1

BULLETIN June - August 2013

HIGHLIGHTS

• Learning Task Force of the Global Protection

Cluster facilitates a Coordination Training

facilitated for the Pakistan Protection Cluster

members and authorities (June)

• Preparedness activities for the monsoon

2013 continue: the Cluster completes the P&R

plan; actively supports the MIRA 2013 process;

Cluster agencies continue the engagement in

the Inter-agency training for district

authorities (June – August)

• The Protection Cluster monitors the process

of IDPs return to FATA and carries out three

Return Intention Surveys and monitoring in

areas of return (June – July)

• A new CERF Underfunded Window allocation

supports much needed protection activities

for IDP children, women and returnees in

KP/FATA (August)

• 9 protection projects active in the HOP 2013

KP/FATA; 1 in activation; 11.6 USD funding gap

from August to December 2013.

GENERAL DEVELOPMENTS

Protection Cluster Coordination Workshop

(Islamabad, 17 - 21 June 2013) After Pakistan had been recommended as one of

the selected country for 2013, the Learning Task

Force of the Global Protection Cluster (GPC) and

UNHCR Global Learning Centre, with the support of

the national cluster coordinators, organized a

training program on Cluster Coordination. The

five-day workshop took place in Islamabad form

17 to 21 June, gathering thirty participants from

Government institutions1, national civil society,

INGOs and UN agencies from five regions of

Pakistan2.

The workshop aimed at supporting the

coordination efforts of the Protection Cluster

members by providing both technical as well as

soft skills training, by creating a space for cluster

members to interact and by providing

participants with knowledge and tools to better

formulate strategies for intervention.

The workshop covered protection principles,

concepts and activities in the context of both

conflict induced displacement as well as natural

disaster and built on a precedent self-study

phase. The sessions alternated technical

protection knowledge (principles and analysis

tools, normative framework, the Humanitarian

Reform, Cluster coordination at both global and

country level, information management in

protection), with soft skills sessions

(communication and presentation skills,

negotiation skills, effective meetings and

effective team-work and attitudes).

Team attitudes and the “Belbin” test analysis / Photo Protection

Cluster Pakistan

1 Representatives from the National Disaster

Management Authority and its Gender and Child Cell;

from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority

(Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan) and

FATA Disaster Management Authority; from the

Provincial Department of Social Welfare (FATA and

Punjab) 2 Balochistan, Federal Administered Tribal Region/

FATA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh

PAKISTAN

2

Simulation of a press conference after a negotiation session/ Photo

Protection Cluster Pakistan

Some of the Protection Cluster lead Agencies

(UNICEF, UNHCR, and UNFPA) remained engaged

also in the Inter-agency training for district

authorities, which continued to be rolled out in

different provinces and districts. Resource persons

from amongst experienced staff led the sessions on

“Protection Principles/ Mainstreaming” and

“Protection-sensitive Beneficiary Selection Criteria”;

“Child Protection in Emergencies”; ageing and

disability mainstreaming and actively participated in

the CCCM and Assessment sessions with selected

topics of relevance.

Overview of Inter-Agency training - April – July

2013 (Source – OCHA)

Sessions Date Location (Districts) # P

Baloch. 1-5

April

Nasserabad Jaffarabad, Nasirabad

71

KP 22-26

April

Peshawar Charsada, Nowshera, Peshawar, DI Khan

57

Punjab 20-24

May

DG Khan Rajanpur, DG Khan, Muzaffargarh, RY Khan

97

Punjab 27-31

May

Multan Leiah, Jhang, Multan

37

Punjab 3-7

June

Sialkot, Gurjawala, Sialkot,

Narowal, Gujrat 78

Sindh 10-14

June

Hyderabad Jamshoro, Matari, TMK, Thatta, Badin

72

Sindh 17-21

June

Larkana Dadu, Jacobabad, Qamber SK, Kashmore, Larkana

62

Sindh 24-28

June

Sukkur

Gotkhi, Jacobabad, Khaipur, Nowshero Feroze, Shikarpur, Sukkur

63

KP 1-5

July

Mardan

Buner, Dir, Mardan, Swat,

Shangla

46

AJ&K 8-12

July

Muzzafarabad 59

The Age and Disability Task Force (ADTF)

conducted a two-day training session on Inclusive

Humanitarian Assistance, in order to strengthen

the capacities of humanitarian actors to include

disability in planning and programming. The

training was addressed to Protection, Shelter and

CCCM Cluster members in Peshawar on 2nd

and

3rd

of July 2013. In addition, on 27th

August, the

ADTF trained 16 focal points from KP/FATA

(cluster coordinators, FMDA, PDMA, Social

Welfare Department, FATA Secretariat, Child

Welfare Commission, UNHCR members), who

shall further support District Protection Working

Groups in their effort to address specific needs of

older persons and persons with disabilities.

Participants to the ADTF ToT on 27 August/ photo ADTF

From 26 to 31 August, the GBV Sub-cluster –

through UNFPA and UNICEF country offices -

hosted a field mission of the Global GBV Area of

Responsibility to conduct a series of field

consultations on the revision of the 2005 IASC

Guideline on GBV in Humanitarian Settings3.

