OCHA Situation Report No. 14
Sudan: Darfur
8 May 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Headlines

- Oxfam is carrying out new assessments in rural villages around Um Dukhun
(West Darfur) to assess needs of nondisplaced populations who do not have
access to adequate services.

- Eighty midwifery kits will be distributed by the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA) to 80 graduates from the midwifery school of El
Fasher (North Darfur).

Key overall developments

The World Food Programme (WFP) reports a general decline in the security
situation in Darfur from 27 April to 3 May. Two WFP-contract trucks were
looted, while another two trucks, with full cargo, and their drivers were
abducted by armed bandits in South Darfur. To date, 64 trucks carrying WFP
food have been involved in hijackings since the start of the year; 41
trucks are currently missing; 28 drivers remain unaccounted for; two
drivers have been killed; and 855 mt of food looted. The prevailing
insecurity continues to undermine food deliveries to Darfur. Fifty percent
ration cuts in cereals, pulses and sugar are being implemented in Darfur
starting this month following extensive information campaigns geared at
beneficiaries. The ration cuts coincide with the start of the hunger
season, noting increased food insecurity due to poor harvests in the
region. The level of ration cuts beyond May 2008 will depend on the
success of the Government's plan to escort all truck convoys transporting
humanitarian cargo and improving security in Darfur. Contingency plans in
the event of prolonged ration cuts are being finalised.

Needs and response by sector

Education

North Darfur

With financial assistance from UNICEF, the State Ministry of Education
(SMoE) began production of school uniforms to benefit 8,300 internally
displaced girls.

South Darfur

To help strengthen local capacity, UNICEF has started on-the-job training
for 12 staff from the SMoE on proposal and report writing and project
planning.

West Darfur

Educational opportunities for children affected by recent fighting in the
northern corridor of West Darfur will be enhanced with the start of
construction of 11 new classrooms in Tandalti and three in Armankul.

UNICEF supported the final examinations for 120 school children from
affected villages in the northern corridor, by covering the costs of
examination fees.

The new HIV/AIDS curriculum to be introduced to selected primary and
secondary schools was distributed to teachers, prior to the training for
300 school staff on its implementation, supported through a partnership
between the Ministry of Education and UNICEF.

Food Security and Livelihoods

West Darfur

Oxfam gave cash loans to help 100 female traders expand their businesses
in Um Dukhun market.

Oxfam completed masonry training and distributed tools to 50 new trainees
in Um Dukhun.

Health and Nutrition

North Darfur

WFP held bilateral discussions with partners in North Darfur in
preparation for the roll-out of the Blanket

Supplementary Feeding (BSF) programme targeting all children under-five
among the IDP population and rural residents currently assisted by WFP.

South Darfur

The BSF programme is ongoing in pocket areas of South Darfur with worrying
malnutrition rates. Approximately 19,000 children were supported through
this intervention in March 2008. In coordination with the Ministry of
Health, UNICEF and nutrition oriented NGOs, the roll-out will involve
sensitization campaigns and training sessions for beneficiary households.

In collaboration with the State Ministry of Health (SMoH), UNICEF is
supporting a ten-day training course for 30 health visitors as part of
ongoing maternal health care programmes.

West Darfur

With UNICEF support, 18 medical assistants were trained on standard case
management of childhood illnesses.

Meanwhile, UNICEF has provided 15 primary health centre kits containing
essential medical supplies, to support SMoH facilities in El Geneina.

With UNICEF support, the second round of an accelerated campaign for
routine immunization was conducted in 11 localities in West Darfur.

Non-Food Items (NFIs)

In response to the Common Appeal, the Common Pipeline Partners - UNJLC,
CARE and UNICEF - have been awarded a CERF grant of US$445,785, which will
be used for the procurement of stocks for emergency response in West
Darfur.

Although not enough to cover the present critical shortfalls of the
pipeline ahead of the coming rainy season, this donation is timely and has
already been programmed to procure items accordingly. Still needed is
US$2.5 million for the urgent procurement of plastic sheeting.

North Darfur

UNFPA distributed 19 different types of reproductive health (RH) kits
including kits to the maternity hospital of the

State Ministry of Health (SMoH) and post-rape kits and post-exposure
prophylaxis (PEP) kits to Relief International, the International Rescue
Committee (IRC), and GOAL.

Eighty midwifery kits will be distributed by UNFPA to 80 graduates from
the midwifery school of El Fasher. Graduates will cover different remote
areas of North Darfur with their kits providing maternity care.

Plastic sheeting from the Common Pipeline was provided to Relief
International for support of two clinics in Tawilla and El Fasher
localities.

South Darfur:

The Common Pipeline provided NFIs to Solidarite to support 398 households
in Jebel Marra, 388 households in Seleah and to Humedica to support 50
households in Al Salam IDP Camp - all newly displaced populations. NFIs
for 709 households of targeted replenishments were also distributed by
Humedica. Finally, PODR supported 8 households affected by a fire in Mosey
IDP Camp.

West Darfur:

In West Darfur, Common Pipeline NFIs were distributed by Save the
Children-US to two households in Krinding I IDP Camp which were affected
by a fire. Additionally 3,409 jerry cans were provided to Triangle for
support of a hygiene program in Ryad.

