The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Activity 29162 - HALO Humanitarian Mine Action and Cluster Ammunition activities 2016-2020 Syria ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
The Netherlands
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Activity 29162 - HALO Humanitarian Mine Action
and Cluster Ammunition activities 2016-2020
Syria Progress Report 2019
01 January - 31 December 2019
Total grant: USD 284,612
Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Country Context ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Inputs ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 Personnel .................................................................................................................................................. 5 Equipment................................................................................................................................................. 5 Outputs and Outcomes................................................................................................................................. 5 Impact ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 Sustainability of Outcomes ..................................................................................................................... 14 Monitoring, evaluation and learning ...................................................................................................... 15 Gender Equality ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Coordination with National Authorities and Local Partners .................................................................. 16 Innovation ............................................................................................................................................... 16 Risks ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 Conclusion................................................................................................................................................... 17 Annex A: Case Study ................................................................................................................................... 19 Annex B: Theory of Change ........................................................................................................................ 21 Annex C: Metrics Table with Outputs as reported in IATI .......................................................................... 22 Annex D: Metrics Table with Outcomes as reported in IATI ...................................................................... 23 www.halotrust.org 2
Executive Summary
This report covers the achievements of the 6-person community engagement team and 1 x Risk Education
‘Training of Trainer’ (RE ToT) Trainer funded by the Netherlands and deployed by HALO (through its Syrian
partner NGO - Shafak) in Idleb governorate, northwest Syria from January to December 2019. The 2019
grant was USD 284,621.
The primary objective of this project is to increase the security and safety of communities in Idleb affected
by Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), by reducing the number of deaths and injuries caused by ERW. This
four-year project has two intended outcomes, contributing directly to the Netherlands’ ‘Goals for Human
Security’:
Outcome 1: Security and stability is enhanced, risk of death and injury to individuals and
communities reduced.
Outcome 2: Enhanced resilience of vulnerable groups through improved access to resources,
livelihoods and socio-economic reconstruction.
In 2019, the team and trainer completed the following activities in line with the project’s Theory of
Change:
Risk Education (RE): 905 RE sessions were delivered, reaching 13,149 beneficiaries (69%
children), exceeding the annual target of 880 sessions and 8,800 beneficiaries. Out of the 905 RE
sessions, 372 were school sessions (targeting children) and 533 were community sessions.
RE Training of Trainer (RE ToT): the RE ToT Trainer reached 859 beneficiaries across 58% of
available project working time. The RE ToT target is underachieved (target was 75% of available
time) due to underestimation of the time needed to coordinate with NGOs and community
groups.
Enhanced Contamination Impact Survey (ECIS): 70 ECIS sectors1 were surveyed across 45
communities for ERW contamination. This exceeded the target of 64 sectors. 23 of the 45
communities were contaminated (51%). 14 of those 23 communities recorded ‘High Risk
contamination’ as per HALO’s ECIS SOPs, seven communities recorded ‘Medium Risk
contamination’ and the remaining two communities reported ‘Low Risk contamination’2. The
most common ERW items found were sub-munitions (i.e. cluster bombs), followed by mortars
and projectiles.
Victim Data Collection (VDC): 114 victim interviews were conducted, exceeding the target of
interviewing 75 victims. Of the 114 victims, 76 were identified as requiring assistance, of which
86% were successfully referred to specialized services. This achievement exceeded the target, i.e.
80% of victims requiring assistance successfully referred to specialize services.
1 An ECIS sector has a maximum area of 500,000m2 (i.e. 50 hectares)
2 Low Risk: less than two items of ERW per 100,000m2, all of which are at least partially buried, well known to the local community and marked. Medium
Risk: one item of surface ERW; and/or two or more buried or partially buried items per 100,000m2; and/or unknown and unmarked partially buried items.
High Risk: Higher numbers of items than medium risk; any land mine or IED threat.
