and crucial in any response. However, 2015 has been a difficult year, especially for many INGOs who since 1 October 2015 is in the process of applying for fresh registration through a web-based form, decided by the Ministry of Interior as the Government of Pakistan launched its policy for regulation of 2

3 international NGOs in Pakistan. It is worth mentioning that 60% of the implementing partners 2015 to the CBPF were local NGOs. International operational capacities and constraints The cluster approach has been in place in Pakistan since 2009, and was first rolled out in Although the cluster system was deactivated in Pakistan in January 2014 except in KP and FATA, the sector approach is still in operation to respond to existing and new emergencies in other parts of Pakistan. The HCT, composed of UN and national and international NGOs, provides strategic direction at the national level for country-wide coordination. The Intercluster/sector Coordination Mechanism (ICCM) is operational at the provincial level for timely technical discussions and to coordinate humanitarian response. At the national level, sector coordinators meet at the monthly National Humanitarian Coordination Mechanism (NHCM) to coordinate and share information. The Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF) serves as the international NGO forum with a secretariat in Islamabad and provincial chapters. 3. SIDAs HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE PLAN During 2015 the following strategic partners and amounts of humanitarian support for Pakistan was provided by Sida. In addition, some organisation, received funding through the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) during 2015 responding to emergency s concerning floods and the Afghanistan/Pakistan earthquake. SIDA s HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN 2015 Recommended partner for Sida support Sector/focus of work (incl. Proposed amount integrated or multi sectorial programming ) OCHA Coordination 2 OCHA CBPF FATA, KP ( 28 MSEK disbursed December 2014) 45 UNHCR Protection/Afghan refugees 7 UNICEF Child Protection/Nutrition 10+7,3 ACF Nutrition 9,2 RRM 5 NRC WASH, Food Security Islamic Relief WASH 7 RRM ICRC IHL, health 5 IRC RRM 3 TOTAL: SEK (exkl. RRM:93,2MSEK) Response Priorities 2016 Based on the above and in accordance with the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) 2016 and DG ECHO Humanitarian Implementation Plan (HIP) for Pakistan 2016 Sida will geographical prioritize KP, FATA, Sindh and Baluchistan. Sida will in addition prioritize a multi sectorial approach in its respond and prioritize cash assistance when possible: a) Protection - conflict and natural disasters, protracted displacement, and repeated cycles of renewed displacement and return, all exacerbate IDPs vulnerabilities and the need to strengthen protection. Access to basic services remains a concern as it is often linked to the IDPs legal status and documentation, making the situation of IDPs precarious, especially women. Ensuring protection with a particular attention to the social groups most at risk in a holistic fashion with strengthened and effective referral mechanisms is critical. b) Food security/nutrition- at national level, the overall burden of acute under-nutrition is significant. Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) affects particularly the severely disadvantaged rural communities of Sindh that face the most significant humanitarian risk from consecutive flooding as well as conflict affected IDPs and host populations in KP and FATA. c) WASH- Many hosting areas already had non-functional water systems, lack of proper sanitation and a low awareness of appropriate hygiene. This situation has been exacerbated by the influx of IDPs into these areas. An estimated half of drinking water supply schemes in return areas are not functional or have been totally destroyed by years of insecurity and lack of maintenance. Latrine coverage in return areas is very low and open defecation is common both in areas of return and displacement, heightening the risk of water-borne disease and sexual exploitation and abuse especially of women and girls. 3

