UNICEF Humanitarian Action: Afghanistan Donor Update 27 Feb 2004

REACHING EVERY HOUSEHOLD AND SCHOOL, IMPROVING ENVIRONMENT FOR AFGHAN CHILDREN AND WOMEN

• Getting ONE more million girls to school during 2004
• Reaching all women of child bearing age with 3 doses of Tetanus Immunization
• Demobilization and Reintegration for 5,000 former child soldiers started
• Advancing toward Universal Salt Iodization

1. Emergency Overview and Current Situation

Since mid-2003, the security situation in Afghanistan has remained unstable and unpredictable. Sporadic attacks against government targets and foreign aid community continued, which slowed down reconstruction efforts, especially in the Eastern and Southern Afghanistan. The latter part of 2003 to January 2004 has seen increasing violence and targeting of UN and humanitarian workers severely hindering the UN and NGO partners' operation in some areas. In addition, insecurity, drought and economic hardship have been threatening the sustainability and coverage of interventions. Consequently, Afghan people, in particular children and women, are in many cases still caught in a vicious cycle of factional violence, disease and degrading poverty, despite the many achievements of the past two years.

In spite of these challenges, the formal governance of Afghanistan is gradually taking its shape. The Constitution had been finalized following intensive debates at the Constitutional Loya Jorga (the Grand Council) in early January 2004. The voter registration is in progress for the national election in June 2004. Starting November 2003, the Afghan Transitional Government has been formulating the National Development Budget for the next Afghan fiscal year 1383 (March 2004 - March 2005), in partnership with donors, UN agencies and NGO partners. Currently the budget hearing is in progress and the final budget will be in place by March. UNICEF has been an active partner during this budget preparation process in the Consultative Groups of Education and Vocational Training, Health and Nutrition, Livelihood and Social Protection, Justice, Mine Action, and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration.

2. UNICEF's RESPONSE

In 2003, UNICEF placed a national project officer in each province, in order to coordinate planning, implementation, and monitoring of activities across the sectors and to ensure under-served communities are no longer being overlooked. Partnerships have been established with local and international NGOs and the private sector in every province. Also, the three-tier strategy is in place to implement UNICEF supported activities more effectively and efficiently: (a) Household contacts, (b) School as the center for social change, and (c) Improving environment for children. Please refer to the chart below for more information:

During 2003, every household in Afghanistan was reached using 30,000 volunteers for immunization, birth registration, vitamins A and C, and distribution of messages on nutrition, hygiene and mines. Schools were promoted as a center for change through increasing enrolment, provision of materials on mine risk, hygiene and nutrition, provision of safe water and sanitation and advocacy on the inclusion of girls in schools). The overall environment for children was also improved through advocacy on child rights, media briefing, judicial review, prevention of child trafficking, and support to research. Underlying these implementation strategies was a strong support to capacity of Government and local partners through provision of a team of technical and policy experts attached to various ministries, staff allocated for inter-agency co-operation and technical collaboration with TUFTS University, Colombia University, US-Center for Disease Control (CDC) and UNESCO.

Key results achieved during 2003:

• 6 million children immunised against polio and measles.
• 5 million children given Vitamin A.
• Teaching and learning materials for 4.2 million school age children.
• Girls' enrolment up by 30% (360,000 more girls admitted to school).
• 35,000 teachers trained in teaching methods and Mine Risk Education.
• Juvenile Justice Code drafted.
• Comparative study of various laws and the Convention for the Right of the Child (CRC) completed.
• 150 schools constructed/renovated.
• 95% children under-one covered by birth registration.
• 5 Salt Iodisation Plants installed increasing availability of iodised salt to Afghan people.
• 750,000 women given TT immunisation.
• 3,200 tube wells drilled increasing access to safe water for 100,000 households and 2 million school children.

Ongoing/planned activities:

In 2004, UNICEF remains committed in assisting the Afghan government in achieving the following:

1. Polio eradication by end 2004 though Polio National Immunization Days and Sub-national Immunization Days, targeting 6 million children below five years old.

2. 3 doses of Tetanus vaccine provided to all 4 million women 15-45 years of age.

3. 32 functioning Emergency Obstetric Care Centers (one in each province).

4. Learning and school materials for 5 million primary and secondary school children and 80,000 primary school teachers.

5. 80,000 school teachers trained with newly developed curriculum for grades 2-4.

6. Basic education for 195,000 out of school girls via accelerated learning classes and community-based learning facilities.

7. 30,000 teachers and health care workers trained in prevention and response to domestic violence and abuse and Mine Risk Education.

