UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report UNICEF-CHINA Consolidated Emergency Thematic. Report

Transcription

1 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report UNICEF-CHINA Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report 2008

2 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Table of Contents Map of 2008 Emergency-Affected Areas... 2 Executive Summary... 2 Purpose... 4 Resources... 5 Table 1: 2008 Funding Status Against the Appeal by Sector (in USD)... 5 Table 2: Funding Received and Available in 2008 by Donor and Funding Type (in USD)... 5 Table 3: Country-Specific Thematic Humanitarian Contributions Received in Results by Sector... 7 Shelter and Non-Food Items... 7 Health and Nutrition... 7 Water and Sanitation... 8 Education... 9 Child Protection...11 HIV/AIDS Social Policy Constraints and Lessons Learned Future Work Plan by Sector Health and Nutrition Water and Sanitation Education Child Protection HIV/AIDS Social Policy Table 4: Summary of Funding Needs Expression of Thanks... 19

3 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Map of 2008 Emergency-Affected Areas Beijing Gansu Shaanxi Wenchuan Sichuan Chongqing Hubei Anhui Guizhou Hunan Panzhihua Yunnan Guangxi Earthquake-Affected Snowstorm-Affected Executive Summary China is a country with vast natural disasters every year, including floods, snowstorms, droughts, and earthquakes. The year 2008 began with snow emergencies in southern China, as unusual cold, accompanied by heavy snow, sleet, and ice, claimed more than 100 human lives and destroyed 500,000 homes. The snowstorms, which were the worst to hit China in half a century, caused widespread damage to schools and water systems, leaving children particularly vulnerable. UNICEF responded by providing emergency shelter and non-food item assistance, and is now working to rehabilitate damaged water and sanitation systems. Then, on 12 May 2008, a massive earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale struck Sichuan Province s Wenchuan County, affecting some 120 million people in Sichuan and the neighbouring provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi, Yunnan, and Chongqing. The Wenchuan earthquake left 88,000 people dead or missing and nearly 400,000 injured. The earthquake also damaged or destroyed millions of homes, leaving 5 million people homeless. On 30 August 2008, a second earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured. This earthquake struck along the same fault line as the Wenchuan earthquake, but was located further south, with its epicentre in southernmost Sichuan s Panzhihua City.

4 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Both earthquakes hit children especially hard, exposing them to ongoing risks and vulnerabilities. The Wenchuan earthquake, which damaged more than 12,000 schools, or 40% of all the schools in Sichuan, struck during the early afternoon on a school day when effectively every child in the province was in a classroom. The Wenchuan earthquake also seriously affected children in Sichuan s neighbouring provinces, particularly Gansu and Shaanxi. Meanwhile, the Panzhihua earthquake struck two days before the start of the school year, keeping students in the new earthquake zone from returning to school as planned. The earthquakes have caused psychological distress among the affected populations; an October 2008 study in Beichuan County found that 57% of those surveyed had lost a relative to the earthquake and 15% showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. The earthquakes displaced millions of people, uprooting children from their normal environments and leaving them vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation. With overwhelmed parents and caregivers struggling to remake their own lives, children are more likely to be neglected in the aftermath of the emergency. The Wenchuan earthquake triggered, for the first time in recent history, a request by the Government of China for international assistance. UNICEF was among the earliest international agencies to respond, immediately conducting field assessments and sending relief supplies. To date, support has been provided in the form of shelter and non-food items, medical equipment and nutrition supplements, pre-fabricated classrooms and learning materials, water and sanitation facilities, Child-Friendly Spaces, extensive training and capacity-building, and policy recommendations on the development of the government reconstruction plan. UNICEF s support in the reconstruction phase is expected to continue up to 2011, with the planned mobilization of a total of US$ 45 million. Key results from UNICEF s 2008 emergency response include:! Social policy contributions to the Government of China s reconstruction plan.! Distribution of medical supplies and provision of training to 450 health workers at township and county-level hospitals to support emergency and routine healthcare, to benefit 1.4 million children and women in the earthquake zone.! Provision of water purification tablets and treatment units sufficient for the use of 2 million people, and construction of water supply systems and sanitation facilities in 8 earthquake-affected counties in Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi to benefit 30,000 children and their families.! Provision of 1,200 classroom tents and 102 pre-fabricated classroom units for 60,000 schoolchildren; and teaching, learning, and recreational materials for more than 250,000 students in the three most seriously affected provinces.! Establishment of 40 Child-Friendly Spaces in both Wenchuan and Panzhihua earthquake zones to provide long-term psychosocial support to 12,000 children.! Training of 650 teachers, principals, and community leaders on child protection; and development of handbooks on child adoption, with nationwide distribution of 50,000 copies.! Outreach support to conduct home visits to 500 children and women affected by HIV/AIDS.

