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Challenges of Unsolicited Donations During Emergencies Case from DPRK. 11 March 2008. Sawsan Rawas UNICEF DPRK. Situation Flood Responses Unsolicited donations Concerns and difficulties Efforts by UNICEF RO, HQ and CO Follow up by UNICEF CO Results & Lessons learned. Outline.
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Challenges of Unsolicited Donations During Emergencies Case from DPRK 11 March 2008 Sawsan RawasUNICEF DPRK
Situation Flood Responses Unsolicited donations Concerns and difficulties Efforts by UNICEF RO, HQ and CO Follow up by UNICEF CO Results & Lessons learned Outline
Situation • Heavy rain have caused severe floods in six provinces of the DPRK August 2007 • Severe damage to infrastructure • Some villages remained inaccessible due to damaged roads and bridges • 102,400 homeless people • 54,160 homes damaged
Humanitarian Aids/Unsolicited Donations started coming in. 1-South Korean donation of milk powder • OCHA Sitan 21 August • Bilateral assistance through 70 NGOs in South Korea without the knowledge of MOPH 2-“Baby food" from Russia • Interagency meeting • 28.5 MTs of baby food and milk products
Concerns • Powdered milk will be misused for feeding infants < 6 months • This will impact BF negatively • There was a need to advise ROK government on commodities most needed. • Access to communities.
Efforts by UNICEF RO • Picked up the issue from OCHA report • Advised CO to raise understanding of ROK on the danger of such donations • Pre-arrangements for an appropriate agency to receive the donation & plan how to use it • Shared the latest guidance on IFE • Requested to mobilize support from Natcom in Seoul • Requested support from HQ
Efforts by UNICEF HQ • Drafted a letter and sent to the mission of South Korea • Conducted a face to face meeting with the representative of mission • UNICEF Russia office was informed about this donation to help in dealing with any local issues. • Approached Russia mission and drafted a letter • Sent the letter to Russia mission & discussed… the issue.
Efforts by UNICEF CO • Approached Russian Embassy in Pyongyang. • Discussed with the Russian Diplomat who attends the interagency meeting • Communicated our serious concerns to DPRK mission in NY • Letter to Government of DPRK and advised to refuse the donations of BMS, including powdered milk, or add to fortified blended food or complementary food after 6 months
Follow up by UNICEF CO • Emphasized the role that BF plays in improving the health of infants in the Health cluster meetings • Mainstreamed the benefits that early and EBF provides to both families and nation in all trainings • 2 million leaflets developed and printed on diarrhoea prevention high-lightening the role of EBF • BFHI is revitalized and reassessment of hospitals is underway. • Participation in IFE
Results & Lessons learned • Baby food/ Milk powder arrived • ROK regretted it • Difficulties in diverting donations • Hard to manage. • UNICEF was the only org. handling this issue • Advocacy and awareness raising should be continuous