Rapid Need Assessment. Report on NWA IDPs Needs in Bannu Conducted by The Awakening & Khwendo Jirga

Transcription

1 Rapid Need Assessment Report on NWA IDPs Needs in Bannu Conducted by The Awakening & Khwendo Jirga Erfaan Hussein Babak Executive Director - "The Awakening" sharing moments of happiness with children IDPs of NWA Address: Near Royal Campus, KhonaChum, SaiduSharif, District Swat, Khyber PukhtoonKhwa, Pakistan Contact Person: Erfaan Hussein Babak Phone: / Info.awkpk@gmail.com Website: RNA (IDPs of NWA) conducted by The Awakening A Society for Social & Cultural Development Page 1

2 Situation Overview The Pakistan military forces have conducted airstrikes much earlier than the launch of full-fledged military operation. The early surgical strikes in February had resulted in displacement of people in the nearby districts of Bannu, DI Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat and Kohat but in between calm prevailed and most of the families returned back. On 15 June, the Pakistan government announced a full-fledged operation, however initial curfew was relaxed. On 18 June 2014, again the curfew was relaxed and people were allowed to leave North Waziristan (NWA). As of 26 June, more than 0.4 million people have been displaced, 74 % of them are children and women. FGDs with men IDPs In order to track the fleeing population, FDMA has established an IDP registration point at SAIDGAI check post on Bannu- Miranshah road and as of 8 July, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) reported the registration of some 833,000 individuals. The verification process expects to remove any registration errors, such as duplications, and provide a more accurate number of those now in displacement. The Awakening has organized a donation/relief camp in district Swat for the war effected IDPs of NWA. Beside this the dedicated and committed team of The Awakening visited Bannu from Swat to get a clear picture of the situation on ground and met with the IDPs, District Administration, Civil Society Organizations. From 7 th July to 9 th July The Awakening conducted focused group discussions and Key informant interviews in Bannu city and the adjacent areas where the IDPs are living within the host communities. Findings A huge majority of the respondents complained about non availability of transport, traffic congestion due to checking on check points, and waiting for long hours in hot weather for registration at Bakakhel in FR Bannu. The harsh hot weather has severely affected women and children, thus causing serious ailments in children and women. Some of the IDPs travelled from Miranshah to Khost (Afghanistan) and then from there to Kurram Agency and then to Bannu. The respondents reported that the lack of transportation has affected specifically children and elderly and persons with disabilities. The average household size was found to be 13; importantly, children constitute 72 percent of the household size, and 90 percent of households are male-headed. Eighty percent of households are registered as IDPs; for the 20 percent who are not registered, the main reasons cited were that there were issues related to women (i.e. families would not bring or send women to registration points), they missed the registration date, or they do not have a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC). The IDPs left their homes in great hurry as they were given short time to leave the area due to military operation in NWA. They travelled on foot for hours to reach Bannu city. Some of them went to Afghanistan. After their registration at Saidgai check post they were given tokens for which they were provided with food rations RNA (IDPs of NWA) conducted by The Awakening A Society for Social & Cultural Development Page 2

3 by WFP and non food items by UNHCR. A camp for the IDPs was installed outside the Banny city but due to hot weather, lack of facilities the IDPs preferred to live with the host communities and schools in Bannu district. During the FGDs and interviews we came to know about the hardships and sufferings of the IDPs. Below are some of the urgent humanitarian needs that are needed on immediate basis to the IDPs. Area of Origin of IDPs Most of the IDPs interviewed belong to different crisis-hit areas of North Waziristan, primarily Miranshah, Mir Ali, Sohail Kaley. Khwendo Jirga meeting women and children to know about the problems they are facing as IDPs Urgent Humanitarian Needs Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Needs: Water and sanitation facilities are immediately needed in and off camps, particularly in schools and hosting communities where IDPs have taken refuge. Health Hygiene kits, Hygiene awareness sessions Need to be conducted on critical WASH related information. Hand Pumps installation, water storage tanks at host communities required IDPs face problems accessing wash facilities in schools. The women and girls have demanded for separate toilets and washrooms. As the men and women are using the same toilets Minor repairs for water and sanitation facilities in schools in Bannu is required. This includes replacement of pipes, removal of latrine blockage, tap replacement and repair, and cleaning of water storage tanks Insecticides and pesticides should be sprayed in the schools as the IDPs sleep on floor and they are bitten by the insects all night. Poor drinking water conditions in schools for IDPs Communication Needs: To know about current situation of war at their homes, registration updates and the process of relief the IDPs must have some source of medium to know and many of them have demanded for RADIOS to know about the current situation of war and the relief activities. Community Restoration Needs: As the IDPs influx is very high in Bannu city so it has caused strained public services. The current public services are over burdened and need immediate support to meet the needs of the IDPs as well as the host communities. Nutrition Needs: Energy biscuits for children are needed Multi- micronutrient sachets and infant feedings are needed Acute malnutrition in children under 5 should be taken care of and also nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women is needed. RNA (IDPs of NWA) conducted by The Awakening A Society for Social & Cultural Development Page 3

