SRI LANKA MEMBER ACTIVITY REPORT A Guide to Humanitarian and Development Efforts of InterAction Member Agencies in Sri Lanka July 2010
Photo: Save the Children
Produced by Daysha Hampton With the Humanitarian Policy and Practice Team, InterAction And with the support of a cooperative agreement with USAID/OFDA 1400 16th Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 667-8227, Fax (202) 667-8236 www.interaction.org
ABOUT US InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) focused on the world’s poor and most vulnerable people. At InterAction, we recognize that our global challenges are interconnected and that we can’t tackle any of them without addressing all of them. That’s why we create a forum for leading NGOs, global thought leaders and policymakers to address our challenges collectively. Leveraging our shared expertise, on-the-ground insights from our 190 member organizations and strategic analyses of the foreign aid budget, we deliver a bold, new agenda to end global poverty and deliver humanitarian aid in every developing country. Principles of the InterAction Alliance We believe that we all have a role to play. Our world’s interconnected challenges demand that we each contribute our unique insights to shape a bold agenda that promotes human dignity and well-being for all. We believe today’s challenges require new solutions. Our collaboration will bring about the innovative solutions we need to confront global challenges and achieve global prosperity. We believe that human stories must give way to a new agenda. Our solutions must be rooted in our grassroots expertise, bringing human stories and personal experiences to the halls of power. We believe all our actions must be rooted in interaction. In a world of porous borders and converging sectors, we must leverage our collective actions and experience for a more just world.
Humanitarian Policy and Practice Team InterAction 1400 16th Street, NW, Suite 210 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 667-8227 (202) 667-8236 www.interaction.org
© Copyright InterAction July 2010
2
CONTENTS Map of Sri Lanka 4 Report Summary 5 Humanitarian Situation and Background 6 By Sector of Activity 8 Glossary of Acronyms 9 American Red Cross 10 International Medical Health Organization 13 Lutheran World Relief 15 Save the Children 17 Solidarity Center 18 United Methodist Committee on Relief 19 World Vision 20
3
MAP OF SRI LANKA
Map courtesy of United Nations Cartographic Section. Available online at: http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/srilanka.pdf.
4
REPORT SUMMARY This report chronicles the activities of seven InterAction member agencies in Sri Lanka. InterAction members work in a variety of sectors, including primary health care, emergency response, agriculture, food security, water and sanitation, displaced populations, education, and livelihoods. While some members work on post-tsunami programming, others have focused their work on the humanitarian crisis caused by the conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE). Although the conflict ended in May 2009, Sri Lanka continues to suffer the reverberations of a civil war that lasted over 25 years. InterAction members are responding to the needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern and eastern Sri Lanka by providing food, water, shelter, child protection services, and other aid items to marginalized populations. Recent waves of returnees have further amplified the need for NGOs to provide basic social services in Sri Lanka. Some member organizations are meeting the needs of returning residents of the country’s northern districts; these districts were heavily affected by the civil war. Work is also being done to respond to returnees who are being relocated to tertiary locations. Despite challenges accessing displaced communities, members have shown impressive coordination in responding to the humanitarian crisis through a range of activities, such as providing psychosocial rehabilitation and mental health services for resettled IDPs. In a country that has yet to recover from the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, creative and sustainable programs are needed more than ever. There has been continued violence over the past year, which has led to an increase in the numbers of IDPs seeking shelter, clean water and basic economic resources. With security concerns and limited access to these populations, members are having trouble maintaining staff and operations in the North and East, where the need for these programs is great. Land mines all over the north of the country also present a challenge, continuing to prevent displaced people from returning home. The most recent report on the work of InterAction members in Sri Lanka was the Tsunami Accountability Report, produced in December 2006. This report contains information on programs, funding, and partnerships with and for Sri Lankans since that time. In the past several years, members have transitioned from disaster response programs to a mix of humanitarian and longer-term development programs. Some members have focused almost exclusively on housing construction, while others have responded to the mental, physical and emotional needs of Sri Lankan children. A number of vocational, educational, and community centers have been renovated and reconstructed, while capacity-building remains one of the foremost strategic goals. In the following pages, this Member Activity Report describes the relief and development efforts of InterAction member agencies in Sri Lanka from December 2006 through June 2010. Member submissions detail the type of assistance provided, geographic location of activity, partners, funding and special concerns of the organization.