www.halotrust.org 3
Country Context Nine years into the Syrian crisis, the scale, severity and complexity of humanitarian needs of people in Syria remain extensive. According to UN, approximately 11.7 million people are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance (HNO 2019). Of these, five million people are estimated to be in acute need. An estimated 6.2 million people remained internally displaced. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights states that a total of 11,215 fighters and civilians were killed in 2019, during a war that has already claimed over 370,000 lives. Of those killed in 2019, 3,473 were civilians, including 1,021 children. An estimated 10.2 million persons are at risk of explosive hazards, consisting of one in two persons3 facing the threat of death or serious injury, potentially resulting in long-term impairment, the deprivation of livelihoods, and hindered access to basic services. Humanitarian ERW clearance is currently only being conducted in northeast Syria (by other NGOs). HALO only works in northwest Syria for now. Until clearance commences in other regions of Syria, the focus of the Mine Action effort in those areas remains RE, ECIS and Victim Assistance (VA). To better understand the extent and impact of ERW contamination in northwest Syria, HALO has been surveying accessible communities since late 2018 across Aleppo and Idleb governorates to identify, mark and report ERW items. To date, HALO has conducted ECIS in 848 of the 950 communities accessible across northwest Syria. Remaining accessible communities will be completed by mid-2020. 43% of communities surveyed to date by HALO ECIS teams were contaminated by ERW, including unexploded military ordnance (UXO), landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). In terms of the security situation, northwest Syria witnessed major changes in 2019, including the expansion of Government of Syria (GoS) controlled areas, reaching Al Mara’a district, in violation of the Astana agreement signed on 17 September 2018 by Turkey and Russia to create a buffer zone in Idleb. As a result, HALO Syria teams lost access to several project locations in southern Idleb. More than 800,000 civilians were forced to leave southern Idleb towards the north of the governorate and into Turkish- controlled Aleppo, in the midst of winter. The second major event in 2019 was the killing of Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi, the leader of the "ISIS" terrorist organization, in Berisha near Atmah village (Idleb governorate) on 27 October 2019. The operation was carried out by U.S. Special Forces (as announced by President Trump). HALO is operational across nothwest Syria, in Turkish-controlled areas of Aleppo governorate and areas of Idleb governorate controlled by Opposition Armed Groups (OAGs). This Dutch-funded project is conducted specifically in Idleb governorate. 3 https://hno-syria.org/data/downloads/en/full_hno_2019.pdf www.halotrust.org 4
Inputs
Personnel
This project funded 1 x 6-person team and 1 RE ToT trainer in northwest Syria for 12 months between 1
January and 31 December 2019. The 6-person team included three female and three male team members.
This team was partnered with a new 8-person team funded by the Belgium government, conducting the
same activities: RE, ECIS and VDC. Both of these teams were re-organized into three teams in order to
improve operational effectiveness against beneficiary and activity target requirements. There was no
negative impact on project activities, targets or budget, and the re-organization helped the teams
exchange knowledge and experience. The revised team structure employed during the project was:
Dutch & Belgian partnered project
Co-funded RE ToT Trainer
Field Supervisor (1 x Dutch-funded staff)
5-person ECIS/RE/VDC team 4-person ECIS/RE/VDC team 5-person RE/VDC team
(co-funded) (co-funded) (co-funded)
(2 x Belgium staff) (3 x Belgium staff) (3 x Belgium staff)
(3 x Dutch-funded staff) (1 x Dutch-funded staff) (2 x Dutch-funded staff)
2 of the 3 teams conducted ECIS, RE and VDC. The other team focused on RE and VDC.
The Dutch-funded staff did not attend any new training on RE or VDC in 2019 because they had previously
been trained, but they did complete ECIS training in 2019.
Equipment
No high-value equipment was purchased in 2019. Under RE activities, RE materials were purchased
including posters, brochures, booklets and children magazines, for distribution to beneficiaries. Under
ECIS, ERW marking materials and other minor consumables were purchased.
Outputs and Outcomes
The following paragraphs outline how Dutch funding to HALO contributed to the Sustainable
Development Goals and subsequently the Ministries’ Human Security Sub-Goals as described in the Grant
policy framework for the Mine Action and Cluster Munitions Programme 2016-2020.4
4 https://www.government.nl/topics/grant-programmes/mine-action-and-cluster-munitions-programme-2016-2020
www.halotrust.org 5
Outcome 1: Security and stability is enhanced, risk of death and injury to individuals and communities
reduced
RE activities included two types of sub-activities depending on the audience and the aim of the sessions.
RE sessions target an audience of all ages and backgrounds with no disaggregation, to educate them on
the five main messages of RE in a 45 min session. RE ToT Training targets a specific audience consisting of
either community focal points or NGO workers who will take this RE knowledge and spread it in their
communities/work places. ToT Training took between 2-5 days.
RE sessions: This Dutch-funded project enabled HALO/Shafak teams to deliver RE sessions in Idleb
governorate, reaching 13,149 beneficiaries (37% boys, 33% girls, 16% men and 15% women). Beneficiary
achievement in comparison to the targets under this project is explained below.
