OCHA HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN #19

OCHA HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN #19 - July 2, 2012

HIGHLIGHTS

- Outbreaks of cholera reach the Nord, Sud and Sud-Est departments, high probability of a major emergency in the coming months, according to IFRC

- CERF emergency allocation prevents further deterioration of sanitation conditions in IDP camps

- Return programs for IDPs bolster camps closure, urban planning in neighbourhoods begins

- The eighth simulation exercise for a natural disaster takes place in the Sud-Est department

- Rain in drought areas boosts agricultural production

FIGURES

Number of IDPs in camps = 390, 276

Cumulative cholera cases = 574,850

Fatality cholera cases = 7,398

FUNDING

- 230,5 million Requested (in US$).This amount is being revised as part of the CAP MYR

- 19.5% Funded

CHOLERA RESPONSE

Cholera alerts continue, including in IDP camps

Cholera outbreaks occurred in the North, Sud and South-East departments in June, the
Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) reports. The Ouest and Artibonite departments continue to report a net increase in new cases of cholera, including in the IDP camp of Cinea in Delmas 33 in metropolitan Port-au-Prince. According to statistics provided by the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), the average number of new cholera cases during the first three weeks of June 2012 was 227 compared with 61 during the same period in March, before the arrival of the first rains.

At Cinea camp, the health directorate for the Ouest department, as well as the National Directorate of Potable Water and Sanitation (DINEPA), supported by health partners, have administered oral rehydration salts to the sick, distributed water chlorination products and disinfected living areas. Preliminary assessments revealed that living conditions in the camp represented a high risk factor for the transmission of the disease. An analysis of water from water sources managed by the water management committee revealed the absence of residual chlorine. In addition, the maintenance of latrines entrusted by the DINEPA to the private enterprise JEDCO had not been carried out.

The health directorates of the Nord and Sud-Est departments and partners have also dispatched and restocked support structures with drugs and equipment. In Artibonite, however, discussions to defuse a potentially explosive situation related to the nonpayment of five months of salary arrears for medical staff employed by the Ministry of Health are on-going.

In a press release issued on 19 June, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported that the probability for cholera to turn into a major emergency in the next few months is high and resources for containing the situation considerably reduced. The Federation is concerned, among other things, about the slow pace of integrating cholera management within national health infrastructures and the weakness of the national alert and surveillance system. According to PAHO statistics, eight departments out of 10 in the country, provide either partial epidemiological reports or none at all.

Camp management

Significant improvement of sanitation in IDP camps

According to the latest report from the DINEPA/WASH Cluster, sanitation conditions in the camps have considerably improved since March 2012, which marked the beginning of desludging, maintenance and closure of latrines financed by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) of the United Nations at $3.5 million.

From April to May, the number of sites that have received desludging services has risen from 66 to 122, translating into an increase of 100 per cent. In addition, 87 per cent of the latrines, needing either to be repaired or to be put out of service, were taken care of between March and May, thanks to the involvement of IOM funded by CERF. As a result, the percentage of camps where open air defection is common has seen a 50 per cent to 30 per cent decrease.

The arrival of CERF's emergency funding occurred in the midst of a suspension of operations of the DINEPA/UNOPS desludging fleet in January due to lack of funds. Last March, 378 sites needed desludging services, of which 86 were of an urgent nature.

Despite this improvement, several camp committees and NGOs have complained to DINEPA about the poor execution of certain desludging operations carried out by the private company JEDCO that do not follow the standards of cleanliness and does not target priority camps. These complaints are subject to close monitoring of DINEPA and UNICEF to improve the quality of services provided by JEDCO.

Return and relocation programs for displaced persons continue

IOM states in its April and June Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) that programmes to support the return and relocation of people displaced by the earthquake have contributed significantly to the decline of the camp population. Apart from voluntary departures and evictions, the reports state that the 14 per cent and 7 per cent decrease of the population in the camps observed respectively in April and June is equally the result of multiple initiatives of return, be they from subsidized rental housing, the provision of temporary shelters, the repair or construction of houses.

