To date, there are over 1.8 million people in Darfur displaced by the conflict. Displaced populations fleeing to urban camps and seeking safety in host villages throughout Darfur have greatly impacted the already fragile Sahelian ecosystem. One of the greatest and most consistent needs for all Darfurians, be they displaced, settled or on the move is firewood and fuel to heat their homes, cook their food, and treat water for consumption and food preparation. Fire wood collection and the risks endured by women and children collecting this scarce resource has been one of the most challenging and serious protection concerns both in IDP camps and also in villages where the conflict over resources is high.
Wood collection practices, environmental impact and protection issues have been raised at numerous UN, NGO and donor venues and has yielded a range of views on the appropriateness of various technical interventions, their effectiveness, sustainability and implementation. Such discussions have yielded several good interventions, but the impact and coordination between agencies and sectors to address mass dissemination and information campaigns have been weak and require greater emphasis on models of dissemination and opportunities to combine fuel efficient stove projects with other sectors such as health, livelihoods and water and sanitation to promote their use and utility based on the culture and environment of Darfur.
In West Darfur 3,362 women have been trained in fuel efficient stove use, design and construction. In North Darfur between 7,883 women have been trained and in South Darfur 29,777 women have been trained. UNJLC and UNFAO have also contributed funding to the promotion of fuel efficient stove design and UNFAO continues to provide funding and support for the promotion of this activity. UNICEF also has received money to support fuel efficient stove projects in Darfur. International NGOs in Darfur have piloted several design models in Darfur, but have had limited success in monitoring the impact of the particular designs or formulating strategies to more widely disseminate model use with social mobilization or marketing campaigns.
In Darfur the issue of fuel wood collection and protection are two sides of the same coin. They require coordination and capacity to tackle the challenges of providing options and interventions in very diverse settings with limited resources. The greatest tragedy in Darfur of large concentrations of displaced populations is also one of opportunity for training, capacity building, and for information dissemination campaigns, especially in a country the size of Darfur and with the logistical challenges of overland travel. The setting of IDP camps and the coordination and services provided in disperse villages hosting IDP populations provides an opportunity for social mobilization and model dissemination that would otherwise be difficult in a setting such as Darfur. Social mobilization campaigns can target mixed communities and encourage cooperation across tribes. Campaigns can also provide different tribes with the opportunity to discover shared messages and provide a common approach to encourage the protection of scarce resources.
Wood collection practices, environmental impact and protection issues have been raised at numerous UN, NGO and donor venues and has yielded a range of views on the appropriateness of various technical interventions, their effectiveness, sustainability and implementation. Such discussions have yielded several good interventions, but the impact and coordination between agencies and sectors to address mass dissemination and information campaigns have been weak and require greater emphasis on models of dissemination and opportunities to combine fuel efficient stove projects with other sectors such as health, livelihoods and water and sanitation to promote their use and utility based on the culture and environment of Darfur.
In West Darfur 3,362 women have been trained in fuel efficient stove use, design and construction. In North Darfur between 7,883 women have been trained and in South Darfur 29,777 women have been trained. UNJLC and UNFAO have also contributed funding to the promotion of fuel efficient stove design and UNFAO continues to provide funding and support for the promotion of this activity. UNICEF also has received money to support fuel efficient stove projects in Darfur. International NGOs in Darfur have piloted several design models in Darfur, but have had limited success in monitoring the impact of the particular designs or formulating strategies to more widely disseminate model use with social mobilization or marketing campaigns.
In Darfur the issue of fuel wood collection and protection are two sides of the same coin. They require coordination and capacity to tackle the challenges of providing options and interventions in very diverse settings with limited resources. The greatest tragedy in Darfur of large concentrations of displaced populations is also one of opportunity for training, capacity building, and for information dissemination campaigns, especially in a country the size of Darfur and with the logistical challenges of overland travel. The setting of IDP camps and the coordination and services provided in disperse villages hosting IDP populations provides an opportunity for social mobilization and model dissemination that would otherwise be difficult in a setting such as Darfur. Social mobilization campaigns can target mixed communities and encourage cooperation across tribes. Campaigns can also provide different tribes with the opportunity to discover shared messages and provide a common approach to encourage the protection of scarce resources.
posted by kukuziwa at 4:22 PM
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