Attachments
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
BACKGROUND AND KEY DEVELOPMENTS
- In August 2008, renewed fighting between the Government of Pakistan (GOP) and militant groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Swat District in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) resulted in widespread displacement and insecurity. Civil conflict displaced more than 290,000 people in nine districts of NWFP between August 2008 and mid-February 2009, according to the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This figure includes 186,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) registered since December 2.
- In recent months, ongoing sectarian violence and intensified clashes between government forces and militant groups have caused new displacement and impeded humanitarian access to vulnerable populations.
- Due to ongoing insecurity, the U.N. launched a revised flash appeal on January 30 requesting $127 million to assist an estimated 625,000 IDPs, the expected total caseload in coming months. The revised appeal marks a $72 million increase from the September 2008 appeal and prioritizes food aid, water, relief commodities, and programs to address needs in nutrition, shelter and settlements, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
- USAID/OFDA currently supports an emergency disaster response coordinator (EDRC) in Pakistan to assess humanitarian conditions, identify priority needs, and monitor U.S. government humanitarian assistance.
- Due to ongoing humanitarian needs and displacement, USAID/OFDA has allocated an additional $4.2 million to be awarded to humanitarian agencies and organizations working in conflict-affected areas.
| NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
SOURCE | ||
| Total Number of Conflict-Affected IDPs Residing in Official Camps in NWFP |
59,140
|
UNHCR - February 9, 2009
|
| Total Number of Conflict-Affected IDPs Residing Outside of Official Camps in NWFP |
231,705
|
UNHCR - February 9, 2009
|
| Total Number of Conflict-Affected IDPs in NWFP |
290,845
|
UNHCR - February 9, 2009
|
FY 2008 AND FY 2009 FUNDING FOR CONFLICT-AFFECTED POPULATIONS
USAID/OFDA Assistance for Conflict-Affected Populations: $4,309,144
USAID/OTI(1) Assistance for Conflict-Affected Populations: $1,498,339
USAID/Pakistan Assistance for Conflict-Affected Populations: $1,529,275
State/PRM(2) Assistance for Conflict-Affected Populations(3): $5,300,000
Total USAID and State Assistance for Conflict-Affected Populations in Pakistan: $12,636,758
CURRENT SITUATION
- According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), counter-insurgency operations have intensified in recent weeks in Swat District, NWFP, and Bajaur Agency, FATA, limiting humanitarian access and resulting in new displacement. In addition, relief agencies anticipate continued clashes in Mohmand Agency.
- On February 9, UNHCR reported that more than 290,000 people remained displaced in NWFP due to ongoing conflict and insecurity. In addition, as violence continued and host communities exhausted coping mechanisms, IDP camps received an influx of new arrivals in recent weeks.
- Relief agencies and district authorities have registered IDPs in Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Kohat, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Charsadda, Swat, and Swabi districts in NWFP. Pakistan Complex Emergency - February 12, 2009
Displacement
- As of February 9, UNHCR estimated that more than 59,000 people resided in 12 established IDP camps in NWFP. An additional 231,000 IDPs reside with host families throughout NWFP, according to UNHCR.
- According to OCHA, camp populations continue to rise as a result of ongoing clashes and exhausted coping mechanisms of host communities. As of January 30, OCHA reported approximately 600 people per day arriving to IDP camp facilities.
- Approximately 57 percent of IDPs registered outside of camps have cited Bajaur Agency as the place of origin, and nearly 18 percent of IDPs declare Swat District as the place of origin, according to UNHCR. Most IDPs residing with host families are currently located in Peshawar, Mardan, and Charsadda districts.
- At present, U.N. agencies and provincial authorities continue to register both camp-based IDPs and IDPs residing with host families. On February 3, the USAID/OFDA EDRC reported that humanitarian agencies had registered an estimated 61 percent of total IDPs residing in host communities. UNHCR has identified shelter, health, food, livelihoods, and WASH interventions as priority humanitarian needs for both camp-based IDPs and IDPs residing with host families.
- In FY 2008 and to date in FY 2009, USAID/OFDA has provided more than $4.3 million for displaced and conflictaffected individuals and host communities in NWFP.
Shelter and Settlements
- According to the USAID/OFDA EDRC, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) manages and provides assistance in six NWFP IDP camps located in Lower Dir, Upper Dir, and Swat districts. U.N. agencies and nongovernmental organization (NGO) partners support the remaining camps located in Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda, and Malakand districts.
- UNHCR continues to relocate people residing in spontaneous sites to established IDP camps. On December 3, Sheikh Yasin camp, an unofficial camp without humanitarian presence, closed after UNHCR facilitated the relocation of the IDP population to UNHCR-monitored Jalozai I in Nowshera District.
- In FY 2008, USAID/OFDA provided $250,000 through U.N. agencies for technical shelter assistance, camp management, and housing for returnees in NWFP.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
- U.N. agencies and humanitarian partners continue to monitor the provision of safe drinking water in IDP camps. In addition, the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that humanitarian partners had constructed 1,394 sanitation facilities as of December 3.
- In FY 2008 and to date in FY 2009, USAID/OFDA has provided $1.5 million to implementing partners for emergency water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions in NWFP.
Humanitarian Access
- According to OCHA, ongoing violence and targeted attacks against humanitarian staff continue to restrict access to displaced populations and impede assessment activities in NWFP, particularly in Swat District.
- Violence has displaced or severely affected nearly 50 percent of Swat's 1.8 million residents, according to OCHA. Despite access constraints, on February 7, the U.N. began operations to provide relief commodities for up to 12,000 people displaced by ongoing violence. U.N. assistance includes food aid, blankets, plastic sheeting, water containers, kitchen sets, and soap.
- In February, the U.N. World Food Program plans to distribute food aid to more than 37,500 people in the six camps managed by the U.N in NWFP. In addition, the USAID/OFDA EDRC reports that U.N. agencies continue to work with the GOP Ministry of Social Welfare to facilitate relief commodity distribution to IDPs residing with host families.
- In FY 2008 and to date in FY 2009, USAID/OFDA has provided $710,000 to implementing partners for umanitarian coordination and information management activities and the provision of emergency relief commodities.