Relief News Updates
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ReliefWeb - Updates
Snapshot GBVIMS : Tchad (Janvier –Decembre 2022)
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 04:50:32 +0000
Please refer to the attached Infographic.
3,520 cas de Violences Basées sur le Genre (VBG) déclarés parmi lesquels 34% des cas sont des agressions physiques, 24% des dénis de ressources d’opportunité ou de service. 11% sont des violences sexuelles, 27% des sont des violences psychologiques et 4% sont des mariages forcés. 99% des cas sont déclarés par des filles et femmes dont les femmes en grande majorité.
Pour ce qui est du contexte dans lequel ces cas de VBG ont été perpétrés,. Plus de la moitié (57%) des cas ont eu lieu dans le domicile de la survivante et la majeur partie des cas sont perpétrés par des personnes connues par la survivante soit 57% par un partenaire intime ou 30% membre de la famille ou communauté. On note également des cas d’esclavage sexuel(30%) abus sexuel des enfants (10%), mariage précoce (2%) des pratiques traditionnelle jugées néfastes (1%).
Pour le statut de déplacement au moment de la déclaration, 44% sont de la communauté hôtes, 33% des personnes déplacées internes, 15% des réfugiés et 7% des retournés Concernant les services offerts pour les nouveaux cas déclarés, 100% de cas ont bénéficié d’assistance psychosociale, 33% des cas de viol prise en charge dans les 72h après la déclaration.
Toutefois l’on constate une faiblesse aux services de la sécurité, assistance légale. Bien que sollicité par les survivante à 45% des cas le service d’appui au moyen de subsistance n’était pas disponible. En outre l ’assistance jurique et sécurité sont les service les plus déclinés soit à plus 60% des cas.
Türkiye: Turkey: Suspend Time Limit on Travel Outside Quake Zone [EN/TR]
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 04:17:11 +0000
Please refer to the attached file.
60-Day Limit for Refugees Arbitrary, Harmful
(Istanbul) - Turkey's arbitrary decision to give refugees living in the provinces affected by the February 6, 2023 earthquakes only 60 days outside the region leaves many people with an uncertain future and unable to plan for their long term needs, Human Rights Watch said today.
Turkey should indefinitely suspend the time restrictions on longer-term settlement outside the region that apply to the refugees registered as residents in the 10 provinces affected. They should be able to plan to rebuild their lives outside the region without additional, arbitrary barriers not faced by other earthquake victims.
“The current 60-day limit for Syrian refugee earthquake survivors on time spent outside the region leaves them in limbo, with many fearing they will be forced back to inadequate housing arrangements in the devastated provinces,” said Nadia Hardman, refugee and migrant rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The time limit is wholly arbitrary, creating unnecessary and unjustifiable financial and mental strain on refugees.”
On March 13, Turkey’s interior minister estimated that 48,448 people including 6,660 foreigners, the majority of whom were Syrian refugees, died in the February 6 earthquakes in Turkey. Government officials also estimate that a quarter of a million buildings have been damaged, and about two million people have left the earthquake region. No official estimates are available for the number of refugees among them.
Under ordinary circumstances Turkey imposes travel restrictions on refugees, prohibiting them from traveling out of the provinces in which they are registered with local authorities, unless they secure a permit. On February 7, the authorities lifted these restrictions for about 1.7 million refugees under temporary and international protection in the earthquake region for 90 days, but then cut back the time period to just 60 days.
This means that those refugees can travel without a permit and find alternate accommodation elsewhere, but it leaves them uncertain whether they will have to return to their devastated provinces after a 60-day period irrespective of housing prospects there. This prevents them from seeking longer-term solutions elsewhere, Human Rights Watch said.
Human Rights Watch spoke to 11 Syrian refugees who travelled to Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, or Bursa to stay with relatives after the earthquake. Most said they decided to leave after spending days outdoors in the midst of aftershocks and cold weather with little access to food or shelter.
After leaving the earthquake region, by law refugees must go to local migration offices to apply for a permit to stay in their new location. Those Human Rights Watch spoke to said it was difficult to focus on seeking a permit and dealing with bureaucratic arrangements when they had lost family members, suffered serious injuries including amputation of limbs, had been made homeless, and felt traumatized.
Permission to travel outside provinces where they are registered is based on two circulars issued by the Presidency of Migration Management, on February 7 and February 13. The February 7 circular ordered local authorities to allow all refugees registered with the Turkish migration authorities in the 10 affected provinces to travel without a permit to other provinces except Istanbul and stay outside of their registered provinces for up to 90 days.
The second circular, on February 13, superseding the February 7 announcement, reduced the length of the time to 60 days and granted those travelling from the worst affected five provinces (Hatay, Malatya, Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, and Gaziantep) unconditional access to other provinces, but made travel from the other five (Kilis, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Adana, and Osmaniye) dependent on the applicant’s home being seriously damaged and the existence of medical needs that could only be met in other provinces.
Those in the second group are not allowed to move to the many neighborhoods in Turkey officially closed for new registrations of refugees. Both circulars were sent to local nongovernmental groups or civil society leaders privately but were not shared on official websites or social media accounts of relevant authorities. Human Rights Watch has seen copies of both.