5
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND BACKGROUND The conflict between the government of Sri Lanka and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) raged for 26 years. With its victory over the LTTE in the north in May, the government has announced an end to military operations against the LTTE. The conflict began with an outbreak of communal violence between the island’s Sinhala majority and the Tamil minority and was exacerbated by ethnic tensions and significant economic disparities along ethnic and geographic fault lines. The LTTE was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 1997. Both sides have been accused of human rights violations and a disregard for the protection of civilians. Several attempts at a negotiated settlement were made during the war years. A cease fire reached in 2002 largely held until the election in November 2005 when President Mahinda Rajapaksa ran on a platform of defeating the Tigers militarily. After a period of rising tensions, with both parties committing provocations, the ceasefire was subsequently abandoned with a return to open warfare and acts of terrorism. In 2006, seventeen workers from the aid organization Action Contre la Faim were murdered in the eastern region. A national investigating commission, the “Commission of Inquiry” was established to investigate this and some other cases of alleged serious human rights violations. However, the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons charged with monitoring and reporting on the Commission’s work decided to terminate its operations in Sri Lanka in March 2008, citing a lack of government cooperation in carrying out a transparent and comprehensive investigation. After a hard-fought campaign that displaced close to 200,000 civilians, the government re-established control over Tamil areas in the eastern part of the country in 2007. A military offensive launched in 2008 against rebel strongholds in the north ended with a government victory in May of 2009. The recent fighting in the north has devastated communities, killed or permanently disabled thousands of civilians and left hundreds of thousands displaced. The LTTE used civilians as human shields and the government generally ignored calls from the international community for humanitarian ceasefires to allow aid to reach those at risk. At the height of the government’s military offensive, it declared certain areas off limits to virtually all humanitarian organizations, including UN agencies, and to journalists. In other conflict-affected areas, access was limited and irregular. Reports from the conflict zone indicated that the civilian population suffered severely from military bombardment, widespread human rights violations by both sides, and a lack of food, water, shelter and medical assistance. Reports during the fighting indicated that IDP camps run by the government also did not offer adequate protection or services. As this paper was being prepared in June, conditions remained very poor. Freedom of movement continued to be restricted for those held inside the camp. There were also reports of disappearances at registration points and from the camps themselves, including the disappearance of children, which if true is a repetition of circumstances that prevailed in the East at the end of the military campaign in that region. Humanitarian organizations also report that family reunification efforts are too slow. Tens of thousands of unaccompanied children who have fled the conflict zones are in need of adequate protection. There are also serious concerns about the fate of former child soldiers conscripted by the LTTE and about reports of abductions by paramilitary groups inside and outside IDP camps. Food, water and sanitation also fall short of international standards. Meanwhile, in the eastern part of the country, an uneasy peace prevails. Tensions remain high over land and political power. Many formerly displaced persons are still unable to resume their livelihood. There have been outbreaks of violence within and among factions, and concerns have been raised about impunity for killings and disappearances, many at the hands of government forces or the supporters. And there are disturbing reports indicating ongoing recruitment and re-recruitment of children by paramilitary groups in the eastern districts of Batticaloa and Trincomalee. During the recent phases of the conflict, the U.S. repeatedly expressed its concerns about the humanitarian and human rights situation in the country. The Millennium Challenge Corporation suspended more than $11 million intended for Sri Lanka in FY 2008 because of deteriorations in security and concerns about the government’s human rights record. At the same time, however, concerns have been raised that U.S. bilateral security assistance for military training and equipment may contribute to violence against civilians.
6
With the cessation of fighting in the north, there is an opportunity for the Sri Lankan government to chart a new course for the country. Unfortunately, initial responses by the government, including the indefinite extension of emergency and the resistance to call for open and independent investigations of human rights violations, are not encouraging. The immediate imperative is to ensure that the human rights of all displaced persons in the north are fully protected and that humanitarian assistance reaches those in urgent need. In the short term, the U.S. and international community should join together to hold Sri Lanka accountable for its adherence to the internationally accepted Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. The Sri Lankan government should also be pressed to begun quickly to undertake a long-term national reconciliation and development effort that fully engages minority communities throughout the country and addresses their legitimate political and economic aspirations. The U.S. and international community should stand ready to make diplomatic intervention and to provide the needed external resources in order to encourage the Sri Lankan government to choose reconciliation and development.