5 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Purpose The main purpose of UNICEF s response to the snowstorm emergency was to meet the urgent needs of children and women survivors. UNICEF thus provided blankets, quilts, and coats to protect children and their families from the freezing cold. In the reconstruction phase of the emergency, UNICEF is targeting the affected areas with a package of water and sanitation interventions to provide children with clean drinking water and sanitary latrines, and equip them with hygiene knowledge. The main purposes of UNICEF s response to the Wenchuan and Panzhihua earthquakes were to provide immediate relief, support early recovery, help develop policies and systems to build back better, and leverage resources to prepare and plan for future emergencies. Immediately after the Wenchuan earthquake, UNICEF mobilized resources and lifesaving relief supplies for children and their families. With massive and ongoing needs, UNICEF s assistance is continuing into the reconstruction phase, and is focused on helping children and their families benefit from adequate psychosocial support and healthcare services, quality schooling, sustainable supplies of clean water, and well-coordinated policy. UNICEF is supporting the government in Building Back Better, building on and improving existing programmes for children, identifying areas hitherto lacking attention, supporting the establishment of new public service delivery systems that reach the poorest, and providing technical assistance on the financing of basic social services. UNICEF s response in the aftermath of the emergency has led to a number of critical developments that not only address the needs of earthquake survivors, but also lay the foundation for improved results for children and women in the years to come. For example, in nutrition, the earthquake emergency led to the Government of China approving for the first time the use of a complementary food supplement. In child protection, UNICEF was able to introduce its Child-Friendly Spaces and help develop an orphan tracking system. In water and sanitation, UNICEF helped to rehabilitate damaged water systems and construct sustainable water systems in remote communities where there was limited access to clean water, even before the emergency. Throughout the emergency response, UNICEF has responded quickly to supply requests, bolstering its reputation for expertise in procurement. The earthquake struck areas of China that are predominantly poor, where development has lagged behind the rest of the country. Throughout the emergency response, UNICEF has relied upon and built on extensive networks with local communities and governments in the affected areas, originally established through regular Country Programme projects. Those relationships have been crucial to facilitating access to decision-makers who are on the frontlines in this current crisis. Throughout the emergency response, UNICEF has worked in coordination with other agencies of the UN System in China, through the UN Disaster Management Team (UNDMT), chaired by the UNICEF Representative.

6 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Resources Table 1: 2008 Funding Status Against the Appeal by Sector (in USD), as of 31 December 2008 Sector Original Appeal May 2008* Revised Appeal Dec 2008** Funded %*** Health & Nutrition 8,700,000 11,000,000 7,600,000 69% Education 8,600,000 12,600,000 9,000,000 71% Water, Sanitation & Hygiene 3,300,000 9,300,000 7,334,350 79% Shelter 4,000,000 1,000, ,422 97% Child Protection 3,300,000 5,300,000 3,800,000 72% HIV/AIDS 450,000 1,450,000 1,000,000 69% Advocacy & Communications 750,000 2,100,000 1,550,000 74% Monitoring & Evaluation 900,000 2,250,000 1,650,000 73% TOTAL 30,000,000 45,000,000 32,907,772 73% *** The original appeal was submitted in May 2008, prior to the finalization of the Government of China s reconstruction plan. *** The revised appeal reflects the most recent estimates of funds needed for each of the different sectors. *** The percentage has been calculated on the basis of the revised appeal, which reflects updated needs. Table 2: Funding Received and Available in 2008 by Donor and Funding Type (in USD) Donor Name/ Programmable Contribution PBA Reference Type of Funding Amount Amount a) Non-thematic Emergency Funds Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF SM/2008/ ,578,670 14,528,857 Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) & UNICEF Canada SM/2008/ ,593,986 3,845,480 Audi China SM/2008/ ,100,144 2,205,107 Ikea Social Initiative, through Swedish Committee for UNICEF SM/2008/ , ,189 Porsche SM/2008/ , ,978 Miscellaneous In-Country Private Sector Fundraising SM/2008/ , ,490 Australian Committee for UNICEF SM/2008/ , ,164 ING Bank, through the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (for 2008 Snowstorm) SM/2008/ , ,004 SM/2008/ , ,852 Government of Luxembourg SM/2008/ , ,498 UN Habitat SM/2008/ , ,428