People interviewed said that officials in the local migration management offices were unable to tell them what to expect in the coming weeks and months. Neither official Presidency of Migration Management (PMM) nor Interior Ministry websites or social media accounts provide any information. The interviewees said they found out about the 60-day permit through Syrian media outlets, WhatsApp groups, and social media platforms.
The people interviewed said that 60 days is not sufficient to plan their lives. One woman said that her family spent most of their savings just to leave the province where they were registered.
A couple who used to live in Hatay said they still paid rent for their damaged uninhabitable house and for a newly rented apartment in Istanbul because of the uncertainty around what to expect. Some Syrians whose houses were not damaged and did not move out said they are now threatened with evictions because Turkish landlords are seeking to use the apartments for their own relatives displaced by the earthquakes.
In 2022, Turkey’s Interior Ministry introduced a policy of “thinning out” the foreigner population by designating 1,169 neighborhoods in 63 provinces as “closed” to new registrations of refugees, including some in the 10 provinces devastated by the earthquakes. This policy applies to locations where the refugee population is believed to make up more than 20 percent of the overall population.
One man said his relatives who travelled from the earthquake zone could not rent houses in a closed Istanbul neighborhood. When trying to rent in another neighborhood, they were asked to pay six months’ rent in advance.
The damaged infrastructure, lack of housing options, and the uncertainty around their future makes it difficult and expensive for refugees to plan their lives and future steps, Human Rights Watch said.
“Refugees should be allowed to seek shelter in cities with functioning infrastructure and be given time to recover until the affected cities have sustainable housing and basic necessities available for everyone,” Hardman said.
Tchad-GBV AoR: Presence Operationnel (Janvier 2023)
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:54:29 +0000
Please refer to the attached Infographic.
L’AoR VBG au Tchad comprend plus de 45 partenaires , dont les partenaires Étatiques, 21 ONGs Nationales, 11 OSCs, les agences des Nations Unies incluant UNFPA qui assure le Co-Lead, UNHCR et UNICEF. La CoFacilitation au niveau national est assurée par Care International. Toutes ces organisations/institutions interviennent dans 19 provinces parmi les 23 que couvre le Pays et 44 départements. L’AoR VBG s'efforce de répondre et de prévenir la VBG à l'encontre des femmes et des filles en renforçant les programmes communautaires de lutte contre la VBG. Cela comprend des activités telles que l’offre de services spécialisés pour les survivantes, le soutien psychosocial et diverses activités de prévention et d'atténuation, telles que la sensibilisation et l'intégration de la VBG dans d'autres clusters, le renforcement de capacité et la réinsertion socio-économique.
Women Lead Organization (WLOs)-Cartographie: Tchad (22 Mar 2023)
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:52:16 +0000
Please refer to the attached Infographic.
CCCM/Shelter/NFI Cluster Analysis Report (CAR) - Kachin/Shan (north) States, Myanmar - 28 February 2023
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:46:59 +0000
Please refer to the attached Infographic.
Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal (March 22, 2023) [EN/NE]
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:34:45 +0000
Please refer to the attached files.
Emerging Theme(s):
Nepal Doctors Association has demanded permanent posts for medical officers for 8th level.
Lalitpur Municipality to provide the second dose of booster vaccine against COVID-19 to increase immunity.
Afghanistan: Voluntary Repatriation Update, January - December 2022
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:30:24 +0000
Please refer to the attached file.
6,424 AFGHAN REFUGEES RETURNED IN 2022
Since the start of large-scale repatriation to Afghanistan in 2002, UNHCR has facilitated the return of nearly 5.3 million Afghan refugees, mainly from neighbouring Pakistan and Iran. In 2022, 6,424 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan – 6,029 from Pakistan, 372 Iran and 23 from other countries, including Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation. This is 371 per cent higher than the number of recorded returns in 2021 (1,363) and 2020 (2,147). Since 2018, the number of returns to Afghanistan has remained relatively low and this is largely due to the fragile political context, limited and overstretched absorption capacity, lack of access to shelter, essential services and livelihood opportunities in return areas, and more recently, COVID-19 restrictions.
In August 2022, UNHCR adjusted the cash grant from $250 to $375 per person to better respond to the skyrocketing living and transportation costs and deteriorating economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. However, this did not trigger any drastic uptick in returns as witnessed in 2016 with most returnees interviewed following this adjustment indicating their decision to return was mainly due to rising living costs in their country of asylum.
In 2023, UNHCR will continue to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees in safety and dignity and ensure the exercise is in line with the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees and the Tripartite and Quadripartite frameworks. In view of the fluid and uncertain socio-economic and political context in Afghanistan, UNHCR will closely monitor the situation and maintain robust coordination with offices in the region so that returns are fully voluntary and based on well-informed decisions.
Government of the Republic of Vanuatu: National Disaster Management Office - NEOC Situation Report 21 - TC Judy/TC Kevin (21 March 2023)
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:28:42 +0000
Please refer to the attached file.
Situation Overview
Food cluster working closely with the logistics arrangement for shipment and distribution of dry rations in Efate, shepherds and Tafea. Health Cluster reported an increased frequency of watery diarrhoea cases through the existing sentinel surveillance sites. The WASH cluster continues with the distribution of emergency water and kits.