Indicator Target Achieved Status
Total Beneficiaries 8,800 13,149 149%
Women 1,584 2,030 128%
Men 1,936 2,050 106%
Girls 2,464 4,310 175%
Boys 2,816 4,759 169%
Total Sessions 880 905 103%
RE sessions targeted beneficiaries living in 77 communities across six districts in Idleb governorate. Ariha
district received the majority of the effort, based on coordination with the northwest Syria Mine Action
Sub-Cluster (see map below). 372 school sessions (targeting children) were conducted as well as 533
community sessions (targeting children and adult beneficiaries in markets, mosques, and public places).
The over-achievement of beneficiaries was due to a higher number of beneficiaries attending each session
than initially expected. In the annual plan for 2019, HALO Syria estimated an average of 10 beneficiaries
would attend each session (10 beneficiaries per session x 880 sessions = 8,800 beneficiaries). However,
during the project, teams were able to reach approximately 15 beneficiaries per session.
www.halotrust.org 6
RE-ToT Training: This Dutch-funded project included a RE ToT Trainer who conducted activities for 859
beneficiaries (370 women and 489 men) throughout 69 trainings. 60% of the trainings were conducted
for Community Focal Points and 40% for NGOs. There were 22 trainings in Aleppo governorate and 47
trainings in Idleb governorate, in locations as per the map below:
The RE-ToT trainer under-achieved on his target of providing training 75% of available time. The trainer
conducted training 58% of available time. This under-achievement was due to a combination of
coordination requirements with communities and NGOs, and training preparation requirements, both of
which consumed more time than expected.
RE session in Idleb for children
www.halotrust.org 7
ECIS: Throughout this project, the teams co-funded by the Netherlands and Belgium surveyed 45
communities across three districts in Idleb governorate: Al Ma’ra, Ariha and Idleb (see map below). This
effort equated to 140 x ECIS sectors, with each sector comprising up to 500,000m2 (as per HALO’s ECIS
SOPs). 50% of this effort was allocated to the Netherlands project (i.e. 70 sectors), which exceeded the
project target of 64 ECIS sectors.
In terms of the impact on contaminated communities; there were 6 types of access blockages: agricultural
lands (annual and permanent crop lands), non-agricultural lands (forest or bush), community land
(market, educational facility, or medical facility), infrastructure (water points, water stations and pipe
systems), access (roads, pathways) and housing (permanent housing, temporary housing). It is important
to note that approximately 70% of the workforce in northwest Syria is engaged in the agricultural sector.
Impact of ERW contamination - access blockages
45% 41%
40%
35%
30%
25% 22%
20% 18%
15%
10% 5% 7% 7%
5%
0%
Non-agricultural Community land infrastructure Access Housing Agricultural lands
lands
www.halotrust.org 8
ERW contamination was confirmed in 23 of 45 communities surveyed (51%) – 5 in Al Ma’ra district, 15 in
Ariha district and 3 in Idleb district. Note: access to Al Ma’ra district (southern Idleb) became unsafe from
May 2019 due to increased air strikes and artillery bombardments, which explains why the effort in Al
Ma’ra is lower than in other districts.
Total surveyed communities
(District level)
30
26
25
20
15 Total surveyed
15
11 11 Not contaminated
10 8 8 Contaminated
5
5 3 3
0
Al Ma'ra (Idleb) Ariha (Idleb) Idleb (Idleb)
Contamination in 14 of those 23 communities was consistent with the definition of High Risk
contamination as per HALO’s ECIS SOPs, while seven communities reported Medium Risk contamination
and two communities reported Low Risk contamination. Examples of High Risk contamination are
minefields, IEDs, and areas with a large amount of ERW contamination on the surface, e.g. sub-munitions.
Several contaminated communities reported multiple types of ERWs.
Contamination Summary
(Community level)
14
22
2
7
Contaminated (High Risk) Contaminated (Low Risk)
Contaminated (Medium Risk) No contamination
As per the graph below, the single most common ERW item found was sub-munitions (i.e. cluster bombs),
followed by mortars and projectiles. This finding is consistent with HALO’s other ECIS work in northwest
Syria. The reporting of 12 areas suspected to contain minefields is an important finding. More detailed
survey (i.e. Non Technical Survey) is required before these ‘suspected hazardous areas’ can be verified or
discounted.
www.halotrust.org 9
Types of ERW contamination identified
Quantity
180 167
160 138
140
120
100
80 49
60
40 23
5 12 2 2 4 6 11
20 1 1 1
0
grenade
mortar
dispenser/container
fuze
projectile
part of rocket
landmines
landmines
rocket
mixed
sub-munition
sub-munition
Ammunition
improvised projectile
Small Arms
Area Spot location
Importantly, the purpose of ECIS is not to identify 100% of the contamination but to establish a clearer
understanding of the type of the contamination and its location, which will inform future disposal
operations. Therefore, the figures in the above graph do not represent the full nature of contamination.
