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The West Bank under Curfew Feb 2003

Map data: PA Ministry of Planning and International
Cooperation, July 2002.
Curfew data: UNRWA & OCHA,  December 2002. Cartography: Humanitarian Information Center, 01 March 2003.
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs:

To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit http://unocha.org/.

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Iraq: Planned Cross-border Operations

Graphic by WFP - ODC Vulnerability Analysis & Mapping Unit (VAM)
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Women and War

Report
ICRC
This report provides an update on ICRC's actions since its publication of the Women facing War study and the subsequent commitment to the identification of and response to both the general and specific needs of women affected by conflict.

The study describes the numerous initiatives that the ICRC has undertaken to ensure and reinforce observance of legal instruments designed to protect women and girls affected by armed conflict.
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US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2002

This 2002 overview covers human rights practices in 196 countries, exploring issues of national security, developments in human rights and the role of human rights in the 21st century.

A resource for shaping policy, conducting diplomacy, and making assistance, training, and other resource allocations, the report also serves as a basis for the U.S. Government's cooperation with private groups to promote the observance of internationally recognized human rights, pointing to areas of progress and drawing our attention to new and continuing challenges.
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A Review of Peace Operations - A Case for Change

This report evaluates the dynamics of peacekeeping, providing four country studies of peace operations in East Timor, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. The following broad common themes are examined:

- Planning and process
- Public administration/governance
- Rule of law and post-conflict justice
- Security sector
- Humanitarian-peacekeeping-development interface

Examining commonalities, differences and dilemmas and providing a checklist for action, the study aims to offer constructive recommendations to UN officials and member states on the design,
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The Role of Education in Protecting Children in Conflict

Arguing for a reappraisal of the position of education in emergency programming, this paper explores the links between education and the wider protection needs of the children it assists. For this purpose, it considers the following issues:

- Impact of conflict on children's education
- Intersections between protection and education
- Humanitarian programming in education: An overview
- Strengthening the links between education and protection

The paper suggests that as protection in conflict emerges more clearly as a legitimate humanitarian
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ECHO Annual Review 2002: Responding to New Needs

This annual report for the year 2002 considers humanitarian crises worldwide. Its special features discuss new challenges for European humanitarian aid and ECHO's departure from the Western Balkans. Other features include:

- ECHO at work
- People: Western Saharan, Ecuador, Southern Africa crisis
- Crises: Burundi, Palestinian territories, Afghanistan
- Global overview
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Iraq: Humanitarian - Military Relations

Report
Oxfam
With particular focus on the crisis in Iraq, this document looks at the relationship between humanitarian and military involvement in humanitarian emergencies.

The report presents six guidelines necessary to ensuring the most effective humanitarian response in a complex and dangerous environment, relating to who should provide and coordinate humanitarian aid, essential conditions to be met, and obligations of belligerent and occupying powers.

The report argues for the provision of humanitarian assistance by independent and impartial civilian agencies
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IASC Appeal and Strategy Documents

This document provides basic information about IASC appeals and strategy documents:

 It describes the basic principles of IASC appeals and strategy documents
 It provides definitions for the terms related to the field (CAP, CHAP, etc)
 It defines the repartition of the roles and responsibilities.

These guidelines are aimed to be included in the overall IASC Guidelines on the CAP.
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IRIN Evaluation Report

This evaluation reviews the experience of the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) in order to learn and provide accountability to donors, OCHA management and its constituencies. For this purpose, it assesses the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, value added, impact and sustainability of IRIN's products and services, with emphasis on current services and organisation.

The evaluation sought to obtain opinions from a broad base of subscribers, including the United Nations, NGOs, media, donors, governments, academics and civil society.
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs:

To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit http://unocha.org/.

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Report on the Transitional Settlement Sector

Report
Shelterproject
This report seeks to develop an understanding of the nature and needs of transitional shelter following conflict and natural disaster, and of response to those needs, and addresses the following issues:

 - Context in which the transititional settlement sector operates
 - Shelter needs created by conflict and natural disasters
 - Response to those needs
 - How the response can be improved

The report has been peer reviewed by humanitarian donor, coordinator and implementer organisations in Geneva on 3rd and 4th
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The Role and Impact of Humanitarian Assets in Refugee-Hosting Countries

With growing concern being voiced by the governments of industrialized countries about the problem of asylum-seekers on their territory, one could be forgiven for thinking that the greatest refugee impact is being felt in the world's more prosperous states. In reality, as UNHCR has argued, "the economic effects of hosting refugees are mostly felt in Africa". Further, "it is well known that in many emergency situations, the initial assistance provided to the refugees comes not from UNHCR or WFP, but from the local populations and authorities".
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Civilian Protection in Armed Conflict

Report
IRIN
Civilians are now the main casualties of war worldwide, often specifically targeted by warring parties. This Integrated Regional Information Networks(IRIN) In-Depth examines the origins, implementation, and challenges to international humanitarian law. Priorities for humanitarian action are also detailed alongside interviews with experts in the field. Sound bites from IRIN interviews on civilian protection are also provided.
IRIN:

A selection of IRIN reports are posted on ReliefWeb. Find more IRIN news and analysis at http://www.irinnews.org

Une sélection d'articles d'IRIN sont publiés sur ReliefWeb. Trouvez d'autres articles et analyses d'IRIN sur http://www.irinnews.org

This article does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. Refer to the IRIN copyright page for conditions of use.