Cluster Updates
Emergency Shelter Cluster [See p.1]
Energy Cluster
- 70 % of the customers are now supplied with electricity. Electricity services have been stored in the following area, Fresh Wota 5, Anabrou, Reed Subdivision, Salili, Waisisi in Prima
Logistics Cluster
Expecting one international flight today (21/03/23) carrying NFls donated by JICA. (ETA 23:15).
MV Young Blood and MV Urata departed Port Vila for Shepherd islands on 20/03/23 carrying food rations. FSAC officers transported via air charter to Tanna on 20/03/23.
RFAs continue to be received and actioned.
Summary of Logistical Arrangements for the food and NFls distribution and movement
Airline trips summary
Airlines Charted Flights
Air Taxi 1
Chinook 1
NZ Flight 1
Vehicle Summary
Transport Name Number of Trips
VMF Lorry (big) 2
VMF Lorry (small) 2
Hired truck 3
Shipment Summary
Name of Vessels Total No. of travelling
MV Urata 1
MV Young Blood 1
NEOC, Port Vila Vanuatu: Briefing Update 06: Tropical Cyclones Judy & Kevin (Date reported: 18-20 March 2023)
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:23:48 +0000
Please refer to the attached Infographic.
Pakistan: Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA): Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Daily Situation Report (22 March 2023, Evening)
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:21:48 +0000
Please refer to the attached file.
Excerpt
INCIDENTS DETAIL
DISTRICT
Abbottabad
DETAIL OF INCIDENT
On 21-03-2023, due to earthquake the following incidents were reported:
1. child namely Saman Abdul Waheed d/o Muhammad Waheed constable died.
RESPONSE
SOURCE
DDMU Abbottabad
Albania: Peacebuilding Fund - Investment map 2022 (February 2023)
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:12:55 +0000
Please refer to the attached Map.
Communique de presse / l’ONU en haiti est preoccupée par la recrudescence des actes de violence perpetrés contre la population
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:02:27 +0000
Port-au-Prince, le 21 mars 2023 – Les Nations unies en Haïti condamnent avec fermeté la recrudescence des actes d’extrême violence perpétrés par les gangs armés dans la zone métropolitaine de Port-au-Prince et le département de l’Artibonite, notamment les localités de Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite, Verrettes, l'Estère et Liancourt.
Ces actes se sont intensifiés entre la période du 27 février et 9 mars 2023, n’épargnant aucune couche de la société et entrainant des atteintes graves aux droits de l’homme, en particulier des atteintes au droit à la vie, à l’intégrité physique et au droit de propriété. Pendant cette période, lors d’affrontements entre les gangs, au moins 187 personnes ont été tuées, 152 autres ont été blessées et deux femmes ont disparu et sont toujours portées disparues. Près de 260 autres personnes ont été enlevées à leur domicile ou dans des lieux publics depuis le début de l’année.
Le département de l'Artibonite est également devenu le théâtre d’affrontements entre des gangs, motivés par la volonté de terroriser la population et de contrôler davantage de territoire. Cette situation s’est caractérisée par des déplacements de populations, avec comme corollaire, des pertes en vies humaines et la destruction des biens privés et publics, y compris l’abandon des rizières et des plantations en dépit de l’insécurité alimentaire.
La situation est d'autant plus alarmante pour les enfants, qui sont souvent soumis à toutes les formes de violence armée, y compris le recrutement forcé et les violences sexuelles, aux conséquences dramatiques. À cela s’ajoute la fermeture de nombreuses écoles en raison de l’insécurité causée par les gangs, mettant en cause le progrès réalisé par Haïti en matière de mise en œuvre du droit à l’éducation.
Les Nations Unies en Haïti expriment leur profonde préoccupation pour les milliers de personnes déplacées et appellent les autorités haïtiennes à s’acquitter de leurs obligations conventionnelles en matière de droits de l’homme.
Les Nations Unies en Haïti réaffirment leur soutien à la population et leur engagement à travailler avec les partenaires nationaux, régionaux, et internationaux pour soutenir les efforts des institutions publiques vers un retour à la stabilité et à la sécurité.
-FIN -
Pour des informations complémentaires, veuillez contacter :
Béatrice Nibogora, Cheffe de la Communication Stratégique et de l’Information Publique (SCPI), Porte-Parole, BINUH, email : nibogorab@un.org(link sends e-mail).
Haiti: Communities in Bacaunoir know 8811
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 02:28:14 +0000
They know safe and accessible channels to report cases of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA)
Ndiaga Seck
“No matter which organization comes to help us, whether we are asked for some form of payment or whatever, or even asked to have sex with a person in exchange for the aid, we must always say "no", we don't accept,” says Christiana Saint-Pierre.
Christiana sits with five other women in a small circle, holding colourful flyers with embedded drawings and photos, and paragraphs written in Haitian Creole. The 20-year-old lives in Bacaunoir, Nippes, in the southern part of Haiti, a region hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in August 2021. Since then, many humanitarian organizations, local or international, visit the area to bring aid to the victims.
People affected by an emergency are more vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse, as they lack almost everything and rely on assistance to attend to all their basic needs. Some aid workers could take advantage of their vulnerability to exploit them. UNICEF inform community members on how they could report cases if they were victims or witnesses.
“After a natural disaster or other emergencies, it is always good to remind people that humanitarian aid is free of charge. It is important to sensitize the community and train people, so they know the importance of Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA),” declares Valentina Morency, PSEA officer at UNICEF Haiti.
