Russian Federation - OCHA: 22-Dec-05
OCHA Situation Report
Russian Federation: Chechnya and Neighbouring Republics
Report for November 2005
22 December 2005
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
HIGHLIGHTS
UN and NGOs Launch 2006 Interagency Transitional Workplan for the North
Caucasus
On 7 December 2005 in Moscow, the United Nations together with
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) presented the 2006 Inter-Agency
Transitional Workplan for the North Caucasus for humanitarian and
development assistance in five North Caucasus republics (Chechnya,
Ingushetia, North Ossetia, Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria). The
Transitional Workplan outlines the programs that 9 UN agencies and 13
NGOs intend to carry out in 2006. To conduct these projects the UN and
NGOs are requesting some US $88 million. Humanitarian needs in the North
Caucasus remain serious and analysis indicates that the humanitarian
situation neither deteriorated nor significantly improved in 2005. At
the same time, poverty is widespread in the region and the need for
socioeconomic development is clear. Therefore, the UN and partner NGOs
will conduct a range of assistance projects in humanitarian relief and
development simultaneously for several years.
Proposed Changes to Russian NGO Legislation Seen As Possible Barrier to
International Aid Efforts
Throughout November, the international aid community was very much
concerned about the changes to be made to the current Russian
legislation on NGOs under a corresponding draft law adopted by the Duma
in the first reading on 23 November 2005. Adding on to the multiple
voices of various international and domestic organizations and rights
activists the UN Resident Coordinator and the Humanitarian Coordinator
on behalf of the UN system in the Russian Federation shared with
Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Public and Religious
Organizations, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the
Presidential Council for Development of Civil Society and Human Rights
some practical constraints and problems that the law, if passed, could
cause for the humanitarian- and development-assistance community. The
magnitude of public response to the proposed amendments was such that
President Putin asked the Duma to slow its consideration of the draft,
and assigned the head of his Administration to closely review all the
various comments and concerns submitted to the Duma and Government
officials by parties concerned to better prepare the draft law for the
second reading by the Duma scheduled for December 23, 2005.
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
Protection
As of 30 November 2005, a total of 26,883 internally displaced persons
(IDPs) from Chechnya (6,107 families) were registered for assistance in
Ingushetia in the database of UNHCR's implementing partner, the Danish
Refugee Council (DRC). Of this total, 10,294 persons (2,263 families)
were in temporary settlements, and 16,589 persons (3,844 families) in
private accommodation. From 1-30 November, Vesta, who monitors the Adler
and Spartak checkpoints, reported individual returns of 76 persons (15
families) from Ingushetia to Chechnya and new arrivals of 28 persons (5
families) from Chechnya to Ingushetia. During November, 154 persons (33
families) were de-registered by DRC in Ingushetia and registered for
assistance in Chechnya.
During November, the 11 UNHCR-supported legal counseling centers (LCCs)
in Ingushetia and Chechnya provided 463 consultations, bringing the
total for the year to more than 5,700. Most of the cases in Ingushetia
continued to be related to the deregistration by the migration services
of IDPs formerly benefiting from federal assistance. In Chechnya, the
primary concerns of IDPs were property, social and employment rights. In
addition to providing IDPs legal counseling and information on their
rights, the LCCs also represent IDPs before governmental structures and
courts of law. In November, they presented 127 cases to administrative
and law enforcement structures, 75 cases to courts of first instance,
and 8 cases to second instance courts.
Food
In November, WFP jointly with cooperating partners DRC, CHA and IR
started the 10th relief distribution cycle in Ingushetia and reached
during the month some 7,957 target beneficiaries residing in the
republic. In Chechnya the 10th distribution cycle was also started at
the end of November in Groznenski rural district where through IR about
111 tons of WFP's food commodities were distributed among 11,046
beneficiaries. In November the food for education programme continued in
411 schools covering 129,173 school children. During the reported period
WFP through its cooperating partners provided 470 tons of food
commodities for continuation of the programme. In November 546
participants (representing 2,730 beneficiaries) continued implementation
of Food for Work (FFW) projects for improvement of local infrastructure.
During the second half of November WFP through its cooperating partner
CHA distributed some 17 tons of food to 154 participants (770
beneficiaries) for the works implemented in October. The rest FFW
participants will receive food in December. Within the Food for Training
programme 25 trainees continued attending vocational courses in
hairdressing and manicuring in Grozny city. WFP also provided the Dining
Hall project which assists about 1,600 vulnerable people in Grozny, with
13 tons of food. About 20 tons of food were provided to 640 TB in- and
out patients covered by TB projects implemented by MSF-Holland in
Chechnya and WHO in Ingushetia.
As of the end of November, donations reached about 84 per cent of the
funding required for the completion of the programme in December 2005.
