There has been a recent increase in efforts to integrate sexual and reproductive health into emergency and disaster risk management for health have yielded many lessons. These efforts take a non-linear path based on opportunities, honest reflection and iterative processes. Further, where response capacity is overwhelmed in spite of preparedness efforts, adaptability and flexibility are essential to continuous improvement.

Critical areas for successful integration include: advocacy, coordination and partnerships, capacity-building, leadership, ownership, inclusion of community and at-risk groups, resilient primary health care systems, and financing. Community capacity programs are needed, as well as evidence and tools to support them. A strong evidence base of best practices can prevent SRH from being sidelined at the community level, laying the groundwork for optimal response when crises occur.

This analysis reviews programs from Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, Macedonia, and Pakistan.

1. Rivers Flow Situation Reported by Flood Forecasting Division . Annex A .

2. Past Meteorological Situation and Future Forecast by PMD . Annex B .

3. Dam Levels Serial Reservoir s Max Conservation Level (Feet)
   Current Level (Feet) Percentage
   a. Tarbela 1,550.00 1,5 38.909.%
   b. Mangla 1,242.00,3 3.25 99.%

4. Significant Events .Nothing to Report.

5. Road Situatio n (NHA and Respective Provinces ) . All roads across the Country are clear for all types of traffic .

6. Railway Situation .Nothing to Report.

7. Preliminary Losses / Damages Reported . O verall details of losses / damages during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex C .

8. Relief Provided Overall details of relief provided during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex D .

9. Any Critical Activity to Report . Nothing to Report.

10. Any Recommendation .Nil.

HIGHLIGHTS AND STATISTICS

• Of the 4,700 new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants in Serbia, 86% were accommodated in governmental facilities, including 1,523 in the five Asylum Centres and 2,502 in Refugee Aid Points/Reception Centre. The rest were counted at the border with Hungary and in Belgrade city.

• As the number of asylum seekers camping in the open on Serbian soil waiting to be admitted into Hungarian “transit zones” continued to drop, now at some 230 (less than ¼ of its peak of 1,000 in July), at the same time, increased numbers are accommodated in government facilities.

• On 06 September, the 11th Partners’ Briefing in Belgrade took place, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, UNHCR and the UN Resident Coordinator, informed some 60 representatives of the diplomatic corps, donors and NGOs on recent developments, as well as current opportunities and challenges in the refugee/migration situation and the respective UN Country Team response.

• Three Afghan refugees departed Serbia after having been accepted for resettlement in Norway.

• 124 persons expressed their intent to seek asylum in Serbia, bringing the total for month of September to 328 and the whole year to 8,399.

Greece: Migrant Children Held in Deplorable Conditions

End Unjustified Detention of Vulnerable Unaccompanied Kids

(Athens) – Greek police routinely lock up unaccompanied children in small, overcrowded, and unhygienic cells for weeks and months, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today.

The 27-page report, “‘Why Are You Keeping Me Here?’: Unaccompanied Children Detained in Greece,” documents arbitrary and prolonged detention of children in violation of international and Greek law. Children are held in unsanitary conditions, sometimes with unrelated adults, in police stations and detention centers where they have little access to basic care and services. The report is based on interviews with 42 children who were or had been detained, as well as visits to two police stations and two detention centers in mainland Greece.

“Greece says it has to detain children for their own protection, but being locked up in cramped and filthy cells is the last thing these kids need,” said Rebecca Riddell, Europe fellow at Human Rights Watch. “We’re talking about kids who are all alone and who fled their countries, often to escape violence. Greece and the EU should do a better job giving these vulnerable children the care they need and deserve.”

Greek authorities registered more than 3,300 unaccompanied asylum-seeking and other migrant children arriving in Greece in the first seven months of 2016. While unaccompanied children should be referred to safe accommodation, Greece has a chronic shortage of space and detains children in so-called protective custody while they await space in the overburdened shelter system.

Greek law says unaccompanied children may be detained for 25 days pending transfer to a shelter, and for up to 45 days in very limited cases. Human Rights Watch found that children were often detained for longer than these already excessive periods, with an average stay of 40 days. “Javed S.,” a 16-year-old boy from Afghanistan who had been in police custody for 52 days, said, “The situation is very bad…I feel alone here, far from my family, from my friends…I need to get out of this hell.” Greek police detained 161 unaccompanied children in the first six months of 2016.

