An IOM mass information campaign has helped the Pakistan government
to complete the first phase of a major cash compensation programme
for victims of the devastating floods that hit the country a year
ago.

The initiative was part of a government assistance package to
help affected communities and households start rebuilding their
lives.

Phase I of the Watan card compensation programme ending today,
which provides disaster-affected families with cards operational at
cash point machines and each worth Rs 20,000 (USD 232), has reached
almost 35,000 beneficiaries in Sindh province and another 15,000 in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

But from the outset the scheme ran into implementation problems
that required mass communications to get the money to those most in
need.

For example, beneficiaries needed a Computerized National
Identity Card (CNIC) to be eligible for a Watan card, and many did
not have one. Widows and child-headed families also faced
difficulties, as CNICs are generally issued to the male head of
family. Many people did not know how to apply for a CNIC or Watan
cards, or what the eligibility criteria was.

Uneducated beneficiaries also found it impossible to complete
the registration forms and many people had lost their documents in
the floods. The government registration authority, NADRA, had
mobile registration vehicles, but often had difficulty identifying
areas where registration was needed.

Following a request from district governments in Sindh and the
Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), IOM launched a
mass communications campaign to help people access the
programme.

IOM developed and broadcast radio messages in 12 districts in
Sindh and eight districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, informing
communities about the deadline, application and collection
procedures for Watan cards.

Two print campaigns were also published in local newspapers
including Kavish (Sindh), Express, Aaj and Mashrik (Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa).

Approximately 7,000 text messages were sent out to information
volunteers in the Human Network, who relayed the information to
mobilize their communities.

IOM's Humanitarian Call Centre, which operates a toll-free
helpline for disaster-affected communities, also gathered lists of
people who had not yet collected their Watan cards. Beneficiaries
were able to phone in to find out if their card was ready and where
to collect it from. IOM Information Officers were also seconded to
district government offices.

For more information please contact:

Ammar Orakzai

IOM Pakistan

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

Tel: +92.300.8564766