4 d) Coordination and IHL - the complex nature of the different crises in Pakistan demand concerted efforts on coordination and the adherence and application of humanitarian principles in response actions by humanitarian organizations. Ensuring neutral, impartial and independent actions is fundamental to ensure the safe delivery of assistance to the civilian population and the safety of the humanitarian workers. Partners OCHA: Pakistan is a difficult operational context, and relationship between the humanitarian community and the GoP is complex. In this OCHA has since a few years been able to be both a principled and constructive force, providing essential services in the core areas of coordination. It is recommended to contribute to OCHA with 2 MSEK. OCHA/PHPF: The Pakistan Humanitarian Pooled Fund was activated in September 2010 to provide international and national NGOs and UN agencies with rapid and flexible funding to respond to the floods. The PHPF is considered a good tool for Sida to provide quick and flexible funding which can be accessed by local NGOs (60% during 2015), enabling them to maintain field presence in a deteriorating security-environment. The international community continues to engage in a dialogue with OCHA to improve the functioning of the fund and OCHA has appointed a person who will exclusively work with the civ/mil relations in order to fasten up the speed of the process of obtaining NOCs. Another issue to be raised is how the PHPF can ensure that protection is mainstreamed and highlight GBV. It is recommended to support this funding mechanism with 37 MSEK. UNHCR: UNHCR is the primary agency supporting the 1.54 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan as well as IDPs from the ongoing security operations in FATA and KP. UNHCR has been providing protection and humanitarian assistance to IDPs under the UN Cluster Approach since UNHCR are lead in the Protection, Emergency and non-shelter, NFI and CCCM clusters. It is suggested to contribute to UNHCR for their work with 10 MSEK. UNICEF: UNICEF is a global partner of Sida and a key participant, and highly rated actor, in the sectors Protection and Health. The organization has a national presence and a vast network of implementing partners. UNICEF works with providing Protective Learning and Community Emergency Services (PLaCES) for children and women affected by humanitarian crises with safe spaces in communities and camps where they could access a range of services including psychosocial support, life skills, mine risk education, humanitarian and rights-based information, and facilitated referrals. The provision of separate, private spaces for adolescent girls and women made it possible to reach this particular group whose mobility may be limited by social and cultural norms. It is recommended to contribute to these activities with 7 MSEK. ACF: For the last 30 years, a serious under-nutrition situation has persisted across Pakistan. Recent ACF SMART surveys within the province of Sindh have found GAM rates over 20%. Food insecurity and poor access to water and sanitation are key causal factors in the deteriorated situation. The overall objective is to enhance the nutritional status of the vulnerable population by supporting treatment programs, nutritious food intake, water access and disease prevention through integrated nutrition sensitive approaches, with sustained impact through capacity building and advocacy. Target population in the district Matiari in Sindh are malnourished children under 5 through treatment and pregnant and lactating women (PLWs) and caretakers of children between 6-24 months through infant and young child feeding practices (IYCF) training and education. Sida recommend to support these activities with 5 MSEK. NRC: The overall objective for NRC 2016 is to provide integrated humanitarian assistance and contribute to resilience and durable solutions in the transitional context. NRC will focus on Afghan refugees as a target group in Balochistan. NRC will with Sida funding work within the sector of food security and WASH by providing market oriented vocational skills training and business start-up toolkit to vulnerable Afghan youth as well as water and hygiene awareness raising trainings. Sida propose to support these activities with 5 MSEK. Islamic Relief: IR has for several years been supported for WASH interventions in flood-affected areas in Baluchistan. This is one of the usually affected areas, with few other actors. Approx. 67% of the population is at risk due to use of unsafe water for drinking purposes while appropriate sanitation facilities are available to only 32% of the population in the district Chagai. The overall objective is to contribute towards community resilience and sustainable delivery of Water, Sanitation & Hygiene services in Chaghi districts. The proposed project will focus on benefiting female community members as they are the most vulnerable. Sida propose a support of 4 MSEK. ICRC: Sida will support ICRC in its activities related to IHL and the humanitarian principles and to the health component as stated in the application. Moreover and given the problem of access and perceived neutrality and acceptance in the conflict areas of Pakistan, the unique role and standing of Red Cross and Red Crescent movement should be supported in order to reach as many of people in need as possible. Sida propose to allocate 10 MSEK. 4

5 SIDA s HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN 2016 Recommended partner for Sida support Sector/focus of work (incl. Proposed amount integrated or multi sectorial programming ) OCHA Coordination 2 OCHA CBPF FATA, KP 37 UNHCR Protection/Afghan refugees 10 UNICEF Child Protection/Nutrition 7 ACF Nutrition 5 NRC WASH, Food Security 5 Islamic Relief WASH 4 ICRC IHL, health 10 TOTAL: 80 MSEK Sources HNO OCHA,Transparency International,DG ECHO,Pakistan National Database and Registration Authority 5