Peoples Accountability Commission on Floods (PACF) a volunteer network of local community activists representing eight flood affected districts along with participation of Karachi and Hyderabad with facilitation of advocacy and research secretariat based at Karachi. This report contains the analysis of return intention and inadequate food assistance during the relief phase in majorly affected districts namely Umerkot, Shaheed Benazirabad, Badin, TM Khan, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar and Tando Allahyar. This is the sixth Civil Society Flood Situation report (CSFSR) on the issue “Forced return of flood affected IDPs from Camps and miserable food Assistance situation in calamity hit districts during relief phase”. The report contains analysis of field reports generated by our volunteer network (PACF) and secondary data generated by UN OCHA, WFP/ FAO and TSSU for affected districts. The PACF has already issued five reports on very practical themes which have been covered by Print Media with encouraging response.

Objectives of this report:

v To disseminate general information to concerned stakeholders on the issue

v To advocate & sensitize all the stakeholders in support of the flood affected peoples on the issue

v
To analyze the Gaps on Issue

v To render pro peoples suggestions and recommendations for stakeholders involved in the activity.

Key Priorities/Highlights

· To provide information on unmet need of Food assistance

· Provide an overview of Food Assistance status, needs and gaps in relation to humanitarian support and services available to temporary settlements and out of settlements in each of the districts assessed.

· Camp Management Scenarios

· To provide the overview on return intention of the 55% camps, have been currently closed.

Data Collection Methods and Tools

v Analysis of primary Data:

1. Through Focus Group Discussions

2. Inputs of meetings with UN OCHA Food Cluster Co-lead

v Secondary Source of Data:

1. TSSU 4^th Assessment Report

2. UN OCHA 15^th Report

3. WFP/ FAO Current Report

4. Food Security Cluster Update

Background of Issue:

In mid of August heavy rain begin and led to sever floods in Southern Pakistan and Sindh Province. The initial reports of assessment made public by PDMA Sindh, that the rain flood inflicted damages across 23 districts almost in every sector. It was initially announced that over 8 million people were affected with human loss of more than 400 persons and nearly 1.5 million homes were also partially or fully damaged. A joint rapid need assessment was carried out in 16 districts (Sindh) involving clusters during the month of September to assess the needs of the flood affected people and to determine the severity and impact of floods in concerned districts.

With regard to the damages to agriculture and livestock in 16 districts underlying findings were reported on which FAO appealed for USD 18.9 million to provide critical support to agriculture livelihoods, out of total food security cluster funding requirements of nearly USD 174 million.

In Sindh survey was conducted on 12-13 September and report was issued on 27^th of December 2011 by FAO Pakistan (the co lead with WFP on food security cluster) on grave situation of food security as under.

Average for all affected districts	Crop damaged/destroyed	Livestock lost/Sold	Food stocks destroyed
Average for all affected districts	72%	36%	67%

In report Sindh was declared as severely affected province in Pakistan and underlying findings were also made:

v Crop: As per report of PDMA and Department of Agriculture Extension Sindh over 0.88 million hectares of standing crops destroyed, including cotton, rice, sugar cane, vegetable and pulses. The destruction of standing crops and production inputs has wiped out farmers’ present and future sources of food and income. Damage to irrigation is a major concern as around 80% of wheat planted in Sindh is irrigated.

v Livestock: nearly 90,000 livestock have died and five million surviving livestock directly affected. The joint Rapid Needs Assessment estimate that over one-third of livestock have been killed or sold. Livestock predominantly managed by women –Provide a vital source of meat, milk and income.

v Surviving livestock are without shelter, at heightened risk of disease and parasite infestation, and without feed/fodder stocks. (Source Livestock Department Sindh)

WFP Response

To date, more than 275,000 beneficiaries across five initial priority districts have been provided with 3,681 metric tons of monthly family food rations, in cooperation with a current six NGO partners Alongside distribution of the general family food basket, nutritionally‐fortified High‐Energy Biscuits and Ready‐to‐Use Supplementary Food have been provided to approximately 50,000 children aged 2‐12 years and 6‐23 months respectively, on a blanket basis and to preclude nutritional declines amongst these particularly vulnerable groups.