The WFP office is currently in the process of preparing the follow-up 12
months project EMOP 10128.2, starting from January 2006. Within the next
six months WFP expects considerable shortfalls of food commodities,
unless resources are mobilized soon.
Shelter
During November, UNHCR provided 14 box-tents to IDP families voluntarily
returning to Chechnya and 16 to IDP families choosing to remain in
Ingushetia. With some corrections to earlier reporting, this brought the
total distributions to families since the beginning of the program to
1,114 in Chechnya and 582 in Ingushetia. Another 27 box tents have been
provided to partners in Chechnya, Ingushetia and North Ossetia for
temporary schools, child rehabilitation centers, medical points and
other facilities.
In Ingushetia, through its partner Vesta, UNHCR undertook interventions
to improve the conditions of 4 temporary settlements sheltering IDPs
from Chechnya and Prigorodny. These interventions are part of a
comprehensive "winterization" program involving several international
and local NGOs and targeting more than 40 sites. At the same time, 40
IDP families from Chechnya and Prigorodny wishing to integrate in
Ingushetia have continued to build permanent houses with the support of
UNHCR through DRC. In 29 out of the 40 houses, the walls have been
completed, while in 19 the construction has reached the roofing stage.
In Chechnya, the distribution by DRC of UNHCR-funded roofing kits
(timber, nails and corrugated metal sheets) to 746 families was
completed, and the roofs of 188 houses were covered.
To support sustainable (re-)integration, UNHCR and its partners
initiated 5 new quick impact projects (QIPs) in Ingushetia and 1 in
Chechnya, bringing the total for 2005 to 21 in Ingushetia and 55 in
Chechnya. In Ingushetia most of the QIPs are targeted for
income-generation and family resilience, whereas in Chechnya they are
largely devoted to income-generation and the repair of small-scale
public infrastructure.
The IRC continued the rehabilitation of rooms in 10 temporary
settlements in Ingushetia. The maintenance and rehabilitation works such
as walls repairing, flooring, roofing, painting, electrification,
gasification, concrete works were also continued at temporary
settlements "MTF" in Nasir Kort; "Sunzha" and "Barkhni" in
Sleptsovskaya,
In Chechnya the rehabilitation works on 100 2nd category houses were
going on. The distribution of materials and construction works in 20
houses in Oktyabrskiy region of Grozny were finished. 2 of them were
rehabilitated by IRC workers. 95 3rd category houses were also in the
process of rehabilitation. The distribution of materials and
construction works in 28 houses in Oktyabrskiy region of Grozny were
finished. 2 of them were rehabilitated by IRC workers. 10 families
occupied their houses. The roof rehabilitation works of TAC #119 in
Grozny were finished. The project is closed.
Health
15 November WHO joined the mission of the Norwegian Ambassador in Russia
to Grozny, visiting among other locations the Republican AIDS center
supported by WHO. The Norwegian Ambassador took part in the donation of
WHO-designed and produced 1200 HIV booklets and HIV test-systems to the
Republican AIDS center. In addition, WHO donated a set of latest
presentations, information and learning material and state regulations
on various HIV issues produced by the Federal AIDS center.
WHO sponsored and facilitated participation of five epidemiologists from
Chechen and Ingush AIDS centres in certified training course on HIV at
the Moscow Federal HIV centre from 7-25 November. WHO purchased and
distributed 10500 condoms to the Republican AIDS center in Chechnya.
WHO Implementing partner "Accent" under the Mother and Child Health
project concluded the survey of selected groups of 1200 residents (16-49
years) in the Republic of North Ossetia on risk behaviours related to
HIV/AIDS and substance abuse, carried out by WHO in September-October
2005. The survey revealed a high degree of awareness in the population
on the issue of HIV/AIDS and the recognition that it is a socially
important disease. The HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns of the previous
years conducted through a variety of international and national
organisations in the republic have greatly contributed to this effect.
Nevertheless, the results also reveal a lack of in-depth knowledge of
sexually transmitted diseases in general, possibly due to the reluctance
in this community to discuss freely about sexual matters and the stigma
related to being infected.
>From 21 November -- 1 December, WHO held a training course on IMCI for
30 paediatricians in Vladikavkaz/North Ossetia -- Alania. Another such
training was held from 21 November -- 1 December for 20 medical workers
in Nadterechny district of Chechnya.
UNICEF continued to implement its Mother Empowerment Programme (MEP), in
cooperation with the NGO Hammer Forum (HF), the Ingush Republican
Disease Prevention Centre and Achkhoi-Martan's Central District Hospital
(Chechnya). The programme is aimed at raising mothers' awareness on
important child health care issues, including breastfeeding and
immunization, as well as at training them on better parental care and
issues related to the early recognition of common childhood illnesses.