7
BY SECTOR OF ACTIVITY Child Protection Save the Children Solidarity Center World Vision
Health Care ADRA American Red Cross IMHO World Vision
Community Development UMCOR
Internally Displaced Persons American Red Cross UMCOR
Conflict Resolution LWR
Livelihood Activities American Red Cross LWR Mercy Corps Oxfam America UMCOR
Disaster and Emergency Relief American Red Cross IMC Oxfam America Education and Training IMC Solidarity Center
Reconstruction Oxfam America
Gender/ Women in Development IMC LWR
Water and Sanitation American Red Cross Oxfam America World Vision
8
GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS CBOs: Community-Based Organizations CIDA: Canadian International Development Agency CRC: Children’s Charter of the United Nations DFID: Department for International Development FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization GoSL: Government of Sri Lanka HIV/AIDS: Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross IDPs: Internally Displaced Persons INGOs: International Non-governmental Organizations IOM: International Organization for Migration LNGOs: Local Non-governmental Organizations LTTE: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam MoE: Ministry of Education MoH: Ministry of Health MoU: Memorandum of Understanding NGOs: Non-governmental Organizations OCHA: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OFDA: Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance SLRCS: Sri Lanka Red Cross Society UNDP: United Nations Development Program UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF: United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund USAID: United States Agency for International Development USG: United States Government YMCA: Young Men’s Christian Association
9
AMERICAN RED CROSS US Contact Eric Porterfield Communications and Media Officer 2025 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 (202) 303-4194 porterfielde@usa.redcross.org INTRODUCTION In addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; support and comfort for military members and their families; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs that promote health and safety; and international relief and development programs.
Photo: American Red Cross
AMERICAN RED CROSS IN SRI LANKA Over the past five years, the American Red Cross has participated in emergency relief and long-term recovery operations in communities affected by the 2004 tsunami throughout Sri Lanka. The mission of the American Red Cross Tsunami Recovery Program in Sri Lanka is to build on the strengths of communities, the global Red Cross network and other partners to restore and improve the lives of tsunami-affected people. The American Red Cross strategy focuses on transferring capacity to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) to strengthen its ability to implement relief and development programs in the long-term. In certain program areas, such as housing and livelihoods, the American Red Cross has worked closely with capable partners to monitor program implementation, guide the overall direction of work and ensure that proper stewardship of funds is observed. In June 2010 project implementation will conclude, and the American Red Cross will begin to close down its offices in Sri Lanka. A summary of program accomplishments is below. Water and Sanitation The tsunami caused widespread damage to wells, water pipes and septic systems, contaminating many families’ source of safe water and endangering the health of people in tsunami-affected communities. In response to these needs, the American Red Cross has provided 18,000 households with access to an improved, clean water source through constructing or repairing wells, rainwater tanks and groundwater pipe connections, and through the distribution of ceramic water filters that provide up to 40 liters of clean drinking water per day. By the end of our program, a total of approximately 50,000 households will have access to improved, clean water sources. The American Red Cross has also improved sanitation and waste management systems for 2,500 households through constructing or repairing sanitation facilities and septic tanks. While the majority of water and sanitation projects were implemented in Galle and Matara, the districts of Ampara, Batticaloa, Tricomalee, Kaluatara, and Gampaha also benefitted from assistance in this sector. Some of these projects include large-scale construction or expansion of water supply networks. For example, in Galle, the American Red Cross is expanding the district’s existing water infrastructure with a new five-mile pipeline that will provide safe water for 105,000 tsunami-affected people. The American Red Cross also helped provide drinking water and sanitation facilities to 18 schools, protecting the health of more than 8,100 school children and teachers. Livelihoods According to the World Bank, the tsunami left an estimated 200,000 people in Sri Lanka without jobs or the means to make a living. To help families and communities achieve a sustainable recovery, the American Red Cross and its partners implemented projects to help individuals regain or improve their livelihoods. These projects have helped 61,700 people or small businesses through the provision of cash grants, capital for income-generation activities, and trainings in business development. A Cash-For-Work program was initiated in the beginning stages of recovery to respond to immediate needs, while two more extensive livelihoods programs were developed later by partner NGOs to address longer-term economic sustainability.
