Category: News Media

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

The ongoing militancy and military operation against Taliban in different regions of Malakand division in NWFP have produced the largest internal migration in the history of Pakistan. Within short time it has caused displacement of about four million people from their homes. As a result, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been forced to settle in formal camps and with host communities across Pakistan especially districts of Mardan, Nowshera and Swabi. The overall result of mass displacement in a short time has appeared in the shape of humanitarian crisis. IDPs continued to experience poor sanitation, shortage of safe drinking water, lack of privacy and essential medicines. Moreover, the cultural barriers of IDPs further limited access of women to health care and other facilities which further generated psychological problems. Realising the intensity of the situation, Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) is providing relief assistance to the people who have been rendered insecure by the conflict. To assess the real situation, SPO collected data of families living with host communities. This exercise was necessary because most of the NGOs and INGOs focused on camps established by the government, whereas eighty percent of IDPs took refuge within the host families. The assessment study has facilitated in identification of the areas where IDPs were in urgent need of help. Immediately after the study, SPO launched assistance programme in Mardan District with the help of several humanitarian agencies including Oxfam Novib and Care International. The main objectives of SPO’s relief and response programme are: To reduce the short-term effect of the conflict on vulnerable groups living with host families by providing assistance through, NFIs and Health & Hygiene Kits Cash for Choice with special focus on women headed families and destitute To sensitize and generating awareness among the vulnerable families about hygiene practices and IDPs rights through training sessions. To establish mobile medical camps to reduce health hazards. To support women and children to bring them back to normal life through psycho-social support by creating women and child friendly spaces. Realizing the serious psychological effects of uprooting women and children from their surroundings, SPO has established sixty friendly spaces through its own resources and funding from other donors. In these spaces SPO arranged puppet shows, theatre performances and psychotherapy session with women and children who had traumatic experience. Such sessions are essential for the psychological rehabilitation of traumatized children. Following the practice of participatory approach, SPO has made partnerships with other organizations by providing relief and working for rehabilitation. Through financial assistance of Oxfam Novib, SPO has been able to reach to the people where aid has not reached yet. SPO is supporting approximately two hundred and fifty thousand affectees by providing NFIs and Hygiene Kits, cash for choice, awareness sessions on Health and Hygiene and holding advocacy on IDPs’ rights. To initiate early recovery and rehabilitation of IDPs, an assessment study in district Bunir, Nowshera, Mardan and Swabi is in the process. This study will be completed next week. In order to expand its area of operations within the conflict areas, SPO has finalized its operation plan for the rehabilitation of victims of conflict in Lower Dir. In order to make the implementation and rehabilitation systematic and effective, SPO is contributing to the formulation of rehabilitation policy and is certainly engaged in advocacy work.

IDPs Conference

The emergence of the Taliban militants in different districts of the Malakand Division and operation against them have not only destroyed the social, cultural and economy fabric of the region, but also caused exodus of 4 million local people within a short span of time. As a result, the government of Pakistan has to face a hitherto unknown problem – Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). It was the biggest internal migration in the history of Pakistan. The magnitude of problems, produced by IDPs issue, exceeded the available resources and capacities of the government. Therefore, it was imperative to address the issue holistically on war footings. Since the issue of IDPs is a multi-faceted phenomenon, it is imperative to tackle it holistically. With the pouring in of IDPs in the adjacent areas – Mardan, Nowshera and Peshawar – of the Malakand Division, SPO in partnership with Oxfam Novib and Care International has stepped in to bring succor to IDPs who have been rendered insecure by the conflict. The relief activities of different organizations for IDPs was a response to an untoward event for which no proper and longer term policy or plan was in place. As a result, the relief and rehabilitation activities remain unsystematic and random. Therefore, the need of a policy for IDPs rehabilitation was direly felt by civil society organizations and government alike. In order to contribute to the formulation of rehabilitation policy for IDPs, Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) organized a consultative workshop/conference “Challenges in Restoration of livelihoods and Rehabilitation of IDPs” in Islamabad on August 19-20. Policy makers, NGOs, civil society organizations and a large number of IDPs from Malakan Division participated in the conference. The objective of the conference was to make the draft of Early Recovery Plan pro-people by incorporating views and recommendations of stakeholders. The recommendations cover seven major sectors: education, health and hygiene, sanitation and water supply, local governments, social welfare and women development, livestock and agriculture, and industries, minerals and technical sector. Aijaz Qasim, head SPO Peshawer region, presented recommendations of IDPs for the rehabilitation policy. The recommendations covered the areas of industries, mines and mineral, elementary and secondary education, livestock, social welfare and women development, water supply and food. The recommendations lay great emphasis on aligning the government’s reconstruction and rehabilitation plan with the guiding principles of the United Nations. These guidelines are based on the principles of voluntary, safe and dignified returns. Lt. General Nadeem Ahmed, Chairman Special Support Group (SSG), shared government’s efforts and plans geared to rehabilitate displaced population of Malakand Division. He said that the government is working on early recovery and built back phases. The main focus of rehabilitation is strengthening government structure, making justice system responsive, improving service delivery, socio-economic growth and ameliorating security apparatus with the help of community policing, Nadeem said. He asked SPO to share its recommendations with other NGOs working for rehabilitation of IDPs. Chairman SSG, elaborated on the government plans for the development of every sectors in Early Recovery Plan (ERP). Rakshanda Naz, Board Member SPO, said that IDP policy document needed to be seen in the light of UN guiding principles. She specially mentioned that the issues of women were not adequately addressed in the recovery plan. Rakshanda criticized the government of NWFP for issuing a notification that prohibits assessment about damages in Malakand division. Nafisa Shah, MNA and Chairperson National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), was of the opinion that building infrastructure is easier than changing the hearts and minds. NCHD would work in health and education sector. It was the change of minds of local people that helped exterminating extremists in Malakand Division. Jamila Gillani, Member National Assembly, emphasized the inclusion of women in policy and decision making. To ward off the threat of extremism there was need to encourage women, he said. Mumtaz Alam Gillani, Federal Minister for Human Rights, said that Pakistan had provided help to Afghans and Bangladeshies. IDPs were our brothers and sisters and we could never forget them in the hours of distress. We would never rest until the IDPs’ normal lives are not restored. It would be tragic if we failed to protect the rights of IDPs, Mumtaz said. Harris Khalique, Chief Executive SPO, said that the problem of IDPs was basically an issue of human rights. SPO is working for social and economic rights. Recommendations for rehabilitation policy would be made in light of ground realities and situation of IDPs, Haris said.

Sustainable Development for Sustainable Peace – September 23, 2011

Round Table Forum On Sustainable Development for Sustainable Peace Killing and arson in Karachi have attained highly alarming proportion and absence of peace is badly ruining the industry, trade and culture of the metropolitan, and panic has gripped the city. According to the reports of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, annually 316 units are closed in Karachi and more than 500 people get unemployed. The violence in Karachi is a manifestation of poor governance and social inequalities. Sustainable peace cannot be achieved without sustainable development. Similarly, it is unlikely that sustainable development can take place in a climate dominated by mistrust and violence. In order to assess the prospects for both peace and sustainable development in Karachi, SPO plans to organize a Round Table Forum ”Sustainable Development for Sustainable Peace” on 23rd September (from 10.20 to 1.00 hrs) at Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi.