UNITED NATIONS. Office of the UN Resident / Humanitarian Coordinator Humanitarian Bulletin No. 6 Georgia. 19 March 16 April 2009

Transcription

1 UNITED NATIONS Office of the UN Resident / Humanitarian Coordinator Humanitarian Bulletin No. 6 Georgia 19 March 16 April Coordination and Humanitarian Response in Georgia 1.1 SHELTER AND NON FOOD ITEMS Lead Agency: UNHCR The Government of Georgia assigned the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation (MRA) as coordinator for the self-privatization process for shelter. Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Justice (with Civil and Public Registry agencies), and Abkhazian Government and Supreme Council in exile play significant roles. MRA will identify state-owned collective centres suitable for accommodating the old caseload of IDPs and send the list to the Civil Registry Agency (CRA) to start privatization process and to Municipal Development Fund (MDF) to start renovation works. UNHCR was asked to assist with renovation works of the collective centres located outside Tbilisi. GTZ and German Embassy presented progress on construction of a new settlement in Gori suburb consisting of 300 houses. Each house is 50 m2 with indoor bathrooms, is supplied with gas, electricity, water and boilers and is connected to the town sewage system. Each house costs 40,000 GEL. The Government will allocate funds for purchasing furniture for each family. MRA has identified potential beneficiaries, although the final decision will be made by a committee consisting of the representatives of MRA, German Embassy and Members of Parliament. The decision will be soon as the plan is to involve beneficiary families in the construction process (some 20 IDPs are already being trained in masonry and carpentry work). 1.2 FOOD SECURITY Lead Agency: WFP, FAO Since the onset of the emergency operation WFP, in partnership with the Georgian Government and NGOs (World Vision, CARE, IOCC, Save the Children), has distributed to displaced and conflictaffected people 8,560 tons of food commodities. NGOs have provided complementary food rations. The April food distribution round is ongoing for IDPs accommodated in communal centres and new settlements, as well as returnees and other vulnerable populations in the adjacent area. The round will provide a 30-day ration for an estimated 85,000 beneficiaries. The third, and last round of direct cash distribution for IDPs in collective centres and resettlement areas will be made at the end of April. During first two transfers, 28,000 beneficiaries have received a total of 1.28 million GEL. Cash-for-Work projects for IDPs located in eleven settlements have been approved. The projects aim at rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage channels, as well as the fencing of the houses. WFP will discontinue general food distribution in the adjacent area at the end of April and will start supporting most vulnerable small scale farmers with community asset rehabilitation works. FAO completed its feed project on March 31, covering 127 villages. There are still drugs for cows to be distributed and some de-worming activities to be performed. 35 troughs were provided to 8 villages. FAO and its partner organizations (IOCC, Care, World Vision) will distribute seeds and conduct trainings. FAO is planning an irrigation study and is looking for hydrologists and irrigation system engineers to assess the existing situation. The survey will examine existing structures and inventory and look for alternative sources to make the systems more effective, sustainable and less costly. 1

2 1.3 WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH) Lead Agency: UNICEF UNICEF s Programme on Emergency Response to WASH needs of conflict-affected people in Georgia continues in partnership with ACF and IRC. The programme will be implemented until end of July The programme intends to further enhance the water and sanitation committees in new settlements and collective centres and provide seed funding to small-scale quick fixes and repairs of water and sanitation infrastructure. ICRC, and UNDP and IRC, in partnership with UNHCR, are finalising preparations for construction of bathing facilities in 8 settlements. The action is coordinated with MRA via the WASH Cluster. Distribution of hygiene kits to conflict-affected populations, primarily IDPs in settlements and collective centres, has been completed by all agencies within the cluster and no new stocks are available for further distribution. UNICEF, in partnership with IRC and ACF and in coordination with the Government (MRA), began, on April 1, 2009, a comprehensive study of current WASH conditions in all new settlements in Georgia and collective centres in Shida Kartli. The study aims to identify key problems of accessing safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene, and will provide technical analysis of possible solutions, including projected costs. Expected duration of this activity is 5 7 weeks, with preliminary findings expected to