HUMANITARIAN APPEAL 2008
MID-YEAR REVIEW
2008 CONSOLIDATED APPEAL PROCESS (CAP)
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OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
During the first five months of 2008, the overall humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory continued to deteriorate, notwithstanding slight improvements in some sectors. The humanitarian situation is particularly desperate in the Gaza Strip, where the already fragile space for human rights and dignity is narrowing. Palestinians in Gaza are confronted with interference in their normal social and political lives and also daily degradations like reduced access to water, electricity, proper sanitation and garbage collection and adequate health care. They face increased violence and casualties, extended closures of crossings, severe limitations on basic supplies, shortages of spare parts, raw materials, and other commercial and agricultural supplies, and an overall economic contraction. The private sector is virtually paralysed and the physical and administrative divisions between Gaza and the West Bank and East Jerusalem remain in place.
Severe shortages of fuel and electricity due to Israeli restrictions, compounded by militant attacks on crossings, have exacerbated an already grave situation. Over 70% of households continue to be reliant on aid. There has also been a significant increase in Palestinian and Israeli casualties, including a major increase in child fatalities among Palestinians.
In the West Bank, the humanitarian situation was affected by a slight deterioration in internal freedom of movement, which was reflected, inter alia, by the increasing number of closure obstacles and the continuing restriction for Palestinians using key roads. However, some progress was made in specific areas, by the lifting of a few significant closures. Other factors affecting the situation in the West Bank are the drought and frost that occurred during last winter, and the increase in house demolitions during the first quarter of the year.
The fact that food prices have increased significantly since the beginning of 2008 has also exacerbated the humanitarian situation both in Gaza and the West Bank, in particular amongst the most vulnerable populations.
Direct Israeli-Palestinian talks aiming at achieving a peace treaty on all core issues in 2008 continued; however no breakthrough could be reported. The Palestinian Authority kept up its reform and development efforts, receiving strong backing from the international community.
Some measures were partially implemented to ease specific movement restrictions, and to improve the economic situation of the Palestinians. However, this development is unlikely to have a significant impact on humanitarian needs in the short term.
For the review of the CAP 2008, humanitarian needs in all sectors have been reassessed. The main conclusion is that the priority needs identified by the end of 2007 remain unchanged.
However, taking into account the factors outlined above, the Gaza Strip has been identified as an increasing priority in terms of delivery of humanitarian aid. This MYR has resulted in a reduction of the requested funding in six sectors and an increase in the Food Aid and Food Security, Child Protection and Coordination and Support Services sector. The overall request is now $448 million compared to the original requirement of $462 million (reduced by $15 million). The inability to deliver materials into Gaza, due to closure, necessitated a shift away from Job Creation projects towards direct Food Aid.
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Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) The CAP is a tool for aid organisations to jointly plan, coordinate, implement and monitor their response to disasters and emergencies, and to appeal for funds together instead of competitively. It is the forum for developing a strategic approach to humanitarian action, focusing on close cooperation between host governments, donors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, International Organization for Migration (IOM), and United Nations agencies. As such, it presents a snapshot of the situation and response plans, and is an inclusive and coordinated programme cycle of:
• Strategic planning leading to a Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP);
• Resource mobilisation leading to a Consolidated Appeal or a Flash Appeal;
• Coordinated programme implementation;
• Joint monitoring and evaluation;
• Revision, if necessary;
• Reporting on results.
The CHAP is the core of the CAP – a strategic plan for humanitarian response in a given country or region, including the following elements:
• A common analysis of the context in which humanitarian action takes place;
• An assessment of needs;
• Best, worst, and most likely scenarios;
• A clear statement of longer-term objectives and goals;
• Prioritised response plans, including a detailed mapping of projects to cover all needs;
• A framework for monitoring the strategy and revising it if necessary.
The CHAP is the core of a Consolidated Appeal or, when crises break out or natural disasters strike, a Flash Appeal. Under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator, and in consultation with host Governments and donors, the CHAP is developed at the field level by the Humanitarian Country Team. This team includes IASC members and standing invitees (UN agencies, the International Organization for Migration, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and NGOs that belong to ICVA, Interaction, or SCHR), but non-IASC members, such as national NGOs, can also be included. The Humanitarian Coordinator is responsible for the annual preparation of the consolidated appeal document. The document is launched globally near the end of each year to enhance advocacy and resource mobilisation. An update, known as the Mid-Year Review, is presented to donors the following July. Donors generally fund appealing agencies directly in response to project proposals listed in appeals. The Financial Tracking Service (FTS), managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is a database of appeal funding needs and worldwide donor contributions, and can be found on www.reliefweb.int/fts. In sum, the CAP is how aid agencies join forces to provide people in need the best available protection and assistance, on time. |
Document Sources: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Subject: Access and movement, Economic issues, Gaza Strip, Humanitarian relief
Publication Date: 16/07/2008