7 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF SM/2008/ , ,000 UNICEF Canada SM/2008/ ,519 92,573 Government of Andorra SM/2008/ ,526 21,962 b) Thematic Humanitarian Funds (including carryover) Global Thematic SM/2006/ ,270,817 7,634,206 c) Pooled Funding Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) SM/2008/ ,940,303 2,076,078 d) Carry-overs of emergency funds from prior years Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (for 2007 Yunnan earthquake) SM/2007/ ,585 e) Other sources Ikea in-kind donation KM/2008/ ,034 Regular Resources set aside for emergency TOTAL Programmable Amount Available GC/2005/ ,000 33,299,787 Table 3: Country-Specific Thematic Humanitarian Contributions Received in 2008 Donor Thematic Humanitarian Funds (Contribution Amount in USD) Japan Committee for UNICEF 2,316, Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF 2,076, United States Fund for UNICEF 1,299, Korean Committee for UNICEF 1,000, United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF 439, Canadian Committee for UNICEF 255, German Committee for UNICEF 108, Swedish Committee for UNICEF 100, Belgian Committee for UNICEF 15, UNICEF-United Arab Emirates 10, UNICEF-Malaysia 3, UNICEF-Thailand 1, UNICEF-India 1, TOTAL 7,629,358.60

8 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Results by Sector Shelter and Non-Food Items In early 2008, southern China experienced severe winter conditions. UNICEF responded by providing children in the most severely affected provinces of Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, and Hunan with 13,000 quilts and blankets, and 7,000 coats. In May 2008, when the Wenchuan earthquake struck, UNICEF identified, within 24 hours, the suppliers for tents, quilts, and blankets. UNICEF was able to quickly place firm orders for 800 family tents, 25,000 quilts, and 50,000 sets of children s clothing. These shelter and clothing items were the first supplies to be delivered to the affected zone by any UN agency. Health and Nutrition The earthquake struck areas that were predominantly poor, where health conditions were below national averages even before the emergency. In 2006, UNICEF conducted a large-scale baseline survey and found that in Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi, less than 60% of surveyed mothers received adequate antenatal care. The survey found that in Sichuan, maternal mortality averaged 33% higher than the national rate, and that half of all newborns were delivered outside of a hospital setting. UNICEF responded immediately to the health needs of children and families in the earthquake zone by providing emergency health kits, equipment, and supplies sufficient for 1.4 million people for three months. UNICEF s initial tranche of supplies also included vitamin A and multiple micronutrient supplements for more than 150,000 children and women. Additionally, UNICEF provided 20 ambulances to the most severely affected counties to facilitate the transport of injured or critically ill patients to local and referral hospitals. UNICEF responded to the earthquake by immediately providing the most urgently needed supplies for emergency and routine health care for infants, young children, and women of reproductive age. UNICEF provided community health education in 100 temporary settlement camps in the three most seriously affected provinces; and training for 450 health workers, who have since gone on to conduct cascade training to further build local capacity in the earthquake zone.

