OCHA Situation Report No. 71
Liberia
2 December 2003


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

General Situation

I. Highlights

On 25 November, Liberia joined other countries of the world in observing
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, an event that will end 10
December. This year's theme is "Violence Against Women Violates Human
Rights: Maintaining The Momentum Ten Years After Vienna". The United
Nations Gender Technical Working Group, comprising UN agencies, Government
Ministries and national women advocacy groups has organized, among other
activities, radio talk shows, street dramas, photo exhibition, unveiling
of a wall mural, symposium on Gender Violence and cultural performances.
This Global campaign for Women's Human Rights was launched June 1991 by
Women's Rights advocacy groups led by the Centre for Women's Global
Leadership (CWGL).  The 16 days of activism coincides with UNDP's planned
research on sexual violence in collaboration with World Vision
International.

II. Assessment Missions undertaken

On 28 November, WFP and Premiere Urgence, an international NGO,
accompanied by USAID/FFP and UNMIL travelled to Compound number. 01 in
Buchanan to conduct food distributions to disarmed militias and their
dependents. 0,75 Mt of food was distributed to 107 disarmed militias and
dependants. The ex-combatants received a 13-day ratio of rice, pulses,
vegetable oil, salt and sugar to sustain them until the beginning of the
DDRR Programme.

III. Assessment Missions planned

MERLIN, an international NGO is planning a mission to Greenville and its
environs in Sinoe County on 3 December for the purpose of providing health
care support.

IV. Sectoral Coordination Meetings

The Health Sector Coordination Group met on 28 November. It was reported
that members of the group had different opinions on preparation, reporting
requirements and the ownership of the process. It was agreed that more
information and clarifications on these issues should be sought.

V. Protection

The human rights and protection unit of UNDP today continued its training
programme for members of the open forum on protection, composed almost
entirely of local NGOs and relevant Government Ministries.  This week's
two-day training is the second part of a six-month long training schedule
that commenced on the 17th and 18th November with a general two-day
training human rights, protection, SGBV issues, refugees and IDP issues,
the Liberian constitution, international humanitarian law, child
protection and juvenile law and DDRR.  The training programme is
facilitated by members of the core protection group on protection.  This
week also saw the commencement of the thematic training sessions, starting
with sexual and gender based violence co-facilitated by International
Rescue Committee, an international NGO.

Humanitarian Activities By Sector

1. Education

As of 27 November, 6,200 teachers have been oriented in Rapid Educational
Response as part of the Back to School Campaign.  UNICEF is continuing its
support to the Ministry of Education monitoring teams. So far, 336 schools
in Montserrado County have been visited for the purpose of ensuring proper
distribution and use of the School-in-a-Box Kits.  District Education
authorities will share reported misuse of the Kits with Parent Teacher
Associations for community-based action at the individual school level.

2. Water and Sanitation

UNICEF, on 27 November, completed the installation of hand pumps on two
hand-dug wells at the Child Friendly Space in Jartondo IDP camp in
Montserrado County.  Work is also in progress to de-sludge 11 toilets in
the camp.

3. Health and Nutrition

As part of a broad-based effort between UNICEF, the Ministry of Health,
WHO and international NGOs, 614,769 children between the ages of six
months and less-than 15 years have received Measles vaccination since June
this year.

4. Food aid

WFP and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) reached a formal agreement to
distribute food to vulnerable populations in Harper and its environs in
Maryland County.  The estimated caseload of 5,000 beneficiaries in five
villages is to receive a 2-week food ration as of today, 1 December.

WFP food distributions were carried out in the following camps on 28
November:

|-----------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| Camp            | Location    | Caseload | Qty distributed |
|                 |             | served   | (MT)            |
|-----------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| Salala (IDP)    | Salala      |    5,458 |            90.9 |
|-----------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| Samukai Town    | Montserrado |      151 |            22.3 |
| (Refugee)       |             |          |                 |
|-----------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| VOA-1 (Refugee) | Montserrado |    2,710 |            41.0 |
|-----------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
|                 | TOTAL       |    8,319 |           134.2 |
|-----------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|


In addition, WFP delivered 10.5 Metric Tons of assorted food commodities
to MSF-Holland for supplemental and therapeutic feeding programmes
targeting 1,021 beneficiaries in Monrovia.

Common Services

7.  Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC)

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

8. United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC)

   WFP Air Operations staff from Abidjan and Freetown visited Monrovia
   23-25 November for a regional Air Review and Assessment.  UNMIL, UNJLC
   and WFP have started a series of airfield assessments within the
   country.  Harper has been assessed, Zwedru, Voinjama and other
   locations will be visited in the near future.  Spriggs Payne Airfield
   has been temporarily closed to UN traffic due to pedestrians crossing
   the runway.  The airport will re-open once the fencing of the
   perimeters is completed.  Spriggs Payne is currently being used by
   UNMIL who have commenced refurbishment of the main terminal.  
   Re-surfacing of the runway is also expected to start soon.  WFP expects
   to eventually shift its air operations from Roberts International
   Airport, located 45 km southeast of Monrovia to Spriggs Payne Airfield
   in downtown Monrovia.

   UNJLC met with the Minister of Commerce in order to discuss the current
   moves to harmonize the present customs, immigration and other systems
   with UN Immunities and Privileges.  A two-week waiver of cost, ending 3
   December was agreed, during which time, a permanent solution could be
   sought. Following a meeting between the UNJLC and the Commissioner of
   Immigration on 24 November, an agreement was reached to formalize the
   removal of charges for application forms and airport visas for the
   United Nations.  UNJLC will be visiting the customs and Immigration
   authorities at the border with Sierra Leone to discuss border-crossing
   issues and concerns of NGOs and UN agencies.

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


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