Southern African Humanitarian Crisis Update - 4 April 2003

United Nations Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Support Office for the Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa
Bi-monthly Update

RIACSO provides support to the national efforts in addressing the Southern African crisis and ensures cohesion and complementarity of the effort at a regional level. In addition, RIACSO supports the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa, Mr. James Morris, in his mandate to raise awareness of the situation, its underlying causes and to provide recommendations on how to strengthen the humanitarian response and mobilize donor support for the affected countries.

REGIONAL AND COUNTRY SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENTS

Mass action expected to be announced in Zimbabwe

The main opposition party in Zimbabwe, MDC, successfully organized a mass stay-away on 18-19 March called 'Action for National Survival'. Subsequently, they set a deadline for 31 March for a range of demands to be met by the government. The demands centered on restoration of law and order and a halt to human rights abuses. Since the ending of the strike however there has been an escalation of violence. The MDC estimates that over 500 of its supporters have been arrested. Especially in the capital city, Harare, the situation was tense, because of two by-elections over the weekend of 29 March. Both were won by the MDC. Further mass action is expected to be called after Monday 31 March if the MDC demands are not met. The government has announced it will consider such action illegal.

Heavy rains and flooding reported in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe

In the aftermath of Cyclone Japhet, heavy rains fell in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe causing serious flooding in places downstream. Whereas the initial destruction by the Cyclone has been relatively limited, the floods are of greater concern. Zimbabwe reported extensive damage (up to 70%) to the banana, citrus, avocado and pear crops in two districts. Officials in Zambia reported that 10,000 people lost their homes. The Mozambique Disaster Management Authority (INGC) reported 15,000 displaced people. Malawi reported localized droughts as a result of the heavy rainfall in the other countries. The dry spells destroyed approximately 18,000 hectares of crops.

WFP, together with the government and implementing partners, assisted the flood-affected population in Mozambique. They finalized a USD 340,000 emergency operation to airlift 109 tons of mixed food to five isolated localities providing 4,000 affected people with a two months food ration. An additional 400 tonnes of food was provided by road to 24,000 affected people.

The continuous erratic weather patters in all four countries present serious challenges to the recovery efforts of the affected households and communities. Overall however, the magnitude of the problems remains manageable.

Maize prices in the region declining

The price of maize in South Africa has been steadily declining since April 2002. During this same period the South African Rand strengthened considerably. The value of the Rand against the US dollar is significant in determining maize prices as globally maize prices are denominated in US dollars. Since December 2002 the Rand gained more than 30%. Over the same period, white maize prices fell almost 50%. Current major influences on the South African Rand are inflation and interest rate differentials between South Africa and the US, capital flows, international currency movements, and the war in Iraq. The South African government recently announced an increase in the price of fuel, which could have an adverse effect on the price of maize.

Humanitarian situation in resettled areas in Zimbabwe

A team of UN Agencies and a local NGO in Zimbabwe has completed an evaluation of the humanitarian situation in resettled farming areas in six districts of Midlands Province. The study was done on request of the local Governor. The team found that more than fifty percent of the crops in the areas have been critically affected by the 2002/03 agricultural conditions. They also noted that there is a shortage of food on the market. They observed that almost all rural communities included in the assessment are in need of food assistance. The 55 households represented in the survey all responded that they currently had no access to humanitarian food assistance. They did receive assistance in the form of farm inputs (seeds and fertilizer). In addition, UNICEF, the Ministry of Health, World Vision, Plan International and CARE International are undertaking supplementary feeding in some schools. It was concluded that more assistance is necessary. For more information see the Zimbabwe situation report on www.reliefweb.org

Salary increases for nurses and health workers in Zambia

Nurses and health workers in Zambia have been awarded a 150% salary increment, following a spate of strikes country-wide by public service workers from various sectors including teachers, university lecturers, state advocates, and most recently magistrates and court officials, demanding higher salaries.

SECTORAL DEVELOPMENTS

1. Food security

WFP distributions in Zimbabwe again exceed last month's delivery record

Initial calculations from Zimbabwe indicate that WFP is very near to reaching their projected March distribution of 58,000 tons of food for 4.7 million people. WFP has already received distribution figures totaling 56,200 tons, making this the highest figure reached since the beginning of the Emergency Operation. In addition to the food aid supplied by WFP, C-SAFE, Save the Children and German Agro Action are targeting 900,000 people in 11 districts.

Urban food aid intervention takes off in Zimbabwe

WFP's Urban Development Intervention programme, targeting children under 5, is progressing well in three clinics in Bulawayo city. The turnout of children has been high and the programme is expected to include 2,000 additional children in April. Help International is implementing the programme in conjunction with the City of Bulawayo Health Department. A similar programme proposal is currently being discussed with the city of Harare.

