#HAITI Humanitarian Bulletin (19 August–20 September 2011)

HIGHLIGHTS Downward trend of new cholera cases and mortality rates confirmed in all ten departments Threats of forced evictions from camps multiplied by 400 per cent in one year Number of IDPs in camps below the 600,000 threshold Food insecurity affects 4,5 million Haitians

CHOLERA RESPONSE

Number of new cholera cases reduced by half
The number of new cholera cases declined by over 50 per cent within the last two months. According to data provided by the Population and Public Health Ministry (MSPP), there were 20,093 new cholera cases in August compared to 40,873 new cases reported in July. The number of deaths also decreased significantly during this period, from 376 in July to 298 in August. Mortality rates are steadily abating in all ten departments. The cumulative mortality rate nationwide reached 1.4 percent as of 29 August, down from 1.6 in May.

If the current trend continues, new cases will total 75,000 at the end of this year, reports the Health Cluster. It is projected that the current epidemiologic curb will remain the same for the coming 2 to 3 years with moderate peaks before stabilizing into an endemic phase. Due to vulnerability factors such as poor access to water and sanitation, population density and natural hazards, the Artibonite and Ouest department, including Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, are likely to be the most affected. Peaks are also expected in the Centre and Grande Anse departments

In the Sud-Est Department. where daily cumulative mortality rates are the highest of the country (5.0 per cent) the Sanitary Directorate (DSSE) is planning to launch mid-term and long term World Bank funded initiatives. Programmes include the setting up of 50 Oral Rehydration Points (ORPs) in the 10 departmental communes and three Cholera Treatment Units (CTUs) in Grand-Grosier and Marigot, which are not covered by humanitarian partners. To support the strategy aimed at integrating Cholera Treatment Units (CTUs) to existing health facilities, six isolation rooms will be opened in community hospitals of Belle Anse, Thiotte, Grand Grosier, Marigot and Jacmel.

In Léogâne, Gressier, Petit Goâve and Grand Goâve (Ouest department) the community response to a 20 per cent increase in new cholera cases due to heavy rains from 5 to 12 September has been adequate and well managed, according to health partners.

A downward trend of new cholera cases and steady decrease in mortality rates were made possible by a rapid and coordinated response of the Haitian authorities, supported by humanitarian partners and donors. In 2011, donors have contributed close to $107 million to respond to the epidemic, which accounts for 97 per cent of the initial cholera appeal of $ 110 million. However, additional needs will not be covered should severe outbreaks of cholera occur due to rains and flooding.

EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE Threats of forced evictions increase by 400% in one year
The number of camps under threats of eviction increased by 400 per cent between July 2010 and July 2011, according to the latest IOM report on evictions. As of July 2011, 175 camps, about 19.5 per cent of the total number of IDP sites, were under threat of eviction. Approximately 121,405 IDPs are living in camps which are currently threatened with forced eviction. This represents 20.41 per cent of all people living camps.

Out of the 348 camps affected by threats of eviction, 99 (28 per cent) have already been evicted, 26 (8 per cent) have been partially vacated, while 148 (43 per cent) are still going through a mediation process.

The commune of Delmas is the most affected with 98 sites under threats of eviction, of which 26 have already been evicted. It is followed by Pétionville with 44 sites threatened and 23 evicted and Tabarre with 36 sites under threat and 3 evicted. Carrefour however has the highest number of displaced population living under threat, with 14,590 IDPs who have already been evicted. Delmas comes second with 9,993 individuals, followed by Petionville with 6,496 IDPs.

Without assistance 5%; 23 674 IDPs Temporarily resolved 2%; 10 533 IDPS Evicted 28%; 47 395 IDPs Partially evicted 7%; 19 767 IDPs Resolved 14%; 18 671 IDPs In mediation 44%; 87 198 IDPs Percentage of IDP camps with eviction cases and number of IDPs affected

The eviction report also shows that 89 per cent of IDP camps currently under threat are privately owned and 8 per cent publicly owned. In the remaining 3 per cent of camps under threat, ownership status of the land is unknown reports the CCCM Cluster.

UN Independent Expert concerned at multiplication of evictions

Visiting UN Independent expert on the situation of Human Rights in Haiti, Michel Forst, urged the Haitian Government to give clear instruction to the Haitian national police not to support the forced eviction of people living in formal or informal IDP camps, outside of the procedures established by Haitian laws, regardless of whether those camps are on public or private land.

On his ninth mission in Haiti, which ended on 3 September, Mr. Michel Frost reiterated his call to national and international actors to ensure the implementation of durable housing solutions that have already been identified. He stressed that those solutions should take into account the public good, the rights of affected persons as well as the legitimate concerns of private owners of the land occupied by IDPs.

The independent expert also noted that the humanitarian crisis was not over and stressed that it will not be an easy task to transition from a humanitarian crisis of this magnitude to a development phase.

Also read the statement on evictions on behalf of the Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, Nigel Fisher.

IDP population drops by 61% in one year

IDP population living in camps dropped by 61 per cent from July 2010 to July 211 totaling 594, 8111 individuals living in 894 camps today, as opposed to 1,5 million living in 1,555 sites a year ago, according to the latest Displacement Tracking Matrix report released by IOM. However, from March to July 2011, the rate at which camp resident have been leaving camps has slowdown, falling within 7 to 6 % per cent, as opposed to 47 per cent from July 2010 to January 2011.

1.5 million 594 807 (61% of decrease) 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 July May Mar Jan Nov Sep Jul Number of IDPs and Camps 1,555 sites 894 (43% of decrease)

A total of 87,261 IDP households (58 per cent) continue to reside in 66 of the larger identified camps hosting more than 500 households. Those sites however make up only 7 per cent of the total number of camps.

other hand, small sites hosting less than 100 households make up 72 per cent of the total number of IDP camp. Yet they host only 14 per cent of the total IDP population.