Use humanitarian activities to inform about PSEA
That morning, Christiana attended a training session on infant and young child feeding and other nutritional practices organized by UNICEF and its partner Haiti Participative. The meeting also offered the opportunity to sensitize women on PSEA.
Once back home, she gathers women from her neighborhood to raise awareness. The young woman has already had a very broad understanding of the subject and speaks with confidence. Supporting members of her community protect themselves against all forms of exploitation is close to her heart.
“PSEA is one of the most important parts of the program. It helps us to better understand that no matter which organization that comes, the NGO Haiti Participative or UNICEF, we must not give anything in exchange for the aid they give us,” Christiana explains.
In rural areas affected by the earthquake or in urban areas that continue sustaining the horrors of violence by armed groups, UNICEF is working to sensitize communities on PSEA, because all people who are entitled to humanitarian assistance must be informed.
"We educate everyone. Children can be victims of sexual exploitation and abuse, just like adults. We mainly target vulnerable people, girls, women, people with disabilities, etc.", Morency underscores.
Relay PSEA information within the community
The information sharing session has been very fruitful. Women and girls who took part in the event learned the essential, mainly safe and accessible channels for reporting cases of sexual exploitation and abuse. “Women know 8811, the inter-agency toll-free number run by the World Food Program (WFP). They also know Haiti Participative number to report cases,” says Morency.
Christiana uses this knowledge to inform her neighbours. She answers questions with pedagogy, repeating and insisting on the right for all beneficiaries to access aid without giving anything in return. People who receive assistance can share a positive or negative feedback about the behaviour of an aid worker.
“We have the right to disagree. We can see how an engineer from UNICEF or Haiti Participative does his job and file a complaint if need be. We can go to a manager who will direct us to the office of the organisation to file a complaint against the person when necessary,” she exemplifies.
Thanks to the PSEA programme, vulnerable people will be protected from sexual exploitation and abuse, and they continue living their lives in dignity after emergencies. Just like Christiana who is very ambitious and dreams big.
“I will soon be 21 years old. I would like to learn a lot of things after completing my studies. I love medicine and I would also like to become an engineer,” she concluded.
Haiti: Les communautés de Bacaunoir connaissent le 8811
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 02:23:59 +0000
Ils connaissent des canaux s슩rs et accessibles pour signaler les cas d'exploitation et d'abus sexuels (EAS)
Ndiaga Seck
« Peu importe quelle organisation vient nous aider, qu'on nous demande une forme de paiement ou autre, ou même qu'on nous demande d'avoir des relations sexuelles en échange de l'aide, nous avons le droit de toujours dire "non", nous n'acceptons pas », raconte Christiana Saint-Pierre.
Christiana est assise en un petit cercle avec cinq autres femmes, tenant des dépliants colorés avec des dessins et des photos intégrés, et des textes écrits en créole haïtien. La jeune femme de 20 ans vit à Bacaunoir, département des Nippes, dans la partie Sud d'Haïti, une région frappée par un tremblement de terre de magnitude 7,2 en ao슩t 2021. Depuis, de nombreuses organisations humanitaires, locales ou internationales, sont présentes dans la région pour apporter de l'aide à la population.
Les personnes touchées par une situation d'urgence sont plus vulnérables à l'exploitation et aux abus sexuels Elles dépendent de l’aide humanitaire pour subvenir à leurs besoins les plus essentiels. Certains travailleurs humanitaires pourraient profiter de leur situation de vulnérabilité pour les exploiter. L'UNICEF informe les membres de la communauté que l’aide humanitaire est gratuite, qu’ils ont le droit à la protection contre ces actes d’exploitation, et sur la manière dont ils peuvent signaler des cas, s'ils sont victimes ou témoins.
« Après une catastrophe naturelle ou d'autres situations d'urgence, il est toujours bon de rappeler aux gens que l'aide humanitaire est gratuite. Il est important de sensibiliser la communauté et de former les gens afin qu'ils connaissent l'importance de la protection contre l'exploitation et les abus sexuels (PEAS) », déclare Valentina Morency, officière de PEAS à l'UNICEF Haïti.
Profiter des activités humanitaires pour informer sur la PEAS
Ce matin-là, Christiana a assisté à une session de formation sur l'alimentation du nourrisson et du jeune enfant et sur d'autres pratiques nutritionnelles organisée par l'UNICEF et son partenaire l’ONG Haïti Participative. La rencontre a également offert l'opportunité de sensibiliser les femmes sur la PSEA.
De retour chez elle, elle rassemble des femmes de son quartier pour les sensibiliser. La jeune femme a déjà une compréhension très large du sujet et s'exprime avec assurance. Aider les membres de sa communauté à se protéger contre toute forme d'exploitation lui tient à cœur.
« La PEAS est l'une des parties les plus importantes du programme. Cela nous aide à mieux comprendre que peu importe l'organisation présente, l'ONG Haïti Participative ou l'UNICEF, nous ne devons rien donner en échange de l'aide qu'ils nous apportent », explique Christiana.
Dans les zones rurales touchées par le tremblement de terre ou dans les zones urbaines qui continuent de subir les horreurs de la violence des groupes armés, l'UNICEF s'emploie à sensibiliser les communautés à la PEAS, car toutes les personnes qui ont droit à l'aide humanitaire doivent être informées.