Children face extremely poor conditions. In some cases, they were made to live and sleep in overcrowded, filthy, bug- and vermin-infested cells, sometimes without mattresses, and were deprived of appropriate sanitation, hygiene, and privacy. Some were held with adults even though this increases the risk of abuse and sexual violence and violates international and national laws requiring the separation of adults from children in detention.

“I swear to God, I sleep next to rats,” a 15-year-old Algerian boy detained at the Amygdaleza detention center told us. Another boy, 17-year-old “Nawaz S.” said he was detained with unrelated adults: “I could not feel safe, because the other people [in the cell] were doing drugs… When they were fighting, of course I was scared and I couldn't sleep.”

Children also face ill-treatment by police. While most of the children interviewed did not report abuse, four children said they had been slapped or humiliated by police officers.

Children in police custody often have little or no access to counseling, information, and legal aid. Only one of the four facilities Human Rights Watch visited offered access to psychological care. None of the children we interviewed in police custody had been given access to an interpreter in order to speak to the police, and only one of the four facilities offered any access to books and games.

Many had fled violence and armed conflict, including in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. “Wasim T.,” a 16-year-old Kurdish boy from Iraq who was locked in a police cell, said he fled after Islamic State fighters (also known as ISIS) captured his hometown of Mosul and executed his father. The children traveled on their own to Europe or became separated from their families in transit.

Greece’s failure to provide accommodation for unaccompanied migrant children is achronic problem. Greek authorities have acknowledged the issue, but done far too little to effectively address the lack of accommodation.

The problem has grown more acute after significant arrivals by sea to Greek islands – more than 160,000 people arrived in the first seven months of 2016 – and border closures to the north, which have effectively trapped asylum seekers and migrants in Greece. According to the National Center for Social Solidarity, Greece has only 800 shelter spaces for unaccompanied children. As of August 11, 2016, all facilities were full with 1,472 requests for placement pending.

The EU’s emergency relocation plan, adopted in September 2015 and intended to move 66,400 asylum seekers from Greece to other EU countries, has provided little relief. As of September 2, only 49 unaccompanied children had been relocated. On an August visit to Greece, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, emphasized the need for EU member states to accelerate transfer of asylum seekers out of Greece, through family reunification and relocation. EU member states rejected a plea from Greece in June to make all unaccompanied children eligible for relocation, regardless of nationality.

Under international law, binding European directives, and national law, detention of unaccompanied children can be used only as a measure of last resort, in exceptional circumstances, and for the shortest appropriate period. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has said that children should not be detained solely because of their immigration status or on the basis of being unaccompanied.

The Greek government should ensure that there are sufficient and suitable alternatives to detention and end the unjustified detention of unaccompanied children. The European Commission should allocate earmarked emergency funding for placements for unaccompanied children in Greece. Greece and other EU member states should intensify efforts to transfer unaccompanied asylum-seeking children out of Greece, both under the EU relocation plan and through reunification with family members living in other EU countries.

“Greek authorities face real challenges because of the significant number of arrivals, but these don’t absolve Greece of its obligation to protect children who have fled violence, endured traumatic journeys, and are alone,” Riddell said. “If EU member states are serious about protecting vulnerable children, they should urgently move these children out of Greece and into member states.”

Quotes from the report:

“It is hard when I think about how many days I’ve been inside. There’s nothing to do. The only thing we do is think, talk to each other, and sleep. There’s no TV, no books, and the wall is black from the dirt…. [T]he water is too cold and we can’t shower.” – “Wasim T.,” a 16-year-old Kurdish boy who said he fled Mosul after his father was executed by ISIS, interviewed at a police station in Filiates.

“I had just woken up. I didn't have time to wash my face, so I was walking sleepily, and the police officer came and slapped me so hard it blinded me.” – “Roda A.,” a 17-year-old Syrian boy interviewed at the Paranesti detention center, said an officer slapped him in the course of hurrying him to a doctor’s appointment.