During the reporting period, HF training teams targeted 432 pregnant
women, lactating mothers and mothers with under-5 children living in
Temporary Accommodation Centres (TACs) located in Ponyatkova 11 Street
in Grozny. In Ingushetia, 288 women residing in three IDP temporary
settlements in Malgobek districts were also covered by HF. In
Achkhoi-Martan district, 560 women attended MEP training sessions held
in Achkhoi-Martan town, 320 women in Katir-Yurt, 210 women in Valerik,
and 110 women in Samashki divisional hospital. The Ingush Republican
Centre for Disease Prevention also conducted training sessions in
Sleptsovskaya and Troitskaya and targeted 850 beneficiaries. In
parallel, UNICEF also conducted distribution of 300 MEP brochures to
health professionals, 13,840 Breast Feeding brochures to MEP training
participants, and 30,000 medical registration forms to the Chechen
Ministry of Health during the reporting period.
In the Chechen Republic, IRC continued to work towards improving the
health outcomes of war-affected mothers and children in Grozny and
provided weekly training and psychosocial counselling for a total of 48
pregnant women in schools Nos. 23 and 53, and began to recruit
additional pregnant women for training during the month of December.
Safe motherhood kits were distributed to all participants at the end of
the training.
In Grozny, the IRC conducted psychosocial counselling in closed and open
group sessions to 56 and 50 children, respectively. Individual
counselling was provided to 20 of the most vulnerable children, 20
parents and 15 teachers. In Ingushetia, the IRC also provided
counselling in closed and open groups for 134 and 112 children,
respectively. 24 children, 30 parents and 13 teachers attended
individual counselling. Information meetings for parents and teachers
addressing psychosocial needs of children were held in both republics.
In Grozny, a total of 40 parents and 10 teachers attended these
meetings, while in Ingushetia, 191 parents and 24 teachers were present.
Education
UNICEF is completing the rehabilitation of 10 schools and 2
kindergartens in Chechnya. A joint team of UNICEF and MoE specialists,
accompanied by an independent civil engineer, started the final
inspection procedure, so as to ensure the compliance of the scope and
quality of the work to UNICEF's standards and to the technical
requirements of the federal legislation. The rehabilitation of 4
additional schools, undertaken by UNICEF in partnership with CPCD, is
still underway, due to some delays generated by the security measures
applied to most education buildings in preparation of the recent
elections. In total, UNICEF supported the rehabilitation of 16 schools
and 2 kindergartens in 2005 (16 in Chechnya, 1 in Ingushetia and 1 in
Prigorodny district, North Ossetia).
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) informal psychosocial
activities group along with 30 local Sports Club volunteers organized
sports competitions in football, basketball, volleyball, chess, checkers
in 10 schools throughout Chechnya; 340 students participated and 580
students attended. Additionally, on average, 3 youth clubs worked at
each school and 568 persons attended them. Parents' Committee meetings
were held at each school and attended by 37 teachers and 134 parents.
In the Republic of Ingushetia out of total 847 children in 10 "parallel"
schools managed by IRC, 635 children attended physical training classes
at the Sports Center. Additionally, 380 children and youth from all IRC
schools in Ingushetia were taught dancing, drama and vocals at three Art
studios and the Sports Center.
155 children of preschool age participated in playgroups at psychosocial
centers in Ingushetia 4 days a week, either in two or one 4-hour
sessions a day.
Water and Sanitation
Within the framework of the water purification and distribution project,
which is implemented by UNICEF in Grozny in cooperation with the Polish
Humanitarian Organization (PHO), the total water delivery capacity
reached 852 cubic metres per day. About 115,000 residents of Grozny have
been regularly served with safe drinking water, which has been
transported by 20 trucks on 4-routes-per-day basis to 250 water
distribution points, located in 34 medical facilities, 51 educational
facilities, 7 TACs and 158 points in residential areas. About 90 water
control tests (all positive) were conducted by the Sanitary and
Epidemiological Station (SES) during the reporting time to ensure the
quality of the water delivered, as well as to monitor the disinfection
and treatment of the machinery and equipment.
In Ingushetia, the IRC continued to provide water and sanitation
services to the war-affected community. 4670m3 of water were delivered
to 61 temporary settlements, 3 points in the private sector and 2 public
institutions, using 6 UNHCR water trucks and 2 rental water trucks.
2133m3 of garbage were removed from 99 temporary settlements, 7 public
institutions, using 6 UNHCR garbage trucks. 1529m3 of sewage were
removed from 99 temporary settlements. 20 water samples were taken from
water tanks. 1 water point was maintained. 1 water tank was installed.
The works on water tanks insulation were started. 32 metal water tanks
were insulated. It is planned to finish the works on insulation in the
middle of December, 2005. Also the works on insulation of metal water
tanks and boilers of the baths were started. 5 metal water tanks and 3
boilers were insulated. These works also planned to finish in the middle
of December, 2005.
