A/HRC/34/66
rest (Onsong, Kyongwon and Kyonghung).13 The Special Rapporteur reiterates his call on
the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to ensure full access for
humanitarian workers to those in need, including persons in detention facilities and
prisons.14
11.
On 10 September, the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea sent an
appeal to all party members, service personnel of the Korean People’s Army and others,
urging them to participate in recovery operations. 15 Reportedly, 230,000 civilians and
140,000 soldiers were mobilized to support reconstruction efforts. As of late November,
over 3,000 buildings for almost 12,000 families had reportedly been constructed. 16
12.
The damage from the flood had an impact on the human rights of people in the
affected area in multiple ways. Access to water and sanitation, which is critical for the right
to an adequate standard of health, was severely limited with affected communities
reportedly continuing to depend on hand pumps, dug wells and water purification tablets as
of December 2016.17 Forty-five health facilities were damaged, with serious implications
for the availability of health care for the local population. 18 Damage to arable land, with the
destruction of crops and kitchen gardens, had serious implications, especially for the right
to food of those relying on agriculture for their livelihood. 19
13.
With the destruction of 107 primary/middle schools, kindergartens and nurseries,
8,360 students were out of school. 20 The authorities prioritized the rehabilitation of
nurseries, kindergartens and schools damaged by the flood and undertook a campaign to
supply consumer goods to the affected areas.21 The need to continue the provision of food
to nurseries and kindergartens was among the needs highlighted by provincial authorities
during the joint United Nations-Government review mission in November 2016.22
14.
Significant efforts have been made to respond to the natural disaster. Nevertheless, it
is not clear whether sufficient humanitarian assistance has reached all those in need.
Infrastructure and roads remain inadequate in the affected area, which is mountainous and
home to several remote communities. 23 The deployment of a large number of personnel for
the reconstruction efforts allegedly burdened already limited local food supplies and health
facilities.24
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
6
Joint Review Mission to Flood-Affected Areas in North Hamgyong.
See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20543&LangID=E.
Korea Central News Agency (Pyongyang), “WPK Central Committee” and “People-first principle”.
Joint Review Mission to Flood-Affected Areas in North Hamgyong, p. 5.
Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,
“DPRK floods: humanitarian dashboard”, Pyongyang, 10 December 2016, available from
http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-peoples-republic-korea/dprk-floods-humanitarian-dashboard10-december-2016.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), “Situation update: Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea North Hamgyong floods response”, 28 October 2016.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Global Information and Early
Warning System on Food and Agriculture, Country Brief: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 16
December 2016, available from www.fao.org/giews/countrybrief/country/PRK/pdf/PRK.pdf.
UNICEF, “Situation update”.
Korea Central News Agency (Pyongyang), “Priority given to educational work in disaster areas of
DPRK”, 5 October 2016 and “More consumer goods sent to disaster areas of DPRK”, 5 October
2016.
Joint Review Mission to Flood-Affected Areas in North Hamgyong, p. 5.
UNICEF, “Situation update”.
Humanitarian dashboard; see also www.asiapress.org/korean/all/nk-kore-flood-damage-02/.
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