be systematised by beginning of May UNICEF continues to work with WASH Cluster Agencies on identification of gaps in hygiene kit distributions in new settlements and collective centres. The aim of this action is to determine the needs for hygiene consumables until end of summer LOGISTICS Lead Agency: WFP UNHCR has distributed almost all of its stocks of foldable beds and mattresses. Since August 2008 UNHCR has distributed foldable beds and mattresses, 3000 cotton mattress, 8000 foam mattresses, 4300 electric heaters, blankets and pillows, 200 Electric heaters, thermos, jerry cans, hot water rubber bottles. IOCC completed distribution of blankets and health kits in Kareli and Khashuri collective centres. Health kits were distributed in Tserovani collective centre. Save the Children has 42mt of NFIs stored in Tbilisi Interagency warehouse to be distributed by 20 April. 1.5 HEALTH Lead Agency: WHO WHO organized Health Sector regional coordination meetings in Kutaisi and Zugdidi on March. Main concerns reported by the regional partners were: the influx from patients from Abkhazia seeking medical treatment; and confusion about the costs and benefits of the new health insurance plan. On April 7, WHO celebrated global World Health Day (WHD). This year the WHD was dedicated to the theme "Save lives. Make hospitals safe in emergencies," focusing on the safety of hospitals and emergency preparedness. CLARITAS and UMCOR distributed humanitarian aid to 251 IDP children, their family members and pregnant women in Kutaisi, Telavi, adjacent area and Tbilisi. Global Initiative on Psychology (GIP) Tbilisi received funding from the U.S. Embassy for its project on fostering war-affected communities psychosocial well-being, mobilization and healing. GIP - Tbilisi will support 3 new IDP settlements in Gori district by promoting psychosocial coping mechanisms and healing process through extensive capacity building, facilitating community-based organizations, networking, meaningful actions and events. The project will result in mobilization of traumatized communities, increased participation and ownership, strengthened stance for IDP rights and advancing the psychosocial well-being of individuals and communities. UNFPA/Georgia reproductive health (RH) mobile team continues to support IDPs in the Shida Kartli Region by responding to RH health needs and addressing the critical gaps in delivery of quality RH services (including emergency RH services) to conflict-affected population. Gori Mobile team 2

3 assisted over 1,545 IDPs women in 34 locations of Gori, Kareli, Khashuri and Kaspi districts since November The mobile team consists of 3 RH service providers and 1 social worker, and it is adequately equipped to serve the targeted population. It also provides counseling, contraceptives, IEC material on Sexual and Reproductive health and sexual gender based violence (SGBV) issues free of charge. The goal is to support prevention and basic response measure on SGBV and to connect victims of SGBV to existing services, including health care services. International Organization for Migration (IOM) is preparing to implement the psychosocial rehabilitation programme for IDPs settled in Tbilisi and IDP settlements located in the outskirts of town. Caritas Georgia continues its home care service project. Caritas home care staff has been providing services to patients and extremely vulnerable individuals (EVIs) residing in host families and collective centers in Tbilisi, Gori and Gori district villages. In addition, two project psychologists provided psycho-social assistance and medical services to the project beneficiaries in Tbilisi and Gori. Caritas Georgia works in close collaboration with the primary healthcare institutions funded and established by the state. Caritas carried out a total of 1,030 visits in Tbilisi: 510 visits to the home care patients and 520 visits to the EVIs. Also, 267 visits were carried out for the bedridden patients and 243 to the disabled patients. In Gori and Gori district villages Caritas staff visited 597,423 home care patients, among which 233 were bedridden, 190 disabled and 174 EVIs. Moreover, project psychologists provided individual and family consultations, as well as individual and group therapy sessions. Within the framework of provision of humanitarian assistance, Caritas distributed drugs, diapers, bedding, crutches, walkers and glucometers to the project beneficiaries, based on the regular needs assessment. Gaps and Planning: IOM is planning to conduct a training course at the end of May, aimed at expanding theoretical and practical knowledge of IOM mobile team, comprised of psychologists and social workers, as well as the primary health workers. IOM is starting cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MoLHSA) and other international organizations to involve trained primary health workers in training sessions to be conducted in May. WHO is planning to organize regular Health Sector regional coordination meetings in western cities of Georgia at the end of April. WHO also plans to regularly conduct monitoring visits to IDP settlements and work sites of the Health Cluster partner organisations. 