Pakistan: Situation Report No. 16

This report was issued by OCHA HQ with a coverage period from 27 August to 2 September. The next report will be issued on or around 11 September, 2009.

I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES

- Humanitarian services are shifting focus from hosting communities to areas of return to better meet the needs of the increasing number of returning displaced persons

- As a result of security concerns, there remains a lack of women in the workforce in most areas of return

- The Emergency Response Unit (ERU) was dissolved and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has taken over the coordination of relief efforts in the affected areas of NWFP

II. Situation Overview

Food Shortage: The Government of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) has requested WFP and the Food Cluster to cover the food needs of over 56,000 families (over 392,000 individuals) of vulnerable non-Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 25 Union Councils in Swat District. According to WFP, these families stayed behind in Swat District during military operations in May and June 2009. The Government has procured food rations for 15,000 families (105,000 individuals) while the Anatolian Development Foundation will look after another 9,500 families (66,500 individuals) in four affected Union Councils. WFP will cover the large gap of 32,000 families (224,000 individuals) in its overall monthly food distribution process to over 2.2 million registered IDPs in the areas of origin and displacement.

The above map shows WFP food distribution to IDPs living in camps and hosting areas as well as in areas of return since the start of the IDP returns process in July. Despite the fact that a significant number of people have returned to their areas of origin, many IDPs were going back to their former hosting areas to pick up their food rations. This back and forth movement will cease as soon as more humanitarian hubs are established in return areas to provide food and non-food items (NFIs). Currentl