Refer to the photos at Appendix 1 for an indication of the ERW items found.
Four of the 23 contaminated communities reportedly had not received RE in the past six months. This
feedback helped HALO prioritize its RE efforts to ensure communities most at risk of harm from ERW were
provided with RE relevant to their risk exposure.
ECIS marking for a projectile under a rock in Idleb
www.halotrust.org 10Outcome 2: Enhanced resilience of vulnerable groups through improved access to resources, livelihoods
and socioeconomic reconstruction
VDC: The teams conducted 228 interviews with survivors or families of victims. 50% of this effort was
allocated to the Dutch-funded project (i.e. 114 interviews), which exceeded the project target of 75
interviews.
The 114 interviews allocated to this project identified 98 people injured and 16 people killed as a result
of ERW and other conflict-related accidents. Around 52% were victims of ERW accidents, the other 48%
were victims of direct shelling and bombing. Analysis of collected data revealed that host community
members were more impacted than IDPs (82% of the victims were host community members and 18%
were IDPs).
Disaggregation of the victims interviewed – 65% men, 10% women, 21% boys, and 5% girls. This finding is
consistent with HALO’s other VDC activities across northwest Syria. As shown in the graph below, the
main causes of accidents were deliberately playing with the hazardous items or unintentionally stepping
on it while farming. The majority of victims were reported from Kafruma community in Al Ma’ra district.
Activity Causing the Accident - Male and Female
35% 29%
30% 25%
25%
20%
15%
10% 7% 7% 7% 5%
4% 3%
5% 0% 2% 2% 1% 2% 2% 2%
0% 0% 0% 2% 1%
0%
Collecting farming Fetching Household deliberatly Tending Travelling Moving ERW playing Other
Scrap metal food and work playing with livestock for safety without
water ERW seeing
F M
Referrals to specialized services were facilitated for survivors in need of assistance (e.g. physical, psycho-
social or livelihood). Overall, teams identified 76 survivors in need of referral assistance (out of the 98
survivors identified from the 114 interviews). 65 survivors were successfully referred from those in need.
This achievement represents a referral rate of 86%, which exceeded the project target of 80%. Survivors
were referred in four different districts: Ariha, Harim, Idleb and Al Ma’ra. No referrals were made in Jisr
Ash Shugur and Jebel Saman districts.
In terms of referrals provided, 42% cases were in need of tools to help movement including crunches and
prosthetics, 28% required health services such as medication, 18% required physical therapy, 9% required
psychological assistance and 3% required financial assistance.
Most referrals were men and boys (46 men, 14 boys, 4 women, and 1 girl). Age-gender distribution of
referrals across the districts is summarized in the graph below.
www.halotrust.org 11Age-gender distribution of referrals across districts
34%
19%
12%
9%
6% 5% 6%
3%
0% 0% 2% 0% 2% 0% 2% 0%
Ariha Harim Idleb Al Mara'a
Men Women Boys Girls
The achievement of referrals was slightly better than expected (86% v 80%) due to the good connections
that Shafak has established with other stakeholders and service providers in affected districts, as well as
the availability of internal referrals within Shafak for some cases. 24% of the referred survivors were
supported either through internal referral, or by HALO’s other implementing partner in northwest Syria
(i.e. Hand in Hand for Aid and Development (HIHFAD)). One of the lessons learnt for HALO and Shafak for
future projects is that transportation for referral services must be covered by the project in order to
facilitate access for beneficiaries. This was one of the main reasons why the referral rate was not higher.
Impact
The primary objective of this project was to increase the security and safety of ERW-affected communities
in Idleb, by reducing the number of deaths and injuries caused by ERW. The project’s 2019 Theory of
Change (see Annex B) required positive impacts against the four human security outcomes linked to two
sub-goals from the Netherlands’ ‘Goals for Human Security’ policy framework:
Sub-goal 1.1. All kinds of violent acts against citizens, including sexual violence, and other physical
security threats are reduced.
Sub-goal 1.2. Institutions responsible for maintaining security perform their tasks effectively,
accountably and in better coordination, responding to the needs of citizens.
Sub-goal 1.3 Communities and civil society contribute to human security and a culture of non-
violence, independently and in coordination with responsible institutions.