Aside dedicated briefings with the Cluster

Coordinators and with the different areas of

expertise of the Protection Cluster, consultations

were also organised with almost all other Clusters

and with the Gender Task Force for inputs across

the various thematic areas of humanitarian

intervention.

In line with its role and advocacy on integrating

protection principles and approaches in the

disaster/emergency response, the Protection

Cluster issued a Guidance Note on “Protection

Mainstreaming in Assessments”. The note

3Pakistan was amongst the countries selected for the

field consultations, together with the Philippines,

Kenya, Jordan and El Salvador.

3

includes practical inputs on how to mainstream

protection in all phases of the assessment cycle,

from the preparatory phase (Code of Conduct,

sampling, participatory choice of respondents); to

the assessment tool (possible formulation of

questions); to the interviewing techniques

(confidentiality and informed consent, Dos and

Don’ts); to data tabulation, analysis and report

writing. The Note is also integrated with a vast

series of reference on Guidelines and Manuals on

Protection Mainstreaming. The initiative was

presented at the end of August at the National

Inter-Cluster Meeting. The Protection Cluster

offered dedicated presentations to other Clusters

and already accepted the invitation of the Shelter

Cluster. 4

During the reporting period, the Child Protection

sub-Cluster continued its work on Standards and

Guidelines, also in preparation for a possible

intervention in the context of the 2013 Monsoon.

Under the leadership of UNICEF, child protection

organisations have further refined and

disseminated the “Minimum Standards for

Protective Spaces for Children and Women”. The

Standards aim at harmonising the response and

assisting the government and the sub-Cluster in its

monitoring role. Some Provincial authorities (PDMA

KP) have already adopted the tool in their

operations. In addition, the Child Protection sub-

Cluster has revised and enriched the Tool-Kit on

“Child protection in Emergencies”. The tool gathers

a wider selection of pre-existing training,

orientation, reference and communication

materials on Child Protection in Emergencies,

contextualised to Pakistan and used by a variety of

specialised organisations in the country.

4Not available on the web-page of the Protection Cluster

http://pakresponse.info/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Ti9EBU

yUHSY%3d&tabid=151&mid=1031

MONSOON 2013PREPAREDNESS

As part of the standard inter-cluster

preparedness activity for the 2013 Monsoon, the

Protection Cluster has presented its

comprehensive Cluster Preparedness &

Response (P&R) Plan5. The Plan includes strategic

objectives, analysis of risks and vulnerabilities,

the current Cluster Structure and resources, and

a log-frame with the main P&R activities planned

by the Cluster. The Plan is also complemented

with periodically updated lists of available stocks

from Cluster partners that have pre-positioned

items (UNICEF, UNFPA and one protection NGOs)

and with a comprehensive mapping of

organisations and their staffing with protection

expertise in the field. At the beginning of August,

the Protection Cluster had mapped some 135

organisations (UN Agencies, INGOs, NGOs) with

Protection expertise (11 Balochistan, 12 FATA, 12

Islamabad, 24 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 17 Punjab,

59 Sindh), with some 1,693 reported staff with

declared capacity in the areas of responsibility of

the Cluster (41% female). Across the provinces,

most of the expertise was reported in the areas

of protection monitoring and child protection,

largely in KP/FATA and in Sindh.

MIRA Process and Training In the period under review the Protection Cluster

participated in the preparation and finalization of

the Multi-rapid Initial Assessment Tool (MIRA).

The Protection Cluster coordinators and

Information Management Officers were part of

the Assessment Working Group that finalized the

tool, coordinated by OCHA and in partnership

with the National Disaster Management

Authority (NDMA). In this process, the Protection

Cluster was able to work in close consultation

with the NDMA Gender and Child Cell. The

questionnaire/ tool were finalized, with

agreement on the questions, observation

checklist and definitions for the protection part.

In addition, the Protection Cluster was asked to

support the MIRA process with the drafting of a

5 Available on the “Preparedness” page of the Pak

Response Web-site at

http://pakresponse.info/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=hHl

w7nr5IbI%3d&tabid=78&mid=1084

4

Code of Conduct and a series of procedural

standards for the interviews (Do’s and Don’ts). The

Cluster strongly advocated for due attention to

gender, age and diversity mainstreaming in the

overall assessment. As other Clusters, the

Protection Cluster was also called to support the

field training sessions, with the preparation of

facilitators’ notes for protection-related themes and

with resource persons for the training, both at

national and at provincial level6.

