Indonesia: Earthquake OCHA Situation Report No. 27

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2006/0227

OCHA Situation Report No. 27
INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE

This report is based on information received from the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator's Office in Jakarta and the UN team in Yogyakarta.

UPDATE

Early Recovery:

Shelter and Reconstruction Cluster

The cluster has constructed 26,800 roof structures to date and additionally plans to deliver 57,700. This represents 31% delivery of the total commitment.

The Shelter cluster continues negotiating with the Donor Community for additional funding, i.e., the multi-donor "Java Reconstruction Fund" to meet the gap in shelter needs. AusAID plans to include funds for safety net tarpaulins and longer-term shelter assistance into their programme.

IOM, UNDP and Gadjah Mada University (UGM) have developed three training modules: two on "Roof First" structures, and one on earthquake proof construction. These modules have been incorporated into trainings for facilitators in Central Java province and similar training support is planned for Yogyakarta province.

To fill gaps and provide a contingency supply for the coming rainy season, stocks of tarpaulins will form a "safety net". AusAID is purchasing 30,000 tarpaulins through their Community Assistance Programme to address under covered areas. PMI has procured 5,000 tarpaulins and Oxfam has 50 rolls of tarpaulins material for safety net distribution.

Yogyakarta Province

The Yogyakarta Provincial Government has started to disburse housing funds to those community groups that have submitted the required documents (Memorandum of Understanding between Head of Villages and community groups, and verification of bank accounts). As of 6 November, approximately 40% of the community groups have received an initial allocation of funds.

The Province is validating data of damaged houses. The updated data indicates that there are 140,000 households (206,000 before the validation) with destroyed or heavily damaged houses. The validation will be finalized around 15 November.

Facilitators advising local communities on housing reconstruction, planning and budgeting, started their work on 16 October. In Bantul, 1,715 facilitators out of the needed 2,184 have been recruited for 8,739 community groups (out of a total 10,905 planned). Bantul community groups consist of one technical and one non-technical facilitator. In the other Yogyakarta districts, the facilitation team consists of three persons (two technical and one non-technical).

Central Java

The Central Java Provincial Government launched the disbursement of housing funds on 7 November.

1,522 facilitators have been recruited, out of 1,806 planned (82%), for Central Java. One team consists of seven facilitators (one senior, one technical, one empowerment and four junior facilitators). The facilitators will be deployed to the villages shortly to assist community groups in developing proposals.

Livelihoods Cluster

The cluster has developed a detailed framework for the economic rehabilitation of key sub-sectors. The framework was designed to maximize economic impact on the affected area, by making the best use of limited resources. The strategy will focus on supporting the GoI economic recovery program through complementary activities. GoI selected key sub-sectors in each province, and GOI funds are being disbursed to support the rehabilitation of these sectors.

UNDP conducted a survey on small scale industries in both provinces to develop a strategy and identify key sub-sectors for assistance. The report will be completed by mid November.

UNDP conducted another survey on construction-related issues. A shortage of building materials, especially bricks and roof tiles was identified to benefit from increased construction activities and to reduce the supply gap. Local production units need support. The report will be issued shortly.

Health:

In 2006, 32 sub-districts in Kulonprogo, Gunungkidul and Bantul (8 out of 12 sub-districts in Kulonprogo, ten out of 18 sub-districts in Gunungkidul, and 14 out of 17 sub-districts in Bantul) have been affected by death poultry cases due to H5N1. The Poultry Department, under the Ministry of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry, provided vaccinations to workers in poultry farms and bird markets, and conducted bio-security programmes in high risk areas to prevent from Avian Influenza (AI) outbreaks. The government and various organizations are disseminating messages to increase community awareness on AI transmission to humans.

The second round of the tetanus immunization campaign in Yogyakarta Province will continue until the end of 2006. The current coverage is at approximately 33%. In Central Java, the campaign was completed on 20 September. In order to increase the coverage, Provincial Health Offices and District Health Offices are participating in the community meetings to encourage community leaders and people to vaccinate, and providing services after working hours.

The current coverage of measles immunization is 89% in Yogyakarta Province.

Water and Sanitation (Watsan):

UNICEF has handed over coordination to the District governments but will continue to provide secretariat and other support.

