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Mozambique humanitarian situation update, 14 - 27 April 2007
Major Developments
- The INGC has released draft guidance on monitoring the resettlement process in the flood affected areas. The document was developed in line with the decisions made at the 5 April Ministerial Meeting on Resettlement that took place in Chimoio (Manica Province). The guidance note stresses the need for community participation and ownership of the resettlement process, including the planning of basic services and disaster risk reduction in each resettlement area. The objectives of the resettlement process also aim to contribute to the achievement of the national poverty reduction strategy (PARPA II).
- The demarcation of plots in resettlement areas continues. Demarcation teams are being provided with tools, equipment and food kits by the INGC.
- The draft report of the Inter-Agency Real-Time Evaluation (IA-RTE) to Mozambique was issued on 26 April. The draft report offers recommendations on the improvement of the Cluster Approach globally, on the role of the Mozambique Humanitarian Country Team in supporting disaster management authorities at national and local levels, and to OCHA on strengthening support to Humanitarian Country Teams in their emergency response efforts.
Tropical Cyclone Favio
Needs Assessment
- With the transition to the rehabilitation phase underway, focus is being placed on the rehabilitation of infrastructure and essential services damaged or destroyed by the cyclone.
UNICEF Response
- Following the signing of an agreement between UNICEF, the Provincial Government of Inhambane and the European Commission, funds have been received and the first procurement is underway for a programme of rehabilitation for schools and health facilities affected by Cyclone Favio. The 2,000,000 Euro programme, funded mainly by the EC, will help to meet the needs of the most vulnerable schools and health centres across the province, with a focus on cyclone affected districts. Initiatives under the programme will include the provision of education kits, black boards, desks and other school materials; construction materials for the rehabilitation of the most damaged schools; and in the health sector the provision of basic health kits, malaria kits, telecommunications equipment, and ambulances and motorcycles for mobile health assistance. An Education programme assistant is currently in cyclone affected areas to support the local authorities in monitoring construction as part of the rehabilitation process.
Zambezi Floods
Needs Assessment
- The main needs in flood affected areas are support to the ongoing resettlement process, mainly the provision of basic services in resettlement centres, and simultaneous monitoring of the situation of people remaining in the accommodation centres until the plot demarcation and allocation as part of the resettlement process have been completed.
- Provincial level training for the VAC assessment was completed on 26 April. Data collection was scheduled to begin on 27 April. The main aims of the assessment will be: to examine the food security situation in the three affected areas, including an analysis of how it is expected to evolve and any future risks; to determine whether food and/or non-food interventions would be appropriate for the vulnerable populations and identify possible response options; and to determine the potential number and location of beneficiaries. The survey will include both qualitative and quantitative components, in addition to anthropometric data collection in areas affected by the floods and the cyclone. The final assessment report is anticipated by the end of May.
UNICEF Response
WASH*
- Under the framework of the WASH Cluster Transition Strategy, UNICEF and partners are now focusing on support for the rehabilitation of existing water points and the construction of new water points, in order to increase the sustainability of interventions as the emergency moves into the recovery phase. This rehabilitation initiatives, valued at US $1 million, aims to rehabilitate 109 water points, drill 41 new water points, and create 7,400 household latrines in resettlement areas and host communities.
- Water trucking and water purification plant operations are being reduced in areas where longer term sustainable water sources have been established.
- Plans are being developed for the hand over of management of durable WASH items (eg: water tanks and bladders) to Provincial water officials for pre-positioning in provincial warehouses.
Health and Nutrition*
- UNICEF humanitarian interventions undertaken in the areas of health and nutrition will continue for the next three months to support displaced populations in their transition from accommodation centres to resettlement centres. Humanitarian health and nutrition initiatives already in place before the emergency will continue under the regular country programme.
- UNICEF is continuing to support the local health authorities and other partners in ongoing activities under the supplementary feeding programme in affected areas, which is underway in the districts of Caia, Marromeu and Chemba in Sofala province, Mopeia and Morrumbala in Zambezia province, Mutarara in Tete province and Tambara in Manica province.