9 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report The training and health education activities have focused on antenatal care and hospital delivery, breastfeeding, health and hygiene, and immunization. In the recovery and reconstruction phase of the earthquake, UNICEF has conducted a comprehensive baseline survey. UNICEF has provided essential medical equipment to 278 township hospitals and 22 county and prefecture-level hospitals for basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal and child care. UNICEF is now introducing the Mother Baby Package and other interventions to the affected areas, focusing on 10 counties in Sichuan, 2 counties in Gansu, and 2 counties in Shaanxi. UNICEF s health interventions, both before and after the earthquake, have been closely linked with the national health reform process, via direct support for development of policy and guidelines, and via evidence-based pilots that can be scaled up and replicated. In the aftermath of the earthquake, UNICEF has also been expanding its nutrition interventions for children. The earthquake led to a significant development in China, prompting, for the first time, approval from the government to use complementary food supplements. UNICEF is now supporting the first-ever use of micronutrient sprinkles in China, with 4,000 infants and young children aged 6 24 months in Sichuan s Beichuan and Lixian Counties. UNICEF s involvement in monitoring and evaluating the micronutrient has found that the prevalence of anaemia was dramatically reduced from 63% (nearly double the national average in rural areas) at baseline survey to 29% at mid-term survey in project areas. UNICEF s involvement in the pilot micronutrient project potentially plays a key role in the future development and approval of micronutrient supplement standards in China. Meanwhile, UNICEF has been conducting research and helping to develop a Chinese policy framework and strategies for nutrition relief in emergencies. In early 2008, well before the earthquake hit, UNICEF supported national measles campaigns, including in Sichuan Province, reducing measles cases there by 90%. In addition to the measles campaign, UNICEF helped to update national immunization guidelines and expand the nationwide routine vaccination schedule, as part of its regular Country Programme. In the aftermath of the earthquake, UNICEF supported additional vaccination campaigns to protect children against Hepatitis A and Japanese encephalitis, which contributed to no disease outbreaks being reported in earthquake-affected areas. In the recovery and reconstruction phases of the earthquake, UNICEF has been supplying equipment to the emergency zone to improve the registration and information system for the Expanded Programme on Immunization, as well as the cold chain system. Work to re-establish and strengthen immunization services and improve monitoring of child immunization is particularly important, as many facilities and records were damaged or lost in the earthquake. Water and Sanitation UNICEF conducted field assessments in the aftermath of the snowstorm and earthquake emergencies. To respond to the needs of the earthquake-affected population, UNICEF procured water purification tablets sufficient for the use of two million people for three months; and water treatment units sufficient for the use of 270,000 people. UNICEF s earliest interventions in the water and sanitation sector, which were funded by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), were critical, as the earthquake hit mostly rural mountainous

10 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report communities, destroying many local drinking water systems. Thus, UNICEF s water purification tablets bridged the months after the earthquake struck, but before damaged water systems were rehabilitated. The water treatment units were strategically installed in the vicinity of schools and in temporary settlement camps, providing earthquake-affected children and their families with clean drinking water. UNICEF also provided bleaching powder to disinfect community-based health clinics, temporary schools, kitchen facilities, and sanitation facilities. UNICEF also helped to reduce the risk of transmission of faecal-born diseases by providing 100 mobile toilets for 10,000 people. In the medium-term response, UNICEF has been working in the three most severely-affected provinces, focusing on schools and villages in remote rural areas. UNICEF is helping to rehabilitate and reconstruct community water systems that were damaged by the earthquake. UNICEF is also constructing handwashing facilities, sanitary latrines, and drainage and solid waste disposal systems. Survivors relied on makeshift water sources in the aftermath of the earthquake, which damaged water supply systems, reservoirs, and pipeline. As part of its emergency response, UNICEF has helped to construct community water supply systems, school water-stands, and handwashing facilities. UNICEF is also promoting knowledge and awareness through hygiene campaigns. Throughout the emergency response, UNICEF has been working to increase knowledge and build capacity in the earthquake-affected areas. By November 2008, UNICEF had trained over 5,000 sanitation and hygiene specialists and community leaders, who in turn promoted hygiene at the grassroots level. UNICEF s extensive hygiene and sanitation campaigns, including the distribution of 20,000 family hygiene kits, have reached both those areas affected by the Wenchuan earthquake and those affected by the later earthquake in Panzhihua. Where applicable, UNICEF s post-earthquake interventions have been tied into non-emergency-related global initiatives. For example, as part of Global Handwashing Day, UNICEF held a handwashing event in earthquake-devastated Beichuan County, drawing more than 3,000 people, most of them displaced survivors living in temporary shelters. Education In the immediate aftermath of the Wenchuan earthquake, UNICEF helped 60,000 children return to a safe educational environment by providing 1,200 tents to serve as temporary classrooms. UNICEF provided basic teaching and learning materials to those children and

