Advocacy on Reconstruction Issues in AJK arranged by PFP &Action aid

8/14/2019 Advocacy on Reconstruction Issues in AJK arranged by PFP &Action aid

1/5

Advocacy Campaign on Reconstruction Issues in AJ&K

Background contextual analysis:

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck Pakistani Administrated Kashmir and

Northern part of the country, on October 8, 2005 was the most devastating natural

disaster in the history of the area. The earthquake was spread over to an area of

approximately 30,000 sq. km across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the

North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

In AJK, 7000 Sq km area was disrupted, 1.8 million population affected, 46,570

deaths, 33,136 injuries, 977 villages affected, 3,14,474 houses damaged in four

affected districts. The earthquake damaged or destroyed 2706 educationalinstitutions and 176 health institutes in AJK. Some 84 percent of the total housing

stock was damaged or destroyed in AJK.90 percent of the destroyed or damaged

housing is found in rural areas. Many urban areas were devastated while main

cities, Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot were adversely damaged.

ERRA:

The Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) was

established on October 24, 2005, as an autonomous authority (responsible for

reconstruction, rehabilitation, and development of the areas affected by the

earthquake of October 8, 2005 ERRA Ordinance: Section 3). The jurisdiction ofERRA covers the earthquake damaged areas of Pakistan (in NWFP) and AJK

(Azad Jammu Kashmir).

SERRA:

State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (SERRA) in the AJK work

as a secretariat for the respective Steering Committee of ERRA. The agency is ERRAs


2/5

counterpart office at the State level and is responsible for: supervising, managing and

coordinating all State reconstruction activities. SERRA coordinates and supervises

district annual work plans for the reconstruction process. They provide backstopping to

the District Reconstruction Units (DRU). The SERRA prepares quarterly and annual

progress reports on all sectors of ERRA. Numbers of reconstruction projects of different

sectors are going to be implemented. (Please see the details of sectors and reconstructionprojects in annexure A).

ERRA Urban Program:

Government of Pakistan and China signed an MoU to rehabilitate and reconstruct

Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot cities of AJK under the AJK Urban

Development Program. The umbrella agreement for this project has already been

signed between the ERRA and two Chinese construction companies. For

Muzaffarabad City, an amount of US $ 190.62 million has been earmarked for

completion of 90 projects, Bagh 50 projects worth $ 123.55 million and Rawalakot

city, 30 projects with a cost of US$ 38.83 million. (For details please see annexureC.)

But after passing more than three and half years of Oct 2005 Earthquake, no

significant improvement has been made, the issues of reconstruction are increasing

especially, City Development Projects, reconstruction of schools, health facilities

because the ERRAs planning phase has not yet ended. ERRAs slogan Build Back

Better is still in the files and so for nothing practical has come out for

implementation of the projects. The pace of the work is very much slow which is

creating major concern and frustration among the public. Moreover, exclusion of

concerned citizens from the process of reconstruction is irritating them.

Project Management Unit (PMU):

Master Plans of all three cities have been developed and finalized from last two

years but still implementation of these master plans have not started yet. Moreover,

especially, a separate department namely, Project Management Unit (PMU) has also

been established in Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot districts, for the

implementation of City Development Projects. The mandate of this separate unit is

to coordinate with development authority of relevant district and implement the

City Development Project. Large number of people with handsome salaries has

been hired for the PMU; however, on the contrary, their utilization seems to be

zero, as no ground work has been started at any level. Citizen of cities are still in

ambiguity situation for the reconstruction of their house because they dont have

any idea that how their city will look like, one the implementation of City

Development Project take off.

EEAP:


3/5

Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (Asian Development Bank funded) is

also another separate sector of SERRA whose mandate is the reconstruction of

schools including construction of health facilities and other public infrastructure i.e

roads, bridges. Reconstruction of total 2835 schools is the responsibility of EEAP

but after passing long time there is no any significant deliverables on the ground.

(For details please see annexure B).

Pace of work so slow, hardly 7 to 8 % of the total schools has been reconstructed so

far. Students are still getting their education in tents or in an open sky. Summer and

winter seasons both are adversely affecting their education. Moreover, issue of

subletting also exists in the tendering process which is dangerous to ensure quality

and safe construction.

