South Asia Earthquake: On-the-ground Report

UUSC marks the second anniversary of the earthquake that shook Pakistan on October 8, 2005. The magnitude 7.6 earthquake killed over 73,000 people and left 3.5 million homeless in North West Frontier Province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Two years later, the pace of rebuilding is slow. Many claims of corruption and incompetence have surfaced, and survivors are increasingly frustrated with the lack of compensation after the quake. According to ERRA, the military-led earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation authority, only one third of the houses that were ruined have been rebuilt. With 250,000 more homes in various stages of completion, thousands of families face a third harsh Himalayan winter without proper shelter.

The earthquake also leveled or severely damaged close to 10,000 of the mountainous region’s 11,500 primary and secondary schools, killing thousands of students and hundreds of teachers. Most classes resumed quickly after the earthquake, and more girls are attending school than ever before. But two years later, UNICEF estimates that 800,000 students are still attending classes in makeshift schools, under tents, and sometimes under nothing at all.

UUSC recognizes that in the aftermath of major crises, like the earthquake in Pakistan, women and children are often the most vulnerable. By partnering with local and community organizations in Pakistan immediately after the earthquake, UUSC was able to extend aid to remote villages; help ensure equal access to aid—especially for women and widows; and provide security for women, girls, and unaccompanied children.

As the recovery continues, UUSC is working closely with the Pakistan women’s rights organization Bedari (meaning “awareness”) to protect and promote the rights of women and girls. UUSC and Bedari are introducing the issue of women’s inheritance rights in 30 earthquake-affected villages of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. This project is based on the understanding that women with property have higher incomes, can use property as collateral for credit, and are less likely to be victims of domestic violence. And in the aftermath of disaster, they are better able to take care of themselves. Women and girls face a number of obstacles to attaining equity, including a lack of official identification papers and unequal access to education. Following a disaster, these obstacles can become large barriers to obtaining relief and compensation.

Bedari has a promoter in each community who helps community members talk about gender issues in relief and reconstruction. Together, they are coming up with ways to address those issues and vulnerabilities. Thirty young female community leaders are forming youth groups to take action on the communities’ recommendations. With UUSC’s support, Bedari is providing legal assistance for cases that need to be resolved outside the community.

Two years on, the earthquake continues to loom large in the daily lives of those who lost family, friends, and neighbors, and whose houses, schools, and mosques were damaged or leveled. The recovery and reconstruction will take many years to complete. But in 30 earthquake-affected villages, communities are coming together to figure out how to make life better today by promoting and protecting human rights.

Posted October 9, 2007