“We were just joking around in the cell. The police pulled me out, put me in a chair, and handcuffed my hands behind my back…. He has all the power. He could do anything to me. All of us, we’re each alone here. We don’t have anyone.” – “Adi S.,” a 17-year-old boy from Pakistan interviewed at the Amygdaleza detention center, said an officer scared and humiliated him in front of other detainees.

“I could not feel safe, because the other people [in the cell] were doing drugs…Police were sleeping, doing whatever they wanted. Fights would break out every few hours. The police just came and watched the fights and then left…. When they were fighting, of course I was scared and I couldn't sleep.” – “Nawaz S.,” a 17-year-old boy from Pakistan, interviewed at the Amygdaleza detention center where he said he was transferred after being detained for two months in a crowded police station cell along with adults.

Flooding risks remain in East and West Africa, while rainfall deficits increase in Ethiopia and Uganda

About Weather Hazards

The Global Weather Hazards report anticipates severe weather or climate events in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Central Asia. This product provides maps with current weather and climate information; short and medium range weather forecasts (up to one week); and the potential impact on crop and pasture conditions. It does not reflect long range forecasts or food security conditions.

Africa Weather Hazards

1. Persistent, aboveaverage rainfall since July has led to excessive rainfall surpluses and floods that have damaged infrastructure, displaced populations and caused fatalities in parts of Sudan, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.

2. There is a potential for increased number of locusts migrating from the Arabian Peninsula which may negatively impact cropping activities.

3. Below-average seasonal rainfall and persistent moisture deficits in the region have negatively impacted developing crops across parts of eastern Oromia and SNNPR in Ethiopia.

4. Low and poorly distributed seasonal rainfall across parts of central Senegal have led to strengthening moisture deficits and deteriorating ground conditions.

5. Heavy and frequent rain over the past several weeks has led to substantial rainfall surpluses and flooding along the Niger and Benue Rivers in Nigeria. Enhanced rainfall is forecast across central Nigeria, sustaining the risk for flooding through early September.

Central America and the Caribbean Weather Hazards

1. Below-average rainfall over the past several weeks has led to growing rainfall deficits and abnormal dryness throughout much of Haiti and neighboring western Dominican Republic.

Afghanistan - Hundreds of thousands of people are crossing into Afghanistan from Pakistan, prompting warnings of a major humanitarian crisis. As many as 600,000 Afghans – registered refugees and undocumented returnees – will return to Afghanistan before the end of the year with another 400,000 on the move within the country, according to IOM and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Unprecedented numbers of Afghans are fleeing increased incidents of violence, arbitrary arrest, detention and other forms of harassment. Given as little as 48 hours to leave, they are hard pressed to sell off assets and pack up their homes and possessions. In some instances people arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs. They are entering a country wracked by violence, at the peak of the annual surge in conflict, which together with the imminent onset of winter makes them especially vulnerable.

“We cannot overestimate the seriousness of this situation,” said IOM Chief of Mission and Special Envoy to Afghanistan, Laurence Hart, this week, in the wake of a visit to the border crossing point of Turkham, where IOM is providing immediate post-arrival assistance to the tens of thousands of new arrivals.

“The situation is dire and we expect it to become far worse as winter approaches,” Hart added. “These people are between a rock and a hard place. They have nowhere else to go. They have already lost everything and now they are entering a country in conflict, as the winter is about to hit, and they are seeking protection from a Government and the international community that is stretched thin trying to cope with existing needs.”

On Wednesday (07/09), the UN issued a Flash Appeal for USD 150 million to cover shelter, health and food needs for the next three months.

Right now, IOM is caring for 100 families per day, moving them from the border crossing to a transit camp it runs three kilometres away. The neediest are given hot meals, a shower, and access to medical care. After a night’s rest they are provided between USD 20 and USD 50 per person for onward transport to their final destinations.

At the transit camp, IOM staff provide basic medical care, including tuberculosis (TB) screening, aid packages, and referral services for unaccompanied minors, those with mental health issues and special needs.

“We only have the resources to reach one in five of those in need,” Hart stressed. “We urgently need to scale up everything we are doing, from the size and capacity of the camp, to our staffing and the material and medical support we can give people. There is a critical need to get more staff on the ground, particularly women as many new returnees are female-headed families who need special care and protection.”