Human security outcomes Sub-goal link Impacts
Improved human security for vulnerable groups in 1.1 and 1.2 and 1.3 1. Sustained conditions for
target countries human security
Enhanced resilience of vulnerable groups through 1.1 and 1.2
more sustainable livelihoods 2. Increased resilience/ability to
Equal access for men and women of all social groups 1.1 and 1.2 cope with shocks
to basic services, material resources, and
formal/informal justice 3. Space for inclusive
More sustainable national peace and state stability 1.1 development
in target countries
www.halotrust.org 12Impact 1: Sustained conditions for human security
RE. The security situation in Idleb remained unstable in 2019 with several aerial bombardments, shelling
and rockets recorded, especially targeting southern Idleb. This resulted in an increase in the number of
ERW in the governorate, adding to the already high level of ERW contamination, threatening the safety
and security of communities and IDPs. IDPs are especially at risk of harm from ERWs because they are
unfamiliar with the conflict history in their area of displacement. A summary of positive impacts linked to
RE outputs/outcomes are:
A pre-test and post-test was conducted for a sample of participants in RE sessions. Adult and child
beneficiaries surveyed immediately prior to and after their attendance at an RE session
demonstrated an increase in knowledge and awareness of safe behavior regarding ERW. This
improved knowledge reduces the likelihood of beneficiaries becoming future victims of ERW
accidents. The positive results are displayed in the table below.
Adults Children
Questions
pretest post-test % points of pretest post-test % points of
% % improvement % % improvement
What can make a mine, UXO or IED
42% 99% 57% 32% 99% 67%
explode?
What can mines/ERWs do to human
66% 100% 34% 49% 100% 51%
beings and animals?
In your opinion, other than physically,
how could landmines/IEDs/UXOs affect 23% 67% 44% 19% 99% 80%
you/others?
What are the clues that indicate the
potential presence of 28% 100% 72% 19% 99% 80%
landmines/IEDs/UXOs?
What are the danger signs used to mark
areas with mines and ERWs? 27% 99% 72% 18% 99% 81%
If you see a UXO on your way, to
prevent you from an incident, you will
26% 100% 74% 23% 100% 77%
not approach it but carefully go around
it and continue your way.
If an area is not marked with a danger
16% 100% 83% 16% 99% 83%
sign, it is safe enter it.
It is safe to pick up an ERW as long as
36% 100% 64% 35% 100% 65%
you are careful.
Abandoned ordnance is quite safe as
they have not been primed for use. 31% 100% 69% - - -
UXO did not go off the first time so it
38% 100% 62% 28% 100% 72%
will not explode later.
Averages 33% 97% 63% 27% 99% 73%
Community Focal Points and NGO workers also increased their knowledge following the training,
as per a pre/post survey conducted by the RE ToT Trainer.
www.halotrust.org 13ECIS. The outputs and outcomes of ECIS conducted across 2019 provides better knowledge on the amount and location of the ERW contamination and related exposure risks. This improved knowledge allows HALO, other NGOs and UNMAS to better understand disposal requirements and prioritize future disposal activities. It also allows community authorities improve public awareness initiatives and guide civil defense staff that are involved in local clearance activities. Furthermore, it assists the planning of safe locations for IDP camps as this information is shared with UNMAS and other humanitarian actors. Finally, marking of items as part of ECIS activities helps protect lives of community members and people on the move, with information about marking signs communicated during RE sessions, and marking locations shared with local authorities to protect and inform the public. Impact 2: Increased resilience/ability to cope with shocks VDC and Referral. The outputs and outcomes of VDC activity conducted across 2019 provided data on the need for referrals among ERW victims and the type of referrals required. VDC activity also identified groups that are more vulnerable to accidents than others due to exposure to ERW, ignorance or necessity (e.g. curious uninformed children, shepherds looking after their flocks or adults seeking an income from scrap metal or harvesting explosives). This explains why males were in greater need of referral to specialized services. The outcomes of VDC also helps shape and tailor RE activity and RE-ToT activities. During VDC activity, 65 ERW victims were successfully referred to specialized services. All other victims who are not referred yet, will be contacted and referred under other ongoing HALO/Shafak projects. Referrals were made internally or externally (outside of Shafak) which increased and strengthened institutional coordination between Shafak and other NGOs. Impact 3: Space for inclusive development. A goal for the 2019 project was to improve the inclusion of disadvantaged, disabled ERW accident survivors (and affected families) by better supporting them (physically or psychologically) through the referral process to specialized services, in turn enabling them to be more active members in their communities. Value for money. The generous multi-year funding provided by the Netherlands for this project has enabled the long-term employment of team staff and retention of knowledge, stemming from once-only foundation training. In contrast, short-term projects (e.g. six-month projects) require a mobilization period involving staff recruitment and training, typically consuming at least one month, reducing time available to achieve operational outputs. Also, these long-term employed and experienced members are considered valuable assets by HALO/Shafak to lead other projects in the future and participate in knowledge exchange with other employees under other HALO/Shafak projects. Sustainability of Outcomes Under this project, HALO (through Shafak) sought to ensure the sustainability of RE in the communities by conducting RE ToT training to Community Focal points and NGO workers, including teachers, local council members and community associations who will be able to spread knowledge of RE acquired to throughout local communities. Community Focal Points also help spread knowledge of safe behavior after teams have departed communities while NGOs workers will brief their organizations to sustain the www.halotrust.org 14
knowledge. Additionally, all RE beneficiaries were encouraged to share what they learnt with their
families and friends, including RE materials distributed.