12,017 (120% of the original cluster target) wells and 7,580 (50%) household latrines have been repaired or constructed.

In support of the government's efforts to address the large-scale gap between the ERP target and the actual needs as identified in an AusAID assessment, some organizations plan to extend their programmes of well-cleaning and latrine rehabilitation/construction beyond November.

Protection:

The cluster has phased out and the overall role of coordination has been taken over by relevant government authorities, with UNICEF technical support.

The key findings of the Inter-Agency Child Protection Assessment indicate a number of important child protection trends in earthquake affected areas including:

a) Increased levels of violence against children within households and communities stemming from loss of livelihoods and continued poor living conditions resulting in a sense of disempowerment, anger, frustration and lowered tolerance.

b) Increased number of children engaging in wage labor such as domestic help, or being recruited to scavenge recyclable materials, again attributed to loss of livelihoods and the need to supplement household income.

c) Less time afforded to protect children in communities in light of the demands of reconstruction.

d) Limited capacity within the National child protection sector, i.e., no consistent and disaggregated data, and monitoring system or holistic approach to prevention and response. Furthermore, few NGOs are working specifically on child protection issues, with a handful of local NGOs addressing limited thematic areas.

e) The high number of institutions/ orphanages points to the limited range of response to child protection issues.

To follow up on the assessment findings, the Child Protection Working Group is developing a strategy, which includes capacity building efforts at the community level, within the social welfare system and in the relevant authorities, to strengthen monitoring and response to child protection. Strengthening the linkages between key stakeholders and actors at various levels will be a key component of capacity building efforts.

UNICEF Child Protection is working closely with relevant authorities and Working Groups to identify vulnerable households to be prioritized in ongoing shelter and livelihoods relief efforts, including female and child headed households, households caring for additional children, families with children with disability, and extremely poor households.

Education:

The cluster has been closed, and ongoing needs will be coordinated by local government with support provided by UNICEF.

UNICEF and its implementing partners (AAI, AMURT, ASB, CARDI, Relief International and Save the Children-UK) plan to build 163 temporary schools during November, 44 of which will be completed by the end of November.

A training of trainers for teachers on psychosocial support and emergency preparedness was completed in Bantul and Klaten. 300 primary school teachers and headmasters were trained. The master trainers are monitoring the activities with local technical NGOs.

Agriculture:

Since the beginning of October, FAO through its implementing partner OISCA, has distributed nearly 100 tonnes of rice seeds, over 230 tonnes of NPK fertilizers, and approximately 400 tonnes of urea fertilizer in Bantul and Klaten to more than 130 farmer groups (more than 10,000 faming household beneficiaries). Distribution of the nearly 600 tonnes of remaining NPK fertilizers for Bantul will finalize in mid November. These agriculture inputs will enable beneficiaries to produce about 22,000 tonnes of paddy (equal to approximately 13,200 tonnes of rice) in this rainy season. This production represents approximately 20 % of the total paddy lost in the recent year.

FAO and the Agriculture Sector Group (ASG) members, in close coordination with Bantul and Klaten district agriculture offices, are introducing revolving systems to facilitate paddy production for the next season. Overall, farmer groups have agreed to repay 50% of the total input value, which will be directly used by their members in the next planting season.

The ASG members, lead by FAO, conducted a follow up Rapid Livelihoods Assessment to quantify the current livelihoods situation of vulnerable farmers. An Agriculture Livelihoods Strategic Plan will be developed based on these results, which once completed will be presented to donors and other stakeholders.

COORDINATION

OCHA is coordinating the closing process of UN presence in Yogyakarta in collaboration with other UN agencies. The UN Coordination Center currently located in Gamping, Yogyakarta Province, will close by the end of November.

UNICEF will maintain a small unit in the Yogyakarta Bappeda Office to follow up programmes with governmental and non-governmental partners until mid 2007. The UNICEF office in Semerang will continue providing support to Klaten. WHO will have a small team in the Yogyakarta Public Health Office after November to follow up ongoing programmes, which have been implemented by partners, including Yogyakarta and Central Java Provinces, and UGM. UNDP will move to a new office after November to continue Early Recovery Assistance (ERA) activities and to support shelter construction and livelihoods coordination. FAO has established a presence since October within the Yogyakarta Agriculture Office and will continue its programmes until the end of December.

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