UNICEF
Humanitarian Relief in the Afghan Region
Number 9
7 December 2001



>From Afghanistan

- Following the recent visit to Herat (Western Region), the UNICEF
Afghanistan Representative, reported that the IDPs in the Maslakh camps
are renovating their shelters in preparation for the onset of the winter.
UNICEF has distributed some essential non-food items for the newly arrived
families in the camps (details on the distribution are below).

- Local education authorities in Herat organised a gathering for the
UNICEF representative with some 1,000 girl students and female teachers. A
key topic was seeking support to resume education activities in the weeks
to come.

- At a meeting with the new governor of Herat (Ismail Khan), it was noted
that the role of education, for girls and boys, would be vital in
Afghanistan's recovery/rehabilitation. Pursuing ways to "keep young
Afghans busy," through sports and cultural activities and providing them
with employment opportunities are priorities.


Humanitarian assistance

- Between 4 - 6 December, UNICEF distributed 10,000 blankets for 5,000
families, 9,800 mattresses, 6,000 children's sweaters and 6.000 children's
winter shoes in the Maslakh IDP camp near Heart.


>From Pakistan

- Up to 3,000 Afghans are camping in the no-man's-land at the Chaman
border crossing. Only 250 to 350 persons per day are registered at the
Killi Faizo transit camp at Chaman and virtually all of them are ethnic
Pashtuns coming from a variety of areas across Afghanistan. About
one-fifth of the new arrivals say they came from Kandahar. Those coming
from northern Afghanistan say they left towns like Sheberghan and
Mazar-I-Sharif. More malnourished children were spotted among the arriving
refugees.

- The newly arriving Afghans report that thousands more people remain in
three makeshift camps sheltering displaced persons at Spin Boldak, just
across the border from Chaman. The camps could shelter up to 60,000
displaced Afghans. According to refugees who have been allowed to enter
Pakistan, Taliban forces have reportedly left their guard posts around the
makeshift sites at Spin Boldak, but remain present in the area.

- The number of people crossing the border into Pakistan's North West
Frontier Province has dropped from a daily rate of 4,500 people to 1,000
since the fall of Kabul and Jalalabad. At the same time, the movement of
Afghans from Pakistan to Afghanistan at the Torkham border crossing point
has reached 2,500 persons a day - a record high in recent times.

- UNHCR began transferring Afghan refugees from the southern Pakistan town
of Quetta to the Mohammad Khail camp 85 kms to the southwest. A total of
880 Afghans have signed up for the transfer. Those registered are
so-called "invisible" refugees -- people who have unofficially slipped
into Pakistan and have since lived in Quetta, keeping a low profile. UNHCR
expects that up to 10,000 Afghans living in Quetta will sign up for the
move.

- The Persian speaking minorities in Jalozai camp are being relocated to
Old Baghzai camp, recently established by the humanitarian community in
Kurrum.

- 5,528 ethnic Pashtun refugees have so far been relocated from Jalozai
and urban clusters outside of Peshawar to Kotkai refugee camp in Bajaur
Agency in North West Frontier Province. In addition, 105 individuals (19
families) crossed the border from Afghanistan and are now registered in
the camp.


Humanitarian assistance

- UNICEF, through the Society for Sustainable Development (SSD),
distributed 500 blankets and 250 jerry cans to 250 recently arrived Afghan
families in the urban cluster of Haji camp in Peshawar. Each family was
given 2 blankets and 1 jerry can. Women-headed households were given
priority.


Programme delivery

Nutrition

- In an effort to access the nutritional status of Afghan refugees UNICEF,
UNHCR and SCF-UK, are conducting a nutritional survey in four of
Pakistan's largest cities as well as in the provinces of Balochistan and
NWFP. The survey, which is both qualitative and quantitative in scope, has
started in old camps in Quetta, where many of the most recent refugee
influx are living. The initial outcome of the quantitative research
indicates that one of the main problems affecting overall nutrition is
directly related to the shortage of water. With the influx of more people
and continued drought in the region, water wells are drying up and the
water level has decreased.  The situation has forced many refugees living
in Quetta to pay for their water, adding to their already desperate
situation and contributing to their poor nutritional status.

- With UNICEF support, a second three day training course on nutritional
assessment and supplementary feeding started on 5 December at the
Paediatric Unit of Khayber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar. 16 participants
(including doctors, nurses, LHVs and Nutritionist) are attending the
course.  A separate course on Therapeutic Feeding is being planned.


Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI)

- UNICEF continues to provide measles and polio vaccinations for all new
arrivals in refugee camps of Killi Fazio, Mohammed Kheil, Rhogani, Basu
and Kotkai.  In addition, vitamin A distribution to new arrivals is
ongoing in Killi Faizo camp.