Since the earthquake, 14,000 families have benefited from subsidized rental housing programs established mainly by IOM, IFRC, World Vision and JP/HRO. Over 100,000 families have received a transitional shelter, 13,000 households have received assistance to repair their homes while 5,000 families have benefited from housing construction programmes, according to the statistics of the Housing and Public Buildings Construction Unit (UCLBP) of Haiti.

Created in November 2011, the UCLBP has a division devoted to the problem of rehabilitation of neighborhoods and relocation, and, particularly, the establishment in September 2011 of the pilot program 16 neighborhoods/6 camps. This project aims not only to facilitate the rehabilitation of 16 neighborhoods spread in the communes of Port-au-Prince, Pétion-Ville and Delmas but also to allow the return of displaced persons living in six priority camps by providing them with rent subsidies.

Urban planning starts in earthquak-affected neighborhoods

Urban planning activities, including mitigation programs are underway in eight of the 16 neighbourhoods. The six camps targeted - Place Boyer, Place St Pierre, Canapé Vert, Stade Sylvio Cator, Mais Gaté, Primature - have been closed as well as 15 other smaller camps. More than 5,100 families were thus able to return to their neighbourhoods of origin thanks to a subsidy of US$500 enabling them to rent a house of their choice for a year. These families were not landowners before the earthquake and were therefore not eligible for a transitional shelter or benefit from construction and repair programmes. This is also the case of 97 per cent of the displaced persons still living in the existing 575 camps.

Other initiatives in line with the 16/6 project have also borne fruit. This is the case of Champs de Mars, the most important public space in the capital, which housed 4,600 families in the aftermath of the earthquake. The relocation project funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) at 20 million dollars has enabled the relocation of a majority of displaced households. It is expected to be completed in August with the departure of the last families and the renovation of the space.

A survey conducted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) showed that, contrary to some claims, the awarding of these subsidies had not led to a proliferation of disorganized construction on the mountainous terrain of the metropolitan area. This financial assistance has not encouraged either the expansion of slums, such as that of Canaan which was established in the aftermath of the earthquake on the outskirts of the capital. In fact, the investigation shows that a year after their relocation due to the rental subsidies, only 15 per cent of the families had left their new accommodation.

Camp population falls below the 400, 000 mark

According to IOM June Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), there are 390,276individuals living in IDP camps. This is a 7 per cent decrease compared to April and the first time that the overall population is less than 100,000 households. The number of camps decreased by 4 per cent. When compared to the peak of displacement in July 2010, this reflects a 75 per cent decline in camp population. Similar to the previous period, the largest drop has been observed in the commune of Port-au-Prince where the overall IDP population decreased by 17 per cent.

Displaced persons from Champs de Mars receive identification documents

Over 700 displaced persons from Champs de Mars have recently received birth certificates thanks to the protection programme implemented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its implementing partners ACAT and GARR. This activity goes hand in hand with the process of relocating displaced persons from Champs de Mars (see article above) and aims at giving a legal existence to people who lost their identification documents during the earthquake or those who have never had any. In 2011, UNHCR enabled over 5,500 people to obtain birth certificates. The goal for 2012 is to provide 5,000 additional birth certificates to particularly vulnerable persons such as undeclared newborns, unaccompanied and separated children, households headed by single mothers, young mothers, pregnant women, people with disabilities and those with chronic diseases, as well as the elderly with special needs.

UNHCR scales up support to displaced women victims of violence

One year after its inauguration, the UNHCR safe house in Port-au-Prince is beefing up its support to the most vulnerable displaced women survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and their families.

In addition to providing assistance to some 200 women and their family members, i.e. secure living space, psycho-social support, trainings, education for the children and medical assistance, new challenges are being taken on with the support of implementing partners. The priorities are now to improve child-friendly spaces in the safe house, to strengthen the durable solutions available to the survivors in particular with additional professional inductions such as literacy classes.