Table-1: WFP Relief Food Distribution in Sindh

WFP Relief Food Distribution in Sindh
Districts	Beneficiaries Reached			Food Distribution (MT)
Districts	Male	Female	Total	Food Distribution (MT)
Badin	84,403	86,654	171,057	2,266
Mirpurkhas	33,316	27,230	60,546	851
Nawabshah	13,417	11,822	25,239	348
Sanghar	882	588	1,470	18
Tharparkar	10,080	6,720	16,800	198
Total	142,098	133,014	275,112	3,681

Situation Overview

Findings in Joint UN-Government Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA)

Source UN OCHA 15^th Situation report

According to the findings of the MSNA, conducted in October 4.3 million people (84 per cent of the affected population) are food-insecure – 2.2 million people severely food-insecure and 2.1 million people moderately food-insecure –in the flood-affected areas of Sindh. Data collected prior to the floods and recently released as part of the National Nutrition Survey results show that Sindh had the highest food insecurity rate at 72 percent. More than 3 million flood-affected, food-insecure people in Government-notified districts urgently require agricultural support to resume food production and income generation. Farmers require agricultural inputs to cultivate Zaid Rabi crops – such as pulses, sunflower and vegetables – where Rabi wheat planting may not have been possible. As for livestock, there is a need to urgently provide additional feed and veterinary support to ensure continued livestock survival, and plant multi-cut green fodder to sustain surviving livestock in the coming months.

Response as per UN OCHA report

In November, WFP and its 22 implementing partners provided food assistance to nearly 2.3 million people in 12 districts of Sindh and three districts of Balochistan; more than 3 million people have received food assistance since the beginning of the emergency. In addition, five NGOs (Muslim Hands, Caritas International, Islamic Relief Pakistan, Plan International and Lead against Marginality and Poverty) provided assistance to more than 95,200 people in four districts of Sindh in November. NGOs have been scaling down the implementation of relief food activities. In December, WFP is scheduled to provide unconditional food assistance to 1 million beneficiaries in three districts of Sindh – Sanghar, Mirpur Khas and Umer Kot – and 50,000 beneficiaries in two districts of Balochistan – Kalat and Killah Abdullah – in line with instructions from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

To date, nearly 21,000 families in five districts of Sindh have received agricultural support: more than 12,100 households received wheat straw (emergency animal feed) for their animals through Oxfam and FAO, while about 9,000 households received livestock vaccination support through the Organization of Social Development Initiatives, Sindh Agriculture Development Association and the Sindh Desert Development Organization.

Gaps & Constraints suggested by UN OCHA report

Additional funding is required for the implementation of ongoing life-saving interventions and early recovery activities expected to commence in the coming weeks.

As per 15^th situation report generated by UN OCHA on 9^th December 43% per cent of the affected households have not received any assistance so far. Coverage remains particularly low in Umerkot 32%, Tharparkar39% and Mirpur Khas 44%.

Besides it as per food security cluster update 28% land is yet inundated particularly in Umerkot, Badin and Tharparkar.

Currently Government and UN have notified eight priority districts namely Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Umerkot, T.M Khan, Tando Allahyar, Tharparkar and S, Benazirabad for early recovery frame work. As per government announcement only three districts Umerkot, Tharparkar and Sanghar would be provided unconditional food assistance and whereas remaining five districts namely Mirpurkhas, S. Benazirabad, T.M Khan, Tando Allahyar and Badin would be provided conditional food support as Food for work, Cash for work.

With regard to food assistance situation in above mentioned eight Districts during the relief phase covering almost three months since October the cumulative data reflects that there remains 66% households to be intervened yet with food assistance against the caseload of Districts. The challenge for Government and humanitarian partners to provide the food assistance during the relief phase remains yet unmet and situation would be further worsened when unconditional food assistance would be stopped on 31^st December 2011.

