Restoring Dignity and Protection of Conflict affected Persons

Project Summery :

It is a fundamental human right to provide for and to secure the dignity of life of every citizen, particularly those made vulnerable due to natural or man-made disasters/conflicts and/or poverty. This initiative strives to provide for adequate safeguards and protection affording dignity and justice to families affected and marginalized by conflict. The programme is structured on critical components of recovery of internally displaced persons as stated in the Guiding Principles which include Food, shelter, medical, educational needs, appropriate clothing, their means to a sustain livelihood, essential medical services and sanitation ,document ation need, participation in decision making, choice in return or resettlements and compensation. Geographical focus - District of Jaffna , Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vauvniya, Mannar, Trincomalee, Batti caloa, Ampara and Puttalam. The implementation plans will be a part of the integrated and participatory approach of rebuilding and promoting the normal living in these areas through improving the facilities of infrastructure, shelter and sanitation

Funder
The Netherlands Minister for Development Cooperation

Implementation Strategy

The project implementation strategy is two fold;

1. Direct Implementation done by CHA

The programme is directly implemented through CHA district office staff situated in the North and South of Sri Lanka. For this component the staffs directly approach the internally displaced persons in the relevant district and identify their needs and necessary assistance is provided. A separate officer is deployed in each district to implement the activities.

2. Small Grant Programme

In addition to the direct implementation of activities, a small grant initiative amounting to a max of Rs.2.5 million will be conducted through interested CBPs and NGOs in the relevant districts To date, over 120 organizations have been expressed their interest and 13 potential organizations have been selected for funding.

Objectives

•  Improve the incomes of recently resettled communities through introduction of potential livelihoods devises and distribution of relief for IDPs
•  To improve the health and sanitation of beneficiaries by conducting different activities and providing basic requirements, medical care, nutrition's, etc
•  Assist in providing educational materials for school children and pre-school children
•  Repair of damaged houses & provided with shelter provisions and assist to resettle them with close coordination with relevant authorities and improve the camp condition
•  Influence provincial and national authorities/ policies which favour IDPs and awareness programmes for sensitize issues of IDPs and facilitating for obtaining required documentation such as ID cards, birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc
•  Experience sharing with interested organization through information dissemination (for policy/ approach development/ reflection)

Activities
Following activities are implemented by the project in conflict affected districts  

Provision of immediate relief

Through this programme it is aimed to address the basic needs of displaced people to the possible extend. The emergency relief incorporates two phases,

1. The emergency phase, which addresses provision of food, shelter, water and sanitation, and health care facilities

•  Care and Maintenance, which follows up the emergency phase and includes components like education of displaced children, counseling, facilitating to regain legal and vital documents lost/ leftover etc

Provision of food packages, essential non food items, and supply of water are supplied at the initial stage. Other than that essential and nutritional items like rice, sugar, milk powder, dhal, etc are provided for the identified beneficiaries. For communities who are already receiving the above mentioned items supplementary food items such as vegetables, tin fish etc was provided.

Livelihoods
To enhance the livelihood of internally displaced persons they are provided with Vocational and Skills Training to helping individuals develop technical and entrepreneurial skills in order to increase their employability. Other than the training they are provided with necessary goods and equipments to carry out their activities. At the same time, CHA take steps to enhance marketing linkages of the assisted beneficiaries. When assisting IDPs, priority is given to the women headed families. At the same time, steps are being taken to introduce livelihood options for persons in IDP camps.

Health
The communities living in the conflict affected areas have spent a major portion of their lives displaced in one form or another. Due to this reason there are many emergency medical demands as well as long term heath challengers faced by them.

Lack of proper water and sanitation facilities and not having sufficient medical assistance/ equipment and other facilities in the relevant areas have been identified as main concerns. To address these needs steps are taken by conducting medical, vaccination , eye care , general health clinics in the camp sites.

At the same time to enhance the water capacity in the districts, wells, water tanks are being constructed. To enhance the capacities of the hospitals steps are being taken to provide necessary equipments for the hospital.

Education
Initiatives are being taken to assist the affected children in the areas by providing them with educational materials such as books, shoes, school bags etc. At the same time to enhance the nutrition standards of the children, nutritional programmes are conducted.

To enhance their knowledge and education standards steps are being taken to provide catch up classes, revision classes and other necessary training programmes needed. School buildings and necessary equipments for the schools are also provided.

Housing
Three type of sheltering options were identified, which address the needs of both resettled and displaced families.

1. Temporary shelters
2. Reconstruction and repairs of shelters for the resettled families
3. Community halls, constructed separately to provide space for community activities

For those who have received land and permanently resettled are approached to construct their houses. At the same time for those who are living in land that belong to a private party or the government steps are taken to repair or rebuild their shelter in such a manner that they can live a dignified life.

Documentation
As many of people in conflict affected districts do not have legal documents, project is organizing documentation clinics for providing them with relevant authorities. At the clinics, it is given priority to obtaining the lost of documentations like birth certificates, ID cards, marriage certificates, educational certificates and other relevant documents.

Outcomes

• 2500 families will receive relief assistance
• 400 families provided with shelter provisions and/shelter.
• 600Families assisted through Livelihood assistance
• (“X”) Families linked with “Y” Groups of Entrepreneurs in access to information, knowledge and markets for income generation.
• 5000 Individuals provided with medical and health care facilities needed in 7 Districts
• Education assistance for 4000 students
• Documentation- mobile clinics held to ensure provision of identification documentation.