MIRA Training Sessions

DATE Location (Districts)

21-22

August

Provincial training

- Sindh (Karachi)

- KP/FATA (Peshawar)

- Balochistan (Quetta)

26-28

August

District Level Training

- Multan (Punjab)

- Nassirabad (Balochistan)

- Sukkur (Sindh)

- Peshawar (KP/ FATA)

Situation and action taken At the time of writing of this report, no formal

request for humanitarian assistance has yet been

made by NDMA. Reports from the flood-affected

areas, particularly South Punjab and Sindh, continue

to reach the Protection Cluster, together with other

Clusters and humanitarian actors. Few are

protection specific. The Protection Cluster invites

civil society to present credible and accurate

reports to the District authorities and PDMA in the

respective provinces, for the authorities to be able

to possess all necessary information, including on

current needs and possible gaps and strengthen the

response.

The Cluster has also called selected partners to

conduct some protection monitoring in flood-

affected districts and in relief sites. As part of the

efforts to adequately integrate protection in the

disaster response, the Protection Cluster has

worked in close cooperation with IOM as Shelter/

CCCM lead agency in natural disasters and

supported the drafting of comprehensive

Guidelines on Relief Sites/ Evacuation Centres.

6All finalised MIRA documents can be found online

www.pakresponse.info/assessments in the form of a MIRA

package.

Protection actors devoted particular attention in

the monitoring and gender mainstreaming

components as well as in the section devoted to

involuntary removal of the population from the

Relief Sites, with recommendations on the

respect of principles of dignity and humanity. It is

hoped that the Guidelines will soon be finalised

and discussed with Governmental counterparts.

COMPLEX EMERGENCY KP/FATA

At the end of August 2013, the number of IDPs

registered in KP/FATA was 170,417 families

corresponding to over 790,000 individuals

registered. The slight decrease in IDP figures from

the June figures is a reflection of the return

process occurred during the month of June and

July 2013, largely to South Waziristan and to

Central Kurram (Parachamkani).

The age and gender composition did not change,

nor the breakdown between the camp and off-

camp population, though a decrease in the

population of New Durrani Camp was evident

with the return of the Parachamkani IDPs to

Central Kurram.

5

IDPs families originating from Khyber Agency (Bara

and Tirah Valley) continue to represent the majority

of the registered displaced population in KP (49%),

followed by IDPs originating from South Waziristan

(21.5%), Kurram Agency (17.4%) and Orakzai

Agency (12.2%).Peshawar valley remains the area

hosting the majority of the registered IDPs (45%),

particularly outside camps, followed by DI Khan

(15%) and Kohat (13%).

During the month of June and July, a more

sustained process of organised return of IDPs to

areas of origin in FATA was visible. Some were

residual IDP groups returning from Camp settings to

areas where the population had already re-

established in previous months or year, (Mohmand,

Bajour Agencies). However, the most significant

number of families returned to Central

Kurram/Parachamkani after a very fast cycle of

displacement.

Source UNHCR/ GoP IDP Fact Sheet 28

thAugust 2013

In line with the HCT-endorsed Standard

Operating Procedures (SOPs) on return, the

Protection Cluster embarked in a series of Return

Intention Surveys in areas of displacement and –

where feasible – monitoring missions in areas of

return to consult population of concern and

ascertain the voluntary, dignified and sustainable

character of the return. Despite the limitation in

that they are based on purposive or

representative samples, these initiatives

represent the tools for detecting the knowledge,

the intentions, and the foreseen challenges of

both the return process and the initial

reintegration. The Return Intention Surveys were

conducted during the month of June and July

with IDPs from South Waziristan, Parachamkani

(Central Kurram) and Tirah Valley7.

South Waziristan Return

In June 2013, the Protection Cluster managed to

organise a series of consultations with 249 IDPs

from Sarogha and Sarwakai, two additional

tehsils de-notified by the authorities as safe for

IDP return. Most of the consulted IDPs were

relatively stable and long-term residents in DI

Khan District. In addition, further consultations

with some IDPs representing the departing and

returned communities occurred during an inter-

agency/ inter-cluster mission organised from 1st

to 3rd

July to South Waziristan.

The consultation revealed that the return to

areas of origin is the most preferred durable

solution for more than 95% of the consulted IDPs

from South Waziristan, and that so far this

process has been voluntary and largely

conducted with no pressure (98.8% of

statements). It was also evident, however, that

the challenging situation in the areas of

displacement - largely in terms of coping

mechanisms - bore weight on the intention to

return; that access to information about the

areas of origin and the return process, including

the available assistance, was still not equally

available; and that IDPs largely anticipated

challenges in areas of origin, mainly linked to lack

of shelter, loss of livelihood opportunities, and

7 All Surveys and related reports are available on the

KP/FATA web-page of the Protection Cluster

http://complex.pakresponse.info/Clusters/Protection.

aspx

6

poor status of basic services such as health,

education, and infrastructure.

The survey also showed a relative confidence by

IDPs in the stability of the situation in areas or

return, largely based on the trust in the messages

from the local authorities on the re-established

security. However localized situation of movement

restrictions, fear of harassment by the security

apparatus and unresolved issues of house and land

occupation, including by the Military, remain of

concern in the post-return phase.