Data showing the Food Assistance status (Source Humanitarian Response -HH (FS Cluster 13^th December)

S#	District	Caseload	Humanitarian Response FA at Hhs level	Difference of Hhs	Gap%
1	Badin	238,205	162,231	75,974	31.89
2	T M Khan	81,351	16,351	65,000	79.90
3	Mirpur Khas	138,618	93,441	45,177	32.59
4	S,Banazirabad	217,624	50,973	166,651	76.57
5	Tando Allahyar	105,984	20,316	85,668	80.83
6	Sanghar	332,871	111,085	221,786	66.62
7	Umerkot	123,272	76,913	46,359	37.60
8	Tharparkar	151,196	32,547	118,649	78.47
Total		1,237,925	563,857	825,264	66.66

Delayed action in receding water and agro based interventions will lead further to worsening food security, increased public health threats and extended population displacement and longer-term dependence on external food assistance.

Funding Status

Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) co-leads the food security cluster with the World Food Programme (WFP) to respond the food and agriculture situation in flood affected areas. In this regard FAO sought for USD 18.9 million out of total food security cluster funding requirements of nearly USD 174 million to address critical needs to save, protect and restore agriculture-based livelihoods- the way of life of 80% of people in affected areas.

42 Organizations reported their activities to the 4W of Food Security Cluster in 15 districts (September 2011 to date); 21 Organizations closed their operations showing the withdrawal strategy of food assistance to flood affected people. WFP has reached 3,463,446 (Individuals) beneficiaries with unconditional food assistance distributions in 12 districts (continue with 3 districts i.e. Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, and Umerkot in the month of December.

Situation of temporary settlements (Camps) contributed to forced return of Flood affected IDPs.

As per current report issued on 14^th December by Pakistan Floods shelter cluster concluded on 6^th December 2011 in which analysis of fourth round of assessments was conducted .The data was collected from 11 PDMA notified districts (Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Umerkot, Dadu, Matiari, Hyderabad, Tando Allar Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Shaheed Benazirabad and Tharparkar) Input was received from national and provincial cluster leads from Health, Shelter & NFI, WASH and Food Security as well as sectorial input from Protection, Education, Agriculture and Nutrition. This report contains the analysis and findings of the Temporary Settlement Support Unit (TSSU) assessment.

As per analysis of report 66% of TS are spontaneous and 27% are planned tent sites, 90% of TS have no official camp management structure,67% of site residents indicated they will need to remain in TS for more than 1 month, 22%

more than 3 months. The largest concentrations of TS are still in Badin, Sanghar, Mirpur Khas, Tharparkar, Umerkot and Shaheed Benazirabad. Besides it camps are also suffering protection, Health, Wash, Food and Nutrition, Agriculture and Education issues and concerns as under

Protection:

· 44% of women and children feel unsafe in the TS

· 9% Wild animals and snakes

· 21% Lack of light at night

· 11% Shelter shared with other families

· 5% Loss of hijab or personal cover

· 20% Shelter has no secure door (i.e. open tent)

· 11% of families have no adult men at the site, due to economic reasons

· 22% of families have a lack of general clothing

· 34 TS reported friction within the site or with host communities

Emergency Shelter:

· 85% of households require plastic sheeting

· 76% of site residents indicated that their houses in the places of origin were fully damaged or destroyed.

· 15% indicated houses were partially damaged or destroyed.

Health:

· 38% of TS reported cases of diarrhoea

· 41% of TS reported cases of air/water borne diseases

· 47% of TS reported cases of high fever

· 43% of TS reported cases of measles

· 12% of TS reported cases of respiratory infection

· 42% of TS reported shortage of medicine, equipment and consumables in health facilities

· 23% of TS reported unattended deliveries / child births

· 33% of TS are more than 3 kilometres away from the nearest health clinic

WASH:

· 64% of TS have hand pumps and 22% received water from tankers/bowsers

· 53% of TS have no latrines

· 35% of TS require residents to walk more than 30 minutes to get clean water

· 9% of TS reported having less than 5 litres of water per person, per day.

Food and Nutrition:

· 2% of TS has access to supplementary feeding

· 49% of TS reported having no food distributions directly at the site

Agriculture:

v 66% of sites do not have sufficient feed for animals

The above mentioned data reflects the reasons of 55% camps evacuation from the flood affected peoples that peoples have left camps with despair of humanitarian assistance and lack of government will to facilitate the flood IDPs. As per international convention on IDPs it is responsibility of the Government to provide the relief package meeting the needs of IDPs as protection, food, health, education and emergency shelter.

