• By Thomas Ochieng  API  Kenya  

The United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) has launched a three-year project dubbed ‘Strengthening Human Security in the Border communities of Turkana in Kenya’. The main aim of the project is the issue of addressing human security concerns of pastoralists living in extreme hardship and vulnerability to numerous threats in Turkana County in the Northern Kenya. The funding and execution of the project is the Government of Kenya, the consortium of many non governmental organizations under the United Nations.

The focus of the project is aimed at strengthening the resilience of the dominant livelihoods in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) of the Northern Kenya that too often faces disasters and other natural calamities, with impetus of providing alternative coping mechanisms through a multi-faceted approach in offering interventions in the livelihood, food security, education and health sector.

Speaking during the launch of the project in Nairobi, the Kenyan Minister for State for Northern Kenya and other arid eras, Mohamed Elmi underscored his ministry’s commitment towards the numerous interventions geared towards the improvement of the livelihood of the Northern Kenya by the United Nations and its partners. “This noble project in Turkana comes at an important time in Kenya when the country is geared toward decentralization of power and resources to the county levels with emphasis on the Historical injustices in allocation of resources a key ingredient” He at the same time urged the people of the Turkana county to take advantage of the new constitutional dispensation and elect committed leadership at the county level who will complement such noble project as the one he was launching.

The UN resident Humanitarian coordinator and the country UNDP head Aneas Chuma welcomed the participation of the multi sectoral stakeholders in the project and in the same breadth lauded the partnership and assistance from the Republic of Japan. Also present at the launch to show solidarity with the project was the Turkana members of Parliament led by Joseph Nanok Assistant minister for Forestry and Wildlife and MP Ekwe Ethuro who pledged to give the project the political backing, with the latter calling for the establishment of a permanent UN office in the region. “With the discovery of oil deposits in the county of Turkana,the United nations should invest in human resource and civic education campaign that is geared towards stabilizing the region and having a permanent presence” Said Nanok adding that the world community should try make Turkana oil a success story in Africa.

The UNTFHS project in Turkana offers a very unique funding source that will be integrated with the local needs and aspirations taking into account the active participation of all stakeholders in the region.

Ends.

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Pakistan s battle against polio hangs in the balance

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ISLAMABAD,  – Pakistan is bracing for the annual July-September monsoon, with aid workers saying existing relief stocks are insufficient to guarantee an effective response in the event of a flood emergency.

The meteorological department forecasts that precipitation will be 5-15 percent above average. Already, heavy rain in Tando Khan and Dadu districts in Sindh Province has forced some rivers to burst their banks, inundating hundreds of acres of agricultural land.

“We have a vulnerable population that is only recovering from the 2010-11 monsoon impact and a donor community that is fatigued,” said Annette Hearns, head of the Coordination Unit within the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Pakistan.

“We [aid agencies] have done preparedness planning, but the wallet is empty and programmes are struggling,” she told IRIN in the capital, Islamabad.

This year’s monsoon could affect up to 29.2 million people, according to worst-case estimates by NDMA. Torrential rains could cause flash flooding in 29 districts with massive damage to property and livelihoods.

Ahmed Kamal, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), said NDMA has asked for US$53 million from the government. “The amount is yet to be transferred, but we are pursuing it and there are positive developments.”

Both the government and the humanitarian community have mapped available stocks, and are helping to build capacity and improve emergency response structures at district, provincial and national levels.

In Punjab and Sindh provinces, about 300 officials have been trained in emergency response skills like camp management and rapid assessment. Punjab government has also bought boats and registered volunteers, according to local media reports.

“After November 2011, we assigned the provinces to make preparedness plans for floods,” Kamal told IRIN. “A `bottom up’ approach was adopted this time – from districts to provinces to federal government.” District contingency plans include `hazard and vulnerability reports’, which highlight the gaps in terms of the provision of food and non-food items. The plans were then discussed at provincial level.

“International aid agencies in Pakistan have limited emergency stocks due to a lack of funding after the 2011 floods; less than 50 percent of the required funds [were] raised to respond to last year’s disaster,” said Áine Fay, chair of the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF).

PHF is made up of 51 international NGOs, most of which have developed preparedness plans both at federal and provincial levels. But they too face the challenge of inadequate stocks.

Without additional funds, humanitarian agencies will struggle to provide the necessary assistance to communities at risk of increased vulnerability from consecutive flooding in the past two years

Government rules out funds appeal

Some aid workers speak of growing frustration because the government will not allow the launch of a public appeal for funds.

“The agencies want to launch an appeal for funds, but the government does not believe this is necessary, arguing that Pakistan can take care of its own,” one NGO worker told IRIN in Islamabad.

“The reality is that in the event of a large-scale disaster, the government will need help,” he added. “That is what happened in 2010 and 2011.”

“Government support for an appeal process and a timely request for support from the international community would help to mobilize resources for an effective response in case of a flooding emergency,” OCHA said on 13 July.

Fay, who is also country director for Concern Worldwide, said: “It is crucial that a call for international assistance is not delayed if there are severely flood-affected communities.

“Without additional funds, humanitarian agencies will struggle to provide the necessary assistance to communities at risk of increased vulnerability from consecutive flooding in the past two years.”

Last week, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf directed all federal and provincial departments to ensure a coordinated, effective response in the event of monsoon floods.

According to NDMA, the provinces were asked to set aside funds in their budgets for floods. Punjab and Sindh were told to allocate Rs 5 billion ($53 million) each, KP Rs 3 billion ($31.8 million) and Azaad Jomu and Kashmir, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Gilgit Baltistan, Rs 1 billion each ($10.6 million).

Meanwhile, Oxfam has urged the government to ensure that a minimum of 2 percent of district budgets is spent on disaster preparedness.

eo/kh/cb
source www.irinnews.org

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