WFP School Feeding Programme In Chechnya

In Chechnya WFP launched its pilot school feeding programme in December 2001 covering 6,000 primary school children who were daily provided with hot meals cooked from food commodities supplied by WFP. By May 2002, WFP program was helping already 20,000 children from 80 schools in Achkhoi-Martan, Sunzha and in all four districts of Grozny city. WFP expanded its school feeding programme twice since then. Firstly, in September 2002 when the number of schoolchildren was increased to 42,000 children in 164 primary schools, including schools in two new areas: Grozny Rural and Gudermes districts. Secondly, in January 2003 when WFP started to provide hot meals to about 2,000 pre-school children from kindergartens and children centres in its targeted areas of Chechnya.

The objective of school feeding is to contribute to increase of school enrollment and attendance, as well as learning capacity among primary school children. Within the framework of this programme, each pupil is daily alternatively provided with rice or corn-soya-blend porridge and sweet buns. Nutritional value of such ration totals over 800 kcal per capita per day.

The implementation of the school feeding in Chechnya is carried out by WFP in partnership with several international and local NGOs. Caritas Internationalis, Danish Refugee Council and People in Need Foundation deliver food commodities for daily hot meal preparation to over 50 primary and pre-school institutions in Grozny city; Islamic Relief provides these schools with sweet buns on a daily basis; Centre for Peacemaking and Community Development works in Achkhoi-Martan and Sunzha districts, providing 40 schools with hot meals, and Chechen Refugee and Displaced People’s Council (a local NGO) is responsible for baking and delivering sweet buns to all the schools, in both districts. Finally, Islamic Relief implements both food deliveries for hot meals and sweet buns baking and daily deliveries to schools in Grozny rural and Gudermes districts. Monitoring of the programme implementation is carried out by a local NGO Vesta.

In April-May 2003 WFP conducted a school feeding baseline survey in Chechnya. The exercise represented a part of WFP global school feeding baseline research. It comprised two phases, one of which was focused on data collection in 90 schools included into the on-going school feeding project, and the other one extended the study in randomly chosen 62 schools located in currently uncovered areas of Chechnya. After a final round of data cleaning exercise, the information gathered with assistance of a local NGO ‘Vesta’, will be analysed by school feeding experts in WFP HQ in Rome. It will result in issuing of a comprehensive country report on the baseline study. Information provided in the reports will be used for management purposes, to measure trends, spot problems and successful aspects of the programme implementation.

On 26–27 May WFP held two sessions for schools already participating in WFP school feeding project as well as for the educational institutions located in three districts of Chechnya where WFP plans to start the programme in September 2003. Over 230 school principals from Grozny city, Grozny Rural, Gudermes, Achkhoi-Martan, Sunzha, Urus-Martan, Shali and Kurchaloi districts took part at the meeting organised by WFP/Russia team. During the sessions WFP reviewed the status of the project execution, disseminated information to increase awareness of the schools about the key principles of the project implementation. The exercise also made it possible for WFP to identify and discuss operational problems putting obstacles for smooth execution of the school feeding project, allowing to collect information on the schools non-food requirements as well as on physical conditions in school canteens, kitchens and food storage premises.

UN Reviews Its 2003 Assistance Programmes In Chechnya

On 20 May in Moscow, the United Nations presented the Mid-Year Review of its 2003 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Chechnya and Neighbouring Republics (North Caucasus – Russian Federation) launched in November 2002. The Mid-Year Review, the outcome of extensive consultations between governmental, UN, Red Cross, and non-governmental officials, examines the present conditions in the region, identifies humanitarian needs there, and looks at how the Russian Government, UN aid agencies and other actors are working together to alleviate suffering and improve the lives of people in need, including how these efforts can be strengthened. The United Nations will continue to act according to the strategy outlined in the 2003 appeal, requesting US $30,270,494 to realise these plans.

The UN designed a programme for 2003 seeking to: enhance the protection of and respect for the basic human rights of the civilian population as long as insecurity in Chechnya determines the need; help civil society groups and local NGOs gain confidence, skills and capacity to contribute to the development of society; and support governmental structures, especially in the legal, health, education, and other social spheres, to function effectively.

Thanks to the continued donor support progress towards these goals has been steadfast, but not without difficulties. Advocating the right of internally displaced persons to live in the place of their choice and to return to Chechnya voluntarily, working on the contentious issue of the provision of alternative shelter to them in Ingushetia, as well as gaining access and freedom of movement inside the Chechen Republic have been among UN’s main priorities.

In the second half of the 2003, various UN agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP), and World Health Organization (WHO), plan to continue working in the sectors of protection, food, agriculture, shelter and non-food, health, water and sanitation, education, mine action, and economic recovery. The United Nations Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD) manages staff safety on a day-to-day basis.

Ms Rosemary McCreery, UN Humanitarian Coordinator a.i., who presented the Mid-Year review to representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation, Administration of the Republic of Chechnya, donor community, United Nations, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and several NGOs active in the North Caucasus, noted that to carry out these programmes the UN still needs US $17 million. Requirements have been revised down by about 10% as some agencies have reduced their costs or programmes, and others have a carry over from 2002. Ms McCreery emphasised that, despite progress in Chechnya, advocacy to uphold human rights and principles continues to be required, and humanitarian needs are likely to persist in 2004. Assistance will be progressively increased in Chechnya, most probably provided from bases in Ingushetia. Therefore a CAP for 2004 will be needed. On security issues, Ms McCreery highlighted the plight of Arjan Erkel. On behalf of the UN she strongly condemned all abductions in the North Caucasus, and called for the immediate and safe release of Mr Erkel.

Mr Shaban Zelimkhanov, speaking on behalf of the Administration of Chechnya, noted the Chechen authorities were ready to continue supporting the UN and NGOs in full when working in the region. Mr Michel Minnig, Head of the ICRC Delegation in the Russian Federation, joined the UN in calling for the immediate release of Arjan Erkel and stressed that more emphasis should be put on the question of the protection of civilians and on the promotion of the international humanitarian law. Representatives of Germany, Netherlands, and United States pledged continuing interest and support for UN assistance programmes in the North Caucasus.

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, supported by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is responsible for overall management of the UN’s work in the Chechnya and neighbouring republics of the Russian Federation. Further information on the UN’s humanitarian programmes in the region is available from her office.

The full text of the CAP 2003 Mid-Year Review can be found on www.ocha.ru or obtained from the OCHA office in the Russian Federation: 6 pereulok Obukha, Moscow 105064 (Tel.: (095) 956 64 05).

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