The aim of the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas Programme (RAHA), is to promote regional stability and compensate for the social, economic and environmental consequences wrought on Pakistani communities by the presence of more than 3 million Afghans over the past 30 years. For the 1.7 million registered Afghans remaining in Pakistan after the large-scale repatriation since 2002, the programme will promote peaceful co-existence with local communities until conditions in Afghanistan are conducive for their return.

The overall objective of the RAHA programme is to improve livelihood, rehabilitate the environment and enhance social cohesion within communities of refugee-affected and hosting areas. Public services will be improved and policies made more effective by strengthening the capacities of the government, community institutions and vulnerable groups. The UN One Programme crosscutting issues relating to human rights, gender equality, civil society engagement and refugees will be addressed. Peaceful co-existence between the communities will safeguard a more predictable stay for Afghans until they can return to Afghanistan.

The programme adopts a bottom-up participatory approach based on community development and social cohesion. Civil society organizations and NGOs will facilitate social mobilization and strengthen the capacities of communities to plan, implement and manage their resources. Small to medium scale community infrastructure projects will be undertaken targeting the indentified community needs. Line government departments, primarily at the district and sub-district levels, will provide a range of support services. Employment and income generating activities will from part of the agricultural and environmental rehabilitation programmes, with emphases on the special needs of vulnerable groups, especially women.

Refugee Hosting Areas Component

The Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) is a focal ministry being member for the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Joint Programme Steering Committee. SAFRON also co-chairs the Federal Task Force for RAHA JPC through Secretary SAFRON. The joint Programme Component Task Force is the Strategic oversight body for the RAHA initiative. Strategic orientation and approvals of annual work plans, budgetary allocations within RAHA and annual reports are some of the key responsibilities of this Task Force.

Provincial Task Force

The Commissioner Afghan Refugees (CAR) chairs the Provincial Task Force for the Refugee Hosting Areas Component. The Provincial Task Force supervises monitors and coordinates programme activities in the respective provinces. The Provincial Task Forces, among other tasks, approve provincial work plans and budgets, review provincial progress and financial reports, and approve project proposals up to Rs. 5 million before submitting to the CCCAR Islamabad for final endorsement. All members of the Provincial Task Force will ensure consultations within their institutions as appropriate for effective decision making. Provincial CAR will prepare and compile proposals in consultations with relevant government departments and submit them to CCAT Islamabad for project exceeding Rs. 5 million for approval.

RAHA Unit Commissionerate Afghan Refugees, KP

The RAHA Unit will deal with the Refugee Hosting Areas (RHA) component of the RAHA Development Initiative.

The Unit will maintain a close liaison with CCAR, Islamabad; SDU-P&DD, Peshawar; Government Line Departments; Local and Afghan Communities; Local, National and International NGOs; UNHCR, KFW,GTZ, UNDP and UNICEF.

The RAHA Program will be monitored and evaluated by the Unit’s technical staff. The RAHA Unit will also enhance; on the job skills of its own team members and that of the representatives from the government line departments and implementing partners, inclusive of civil society organizations.

The RAHA Unit will conduct meetings of the PTF, CWG, implementing partners, community representatives and government line agencies; on a regular bases. The Unit will also conduct quarterly review meetings and undertake visits to the project areas in order to assess the financial and physical progress of projects. In addition, the Unit will facilitate the executing agencies in problem shooting and course correction.

The RAHA Cell was reconstituted on 1st May 2010 and since then is being funded by UNHCR.

The Assistant Program Officer in UNHCR, Sub-Office Peshawar, will act as focal person for the RAHA Unit in CAR, KP. The Commissioner Afghan Refugees, KP, will head the Unit. The Unit will report to the Additional Commissioner Logistics, KP, (Focal Point-RAHA) and will work directly under the administrative control of CAR, KP, Audits by Government and UNHCR will regulate the budgetary affairs of the program.