The IRC also continued to deliver water and sanitation services to the
war-affected population of Chechnya. 6031m3 of water were delivered to
108 water points in Grozny using 8 rental water trucks. 1440m3 of
garbage were collected according to transport manager's schedule using 3
rental garbage trucks. 25% of all water storage tanks were checked
daily. 29 water bladders and 48 water tanks were treated and cleaned.
Pest control was conducted in 6 hospitals in Oktyabrskiy region of
Grozny.
Mine Action
Within its physical rehabilitation programme for children with
disabilities, UNICEF supported a one-month orthopedic training for a
doctor from Grozny's Republican Clinical Hospital (RCH) in St.
Petersburg (Russian Scientific Research Institute of Traumatology and
Orthopedics). A10-day training has also been organized for two doctors
from the same hospital at the Medical Institute in Moscow. The RCH
provides treatment to all children in need of specialized medical
assistance.
UNICEF also continued to promote the socio-economic reintegration of the
most vulnerable children through its vocational trainings on carpentry,
tailoring, computing and football. During the reporting period, 60
children have been attending courses run by the Society for the
Disabled, Grozny's Technical College and VoM. A UNICEF-supported
football team of disabled boys participated in the National Championship
for football for the disabled, which was held in Moscow from 26 November
through 4 December. UNICEF team was recognized as the best: Mr.
Lunacharskiy, the President of the Federation of Football for the
Disabled of Russia, and Mr. Kiyanskiy, the General Secretary of the
Federation, sent a letter expressing their gratitude to UNICEF for its
continuous support to the "Laman Az" team, and informing the
organization that three members of the team will be playing for the
national team of disabled in 2006.
Funding of the Humanitarian Operation
>From the date of the last Information Bulletin until the date of this
Bulletin donors recorded the following new contributions in the Financial
Tracking System (FTS):
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
| Description | Decision |Donor Country | Appealing Agency |Amount in |
| | date | | | USD |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
| |26.10.2005| Finland |International | 216,346|
| | | |Committee of the | |
| | | |Red Cross | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
|Emergency food assistance to |31.10.2005| Private |World Food | 8,288|
|vulnerable households in the | | |Programme | |
|North Caucasus | | | | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
|Emergency food assistance to |31.10.2005| Private |World Food | 30,000|
|vulnerable households in the | | |Programme | |
|North Caucasus | | | | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
|Emergency food assistance to |31.10.2005|United States |World Food | 1,860,000|
|vulnerable households in the | | |Programme | |
|North Caucasus | | | | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
|Strengthening primary health |17.11.2005|United States |World Health | 500,000|
|care provision through | | |Organization | |
|communicable disease control | | | | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
| |22.11.2005| Germany |AMICA e.V | 22,927|
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
| |5.12.2005 |United Kingdom|International | 1,032,702|
| | | |Committee of the | |
| | | |Red Cross | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
|Humanitarian Coordination |5.12.2005 |United Kingdom|Office for the | 602,410|
| | | |Coordination of | |
| | | |Humanitarian | |
| | | |Affairs | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
|Awaiting allocation to |5.12.2005 |United Kingdom|Danish Refugee | 172,117|
|specific sector/project | | |Council | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
|Safety and Security of Staff |5.12.2005 |United Kingdom|UNDP/UNDSS | 602,410|
|and Operations | | | | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
|Sustainable Reintegration and|5.12.2005 | Norway |UNDP | 1,139,613|
|Recovery in the North | | | | |
|Caucasus (Ingushetia and | | | | |
|North Ossetia) | | | | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
|Emergency food assistance to |5.12.2005 |United Kingdom|World Food | 344,234|
|vulnerable households in the | | |Programme | |
|North Caucasus | | | | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
| |9.12.2005 | European |UN Agencies, NGOs | 7,058,824|
| | | Commission |and Red Cross | |
| | | (ECHO) |(details not yet | |
| | | |provided) | |
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
| TOTAL : | | | |13,589,871|
|-----------------------------+----------+--------------+-------------------+----------|
Readers requiring more detailed information on funding of the
humanitarian operation in the North Caucasus are encouraged to visit the
FTS using the following link:
http://ocha.unog.ch/fts/reports/reportlist.asp?section=CE&record_ID=656.
FTS is an on-line, real-time, searchable database of humanitarian needs
and contributions and an instrument for analysis of humanitarian aid
flows.
Produced by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) Tel: (7095) 956-6405; Fax: (7095) 956-6355; e-mail:
rezanov@un.org
Please send your contributions for the next bulletin to OCHA by 10
January 2006
For more information, please contact us directly or refer to:
www.ocha.ru or www.reliefweb.int
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International web: www.cidi.org
Disaster Information listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -