Humanitarian Action in Darfur Weekly Bulletin No.31

KEY OVERALL DEVELOPMENTS

– The North Darfur Inter-Agency Management Group (IAMG) requested the United Nations Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) to research the humanitarian requirements for United Nations Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS) helicopter air assets. The resulting survey — executed by UNJLC — provided the information based on which Helicopter Users Group (HUG) were able to discuss asset requirements, flight frequency and destination prioritization. UNHAS responded positively and added a fixed wing aircraft, which will be made available to El Fasher to augment air capacity. In total, 20 survey responses were received from United Nations agencies, NGOs and donors.

NEEDS AND RESPONSE BY SECTOR

Education

North Darfur

– In coordination with the State Ministry of Education (some), UNICEF released textbooks, recreation kits, and pupil kits to Um Kaddada basic schools benefiting 2,300 Grade 1–4 children. In addition, UNICEF also released student kits, textbooks, recreation kits, plastic sleeping mats and blackboards to Korma basic schools benefiting 3,000 children. In coordination with the some and UNICEF, the NGO Plan Sudan supported the training of 50 basic education teachers — 29 of whom were female — on English language teaching methodology which will enhance student learning.
– Using UNICEF funds, the SMoE – Girls Education section, completed the tailoring of 4,000 school uniforms.

West Darfur

– National immunization days against polio started on the 25th August — with UNICEF support — and were conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), Ministry of Heath (MoH) and all NGO partners on the ground in the state of West Darfur.

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

North Darfur

– National Immunization Days against polio were successfully completed in many areas of North Darfur, with implementation ongoing to ensure full coverage of the target population.
– The WHO and UNICEF assisted the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) in supplying essential drugs, including oral rehydration salts and intravenous fluids (IV) fluids, as well as insecticides and spraying pumps to local authorities in Mellit.

South Darfur

– UNICEF supported the first stages of a roll-out plan for community management of acute malnutrition — in partnership with the SMoH, Medicins Sans Frontiers-France (MSF-F), Cordaid and Action Contre La Faim (ACF) — that will assist in the eventual hand-over of outpatient treatment programmes to the SMoH.

West Darfur

– WHO provided essential laboratory equipment, consumables and reagents to Forbaranga and El Geneina hospitals to reinforce the provision of healthcare through the local referral system.

NON-FOOD ITEMS (NFIS)

As Sector Lead, the UNJLC continues to monitor flooding in Darfur and coordinate effective and timely flood-response. To date, response efforts are on-going in camps around Nyala, South Darfur, primarily in Kalma and Bilail IDP Camps. Needs assessments and distributions in Kalma IDP Camp had to be put on hold temporarily mid-month due to security restrictions, but have since resumed.

South Darfur

– In Al Salam IDP Camp, Humedica distributed plastic sheeting, blankets, jerry cans, women’s clothing and plastic sheeting to 851 households requiring replenishment and 406 newly-displaced households.
– Plastic sheeting was provided by the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) in Dereg IDP Camp, to 891 disaster-affected households.
– Additionally, Medicins Sans Frontiers-Holland (MSF-Holland) supported 30 households considered extremely vulnerable in Kalma IDP Camp.
– UNICEF released education supplies to the NGO Samaritan’s Purse (SP), which included 272 tarpaulin plastic sheets for 16,420 pupils and other supplies including chairs, tables and visibility signs for schools.

West Darfur

– This week the NFI Pipeline focused on the provision of plastic sheeting. Distributions were made by INTERSOS in the Wadi Salih locality in support of community projects in Garsila, Um Kheir and Forbaranga.

PROTECTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS

South Darfur

– UNICEF — in collaboration with the national NGO Sudan Open Learning Organization (SOLO) — organized a training of trainers (ToT) for 25 teachers who in turn will train a further 600 teachers in their localities in South Darfur. The five-day training also included specific training from UNICEF staff on Child Protection, Education and Water and Sanitation issues in addition to the regular content.

West Darfur

– The UNICEF campaign — in collaboration with the North Sudan DDR Commission (NSDDRC) — for raising awareness around disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) — will last for one month. The campaign got underway with supporting and facilitating a two-day workshop organized by the Legislation Council — Family, Women, and child committee — and was attended by approximately 45 participants from key government authorities, key community members, and the signatory groups to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). The workshop covered the concepts of child recruitment and awareness-raising amongst the various groups and forces and local communities of child recruitment issues.

– UNICEF Child Protection organized a one-day training workshop on child recruitment and children associated with armed forces/groups. The training was attended by 16 participants from NGOs and agencies working on protection and child protection issues in West Darfur. Additionally, UNICEF Child Protection participated in the training for community leaders and women’s groups in Ardamata IDP Camp and facilitated one session on child protection and child recruitment.

WATER AND SANITATION

North Darfur

– According to the WHO, floods in Mellit have reportedly destroyed 3,650 houses and washed away almost 300 latrines around the town and 80% of all wells have been contaminated by flood waters. However, the health situation is stable with no abnormal increase in water or sanitation related diseases and no damage to the health structures.

South Darfur

– With UNICEF financial support, the State Water Corporation (SWC) is continuing the on-going operation and maintenance of 30 motorized water schemes in the IDP camps of South Darfur. Under the current security situation UNICEF and the State Water and Environmental Sanitation project (WES) are focussing upon IDPs taking a greater role in the responsibility for the operation and maintenance of water supplies within the camps. Additionally, UNICEF and the WES project produced safe chlorinated water and provided sanitation facilities in various IDP camps. The following was accomplished with regards to safe chlorinated water provision:

– * 92,000 liters in Mossei IDP Camp;
– * 3,828,000 liters in Otash IDP Camp;
– * 6,200,000 liters in Al Salam IDP Camp;
– *1,900,000 liters in Kass IDP Camp;
– * 3,710,000 liters in Gereida IDP Camp.

If you have inputs for the next edition or questions and comments on this one, or other media and public enquiries, please contact:
Nahla Zarroug, Information Analyst, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12160065

For other media and public enquiries, you may also contact:
Orla Clinton, Public Information Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12174454
Imad Hassanein, Media Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12178035