FAO interventions in Malawi and Zimbabwe aim at crop diversification

With a view to enhance food security, crop diversification and income generation, FAO established five cassava nurseries in Malawi, all reported to be doing very well. In addition, FAO is in the process of procuring 1,800 treadle pumps for garden and small-plot irrigation. FAO is increasingly becoming the focal point for the coordination of agricultural assistance activities in Malawi at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, and in collaboration with NGOs, donors and the private sector. In Zimbabwe, FAO is procuring vegetable seeds, using resources from ECHO. The seeds will be distributed immediately to provide dietary diversification and improved nutrition.

2. HIV/AIDS

Impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture and the private sector in Swaziland

In Swaziland, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Federation of Swaziland Employers and the UN finalized a study on the impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture and the private sector. The two sectors account for the biggest portion of Swaziland's GDP (agriculture 10% and the private sector 46%).

The study demonstrates that the burden of HIV/AIDS mainly falls on households and the community. Families experience declines in income, leading to increased orphaning, children dropping out of school and worsening food insecurity.

The response to HIV/AIDS by the Swaziland business community has mainly been one of cost avoidance and as such, the pandemic has not yet affected the performance of the private sector much. The response of the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives to HIV/AIDS has mainly been health-based, aimed at preventing new infections amongst its workforce.

Considering that households are confronted with the biggest effects of the pandemic, the study recommends that policy makers, the international in the protection of the production capacity of household farms. - There is need to identify labour and capital saving technologies that can be implemented to deal with the labour supply and income changes that HIV/AIDS imposes on households. The study further recommends that the private sector should invest in comprehensive management of the disease to increase quality and quantity of life amongst the workforce, community investment targeting the youth and home based care.

FAO Zambia Pilot study on HIV/AIDS

FAO Zambia conducted a pilot survey in three districts of Southern Zambia investigating the impact of HIV/AIDS on poverty, agricultural production and food security. A workshop with stakeholders was held on 13-14 March. The overall findings of the survey and workshop will be published early April.

3. Health

UNICEF meeting on nutrition and HIV/AIDS

UNICEF organized a stakeholders meeting on 3 April 2003, to present the findings of a comprehensive review of over 60 nutritional surveys and studies in the six crisis-affected countries in the region. Carol Belamy, Executive Director for UNICEF, attended the meeting to emphasize the enormity of the humanitarian crisis in the region reshaping the lives of millions of children.

The study showed that children under the age of three were most vulnerable to the lethal impact of drought combined with HIV/AIDS. The other principle conclusions of the study were: (1) Malawi and Mozambique have unacceptably high rates of malnutrition; (2) Zambia and Zimbabwe showed a deterioration in their nutritional status in 2001-2003; (3) Lesotho was the only country that showed a slight improvement in nutritional status; (4) National averages hide large sub national differences; (5) Nutritional status is worse among children who are orphaned; (6) The current HIV/AIDS pandemic will directly and indirectly increase young child malnutrition.

It was recommended that nutrition surveillance systems in all SADC countries should be strengthened and district surveys should be held twice a year. The survey methodology should be standardized including the selection of age groups. It was further advised that the humanitarian response should specifically target HIV/AIDS families and be combined with a comprehensive development response. The full report of the study can be viewed on www.sahims.net

Cholera control activities In Malawi

The total number of cholera related cases and deaths registered in Malawi during the period October 5th 2002 and March 21st 2003 was 2,432 and 41 deaths (Case Fatality Rate, CFR 1.7). This is a marked improvement over the results observed during the previous outbreak. By March 24th 2002 a total of 29,956 cases and 804 deaths had been declared in the country (CFR 2.7).

WHO trained over 4,200 health workers in 25 districts. Plans for training in the two remaining districts as well as a - mop up- in some selected districts have already started and will be implemented during the month of April. Also see the Malawi situation report on www.sahims.net

Worrying statistics on reproductive health in Swaziland

A health assessments carried out in Swaziland in September 2002 showed a 36% increase in new TB cases, a crude mortality rate of 1.96 per 10,000 people per day (> 1.0 is considered a humanitarian emergency), an under-5 child mortality rate of 3.8 (>2 signifies a humanitarian crisis) and decreasing antenatal attendances over the previous 6 months. An assessment in December 2002, revealed increased prevalence of unsafe sexual practices, increased numbers of risk pregnancies; community perceptions of increased gender based violence and reduced community health seeking behaviour. Both assessments were carried out in the 10 worst affected districts.

In response, UNFPA Swaziland in collaboration with WFP has formulated a project proposal to train members of the Women's Relief Committee as community counselors in health and safety issues, including prevention of HIV/AIDS and sexual abuse. The Women's Relief Committees in Swaziland already play an important role in the food aid distributions.