« Nous éduquons tout le monde. Les enfants peuvent être victimes d'exploitation et d'abus sexuels, tout comme les adultes. Nous ciblons principalement les personnes vulnérables, les filles, les femmes, les personnes vivant avec un handicap, etc. », souligne Morency.
Relayer l’information PSEA au sein de la communauté
La session de formation a été très fructueuse. Les femmes et les filles qui ont participé à l'événement ont appris l’essentiel, notamment les canaux s슩rs et accessibles pour signaler les cas d'exploitation et d'abus sexuels. « Les femmes connaissent le 8811, le numéro inter-agences gratuit géré par le Programme alimentaire mondial (PAM). Ils connaissent également le numéro d'Haïti Participative pour rapporter », explique Morency.
Christiana utilise ces connaissances pour informer ses voisines. Elle répond aux questions avec pédagogie, répétant et insistant sur le droit pour tous les bénéficiaires d'accéder à l'aide, sans rien donner en retour. Car les personnes qui reçoivent l’aide peuvent communiquer un retour positif ou négatif sur le comportement d’un travailleur humanitaire.
« Nous avons le droit de ne pas être d'accord. On peut voir comment un ingénieur de l'UNICEF ou d'Haïti Participative effectue son travail et porter plainte s’il y a lieu. On peut aller voir un responsable qui nous orientera vers le bureau de l'organisme pour porter plainte contre la personne au besoin », illustre-t-elle.
Grâce au programme PEAS, les personnes vulnérables seront protégées contre l'exploitation et les abus sexuels et continueront à vivre leur vie dans la dignité après les situations d'urgence. Tout comme Christiana qui est très ambitieuse et rêve grand.
« J'aurai bientôt 21 ans. J'aimerais apprendre beaucoup de choses après avoir terminé mes études. J'adore la médecine et j'aimerais aussi devenir ingénieur », a-t-elle conclu.
Nepal: “If nobody stops child marriage, we will"
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 01:58:27 +0000
Highlights from the Rupantaran peer learning and support model in Nepal
Lauren Rumble
Kapilvastu, Nepal - It’s a cool spring morning in Kapilvastu, Nepal. The orange sun is not yet high in the sky and it’s a school holiday, so the streets are quieter than usual. But at the local community center, there are excited voices and a buzz in the air. A group of adolescent girls and boys—peer and community facilitators at the UNICEF-supported “Rupantaran” programme—are meeting.
Rupantaran, meaning “transformation”, was developed by UNICEF, UNFPA and partners, including government and local civil society organizations, in response to high rates of child marriage in Nepal. Almost a third[1] of girls are married before they turn 18.
Targeting adolescent girls aged 10-19, the Rupantaran curriculum aims to equip girls with communication and other important life skills, with a focus on boosting girls’ confidence, and supporting girls to be changemakers and leaders in their community.
By engaging girls in focus groups once a week for six to 12 months, accompanied by peer support and counselling, Rupantaran forms a core part of UNICEF’s efforts to prevent child marriage, support girls’ voice, leadership and agency and link them to available services.
Rupantaran peer facilitators help establish girl groups to share their experiences, access information and knowledge about their rights, and benefit from targeted skills training. The programme is successfully being rolled out in Nepal with a target to reach 8000 adolescent girls annually.
“I have felt my own transformation over these last few months,” says Rekha, a 15-year-old peer facilitator.
“My mother left us when I was younger, and I always felt so sad. Then I started doing activities with Rupantaran. It gave me a chance to talk with girls my age. Now, I have so many friends. I feel proud to make my community stronger. Everyone in the community knows me.”
Rekha, like many of her fellow facilitators, has successfully managed to intervene in cases of potential child marriage, by engaging in dialogue with parents in the community.
“I feel so good about what I am doing now to stop child marriage,” says Rachana, 17 years, who is also a peer facilitator. “When I wear my UNICEF jacket in the community, people recognize me and respect me.”
When Rachana first started attending Rupantaran, she felt too shy to speak up or participate but after a few sessions, she found her voice: “I was su rprised at myself. Now, I have more than 40 girls in my group. I wish I could expand with more.”
“Our vision is for Rupantaran to be in every school and for every girl who is not in school to have access to these resources. Confident, empowered girls make for stronger communities and a more prosperous Nepal,” says Pragya Shah Karki, a Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF Nepal.
Almost half[2] of all Nepali women are not in education, employment or training (NEET) compared with one in five men. This disparity begins in adolescence. Bringing every girl back to school and back to learning the skills she needs is a crucial part of UNICEF’s vision in Nepal, but child marriage presents a significant threat.
“Girls face all kinds of violence here in Nepal and it gets worse when they are married,” says Upama Malla, Child Protection Officer with UNICEF Nepal. A quarter[3] of all Nepali girls and women have experienced violence by their partner. Norms justifying violence are prevalent. That’s why UNICEF, in line with the organization’s Gender Action Plan 2022-2025, is investing in programmes that tackle underlying norms holding girls and women back through more transformative approaches. This includes a more deliberate focus on supporting girls’ leadership and power.
“We need programmes that center girls voice and leadership and connect to other services, like adolescent health and nutrition. And we need more partnerships with women and girls’ rights organizations who are a lifeline to girls and women,” says Upama.
