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Mexico Earthquake Humanitarian Situation Report No. 9 - 24 November 2017

Countries
Mexico
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date

Highlights

· The Minister of Education informed they already received the required budget (USD1.5 billion) to repair or reconstruct approximately 16,000 schools. (Source: SEP. 16 Nov)

· Social organizations and victims made an urgent call for the government of Mexico City to correct deficiencies and irregularities in the attention of affected people. A report presented on 22 November highlights abuses and rights violations committed in shelters by those in charge, such as strict times of departure and entry (in some cases equivalent to semi-seclusion conditions); lack of medical and psychological care; difficulties to access food; discrimination against resident indigenous communities and peoples affected in the City and the absence of authorities to safeguard human rights. Out of 48 shelters opened after the earthquake on 19 September, only 6 are still open. (Source: Sin embargo. 22 November. http://www.sinembargo.mx/22-11-2017/3354598)

· UNICEF´s response: 32 out of 38 planned Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) are fully operational; 300 School-in-a-box have been delivered, together with 100 temporary learning spaces and 2,400 hygiene kits. A comprehensive response on WASH is being implemented in Morelos and Puebla.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

• Overall, two months after the 19 September earthquake, reconstruction and the full return of children to school is the emphasized priority of the Government of Mexico.

• There is an increasing demand of temporary learning spaces. For such purpose and considering particular weather conditions in states such as Oaxaca, an alliance has been established between UNICEF and the private sector from the State of Chihuahua, which will provide a design of prefabricated temporary learning spaces to be installed in Oaxaca, based on UNICEF´s and the Ministry of Education construction standards.

• The need to have better light in the temporary learning spaces has been identified. UNICEF is exploring some alternatives with private sector partners, for example, the use of solar panels.

• As of 23 October, the Ministry of Health is implementing a Neighbour Solidarity program to provide adolescents with temporary jobs in Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca. Adolescents above 16 years old undertake surveys among their neighbours to monitor health situations and verify progress in house reconstruction. This is done through cell phone APP (Dharma), with which they can report weekly status of their family´s health. (Source: Ministry of Health 21 November. https://www.gob.mx/salud/prensa/466-programa-deempleo-temporal-para-jovenes-de-asuncion-ixtaltepec-oaxaca))

• During October (a month after the earthquakes), a survey raised by the National Protection System for Children and Adolescents (SIPINNA) gathered the opinions of 2,861 children on reconstruction after the disaster. 811 of them claimed to still feel fear, and 1,080 said they were nervous or sad. Almost half of them said that being with their families is what makes them feel better and their home is the place where they feel safest. Almost all think that houses are the first thing that needs to be reconstructed. With these results, SIPINNA has established a series of recommendations mainly to be implemented in schools.