10
Shelter The American Red Cross and its partners have built and maintained 4,600 temporary and transitional shelters, and have provided 2,650 permanent houses in Sri Lanka. Many permanent houses were built through an innovative owner-driven approach where families were provided cash grants and technical support for the purchase of material and labor to build their own homes and improve household water and sanitation. This owner-driven approach, which gives survivors control over a key component of the recovery process, allows homeowners to steer the design, pace and extent of reconstruction and results in higher levels of homeowner satisfaction while also helping revive local economies. The owner-driven approach was utilized to construct housing in Ampara, Batticaloa, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Jaffna, Kalutara, Matara and Trincomalee. Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Relief To help people prepare for and respond to future disasters, the American Red Cross and SLRCS worked with approximately 140 schools and 190 communities. Through this program, schools and communities established disaster committees, developed local disaster plans, carried out mitigation projects and formed disaster response teams. The program also strengthened the capacity of 11 local Red Cross branches to respond to disasters and link communities to a national early warning system. The program began in Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, and Matara but in late 2008 was expanded to Anuradhapura, Badulla, Matara, Polonnaruwa and Vavuniya. In an effort to support the continuing humanitarian needs in tsunami-affected areas of Sri Lanka, the American Red Cross established a Quick Action Fund. This fund enabled the American Red Cross to rapidly respond to urgent needs of tsunami-affected communities that were affected by subsequent disasters, such as floods and displacement due to the conflict. Funds were distributed through Red Cross/ Red Crescent partners and NGOs who were already active in providing humanitarian assistance to these vulnerable populations. For example, collaboration with the German Red Cross provided 2,000 food parcels to vulnerable families in Trincomalee affected by the conflict. Quick Action Fund projects have met the immediate needs of thousands in Sri Lanka. Psychosocial Support After helping survivors cope with the initial emotional impact of the tsunami during the relief phase, the American Red Cross and SLRCS brought people together in the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara and Matara to rebuild their communities and help them become more resilient to future disasters. This program, which ended in December 2008, reached more than 238,000 people in more than 80 communities and almost 80 schools through activities and trainings which helped reestablish normal social networks, foster psychosocial well-being, build resiliency in schools and prepare people to cope with future disasters. The program also helped the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society develop its own long-term psychosocial support program. COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS Because of the strength of the global Red Cross/Red Crescent network, the American Red Cross joined efforts with its partners in the network and was able to respond immediately to the tsunami with funding, people and supplies. American Red Cross staff, Red Cross/Red Crescent partners, and their local counterparts worked side by side to deliver services to communities. Through the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the American Red Cross implemented six permanent housing and two water and sanitation projects throughout Sri Lanka. The American Red Cross also implemented a permanent housing project with the Swiss Red Cross in Trincomalee and Batticaloa and supported the International Committee of the Red Cross to help those affected by the conflict. The scale of devastation and massive needs caused by the tsunami also necessitated forging strong partnerships with NGOs, UN agencies and local governments. These partnerships offered complementary technical expertise, improved operational capacity and extended geographic coverage. The American Red Cross augmented its response in Sri Lanka by capitalizing on external partner efficiencies and strengths in order to reach a larger number of people with more comprehensive services. For example, in the shelter sector the United Methodist Committee on Relief and American Red Cross partnership constructed and rehabilitated houses and infrastructure in Batticaloa and Trincomalee. An additional partnership with Mercy Corps supported economic recovery and development in Ampara, Hambantota, and Batticaloa through livelihood interventions such as restarting existing businesses, revival of tourism-based local economies, revolving fund loans, and bridge and road repair. The World Wildlife Fund assisted the American Red Cross and partners to reduce future disaster vulnerability for communities in tsunami-affected areas by addressing economic, social, and environmental sustainability in reconstruction. The American Red Cross also strives to ensure project sustainability by partnering with local stakeholders. For example, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Committee, the District Disaster Management Unit, and other local authorities and stakeholders, communities were trained to prevent and respond to disasters over a 11
period of three years. This partnership has resulted in a strengthened relationship between communities and these stakeholders. SPECIAL CONCERNS Throughout its time in the country, the American Red Cross has remained vigilant in light of security issues related to the civil conflict in Sri Lanka. The post-conflict atmosphere is being closely monitored and the American Red Cross remains attentive to the needs of those displaced by the conflict. In the final months of implementation, the American Red Cross is in the process of turning project components over to local partners and ensuring that all stakeholders are informed of its exit strategy.