The more adverse side of the picture is that, 70 % of total aid money of thereconstruction is in the form of pledges of WB, ADB and other donors. The need of

the hour is that, this loaning amount should be spent at right place within the right

time; however, most of the amount has been spent on the overhead and

administrative cost of the coordinating and implementing agencies. Ultimately, the

cost of these expenditures will be beard by common and poor people directly or

indirectly. Though the government claims that mega projects have been developed

and will be launched soon; however, the citizens and general public have never been

involved in the process of prioritizing, and phasing of the projects. The processes of

planning projects are done through top-down approach without involvement and

participation of the end users. Moreover, planning and implementing agencies do

not share their work with the concerned citizen, which they have been done so far.Although, very nominal work has been done, which; however, lacks culture of

information sharing regarding planning, budgeting, and updates regarding

implementation of projects with common people and civil society.

Whenever, it is discussed with government and implementing agencies about the

progress and outcome of reconstruction work, then they make very week

justifications for delay in work and do not feel any accountability towards

concerned citizens. The response from the government is also poor and not in the

favor of common and poor people.

Objectives: To raise awareness, organize and strengthen the citizens for mobilizing

around the reconstruction issues and asserting for their rights.

To influence the government and implementing agencies for information

sharing on reconstruction with citizens.

To build pressure on government and implementing agencies for the

responsive, accountable and transparent governance in their processes.


4/5

To build pressure on government and implementing agencies for the speedy

implementation of reconstruction work.

Implementation Strategy:

All planned activities will be organized by the Press for Peace (PFP). As themandate of the organization is advocacy on human rights and media awareness

thats why, firstly, the issues of reconstruction will be highlighted in the media.

At mobilization level, citizens, lawyers, trade unions, and members of CSOs will be

sensitize and engage around issues of implementation and a pressure will be built on

the government and implementing, coordinating and monitoring agencies for the

accountability, transparency and responsiveness in their governance systems. At

policy level other advocacy and lobbying efforts will be conducted with the

government authorities for downward accountability towards citizens.

Monitoring of the activities will be the responsibility of Policy Officer and Program

Manager ActionAid Area Office Abbottabad and evaluation will be conducted atthe completion of the campaign. A detailed financial and narrative report will be

submitted to the ActionAid Area Office Abbottabad at the end of the campaign.

Firstof all activities will be started at State level from Muzaffarabad, which is the

capital of the State of Azad Jammu Kashmir and a press conference will be

organized to highlight the issues of reconstruction along with program introduction

of campaign in Muzaffarabad. Secondly, advocacy and lobbying meetings will be

arranged with state authorities, Minister Reconstruction, DG SERRA, Project

Director EEAP, and Project Director Urban Development Projects/PMUs for

sharing the updates of reconstruction with citizens. Thirdly, meetings will be

conducted with the Program Managers of District Reconstruction Units, and

Development Authorities of three districts-Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot

respectively. At the same time mobilizing activities with citizens will be started. For

awareness, organization and mobilization of citizens, a pamphlet on reconstruction

issues will be printed and distributed among citizens of three districts. Finally, at the

district level, sharing of plans, implementation process and priorities of projects will

be share in a public gathering/seminar in each district, where representatives of

PMU, EEAP, DRU and Development Authorities will be asked share their updates

regarding City Development Project, construction of buildings, social services and

public infrastructure. Due to public gatherings at district level, participants who

will be key persons of different walks of life will come to know about the planning,

implementation, status and priorities of the reconstruction and it will also create a

space for excluded people and the opportunity to raise their concerns about

reconstruction issues and make the state machinery accountable to the people.

The main focus of the campaign will be City Development Projects and construction

of schools, therefore, Project Management Unit (PMU) and Earthquake Emergency

Assistance Project (EAAP) both will be the focus of our advocacy campaign.


5/5

Duration of Project:

Total duration of the project will be four months; starts form October 01, 2009 to

December 31, 2009.

Expected Outcomes:

1. Public awareness on reconstruction projects and processes will be raised.

2. Concerned citizen will get technical information and be able to make

accountable to the government.

3. Citizens commissions and trader unions will be taken on board for the

sharing of information.

4. Government and implementing agencies will be shared updates ofreconstruction work with the citizens, periodically.

5. Accountability, transparency and responsiveness will be increased in the

process of the government and implementing agencies.

6. Pace of reconstruction work will be speed up and projects will be completedat given time.

Advocacy on Reconstruction Issues in AJK arranged by PFP &Action aid

Documents

Transcript of Advocacy on Reconstruction Issues in AJK arranged by PFP &Action aid