Data collected from ECIS is shared primarily with UNMAS, which then shares the information with other
Mine Action Sub-Cluster members and the broader Protection Cluster. The data is also used to inform
local NGOs about safe/unsafe locations, and to inform future ERW disposal activities.
VDC and referrals activities connect beneficiaries with specialized services and open channels of
communications between beneficiaries and service providers for future inquires.
Monitoring, evaluation and learning
Several lessons learnt have been taken into consideration for the implementation of this project and will
inform future projects.
The employment of multi-discipline teams (ECIS/RE/VDC) is essential to conduct complementary
tasks, as required. This was confirmed by the achievements of this project.
Include school teachers in school-based RE sessions so they can incorporate key messaging in their
ongoing curriculum during the project and after the project has concluded.
Transportation for victim/survivor assistance beneficiaries from their home to the service location
should be included in the project’s budget to ensure successful referrals.
Co-funding by two or more donors for a common project shares/reduces overhead costs,
maximizing the allocation of funding for activities directly supporting beneficiaries.
Gender Equality
Under this project, having female staff was essential to reach women and
children, usually among the most vulnerable element of the population.
There are significant challenges in reaching female beneficiaries as they
often remain in their home or are not comfortable participating in mixed,
or male-led activities. This also presents a challenge when attempting to
reach children. Female staff are better positioned to reach out to women,
gathering useful data on their needs and their feedback on the utility ofCommunity
the project, while -respecting
engagement RE (women)
cultural norms.
This project fully funded 6 x field team members, 1 x RE ToT Trainer and a project manager. Of the field
team members, three members were female – two women worked as RE facilitators and one worked as
an ECIS member. Employment of women as ECIS team members is not widely acceptable by the
communities in northwest Syria, but HALO managed to overcome this challenge with its implementing
partner (Shafak) by offering good benefits, female friendly offices with separate rooms for women and
providing transportation to/from work for some staff members.
This project also contributed to gender equality by targeting female beneficiaries across all project
activities. Through RE activities, teams managed to reach 6,340 women and girls under regular RE
www.halotrust.org 15activities, and reached 370 female beneficiaries under RE ToT activity. In VDC/referrals, teams were able to successfully refer 45% of females in need of referrals. These results are due to the reputation of Shafak and the trust that it has established with local communities, as well as the recruitment of female team members. Coordination with National Authorities and Local Partners This project was delivered successfully via co-funding by the Netherlands and Belgium. This collaboration increased the project’s geographical reach and enhanced the sharing of experience between teams because some of the Dutch-funded members were more experienced and better equipped with knowledge and training as they have been working on the project for several years. HALO delivered this project through a long-term Syrian NGO partner (Shafak). HALO and Shafak have an enduring Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 19 Dec 2015 and have conducted several Mine Action projects together in northwest Syria. Before and throughout the implementation of the project, Shafak coordinated with local councils, to receive authorization to operate and register activities in targeted districts. RE ToT activity coordination occurred through engagement with local authorities (e.g. Education Directorates) and local NGOs, as well as the northwest Syria Mine Action Sub-Cluster. As for regular RE sessions, coordination happened through school principals, the Education Directorates and local councils to ensure there was no duplication of activities with other NGOs. VA activities were coordinated with other NGOs and internally within Shafak, depending on the beneficiary needs identified. Finally, ECIS activities were organized in collaboration with local authorities. This project was delivered in coordination with the northwest Syria Mine Action Sub-Cluster (attended by both HALO and Shafak) and the Health Cluster. Innovation Given the ongoing conflict in Syria and associated risks, HALO adopts a remote approach to managing its projects, working through Syrian NGO partners (such as Shafak) and supervising daily team activities remotely through a full-time operations room in Amman, Jordan. This approach relies largely on modern technology and takes full advantage of ‘real time’ communication channels such as Skype and WhatsApp. This approach continues to prove successful. Field teams use tablets to collect data and photos on a data-sharing platform called KoBo, which does not require internet connection at the time of initial information capture. This enables teams to save data from each session in real time (removing the need for notebook and pen), and upload it via the internet when they return to the office at the end of the working day. Finally, HALO Syria remains the only organization with RE ToT Trainers operating across northwest Syria. HALO provides this service to other NGOs and Community Focal Points (as a better alternative to skype- based training). www.halotrust.org 16
Risks
Generally, under HALO projects risks are monitored periodically and mitigated across eight areas:
Project authority & access approval
Safety and security
Personnel (recruitment and training)
Scope & performance of activities
Finance & logistics
Business administration
Reputation
Under this projects, the main risks were:
Safety and security of the teams – primary risk exposure related to harm from conflict-related
fighting and kidnapping. To mitigate this risk, Shafak’s security advisor monitored the security
situation, and updates were shared with HALO. HALO also monitored the security situation
through its operations room. Adjustments to the daily/weekly work plan whenever needed were
made to avoid areas of elevated threat. Operational days were suspended when there was a need
for it. During the project, only 18 team days were lost due to the security situation.
Scope & performance of activities – half-way through the project, ECIS targets were close to being
achieved but teams were under-achieving against RE targets. HALO and Shafak decided to adjust
team priorities, re-assigning one team to RE on a full-time basis, while the other two teams
continued to conduct ECIS and RE activities. This approach proved successful.
Conclusion
The multi-year Dutch-funded project continues to deliver lifesaving Mine Action support to conflict-
affected communities in Idleb. In 2019, field staff provided over 13,000 beneficiaries with essential
knowledge on RE and trained 859 new RE ToT trainers in targeted districts. Staff also surveyed 70 sectors
in Idleb for ERW contamination and finally, staff referred 65 ERW victims to relevant support services.
Importantly, HALO is expanding its presence in Turkey through a new collaboration with a Turkish Mine
Action NGO to commence ERW disposal activities in Turkish controlled areas of Aleppo.
Project financial performance for 2019 is summarized at Annex E.
www.halotrust.org 17Report submitted by: Tim Kreuk Date: 24 April 2020 The HALO Trust Carronfoot Thornhill Dumfries DG3 5BF United Kingdom Contact Phone No: +44 (0) 1848 331100 Contact E-mail: tim.kreuk@halotrust.org www.halotrust.org 18
Annex A: Case Study Sarah is a little girl who recently celebrated her fifth birthday. She had two brothers and four sisters. Her father, like most of the villagers in this area, worked in the plastic industry. He owned a plastic milling machine to recycle plastic materials. A week after Eid al-Adha, a client brought a bag to Sarah’s father, containing green plastic material. He asked for the plastic to be grinded. Her father tried but eventually stopped as the machine was not working. The client left but forgot a bag behind him. Sarah’s father looked into the bag to make sure there was nothing harmful inside it and moved it to another side of his house. A day later, while the family was sitting outside, one of the kids reached to the bag, took out one piece and set it on fire. The piece was close to the bag and the fire reached the bag which suddenly exploded. Sarah’s parents and older sister died from the explosion. Sarah survived, suffering from mild burns. She currently lives with her younger siblings and her uncle. Teams under this project managed to deliver RE activity to Sarah’s family and the neighborhood where she lived. Further, the teams referred Sarah internally to psychological services that includes culturally and age-appropriate activities such as sports and games to develop life skills and coping mechanisms, and support resilience. In this project, teams provided Sarah and her brothers and cousins with school bags, and toys. It is important to know that at the beginning of 2019, Sara's family were living in Marr'et Al-Numan in Al Ghadafa village. But due to the challenging security situation the family was forced to leave the village and stay in an unknown IDP camp. www.halotrust.org 19