12
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL HEALTH ORGANIZATION US Contact Gregory Buie Programs Coordinator 2381 Hylan Blvd. #13B Staten Island, NY 10306 (718) 667-3535 coordinator@theimho.org www.TheIMHO.org INTRODUCTION The International Medical Health Organization (IMHO) is a grassroots global health nonprofit organization based in the United States that seeks to improve and develop health and health care infrastructure in underserved regions worldwide. The organization was founded in 2004 by a volunteer group of committed doctors and other professionals across the US that shared a vision for improved global health and medical care. IMHO aims to improve health care across the globe for those in need, by identifying health needs and providing resources & training to address those needs. We believe in empowering communities to build their own health systems, improve overall health, and to respond to health needs as they arise. In this way, we promote self-reliance and sustainability. IMHO frequently partners with local and international non-governmental organizations to better channel assistance to needy populations. IMHO IN SRI LANKA IMHO is primarily focused on impoverished and disadvantaged regions of Sri Lanka, especially Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka, where marginalized populations have endured conflict, poverty, and other hardships. IMHO works with an extensive network of contacts on the ground, including local doctors, health care officials, government employees, and other grassroots organizations in identifying health needs, and then providing resources and training to accommodate those needs. The organization’s efforts are focused on the areas of: Primary Care, Nutrition, Mental Health, Emergency Relief, Specialty Care, and Capacity-Building. IMHO has helped to develop healthcare systems through training medical personnel and students, and providing them with medicine and resources to better assist needy populations. IMHO has established three primary healthcare centers and two psychiatric centers in mostly rural regions, with fully-trained staff and equipment to accommodate basic medical needs in the area. These health workers have provided essential health education, disease prevention, counseling, and treatment. The organization has also operated mobile clinics, to regions out of reach of the primary care centers. Through these efforts, IMHO has provided healthcare to tens of thousands of individuals. Additionally, IMHO responds in times of crisis, both in Sri Lanka and around the world, by helping to address the immediate health and medical needs, providing life-saving nutrition and medicines, and providing shelter. During tsunamis, times of flooding, and other natural and manmade disasters, IMHO has responded with emergency relief. IMHO also works to innovatively supplement healthcare infrastructure, by providing specialized resources. IMHO has provided medicine, medical books and software, and a myriad of surgical, health, and medical supplies. Various efforts have been undertaken to develop health infrastructure across Sri Lanka in anesthesiology, cancer care, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, mental health, nephrology, pathology, pediatrics, and surgery. In addition to this infrastructure development, IMHO has sent teams of healthcare professionals to provide direct relief and training to local personnel to sustain healthcare work in these regions. At present, IMHO’s top priorities for 2010 are to provide psychosocial rehabilitation & mental health services for resettled IDPs in Northern Sri Lanka and comprehensive rehabilitation for war amputees and the disabled. These efforts include the provision of artificial limbs, wheelchairs, orthotic & mobility devices, counseling, physical & occupational therapy, other various forms of medical care, and general support. Other areas of focus for 2010 include support for livelihoods, redevelopment of local health infrastructure throughout the Northeast, sanitation, and continued development & support for local medical and health personnel. COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS IMHO frequently partners with local and international non-governmental organizations to better channel assistance to needy populations. IMHO has partnered with dozens of locally registered nonprofit organizations in Sri Lanka, as well 13
as directly with hospitals & clinics, development associations, and health officials, including Regional Directors of Health Services (under the Ministry of Health). All efforts are implemented through these local partners, while management and oversight are provided by IMHO. IMHO also aims to cultivate sustainability in its efforts by training and empowering local personnel with the skills necessary to serve those in need and act as agents of change within their own communities. For a complete list of IMHO partners, please visit our website: http://www.theimho.org/fieldnews/partners.