Rupantaran can change this. In Nepal, the programme has already been rolled out nationally at the cost of just only US $10 per girl when delivered in schools, though it has also effectively reached out-of-school girls in remote, rural and other schools, including religious schools not formally recognized by the Ministry of Education. This diverse curriculum is aimed to be adaptable across contexts and will potentially be available for adaptation to other countries. UNICEF and partners hope to carry out a full evaluation of the programme in 2023 to support future scale-up and replication.
[1] 2019 data, UNICEF
[2] 45.8% of women and 21% of men in Nepal are not in education, employment or training (NEET), 2017 data, source: World Bank Gender Data Portal
Philippines: DSWD holds financial assistance payout in Butuan City
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 01:54:48 +0000
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Field Office (FO) Caraga, held a financial assistance payout at the Father Saturnino Urios University gymnasium, Butuan City on March 18, 2023 to aid in the recovery of families affected by recent floods brought by various weather disturbances, coupled with the rising prices of commodities due to global inflation.
Led by Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the payout activity provided cash assistance, under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, to 3,680 eligible families identified and referred in partnership with the Congressional 1st District Office of Agusan del Norte and the City Government of Butuan.
The payout activity was also graced by DSWD Caraga Regional Director Mari-Flor A. Dollaga, Agusan del Norte 1st District Representative Jose Aquino II, and Butuan City Mayor Ronnie Vicente Lagnada.
Aside from the payout, Secretary Gatchalian held a meeting with local chief executives (LCEs) in Agusan del Norte, led by Provincial Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell Amante, Representative Aquino, and Mayor Lagnada, to strengthen the delivery of social protection programs and services in the province.
“I would like to discuss with you our other programs, because we do not like our image to just be the provider of disaster aid. We have programs like the KALAHI-CIDSS, and the Sustainable Livelihood Program, which I think will help your constituents better,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
The DSWD Secretary is expected to continue to meet with other local chief executives in the next weeks to improve the Department’s coordination with local government units and determine other areas for partnership. ###
Short but perilous: Children’s smuggling journey across Afghanistan’s border
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 01:52:35 +0000
Hiding under moving trucks, children risk their lives smuggling goods – and themselves – across the Torkham border between Afghanistan and Pakistan
Omid Fazel
NANGARHAR, AFGHANISTAN – At Afghanistan’s eastern border with Torkham, Pakistan, a small town bustles with trade, business and people looking for opportunity. Colorful cargo trucks, decorated with floral and geometric patterns in blue, green and gold sit parked at the border crossing before slowly rumbling from one country to the next. The trucks carry a variety of goods, and sometimes, some unexpected stowaways.
Every day, dozens of children – some as young as 8 or 9 years old – risk their lives smuggling sacks of goods across the border, hiding under the trucks to avoid detection by the authorities. They carry cigarettes, handmade goods, and fruits, aiming to sell them in Afghanistan and help support their families.
These sacks of goods, known in Afghanistan as gandey, are usually just pieces of plastic or tarpaulin, fashioned into a backpack with ropes as shoulder straps. Many of the gandey are the same size as the children themselves, heavy and cumbersome.
Salman, 11, recalls the misery of his past as he displays a photo of his younger brother on his uncle’s phone.
“This is Haidar,” he says. “He was 9 years old. He carried gandey under moving trucks.”
“I remember one day when Haidar waved goodbye to me cheerfully, saying ‘bye bye’ as he hid under a truck with his gandey.”
Five minutes later, Haidar fell under a moving vehicle and was crushed by the wheels.
Unable to speak further about his brother’s death, he went inside his tent and cried.
There are thousands of children like Haidar who endanger their lives like this to try and help their families. Smuggling these goods earns $2.00 - $4.00 for each gandey.
“According to a survey we conducted in March last year, more than 2,500 children are engaging in this hazardous child labour at the Torkham border,” says Aziz Noor, UNICEF Child Protection Officer in Nangarhar Province.
With funding support from the European Union, UNICEF established a child-friendly space at the Torkham border, a safe place where children come to learn and play. The space was designed as a deterrent from smuggling, offering activities like Pashto lessons, singing, and sports like cricket and jumping rope.
UNICEF also supports social workers, who helps determine the best interests of the child and links them to the services they need the most, such as mental health and psychosocial support.
Although he still struggles with the tragic loss of his brother, Salman stopped making perilous trips across the border and spends his days playing cricket at the child-friendly space instead.
“I love cricket,” says Salman, swinging his bat. “I play it with my friends who also come here.”
Children like Shaheda have experienced more danger and fear than most 9-year-olds should. At her age, she should spend her days playing and learning, unconcerned with earning an income.
Each day she crosses the border, she loses a day in the classroom, important social interactions with her friends, and she is at risk of violence or abuse.
“UNICEF also works closely with community elders and parents to bring children off the streets and into the closest education centres," continues Saghar.
“We had no other option. We had nothing to eat.”
Sadia used to smuggle gandey across the border, but she stopped when her father Zargol was employed by UNICEF's implementing partner, HARO, as a caretaker of the child-friendly space.
“When I got this job, I stopped sending Sadia on such risky journeys,” he says.
Recognizing the dangers of smuggling and appreciating the joy and safety of the child-friendly space, Zargol now advocates with other parents in his village not to encourage their children into labour. He spreads the word about how Sadia is thriving at the centre and uses his salary to buy food and stationery for her.