The largest reduction of families living in settlements was in Badin, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad and Tando Allah Yar as people were able to return to their places of Origin in very odd circumstances without food & shelter .The movement of families back to their place of origin was less in Tharparkar and Umerkot due to water levels and residents coming to settlements from affected areas in other districts. Shelter cluster has informed of lower numbers of humanitarian actors working in these districts.

As per report of Vulnerable Populations Persons with disabilities, Female House Headed, children of 1 years and old aged of 60 years are also living in camps with protection issues as inadequate or denial of food, dignity or CP or GBV issues.

Community Perspective

With regard to the visits conducted by PACF members to the organized camps namely Naukot camp (Fort) district Tharparkar and Umarkot. With the general community inputs underlined findings have been collected.

Protest against the organized and spontaneous camps have been made by flood affected peoples and civil society members, with regards to the disorganized situation within the camps. While visiting the camp at Naukot (Fort), the Peoples Accountability Commission on Floods (PACF) have observed an opposite situation as per protection guidelines and protocols. It was miserable to know that twenty two children have died due to awkward food and winterization items (list is available for reference). PACF members were laid to a graveyard where dead bodies are buried. It was also known by the community living within the camp that “Food distribution have been stopped since month of October 2011. These complains were lodged by Dodo Machi, Qasim Hingorjo, Wasandi Bheel and Seeta Kolhi while talking to Media and members of Peoples Accountability Commission On Floods (PACF) visiting the camp on Sunday December 25^th .

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) also cried for the late night distribution of blankets in the camp due to the certain elicits intentions by the district government Tharparkar. Media also visited with the PACF members at the camp sites and confirmed the peoples complains regarding the denial and discrimination of basic services.

It was also reported by the civil society members that the district revenue department has proved as a hindrance in relief work for the affected peoples at district Tharparkar, by doing corruption practices during distribution of FIs and NFIs.

It was also known during the visit with the media that the large number of peoples evacuated camps due to critical situations of food, shelter and winterization. The English national newspaper has confirmed in a report the district administration had forced temporary settled to face starvation and ailments and the report had even added that over 30 peoples, including children, had died in the camp during last four months. The peoples said that their villages in the surroundings of Jhuddo, Roshanabad, Fazal Bhambro, Kaloi, Naukot Ohri, Tando Jan Mohammad, Samaro and Nafees Nagar were still under rain and saline water.

Suggestions/Recommendations

v In Districts Umerkot, Badin and Tharparkar where water recession is low should be supported with food assistance with winterization items and protection friendly environment.

Unconditional food support should be provided to most vulnerable as shelter less, old aged, Women household head, Disables so that vulnerability of the flood affected peoples can be minimized.

v Supplementary food assistance should be provided to1 to 5 years children and lactating women.

v Camps should be continued till early recovery framework properly starts so that IDPs can respectfully live a life.

v Protections issues and concerns in camps as denial of basic relief services may be considered forced return of IDPs.

v Government is going to stop unconditional food assistance in five Districts as in Mirpurkhas, Badin, T.M Kha, Tando Allahyar and S, Benazirabad till 31^st December and have revised appeal for early recovery frame work. Those who have been denied food assistance and suffering may be registered and supported so that dignity of vulnerable can be made intact.

v Interventions for should be made to prevent further livestock losses as provision of emergency animal feed rations, fodder seed, vaccination and dew arming supplies should be expedited so that food insecurity can be minimized.

v Interventions for resumption of agriculture productions should be increased as distribution of critical agriculture packages for the Rabi season (Wheat, Sunflower, Vegetable seeds, Plus fertilizer) where planting is possible: de-silting and rehabilitation of irrigation schemes/on farm drainage systems through cash for work schemes for 307,200 families as per FAO suggestion.

v As per 15^th situation report generated by UN OCHA on 9^th December 43% per cent of the affected households have not received any assistance so far. Coverage remains particularly low in Umerkot 32%, Tharparkhar 39% and Mirpurkhas 44%. Meaningful access to the uncovered population should be made on priority basis so that discrimination and denial of services may be avoided

v As per Joint UN-Government Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA) 2.2 million People severely food-insecure and 2.1 million people moderately food insecure in the flood affected areas of Sindh should be prioritized with food assistance.

6th CSFSR

Data Collection Methods and Tools

Suggestions/Recommendations