There are fears that informal settlements will become long-lasting camps for internally displaced persons as an estimated 90 per cent of returnees are settling in Nangarhar, near Jalalabad city where the winter is milder. The Government and its humanitarian partners are working to find solutions ahead of another anticipated surge after the mid-September Eid holidays and a 15 November deadline for all Afghans in Pakistan to acquire a machine readable passport and valid visa.

IOM will release its detailed response plan in the coming days.

For further information please contact Nick Bishop, IOM Afghanistan on +93 79 444 59 48; Email nbishop@iom.int

When food prices spiked in 2008, the international price of basic food items peaked at unprecedented levels, bringing a wave of food riots in low-income countries. Subsequent price volatility had huge impacts on millions of people who struggled to feed their families nutritiously. Life in a Time of Food Price Volatility was a real-time investigation by IDS and Oxfam of the experiences of people on low and uncertain incomes as they made dramatic adjustments to their place in the global economy in the wake of the food and financial crises that began in 2007.

This is the final report from four years of research in 10 countries, from yearly visits to 23 urban and rural communities and analysis of national and international food data. It finds that

• as people worked harder and longer and migrated to find work, more turned to convenience fast food, particularly unhealthy processed items – a more ‘Westernized’ diet

• people in all communities had concerns about food safety and quality. Many called for regulation to protect children from the marketing strategies that encourage poor eating habits from the earliest years

• the impact was particularly great for women, who are working harder – especially in informal employment – while maintaining the household and caring for children. Their time and energy are being squeezed as never before.

1. Rivers Flow Situation Reported by Flood Forecasting Division . Annex A .

2. Past Meteorological Situation and Future Forecast by PMD . Annex B .

3. Dam Levels Serial Reservoir s Max Conservation Level (Feet)
   Current Level (Feet) Percentage
   a. Tarbela 1,550.00 1,550.00. 99.2.%
   b. Mangla 1,242.00, 1,232.35 99.2%

4. Significant Events .Nothing to Report.

5. Road Situatio n (NHA and Respective Provinces ) . All roads across the Country are clear for all types of traffic .

6. Railway Situation .Nothing to Report.

7. Preliminary Losses / Damages Reported . O verall details of losses / damages during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex C .

8. Relief Provided Overall details of relief provided during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex D .

9. Any Critical Activity to Report . Nothing to Report.

10. Any Recommendation .Nil.

Key messages

↗ Ample supplies and improved production prospects kept cereal prices generally under downward pressure. Maize and rice quotations fell the most, while high quality wheat prices firmed on strong demand.

↗ In Africa, food prices in South Sudan declined in August although they remained high, while in Nigeria the weak currency continued to underpin prices. In Southern Africa, decreasing maize quotations in South Africa eased prices in importing countries.

↗ In Asia, domestic prices of rice weakened in the main exporting countries in August, particularly in Thailand, amid mostly favourable prospects for the 2016 paddy crops and overall sluggish export demand.

↗ In South America, domestic prices of yellow maize in Argentina fell significantly from their record highs as a result of ample supplies from the recently-completed 2016 harvest, while they generally increased elsewhere due to an anticipated decline in this year’s outputs.

Introduction

Education is a basic human right, enshrined in both the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. And during times of displacement, education plays an additional, crucial role in fostering social cohesion, addressing psychosocial needs, and providing a safe and stable environment for those who need it most.

Yet globally it is estimated that only 50 per cent of refugee children of primary-school age are actually in school, a number that drops to 25 per cent for adolescent refugees in secondary school. Indeed, refugee children and adolescents are five times more likely to be out of school than their non-refugee peers. Continued, sustainable access to quality education thus remains a key concern for the roughly eight million refugees under UNHCR’s mandate who are under 18 years of age.

Compounding the challenge of addressing these vast needs are the diverse contexts in which they arise, from unfolding emergencies to protracted situations. Eighty-six per cent of all refugees are hosted in developing countries, some of which are confronting institutional challenges in their education systems and have limited capacity to support new populations. Behind global averages, there are significant differences among countries, but the fact remains: far too many refugees are excluded from an education, compromising the future of entire generations.