Convoy of returning IDPs to South Waziristan/ Photo Pr. Cluster

Parachamkani (Central Kurram) return

In mid-June, the FATA authorities declared that the

military operations in the Parachamkani area, which

displaced more than 10,000 families in mid-May

20138, had terminated. The authorities declared the

area safe for return and announced their intention

to organize the return of the IDPs with the support

of the humanitarian community.

The Protection Cluster through its members agreed

to conduct a series of consultations with the

Parachamkani population to capture their

intentions and position vis-à-vis the return process.

Five Protection Cluster members- EHSAR, PADO,

PVDP and SRSP- contributed to this exercise, which

also included the Child Protection Unit of Kurram

Agency of the Child Protection Unit within the FATA

Secretariat. The Protection Cluster consulted with

more than 520 (20% women) amongst IDPs (57%)

and returnees (43%).

8See Protection Cluster Bulletin March – May 2013 and

Protection Cluster Briefing Note on Parachamkani (Kurram)

Displacement, published on 11 June 2013 but with consultations

largely conducted at the end of May 2013. All briefing notes are

available on

http://complex.pakresponse.info/Clusters/Protection.aspx

In general the consultations revealed a marked

intention to return by all IDPs, although the swift

announcement and the arrangements quickly set

up by the civilian and military authorities seemed

to have been the decisive factor in the timing of

the return. In general, information on the areas

of origin/return seemed to be available, although

for a non-negligible segment of the consulted

population the process would have benefited

from additional knowledge on the authorities’

plans for the reconstruction of the area and

possibly a “Go and See” visit.

Most of the anticipated challenges seemed to be

linked to the general underdevelopment of the

area, pre-existing the displacement but

exacerbated by the conflict. Not surprisingly,

therefore, the displaced and returning population

highlighted a combination of urgent

humanitarian needs (food, NFIs/ emergency

shelter assistance, compensation for destroyed

houses, identity documents to solve registration

issues and improve freedom of movement),

assurances for the stabilisation of the area and

longer term recovery issues, such as improved

health services, increased education structures

especially for girls, more livelihood opportunities

and enhanced transport/infrastructures.

Most of these opinions were echoed in the series

of consultations that the same Cluster partners

conducted with recently returned families in their

areas of origin in Parachamkani in June-July.

Some returnees expressed the opinion that the

timeframe for return was extremely short, that

the announcement was sudden and that families

did not have enough time to adequately prepare.

The same groups also highlighted that more

information on the process and on the general

situation in areas of origin was expected from the

authorities.

There was a general consensus amongst the

majority of the fifteen groups consulted that the

situation in areas of return is safe and returnees

feel comfortable in having returned. This

included all the FGDs conducted with women

returnees.The non-occurrence of security

incidents seemed to provide positive indications

in this respect, although restrictions of

movements (military checkpoints, body searches)

still affected a full return to normalcy.

7

The returnees reconfirmed that the main challenges

and hence the main needed support was in the field

of health services, followed by the need for food,

education and shelter. When asked what suggestion

returnees would give to the authorities to better

support their situation after the return, in the

majority of the consultations the consensus was for

the provision of financial assistance to meet basic

needs.

Return from New Durrani to Parachamkani/ Photo UNHCR

Tirah Valley planned return

Since end March 2013, the Protection Cluster in

KP/FATA has been engaged in monitoring the

situation of the IDPs families displaced from Tirah

Valley9. While assistance to the Tirah Valley IDPs

continued, at the end of June the authorities de-

notified all 98 villages in Bagh Maidan area, based

on the reports that the security forces had regained

control of the Tirah valley. During few meetings of

the Return Task Force, the Government announced

the intention to organize the IDP return.

The Protection Cluster through its members

consulted the displaced population to capture their

intentions and position vis-à-vis the announced

return process. Based on the selected sample, 377

individuals were consulted during a Return

Intention Survey (48.5%women).

As for the majority of the other Return Intention

Surveys conducted with IDPs from FATA, the return

to Tirah Valley represented the most preferred

9See Protection Cluster Bulletin March – May 2013 and

the protection Cluster Briefing Notes on Tirah Valley

available on

http://complex.pakresponse.info/Clusters/Protection.aspx

durable solution (96.3% of the respondents). In

expressing this preference the vast majority of

the IDPs did not seem to be under pressure, and

some 53% were willing to return in a short

timeframe. It was also evident, however, that

better information on the situation in areas of

return was still sought and that “Go and See”

visits would have been appreciated by the large

majority of the IDPs (73%). The consultations also

revealed that assistance and coping mechanisms

in areas or return would influence the decision;

that the expected challenges in return areas were

significant, particularly in terms of shelter

assistance and basic services (health and

education); and that IDPs would have liked to see

some of the specialised assistance currently

offered to women and children to continue in

areas of return to overcome the psychological

distress of the recent violent displacement.