Education*
- Education Cluster meetings will take place as of now on a quarterly basis, with the next meetings taking place in July and October. Monthly meetings will be held during the rainy season to ensure emergency preparedness. Ad hoc Education Cluster meetings will be called based on need and requests from partners at all other times.
- Education cluster partners continue to monitor the situation of the affected populations in terms of access and quality education. Further assessments will be made to identify needs for teacher training.
- A mapping exercise will be carried out to identify the geographic coverage of emergency prone areas and the scope of the work of Education Cluster members.
- Management of UNICEF supplied school tents has been officially handed-over district education officials in the flood affected areas. Officials were reminded of temporary purpose of tents and need to prioritize construction or rehabilitation of classrooms.
- District Education officials are involved in resettlement and demarcation process to ensure that resettlement areas have access to a local school. Where schools are not currently available, tents will be transferred from accommodation centres to provide temporary learning spaces in resettlement sites until classrooms are constructed.
- Education officials in flood affected areas expressed the need for improved preparedness in case of future flooding and agreed that key possible areas of support are training of School Council members, and disaster preparedness education materials for teachers and learners.
Protection*
- Protection Cluster meetings will take place as of now on a quarterly basis, with the next meetings taking place in July and October. Monthly meetings will be held during the rainy season to ensure emergency preparedness. Ad hoc Protection Cluster meetings will be called based on need and requests from partners at all other times.
- Protection Cluster partners continue to monitor the situation of the affected populations in terms of access to social protection and protection against violence, abuse and exploitation. UNICEF will continue to support the provincial government for the provision of psychosocial support, the establishment of community committees and the protection against violence and abuse in the resettlement areas.
- Protection Cluster partners are also working with the Ministry of Women and Social Action to identify the most vulnerable in resettlement process.
- A mapping exercise will be carried out to identify the geographic coverage of emergency prone areas and the scope of the work of Protection Cluster members.
- UNICEF and partners are focusing on the consolidation of training sessions on the prevention of violence, abuse and exploitation of women and children and psycho-social support for vulnerable groups. UNICEF is supporting HIV Alliance to conduct the second phase of the training on psycho-social support.
- With support from UNICEF, Handicap International is preparing to conduct the second phase of training on mine risk education in the remaining areas of Sofala province.
Programme Communication
- The data from the impact assessment questionnaire carried out by UNICEF and the Mozambican Red Cross is being collected and prepared for analysis. Results from the questionnaire will inform the focus of programme communication initiatives in the post-emergency phase.
- Programme communication partners are working on a second phase of theatre group activities based on the outcomes of the focus group discussions. An exchange of experiences was organised between theatre groups in Caia and Mutarara in order to identify best practices for the flood emergency response and future emergencies.
- Community theatre, community radio and mobile unit activities will continue as part of the regular UNICEF Country Programme. The results of the evaluation will inform the focus of the post-emergency activities for the post-emergency phase.
* Please note that cumulative information on the status of supply distribution by sector is available upon request.
Inter-Agency Collaboration and Key Partnerships
- The draft report of the Inter-Agency Real-Time Evaluation (IA-RTE) to Mozambique was issued on 26 April. The Real Time Evaluation Team completed its field work on 18 April and presented the preliminary results of the evaluation to the Mozambique Humanitarian Country Team on 20 April. Overall the evaluation found the response to the flood and cyclone emergencies as successful – highlighting the key coordination role played by the INGC. Comments from the Humanitarian Country Team on the evaluation will be submitted to the RTE Team by 2 May for finalization of the evaluation report.
- The draft RTE report offers recommendations on the improvement of the Cluster Approach globally, on the role of the Mozambique Humanitarian Country Team in supporting disaster management authorities at national and local levels, and to OCHA on strengthening support to Humanitarian Country Teams in their emergency response efforts.
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