Through its global “2012 – 2016 Education Strategy” and country-level education strategies, UNHCR supports the provision of refugee education as a core element of its mandate to ensure protection and durable solutions for people of concern. Partnering with governments and international and national non-governmental organizations, UNHCR seeks to integrate refugee learners within national systems wherever possible and appropriate.

Focusing on 16 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East – which collectively host 2.1 million refugee children of school-age (5-17 years), an estimated 57 per cent of whom are out of school – this document highlights targeted activities and requirements that could enable tens of thousands of refugee children to enrol in school during the upcoming academic year. These activities also seek to support retention of currently enrolled students; redress classroom over-crowding and a lack of qualified teachers; provide critical learning materials; and generally contribute to a safe and protective learning environment for all students. In some instances, especially where refugees are living in host communities, these activities will enhance the learning experience of host community students as well.

This information is drawn from UNHCR’s 2016 budget, as presented in the 2016-2017 Global Appeal and subsequent supplemental appeals approved by the Executive Committee. The requirements outlined correspond to existing unfunded needs for activities which UNHCR could reasonably implement by the end of this year. Individual chapters provide an overview of the refugee and education context in each of the 16 countries, followed by a description of critical challenges and proposed activities. The table that follows specifies remaining funding requirements for planned activities, providing relevant performance indicators, comparably 2015 year-end results (where applicable), and output targets for the activities by year-end 2016. 10 August 2016

Every year around the world, more than 250,000 people suffer spinal cord injuries that can cause total or partial paralysis of the limbs and trunk.

“In more than nine out of ten cases, the causes of these injuries—road traffic accidents, falls, or acts of violence—are preventable, and they can lead to serious disabilities, or even premature death,” explains Eric Weerts, Handicap International’s emergency and rehabilitation expert. “People with disabilities need to overcome multiple challenges, dealing with rehabilitation care access, which is not always of a high standard, education or employment, and social inclusion. They also need to deal with the trauma of their accident: in many cases, the people affected suddenly find themselves disabled. It’s very hard for them and their friends and family to accept it.”

Handicap International has been working with people with spinal injuries since 1989. At the request of national health authorities, Handicap International sets up adapted care systems to provide people with spinal cord injuries with rehabilitation sessions and psychosocial support, both for the injured and their families, and to promote their inclusion in society. The organization also raises the awareness of spinal cord care providers in order to strengthen the inclusion of people with disabilities in society.

“We conduct risk prevention actions to help people avoid accidents that cause spinal cord injuries, and their consequences. For instance we have been training former road accident victims with spinal cord injuries to raise the awareness of students on road safety issues,” explains Eric.

Handicap International, in partnership with International Spinal Cord Society (ISCOS), also responds in emergency and conflict situations: “Too often, we find that basic civil protection standards are not applied in war zones. In addition to common injuries, such as fractures, many civilian victims of attacks suffer spinal cord injuries. Many people with disabilities do not benefit from appropriate care-management, and their immediate needs, such as health and rehabilitation, or their more complex requirements, like pain management, incontinence and loss of mobility, are not met. We are currently working to determine care-management standards criteria for the most vulnerable people in emergency situations. This is one of our priorities,” explains Eric.

Handicap International has provided rehabilitation care for people with spinal cord injuries following earthquakes in Turkey, Pakistan, China, Haiti, and Nepal, strengthened their social inclusion and ensured they are included in the reconstruction process. These efforts include enforcing their right to financial compensation and ensuring the accessibility of their homes. The organization has also raised awareness of humanitarian actors to ensure their services are accessible to people with spinal cord injuries.

Handicap International has more than 25 years of experience in setting up rehabilitation centers for people with spinal cord injuries and the care-management of victims. These initiatives include the establishment of rehabilitation centers for people with spinal cord injuries in Battambang, Cambodia and in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

To increase the autonomy of local teams, Handicap International trains health actors to provide care to people with spinal cord injuries and to open appropriate centers. In Vietnam, the organization has created a national spinal cord injury care-management program in Ho Chi Minh City, which includes nine rehabilitation centers. This program is part of the national health policy in partnership with the National Rehabilitation Centre in Bach Mai hospital in Hanoi. This model, developed in conjunction with the Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCON), aims at decentralizing care to make it accessible for all and has provided Vietnam’s neighbors with both a model to follow and an important technical resource.

