Additional response outcomes considered critical for NCP partners were: long-term planning, building capacity (especially for implementing national agencies and government), and strengthening relationships between all relevant stakeholders in the WASH response. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. Use our free directory to instantly connect with verified Humanitarian Parole attorneys. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States of America, Roles They challenge attitudes, highlight injustices and make practical recommendations for change. to conduct field visits for Monitoring and Evaluation) (S6 Table). Urban humanitarian operations create a unique set of problems for organizations providing services in impoverished urban slums. What is HAP? Effective aid organizations must address the destabilizing effects of water insecurity, population migration, emerging health threats, and the impact of chronic conflict and war on global security. Humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) can become members by meeting standards of accountability and quality management set by HAP. Restricted access in Darfur and the Democratic Republic of the Congo illustrate the widespread nature of civilian abuses and human rights violations. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pwat.0000047, Editor: Eugene Appiah-Effah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, GHANA, Received: November 19, 2021; Accepted: September 20, 2022; Published: November 2, 2022. ). Additionally, information sharing and the Technical Working Groups were discussed by >25% of informants and respondents. 2015 Jun;30(3):264-70. doi: 10.1017/S1049023X15000254. HAP acts as a self-regulatory body to the humanitarian system. Across contexts, >50% of partner informants stated NCP tools, activities, and products helped organizations to reach all outcomes. Through FMR, authors from around the world analyse the causes and impacts of displacement; debate policies and programmes; share research findings; reflect the lived experience of displacement; and present examples of good practice and recommendations for policy and action. sections Among them, the barrier of acknowledging and understanding the NCP mission among all relevant stakeholders at any level was not previously included in the Theory of Change (Fig 1). Thus, we specifically recommend focusing on: how the Cluster Coordinator and Information Manager positions can become more robust and less dependent on individual excellence and turnover, how partners participation and NCP mission understanding can be enhanced as they have an active role and responsibilities in the WASH coordination mechanisms; and lastly, how we can build stronger in-country leadership to handover coordination to. rotating staff, coordination landscape, participation) and shortage of activities (accountability, transition/exit strategies) for the WASH and others Clusters [2022]. >> This availability is appreciated. -DRC NCP staff. Hypothesis/Problem The hypothesis for this study was that HAP membership has grown substantially since inception, both in terms of number of member organizations and annual budgets of member organizations, but that near universal membership has not yet been achieved. 2020 Dec 31;13(1):1826730. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2020.1826730. Informants/respondents described there were not sufficiently strong relationships between donors and WASH partners, and that advocacy was not as effective as they wanted. Roles Their perspectives, strategies and solutions should be at the centre of discussions about policy and practice. Similarly, barriers reported by partner informants across the three contexts were the: host government relationship; coordinating landscape framework; and lack of funding for the response and coordination (e.g. While critics point out that OCHA's leadership and management of the Clusters were weak, the scale of the response and the diversity of the responders created a relief scenario that was scattered, poorly monitored, and accountable to no one. One activity, three outcomes (building capacity, strengthening relationships, and long-term planning), and two enabling conditions were added into a pre-existing Theory of Change. Sphere and eight other humanitarian standard initiatives formally joined to establish the Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP). The aim of the Partnership is to improve the quality and accountability of humanitarian action across all sectors and a harmonised approach to support users in the application of standards. Between 5870% of NCP staff and partner informants and respondents across contexts addressed recommendations to improve or create tools, activities, or products, and 1725% discussed the need to invest resources in strengthening (sub-)NCP coordination and staffing. The goal of this research is to strengthen the previously developed Theory of Change [8] that will be used to improve global NCP strategies and, ultimately, intend to benefit affected populations. These noted differences in participant characteristics are considered during further analysis. 4 0 obj % HAP acts as a self-regulatory body to It is committed to promoting greater accountability to people affected by crises and believes that accountable organisations better meet peoples needs, and reduce the possibility of mistakes, abuse and corruption. Not all relief is good relief, and it is only through the creation of national governmental coordination structures of host governments, such as Ministries of Health, that ad hoc responded can be properly regulated, and, when appropriate, prevented from participating. Ormel I, Salsberg J, Hunt M, Doucet A, Hinton L, Macaulay AC, Law S. Glob Health Action. We wont be able to do anything. Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Introduction: Informants in Yemen stated partners developed their own Monitoring and Evaluation metrics based on organization or donor policy, standards, and recommendations. SARS-CoV-2 emerged and, at the end of Round 1 of data collection, measures were taken in all three contexts to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission (e.g., border closures, curfews, assembly bans). What is the cost of inaction and what are the ramifications of not changing the system? Accessibility Partners also discussed the need to address questions on response quality, accountability to affected populations, and transitioning out of the emergency. Overall, we feel these limitations did not impact the results of this research. Therefore, results suggest that: there is alignment between the tools, activities, and products described as provided by NCP staff and received by partner informants and respondents; there is a core set of tools, activities, and products used by partners; and there are differences in tools, activities, and products, and in knowledge and use of them, across contexts. WebHAP-I Accountability Principles 1. In this rapidly evolving global field, the humanitarian community must develop unprecedented adaptive strategies in order to be relevant and effective. /Length 