4 The women demanded for fresh milk to be provided as they are not used to artificial/powder milk Food Security/Livestock Needs: Food Rations are being distributed by WFP along with its implementing partners. Another major need is for the livestock vaccination and fodder as it was reported that many people have lost their livestock while coming to Bannu. (The livestock either died on way, in war, left in home villages) Shelter & NFIs Needs: Displaced families are requesting additional NFIs, such as clothes, bangles, mehndi for children, elders, women for upcoming EID festival, tents, electric fans, hand fans, solar electric bulbs, emergency lights pillows and beds, Kitchen, gas cylinders, cooking stoves (tandoors for cooking bread/roti) sets. And the most important feeders for the infants so that their mother could feed their infants/small children Women sanitary kits should also be provided Heat powders to save from hot weather are needed Mosquito repellent are needed Education Needs: The Awakening aims to reach some 8,000 children, which is 10 per cent of the total displaced children. Educational supplies are needed such as school tents, school bags, books, stationery- school-in- box, recreational kits, tents, seating mats, tarpaulin, and teaching and learning material to schools in the camp and in the IDP hosting areas. Also there is a need to build the capacity of Government teachers, Parent-Teacher Committees and School Management Committees on various topics including teaching in an emergency, psychosocial support and life-skills-based education. Cash grant for school going children should be arranged so that their parents could afford their children school expenses Child Friendly Spaces should be established where children could play and get tuition to read and learn Recreational facilities are none at the host communities so there is a need for sports kits for children to play The schools are currently used as shelters by the IDPs and it has affected the school infrastructure, facilities, furniture, teaching and learning material. Health Needs: Psycho social support for mothers and children is required Random sampling for water quality testing from various water sources Chlorination of water is needed to avoid water borne diseases Bed nets and mosquito repellents are urgently needed. Baby Foods are required (Cerelac, Lactogens etc) Life-saving medicines and medical supplies are needed in the IDP hosting districts including Mother and Child Health (MnCH) and Reproductive Health (RH) services. The health facilities (Infrastructure, Human Resource) are not sufficient for providing relief to the IDPs Health promotion: health and hygiene awareness, water quality monitoring and control. Vaccination for vaccine-preventable diseases and health education sessions in displacement areas. RNA (IDPs of NWA) conducted by The Awakening A Society for Social & Cultural Development Page 4

5 Lack of appropriate healthcare for pregnant and lactating mothers; Emergency Health Kits Prickly Heat powders to save from hot weather is needed Delivery Kits Diarrhoeal Disease Kits MnCH and RH stocks Manual chlorination of drinking water sources Mobile clinics and hospitals are needed Protection Needs: (General Protection) IDPs have also demanded for an increase in the registration, verification by NADRA and distribution points for swift relief actions. Grievance Desks and Social Services Desks should be increased Many have lost their basic identity documents (CNIC, Form B) property papers, education documents. The IDPs living in host communities are not aware of any grievance desk or complaint center. The one center which is established by the government is irrigation department office is in Cantt. Area and is very much far away from the IDPs. Also when we visited that complaint office on 11:30 am it was closed and no staff member was present there. The people gathered outside were waiting from 7:00 am to get their voice heard. They claimed that two children have died of hot weather and the electricity transformer is out of order for the past 4 days. The main concerns for elderly include lack of general assistance, Persons with disabilities, major concerns include no specialized services lack of psychosocial support, lack of general assistance and lack of assistive devices IDP lack the information on government and humanitarian assistance remains a concern. IDPs without CNICs are facing problems in obtaining new CNICs due to NADRA's lack of additional capacity at the registration centres. The IDPs also shared that NADRA mobile vans should be increased for rapid results The quality of the registration slip should be improved as it is very hot weather and the slip in the pockets sometimes tear away with sweats and the pen writings fade away. The IDPs also said that the ration is provided on fake CNICs. (Child Protection) There is a need to establish child-friendly spaces for monitoring, identification, response and referral, mine risk education The registration of orphans should be done on priority basis During the FGDs with the children they shared that their dreams and wishes are shattered with this war. A child shared that he has lost his pet dog and miss it alot (named Mazley). Another child shared that he misses his parrot, another kid was weeping for his grapes garden where he and his friends used to play. That garden is destroyed by the war. (GBV) There is a need to establish a women-friendly spaces for Gender Based Violence identification, response, monitoring and referral, Widows/Women headed households are facing problems in registration and are not allowed by men of their community to come to the registration or distribution point to get relief. There should be separate distribution and registration point for women. FGDs with children IDPs RNA (IDPs of NWA) conducted by The Awakening A Society for Social & Cultural Development Meetings with women and Page girl 5 IDPs

6 There are many women girls with disabilities who require urgent support. Support people with disabilities and elderly including provision of basic assistive devices and basic advices on independent living and access to information The women and girls shared that their PARDAH has been broken when they came out of their homes. Meetings with IDPs "The Awakening" dedicated and committed staff members working day and night to meet with the IDPs and helping them Ms. Tabssum Adnan Leader of Da Khwendo Jirga (The first ever women jirga in the history of Pakistan and Pashtun Culture meeting with IDPs women and girls Visited AC Bannu office for updates and data collection IDPs at the government complaint cell in irrigation department office protesting - there was no one to listen to their grievences RNA (IDPs of NWA) conducted by The Awakening A Society for Social & Cultural Development Page 6

7 RNA (IDPs of NWA) conducted by The Awakening A Society for Social & Cultural Development Page 7 Notice pasted by the elders of the NWA IDPs Warning women not to come to the distribution points