Protection and Human Rights

North Darfur

Currently UNFPA is conducting a Joint UN Mission on gender-based violence
(GBV) in the Tawila area representing four (4) pillars/sectors: health,
legal, safety and security, and psychosocial. This is one of the outcomes
of the Strategic Planning Meeting on GBV Darfur-wide that was held on 8-9
April.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) trained 92 women from
Rwanda, Dali and Argo IDP Camps - in Tawila town - on basic principles of
human rights and rule of law. Also in Tawila's Rwanda IDP Camp, the
Programme conducted a two-day awareness-raising session on "Criminal Law
and Criminal Procedure Law" for 75 Omdas and Sheikhs.

'The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women" was the topic for a series of awareness-raising sessions organized
by UNDP for 36 Sudan Liberation Army faction of Minni Minawi (SLA/MM)
police officers and SLA court members in Tawilla, and 22 GoS Central
Reserve Police, and 47 women from Melleit and IDP Camps.

UNDP undertook an introductory session on basic human rights principles
for 76 community leaders, teachers, women, SLA police officers and SLA
military officers in Tabarat. In a separate event, 23 IDPs in El Abbas IDP
Camp benefited from the same introductory session.

South Darfur

A UNFPA supported media network started - since 05 May - producing and
broadcasting messages on radio and TV on the occasion of the International
Day of Midwife. UNFPA also observed the day at the Nyala midwifery school,
where 100 students from camps and rural areas - who will graduate this
year - attended the event and received a UNFPA statement which
acknowledges the role of midwives in reducing maternal mortality and
morbidity.

UNDP conducted two training sessions on gender-based violence laws for
paralegals from the Justice and Confidence Center in Nyala's Kassab IDP
Camp. The training events addressed the medical risks and urgent health
assistance, the ways to provide psychological support to sexual and
gender-based violence (SGBV) survivors, and discussed a case illustrating
the rape law and the 1991 Criminal Act.

In collaboration with United Nations African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID),
UNICEF has provided training of child protection and child rights issues
for 40 members of four signatory groups to the Darfur Peace Agreement.

A three-day training programme for 44 social workers was undertaken in a
partnership between UNICEF, the Department of Social Welfare, the State
Council for Child Welfare and the Child Friendly Community Initiative. The
programme covered issues ranging from definitions of social work to
personal and professional values, and the universal Code of Ethics for
social workers. A follow up programme is planned for the third week of
May.

West Darfur

UNFPA is conducting a training session on gender-based violence (GBV) for
the United Nations African Mission in Darfur - Civilian Police
(UNAMID-CIVPOL) officers in different team sites in West Darfur.

Next week UNFPA - in collaboration with the Government of National Unity
(GONU), the Wali's unit for violence against women (VAW) unit, and the
department of peace at the University of Zalingei - will start the first
of a series of workshops on empowering women in planning and social peace.
Participants will be 40 women from IDP communities, host communities,
public service and women's organizations. The aims of the workshops are to
come up with strategic plans addressing gender, as well as the
gender-based violence situation and needs.

Water and Sanitation

North Darfur

UNICEF and the State Water Corporation (SWC) undertook a series of repairs
to hand pumps across North Darfur in the last week, to ensure continued
water supply to both internally displaced and rural communities. A total
of 40 pumps were repaired or rehabilitated across the State.

South Darfur

Oxfam conducted training for local partners in Kass on how to manage water
quality and monitor groundwater samples. Also, Oxfam laid 950 metres of
pipeline as part of a new water supply system for IDPs in Kass.

As part of its sanitation programme, the SWC - supported by UNICEF -
constructed 150 new household latrines in Khor Omar IDP Camp, to improve
access to safe human excreta disposal. Meanwhile in Ottash IDP Camp the
two partners completed construction of 50 similar household latrines.

Through a mix of household visits, group work and community meetings, the
SCW hygiene promotion teams - assisted by UNICEF - reached more than 1,900
people with health and hygiene education messages in Khor Omar, Otash and
Mossei IDP Camps.

With UNICEF support, two schools received permanent latrines in Kalma IDP
Camp, to help improve school sanitation. Meanwhile, the United Methodist
Committee on Relief (UMCOR) constructed and repaired 21 classrooms in Ed
Daein and Adila, benefiting nearly 3,000 local children.

West Darfur

The SWC - supported by UNICEF - has ensured the provision of safe water to
an additional 7,000 people West Darfur through installation of hand pumps
in Bindizi, Mukhjar and Artala. An additional 2,000 people were provided
with safe water through the construction of hand pumps by Norwegian Church
Aid (NCA) in Golo, Fakie Yousif, and Fakie Atiem. In Garsilla, Karole and
Nertiti, six hand pumps were also repaired.

The SWC and UNICEF worked with 1,200 households to undertake a community
clean-up campaign in Nertiti. NCA also conducted two similar campaigns in
Hamidiya and Khamsadegaig IDP Camps benefiting 4,000 households.

Meanwhile, the construction of 61 household and two community latrines
ensured improved sanitation for more than 560 people in Zalingei IDP Camp.
Sanitation for schools and health centres was also improved through the
construction of five school latrines in Zalingei and Habilla and three
health centre latrines in Zallingei and Forobaranga.

If you have inputs for the next edition or questions and comments on this
one, or other media and public enquiries, please contact:

Nahla Zarroug, Information Analyst, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan,
Email: zarroug@un.org, Telephone: +249-9-12160065

For other media and public enquiries, you may also contact:

Orla Clinton, Public Information Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan,
Email: clinton@un.org, Telephone: +249-9-12174454

Imad Hassanein, Media Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email:
hassaneini@un.org, Telephone: +249-9-12178035

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