Overviews of humanitarian and early recovery coordination, funding mechanisms and strategies in Zimbabwe

1.3 Humanitarian and Early Recovery consequences7

In 2010, an estimated 6 million vulnerable people continue to feel the impact of the erosion of basic services and livelihoods over the past years. Cholera outbreak in 2008/09 that affected 55 out of the 62 districts, with 98,531 cases and 4,282 deaths re-emerged in 2009/2010 and is ongoing, though with significantly less casualties. Measles outbreak in 2009/2010 equally continues to strain the already weak health system. Despite this year?s cereal harvest of 1.5 million MT (similar to last year?s but 31% above the recent five year average cereal production) and an improvement in the food-security situation, Zimbabwe still faces a substantial national cereal deficit. According to recent Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVac) report, a national cereal deficit of 185,540 MT is projected for the 2010/2011 consumption year, before considering domestic stocks with the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), the private sector and farming households. Food deficit was projected at 220,956 between April and June, 537,514 between July and September, 904 463 between October and December and 1,3million during the peak hunger season from January to March 2011. Of the total number of food-insecure populations, 11 % are labour constrained (hence will need free food assistance) while 89% are not labour-constrained and modality of food assistance should be aligned to the government plan for public works. The country has the fourth highest crude mortality rate in Africa. The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is one of the highest in the world, despite a recent drop to 13.7%. Some 1.2 million people live with the HIV/AIDs virus, and 343,600 adults and 35,200 children under age 15 urgently need antiretroviral treatment. Access to safe water and sanitation remains a major problem for millions of Zimbabweans. Child malnutrition is a significant challenge to child survival and development. Thirty three percent of children under age 5 are chronically malnourished and 7% suffer from acute malnutrition. The education sector is characterized by severe shortages of essential supplies, high staff turnover and sporadic teachers? strikes. This particularly affects Zimbabwe?s 1.6 million orphaned and vulnerable children, including more than 100,000 child-headed households. Humanitarian assistance to IDPs, child protection issues, and prevention of and response to gender-based violence remain areas of concern.

The need to support humanitarian plus? or early recovery programmes is highlighted by the deterioration in existing infrastructure and loss of employment opportunities. This accelerates the country?s brain drain, affects social capital and creates obstacles for meaningful and speedy economic revival. Emigration and the consequent remittances continue to be the main survival strategy for many vulnerable families.

1.4 Humanitarian and Early Recovery Response

Currently,10 UN agencies and 66 International NGOs are involved in humanitarian and early recovery response in the country through the CAP,ZUNDAF and other process. The UN Agencies and International NGOs are involved in providing humanitarian and early recovery assistance to fill in the gaps until development funding that can meaningfully restore provision of basic services picks up. In addition to this, there are several other international and national NGOs that are currently implementing humanitarian and early recovery programmes either as implementing partners of the above agencies and International NGOs using funds from the CAP or outside the CAP process.

In 2008, the revised CAP was for US$583 Million and was funded at US$400 million (69%), In 2009, the revised appeal was for US$722 Million and was funded at US$468 Million (65%) whereas in 2010, the CAP is for US$478 million and is currently funded at US$ 209 million(44%)⁸. However, there are also additional funds for humanitarian and early recovery activities that are currently coming into the country through other sources outside the CAP process. The funding outside CAP was US$69 million in 2008, US$190 million in 2009 and so far US$7 million in 2010. Notable trends over the last three years include decrease in food aid requirements and increase in early recovery needs under the «humanitarian plus approach».

The government?s 2010 Budget is $2.25 billion with the international Aid Grant of $810 million (36%) and the internal revenue of $1.44 billion (64%) which the theme is Reconstruction with Equitable Growth and Stability. According to the Minister of Finance, Mr Tendai Biti⁹, the budget is «a pro-poor, broad based and inclusive development framework» with «a strong emphasis on the key issues of education, health and social services». The budget is

⁷ OCHA Zimbabwe, CAP 2010 Mid Year Review, May 2010

8 http://fts.unocha.org/reports/daily/ocha_R21_Y2010_asof___1010120204.pdf

9 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/5326

anchored on the Three Year Macro-Economic Policy and Budget Framework: 2010-2012 [STERP II] which the inclusive government had come up with as the successor to the Short Term Emergency Recovery Programme [STERP].

The humanitarian and early recovery coordination structures exist at policy, strategic and operational level. The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) endorsed the cluster approach in Zimbabwe in March 2008. Currently there are eight clusters: Agriculture (FAO), Early Recovery (UNDP/ IOM), Education (UNICEF), Emergency Telecommunications (WFP/UNICEF), Health (WHO), Nutrition (UNICEF), Protection (UNHCR) and WASH (UNICEF). OCHA chairs inter-cluster meetings on a regular basis. The HCT at a strategic level is complemented by expert level meetings of donors and the information management working group. Strengthening cluster coordination at provincial level remains a key priority for humanitarian coordination and resource mobilization in Zimbabwe. In the absence of provincial offices, OCHA field staff operates from Harare and extend coordination support to all provinces through the existing government and NGO structures. Efforts are underway to align humanitarian and Government coordination structures.