At the end of August the authorities announced

the imminent organisation of the return to Tirah

Valley from the beginning of September and

requested the support of the humanitarian

community. While the voluntary character of the

return remains undisputed, the Protection

Cluster has advocated with the humanitarian

community to mobilise the requested support

only after some conditions are in place: the

completion of the planned “Go and See” visit; the

submission of a comprehensive return plan from

the authorities, including on their planned

rehabilitation activities for the area; commitment

and prompt vacation by the Military of the

civilian properties currently occupied; adequate

time for a proper information campaign,

including on the available assistance regime, on

the programme of compensation as well as Mine

Risk Education; adequate and timely access for

the humanitarian actors, protection actors in

particular, to conduct returnee monitoring in

Tirah Valley.

Given the short timeframe and the seasonal

factors (the still active monsoon and the winter

setting by mid-October in the Tirah Valley Area),

the Protection Cluster cautioned to support only

a temporary return of split families, and

suggested to wisely consider the best timing for

the use of resources from the humanitarian

community for a sustainable return with

assurances of full humanitarian access.

8

Photos of civilian infrastructures in Tìrah Valley/ Bagh Maidan areas

during the inter-Cluster assessment mission 26-28 August

CERF ALLOCATION (Underfunded Window)

During the month of August, Pakistan was amongst

the selected countries benefitting from a 10 million

USD allocation from the CERF Underfunded

Window. Based on an analysis of the needs and on

an inter-cluster decision endorsed by the

Humanitarian Country Team, the Protection Cluster

received a tranche of 650,000 USD to cover some of

the most urgent gaps related to the complex

emergency and the return process. The allocation

was directed to UNICEF, UNFPA and IOM activities,

in line with the protection strategy within the HOP

2013 for KP/FATA.

Agency and CERF

allocated amount

Planned intervention

UNFPA

250,000 USD

Protective spaces and services

for women and girls, including

specialised support for GBV

survivors, in areas of

displacement of IDPs from

South Waziristan and in recently

de-notified areas of return.

UNICEF

200,000 USD

Protective spaces and

integrated services for children

and women in Jalozai and Togh

Serai Camps

IOM

200,000 USD

Humanitarian Communications

activities in areas hosting high

concentrations of IDPs and

potential returnees in KP/FATA

(both on- and off-camp)

HOP 2013 KP/FATA

The activities and projects of Protection Cluster

actors within the scope of the 2013 Humanitarian

Operational Plan (HOP) for KP/FATA increased

during the period in review, largely thanks to the

inception of the ERF-funded projects and to other

generous donor support. Under the HOP 2013,

protection activities are funded at the tune of

3.71 million USD, while some 650,000 USD are

still in the pipeline (CERF Underfunded Window).

Out of 34 projects, 8 projects are fully activated,

two are about to start implementation and 24 are

still unfunded.

In order to provide a realistic overview of the

funding gap, the Protection Cluster has

considered the budgets of the unfunded projects

only for the period August-December. Based on

these calculations, protection activities are still

underfunded for 11.6 million USD.

HOP 2013 KP/FATA– Overview Protection

Projects and funding gap

Type of

interventions

# active

projects

Budget/Gap

million USD

Protection (General)

11 Actors

12 Projects 2 6.8

Child Protection

13 Actors

16 projects

4 3.7

GBV

5 Actors

5 Projects 2 1.0

Ageing & Disability

1 Actor

1 Project 1 (activating) 0

Total Gap

Aug/ Dec2013

11.6 million USD*

(0.65 million USD in pipeline) *The gap does not consider the recent CERF allocations

(Underfunded Window)

9

Protection Cluster KP-FATA Achievements Type of

intervention

Achievement s

January – 31 July2013

IDP/ returnee

Registration

> Registration activities for all IDP

families voluntarily returning to Bajour

and Mohmand Agencies (residual

population), South Waziristan (1,900

families) and Central

Kurram/Parachamkani (10,263 families)

Monitoring

and

consultations

> On-going protection monitoring and

consultations, focussed on new

displacement and off-camp population,

as well as on-going return. Some 13,700

IDP consulted (33.3% women), including

921 consultations (20.4% women) during

Return Intention Surveys.

> 3 collective Protection Cluster Return

Intention Surveys to assess the intention,

the voluntary, free and well-informed

character of the return and formulate

recommendations

Grievances

Desks

> 15 Grievances desk active in Jalozai (3),

New Durrani (3), Togh Serai (2) and Off

camp in Nowshera (4), Kurram (2) , DI

Khan (1)

> Some 12,250 cases addressed (32%

women), mainly related to registration

and food assistance issues

Legal

Awareness

and legal aid

Some 23,905 persons (42.7% women)

supported with legal and rights

awareness, legal advice, including

information on civil documentation

Protective

Spaces for

Children

111 protective spaces for children and

women established in IDP camps and

host communities (2 mobile)

Protective

Services and

activities for

children

> Some 35,700 persons including 28,452

displaced children (43% girls) supported

with various services (recreational,

psychosocial support, child rights

awareness) in Child Protective Spaces

Children

referral to

social services

providers

Some 10,100 displaced children (44.3%

girls) and 2,996 women identified by CP

partners referred for Service provision to

various social service providers

Child Rights

Awareness

Some 24,000persons reached through

child rights messaging and awareness, of

whom 17,417 children (44.6% girls)

MRE activities 73,236 persons (65.6% children) reached

through MRE activities and products

Protective

services and

activities for

women and

girls

> 26,652 women and girls reached

through Child Protective spaces and 26

Women Friendly Spaces

> 4,747 women and girls provided with

psycho social support in WFS

> 4,120 women and girls engaged in

vocational training in WFS (708 men)

Child Protection Events in Jalozai Camp/ photo UNICEF

Source: Protection Cluster members through 4W /31 July 2013

10

STORIES FROM THE

FIELD

Handicrafts Exhibition

“Da Pukhtanu Peghlo Hunar"

The Handicrafts exhibition was arranged by PADO in

district Hangu in the context of its ERF-supported project.