11 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report their teachers, while also providing educational and recreational materials to an additional 200,000 children. UNICEF responded to the Panzhihua Earthquake by providing Student Kits, Teacher Kits, Library Kits, Sports Kits, and classroom furniture to 20,000 children and teachers in 70 earthquake-affected schools in Sichuan s Huili County and Yunnan s Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture. In both earthquake zones, UNICEF has helped to provide training on pedagogical methods to increase student participation and student-teacher interaction. In the medium-term response, UNICEF has continued to work to restore access to quality education services and reduce the risk of children in the earthquake zone falling behind in school. In fall 2008, a series of interventions targeted 39 schools in Gansu Province s Xihe County not included in the government s reconstruction plan. UNICEF provided more than 100 pre-fabricated classroom units to help 5,000 children resume their education in a safe environment, with new furniture and teaching and learning supplies. UNICEF targeted these same schools and the village communities that they serve with a complete package of water and sanitation interventions. UNICEF s interventions across Xihe County are expected to model applications of child-friendly standards in the post- emergency Build Back Better programmes. The Wenchuan Earthquake damaged or destroyed 12,000 schools in Sichuan Province and 6,500 schools in Gansu Province. UNICEF has provided pre-fabricated classrooms to 5,000 earthquake-affected schoolchildren, and teaching, learning, and recreational materials to 250,000 students. Meanwhile, in its work to reduce future risk, UNICEF has been working to enhance safety education and awareness and provide top quality technical support during the reconstruction process. On 1 September 2008, the first day of the new school year, China Central Television (CCTV), with technical support and expertise from UNICEF, aired a television programme on disaster prevention, readiness, and response. The programme was made required viewing for all students by the Ministry of Education. In October 2008, UNICEF facilitated the visit of a delegation of national and provincial education administrators, as well as school building designers and engineers, to study disaster-resilient buildings, retrofitting, and emergency preparedness in Kobe, Japan. The visit has resulted in a closer cooperation between UNICEF and the Ministry of Education in relevant policymaking, improved reconstruction plans, and models of child-friendly schools and safety education.

12 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Child Protection Immediately after the earthquake, UNICEF undertook a field mission to Sichuan to conduct a rapid assessment of the protection and psychosocial needs of children in the emergency areas. UNICEF helped to provide psychosocial support services to children, offering both group therapy and individual support to those children showing initial signs of more serious psychological distress. At the government s request, UNICEF took the lead on establishing long-term coordination among UN agencies and non-governmental actors on psychosocial support initiatives. In the medium term, UNICEF has continued to address the psychosocial support and protection needs of children affected by the Wenchuan and Panzhihua earthquakes by establishing 40 Child-Friendly Spaces. With UNICEF s support, technical experts have trained 200 teachers, mentors, social workers, and managers to staff the Child-Friendly Spaces. The Child-Friendly Spaces are now reaching an estimated 12,000 children, and UNICEF continues to work with technical experts to provide further on-the-job training. Failure to promptly and adequately address psychosocial and mental health needs can have long-term consequences on the capacity of individuals and communities to recover. In the aftermath of the earthquakes, UNICEF has established 40 Child-Friendly Spaces to provide a full range of services to 12,000 children. For the last few years, UNICEF has been working with the Ministry of Civil Affairs to develop policy guidelines for children without caregivers. This work was critical in the context of the earthquake, when the Sichuan Civil Affairs Bureau initially reported that there were some 5,500 separated and orphaned children, prompting more than 20,000 families and individuals to contact the Ministry of Civil Affairs to express their interest in adopting children orphaned by the earthquake. UNICEF worked with the Ministry of Civil Affairs to implement the policy guidelines for children without caregivers. According to those guidelines, a crucial first step for the government was to identify and trace families. Thus, adoption was not allowed until order was restored and children were confirmed as orphans. Following extensive tracing efforts, the latest statistics indicate that some 600 children lost both parents to the earthquake. UNICEF has since been helping to develop an orphan assistance policy framework so that these children receive sufficient governmental support and protection. UNICEF has launched community-based campaigns on child protection in earthquake-affected counties throughout Sichuan. These campaigns, which have attracted

13 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report the attention of national and local media, are helping to raise awareness about the rights and protection needs of children in the aftermath of the emergency. These campaigns have been accompanied by training workshops through which several thousand children, parents, and community members have learned about safety, violence prevention, and protection from trafficking and exploitation. UNICEF has worked with 150 school principals and teachers to develop life-skills training manuals for school-aged children. UNICEF has also worked with 500 police officers, security guards, community leaders, and women cadres to train them on child protection, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and Chinese laws on the protection of minors. Cascade training is now being conducted to expand coverage. Through its community-based social mobilization campaigns, UNICEF is helping to create a safe and protective social environment for children. UNICEF is also working with special education schools in Sichuan to address the needs of earthquake-affected children with disabilities. UNICEF has supplied educational and recreational materials to eight earthquake-affected special education schools, reaching 600 children with hearing, visual, and intellectual disabilities. HIV/AIDS Sichuan Province has more than 8,000 people reported to be living with HIV/AIDS, ranking it sixth among all provinces in China. UNICEF is working with local counterparts to procure supplies for home visits and group counselling for mothers and children living with HIV. UNICEF is also helping to conduct training on community-based care and case management in the emergency context. UNICEF has helped to support the case management of 500 women and children living with HIV, including comprehensive health care, social care and referral, drug delivery and blood tests, and psychosocial counselling. The increased workload and stress of health workers in the aftermath of the earthquake affect the quality of counselling and social support to children and women affected by HIV. UNICEF is helping to procure supplies for home visits and group counselling and is also providing group psychosocial support activities. Meanwhile, UNICEF continues to work as co-chair of the UN HIV/AIDS Emergency Task Team to share information, monitor the health and wellbeing of people and families living with HIV/AIDS, and ensure that they are able to access services.