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Friday granted a further three-month extension to the stay of registered Afghan refugees in the country, permitting them to live in Pakistan till March 31, 2017.

“The cabinet while deliberating on agenda item on Extension of the Proof of Registration (PoR) Cards and Tripartite Agreement in respect of Registered Afghan Refugees approved the extension till 31st March 2017,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement after the meeting.

The government had earlier in June extended the stay of PoR card-holding Afghan refugees till Dec 31, 2016.

The latest extension has, unlike in the past, come well ahead of the expiry of the deadline for repatriation of refugees. This is the third extension in the deadline since the government last year in the aftermath of the Army Public School tragedy decided to repatriate the remaining Afghan refugees by Dec 31, 2015. The deadline was first extended till June 30 and then till Dec 31, 2016.

It is estimated that some three million Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan, half of whom are unregistered.

“Adequate and concrete steps will be ensured for facilitation of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan,” Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said at the cabinet meeting.

The latest extension will ease pressure on refugees planning to return home. The refugees had requested further extension in stay citing difficulties in wrapping up their businesses and leaving within the Dec 31, 2016 deadline.

Uncertainty about future, tightening of border controls, and security crackdown against foreigners living in Pakistan have already sped up the return process despite deteriorating security in Afghanistan due to increased attacks by Taliban and an aggravating economy. The main factor driving the accelerated process is, however, said to be the documentation requirement for visits to Afghanistan. Doubling of cash grant by the UNHCR for voluntary returnees from $200 to $400 per individual and Pakistani incentive of free wheat for the relocated camps for three years are some of the other factors.

According to UNHCR estimates, around 100,000 refugees returned to Afghanistan over the past couple of months, which is the highest number of returns since Taliban were ousted from power in the war-torn country.

Easing refugees concerns about harassment by law enforcement agencies, PM Sharif said: “We would not allow Afghan refugees living in Pakistan to be harassed in any way. They are our guests and their return plans would be decided in a way that does not create any negative impression in the minds of people living on both sides of the border.”

Besides, harassment by law enforcement agencies, there are reports about increased negative attitudes of the community towards refugees due to involvement of some of them in the crime and terrorism.

Mr Sharif, therefore, directed the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions to hold broad-based consultations with the leadership of mainstream political parties and Afghan representatives for addressing the concerns of Afghan refugees.

Published in Dawn September 10th, 2016

QUETTA: Around 1.8 million children are out of school in Balochistan as efforts continue to ensure greater enrolment in school, a seminar on non-formal education was told on Friday.

Speakers at the seminar expressed concern about the low literacy rate and increasing drop out rate.

The provincial education minister, Rahim Ziaratwal while speaking at the seminar revealed that 60 per cent of children quit education by the time they reach the primary and middle school level, whereas 45pc of students leave schooling prior to completion of their Matriculation.

"The increasing drop out rate of children is a major problem for the education department," the minister lamented.

In Balochistan, more than 5,000 government-run primary schools are single-room and single-teacher schools.

The plight of these schools in rural Balochistan is miserable, with single room schools across the province shelter-less with no basic facilities such as clean drinking water and toilets for the children. "We have written a letter to the prime minister to support us in providing basic facilities to schools", Mr Ziaratwal said.

In an attempt to improve the literacy rate in the province, the government decided to establish literacy centres.

According to statistics provided by the non-formal section of the education department, 4,500 children will be enrolled at literacy centres being established at Ziarat, Sibi, Zhob, Bolan and other parts of Balochistan.

The American Refugee Committee (ARC), an international organisation, has also assured to establish 1,000 literacy centres for promotion of literacy rate in Balochistan. Out-of-school children would be enrolled in these centres, the document said.

"An educated society is our goal", Speaker Balochistan Assembly Raheela Durrani told the seminar.

She vowed to continue her efforts for provision of education to kids of marginalised and poor families in the province.

In Balochistan, the number of government-run primary, middle and high schools is greater than 13,000.

However, education department sources say that thousands of ghost teachers and schools remain in the province.

"A hundred schools have yet to be traced out in Quetta alone," Secretary Education Balochistan Dr Omar Babar said.

Significant Events. Nothing to Report.