8. 1,100 water points in emergency areas, one water point for every school in the country (800 new water points), and 1,000 sanitary latrines in schools.

9. Universal Salt Iodisation (85% of all household salt made available in the country).

10. Demobilisation and reintegration of 5,000 child soldiers.

11. All children under-five year to be provided with birth registration cards.

12. Training of 120,000 religious leaders in promotion of girl's enrolment, sanitation and immunisation.

Advancing Girls' Education: Following the extensive Back-to-School Campaign in 2002-2003, the net enrolment rate for Afghan children 7-13 years increased to 54%: 67% for boys and 37% for girls (Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2003, UNICEF and Central Statistic Office). However, key factors still prevent entry, such as the distance to the school, inadequate facilities, and no separate schooling. UNICEF is currently supporting the Ministry of Education with the following activities toward enrolling one more million girls in school during 2004:

• Back-To-School Campaign: The preparation is in progress for the distribution of educational supplies to 5 million school children and 800,000 teachers at the beginning of the school year (March and September). The dispatch of student kits and teacher kits started to the remote areas of Northern Region and Western Region. Upon receiving the kits from Kabul, UNICEF supports the Provincial Department of Education to distribute them to each school in the regions.
  
  
• School Rehabilitation and Construction: Implemented via a partnership between UNICEF and UNOPS, the work continued for the rehabilitation or construction of 200 schools for over 173,000 girls and boys, with many of them located in areas of high refugee return, such as Mazar, Jalalabad and Kandahar regions. To date 57 schools have been fully rehabilitated and the rest are in progress. All rehabilitation and construction will be completed by late March in time for the new school year.
  
  
• Winter Teacher Training: This is the second year for the Winter Teacher Training during the three-month winter break to initiate a large-scale intensive 9-day training of teachers. This winter, almost 27,000 teachers across the country are being trained in language arts, pedagogy, mine risk education, and knowledge on and prevention of violence and child abuse through March.
  
  
• Accelerated learning courses for over-aged girls: UNICEF has been supporting Winter/Summer Accelerated Learning Programme under the partnership with Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee. The ongoing Winter course for grades I and II started in late December 2003 for 73,500 over-aged children (80% girls) in 8 provinces in the north-eastern, eastern and southern regions, and will continue until March 2004. Upon successful completion, they can enrol in formal schools in their communities. The summer course will start in June with 27,650 over-aged children (80% girls) in 3 provinces.
  
  
• Community-based Schools (CBS): The preparation work started to establish 10,000 classes in villages covering 400,000 girls currently out of schools across the nation. The implementation will take place in two phases. The first phase will target the three provinces with low girl enrolment covering 450 villages, where a total of 18,000 girls will be admitted. The work for phase II will start some time in August 2004.

Demobilization and Reintegration of Child Soldiers:The demobilization process of underage soldiers, established in coordination with the Afghan New Beginning Progarmme (ANBP), started in the northeast, central highlands, and eastern regions with support from UNAMA and four NGOs and five provincial demobilization and reintegration committees. 2,000 underage soldiers were identified, verified and registered to date, and are soon to be demobilized. Reintegration support has been provided to 1,500 of these war-affected youth, including 800 underage soldiers. New opportunities and alternatives to military life will be provided through a community based reintegration support process to demobilized underage soldiers and other war-affected youth. The programme offers education, skills training, apprenticeships and livelihoods support, and psychosocial and medical support.

Protection of Children from Abuse and Violence:In January, 59 Afghan unaccompanied children were deported to Kabul in two groups, which brought the total number of children deported to 189 since 2003. UNICEF continues its support to these children through provision of medical screening and recreational opportunities in a transit care centre and family reunification. Monitoring teams from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MLSA) and Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) were set up to accompany every single child to his/her place of origin, once his/her relatives had been identified and his/her custody given to a relative with a court order.

Polio Immunization Campaign: In 2003, despite of the extensive campaign to interrupt polio transmission, 8 polio cases were confirmed including three two indigenous cases from Southern and Western regions. Following that, the year 2004 started with the sub-national Immunization Days in 30 provinces during 26-28 January, targeting 5.3 million children under age of five years. The initial feedback from the field monitoring suggests the successful implementation; the results are being compiled. The preparation has started for the first round of Polio National Immunization Days scheduled during 9-12 March, aiming to reach 6 million children.

Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Campaign: March 27 will initiate the first of the three-round Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Campaign, which aims to reduce one of the world's highest maternal mortality and to protect new born babies against neonatal tetanus. A total of 4 million women of child bearing age (14-45) are to be immunized during 2004. The campaign is the critical next step following the successful implementation of the pilot campaign for 750,000 women in 4 major cities and surrounding areas during 2003.