More than 200 women, girls, other displaced populations,

community members, journalists and media, and

Government representatives participated in the event,

which was inaugurated by the Education District Officer.

The main purpose of the exhibition was to promote the

skills and artisanal products of IDPs women trained in the

Women Friendly Spaces (WFS) and to contribute to build

confidence and self-support. Trained women and girls

exhibited their hand-made and decorative products,

including embroidery, tie & dye, sweaters, glass painting,

paper mache, bead work and basketry. The exhibition was

arranged with stalls for each established WFC, which was

decorated by the trained IDP Women and girls, with the

support of the community protection monitors, the

vocational Instructors, the Committee members. This

participation was of great encouragement for the women,

as well as the interest shown by the public for their hand-

made products.

The event enjoyed the support of the authorities, in

particular the DCO, the law enforcement agencies and the

Social Welfare Department. Members from Government

and Non-Government Organization were invited to

participate and encourage the artisans. National, regional

and local newspapers highlighted PADO’s Handicrafts

Exhibition in all over the region. News Channel (Ab Tak

News Channel & Royal District News) also gave coverage

to the Event in their local/relative areas.

PADO project funded by the Pakistan Emergency Relief

Fund (78,465 USD) was implemented during the first

seven months of 2013 to strengthen resilience amongst

IDP women and host communities in Hangu District. The

project included a support network for survivors of

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and provided psychosocial

and counselling support to women and children. PADO

established three WFCs to offer skills training in various

disciplines – including those displayed in this exhibition –

to some 900 participants. PADO is part of the protection

Cluster in KP/FATA, active in the Child protection (UNICEF-

led) and GBV(UNFPA-led) areas of responsibility.

Handicrafts Exhibition

“Da Pukhtanu Peghlo Hunar"/ Photo PADO

11

STORIES FROM THE FIELD

Hope in the Darkness

“When I arrived at the camp I only had my mother and two kids accompanying me, we had no belonging. I

had little hope for our survival” said Saiyal Mina*.

Saiyal Mina, is a 28 years old widow living with two children and her mother. She originates from the Bara

Tehsil in Khyber Agency. Reportedly, her husband died during the conflict in Bara. She came to the Jalozai camp

3 years ago with no property or asset. She had left in panic, leaving her home and all her belongings behind.

The situation was so chaotic that she could not bury her husband with dignity and just managed to flee with

her little kids and her old mother. Upon arrival, she was in a state of severe distress and acute vulnerability,

with no shelter, without resources and no food to feed her kids. AS she reported, she lived in a constant fear of

either suffer from retaliation or dying of hunger.

IRC’s protection team in Jalozai identified the case, recognised her vulnerability and registered her as a Person

with Special need (PWSN) and a female headed household. She started receiving humanitarian assistance ain

the Jalozai camp.

The IRC Women Community Centres (WCCs) were established last year in Jalozai camp, under a project

supported by UNHCR. One female facilitator is based in each of the five WCCs. The WCCs organize women’s

peer support groups and conducts awareness-raising sessions on health, hygiene, protection, education, GBV

and other topics relevant to the female population in the camp context. The WCCs also provide basic literacy

classes and vocational skills training for women enrolled at the centres. IRC female Capacity Building Officer, in

collaboration with the IDP community, also organizes cultural and sports activities and celebrative events (e.g.

International Women’s Day).

Saiyal Mina was enrolled in one of the IRC WCCs last year in March. She is now coming to the WCC regularly

and has acquired sewing and tailoring skills. When other IDP women in the camp came to know the capacity

and skills of Saiyal Mina they started placing orders. She now sews clothes for other IDP families in the camp

and manages to earn income to guarantee the basic needs of her children and her old mother. “I am so happy

to have learnt sewing skills in the Women Centre, as well as to improve in my basic literacy. This knowledge

has helped me in the daily life in the camp. I have now realized the importance of education and literacy.

Now I am able to support myself and I managed to ensure that my two kids are enrolled at the IRC camp

school. In this way, they will not be afraid to be uneducated and one day they will be able to support

themselves, get a job and secure their future” said Saiyal Mina.