14 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Social Policy Recovery and reconstruction programmes for children and women are not sustainable without strategic partnerships and appropriate policies. Since the earthquake, UNICEF has been expanding strategic partnerships at the upstream policy level, conducting research and providing consultation to help develop and evaluate social policies. Among other areas, UNICEF has been contributing to studies on international best practices in addressing the social impact of disasters, and public finance policy on assistance to orphans. Policy Support to the Government of China to Build Back Better Output Activities Key Areas Research and policy consultation programme to develop and evaluate social policies to support reconstruction Research and technical assistance to develop frameworks to implement reconstruction strategy and policies Capacity building in policy development at national and local government levels to facilitate reconstruction Studies and workshops to assess social impact of the emergency and subsequent reconstruction policies Surveys and survey analyses to gain first-hand data and relevant evidence from emergency-affected areas Policy consultation roundtables and reports on policy and institutional issues related to delivery of public services Policy toolkit to draw lessons from studies, survey analyses, and policy evaluations Case studies and surveys to evaluate performance in public service delivery during reconstruction phase Case study to evaluate good practices in public sector governance and policy implementation Development of monitoring system of education quality in reconstruction-affected areas Seminars, study tours, and training on issues related to evidence-based social policymaking, utilization of research in policy, and institutional innovation for government officials and practitioners actively engaged in social development Essential healthcare Early childhood development Primary and secondary education Social protection Child protection Public finance Public sector governance Performance evaluation and management Citizens participation Social policy to benefit vulnerable groups Disaster preparedness and management Governance UNICEF s analytical and policy inputs have made a strong policy impact. UNICEF s policy note entitled, Reconstructing Wellbeing: Bringing Public Services to Those Who Need them Most After the Wenchuan Earthquake, emphasized the functional, financing, and institutional issues that need to be addressed so that reconstructed public services truly contribute to the wellbeing of children and communities affected by the earthquake. The policy note received very positive feedback and as a result, UNICEF has been able to strengthen its strategic partnership with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China s top planning body. UNICEF has since entered into a cooperation framework with NDRC, both on post-earthquake reconstruction and on the broader issue of the development of China s national 12th Five Year Plan.

15 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Constraints and Lessons Learned Work in the aftermath of a disaster the magnitude of the Wenchuan Earthquake has presented a number of constraints, but also a number of valuable lessons learned. One of the greatest constraints in responding to the emergency has been the difficulty of finding quality, timely, and targeted data. Disaggregated data on children, women, and vulnerable population groups whether in health and nutrition, water and sanitation, protection, or education are often unavailable. The loss of government staff and data to the earthquake only exacerbated the pre-existing problem of limited robust data, delaying or complicating relief and recovery efforts. For example, with the water and sanitation sector, for which UNICEF was the lead UN agency, there were initial delays in necessary groundwork, such as the identification of intervention sites, because the Sichuan Provincial Water Resources Bureau had lost staff, vehicles, computers, and data to the earthquake. UNICEF is addressing the issue of data quality by helping the Government of China to set up and strengthen data collection and management systems in the aftermath of the emergency. Another constraint in recovery and reconstruction efforts has been the challenge of covering large geographic areas, with many of the most vulnerable children and women in remote, rural communities that are difficult to access. For example, in areas like Gansu s Xihe County, difficult terrain and inclement weather initially delayed the installation of some of UNICEF s pre-fabricated classrooms. In the reconstruction phase, snow, ice, and wintry weather have limited construction of water supply systems, drainage and solid waste systems, and sanitary latrines to seven months of the year. A third constraint in responding to the earthquake has been the difficulty of keeping up with rapidly changing conditions and needs on the ground, which also vary markedly from region to region. Some amount of flexibility is needed to appropriately address evolving needs. For example, ongoing needs assessments led UNICEF to stop shipment of a portion (10%) of the water purification tablets that were initially requested. Throughout the emergency response, UNICEF has maintained constant communication with local communities and counterparts; and has worked in coordination with a multitude of actors on the ground. Lessons learned from UNICEF s emergency response are being incorporated into ongoing efforts in the reconstruction phase to build back better. One important lesson learned is that it is in the less visible, more remote geographic areas where UNICEF can make the greatest impact for vulnerable children and women. For example, while the government was able to respond to the clean water needs of earthquake survivors in large urban areas, there was less coverage in rural areas. UNICEF therefore sent its water purification units to rural communities, where they played a critical, life-saving role. In the aftermath of the emergency, most of the relief efforts and media coverage have concentrated on Sichuan Province, while neighbouring Gansu Province, which was also seriously affected, has received less attention. UNICEF s decision to install its pre-fabricated classrooms in remote areas of Gansu Province and target those communities with water and sanitation interventions has made a great difference in the lives of children whose