Every day we hear of a new story, we witness another pitiful incident due to the current conflicts. The victims of these horrific circumstances are those simple, good-hearted, plagued civilians who are undergoing the bombings and blasts of different types of rockets and ammunitions – some of which are left unexploded. The explosive remnants of the bombardments are putting peoples’ lives at risk; people are vulnerable to either getting killed or maimed because of them. This is what happened to a young man named Majed Abdulkarim Hilal who told us the story of his injury: “I had to leave my village and move to Skik, southern rural Idleb. I was then grazing my sheep, when I saw an ammunition item. It caught my attention, and so I touched it and tried to play with it, which caused the explosion. I lost the fingers of my left hand, plus serious injuries to my lower limbs. I was evacuated to Haneen Hospital in the town of Tamana’ah, to be referred later on to the National Hospital in Ma’arrat Annu’man. I had surgery to my left hand, and some shrapnel were pulled out of my legs. After a while, I left hospital. And now I’m in a dire need to receive a surgical treatment in my left hand and my legs.” www.halotrust.org 20
Annex B: Theory of Change www.halotrust.org 21
Annex C: Metrics Table with Outputs as reported in IATI
NL METRICS TABLE
Grantee: The HALO Trust
Country: Syria North
Project Title: Mine Action and Cluster Munition Programme 2016 - 2020
NL Activity No: 29162
Quarterly Reporting Period/Final Report:
Total Grant Period of Performance: 1 September 2016 - 31 August 2020
Reporting Period: 1 January - 31 december 2019
Date Completed: 20 April 2020
Target
Output Total
2017 (inc. Target Output Target Output Output
Total 2016- Contract
Sep - 31 2018 Total 2018 2019 Total 2019 TOTAL
CAPACITY 2017 Target
Dec 2016)
NON-CLEARANCE ACTIVITIES
1,024 2,249 800 1,462 880 905 2,704 4,616
MRE Sessions (#)
5,200 3,532 3,000 3,949 1,936 2,050 10,136 9,531
Male MRE Recipients (#)
3,000 3,934 3,000 4,858 1,584 2,030 7,584 10,822
Female MRE Recipients (#)
8,000 9,498 5,775 8,064 2,640 4,758 16,415 22,320
Male Child MRE Recipients (#)
8,000 8,919 5,775 7,980 2,640 4,311 16,415 21,210
Female Child MRE Recipients (#)
200 0 200 51 64 70 464 121
Neighbourhoods/sectors surveyed for ERW contamination (#)
0 45 0 60 75 114 75 219
ERW survivors interviewed (#)
0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
Male survivors successfully referred to assistance (%)
0% 0% 0% 0% 80% 18% 65% 18%
Female survivors successfully referred to assistance (%)
0% 0% 0% 0% 80% 21% 65% 21%
Child survivors successfully referred to assistance (%)
0 0 0 0 0 44 0 44
Male Survivors Benefitting from assistance (#)
0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4
Female Survivors Benefitting from assistance (#)
0 0 0 0 0 14 1 14
Male Child Survivors Benefitting from assistance (#)
0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1
Female Child Survivors Benefitting from assistance (#)
0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2
Male Survivors Benefitting from Psycho-social Assistance (#)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Female Survivors Benefitting from Psycho-social Assistance (#)
0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2
Male Child Survivors Benefitting from Psycho-social Assistance (#)
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
Female Child Survivors Benefitting from Psycho-social assistance (#)
www.halotrust.org 22Annex D: Metrics Table with Outcomes as reported in IATI
NL METRICS TABLE
Grantee: The HALO Trust
Country: Syria North
Project Title: Mine Action and Cluster Munition Programme 2016 - 2020
NL Activity No: 29162
Quarterly Reporting Period/Final Report:
Total Grant Period of Performance: 1 September 2016 - 31 August 2020
Reporting Period: 1 January - 31 december 2019
Date Completed: 20 April 2020
2016-2017 2018 2019 2020 Target Overall
OUTCOME: Security and stability is enhanced, risk of death and injury to individuals and communities reduced
Percentage of direct beneficiaries surveyed reporting feeling
98% 0% 99% 0% 90% 98%
safer following land release and RE activities
Percentage of direct beneficiaries surveyed reporting
61% 65% 56% 0% 50% 63%
increased knowledge of ERW/mines following RE activities
Percentage of direct beneficiaries surveyed demonstrating
increased safe behaviour towards the dangers of ERW/mines 33% 62% 65% 0% 50% 48%
following RE activities
OUTCOME: Enhanced resilience of vulnerable groups through Improved access to resources, livelihoods and
socioeconomic reconstruction
Number of Direct Beneficiaries of MRE 25,883 24,851 13,149 0 50,550 63,883
Note: Outcome data for the first indicator 'feeling safer' for 2018 was unfortunately lost after handover of files. However, data from the
other years will compensate the loss as the outcome is measured over a four year period.
www.halotrust.org 23You can also read