1.6 PROTECTION Lead Agency: UNHCR On 6 April UNICEF and UNHCR signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Civil Register Agency (Ministry of Justice) launching a new jointly sponsored project Registration and Naturalization for Enhanced Access to Social Services and Protection. Project aims at improving the Civil Registry data (archives of civil acts registration) and promoting protection of human rights. It covers six regions (Sagarejo, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, Guria, Ajara and Panksisi) and identifies beneficiaries (general population, IDPs, refugees and stateless people) through local administration and door-to-door activities, processing applications for registration of undocumented children and adults, processing documents for naturalization, providing legal advice free of charge, and raising awareness among the population of concern. UNHCR continues its monitoring and protection activities in Shida Kartli. Main concerns are related to community infrastructure (including sanitation, gas, community centres, etc) and access to public services (e.g. health clinics, shops, pharmacies). Income generation and livelihood also remain key challenges. At the same time, UNHCR continues monitoring returnees conditions and is analyzing data from some 22 villages. A mission was conducted to Prezeti new settlement to better understand the situation in Akhalgori. Preparation is ongoing for a lessons-learned workshop on Extremely Vulnerable Individuals (EVIs) to be held on 16 April. A draft outline of Standard Operating Procedures for EVIs has been drawn up. UNHCR carried out NFI gap assessment in collective centres in Gori town. UNHCR continues to advocate for suspending privatization process of collective centres until after consensus is reached with families concerning rehabilitation standards (including minimum living conditions / space). UNHCR will also provide legal implementing partners to keep IDPs informed about the entire process and 'purchase agreement' as well as to distribute brochures, leaflets and posters. Individual counselling will be available as required. UNHCR initiated creation of a Working Group on privatization (which meets regularly every Wednesday) with Ministry of Justice, MRA and DRC, as well as Legal Aid NGOs (ECLA and GYLA) under their umbrellas. 3

4 Under UNHCR s leadership the WG has reviewed and revised the draft privatization agreement to include: possibility of joint ownership between spouses; additional legal safeguards, and clarification about property rights. The WG also finalized an information brochure for IDPs explaining the legalities around the purchase agreement in an easily understandable language. UNHCR has been informed that around 30% of interviewed IDP families do not wish to be involved in privatization of their accommodation and request alternative durable housing solutions. MRA is unsure how to handle this issue and UNHCR will need to undertake intensive protection work. Fieldwork for the assessment of the Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) has been completed. According to the selection criteria (geographical distribution, type of location and implementing organisation), 28 of the 84 Child Friendly Spaces were visited. The review assessed the CFS quality, participation, relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability, and will provide recommendations regarding the same. In addition, it will provide ideas for transition of CFS to sustainable community services when appropriate. Agencies involved in this effort include Caritas, Charity Humanitarian Centre Abkhazeti (CHCA), Elisabeth Gast Foundation, IRC, Kartlosi, Save the Children, Terre des Hommes, UNICEF, and World Vision. Education on Explosive Remnants of War, implemented by Halo Trust with the Ministry of Education and Sciences with UNICEF s support, has come to an end. 180 schools were targeted in Shida Kartli and 40,000 students benefited from the initiative. Teachers have mainstreamed the module in their daily teaching activities. TOT training for Sakrebulo level local coordinators and trainers of the Child Protection Referral System is completed. Piloting is going on both at the Sakrebulo and village level. A presentation on the system was held with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, during which participants expressed their interest in and full approval of the initiative. Expansion of training of teachers on crisis psychology to 20 additional schools in Kareli, Kaspi and Gori and 7 kindergartens in Gori city has begun. The methodology will be the one adopted in 2008 by UNICEF and MoES with the support of the Estonian Government. In addition, the Public Defender s Office (PDO) s Child Rights Centre will be undertaking training of 30 teachers in 15 schools in Khashuri on symptoms of shocks and stress. This initiative