OCHA Situation Report No. 72
Liberia
3 December 2003


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

GENERAL SITUATION

I. Highlights

a. As a member of the United Nations Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, UNICEF, on
the eve of World AIDS Day, 1 December, supported a Youth HIV/AIDS concert
at the Monrovia City Hall.  Approximately 500 members of the community
joined in the awareness-raising celebration, where Liberia's top
musicians, comedians and dancers performed and entertained the civilians.

b. The Inter-Religious Council of Liberia, facilitated by OCHA, organized
an advocacy planning workshop on 3 December, in support of social
integration, within the context of the Disarmament, Demobilization,
Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DDRR) Programme. Archbishop of Monrovia,
Michael K. Francis who is also the President of the Inter-religious
Council of Liberia was the moderator of the workshop, whose participants
included senior members of the political and military leadership of LURD,
MODEL and former members of Government of Liberia (GOL). All three parties
expressed their commitment to disarmament and peace, but raised concerns
over the slow deployment of UNMIL troops as well as over the preparations
of the DDRR Programme. The vice-chairman of the National Transitional
Government of Liberia (NTGL), Mr. Wesley Johnson was also present.

II. Assessment Missions undertaken

EQUIP Liberia together with ZOA, undertook a mission to Nimba County on
1-2 December to assess the general needs of the target population. The
mission reported on a number of serious protection-related incidents along
the way.

III. Assessment Missions planned

A 3-day mission left today by the ship "Rotterdam" to Robertsport, Grand
Cape Mount, to deliver food and Non-Food Items (NFIs)

An inter-agency assessment mission is planned to Voinjama, Lofa County on
4 December

A mission is planned for Saclepea, Nimba County, 8-12 December.

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

1. Education

The Rapid Assessment of Learning Spaces was completed on 28 November,
covering the remaining 370 schools in the greater Monrovia and St Paul
area.  With UNICEF support, the Ministry of education monitoring teams
continue their visits to schools in Montserrado County.

As of 1 December, 7,000 teachers have been oriented in Rapid Educational
Response as part of the Back to School Campaign.  Teachers' orientation
will resume in January 2004.

2. Water and Sanitation

On 29 November, UNICEF de-slugged and disinfected four latrines and
rehabilitated two hand pumps in Jartondo camp in Montserrado County.

3. Health and Nutrition

Since the Measles immunization campaign began in June this year, UNICEF
and partners have immunized 655,250 children between the ages of 6 months
and less than 15 years against Measles.  Immunization coverage includes
Bomi, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado counties.

4. Food aid

On 1 December, WFP carried out food distribution for 510 ex-combatants and
their dependants in Schiefflin, Margibi County.  The distribution of 2.5
Metric tons of assorted food commodities was conducted smoothly under the
protection of UNMIL forces.  Also in Montserrado County the following
distributions were carried out on 1 December.

|------------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| Camps            | Location    | Caseload | Qty distributed |
|                  |             | served   |       (Mt)      |
|------------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| Siegbeh (IDP)    | Montserrado |    3,358 |            60.1 |
|------------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| Rick's (IDP)     | Montserrado |    5,155 |            85.8 |
|------------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| Mont Barclay     | Monrovia    |    4,734 |            78.8 |
| (IDP)            |             |          |                 |
|------------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| Newland(IDP)     | Monrovia    |    3,000 |            45.5 |
|------------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
| VOA-1 (Refugees) | Montserrado |      659 |            15.4 |
|------------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|
|                  |             |   16,906 |           285.6 |
|------------------+-------------+----------+-----------------|

A total of 1032.5 Metric Tons of maize meal was discharged from the
M/V Ship "TRUBEZH".


COMMON SERVICES

5. Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC)

New products:

   Information showing agricultural activities on district level
   A FAO database on Who's Doing What Where
   On-line resources for the DDRR process, e.g. lessons learnt


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


6. United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC)

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


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