IOM, in coordination with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), is
sponsoring two camp management trainings for relief workers in the
flooded disaster areas of Sunsari and Saptari near the Indian
border.

Participants include staff from the World Food Program (WFP),
the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the United Nations Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Nepali Red Cross, Habitat for
Humanity and local government officials.

More than 70,000 people were displaced from their homes when the
Koshi River flooded in September and are now living in 40 camps in
the area.

"Effective camp coordination and management depends on close
cooperation between all the agencies concerned, adherence to best
practices and a free flow of information. We have to ensure that
when gaps in provision of aid or services emerge, someone is always
there to fill them," says IOM Nepal Chief of Mission Sarat
Dash.

Under the UN reform which led to the creation of the
Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) "cluster" system, IOM is the
global lead agency for camp management and coordination following
natural disasters.

In Sunsari and Saptari IOM works in close partnership with local
and regional government, UN agencies and NGOs to monitor services
in the camps including shelter, food, clothing, health and
education services. 

For more information please contact:

Ann Strandoo

IOM Damak

Tel: +9779851108084

E-mail: "mailto:astrandoo@iom.int">astrandoo@iom.int