The Citizen’s Damage Compensation Programme (also known as the Watan Card) reached 1.1 million households affected by Pakistan’s catastrophic 2010 floods with cash donations totalling some USD 465 million. The disbursement phase ended in May.

In line with the CDCP Operational Guidelines, Pakistan’s government has now set up District Review Committees (DRCs) to evaluate individual appeals from people who applied for compensation, but did not receive it. Following a review and approval by these committees, appeals will be forwarded to provincial authorities and the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) for further processing. 

The World Bank has allocated USD 500,000 to help IOM to support the CDCP in effectively handling these grievance cases.

IOM will facilitate the process through capacity building of the DRCs and provision of technical support to process high grievance caseloads. This will include training and deployment of 40 DRC assistants in heavy caseload districts to provide technical and operational support.

Information products (FAQ documents, radio and television campaigns) will be developed and disseminated to ensure people are informed about the status of their appeals and related processes of the grievance redressal phase.

“IOM’s experience in social mobilization and community level communications will support an open information flow with and within the flood affected communities. This should help to create a smooth, accountable and transparent grievance redressal system,” said Kelly Johnson of the South Asia Human Development Sector at the World Bank.

For more information please contact 

Pakistan Emergency Stabilization and Support Unit (PESSU)
IOM Islamabad
Email: pessu@iom.int