14
LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF US Contact Joanne Fairley Regional Director for Asia and the Middle East 700 Light Street Baltimore, MD 21230 (410) 230-2808 jfairley@lwr.org http://www.lwr.org Field Contact Ms. K. Thampu Sri Lanka Country Director 410/96 Bauddhaloka Mawatha Colombo 7, Sri Lanka + 94 11 2694127 + 94 11 2698351 nalee@lwr.lankacom.net Photo: Lutheran World Relief
INTRODUCTION Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is a non-governmental organization founded in 1945 to respond to the needs of communities devastated by World War II. Today LWR works with local implementing partners worldwide to respond to emergencies, seek lasting solutions to rural poverty, and work for peace and justice for all. LWR believes that alleviating suffering and poverty requires a focus on the needs of rural populations, and has committed to focusing its work in rural areas in target countries around the world. Using a holistic approach, LWR’s development programs build, increase and expand core community assets – enduring resources such as labor and skills, health and a sustainable environment – needed to pursue productive lives. As such, LWR supports development programs that attack the root causes of suffering – the environmental, political, social and economic factors that can make certain communities vulnerable to crises or trap them in endemic poverty. The goal is to identify local solutions to poverty that can be replicated and scaled up to reach an ever increasing number of people. Lutheran World Relief recognizes that working with local partners and stakeholders is the key to achieving lasting changes that end poverty and bring justice. Our partners are local, national and international non-governmental organizations as well as community-based organizations. We work together with trust, respect and accountability in order to most effectively serve those for whom we work. We work alongside our partners in all phases of a LWR project cycle and often beyond. Mission statement: Affirming God’s love for all people, LWR works with Lutherans and partners around the world to end poverty, injustice and human suffering. Vision statement: Empowered by God’s unconditional love in Jesus Christ, LWR envisions a world in which each person, every community and all generations live in justice, dignity and peace. LWR IN SRI LANKA LWR began working in Sri Lanka in 2005 in response to the Asian tsunami, providing emergency relief and working with communities toward longer-term rehabilitation. Recently, LWR has also become involved in providing emergency relief to those displaced by conflict. Current activities are located in the Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Ampara and Galle Districts. LWR is a formally registered non-governmental organization in Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, LWR works to: Improve livelihoods through micro-credit and income-generating projects Improve community infrastructure and community-based disaster risk management Increase the skills and knowledge of youth through vocational training Expand knowledge of agriculture and food production techniques Construct and rehabilitate houses damaged by the tsunami Provide emergency relief to people displaced by disaster and complex emergencies
15
LWR currently has projects in the following sectors: Livelihoods and access to credit Agriculture and food production Disaster and emergency relief Disaster risk management Shelter and construction Human rights and peace building Rural development COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS LWR works with international, national and local organizations in Sri Lanka. This partnership becomes a mutual learning situation that allows for growth for both LWR and the partner organization, as well as capacity building for the local organization. Below is a list of organizations we partnered with in 2009. Eastern Self Reliant Community Awakening Organisation (ESCO) Habaraduwa Participatory Development Foundation (HPDF) United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR) Eastern Human and Economic Development, Batticaloa (Caritas EHED) Nava Jeevana Amadyapa Handa Sewaya (NJAHS) Federation of Social Development Organization (FOSDO) Social, Economical and Environmental Developers (SEED) Jesuit Refugee Service – Sri Lanka (JRS) SPECIAL CONCERNS Lutheran World Relief maintains its support for the advocacy platform led by InterAction, including the work of the Sri Lanka Working Group.
