Preparing for a Needs Assessment NA and Recovery Framework RF

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Preparing for a Needs Assessment (NA) and
Recovery Framework (RF)
Cairo, March 2008
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OUTLINE

• The Needs Assessment (NA) Approach
• Assessing needs and methodology
• 3. Developing a results-based recovery framework,
  costing and monitoring

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1. The Needs Assessment Approach
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The NA Approach

• NA identify, prioritize and finance recovery
  needs for countries in transition.
• Focus on national vision and plans Priorities
  reflecting consensus of parties and stakeholders
  in key areas, although these may not yet have
  been clearly articulated e.g.
• Deepening peace and security
• Community and institutional capacity building
• Social and economic stabilization and recovery
• Covering key priority sectors and cross-cutting
  issues

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Stakeholders

• Participatory and consultative
• National and local authorities
• Local and international CSOs/NGOs
• Regional Entities, e.g. AU
• United Nations, World Bank, Regional Banks
• Donors
• Inclusive versus strategic

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Guiding Principles

• Keep it simple
• National ownership and participation
• Broad support from all partners One team
  approach regular consultations
• Each NA is different, respecting contexts,
  objectives and processes
• Importance of substance and process (confidence
  building, enhanced cooperation)
• Credibility High quality and realistic
  expectations
• Prioritize, integrate and sequence Quick win
  community led
• Do no harm conflict prevention

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Assessing Needs

• and methodology

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IDENTIFYING PRIORITY CLUSTERS

• Strategic not comprehensive
• Linked to areas where NA stakeholders have a
  comparative advantage
• E.g. security, governance and rule of law,
  social services, basic infrastructure, productive
  sectors, livelihoods and reintegration strategies

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INTEGRATING KEY CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES

• Affecting all or majority of priority clusters
• Gender
• Environment
• Reconciliation and conflict prevention
• Capacity building and community driven development

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Methodology

• Information management
• Review of baseline documents
• Commission thematic reports and inputs
• Sector working papers
• Field observations/assessments
• Focus group consultations
• National stakeholder consultations
• Use of local expertise, international consultants
  and advisory services from UN system, World Bank
  and IMF

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Adopt a conflict analysis framework

• Aim
• Tool to help teams to consider factors
  affecting conflict when developing strategies,
  policies and programmes
• Helps to
• Increase sensitivity to conflict in strategies
  for recovery and development
• Identify and analyze sources and problem issues
  related to conflict
• Highlight linkages between conflict and poverty
• Strengthen resilience to conflict via appropriate
  recovery interventions

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3. Developing a Results-based Recovery Framework,
Costing, and Monitoring
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Transitional Results Matrix (TRM)

• Identifies key result areas
• Reflects integrated character of national
  priorities
• Links the humanitarian with the recovery
  imperatives
• Specific results and outcomes for the transition
  period
• Concretizes national transition programme into
  time-bound action plan
• Outlines key responsibilities and provides
  rallying points for major actors and decision
  makers
• Provides instrument for partnership, monitoring
  and mutual accountability
• Basis for funding and implementation strategies

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Results frameworks or calendars

• Place key actions, outputs, results for
  political, security, economic and social spheres
  on a simple calendar frame
• Help clarify expectations (donors, leadership,
  population) by increasing realism on timing and
  forcing prioritization
• Identify periods of overload and sector linkages
• Identify actions which are lagging behind (e.g.
  major infrastructure before the rainy season,
  voter registration before elections)

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Costing

• To estimate the needed financial resources to
  implement the planned interventions
• To provide fairly detailed and credible costs
  that have been estimated with a consistent method
• To inform and guide commitments for fundraising
  and pledges at the donor conference

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Coordination Structures for Transition

• What structures need to put into place
• Internally RCO, UNCT
• Externally Govt., donors,
• Hand-over from HC to RC, existing coordination
  arrangements

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Tips

• Light versus detailed NA
• Identify major results first (e.g. MDGs, school
  enrolment) and work backwards (e.g. school
  rehabilitation, textbook distribution, teacher
  training, contracts for school rehabilitation,
  recruitment of teachers, school mapping)
• Include time for decision-making, design and
  contracting
• Include time for investigation of policy options,
  consultation on policy, and implementation,
• Focus on joint programming
• Keep it simple!

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Problems in recovery planning/needs assessments

• Lack of prioritization
• We tried to do everything, everywhere, for
  everyone, all at the same time
• President Thabo Mbeki, of the South African RDP
• Unrealistic expectations (authorities, donors)
• Loss of momentum
• Weak ME and low implementation rate
• Overlapping with other planning instruments, e.g.
  early recovery WG
• Heavy burden on UNCT time and costs
• Lack of national and UNCT capacities to absorb
  and implement