Ensuring that the women's reintegration into society is sustainable is a crucial element of the project. A community warehouse was recently inaugurated where the survivors will benefit from a micro-grant scheme in order to start their own small business. In connection to the community warehouse a training center is being established where women will be able to develop and strengthen skills such as cooking and sewing.

Emergency preparedness

The South-East is preparing for a natural disaster

The eighth natural disaster simulation exercise (SIMEX) was held on 8 June in the Sud-Est department, one of the most vulnerable departments in the country, due to its geographical location on the path of cyclones and in close proximity to a seismic fault.

Organized by the Department of Civil Protection (DPC) with the support of OCHA, UNDP, WFP and MINUSTAH, the SIMEX has highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the response capacity of the department where continuous deforestation of watersheds has increased the risks of flooding, landslides and rockfall. An estimated 430,000people are at risk of flooding in the department.

Over two dozen containers of first aid stock (DIPS) are available in 10 communes, and 250 volunteers have been trained in their operation. Some 550 volunteer rescuers, eight ambulances, three boats and a boat ambulance are also available in the event of a major disaster. In addition, the coordination capacity of the departmental technical team as well as cooperation between the Departmental Emergency Operation Centre (COUD) and the Regional Centre for Joint Operations (RJOC) of the MINUSTAH were considered excellent.

However, a major concern issue of concern is the lack of clarity regarding pre-positioned contingency stocks of food and non-food items in the department, as well as the number of temporary shelters in case of evacuation.

A national SIMEX will be held in the communes of Arcahaie and Cabaret in the Ouest department on 5 and 6 July, and will test maritime deployment capacities. Evacuation drills in camps for the displaced will also take place.

Training on DRM in schools of West department

A training of trainers on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) for schools was organised from 10 to 16 June in the Ouest department with 37 participants from the Ministry of Education, the DPC and 13 NGOs working in schools. It was the first training of trainers organized by the Government of Haiti, financed by UNICEF. Detailed knowledge on DRM and child-centred DRM methodologies were introduced. Expected outcomes of this training will be to replicate teacher training and student sensitization on DRM, to consolidate a training module, and to work with the Ministry of Education towards integrating DRM into school curriculum.

Seismic hazard in Haiti comparable to that of California

During a presentation on 20 June in Port-au-Prince, Eric Calais, scientific adviser to UNDP in Haiti and professor of geophysics at Perdue University, United States, stated that the history of the Island Hispaniola shows a persistent danger of seismic activity. The country’s seismic hazard is comparable to that of California and affects the entire territory even though the major faults are located in the north and the south. Calais also pointed out that scientific reality predicts other earthquakes in the future.

He also stated that the density of the population, disorganized construction with no respect for earthquake-resistance standards and the inability of the municipalities to control urban planning are all factors that have contributed to raise the vulnerability of the country.

Following the 2010 earthquake, a seismic risk reduction roadmap was developed by UNDP at the request of the National System for the Management and Reduction of Risks and Disasters (SNGRD). Since then, 15 of 19 seismological stations have been installed, a seismology technical unit has been created, macro zoning maps have been developed and engineers and builders have been trained in the techniques of earthquake-resistant construction. The development of a seismic plan for the greater north close to the northern fault line is in progress and benefits from a funding of $10 million from the Fund for the reconstruction of Haiti (FRH).

Nevertheless, adds Eric Calais, it is necessary to incorporate seismic zoning in the urban planning of the country, to assess the set of strategic buildings and reinforce the principal hospitals as well as the schools, continue to train engineers and other professionals in the construction industry and include earthquake-resistant engineering in civil engineering programs.

Food security

Good crop prospects in July

After experiencing a long period of drought, there has been rainfall for over two months in the upper Artibonite and the extreme Northwest departments enabling the growth of crops, according to the latest report from FEWS Net in May. There is plenty of seasonal rainfall throughout the entire country, which should translate into good harvests in July, probably higher than the average. Since May, a decrease in the price of imported products has also been reported in most of the departmental markets.