In addition to this child-friendly space at the Torkham border, with funding from the European Union, UNICEF supports other border centres around Afghanistan. These centres help thousands of children reunite with their families, speak to counsellors and social workers, and re-enroll in school or find opportunities for vocational training.
Mardin becomes a place of refuge after the earthquakes in Türkiye
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 01:49:29 +0000
Stefanie Glinski
Journalist
After the earthquake disaster, Ali AlHassan and his family traveled to Mardin – a city known for its culture. Welthungerhilfe is supporting them and almost 30,000 other displaced people with shelter and hot meals.
Mardin is a popular tourist town known as a cultural heritage site in Türkiye. Since the devastating earthquakes, it has become a place of refuge for thousands of people made homeless by the catastrophe.
More than 70 families arrived in Mardin in the last few days – many of them originally Syrians who have lived in Türkiye as refugees for years. They have found refuge in the ancient stone houses, where they receive support from Welthungerhilfe (WHH) through food aid.
Many Syrian refugees have again lost their homes due to the earthquakes
Ali AlHassan is one of them. Originally from Raqqa, he fled to Türkiye 11 years ago. After arriving in Mardin, the 28-year-old took up residence with his wife and four children in an old but sturdy house with a vaulted ceiling. They feel safe: The city of Mardin is more than 2,000 years old and stands on solid rock; even the earthquakes on February 6 did not damage it.
It was a different story in Urfa, where Ali previously lived with his family and worked as a hairdresser. Countless houses collapsed or were damaged, he says, and many of them – including Ali's house – are still at risk of collapse.
Earthquake disaster brings new trauma
“They were the worst minutes of our lives!” recalls Ali. “We tried to leave the house and run downstairs from the third floor, but during the quake, we couldn't unlock our door; the lock was stuck. We were stuck. I thought the ceiling would collapse and bury us all under it."
Mechanically, he did what was necessary: dress the children, throw IDs, important documents, a few photos, and clothes into a suitcase – and left. The AlHassans have not returned to their apartment since. Ali tried once to retrieve more belongings but rescue workers had already cordoned off the badly damaged house and given demolition orders.
"First, we slept in a school for ten days where we shared a room with ten other families. Then we were in a mosque for three days. But we knew it couldn't go on like this. We needed a longer-term place to stay," says Ali's wife Noor, originally from Aleppo, Syria.
Emergency aid: Psychological support and hot meals.
Just a few days ago, the family arrived in Mardin. WHH's partner organization instantly reached out to them when they registered in the city.
Hülya Celebioglu, manager of the WHH partnership, was working with psychologists before the earthquakes to support women who have experienced domestic violence. While that work continues now, at the same time, Hülyae has launched a soup kitchen that now provides nutritious meals daily to more than 1,000 people – Ali and Noor among them. Today they are having noodles with fresh vegetables and lentil soup. Hülya was also able to rent a small house in the old town for the family. At least for the next two months, they can live there – between souvenir stores and tourist groups.
Noor says the last few weeks have been particularly difficult for her children. Her oldest daughter Reyan, seven, often has nightmares, asking if there will be another earthquake. Her youngest son Abdul Malik, two, has trouble sleeping, feeling his family's restlessness.
The AlHassans will also receive psychological support. "We are completely reorienting our work and focusing more on earthquake survivors. We want to offer psychological support to women and children in particular," explains Hülya.
She remembers the first days of the war in Syria; exactly 12 years ago. "Even then, many Syrian families came to Mardin because our city is close to the border and many people here already speak Arabic. We prepared meals and supported people. Since the earthquakes, we have had a similar situation. In the last few weeks, almost 30,000 people have arrived in Mardin. And us? We are here to support them."
The people in the regions devastated by earthquakes urgently need support. Help us to provide them with essential relief supplies.
Côte d'Ivoire: Empowering Farmers Through Access to Water: The Story of Kouadio Koffi Nadège
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 01:39:09 +0000
Bingerville, 21 March 2023 – Kouadio Koffi Nadège is a 33-year-old farmer living in Bingerville, a small town about 15 kilometres from Abidjan. She is passionate about agriculture and spends most of her time growing vegetables.
"Four years ago, I left the centre of Côte d'Ivoire because I had no land to grow on. And I came to Abidjan, which was like an El Dorado for me. When I arrived, I was able to secure a small plot of land," she explains.
Every day, under a blazing sun, Nadège grows cabbages, eggplants, and lettuce on a plot of land that she rents temporarily from the village community to support herself.
Nadège's passion for farming allows her to grow her own food and provide for her family. She works hard to grow vegetables and earn a living. She chose peri-urban agriculture because it is an efficient way to grow vegetables on a small plot of land close to the city and thus stay close to her family.
However, water scarcity and limited access to water pumping infrastructure in many regions of Côte d'Ivoire seriously threaten the food security of thousands of people, including Nadège and her children. She explains that the lack of water prevents her from growing as many vegetables as she would like.
"Dependency on seasonal whims has had a negative impact on the yield of my activities. We produce one ton of vegetables, whereas we could produce ten tons if we had access to water," she says.
