Pakistan Emergency: Support for the Victims of the Humanitarian Catastrophe

Project location: PAKISTAN
Project start date: January 2011 - Project end date: January 2011
Project number: 2010-82
Beneficiary: UNHCR

Over the course of the 2010 monsoon season, Pakistan experienced the worst floods in its history. Heavy rainfall, flash floods and revering floods combined to create a moving body of water equal in dimension to the land mass of the United Kingdom. The floods have affected 84 districts out of a total of 121 districts in Pakistan, and more than 20 million people - one-tenth of Pakistan's population - devastating villages from the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea. The floods were initially confined to Balochistan, however, the rains quickly spread to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and later to Sindh and Punjab provinces. While the rains have diminished or ceased in certain areas, the prospect of further downpours cannot be ruled out especially in southern Punjab and Sindh provinces. Furthermore, the overflow of the River Indus has been displacing communities along its banks, and has caused further destruction in the southern areas. According to Government figures, torrential rains have claimed the lives of some 1,600 people and affected more than 20 million people. Vast agricultural lands have been washed away and the damage to infrastructure is considerable. As said above at least 1.4 million flood victims have been assisted in the provinces of Balochistan, KPK, Punjab and Sindh provinces.

The idea of submitting a funding request to Nando Peretti Foundation raised from the recognition of the high sensitiveness always shown by the Foundation towards the needs of the most vulnerable people in the world, those affected by public or natural disasters.
The Pakistan emergency represents one of the biggest natural disaster ever happened. The estimated budget is huge and the needs are enormous only towards different private contributions many lives can be saved.

UNHCR's overall objective is to meet the shelter needs of two million persons and household needs of one million persons. Provision of different types of shelters (family tents, plastic tarpaulins or transitional shelters) is determined by their vulnerabilities, size of the families as well as level of the damage to their homes. The one million beneficiaries of household items could also receive shelter assistance. Therefore, for planning purposes, the total planning figure of two million shelter recipients is inclusive of those who may receive Non Food Items.

UNHCR will mainly concentrate its assistance activities on the provinces of KPK and Balochistan, while the provision of protection support will target all four provinces severely affected by the floods.

UNHCR plans to support up to 40,000 of the most vulnerable families (estimated 300,000 people) with basic infrastructure recovery projects and transitional shelter. This includes Afghan refugee families from the villages that have been severely affected by the floods as well as those that are completely destroyed. This activity will ensure that families at risk, particularly female headed households, are provided with the necessary support in the aftermath of the floods, pending more structured recovery and rehabilitation programmes. In the damaged Afghan refugee villages, UNHCR will rehabilitate facilities such as water points and sanitation facilities, clinics, schools and access roads. These projects will be community based and target Afghan refugees and their immediate Pakistani host communities, as well as host communities severely affected by the floods. Assessment for the early recover phase of the implementation will begin during the relief phase, in order to ensure appropriate needs of the vulnerable men, women, boys and girls are taken into consideration when identifying beneficiaries and planning procurement and implementation. In some areas interventions may only relate to infrastructure projects, such are drainage repairs, community infrastructures rehabilitation and /or road repairs, while in others it will also entail provision of transitional shelter units.

Distribution of assistance is ongoing in Thatta in southern Sindh, as area of displacement and area of return. While in northern Sindh, distribution is taking place in Sukkur and Larcana and in areas of return in Qamber and Jacobabad. Since the initial phase of UNHCR's response in Sindh province some 28,000 shelter items (tents and plastic sheeting) and 4,000 NFI kits have been distributed. More than 200,000 flood-displaced persons have received assistance. In the recent Rapid Protection Needs Assessment carried out in KPK, the highest need for emergency shelter and NFIs has been identified in Upper and Lower Dir districts, where some 7,516 tents and 14,908 NFI kits are needed. The need for more NFI assistance continues to prevail in Tank and Peshawar districts. UNHCR dispatched to several areas some 2,495 tents, 4,900 mosquito nets, 4,900 blankets, 4,900 plastic buckets, 2,450 plastic sheeting, 4,900 plastic sleeping mats and 2,495 kitchen sets. The items will be distributed by its implementing partners; WESS, SEHER and Save the Children in Jagh Magsi, Kalat, Kuzidar, Quilla Saifullah, Mustang and Hernai districts. The distributed relief items have assisted some 29,715 flood-affected people of Balochistan.

In particular, the project submitted to Foundation Nando Peretti is aimed at providing 180 families with 4 season tents. The items will be distributed in the above mentioned areas where UNHCR field staff identified the highest need of Non Food Items.

The foreseen outcome of the project, which received a grant from the Nando Peretti Foundation,  is that 180 families affected by the flood in Pakistan will be provided with 180 all weather tents.