will be implemented with UNICEF s support and in coordination with the MoES. The contents of the training will be based on a module provided to 10 psychologists by the Centre of Crisis Psychology in Bergen, Norway and will be harmonised with in those of UNICEF/MoES/Estonia training. The Sub-Group on Gender Equality Issues receives regular up-dates on the main findings of the UNIFEM/OHCHR recruited Observers/Analysts regarding IDP and other conflict affected citizens rights (with particular focus on women). Among other issues the group members agreed that access to information about available healthcare and social services is one of the biggest gaps that IDP and conflict affected citizens face. The Group is in the process of designing an information campaign to address this gap. The Sub-group has provided final inputs to the gender leaflet elaborated jointly with EUMM that will be distributed by the EU monitors in the conflict affected regions. The leaflet contains information about different organizations providing services to individuals facing domestic violence, being at risk of trafficking, in need of psychological and legal counselling; it also covers general information and referral on how to exercise their rights better. The third tranche of the Ministry of Education s 100GEL subsidy destined to IDP children has not been processed. Therefore, some children have not received the allowance, and some organisations report that in a few cases, the same child has received the support twice. The MoES has provided the names of IDP children that had not received the subsidy to MRA but no further progress has been made. Follow-up is being ensured by the sub cluster. Organisations implementing Child Friendly Spaces are working on assessing which spaces will be moving toward an exit strategy and which have a chance of transitioning into sustainable services. There are some concerns about security in a few of the villages close to South Ossetia, where sub cluster member organisations operate Child Friendly Spaces. Pkhvenisi, Nikozi, Variani, Mereti, Variani and Plavi have recently reported incidents about shootings or explosive remnants of war contamination. In Pkhvenisi the occupation of the school by a special army force in charge of demining has caused the temporary interruption of the CFS activities. Transport between schools and settlements still remains a concern in some locations. The sub cluster has agreed to continue functioning with the same actors and the same frequency even after March 31, since activities will be continuing in adjacent areas with IDP children at least until the summer. There is a possibility that the frequency of meetings is reduced and that new child protection and education actors that are not working on the emergency are also included in the future. 4

5 1.7 LIVELIHOOD AND GOVERNANCE Lead Agency: UNDP Economic livelihood activities are ongoing, such as vocational education trainings, income generating activities (e.g. cash for work, distribution of professional toolkits, micro finance projects), governance assistance to the municipalities in Shida Kartli and small rehabilitation and infrastructure works. The response level to an invitation for business support proposals was low and the quality of the received applications was poor. This raised the issue of how to best to design projects that can support business initiatives. A concern was discussed with regard to the absence of serious investments in improving livelihood opportunities of new settlements and some of the villages in the adjacent area; if conditions do not improve and people lose income generating perspectives, majority of them will move back to Tbilisi by September 2009, thus seriously aggravating the situation. During the recovery phase the livelihood and governance cluster will concentrate on, but will not be limited too, following components: 1) vocational education; 2) small infrastructure and rehabilitation; 3) good governance; 4) income generation; and 5) land access. Other issues will be discussed to when brought up by the partners. Livelihood and governance issues are significantly different in the new settlements and the villages in the adjacent area. Therefore the Cluster will try to develop some strategies for different type of categories of new settlements and villages to better target specific needs. 2.0 Humanitarian Funding At the close of Flash Appeal, total funding directed towards projects in the Flash Appeal stands at $73,5 million contributed or committed (covering 63.6% of the revised Flash Appeal requirements amounting to $115.7 million). A further $780,660 of uncommitted pledges is reported on the OCHA Financial Tracking Service. A total of $141.3 million humanitarian funding (inside and outside the Flash Appeal) has been reported. 3.0 Contacts Office of the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator Tbilisi Georgia Ms. Tamar Japaridze, Humanitarian Affairs Analyst, Tel: , tamar.japaridze@undp.org.ge (through April 30) Website: 5