Inter-Office Memorandum

Protecting and Assisting Children and Women

in Extraordinary Circumstances

Southern Sudan 2010

Emergency Preparedness

and Response Plans (EPRP)

For maintaining preparedness and for planning a specific response

Working Document Updated Jan 2010/outputs reflected in AWP 2010

Table of Contents

Preparedness Framework – for maintaining preparedness

Introduction

Part I. Threat Analysis & Emergency Management Systems

1.  Overall Principles

2.  Emergency Profile

3.  Threat Analysis and Minimum Level of Readiness

4.  Emergency Management System

5.  Rapid Assessment

Part II. Sector and Operations plans by CCCs

-  Health & Nutrition

-  Water and sanitation

-  Education

-  Child protection

-  Communications/Fundraising

-  HIV and AIDS

-  Monitoring & Evaluation

-  Security

-  Human resources

-  IT and telecoms

-  Supplies and logistics

-  Finance and administration

Part III. Analysis & Summaries

1.  Partnership analysis

2.  Consolidated Preparedness activities

3.  Excel Worksheets on supply/costs (Health, Nutrition, WES, Education, Protection)

Introduction

This document is the emergency preparedness plan of UNICEF-Southern Sudan for the year 20010. It is the planning process that it represents, beyond the document itself, which is most important. This plan reflects the country-wide UNDAF and Humanitarian Work Plan already discussed and agreed upon by all agencies, as well as the UN cluster approach to major disasters which has been accepted globally. It represents the best efforts of UNICEF-Southern Sudan staff to ensure preparedness by attempting to anticipate possible threats/needs, establish a basis for standing readiness, and to define how the team will respond, individually and collaboratively.

OBJECTIVES: The overall objective of UNICEF’s emergency planning is that children and women’s survival and well-being (fulfilment of their basic rights) are assured in whatever emergency situations develop, according to the UN/UNICEF mandate.

DEFINITION: UNICEF defines situations an emergency as “a situation in which there is consensus that extraordinary action--beyond routine programmes and systems--is required to ensure the basic rights/survival and well-being of children and women,” (1996 EMOPS Board Paper).

FOCUS: Many different types of situations may be considered emergencies:

a) On-going quiet emergencies (e.g. economic crisis, absolute destitution, insufficient education, diarrhoeal disease, domestic violence);

b) “Natural” disasters (e.g., earthquake, volcano, hurricane, mudslide);

c) “Man-made” emergencies (e.g. conflict, civil unrest, governance crisis, ethnic/religious tensions);

d) Environmental hazards (e.g., toxic spills, water contamination, depot explosions);

e) Health threats (e.g., epidemics, acute malnutrition, STDs);

f) Protection emergencies (e.g., large-scale trafficking, abuse, forced labour).

This plan focuses specifically on the standing capacity the office maintains to respond initially to the sudden development of an emergency situation “to address the basic protection and assistance requirements of 50,000 persons for 6-8 weeks” but also to the ongoing chronic nature of small emergencies in Southern Sudan targeting 200,000 people in total who may be affected be emergencies in 2010.

STRATEGY: This plan reflects the integrated approach to emergency planning expected of all UNICEF Offices. Preparedness and response is seen as an integral part of the country programme, meaning that emergency preparedness and response is the responsibility of every staff member and section, not simply a specialised unit or programme.

PLANNING APPROACH: UNICEF plans it emergency response in three ways:

a.  For on-going emergencies, UNICEF’s usual programme planning approach is adopted: UNICEF may re-orient the country programme to incorporate crisis efforts.

b.  In preparation for sudden on-set emergencies, UNICEF establishes its emergency response plan annually with a review of the CCCs, the risk profile, its partner analysis and a restatement of the overall principles (sections 1, 2, 4 and 5 plus Annex A).

c.  When an emergency is already in sight (on the horizon), special contingency plans are required which identify and incorporate the collaborative actions required by the CO with partners, neighbouring country offices, the regional office and UNICEF HQ.

REVIEW/UP-DATE. This planning will be reviewed and up-dated at the end of each year as part of the end of year management and programme review exercises. Much more regular reviews of the consolidated preparedness actions will be an important aspect of the entire exercise.

1. Overall Principles

UNICEF’s Core Commitment to Children (CCCs)

UNICEF is committed in preparedness and response to the fulfilment of the practical actions required to achieve UNICEF’s CCCs, regarded as a mandatory, minimum, consideration in all emergencies. UNICEF’s planning and response are also guided by the following principles:

Three Fundamental Principles

The Humanitarian Imperative

§  To prevent and alleviate suffering; to protect life and health (improve human conditions); To ensure respect for human beings, and the right to receive / offer assistance.

Neutrality

§  Not to take sides in the hostilities / controversies based on political, racial, religious or ideological identity (non-partisanship / independence).

§  Transparency and openness are key issues to keep neutrality. Neutrality cannot mean non-action for an organization that has adopted a human rights approach. Defending human rights should not be seen as a partisan activity.

Impartiality (non-discrimination

§  Aid is delivered to all those who are suffering, the guiding principle is only their needs. Human rights are the basis and the framework for an assessment of needs.

§  This principle includes both the proportionality to need as well as the principle of non-discrimination.

Four Additional Principles

Do no / less harm

§  “Do no harm” or minimize the harm relief workers may be doing by being present/providing assistance

§  Need to take steps to minimize the harm when aid:

§  Is an instrument of war (denying access, attacking convoys).

§  Is an indirect part of the dynamics of the conflict (creates jobs, gives incomes in form of taxes).

§  Exacerbates the root causes of the conflict by securing “rebel” activities.

Accountability

§  Four stakeholders (beneficiary community; national/local authority; donor & aid agency)

§  International aid agencies are held accountable to both the beneficiary communities (needs for assistance & protection are met, with dignity) and the donors (assistance provided for the proposed purpose). Coordination among organizations is thus a key part of this principle.

§  National/local authorities are held accountable for the protection, safety and well-being of populations living in areas over which they claim control.

Participation of affected populations

§  Humanitarian action tends to look at short-term needs and forget the responsibilities to give sustainable aid in a way that realizes the right of affected populations to participate in decisions that affect their lives. It is, however, important to build on capacities in the affected population, and promote the participation of beneficiaries in all that we do.

Respect for culture & custom

§  Understanding local customs and traditions is important in carrying out our work, but also in understanding local values when connecting them to internationally recognized human rights. Some interventions require particular sensitivity to local customs.

§  While local culture / customs vary, human rights are universal and applicable to all human beings, no matter what the cultural setting, and must be paramount.

2. Emergency Profile 20010

UNICEF Overall Planning Figure for Response: 200,000

Situations potentially requiring extraordinary action from UNICEF

Likelihood

(5 = existing or certain) *

Potential Humanitarian Consequences

Potential Scale

Impact on UNICEF Operations

Political

Food Insecurity ANLA and Crop assessment reports indicate that between Nov 09 to august 2010 will be the period of food insecurity (assuming harvests are successful next year this will break the hunger period)

Conflict/violence (LRA/ Western Equatoria)

Health Outbreaks

Large Scale Conflict

3. Threat analysis and minimum level of readiness

Considering potential emergencies, needs and possible levels for UNICEF support, following is the basis for determining the minimum level of

emergency response capacity which will be maintained locally to ensure appropriate initial first response action while additional response is being mobilized

As of Nov 2009 (Contingency Supply Gaps are presented at AMT’s on Monthly basis) – January 2010 physical inventory ongoing and this will be updated accordingly