Overview of the UN Humanitarian Response Review

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Overview of the UN Humanitarian Response Review
Reforms

• Dr. Olushayo Olu
• Medical Officer, Health Action in Crisis
• Health, Nutrition HIV/AIDS Cluster Coordinator
• WHO Kampala

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Overview of the International Humanitarian
Coordination System
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Why a Humanitarian Response Review?

• The perception that
• Humanitarian response does not meet the
  requirements of affected populations
• Response provided varied considerably from crisis
  to crisis
• A review was therefore commissioned by the ERC to
  assess the humanitarian response capacities of
  the UN, NGO, Red Cross other actors
• Review was conducted in 2005
• Methodology included use of questionnaires,
  interviews, seminars literature review
• The review covered both natural disasters
  complex emergencies

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Key Findings and Conclusions

• Humanitarian response being provided is not good
  enough due to
• The UN, Red Cross NGOs remained vertical to
  each other often resulting in poor coordination
• Lack of accountability of humanitarian actors
• Low level of preparedness of humanitarian
  organizations especially in HR sectoral
  capacities
• Gaps identified in many sectors including WATSAN,
  protection, shelter, camp management etc
• Different mandates approach to issues among the
  humanitarian actors
• Though the IASC is the most representative
  humanitarian body, it does not represent all
  humanitarian actors
• Erratic performance of HCs weak HC system

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Major Recommendations

• Need for accountability to beneficiaries, donors,
  tax payers national or local authorities
• Need for humanitarian community to work
  collectively towards an inclusive system-wide
  coordination mechanism
• Need to establish the lead organization system
• Need to strengthen the mandate, structure
  membership of the IASC at HQ field levels
• Need to engage donors to ensure more predictable
  funding

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THREE PILLARS OF REFORM (and foundation)
CLUSTER APPROACH Adequate capacity and
predictable leadership in all sectors
HUMANITARIAN COORDINATORS Ensuring effective
leadership
HUMANITARIAN FINANCING Adequate, timely and
flexible financing
FOUNDATION Strong humanitarian partnerships
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• Whose reform?
• Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)
• Composed of NGO consortia, Red Cross and Red
  Crescent Movement, IOM, World bank and UN
  agencies

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Strengthening the Humanitarian Coordinator System

• Establish broad-based humanitarian country teams
• Develop a pool of HCs (from UN and non-UN) for
  short-term and/or immediate deployment
• RC/HC score card
• Improved selection, orientation training
  package for HCs

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More Predictable Funding Central Emergency
Response Fund (CERF)

• Providing one tool to ensure timely, adequate and
  flexible funding
• Three components
• Loan component (50 million)
• Grant component Rapid response (2/3 of grant
  facility)
• Grant component Under-funded crises (1/3 of
  grant facility)
• CERF loan if funding is committed but not yet
  paid, or if commitment are thought very likely.
• CERF grants if no other funding source is
  immediately available, including agencies own
  un-earmarked agency funds and earmarked donor
  grants.

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CERF Objectives for the grant windows

• Promote early action and response to reduce loss
  of life
• Enhance response to time-critical requirements
• Strengthen core elements of humanitarian response

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Eligible Recipients of Grants

• Grants can be provided to United Nations funds,
  programmes and specialized agencies, as well as
  the International Organization for Migration.
  (Per the GA Resolution)
• While NGOs cannot apply directly for CERF funds,
  they should participate in the prioritization
  selection process as part of the IASC CT and can
  receive funds as implementing partners of UN
  agencies IOM.

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AIM of the cluster approach

• High standards of predictability, accountability
  and partnership in all sectors or areas of
  activity
• Better linkages with Government/national
  authorities
• More strategic responses
• Better prioritization of available resources

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Government/National Authorities

• The host Government has primary responsibility
  for organizing humanitarian response in emergency
  situations (GA Resolution 46/182)
• The Sector/Cluster Lead is responsible for
  promoting close cooperation linkages with
  government/national authorities

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Global Capacity-Building

• Cluster/Sector Working Group
• Agriculture
• Camp Coordination Camp Mgmt
• Early Recovery
• Education in Emergencies
• Emergency Shelter
• Emergency Telecomms
• Health
• Logistics
• Nutrition
• Protection
• Water, Sanitation Hygiene

• Global Cluster Leads
• FAO
• UNHCR IOM
• UNDP
• UNICEF Save the Children
• UNHCR IFRC (Convenor)
• OCHA (UNICEF WFP)
• WHO
• WFP
• UNICEF
• UNHCR
• UNICEF

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Responsibilities of global cluster leads

• Normative
• Standard setting and consolidation of best
  practice
• Build response capacity
• Training and system development at local,
  regional and international levels
• Surge capacity and standby rosters
• Material stockpiles
• Operational Support
• Emergency preparedness
• Advocacy and resource mobilization

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Terms of Reference for cluster/sector leads at
the country level

• Inclusion of key humanitarian partners
• Appropriate coordination mechanisms
• Coordination with national/local authorities,
  local civil society etc.
• Participatory and community-based approaches
• Attention to priority cross-cutting issues (age,
  environment, gender, HIV/AIDS etc)
• Needs assessment and analysis
• Emergency preparedness

• Planning and strategy development
• Application of standards
• Monitoring and reporting
• Advocacy and resource mobilization
• Training and capacity building
• Provider of last resort

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When to use the Cluster Approach

• Contingency Planning for major new emergencies
• Responses to major new emergencies
• Eventually in all countries with Humanitarian
  Coordinators

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What is the Added Value?

• The intent
• Smarter coordination and leadership
• Technical capacity and stockpiles built at global
  level, especially in gap areas
• Response is more predictable because who does
  what is pre-defined
• Real accountability from operational agencies gt
  HC gt ERC (agreed ToR for cluster leads)
• More strategic field-level coordination
  prioritization more timely and effective
  response
• Real partnerships between UN-IOM-Red Cross/Red
  Crescent-NGOs

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Survey findings from 2007 evaluation
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Summary Key Lessons for Effective Coordination

• WIFT there must be incentive to participate in
  coordination
• Government participation is important
• Building upon existing coordination structures is
  important
• Donor cohesion is crucial (carrot)
• Keep the end in focus at all times
• Understanding of each others mandate is key
• Need for coordination systems to respond to
  changing environment

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Help?

• Key documents
• IASC Guidance Note on Cluster Approach
• Specific guidance from global cluster leads
• For assistance
• Humanitarian Reform Support Unit hrsu_at_un.org
• CERF website http//cerf.un.org
• Reform Website www.humanitarianreform.org