UNHCR REPORT - 2006 - IHDP

DRAFT – Not for Circulation
Bank requested a revalidation of the 2004 Puttalam WC Survey (with additional information) in
order to identify potential beneficiaries for its proposal to provide permanent housing to IDP
families choosing to locally integrate in the Puttalam District. As an extension of its North East
Housing Reconstruction Project (NEHRP), the World Bank plans to provide housing initially to
5,000 IDP families, with the possibility of extending funding to provide housing to additional
families. 2 UNHCR saw this as an excellent opportunity to provide durable solutions to IDPs and
hopes that it will set a positive example to other donors and push the agenda forward in the search
for durable solutions for IDPs.
2. Objectives of the Survey
The 2006 Revalidation of the 2004 Puttalam WC Survey had the following objectives:
� To quickly obtain a more up-to-date and accurate picture of the IDP population still
residing in WCs in terms of numbers, demographic profile and IDP-preferred durable
solutions to displacement;
� To obtain information about the obstacles for IDPs to obtain their preferred durable
solution and their alternative preferred durable solutions if their preferred durable
solution is not achievable in the short-to-medium term; and
� To obtain information regarding the housing, land and property rights of IDPs, including
the condition of their housing in their place of displacement and their access to water and
sanitation facilities.
3. Administration of the Survey
a) Methodology
The 2006 survey form was developed after extensive consultation with a number of key agencies
and institutions involved in IDP issues, including the Ministries of Resettlement and Nation
Building and Development, the World Bank, UNHCR, and members of the Inter-Agency IDP
Working Group (comprised of UN agencies and international and national NGOs). The
Department of Census & Statistics provided technical and substantive assistance in the design of
the questions and the survey format.
As a result of other pressing priorities, including work on the local government elections, the
Department of Census & Statistics was unable to undertake the enumeration and supervision of
survey as it had done in 2004. As such, the Ministry of Resettlement entered into an agreement
with the Social Indicator Unit of the Centre of Policy Alternatives (CPA) to undertake the
enumeration and the data entry for the revalidation exercise. The Ministry of Resettlement also
entered into an agreement with a public relations company, Phoenix Ogilvy, in order to design
and implement a public relations campaign for the revalidation exercise. The GA Puttalam
provided support and monitored the revalidation exercise. UNHCR provided technical support,
monitoring and quality control for the revalidation exercise and conducted the analysis of the data
and prepared the interim report. UNHCR will prepare the final Survey Report upon completion of
the revalidation exercise.
2 Depending on the amount allocated, the World Bank has stated that it may be able to provide cash grants
for permanent housing construction for up to 8,800 families.
Final Report on the 2006 Revalidation of the 2004 Puttalam WC Survey
April 2006
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