1. General Overview

Government led security operations against militants in KP and FATA has resulted in significant population movement over the past four years. Displacement from Khyber Agency is the most recent and urgent humanitarian crisis to develop consequently. Save the Children has launched its response in KP and is taking a leading role in addressing needs of vulnerable IDPs from Khyber Agency.

The humanitarian needs of the IDP population are increasing, these are compounded by the fact that temperatures have soared during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Families are struggling to survive as they continue to live in cramped conditions with very little food to go around. Increased power outages nationwide have further exacerbated the situation and families are doing without electricity for 16-20 hours every day in most areas. Recent food shortages have resulted in WFP announcing that food baskets given out as part of their food distribution initiatives will decrease.

According to UN OCHA, about 90 percent of more than 52,000 families displaced from Khyber Agency since January 2012 are staying with host communities in Peshawar, Nowshera and Kohat districts. Many of the displaced children in Peshawar are not going to school. Access to basic services and facilities is challenging for the many vulnerable families who have been displaced. Local authorities have requested support from the humanitarian community to assist in meeting the unmet needs. The scope of this support includes: reception and protection of new IDPs; support for large numbers of IDPs in camps and among host communities; managing return and enabling re-settling populations inside FATA to re-establish their livelihoods and meet basic needs. Save the Children is taking the lead in addressing the needs of non-camp Khyber IDPs in Peshawar and Nowshera districts.

Key Advocacy Messages:

• Over 90% of new IDPs are staying off-camp, living in rented spaces or with host families. As most IDPs are women and children who belong to a conservative culture; they are unwilling or unable to live in camps and many are unable to access relief services. IDPs living with host communities say that they don’t expect to go home within the next twelve months. It is imperative to assist the off-camp IDPs, as very limited relief services are currently reaching them.

• Due to the gradual onset of this crisis, it has attracted little international attention, making it difficult for humanitarian partners to obtain the funding needed to address it.

• Continued funding shortfalls will result in severe constraints on the ability of humanitarian agencies to deliver lifesaving aid to the affected population.

• The Government of Pakistan must ensure aid workers have continued access to affected areas, and that the safety and security of aid workers is guaranteed.