- To prevent the danger of a measles outbreak, a mass measles campaign is
being planned with key health partners for Quetta and Chaman. The first
campaign in the Chaman area is being scheduled for the last week in
December, targeting 150,000 children between 6 months and 15 years. The
second campaign will be in Quetta and will target 750,000 children in the
same age group.

- In addition to vaccinating all children arriving at refugee camps,
UNICEF continues to provide polio vaccines and support to maintain the
polio border checkpoints located at all major border crossings between
Pakistan and Afghanistan. There are 18 checkpoints located in North West
Frontier Province and 7 in Balochistan.


Basic Health Units & Health Services

- In Peshawar, UNICEF provided 3,000 sachets of ORS to Hope Worldwide, an
NGO running a clinic in Nasirgah old camp in Peshawar.


Water and sanitation

- UNICEF continues to act as the coordinating agency for the water and
sanitation sector in refugee camps in Pakistan.


Child protection and education

- UNICEF is assessing educational needs of refugees living in camps and
many thousands of "invisible refugee children" working in urban cities.

- 300 schools-in-a-box have arrived and distribution plans are being
finalised. A pilot training for school in a box was conducted in Peshawar.
5 school-in-a-box kits were distributed to Faiz Maktab School for non
Pashtu speaking children in Haji camp area in Peshawar. An Afghan trainer
from the Afghan education NGO (SIEAL) translated the guidelines into Darri
and explained the purpose and use of the school in a box concept to 6
school teachers.

- Plans for recreational and non-formal education activities for refugee
children were agreed with SCSPEB (Society for Community Support for
Primary Education in Balochistan).

- In Quetta, four tents have been delivered to Handicap International to
support their education and protection activities for handicapped
children.

- In Peshawar, UNICEF donated recreational equipment to children in
Shamshatoo camp.


In the refugee camps

- In the Mohamed Khail Camp (Balochistan), UNICEF is the implementing
agency for health and water & sanitation. UNICEF has raised tents for
medical screening, immunisation, registration, water and sanitation and a
meeting point. Two large tents for a waiting area and recreation space
will be raised shortly, while an existing, permanent building is used as a
health post. UNICEF also provided health kits to the basic health unit. To
ensure the provision of safe water, UNICEF rehabilitated Tube Well No. 3,
and is in the process of rehabilitating the existing water supply system.
The construction of washing areas is underway and 91 out of the 250
latrines have been constructed. Families have each received two 1 litre
jerry cans and hygiene promotion will go on for the next three months.

- Four tents for health, education and sanitation and visual aid teaching
material have been provided to the NGO MCI in the camp Rogani
(Balochistan). 10,000 ORS sachets and two tents for health education were
given to Oxfam for their activities.

- UNICEF is the implementing agency for health and water & sanitation in
the recently established camp Kotkai. UNICEF provided 38 5-10,000-litre
water tanks, strategically located around the camp.  In addition, 18 water
tanks are on the way to provide safe water for up to 19,000 people.
Drainage work has been completed at 29 water distribution points. 400
latrines (for 7,200 people) have been constructed and 60 water containers
have been secured for hand washing. UNICEF has also provided jerry cans
for each family. UNICEF also provided 6 tents for the health facility.
This facility provides medical consultation, mother and child health care,
health education, a pharmacy, an EPI room, two consultation rooms and ORT
corner.  UNICEF also provided essential drugs, furniture and equipment
and, through Project Directorate of Health, trained 40 health workers
working at the health facility.

- Basu camp is planed to accommodate the Hazara minority refugees, who are
relocating this week.  UNICEF provided 9 tents, 2 health kits and
essential drugs to the Basic Health Unit (BHU) in the camp, sufficient to
cover the health needs of expected 10,000 refugees for up to three months.
The BHU will consist of two consultation rooms for male and female, EPI
room, MCH services, an emergency ward with a capacity of two beds, health
education/ORT corner and a pharmacy.  Through Project Directorate of
Health (PDH), UNICEF is providing immunisation and health screening to all
refugees upon arrival.


>From Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

- UNICEF team visited Sufa settlement on the island # 9 between Tajikistan
and Afghanistan.  Speaking with community leaders and NGO MERLIN staff, it
was understood that the majority of IDPs will stay in the settlement over
the winter. Schooling for the children is organised in the tents delivered
by UNICEF with the help of Save the Children. The children in the Sufa
settlement are still in need of winter footwear, jackets, hats and socks.
The settlement leaders and the MERLIN representatives reported that many
IDPs don't have enough food. It is not clear which agency/NGO is taking
the lead role in this regard.

- The convoy that left Uzbekistan on 30 November, arrived in Herat on 5
December. The distribution of supplies started immediately upon arrival.


distributed by
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Center for International Disaster Information
Volunteers in Technical Assistance
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Central Asia                  www.cidi.org/humanitarian/hsr/centralasia