Road Situation (NHA and Respective Provinces). All roads across the Country are clear for all types of traffic.

Railway Situation. Nothing to Report.

Preliminary Losses / Damages Reported.

Overall details of losses / damages during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex C.

Relief Provided Overall details of relief provided during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex D.

Any Critical Activity to Report. Nothing to Report. 10. Any Recommendation. Nil.

A Flash Flood was reported in Village Palam, Tehsil Bahrain, District Swat, KP on 10 September 2016 at 2000 hours. Flash flood resulted into 3 x Deaths, 1 x Minor Injury while 2 x Persons are missing. It also partially damaged 5 x Houses.

Road Situation (NHA and Respective Provinces)

a. Road Chakdara – Kalam (N-95) blocked last night during flash flooding near Madian (Km 83-85) was reopened on 11 September 2016 by 1000 hours.

b. All other roads across the Country are clear for all types of traffic.

Railway Situation. Nothing to Report.

Preliminary Losses / Damages Reported

a. 3 x Deaths, 1 x Minor Injury, 2 x Persons missing while 5 x Partially damaged houses were reported due to a flash flood in District Swat, KP on 10 September 2016.

b. Overall details of losses / damages during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex C.

Relief Provided Overall details of relief provided during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex D.

Any Critical Activity to Report. Nothing to Report.

Any Recommendation. Nil.

Highlights

• Cluster plans to extend education services to 204,000 children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA in 2016.

• At the end of June 2016, the Education cluster reached 98,244 children (of which 46,500 girls) in camps, offcamps, and in areas of return.

• Cluster members trained 1,584 teachers of which 596 female teachers.

• Psychosocial sessions were conducted for 9,796 children in IDP hosting areas and areas of return: 4,443 girls and 5,353 boys.

Situation Overview:

Return figures reached 50,995 families by June 2016. 17,542 families returned to NWA; 8,443 to Khyber Agency; 9,250 to South Waziristan Agency; 13,939 to Kurram Agency and 1,821 to Orakzai Agency. In total, 328,727 families have returned to their areas of origin since 2010. With major return of 26% to Khyber Agency, 22% Bajaur Agency, 15% NWA, 12% Kurram, 11% Mohmand, 9% SWA, 4% Orakzai and 1% to Tank. The number of families’ returned to FATA is reflected in the above graph. Some 141,008 families are still displaced, of which 227 families are in Jalozai camp and 140,781 are residing in hosting districts of DIKhan, Hangu, Khyber Agencies, Nowshera, Tank and Bannu.

Of the total displaced families 38% are from NWA, 33% SWA; 15% Orakzai; 9% Khyber agency and 5% from Kurram agency and FR Tank. According to the recent reports, the Government plans to send all IDPs to the areas of origin by the end of 2016.

There is need to increase focus in areas of return, as 50,995 families returned in first half of 2016. Temporary Learning Centers has been the quickest solution during emergencies. However, in support of Sustainable Return and Rehabilitation Strategy of FATA; Education Cluster is focusing on Transitional School Structures in areas of return. Education Cluster has been realizing the importance of DRR and preparedness, and will invest time and efforts in this area in the second half of the year.

Significant Events.
Dead bodies of 2 x Missing Persons in flash flood of Village Palam, Tehsil Bahrain, District Swat, KP on 10 September 2016 were recovered.

Road Situation (NHA and Respective Provinces).
All roads across the Country are clear for all types of traffic.

Railway Situation. Nothing to Report.

Preliminary Losses / Damages Reported

a. Flash flood of Village Palam, Tehsil Bahrain, District Swat, KP on 10 September 2016 claimed 5 x Deaths (1 x Male, 2 x Female, 2 x Children) while 4 x Houses partially and 9 x Houses were fully damaged.

b. Overall details of losses / damages during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex C.

Relief Provided

a. 16 x Tents, 16 x Blankets and 750 Kgs of food items were distributed to flood affected families of Village Palam, Tehsil Bahrain, District Swat, KP on 11 September 2016 by PDMA KP.

b. Overall details of relief provided during Monsoon Season 2016 are at Annex D.

Voice of America (VOA) organized a three days sensitization and orientation workshop for journalists from Afghanistan and Pakistan for covering polio related news stories and features for public consumption.

