A new programme focusing on the provision of emergency life-saving
material and protection assistance to internally displaced persons
(IDPs) and returnees is set to benefit about 18,000 displaced
people (approx 3,000 families) in Zimbabwe's two main provinces,
Harare and Mashonaland Central.

Both were hit hard by waves of displacements in 2008 due to
political violence and various policy initiatives including farm
acquisitions, the latter responsible for continuous new
displacement.

Joint rapid assessments conducted by IOM and its partners in
January, February, and June 2009 in 157 communities in 20 districts
in Harare, Manicaland, and Mashonaland Central, East and West
provinces revealed that 14,305 IDP households were in need of
immediate assistance that included shelter, food and non-food
items, livelihood and legal support and protection of their civic
rights especially physical integrity and safety.

The programme, with USD 410,000 of funding from the UN's Central
Emergency Response Fund (CERF), will be jointly implemented by IOM
and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) through
implementing partners. 

A strategy to respond to the protection needs of the displaced
has been developed. IOM will focus on measures to respond to
threats on physical security and the persecution of displaced
populations through the provision of emergency shelter, non-food
items, psychosocial support to survivors of violence and the
setting up of healing and reconciliation initiatives.

UNHCR will concentrate on rebuilding the destroyed livelihoods
of IDPs and returnees, mobile clinics for legal advice and
counseling and on establishing networks for community-based
workers.

"Investing in emergency life-saving interventions is key because
they provide much needed physical protection to the displaced.
Shelter, basic necessities and an opportunity to earn a living are
the surest way to protect displaced people. Without these, when
they have already lost their homes and livelihoods, they are always
vulnerable to all forms of violence and abuse," said Marcelo
Pisani, IOM Chief of Mission in Zimbabwe.

Another CERF funded IOM-UNICEF project aimed at addressing
malnutrition among children and adults in 11 "hot spot" districts
across the country will ensure delivery of immediate lifesaving
treatment. According to UNICEF, national acute malnutrition rates
are at 7 per cent, poor according to standard WHO emergency
thresholds.

IOM will deliver services through its mobile health teams that
are already servicing IDP populations whilst UNICEF will provide
overall coordination to ensure timely and appropriate treatment
reaches children suffering from acute malnutrition in the 11 highly
food insecure districts.

For further information, please contact:

Judith Chinamaringa

IOM Zimbabwe

Tel: +263 4 33 50 48

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