Comparison across the seven communes of Port-au- Prince metropolitan area shows that the most notable decline in the number of IDP households for this reporting period is once again observed in Port-au- Prince. However, while it was reported in May 2011 that 7,529 IDP households left the sites, the decrease observed in July 2011 is much less, with a reduction of only 2,180 IDP households. The next most significant decrease is reported in Carrefour, followed by Tabarre and Croix-des-Bouquets. On the other hand, there has been very little reduction in the number of IDP households in the communes of Cite Soleil, Delmas, Ganthier and Pétion-Ville where less than 350 IDP households have left IDP sites in each commune.

In the southern regions, Léogâne reported the largest decrease in the number of IDP households, with 1,050 households reported to have left between May and July 2011. The second largest decrease in the regions was observed in Petit Goâve with 591 less IDP households identified in the sites.

The phase 2 IDP registration mid-year review on the profile of IDP also confirms the "proximity" characteristics of IDP movements with 65 per cent of registered IDPs being displaced within their communal section of origin and 29 per cent from another commune. When comparing Phase 2 data to Phase 1 data, it is also observed that the percentage of IDPs that are tenants increased substantially. During Phase 1, some 60 per cent of registered camp residents reported being tenants as opposed to 78 per cent in Phase 2. This might be attributable to the higher propensity of owners to leave the camps. Inauguration of Camp Mayard resettlement site
The Mayard resettlement site hosting 335 IDP households was inaugurated on 6 September by the Humanitarian Coordinator, Nigel Fisher, in the presence of humanitarian partners and local authorities.

The construction of this planned resettlement site was completed in two phases. Last August, Mayard started hosting 182 families in transitional housing units designed to provide a minimum living space of 24m². Those families used to live in tents under hazardous conditions in several IDP camps in the commune of Jacmel, notably Camp Pinchinat. The second phase was completed in July 2011 and included the construction of 155 additional units.

The project was funded through the Emergency Relief Response Fund (ERRF), USAID and ECHO. The International Organization for Migrations (IOM) and implementing partners (municipality of Jacmel, Save the Children, Medair, PNH MINUSTAH and UNFPA) provided site planning/site preparation, camp management, WASH and Shelter services, lighting and security/protection programs.
Launch of the second phase of IDP documentation project
The Haitian NGO
Action Citoyenne pour l’Abolition de la Torture (ACAT), with the financial support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched the second phase of its documentation project, targeting individuals who lost their birth certificate during the earthquake. The programs is also directed at those who were never registered with the national identification office

The second phase of the project aims at providing documents to 3,000 people in the communes of Carrefour, Léogâne and Petit-Goâve. In Petit- Goâve alone, 10,000 individuals lost their identification documents during the earthquake which prevent them from accessing many services, including the banking and education system.

The project also aims at strengthening institution capacities and civil society organizations. ACTAT is now looking for additional sources of funding to extend the project to other communes, such as Gressier and Grand-Goâve.
New excreta treatment site opens in Morne-à-Cabris
Anew excreta and waste water treatment site was inaugurated on 8 September in Morne-à-Cabri, in the town of Croix-des-Bouquets, north-east of Port-au- Prince. The site, covering an area equivalent to three soccer fields, will receive excreta and waste water produced daily by 500,000 people. In the past, human wastes from Port-au-prince metropolitan area were treated at the Truitier site which reached full capacity at the beginning of the year. The National Directorate for Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) has established the site with financial and technical support from CERF, UNICEF, ECHO, IDB and UNOPS. Another site is expected to open in Carrefour that will serve the southern area of the capital.
Close to 5 million of debris cleared
According to the latest estimates from the Early Recovery Cluster, nearly half of the 10 million cubic meters of debris generated by the earthquake as a result of the collapse of 80,000 buildings have been cleared. Debris management activities have intensified this year and administrative difficulties in obtaining permits for demolition and clearing buildings are about to be resolved, reports the Cluster.
Education: From emergency to recovery
The new academic year 2011-2012 will see a significant shift from emergency to recovery and emergency preparedness, reports de Education Cluster. Partners are planning to support the construction or rehabilitation of 160 schools, teaching and learning material provision for 5,200 schools, institutional capacity building, training on disaster risk reduction and school fee subsidy. Approximately 780,000 students will benefit from these activities in earthquake affected areas and across the country.

Despite significant progress and concerted school construction efforts, the Education Cluster estimates that there are still several hundred schools operating under tents, which makes them particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. At the same time, sustainable solutions for water provisions in school remain an other significant gap. Some cholera prevention activities in schools, such as distributions of water purification tablets, rely on water availability.
IN BRIEF:
From 12 to 16 October the Thematic Committee on Education and Public Awareness (CTESP) of the DPC will organize a series of activities to raise awareness on natural hazards affecting the Nord Department. Activities include interactive debates, meetings with risk and disaster management experts, and training of journalists in risk and disaster management procedures.

Planning for the 2012 Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) has started. The CAP will focus on residual humanitarian needs while strengthening linkages with development issues. It will be in line with priorities identified during the mid-year review such as water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health, Camp coordination/camp management (CCCM), shelter, emergency preparedness, food insecurity and protection.

The deployment in 111 municipalities of 252 first aid devices (DIPS) is expected to begin at the end of September 2011. Mandated by the European Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Programme, Internews conducted from July 27 to 2 September information and awareness raising activities on the functioning of the DIPS.