Afghanistan: ITAP Update and Summary of Progress (Dec 2002)

Afghanistan Transitional Administration and United Nations Humanitarian and Reconstruction Cooperation, 2002

Sectors

Throughout 2002, the Afghanistan Transitional Administration (ATA) and the United Nations (UN) have been working together to meet the needs of vulnerable Afghans, and to address the challenges they face. The following sectoral reviews summarise progress achieved to date in 2002 in national programmes, in which UN agencies are collaborating with the ATA. However, it is essential to note that these efforts do not cover the magnitude of needs of this country. As such, the UN will continue to assist the Government in 2003 and beyond and these efforts are manifested in the UN Transitional Assistance Programme for Afghanistan (TAPA) for 2003. The TAPA outlines UN programmes and projects for 2003, to respond to the continuing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, to accelerate recovery and reconstruction initiatives started in 2002 and to support the regeneration of the capacity and institutions of local and central government.

A. Refugee/IDP Return and Reintegration

Return

Tripartite repatriation frameworks have been signed by the Afghan government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with the governments of Iran, France and the United Kingdom, while an agreement in principle has been reached with Pakistan.

Nearly 1.8 million refugees have been assisted to return home under UNHCR and the Afghan government's voluntary repatriation programme - including more than 1.5 million from Pakistan and nearly 250,000 from Iran. Of these, more than half have returned to urban and rural areas of Kabul and Nangarhar provinces.

Through the establishment of distribution centres and encashment centres, over 48,000 MTs of food aid, 310,000 return packages and over US$ 35 million in travel grants have been provided to returning families.

More than 200,000 IDPs have been assisted to return home, while another approximately 200,000 have returned home spontaneously.

Reintegration

More than 40,000 shelters are under construction in areas of return across all regions of the country. The units will be largely complete by the end of 2002.

2,700 shallow and deep wells are under construction in areas of return around Afghanistan. Nearly all wells will be dug by the end of the year.

A variety of cash-for-work initiatives are under way, including road, school and irrigation system rehabilitation, as well as the production of quilts for distribution to vulnerable families during winter.

84,000 sets of agricultural tools have been procured and are under distribution, while the distribution of wheat seeds is under way to 27,000 families.

Returnee/IDP Protection

A new legal framework to ensure the respect of returnee rights, including a Decree on the Dignified Return of Afghans, has been negotiated and is now under implementation.

A returnee protection monitoring network, involving government, UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs has been established throughout Afghanistan.

A Return Commission, including representatives of local leaders, the Afghan Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR), UNAMA and UNHCR, has been established in Northern Afghanistan to pursue solutions to continued population displacement.

Numerous protection interventions have been made on behalf of IDPs.

A comprehensive returnee monitoring initiative has commenced at the district/village level, focusing on those areas with a high level of return, specific protection concerns or a potentially high level of return in 2003.

District profiles have been completed for 125 high-return areas to date.

Government Capacity Building

The coordination of return and reintegration activities has been strengthened through joint planning with MoRR, the Ministry of Rural Reconstruction and Development (MoRRD), and the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MoUDH) in Afghanistan, including the development of a National Return, Displacement and Reintegration Strategy for the Year 1382.

The capacity of both MoRR and MoRRD has been increased through the secondment of staff, training and the provision of equipment. A Joint Capacity Development Team composed of representatives of MoRR and UNHCR has been created and is working towards the development of a MoRR workplan, while a Returnee Reintegration Unit (RRU) has been established by MoRRD and is now being expanded to key provinces.

B. Livelihoods and Social Protection

Food Assistance

By December, the current Emergency Operations (EMOPs) will have reached over eight million people with over 250,000 MTs of food commodities.

Over 1.8 million people benefited from food aid provided through Food-for-Asset Creation (Food AC) and over 250,000 received assistance through Food-for-Work (FFW).

Source: WFP

School feeding programmes reached 150,000 children, supplementary feeding activities provided improved nutritional inputs to nearly 150,000 people, especially women and children under five, civil service salary food rations supplemented salaries for 270,000 people and the urban vulnerable population was given daily fortified bread through women's and other bakeries (over 200,000 people).

For the winter months, October to December, some 193,000 MTs of food, including some 48,000 MTs to vulnerable rural households are in the process of being distributed.

Vulnerability Analysis and Assessments

A Livelihoods and Vulnerability Analysis Unit (LVAU) was established within the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MoRRD) to promote systematic and comprehensive vulnerability analysis across sectors and between agencies. UN agencies have seconded staff to the unit.

A framework for urban vulnerability survey was designed, with a survey planned for December - January, under the leadership of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and Ministry of Refugee and Repatriation, with participation from the Ministry of Urban Development and technical support from WFP.

Several surveys have been conducted to provide tools for decision making to close the information gap: the annual countrywide assessment of the rural settled by WFP's Vulnerability Analysis Mapping (VAM) Unit with Government and other partners, 2002 FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment, Kuchis (Pastoralist Vulnerability Study), and a nationwide survey on irrigation rehabilitation needs.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sectors

• A. Refugee/IDP Return and Reintegration
• B. Livelihoods and Social Protection
• C. Natural Resources Management
• D. Urban Management
• E. Health and Nutrition
• F. Public Administration
• G. Education
• H. Transport
• I. Security and the Rule of Law
• J. Culture, Media and Sports

ANNEX I. DONOR RESPONSE FOR 2002
ANNEX II. MAPS

Note: The full text of this appeal is available on-line in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format and may also be downloaded in zipped MS Word format.

View the Inter-Agency Appeal in pdf * format (3.17MB)

Download the Inter-Agency Appeal in zipped MS Word format (5.74MB)

* Get the Adobe Acrobat Viewer (free)

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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