16 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report earthquake-damaged schools were not included in the government s reconstruction plan. In the coming months, UNICEF will continue to identify and target remote, rural communities to reach the most vulnerable children. UNICEF will focus on ways to complement, rather than compensate for government capacity. Another important lesson learned is that UNICEF s emergency response is an opportunity to promote innovations that would take much longer to develop in the context of the regular Country Programme. For example, with support from UNICEF, the government approved, for the first time, the use of complementary food supplements in the aftermath of the earthquake. Thus, UNICEF s involvement in the pilot micronutrient project not only addresses the immediate needs of earthquake survivors, but also lays the groundwork for future interventions in non-emergency-affected areas. UNICEF s involvement in the emergency response has catalyzed progress on a range of other issues, with the introduction of Child-Friendly Spaces to China serving as another salient example. A third important lesson learned in the emergency response is the enduring value of timely and targeted contributions in social policy. UNICEF s policy note Reconstructing Wellbeing received very positive feedback at the time of its submission in June Months later, both the Chinese media and government agencies continue to draw upon that policy note. The quality of UNICEF s social policy contributions in the aftermath of the earthquake has led to the expansion of strategic partnerships at the upstream policy level. These partnerships will lead to enhanced opportunities for UNICEF to make significant, high-impact institutional and structural changes to benefit children and women.

17 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Future Work Plan by Sector The actions presented below have been developed on the basis of early and medium-term responses and on assessments of ongoing needs. These longer-term actions are based on UNICEF s comparative advantages, including existing programmes and partnerships in China, UNICEF s mandate for children, and anticipated scenarios. These actions are expected to unfold through May Health and Nutrition In 2009, UNICEF will work to restore and improve access to basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn services by supporting local equipment procurement, health staff and management training, and the development of the health information system. UNICEF will also expand coverage and intensify support for the ongoing Mother and Baby Package, including capacity building and behaviour change communication interventions. UNICEF will conduct campaigns to improve health literacy, paying particular attention to the displaced people still living in settlement camps. Collectively, these activities will reach an estimated 2.5 million beneficiaries. The earthquake destroyed the cold chain in over 30 counties and township hospitals. UNICEF will work with counterparts to replace and upgrade the cold chain, and support the provision of vaccines in earthquake-affected areas. Procurement will be done locally to assure reduced cost and ease of maintenance. UNICEF will also continue to support expanded vaccination campaigns in Sichuan and other earthquake-affected provinces. In the coming months, UNICEF will train healthcare providers on the dietary needs and recommended nutritional intake of children and pregnant women. Pregnant and lactating women also need to be supported to breastfeed and adopt the best infant and young child feeding practices. UNICEF will work with counterparts to conduct a final evaluation of the pilot soy-based micronutrient supplement intervention that is currently underway. Following that evaluation, UNICEF will work with counterparts to expand the intervention to 14 earthquake-affected counties in Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi. Experiences from these 14 counties will provide lessons for other poor counties with high levels of malnutrition and iron deficiency, which are not currently receiving any nutritional supplements. UNICEF will work to integrate its nutritional interventions into national and provincial-level policies and develop and institute local monitoring and evaluation systems. Water and Sanitation In the coming months, UNICEF will work in Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Guangxi, and Guizhou Provinces to help communities build back better in the aftermath of the earthquake and/or snowstorm emergencies. Specifically, UNICEF will continue to work with counterparts in the snowstorm- and earthquake-affected areas to design and construct permanent water supply systems, village drainage and solid waste disposal systems, handwashing facilities, and sanitary latrines. UNICEF will also work with communities to teach them how to maintain and repair water and sanitation facilities. UNICEF will continue with its hygiene education campaigns in schools and communities across the affected provinces, focusing on