16
SAVE THE CHILDREN US Contact Erika Thrasher Associate Director, Asia 54 Wilton Road Westport, CT 06880 (203) 221-4064 ethrasher@savechildren.org Field Contact Menaca Calyaneratne Head of Realizing Child Rights Save the Children in Sri Lanka 58A Horton Place Colombo + 94 11 2672668 74 menaca@savethechildren.lk
Photo: Save the Children
INTRODUCTION Save the Children in Sri Lanka is part of International Save the Children and has been working in Sri Lanka since 1974. Save the Children works with local organizations as partners and also supports the government of Sri Lanka in the promotion and the protection of children’s rights as stated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. SAVE THE CHILDREN IN SRI LANKA Save the Children is currently in the last year of its present Country Strategy and launching a new strategy for the next four years. Save the Children in Sri Lanka has been focusing on four thematic areas: Realizing Child Rights, Child Protection, Education (Early Childhood and Basic) and Household Economic Security since 2006. A major part of Save the Children’s work in the country has been focused on post tsunami recovery and rehabilitation, while in the last two years much work has involved supporting the Government of Sri Lanka to provide emergency relief to thousands of persons displaced due to the war. Child led disaster risk reduction was a cross cutting theme during the last four years. Save the Children’s post tsunami 5 year strategy came to an end in Dec 2009. Save the Children has offices in Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar (Northern Province), Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Akkaraipattu (Eastern Province) Matara (Southern Province) with the main office being located in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Currently Save the Children in Sri Lanka has 125 staff members. The current program is estimated at approximately 4.5 million GBP. Some of the major donors are Save the Children (UK, Sweden, Norway, Japan), European Union, AUSAID, USAID, Japan Platform, UNICEF, and DFID. COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS Save the Children in Sri Lanka works with the following government agencies; Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Empowerment, Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Zonal Departments of Education, and Divisional and District Secretariats, Save the Children in Sri Lanka also works in partnership with FORUT, PLAN and World Vision and during emergencies, collaborates with UN agencies and other international agencies and the government Military where it is mandatory. Save the Children in Sri Lanka also works with a host of community based and non-governmental organizations at the field level. SPECIAL CONCERNS Sri Lanka has a strict visa policy for international staff. One person can only work in Sri Lanka for a cumulative 3 years. This prevents experienced persons from within Save the Children to return to the country if they have already worked for 3 years in the country. The Secretariat for the Non-Governmental Organizations has now been moved under the Ministry of Defense. Working in the resettlement areas in the north is subject to approval from the Presidential Task Force. A 0.09percent tax is being levied on all donor funds unless the particular donor has a bilateral agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka.
17
SOLIDARITY CENTER US Contact Tim Ryan Regional Program Director Asia-Europe Office th 888, 16 Street NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 974-8358 tryan@solidaritycenter.org
Field Contact Mifthia Jalaldeen Administrative Officer Solidarity Center/Sri Lanka No. 30A, Pamankada Lane, Colombo 6, Sri Lanka + 94 11 2365211 mifthia@solidaritycenter.lk
INTRODUCTION The American Center for International Labor Solidarity, or Solidarity Center (SC), is the international institute of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the largest trade union federation in the United States, representing over 11.5 million members. The SC has offices in over twenty-seven countries around the world and programs in over 60 countries. The SC engages in a wide range of technical assistance, educational and other activities to promote human and worker rights globally. It has more than 20 years of experience in addressing the areas of child labor, migrant worker exploitation and other extreme forms of labor exploitation. SOLIDARITY CENTER IN SRI LANKA Solidarity Center works to: Strengthen the free and democratic labor movement in Sri Lanka Promote the Adoption and Effective Enforcement of Core Labor Standards Strengthen Democratic Culture and Gender Equity Populations of focus are: workers in free trade zones and industrial parks, Sri Lankan migrants, and those intending to work overseas as migrant workers and their family members. This project is worth $300,000 a year. COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS The SC/SL works with local and international organizations including the International Labor Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migrants (IOM), trade unions, other non-governmental organizations and community based organizations, and government organizations and ministries.