After a period of food shortages due to crop losses in February, promising harvesting of maize, beans and tubers in July will mitigate household food insecurity in the upper Artibonite. Presently, the mango season employs many people for harvesting, handling, transport and sale of the fruit. This form of seasonal employment is a frequent survival strategy used by households in these areas throughout the month of May, as stated by the report.

For over a month, rains in the western tip of the Northwest have made for a return to agricultural activities, thus providing a source of employment to the poorest. These precipitations have also encouraged the growth of livestock whose physical condition had deteriorated in recent months due to the drought.

The situation of food-insecure households in shanty towns and IDP camps will also improve as from July due to a greater availability of local products on the markets.

Coordination

Education Cluster closes

As of 30 June, the Education Cluster is officially ending its current form of coordination led by UNICEF and Save the Children after two and half years of endeavours. The Cluster co-lead and its partners will continue to work with the Ministry of Education and the DPC for sector coordination of emergency preparedness and response in order to transfer and develop national capacity and resilience. A document on lessons learned from the Education Cluster experiences is being finalized.

Other issues

First recycled cobblestones from earthquake rubble pave Carrefour-Feuille

As part of the “Débris I” and “Débris II” projects, the first recycled cobblestones made from earthquake-generated debris were used to pave sidewalks and stairs at the beginning of June in the Carrefour-Feuilles commune. With the assistance provided by the ILO to the Truman MTPTC-UN site, production has been greatly boosted. The current production stands at 120,000 cobblestones bricks, 4,204 roofing tiles and1,515 slabs.

These initiatives contribute to improving living conditions in the neighbourhoods, in addition to creating jobs. As at now, 2,635 working days have been created on the MTPTC-UN site. In order to achieve productivity goals, the ILO has trained 124 Haitian workers in debris recycling and transformation techniques.

The ILO’s management capacity building programme for local entrepreneurs led to the training of 33 young Haitians, five of them women. This initiative has led to the further training 300 local entrepreneurs, 42 of them women, in business management. Through the «Débris I and II» projects the ILO has enabled the direct creation of six businesses and supported 47 others in the building sector.

The goal of the «Débris I and II» projects is to rehabilitate several neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince that were destroyed by the 12 January 2010 earthquake, through the introduction of a clearance, treatment and recycling earthquake rubble system.

Some 300,000 children in domestic servitude

On the occasion of the World Day against Child Labour commemorated on June 12, the ILO, UNICEF, UNESCO, IOM and the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, Nigel Fisher, renewed the determination of the United Nations system to support Haiti to win the fight of a world free of child labour. The number of children as domestic servants "restavek" in Haiti is estimated at 300,000. On its part, IOM has set up a series of multimedia tools to increase public awareness of abuses related to this practice through SMS messages, a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/restaveck ), Twitter ( @frennenrestavek), Youtube, a comic strip Chimen Lakay, and the humanitarian call centre NOU (NOU THE 177). Anyone with information on this practice in his/ her community is invited to share by calling the centre.

Following the earthquake, UNICEF has also intensified its support for the development of a Minors' Protection Brigade (BPM) and supported a vast programme of prevention of trafficking and serious violations of children's rights at the main border crossings with the Dominican Republic as well as in the camps for displaced persons. Of the 12,000 children monitored, 2,800 of them were in an irregular situation. Among these, 285 were subjected to practices similar to trafficking. Haiti ratified on 11 June 2012 the Hague Convention on International Adoption.

For further information, please contact:
George Ngwa Anuongong, Chief, Communication Section, ngwaanuongong@un.org

Emmanuelle Schneider, spokesperson/Information officer, shneider1@un.org

Rachelle Elien, information officer, elien@un.org

Widlyn Dornevil, reporting officer, dornevil@un.org

OCHA humanitarian bulletins are available at http://haiti.humanitarianresponse.info/ www.unocha.org www.reliefweb.int