Key partners in polio eradication program in Pakistan including CDC, UNICEF and WHO provided the technical support for conducting this workshop. Focus of the workshop was to discuss various issues related to anti-polio program, vaccination, need for awareness raising among communities, role of journalists and coverage of child health related issues. Journalists from various media outlets of Afghanistan and Pakistan including VOA Deewa Radio, VOA Ashna Radio, Mashal Radio, Azadi Radio, Radio TNN, Express Tribune and Channel 24 participated in the event.

During the three days workshop number of sessions were held to understand the media coverage of polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan; challenges, opportunities and strategy for covering polio news in Afghanistan and Pakistan; Working in hostile environment; Sensitizing parents, caregivers and communities to covert zero doze/missed children; accessing polio campaign data; confirming and reporting polio cases and polio related security incidents; Changing the stereotypes about polio in high risk regions; audio/video profiling of polio survivors; Success stories on combating polio in other countries/regions and contribution of media in the success; importance of audio-video dramas; and need for coverage of polio news on digital platforms.

VOA Ashna Radio team lead Ibrahim Rahimi says ‘I wish, as like rest of the world, we also succeed in eradicating polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan in near future. Media has important role in polio eradicating efforts. In this training we tried to inform and develop skills of participating journalists so that they could prove effective once they are in field while reporting about anti-polio endeavors’.

One of the participating radio journalist from Radio Azadi Afghanistan, Khan Mohammad Seend shared that ‘Although we knew about the crippling disease of polio but after this training workshop we understood how important it is to eradicate it, since polio virus could harm many. It is common problem that needed to be tackled.’

By Raheel Khan

FR Bannu: Heat, humidity and hard terrain seems to have been taken out of equation by the valiant female Sehat Muhafizvaccinators in Southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Southern-most FR Bannu as they vigilantlykept on tracking the missed children to ensure that polio virus is defeated in one of its last resorts in the country.

Fehmida, Zainab Bibi and Najiacarry out their daily work in the streets of Gorbaz Campin FR Bannuset up for Temporary Displaced Persons (TDPs)from North Waziristan. Fehmida isthe area supervisor for Gorbaz camp while Zainab Bibi and Najiago around to capture the number of children living in these camps. They have vaccinated 1, 044 children during the recent campaign which is 100 % of the target.

Fehmida, a graduate of the Bannu University, is working with the programme since January, 2016. Terming community response to vaccination as positive, she says that they just need to be informed about the importance of protecting their children against polio. “When I visit households in the camp I always emphasise the importance of vaccinating children with polio drops and routine immunization, which can help save children from dangerous diseases”.

She adds that now people do understand that polio is a very dangerous disease which can cause life long suffering. She explains that most of the children are vaccinated during the campaign but “I amkeener on finding missed children and alerting their parents to never let their children miss vaccination and if missed in the campaign they should look for teams and vaccinate their child as this the only way to protect their children and the entire community against polio.”

Fehmida is happy that there is no polio cases in her area and she says that she really felt proud when she conducted her first awareness session and answered all questions, helping the community cast aside misconceptions.

Najia holds a bachelor degree in Humanities, and was a school teacher in her home town in Mir Ali (North Waziristan) before joining Sehat Muhafiz teams in January this year.She says that most of the community members respect them but then there are some people who still need to be enlightened about the benefits of vaccines for their children.“We learned at the communication skills training the art of managing challenges at to overcome such hurdles and achieve our goal of vaccinating each and every child present in the camp.” Says saysNajia. “My family was reluctant to allow me take this job but I convinced them that my service is going to be for the good of entire community.”

Zainab Bibi says that now the families realize the nature of our work and have started giving us respect as well as access to their children for vaccination. “People from North Waziristan are tough and difficult to deal with but we are from among them, we speak their language and dialect and they trust us, at times they could be challenging but now we know them and they know us so it helps seal the deal – vaccinating the children with polio drops.”

The biggest challenge is to work in a society who don’t want to see women outside their homes, but these frontline vaccinators are braving all the odds to carry on with their responsibility of vaccinating children.

The three ladies are confident that one day Pakistan will be polio free as they are working to vaccinate every child in each campaign without missing a single one.