18 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report handwashing, food hygiene, clean toilets, and safe water, to create sanitary environments and keep children safe and healthy. UNICEF s interventions will subsequently be scaled up throughout the emergency-affected areas so that communities can be built back better, with access to safe water and improved hygiene. UNICEF will also continue to hold training workshops at the county level to build the capacity of local water authority staff, including on planning, monitoring and evaluation, and management and maintenance. Education Working closely with partners, UNICEF will help rebuild basic education services in the affected provinces, expanding current support to child-friendly schools, early child development approaches, and non-formal education. Specifically, UNICEF will work with the Ministry of Education to create an interactive learning environment in classrooms, equip teachers with appropriate skills, and involve parents in children s education. In partnership with the Ministry of Education, UNICEF will continue to develop and support teacher training on psychosocial intervention. In the coming months, UNICEF will help school managers, principals, and teachers to adjust and adapt management and teaching models to the situation in temporary schools. UNICEF s pre-fabricated classrooms will last a minimum of three years. Once permanent school buildings are rebuilt, students will move out of the pre-fabricated classrooms, which will then be converted into teacher offices or reading rooms, thus maximizing their usefulness. UNICEF will support the transition of children from temporary to new schools, to ensure that models for quality education, management, and community involvement are integrated into the new education environment. UNICEF is working to reduce future risk and make schools safe places for children. UNICEF will continue to provide technical support on school reconstruction and retrofitting, working to ensure that schools meet both child-friendly standards and earthquake-resistant standards. Work in this area will be aligned with the development of disaster preparedness, emergency response, and school safety education within the national school curriculum. Child Protection In the coming months, UNICEF will continue its ongoing work with counterparts and professional organizations to build capacity among the staff of the Child-Friendly Spaces and to help them carry out a full range of services for children and their communities. UNICEF will also develop and implement a monitoring and supervision mechanism to ensure the continuity and quality of services at the Child-Friendly Spaces. UNICEF will continue with its protection work, focusing especially in the communities where the Child-Friendly Spaces are located. UNICEF will expand its life-skills training for children and work with parents and teachers to educate them on how to protect children from trafficking and abuse. UNICEF will develop guidelines and mechanisms, and train police officers to identify, register, and monitor children in temporary settlements. UNICEF will also work with the Ministry of Civil Affairs to respond to the protection needs of the children

19 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report orphaned by the earthquake. UNICEF will establish a tracking mechanism, conduct a longitudinal study on the orphans, and make recommendations to the government based upon the findings. Throughout, UNICEF will continue to raise awareness of children s rights and protection needs by rolling out county-wide communication campaigns. HIV/AIDS In 2009, UNICEF will continue to monitor the situation of children and women and build capacity among health staff to ensure access to quality family- and community-based care. UNICEF will also continue to support psychosocial support training and empower children and families affected by HIV/AIDS. As co-chair of the UN Task Force, UNICEF will work to mainstream HIV/AIDS into emergency recovery responses, with activities such as the drafting of guidelines, dissemination of global best practices, and training seminars. UNICEF will also continue its work with the State Council AIDS Working Committee Office to rehabilitate health services for children and families affected by HIV/AIDS. This includes treating people living with HIV/AIDS, preventing vertical transmission, offering paediatric drugs, and strengthening education programmes. Social Policy In the coming months and years, UNICEF will continue to expand its engagement at the upstream policy level with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance. UNICEF will contribute to the development and evaluation of social policies to support reconstruction efforts and capacity-building in policy development at the national and sub-national government levels. UNICEF will also help develop the institutional frameworks and governance supporting the implementation of national reconstruction strategy, policies, and standards. Among other projects, UNICEF will support the Ministry of Finance by delivering policy recommendations and providing capacity-building on government financial policy; and support the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development in reconstruction planning. Table 4: Summary of Funding Needs, as of 31 December 2008 Sector Health & Nutrition 3,400,000 Education 3,600,000 Water, Sanitation & Hygiene 1,965,650 Shelter 26,578 Child Protection 1,500,000 HIV/AIDS 450,000 Advocacy & Communications 550,000 Monitoring & Evaluation 600,000 TOTAL 12,092,228

20 UNICEF Consolidated Emergency Thematic Report Expression of Thanks UNICEF wishes to thank its donors, whose continued generosity makes possible the provision of significant assistance to the children and communities affected by emergencies in China. UNICEF undertakes to use these resources effectively and efficiently so as to make a positive difference for children and women in the years to come.