Universal Salt Iodization (USI) To protect Afghan population against scourge of iodine deficiency, UNICEF is working towards Universal Salt Iodization (USI) in Afghanistan and plans for 85 per cent coverage with the establishment of 9 salt idosation plants by end of 2004. Notable progress was made until the end of January 2004 with completed installation of 5 plants across the country, except for the south, of which 4 are currently operating with production of 20 metric tonnes/hr of iodised salt, sufficient to cover estimated 55 per cent of Afghan households in the area. Also, a micronutrient survey is currently being prepared, in partnership with the CDC, to find out the nationwide prevalence of iodine deficiency, iron deficiency, and Vitamin A deficiency.

Safe Motherhood Initiative: To reduce one of the world's highest rates of maternal mortality, UNICEF is committed to the provision of quality emergency obstetric care (EmOC) facilities to all 32 provinces. In January, the Centre of Excellence for EmOC in Herat Province was inaugurated, following the completion f the hospital renovation and provision of equipment and medicines. A team of trainers in the hospital attended the training on EmOC in Kabul during 2003 and are to train other service providers from their respective provinces in the coming months. Medicines, renewable supplies and basic equipment for EmOC, sufficient for a year, are being distributed to 24 provincial hospitals.

Birth Registration: Following the successful birth registration of over 95% of children under 1 year of age, UNICEF is supporting the Ministry of Interior to conduct the birth registration for all children below five year during 2004 along with National Immunization Days in mid 2004. Simultaneously, efforts are underway to revitalize routine Birth registration system. As the training of registration teams is planned in late February, the funding is urgently needed.

Juvenile Justice: UNICEF is supporting the review of a draft Juvenile Code by the Ministry of Justice. The Juvenile Code, which is expected to be approved by the Afghanistan Council of Ministers in March 2004, would be the first revised law in the Transitional Government of Afghanistan concerning children. The first draft of the comparative legal study between the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Afghan laws was completed, and the recommendations will form the basis for initiation of a legal reform process in Afghanistan with regards to the rights of the children. The partner NGO, Gruppo Volontariato Civile, started its work in the Juvenile Rehabilitation Center in mid-December in cooperation with Ashiana, a local NGO to give psycho-social training to social workers of the centre and work closely with the families of the children to facilitate their re-integration.

Mine Risk Education (MRE) Activities:In addition to teacher training on mine risk education as part of the Winter Teacher Training, UNICEF is also supporting Monitoring, Evaluation and Training Agency (META) to develop a community based MRE package and train all the MRE implementing partners on it. Additionally, UNICEF in coordination with other partners supported the development and production of 200,000 MRE leaflets for non-literate populations that will be distributed at the household level shortly.

Providing safe water and sanitary latrines:UNICEF continues to support the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Rural Reconstruction and Development to provide safe drinking water and sanitary latrines to all schools as well the communities affected by the drought and returnees and IDPs. Currently, 1,170 wells and 700 sanitary latrines are being constructed in schools, with training of 760 teachers ongoing for hygiene promotion in these schools, most of which started last December. Preparation for the construction of new water points and sanitary latrines for other schools and communities is under way.

3. 2004 FUNDING REQUIREMENTS AND RECEIPTS

UNICEF programme requirements for 2004 amounted to approximately US$ 89 million, including 56.4 million for humanitarian assistance as reflected in the recently launched UNICEF Humanitarian Action Report 2004. Due to the available funds from last year (US$12.28 million) and the regular resources for Programme of Cooperation between UNICEF and the Government of Afghanistan (US$ 8.35 million) as well as additional funds received this year, UNICEF now requires just less than US$ 54 million to meet its resource needs for the current year. The table below shows the breakdown of programme requirements by sector:

The table below shows donor contributions received in 2004.

4. CURRENT PRIORITIES

UNICEF Afghanistan urgently seeks support for the following projects for the first half year of 2004 as below:

Further details of the UNICEF Afghanistan Programme can be obtained from:

Sharad Sapra
UNICEF Afghanistan
Representative
Tel: 00873761924994
Fax: 00873761924996
Email: ssapra@unicef.org

Olivier Degreef
UNICEF EMOPS
Geneva
Tel.: +41 22 909 5655
Fax: +41 22 909 5902
Email: odegreef@unicef.org

Dan Rohrmann
UNICEF PFO
New York
Tel: +1 212 326 7009
Fax: +1 212 326 7165
Email: drohrmann@unicef.org

UNICEF EMERGENCY UPDATES are available at http://www.unicef.org/emerg and http://www.reliefweb.int