The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) in Tajikistan in collaboration with the Committee of Emergency Situation and Civil Defense (CoESCD) and the regional government of Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), announced the launch of construction of emergency shelter in Khorog, GBAO, Tajikistan, that can serve as an emergency shelter at times of crisis and be used for other social needs beyond emergency cases. The facility is built within the auspices of the “Critical Infrastructure Contributing to Stability and Peace, Phase II” project, through funding support from the European Commission and Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and implemented by AKAH and Mountain Societies Development Support Program (MSDSP) in GBAO, Tajikistan. it can serve as an emergency shelter at times of crisis and be used for other social needs beyond emergency cases.  The facility is reportedly built within the auspices of the “Critical Infrastructure Contributing to Stability and Peace, Phase II” project, through funding support from the European Commission and Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and implemented by AKAH and Mountain Societies Development Support Program (MSDSP) in the GBAO.

This facility can serve displaced people due to natural / climate-induced disasters and conflicts at the borders and refugees and will address the immediate humanitarian needs of the crisis-impacted people and families. The planned shelter will be designed and built as per the best practices and national/international standards and equipped with all the necessary supplies for displaced people to have decent living standards and have the ‘home feeling’, which is an important phycological aspect for temporary displaced people at a time of crisis.  The facility will also be designed to ensure that the immediate needs of the most vulnerable groups of people (including people with disabilities, the elderly, and women and children) are met.  The emergency shelter and its utilities will be easily accessible to all, but also consider women’s privacy for child-care and other needs as well. The project will put a particular emphasis on making sure that both genders will have equal access to the facility and are able to use it according to their needs. The environmentally and socially appropriate emergency shelters will accommodate 100-150 displaced people at a time, who can live with their families on a temporary basis or longer term, depending on the severity of hazard impact on their dwellings.

The CoESCD head Rustam Nazarzoda reportedly emphasized the importance of having designated facilities in place to accommodate displaced people at a time of emergencies, stating that: “Due to climate change, the number of natural disasters across the country is increasing year after year, causing economic losses and a huge impact on communities’ lives and their livelihoods. As a result of natural disasters, many people are rendered homeless and many of them are evacuated to safer locations on a temporary basis, and it is therefore important to have the designated facilities in place to shelter the displaced people and those who lost their houses, which makes the emergency response timelier and more effective and the community feel safer.”

The CoESCD jointly with AKAH in Tajikistan reportedly built four emergency shelters in the most hazard-prone areas of Rasht Valley and is planning to replicate this plan in other regions of Tajikistan, starting with GBAO with the current project and moving towards other regions.  , for which will work with different donors for possible funding and implementation.

The facility with its compound will be used as a training center, where CoESCD and AKAH will hold regular trainings on search and rescue, first aid, and emergency operations both for emergency management professionals and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), as well as other similar training tailored on emergency response and crisis management. It will also serve as a working place for CoESCD professionals, as well as used to meet other social needs, which will be directly agreed upon by CoESCD and district authorities.

Establishing the emergency shelters form part of the larger AKAH and Aga Khan Development (AKDN) resiliency and response strategy, which are mainstreamed to support the government in its emergency response and management efforts in the country, and to manage the impact of disasters that befall the region.

About the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat: The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH), which merges the capabilities of Focus Humanitarian Assistance, the Aga Khan Planning and Building Services, and the Aga Khan Development Network’s Disaster Risk Management Initiative, focuses on preparing for both sudden and slow-onset disasters. AKAH works to ensure that poor people live in physical settings that are as safe as possible from the effects of natural disasters; that residents who do live in high-risk areas are able to cope with disasters in terms of preparedness and response; and that these settings provide access to social and financial services that lead to greater opportunity and a better quality of life. Initially, priority areas of AKAH willinclude Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and India.