Cet article ne reflète pas nécessairement les vues des Nations Unies. Voir IRIN droits d'auteur pour les conditions d'utilisation.

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A Survival Guide for Journalists

War and violence rarely answer anything - but when they happen, journalists and other media staff have a crucial role in cutting through the fog of deception, lies and manipulation of information that inevitably follows. Their task is to show the impact on the lives of ordinary people. In taking on that role, journalists and others put their lives and safety at risk.

The IFJ has campaigned for many years for greater safety and for a focus on the in-country journalists and freelances who are at greatest risk and who have the least protection. With the creation
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Safety and Security of Humanitarian Personnel and Protection of United Nations Personnel (A/RES/57/155)

The UN General Assembly expresses its concerns at the growing number of complex humanitarian emergencies in the past few years, in particular in armed conflicts and in post conflict situations, which have dramatically increased the loss of human lives. Therefore, by its adopted resolution, the Assembly urges all States to take the necessary measures to ensure the full and effective implementation of the relevant principles and rules of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as the relevant provisions of human rights and refugee law
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Humanitarian Exchange Magazine No. 23 - Humanitarian Protection

Everyone (more-or-less) agrees that the aim of humanitarian assistance is to help people survive conflicts and disasters by ensuring essential support. In armed conflict, people face many threats: of violence, of being forced from their homes, of being denied access to relief.Often it is precisely these 'protection'issues that lie behind the need for relief intervention. Yet it is unclear what this means in practice. The 'failure to protect'is a charge that can be levelled at the state, the international community or at humanitarian agencies;
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Developing and Applying National Guidelines on Nutrition and HIV/AIDS

Malnutrition and HIV/AIDS work in tandem, creating a vicious cycle. HIV compromises the immune system of infected persons, increasing their susceptibility to other infections, which can negatively affect nutritional status. Conversely, malnutrition increases the severity of the HIV disease by further weakening the immune system, which decreases the body's ability to fight HIV and other infections.

HIV and resulting opportunistic infections can lead to deterioration in nutritional status by increasing the need
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Malawi awash with free maize in huge relief operation

by Felix Mponda
CHIRADZULU, Malawi, March 1 (AFP) - The rumble of a giant truck bringing maize for sale fails to create excitement among hungry villagers in Tapala, in Malawi's impoverished southern district of Chiradzulu.

The 200 bags of maize being ferried from the warehouse of giant grain marketing parastatal ADMARC may take a month to sell in this village where people eke out a living from subsistence farming.

A year ago the same load of maize, Malawi's staple, would have been snapped up within hours by desperate villagers. Fights in the queue were common.

Agence France-Presse:

©AFP: The information provided in this product is for personal use only. None of it may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the express permission of Agence France-Presse.

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Afghanistan: Nouristan - the "land of light" waits for international aid

by Herve Bar
WANT, Afghanistan, March 1 (AFP) - It is unique among Afghanistan's provinces: its capital accessible only by foot, along steep winding tracks.

A region of towering peaks in north-east Afghanistan, on the border with Pakistan, Nouristan hopes to emerge from isolation with the help of international aid.

The litany of the average Afghan -- "where are the millions of dollars of foreign aid going?" -- echoes loudly in Nouristan's Want valley, a three-day road journey from Kabul.

There are no hospitals and no schools.

Agence France-Presse:

©AFP: The information provided in this product is for personal use only. None of it may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the express permission of Agence France-Presse.

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Liberia + 1 other
Liberia says mercenaries from Ivory Coast attacked border region

MONROVIA, March 1 (AFP) - Liberia Defence Minister Daniel Chea said Saturday that Liberian mercenaries fighting alongside Ivory Coast government troops had crossed into Liberian territory, a move "tantamount to a declaration of war".
"For the Republic of Ivory Coast to encourage Liberian mercenaries fighting alongside their own troops in their civil crisis to cross the border into Liberian territory is tantamount to a declaration of war," Chea told a news conference.

Chea said some armed men crossed over

Agence France-Presse:

©AFP: The information provided in this product is for personal use only. None of it may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the express permission of Agence France-Presse.