18
UNITED METHODIST COMMITTEE ON RELIEF US Contact Thomas Dwyer Executive Director of UMCOR NGO 475 Riverside Drive, Room 1530 New York, NY 10115 (212) 870-3552 (212) 870-3508 www.umcor-ngo.org Field Contact Bharat Pathak, Head of Mission UMCOR Sri Lanka 27/1 Melbourne Avenue Colombo 04 Sri Lanka +94 11 550-5550 bharat@umcorsrilanka.org
A well in Trincomalee District rehabilitated by UMCOR. Photo: UMCOR
INTRODUCTION Since its establishment in 1940, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has gained extensive experience worldwide in providing transitional development and relief assistance to communities affected by natural and human-made crises, alleviating human suffering with open hearts to all religions and open doors to all people. UMCOR NGO was formed in 1993 as a not-for-profit, non-proselytizing agency of the United Methodist Church to respond to disasters of such magnitude that they overwhelm a community's ability to recover on its own. UMCOR NGO currently maintains field missions in nine countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. UMCOR IN SRI LANKA UMCOR established its office in Sri Lanka following the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Country operations are based in Colombo with program offices in Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Vavuniya and Jaffna. UMCOR’s work in Sri Lanka includes: emergency relief, housing repair and construction, supporting the restoration of basic public services through repairs to community infrastructure, providing vocational and business skills training along with tools and equipment to (re)establish livelihoods, and building the capacity of local institutions to independently address the needs of tsunami and conflict affected communities. UMCOR’s work in Sri Lanka is increasingly focused on meeting the needs of displaced and returning residents of the country’s northern districts, which were heavily affected by decades of long war between the government and the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE). In addition to funds received through the United Methodist Church and from private donors, UMCOR Sri Lanka has received significant support from the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), the US Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), The American Red Cross, and Lutheran World Relief. COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS Since late 2007, UMCOR has managed an umbrella grant program that enables other humanitarian agencies to provide quick responses to the emergency needs of conflict-affected people in the North and East of Sri Lanka. The program, funded by USAID/OFDA, supports interventions in areas such as livelihoods, water and sanitation, protection, and emergency relief. Since the program’s inception, UMCOR has awarded grants totaling more than $6.4 million to 44 partner organizations for assistance programs throughout conflict-affected areas of Sri Lanka.
19
WORLD VISION US Contact Darin Hamlin Country Program Manager 300 I Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 572-6531 dhamlin@worldvision.org www.worldvision.lk Field Contact Suresh Bartlett National Director World Vision Sri Lanka 1119/2/1 Maradana Road Colombo – 08 Sri Lanka +94 11 2691233 suresh_bartlett@wvi.org Photo: World Vision
INTRODUCTION World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision provides hope and assistance to approximately 100 million people in nearly 100 countries. In communities around the world, the agency joins with local people to find lasting ways to improve the lives of poor children and families. WORLD VISION IN SRI LANKA World Vision, which has been working in Sri Lanka since 1977, has been heavily involved in responding to the current IDP crisis through providing food, non-food, water, shelter, and child protection programs to more than 20,000 beneficiaries both within and outside IDP camps. Further, in partnership with the UN, CARE, and other organizations, World Vision has been at the forefront in advocating for protection of civilians in the war-zone and in pushing for a quick return home for IDPs. As a result of World Vision’s assistance, IDPs have seen a marked increase in the quality of services in the IDP camps and have been better able to cope with war-related displacement and trauma. Long-term Engagement WV Sri Lanka operates with an ADP (Area Development Program) model that facilitates sustainable development of the poor and marginalized within a defined geographical area, both rural and urban, through long-term participatory planning. The ADP model represents a long-term (15 year) WV commitment and allows for the integration and leveraging of multiple sectors, such as primary health care, agriculture, food security, water/sanitation, education, and livelihoods. In Sri Lanka, WV supports 30 ADPs in 23 districts in 9 provinces of the country (Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, Northwestern, Sabaragamuwa, Southern Uva and Western). Each ADP serves approximately 50,000 to 90,000 beneficiaries. Further, WV is addressing the roots of the conflict in its ADP programming by ensuring full participation of all ethnic groups in program design, monitoring, and evaluation, which facilitates all groups’ access to government services and non-government economic development, health, and education opportunities. In the photograph above, three children in World Vision’s Jaffna Child Protection Project act out a drama on community conflict resolution. This project aims to empower children affected by conflict to be leaders in the healing of their communities. COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS World Vision is active in the UN Cluster system and works extensively with government line ministries and other local and international partners.
20
SPECIAL CONCERNS International NGOs (INGOs) are not routinely given full access to areas of IDP return and resettlement. Without this access, assisting IDPs in the return or resettlement process is extremely difficult.
21