*Invented name to protect the identity

A WCC in Jalozai/ Photo IRC

12

Advocacy on protection issues in

Pakistan, the role of the Protection

Cluster By the Coordinators

Both in the natural disaster response and in the

complex emergency, the Protection Cluster in

Pakistan – including through the respective Sub-

Clusters and Task Forces - tries to responsibly fulfil

the core functions set forth by the Cluster Approach

and recently refined by the Transformative Agenda.

Amongst those functions, Clusters are called to

“Identify advocacy concerns to contribute to HC and

HCT messaging and action” and to “Undertake

advocacy activities on behalf of cluster participants

and the affected population”10

. The advocacy

efforts of the Protection Cluster in Pakistan to

induce positive change have so far followed these

two paths: internally, they have targeted the

humanitarian community to reinforce a principled

action along humanitarian protection values;

externally they have addressed the authorities at

different levels, often with informal and flexible

approaches, to raise awareness on protection

standards and on the primary responsibility of the

authorities to protect and assist disaster-affected

populations.

Examples of internal advocacy with the

humanitarian community

Between April and June 2013, inter-tribal conflict

and counter-insurgency operations in Khyber

Agency (Tirah Valley) and in Kurram Agency of the

Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) caused

the displacement of more than 30,000 families. The

Cluster embarked in a series of consultations and

assessments with the newly displaced population

and produced five thematic Briefing Notes,

including a dedicated one on the situation of newly

displaced women and girls. Each Briefing Note

included a series of recommendations directed to

inform the principled response of the humanitarian

community and were instrumental in the decision

for a more robust CERF emergency allocation for

protection activities. Aside those recommendations,

the Cluster produced a series of advocacy points on

the assistance policy to be adopted for the newly

displaced population, calling for the respect of the

basic humanitarian principle to assist needs

wherever they arise, to support key Humanitarian

10

“IASC - Reference Module for Cluster Coordination at

Country Level”, 1st

revision, July 2013, page 12

Country Team (HCT) representatives in their

dialogue with the Government.

In the context of the FATA displacement, HCT-

endorsed Standard Operating Procedures

establish a series of steps to be undertaken and

conditions to be fulfilled for the humanitarian

community when requested by the Government

to support the return of groups of IDPs to areas

declared safe. The Protection Cluster has

repeatedly advocated for a full respect of these

SOPs, as a guarantee for a voluntary, dignified

and safe return. This included conducting

qualitative and quantitative “Return Intention

Surveys”11

; advocating for “Go and See visits” for

IDPs to enhance their level of information on

areas of return; highlighting the necessity for the

authorities to guarantee adequate humanitarian

access for assistance and monitoring; requesting

articulated Action Plans from the authorities

covering the situations in areas of return and the

foreseen assistance and rehabilitation initiatives

of the Government. The Protection Cluster

highlights these points in various coordination

fora at sub-national level and in the HCT,

whenever the support to the Government in IDP

return is debated.

The Protection Cluster has undertaken various

technical and awareness-raising initiatives at

Inter-Cluster level for an effective integration of

protection principles in the humanitarian

response and in the activities of other clusters.

This included several Pakistan-customised

products: “Checklists” on how to mainstream

protection in other sectors of intervention;

thematic Guidelines12

; advocacy on respecting

principles of gender/ age/ diversity, ethics (Code

of Conducts), and confidentiality in joint

assessments (e.g. the MIRA Pakistan).

The Cluster has also directed its internal advocacy

to resource mobilisation in the context of pooled

funding (e.g. Pakistan Emergency Relief Fund), by

11

Almost ten Survey were conducted since April 2012,

the last three published in July 2013. 12

“Checklists” (Ageing and Disability, Wash, Food,

Health, DRR); “Guidelines on beneficiary selection

criteria” (2011); Technical Guidelines on Ageing and

Disability (2012); participation in the drafting of other

Guidelines such as the “Guidelines on Cash for Work

Programming - Mitigating Impact of Crises on

Livelihoods of Vulnerable Population” (2012),

“Mainstreaming Protection in Assessment” (2013),

“Evacuation Sites Guidelines” (2013 in progress).

13

providing evidence of protection response gaps on

the ground and by highlighting successful stories of

protection activities/ projects, including in

periodical “Cluster Bulletins”.

Finally, the Cluster, largely through its coordinators,

has been a constant contributor to various

advocacy products / key messages coordinated by

OCHA on behalf of the HCT to promote and affirm

humanitarian principles with a various range of

external stakeholders.

Examples of external advocacy with the authorities

Substantial direct advocacy has been exercised on

the importance to adopt protection-sensitive

approaches in the Government emergency

response. The Cluster has invested considerable

time in sensitising the National Disaster

Management Authority (NDMA)to maintain and

expand the protection section in Government-

approved joint needs assessments (e.g. MIRA

Pakistan) and in adequately mainstreaming gender/

age/ diversity in the assessment process (e.g. choice

of the respondents, gender disaggregated analysis).

The same bilateral advocacy has been adopted with

NDMA in planning the Inter-agency orientation

programme on disaster preparedness for District

authorities. The Cluster has successfully affirmed

the inclusion of protection topics in the curriculum

and expanded it to Child Protection in Emergencies

and Gender topics. In this endeavour, the

Protection Cluster received an appreciated support

from the NDMA Gender and Child Cell.

