Improving Needs Assessments for the CAP

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Improving Needs Assessments for the CAP

• Geneva
• 18-19 May, 2005

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• Background
• Lessons learned
• Learning lessons
• Conditions for success

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1. Background

• IASC agreed that we need to improve coordination
  of assessments and assessment data
  
• Tasked WHO/UNICEF with taking lead
• Conclusions
• Assessments done but not well coordinated info
  from them not systematically compiled, or
  analysed across countries
  
• Developed tool to agree on minimum data to be
  collected, analysed and presented
  
• IASC CAP SWG then Workshops Dec 2003 Feb 2005

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Tool NAF

• How results of individual assessments can be
  consolidated analysed in consistent format
  before preparing CHAP.
  
• Focus on better coordinated and more joint
  assessments.
  
• Combines evidence and judgment to reflect on
  humanitarian needs

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Link with GHD

• Chose to test it in Burundi and DRC
• CDI picked it up
• 2005 tests in Burundi, CDI, DRC, oPt, Uganda
• Tested GHD General Principle 6
• Allocate humanitarian funding in proportion to
  needs and on the basis of needs assessment
  
• Shared responsibility agencies/donors

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2. Lessons learned in2004
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Positive

• Useful to motivate debate on priorities needs
• Major progress in some sectors overall in CDI
• Helped to evaluate information strengths gaps.
  
  
• Collaboration between UN NGOs and donors
• Shared understanding of the added value
• Active involvement of some donors
• Main success factor was sending additional staff
  
  
• Timing good - useful inputs to the CHAP workshops

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Negative

• Buy-in at field level mixed - not all sectors
  produced overviews
  
• Underestimated required investment in staff time
  
  
• NAF considered too complex not user friendly.
• Misunderstanding of purpose expected outcomes
• Many unresolved questions on technical and
  analytical aspects to translate findings to needs

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3. Learning lessons

• Focus on clarity and implementation, less on tool
  (which has since then been thoroughly revamped).
  
  
• Expand to 5 field locations (done)
• Workshop - UN agencies and NGOs from field,
  donors and Red Cross Movement main focus
  clarity planning for implementation
  
• Wanted to ensure ownership from field and address
  issue of why, what, how.

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Why?

• To enable HCs/CTs to reach a common understanding
  of humanitarian needs and set priorities.
  
• This will help develop strategies and programmes
  that address priorities
  
• and how much it will cost

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Incentives?

• Professionalism
• Accountability
• Advocacy

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What?

• A tool to organise and analyse information on
  needs

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How?

• Implementation plans
• Step by step approach of what is needed by when
  and by whom to make this happen
  
• Draft for each country to be finalised in field
  
  

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Draft Needs Assessment Analysis implementation
plan at country level 2005

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4. Conditions for success

• Need HC, OCHA, and agencies and NGOs
• Ownership at field level
• Organised implementation and monitoring
• Resource implications (staff money).
• Donors political support and involvement key.
  Pick a sector. Help reinforce messages (stress
  importance fund according to priority needs).
  
• First focus on each country, then on need across
  countries.
  

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• THANK
• YOU