The water scarcity caused by climate change also has severe consequences for migrant workers in the agricultural sector. Labour migration and the difficulty of work are significant issues that undermine the security of these workers. Improving land and water management and providing easier access to irrigation infrastructure can help address these challenges.
"Water is a problematic resource for me; it is a real challenge to produce vegetables that allow me to feed my family and earn an income to send my children to school. Every day I have to travel many kilometres to collect wastewater to water my plants," says Nadège.
Migrant labour is heavily impacted by these issues, which undermine employment in the agricultural sector. Mitigating or solving the challenges caused by water scarcity requires better land and water management, as well as improved access to irrigation infrastructure.
In this sense, in order to increase the resilience of migrant and indigenous communities to water stress and climate change, and to strengthen the confidence of communities in local authorities and state structures, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is implementing the project "Protection and Integration of Migrant Labour and Environment in Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture" (MITSA). The project will provide a solar pumping system to strengthen the resilience of urban and peri-urban agriculture actors to the consequences of climate change.
This project is essential for Nadège and many migrant workers, as it will improve their income and strengthen their resilience to climate change in a sustainable way. Nadège is optimistic about the future.
"Today, with this project, we will have sustainable access to water; we will be able to work less and have better yields. It will change my daily life!"
For more information, please contact Joëlle Furrer, Communications and Media Officer, jfurrer@iom.int, and Hind Assaoui Bennani, Regional Programme Specialist for Migration, Environment, and Climate Change, haissaoui@iom.int
Surviving the Drought: The Struggle and Resilience of Pastoralist Communities in Northern Kenya
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 01:34:58 +0000
Turkana County, Northern Kenya, 20 March 2023 – “When I was a child, everything was different. There was plenty of grass, water, and animals. But now there is nothing except for drought,” explains Ekwuon.
Ekwuon has witnessed the ongoing drought in Turkana County which has not only cleared his herd of cattle but also left more than 4.4 million people in Kenya without access to food and clean water.
The 60-year-old former pastoralist has seen his livelihood slowly die out due to the recent droughts plaguing Turkana County, in Northern Kenya.
For many pastoralists from this region, migration was a necessary part of life as herds of animals would travel long distances to graze on fresh grass that would change according to the seasons. Many would often cross borders in search of food and water in regular cycles.
“In my community, our entire way of life revolved around having livestock. We could sell our animals for money, for food, even for paying dowries. My entire wealth was based on how many animals I had.” Unfortunately, climate change has made this way of life increasingly difficult, leaving little food and water for the animals.
As a result of the arid conditions, many pastoralists have been displaced from their communities and forced to find alternative livelihoods.
Today, Ekwuon has been displaced from his home community and forced to live in Namon village, a community along a major migratory route. The scorching heat has even made farming difficult, leading some to resort to alternative livelihoods activities such as charcoal burning.
However, this millennial-old traditional way of life is under threat from the adverse impacts of climate change.
The pastoral way of life has existed in the Kenya for several millennia, with herders moving seasonally to take advantage of pasture and water. Mobility remains the key aspect of pastoralists’ ability to adapt amidst climatic challenges and environmental degradation, to not only access seasonally available pasture and water, but also markets and social support networks.
In the outskirts of Namon village, Ekwuon has set up two small makeshift homes that barely accommodate him and his 20 children who often spend the night under the stars.
As an outsider to the community, Ekwuon feels the alienation by others: “Because I am not from here, I can feel the discrimination from others. Whenever aid is brought to this community from other organizations, displaced people like me are always the last the to receive it.”
He feels unsure about the future for his family but is sure of one thing; his children will not likely become pastoralists like him.
“I want my children to go to school so they can get a proper job, one that does not rely on the land. I want them to come back and help communities like this one.”
This crisis is not unique to Kenya, as other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are also facing severe food shortages and water scarcity. The lack of rain over the past five seasons has made it difficult for people to grow crops and provide food for themselves and their families. As a result, thousands have lost their livelihoods and have been forced to flee their homes in search of food and water.
Eregae, a community member in Namon village, depicts further the severity of the droughts in the region: “The droughts are more severe these days. A few years ago, when there was a drought, we could see green pasture over the hills and take our animals to graze there and later return here for water. Unfortunately, that no longer happens. We have not received rain for more than two years. The land is completely dry.”
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is taking action to address and minimize displacement risk due to climate change, environmental degradation, and disasters through a Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund Regional Joint Programme.
In Tana River and Turkana Counties, IOM is supporting local communities and County Governments to restore the land and provide a sustainable source of food for the community.
So far, 44,500 drought-resistant trees and vegetable seedlings have been planted in Turkana County and the community has been trained to take care of these plants as an alternative way of life. In Namon village, over 200 community members are already benefitting from the project.
The severity of the drought is also driving widespread displacement. “We are forced to move from Turkana. You cannot stay in a drought-stricken land and watch as your livestock succumb and you will be left empty-handed,” explains Eregae.
Inter-communal conflicts have further increased as farming and pastoral communities compete for the already scarce water and pasture.
IOM´s activities to minimize disaster risk due to climate change, environmental degradation, and disasters are made possible thanks to generous funding from the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund through a Regional Joint Programme: Addressing Drivers and Facilitating Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in the Contexts of Disasters and Climate Change in the IGAD Region.
This story was written by Moses Otunga, Communications Assistant, IOM Kenya. For more information, please contact: motunga@iom.int
