CERF funds vital telecommunications equipment in Afghanistan

9 October 2007 - CERF allocates US$323,212 to the provision of emergency telecommunication services to the humanitarian community in Afghanistan

Radio and telecommunications equipment in Afghanistan [Photo: IRIN]

Afghanistan, including its capital Kabul, is in UN security Phase III. Attacks directed against the population and international personnel within the country have escalated recently. The situation remains fragile.

Emergency communications services provide relief workers with the vital means to communicate and coordinate so that relief can be provided within the shortest possible timeframe to reduce loss of life.

The continued insecurity and the lack of proper communication tools make the working conditions difficult and hazardous. With security Phase III throughout the country, all UN agencies operating in the country have to meet the security standards as detailed in the UN MOSS. Field missions need to be monitored and tracked for the safety and security of humanitarian staff.

The increase in violence and serious security incidents underlines the importance of having a reliable common security telecommunication system.

This project aims at upgrading the existing network to expand the coverage, installing new security telecommunications facilities and establishing independent communication mechanisms and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to meet Phase III MOSS requirements. The whole UN, implementing partners and NGO community will benefit substantially through the deployment of a common and durable security communications network. As a result, people in need will benefit from a better and faster assistance which may, ultimately, result on life-saving.

  [Last Update: 15 October 2007]

CERF allocates almost $5 million to help Afghan refugees deported from Iran

12 June 2007: CERF has allocated almost US$5 million dollars to UN agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to help 93,515 (as of 30 May) deported illegal Afghans migrants from Iran back to their country in April.  Although most are men, it is their families (22,085 people) who are the most vulnerable and are of most concern to the Government of Afghanistan and the UN.

Under the leadership of the DSRSG and RC/HC, UN agencies and IOM together with representatives of the Afghan Government have already carried out five assessment missions to the Farah Province and to Nimroz.  In support of the Government, the UN has been taking the lead in providing resource assistance, though some activities have already been initiated through various Ministries, humanitarian agencies and the United Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Displaced people in Mukhtar camp have not received humanitarian assistance since mid-2006 [Photo: Alimi/IRIN]

Life saving services, such as food (WFP), shelter and family kits (IOM), health provision (through the Ministry of Productive Health) and non-food items (HCR, IOM and UNICEF), floor mats and vaccinations (UNICEF) and also forward transportation from the transit centers to their places of origin (IOM) has been, and will continue to be provided.

UNICEF will use the funds to provide non-food items to 5,000 families, mainly in the south and west (IOM will provide assistance to another 5000 families), the vaccination of approximately 32,000 children under the age of 12 against measles and 80,000 children under the age of five against polio while at the same time administer Vitamin A, ensuring access to safe drinking water for 10,000 families and basic sanitation for the most vulnerable families.

The agency will also provide teaching/learning material and temporary learning spaces for 4,000 school children and providing key health, education, child protection, mine risk and hygiene education messages to at least 10,000 families in the form of printed material.

The funds will enable IOM to provide without any delay humanitarian assistance to 5,000 families (25,000 persons) in the form of transportation to final destination for the families, procurement and distribution of emergency shelter kits as well as the procurement and distribution of building materials for the construction of temporary two-room dwelling.  Procurement of non-food items would include personal, household and clothing packages while an agricultural package will enable beneficiaries to start farming activities.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is using its CERF grant of US$1,075,552 to assist 10,000 Afghan deportee families. Those who arrive at one of the border crossing points are receiving a transit food ration – on average 80 families a day are expected. WFP is providing general food rations to some 2,000 families that recently settled in Farah province in western Afghanistan. Families willing to take up permanent residence in their place of origin or any other location in Afghanistan are getting a one-month food incentive ration as an encouragement. To implement this programme, WFP is purchasing 1,435 tonnes of wheat, 144 tonnes of pulses, 106 tonnes of vegetable oil and 17 tonnes of iodized salt.

With the CERF funding, WHO will be able to immediately provide routine health programmes to 10,000 families (about 60,000 people), 3,000 children younger than 5 years will receive treatment for diarrhoeal diseases while 1,900 people will receive treatment for acute respiratory infections.  Every family will receive at least one family size insecticide impregnated bed net to prevent vector born diseases such as malaria and Leshmaniasis.  The diseases which are common preventable risks could trigger epidemics and outbreaks of communicable diseases among the returnees and affect the resident populations as well.  Moreover, the shortage of safe drinking water in these areas increases the likelihood of acquiring water-borne and water-based diseases among these populations.  Children of fewer than five years old and pregnant and lactating women plus disable and senile people are the most vulnerable groups in returnees.

[Last Update: 17 August 2007]

CERF in Afghanistan 2008

CERF in Afghanistan 2006

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