During the last two years, the Child Protection sub-

Cluster in Pakistan engaged in a sustained advocacy

at national and provincial level to promote the

adoption of key operational Standards, Child

Protection Policies and Protocols, such as the Child

Protection Policy for the Federally Administered

Tribal Areas (FATA); the “Separated,

Unaccompanied and Missing Children in

Emergencies: Guidelines and Framework for Action”

(2011), now endorsed by various Provincial

authorities; the “Minimum Standards for Protective

Spaces for Children and Women (2012)” to assist

government and the sub cluster in its monitoring

role.

Particularly at sub-national level, where the

participation of the authorities in the Cluster allows

for more immediate and frequent contacts, the

Protection Cluster has been able to trigger action

and change. In February 2013, the Child Protection

sub-Cluster – together with the Education Cluster

– managed to promote the adoption of a

Notification from the Education Department of

the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Administration to

improve access to school for IDP Children, by

lifting the requirement for “Leave Certificates”,

traditionally difficult to obtain for the displaced

families. Seemingly, during the floods of fall

2012,the Protection Cluster in Sindh, through

monitoring and presence on the ground,

managed to sensitise the District authorities on

the importance of humanitarian demining and

MRE activities in some flood-affected districts in

Sindh and Balochistan.

On two occasions, the Protection Cluster

contributed to high level formal advocacy

interventions. In 2012, the Cluster was asked to

prepare an analysis of State practice and a series

of advocacy points for the HC/RC in its dialogue

with the national authorities to find a mutual

understanding on the existence of conflict-

induced internal displacement in Pakistan. In

2013, the Protection Cluster cooperated with the

Office of the Special Rapporteur on the Human

Rights of IDPs to issue a Statement on the respect

of the civilian character of the IDP Camps, in the

aftermath of the bombing in Jalozai Camp in

March 2013.

Common Challenges

Gathering solid information through monitoring

and consultations with persons of concern;

choosing the right level of intervention; building

alliances with some governmental stakeholders;

maintaining perseverance and coordination

within the Cluster have been key enabling factors

in most of these initiatives. However, challenges

remain for the Protection Cluster to successfully

carry out protection advocacy in Pakistan.

There is an evident need to continue to build a

more robust capacity of all the Cluster members

in protection monitoring and reporting, to

provide objective, impartial, accurate and

credible substance on which to base advocacy

interventions.

The decreasing level of available human

resources for the Cluster, especially at sub-

national level, needs to be addressed to

strengthen the possibility for effective

interventions with local authorities, or at least to

improve coordination, consultation and

14

information gathering within the Cluster at

provincial level.

The highly decentralised institutional set-up in

Pakistan, following the key constitutional

amendments of 2010, requires a process of multi-

layer advocacy, in the different Provinces other

than at national level. This often increases

complexity, prolongs the timeframe to achieve

results and multiplies the resources needed.

There is finally a strong need to maintain safe and

unimpeded humanitarian access to populations of

concern, including to gather reliable information, on

which every advocacy effort – even if informal –

must be based in order to be persuasive and

effective.

A reduced version of this article will appear on the

newsletter of the Global Protection Cluster

15

Protection Cluster

National level

Elisabetta Brumat

Cluster coordinator (UNHCR)

brumat@unhcr.org

Valerie Svobodova

Cluster Coordinator (IRC)

Valerie.svobodova@rescue.org

Child Protection

Elizabeth Cossor

Child Protection

Sub-Cluster Coordinator (UNICEF)

Email: ecossor@unicef.org

GBV

Stenly SAJOW

Humanitarian Coordinator for UNFPA

sajow@unfpa.org

Age and Disability

Talal Waheed

Age and Disability Task Force Coordinator

agedisabilitytaskforce@gmail.com

Protection Cluster sub-national level Complex Emergency in KP/FATA

Elisabetta Brumat

Cluster coordinator (UNHCR)

brumat@unhcr.org

Valerie Svobodova

Cluster Coordinator (IRC)

Valerie.svobodova@rescue.org

Imran Ullah Jan

Protection Coordination (National Officer - IRC)

ImranUllah.Jan@rescue.org

Ali Farman

Child Protection sub-cluster coordinator (UNICEF)

farali@unicef.org

Sajida Ali

GBV sub-cluster coordinator (UNFPA)

sajali@unfpa.org

Other partners

Humanitarian Communication (IOM) www.hcomms.org

UN-Women (gender expertise)

Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF)

National Humanitarian Network (NHN)

Web-pages: http://pakresponse.info/MonsoonUpdates2012/Cl

usters/Protection.aspx

http://complex.pakresponse.info/Clusters/Protecti

on.aspx (complex Emergency in KP/FATA)

Each web- page has dedicated sub-cluster pages

Child Protection also has a dedicated Bulletin

http://pakresponse.info/MonsoonUpdates2012/Cl

usters/Protection/ChildProtection.aspx

16