OCHA Situation Report No. 69
Liberia
21 November 2003


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

GENERAL SITUATION
I. Highlights

Following the launch of the Liberia Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) 2004
in Ottawa, Canada, on 19 November, a local launch was organized in
Monrovia on 20 November. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) together with lead UN agencies, presented the CAP 2004, to
members of the press. The Liberia CAP requests US$ 137,091,482 for
Non-Food Items (NFIs) in the following sectors: Agriculture, Coordination
and Support Services, Economic Recovery and Infrastructure, Education,
Family, Shelter and Non-Food Items, Food, Health, Multi-Sector,
Protection/Human Rights/Rule of Law, Security and Water and Sanitation.
Liberia's food requirements are presented under the West Africa Appeal
amounting to US$ 40,365,726.

II. Assessment Missions undertaken

An Inter-Agency mission visited Harper, Maryland County on 19 November.
The mission was composed of UNHCR,WHO, UNICEF, the NGO HUMEDICA and OCHA.
The aim of the mission was to deliver Non-Food Items (NFIs) as kitchen
sets, plastic sheets, mats, food parcels and soap, in a total of 12 Mt.
The hospital was physically in good condition, but without electricity.

A WFP roadconvoy left for Harper 21 November to deliver food to 2500 IDPs.

III. Assessment Missions planned

An inter-agency mission to Harper, originally planned for 21 November, is
planned for 22 November.

An inter-agency follow-up mission to Voinjama, Lofa County, is planned for
24 November.

IV. Sectoral Coordination Meetings

The Emergency Education Sector Group resumed its work on 19 November.

The Food & Food Security - Agriculture met on 20 November. Catholic Relief
Services (CRS) to produce assessment reports on Voinjama and South-Eastern
Liberia on November. Action Contre la Faim (ACF) to undertake assessments
in Grand Bassa and River Cess before distributing rice and maize for 5,000
families.

The IDP Committee met on 20 November. The meeting set a planning figure of
20,000 IDPs in the remaining irregular shelters in Monrovia and noted that
the irregular shelters have attracted non-IDP vulnerable people, for whom
community-based programmes should be designed. The meeting further noted
the need for a joint sensitisation exercise linked to relocation and
termination of support at irregular sites. In addition to this, the
meeting emphasized issues such as registration of IDPs willing to relocate
and the absorption capacity in regular IDP camps.

The Protection Core Group met on 20 November. During the meeting UNICEF
reported that there is very little awareness of the demobilization and
peace process in many parts of the country. The meeting highlighted the
problem of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and decided upon a
number of actions to be taken to further address this serious problem.

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

1. Food aid

Following a request from UNMIL, WFP has agreed to arrange for purchase of
100 Mt of rice on their behalf, to be distributed to some 500 former
government militias who voluntarily released their weapons to UNMIL in
compound nr. 01 (near Buchanan) and in Schieffelin (near Monrovia).

World Food Programme carried out food distributions in the total amount of
347,1 Mt to 5 IDP camps on 19 November, that it, Totota in Totota, SKD in
Monrovia and to Perry Town, Wilson Corner and Plumkor in Montserrado
County, benefiting 21,682 IDPs.

2. Health & Nutrition

As a way of reactivating health services in Maryland County, UNICEF has
provided the NGO HUMEDICA with emergency health kits, midwifery kits, Oral
Rehydration Salts (ORS) and BP-5 compact food.

3. Education

In preparation for the upcoming Needs Assessment for the reconstruction of
Liberia, UNICEF held briefings for UN agencies, NGOs and representatives
of the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) on 17 and 19
November.  The sectors of Water and Sanitation and Education were
highlighted during the sessions.  UNICEF and the Ministry of Education
monitoring teams, with the purpose to ascertain appropriate use of the
School-in-a-Box kits, visited 176 schools in Monrovia.  On 19 November,
during the Inter-Agency assessment mission to Harper, UNICEF met with the
Danish Refugee Council (DRC) that has agreed to distribute School-in-a-Box
kits for Maryland, Grand Kru and River Gee Counties in late December.  As
of 20 November, a total of 4,800 teachers have received orientation in
Rapid Educational Response.

4. Water & Sanitation

UNICEF completed assessments for eight cholera hotspots and eight
neighbouring communities, as well as a water and sanitation in Jartondo
IDP camp during the week of 20 November.  UNICEF has signed an agreement
with CONCERN to construct 190 latrines, 110 bathhouses and 100 hand
washing facilities in the Soul Clinic IDP camp in Montserrado County.

COMMON SERVICES

7.  Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC)

The HIC is in the process of moving to new offices. Starting from 24
November the HIC will be located in the UNICEF compound.

For details go to: www.humanitarianinfo.org/liberia

8. United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC)

The deadline for the submission of bids for the UNJLC road assessment
project passed on 17 November, and the process of analysis and awarding of
contracts is now underway. Training of road assessors continues, with
practical exercises in the use of assessment forms, GPS, digital cameras
and laptops.

For details go to: www.unjlc.org/home/liberia


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