Measles campaign in Lesotho

The Ministry of Health, with support from UNICEF and WHO, is preparing a national measles campaign in Lesotho, to take place during April and May 2003. UNICEF will provide funds for human resources, transportation and supplies whilst a WHO consultant from the Centre for Disease Control, Atlanta, is providing technical assistance to the Ministry.

COORDINATION

VAC assessments underway

Vulnerability Assessment Committee (VAC) missions will take place from 13 - 30 April in Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Data analysis will occur from 28 April to 30 May and the findings will be disseminated for all 5 countries by 26 June. The mission will incorporate a multi-sectoral approach, looking at household food security, HIV/AIDS issues, health, education and child protection, and water and sanitation. WFP and FAO are also planning Crop and Food Supply Assessment Missions (CFSAM) covering all six countries in the region. The analysis of the missions is expected by the end of May. The findings of both assessments will provide a more concise picture of household food security and the overall level of vulnerability in the region, facilitating programme planning and humanitarian response from June onwards.

Restructuring of DFID/SAHCU operation

DFID are re-structuring their food security operation to address medium-term issues in the region. This will involve the closing of the South African Humanitarian Crisis Unit (SAHCU) office in Johannesburg, and the establishment of a longer-term presence in the Pretoria office. A full time humanitarian advisor and an information officer are being recruited, and some humanitarian advisors will be posted into country offices (e.g. Zambia & Zimbabwe) to address immediate humanitarian needs. This restructuring is in recognition of the need to address immediate need whilst tackling longer-term structural issues affecting food security in the region by mainstreaming them into longer-term programmes.

PRSP for Lesotho incorporates emergency and developmental needs

UNDP Lesotho coordinated the UN system support to the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) for the country. The PRSP was initially a World Bank tool, but is now fully owned and led by the government of Lesotho. Appreciation was gained that the humanitarian emergency in Lesotho, caused by the combination of food insecurity and high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, is almost of structural nature. The PRSP was considered a critical medium term framework for addressing the crossroad of needs rising from the emergency and development aspects of the crisis. Key elements of the UN support included: mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS in the Agricultural sector; incorporation of early warning systems and HIV/AIDS tracking into the national poverty monitoring system; and building capacity for crisis budget planning.

Food targeting policy in Lesotho

The government of Lesotho's Disaster Management Authority (DMA), with support from Save the Children UK, is developing a national policy on food targeting as well as a code of conduct for NGO implementing partners during a humanitarian crisis.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON

HIV/AIDS programming

UN agencies are working hard to transform the - rhetoric about HIV/AIDS and food insecurity- into actual programmes addressing it. FAO in Lesotho is focusing on improving nutrition intake as well as the replenishment of family assets through the provision of small livestock. UNICEF and WFP are working together on sensitization and HIV/AIDS awareness through drama during food distribution. UNICEF in Malawi is working on the expansion of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme, using funds from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. A training package has been completed which will enable health workers to offer counseling to HIV-positive pregnant women and mothers at antenatal clinics. In Zimbabwe, UNICEF and UNAIDS completed a high level mission to strengthen the UN response to HIV/AIDS. In all six countries, WFP, UNICEF and Save the Children (UK) completed a training exercise on the protection of women and children from sexual abuse and exploitation in humanitarian crises. The workshops aimed at field staff, truck drivers, transport managers and distribution managers. In Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Lesotho, UNICEF, national health authorities and partners have developed nutrition guidelines for people living with AIDS (PLWA). These information booklets are distributed at community level through health clinics, NGOs and incorporated into home-based care kits for PLWAs.

RESOURCING

FUNDING FOR THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE*

The figures are based on the amendments in the Mid Term Review of the Consolidated Appeal

WFP budget revision finalized

WFP has completed a Budget Revision for EMOP 10200.0. The revised total requirements for EMOP 10200.0 for the period July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2003 are now US$ 512,630,533. The revision does not entail any increase in commodities to be resourced. WFP is hoping that the outstanding balance of 100,959 tons, against the original overall requirements of more than 990,000 tons, will be quickly resourced.

During the week of 24 - 28 March, WFP was pleased to confirm contributions of US$ 856,000 from Canada as well as USS 538,000 from Germany to be used in support of the associated costs for the South African contribution of 100,000 tons of maize. With these two contributions, the EMOP is now 76.2% funded against needs through June 2003.

Funding of non-food requirements

Since the launch of the Mid Term Review on 14 February, non-food sectors received an additional 5,5 million US dollars. Coordination received an additional 600,000 US dollars, whilst the health sector mobilized additional funds worth 5 million US dollars.