IASC Interagency Contingency Planning Guidelines for Humanitarian Assistance

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IASC Inter-agency Contingency Planning Guidelines
for Humanitarian Assistance

• Pilot DPPT May 2008

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Question 1

• Group Discussion 15 minutes
• As a contingency planning facilitator what are
  the main challenges that you encounter?

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Background

• First version of IASC Inter-Agency Contingency
  Planning Guidelines developed in 2001.
• Intervening years have seen an expansion in
  inter-agency contingency planning.
• Revision of the guidelines was initiated in
  February of 2007 to
• Reflect accumulated good practice
• Include key elements of humanitarian reform,
  specifically the cluster approach.
• Revised IASC Inter-Agency Contingency Planning
  Guidelines approved in November 2007

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What is Contingency Planning?

• a management tool used to
• analyze the impact of potential crises
• ensure adequate and appropriate arrangements are
  made in advance
• respond in a timely, effective and appropriate
  manner
• a continuing activity
• which all Humanitarian Country Teams are expected
  to undertake and maintain.
• a common, over-arching framework
• which guides the collective action of all
  partners, including individual agencies and
  sector groups.

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Benefits of Contingency Planning

• An active contingency planning process
• helps humanitarian community plan while there is
  time
• identifies constraints and focuses on operational
  issues prior to the onset of a crisis
• establishes working relationships that make a
  critical difference during a crisis
• reinforces coordination mechanisms by clarifying
  roles and responsibilities before a crisis
• enhances preparedness level of organizations
• During an emergency, time pressure is one of the
  most acute problems.

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Responsibilities

• The RC/HC is responsible for overall strategic
  leadership of the contingency planning process
• Primary responsibility for contingency planning
  rests with the Humanitarian Country Team
• Sector leads are responsible for sector-level
  coordination
• IASC guidelines recommend the creation of a
  Contingency Planning Working Group (8-10
  participants) to manage the practical aspects of
  the planning process

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Question 2

• Group Discussion 15 minutes
• What key actions should country teams take before
  starting a contingency planning process?

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The Planning Process

• Basic components of Inter-agency Contingency
  Planning Process
• Analysis of hazards risks
• Response planning
• Implementing preparedness

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Step 1 Hazard and Risk Analysis

• Identify most critical hazards and determine
  their likelihood and impact
• Develop scenarios to help explore their
  implications
• Define planning assumptions
• Identify triggers and early warning indicators

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Question 3

• Plenary Discussion
• Are Early Warning indicators and triggers
  necessary in contingency planning?

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Early Warning Indicators and Triggers

• Grounds contingency planning in reality
• Establishes a link to early action
• Keeps contingency planning active

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Step 2 Response Planning

• At the inter-agency level
• Define objectives and strategies
• Define management and coordination arrangements
• At the sector level
• Define sector objectives
• Define actions to meet sector objectives
• Identify capacity and gaps of sector response

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Different Levels of Planning
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Different Levels of Planning

• Function Type

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Overall Management and Coordination

• External Relations
• Coordination
• Information Management
• Safety and Security
• Resources Mobilisation
• Common Service Areas
• Media Strategy

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Step 3 Implementing Preparedness

• Responsibilities and timelines for preparedness
  actions should be assigned.
• Contingency plans should be assessed and reviewed
  regularly.
• preparedness actions should be reviewed and
  prioritized.
• IASC recommends the use of simulations to help
  test planning assumptions and response systems.

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Next Steps

• Development of an on-line toolkit on contingency
  planning templates, examples, expanded
  checklists
• Inter-agency contingency planning training
  packages and workshop outlines
• Development of inter-agency simulations to test
  planning assumptions preparedness