5202 Obtaining funding was facilitated by NCP templates, and by identifying gaps in the response. DESCRIPTION Overall, these results were consistent with previous evaluations of the Cluster approach that have found positive progress of coordination, added value in needs assessment/gap analysis and targeting, and preventing duplication [1719]. Additionally, an activity discussed in all three contexts was the importance of bilateral (informal or formal) meetings between NCP staff and partners to provide specific advice or to collect data. Non-governmental organizations in international health: past successes, future challenges. However, in low- and middle-income countries, Cluster Coordination is a soft-power system dependent on collaboration; thus, these lessons from top-down responses are not comparable. National Coordination Platforms (NCPs) (termed WASH Sector or WASH Cluster when the Cluster approach is formally activated) aim to coordinate activities and organizations to ensure adequate WASH coverage, reduce potential for overlap, ensure capacity and quality, and meet response needs [5]. In DRC, analysis suggested that the perception of outcomes met (or not) varied by partner informant role, as: 1) fewer International NGOs informants felt NCP tools helped defining metrics for Monitoring and Evaluation (80% of International NGOs informants; 100% from National NGOs); 2) fewer informants from National NGOs stated the NCP helped obtaining funding (66% of National NGOs informants; 79% from International NGOs); and, 3) more informants from National NGOs highlighted the need for new outcomes of building capacity and strengthening relationships between relevant stakeholders (respectively 67% and 50% of NNGO informants; 10% and 35% from International NGOs). Similarly, the main success described by 4481% of partner informants in all contexts was the NCP frequently sharing and communicating information, which helped partners to obtain real-time information (S4 Table). The Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) is a multi-agency initiative to improve the quality and accountability of humanitarian action. Humanitarian assistance is aimed at providing rapid, life-saving support in settings of high population vulnerability, such as in times of war, disaster, or displacement. As soon as I share this analysis [], it will help them. Director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Michael VanRooyen. Participation in the FMT registry will allow these organizations to access central funding from UN and its donor nations and provide recognition as a certified organization. The analysis also showed the need to emphasize the outcomes of strengthening relationships and building capacity (and associated activity) not already present in the Theory of Change (Fig 1). Yes /F3 12 0 R of humanitarian action. fmr@qeh.ox.ac.uk +44 (0)1865 281700, We are very grateful to the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)), Forced Migration Review issue 70 includes a major feature on . While many of these barriers were outside of the control of the individual NCP, some of these barriers severely impacted the NCPs ability to effectively coordinate and support partners. endobj /Contents 4 0 R WebAccountability , Humanitarian principles Accountability is a process of taking into account the views of, and being held accountable by, different stakeholders, and primarily the We wont be able to reach the most vulnerable groups. Partner informants also mentioned other areas for improvement in DRC and Yemen, including the need for building capacity, improved Monitoring and Evaluation, and increased frequency of field visits (S5 Table). NCPs operate as a partnership of national and international response organizations, host government(s), donors, relevant stakeholders, and other humanitarian coordination platforms. One significant step toward regulating the quality and consistency of medical relief providers was the World Health Organization Guided Consultation on Foreign Medical Teams (FMTs) in Havana in 2012, which developed a consensus on the function of FMTs and the rules for engagement. Establishing accountability measures that incorporate the needs, desires, and opinions of aid recipients is quite different. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pwat.0000047.t002. These results highlighted NCP staff overall understood partners expectations and future work to complete in each context. In Yemen, informants were in their role for 2 and 5 years. Information was collected on whether NCP staff and partner informants thought NCP tools, activities, and products helped organizations to reach the five specific response outcomes detailed in the Theory of Change (Fig 1), including: making strategic decisions, identifying/reducing gaps in the response, defining metrics for Monitoring and Evaluation, completing Monitoring and Evaluation and evaluating quality, and obtaining funding. Therefore, the NCP addressed this new emergency and adapted coordination as needed. reduce NCP staff turnover, improve coordination between levels, harmonize strategies and tools with other coordination platforms and relevant stakeholders, improve the activity reporting form, provide tools in appropriate languages, and develop long-term planning); 2) enhance participation (enhance partner participation and engagement into the NCP, strengthen relationships with the government when possible, and include relevant stakeholders into WASH coordination); 3) improve building capacity for partners and authorities; and, 4) improve accountability (ensure response quality and accountability, emphasize a strategic focus on gender and inclusion). With these additions, we believe the Theory of Change now includes the perspective of national and international organizations, national governments, UNICEF, the GWC, and the larger humanitarian response structure, and better represents the complex relationship and elements needed for an effective humanitarian WASH coordination. In addition to challenges of coordination and accountability, there is little attention paid to the effectiveness of aid interventions. Forced Migration Review issue 70 includes a major feature on Knowledge, voice and power exploring issues of representation, influence, privilege, access, discrimination and more. But now, there is a good coordination, a good evolution. -DRC INGO. The lives of millions depend on it. WebHumanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) Unverified non-profit organisation. One of the main goals of HAP is the promotion of accountability through self-regulation by members. However, 429% of partner informants (with a higher proportion of informants in Coxs Bazar and DRC) did not see any evolution of the NCP; they observed the same humanitarian needs, WASH strategies, and coordination meeting design. Before the 1990s, a few dozen major relief organizations such as CARE, Save the Children, International Rescue Committee, Medicins Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders), and the International Committee of the Red Cross worked in major conflict and disaster regions. Other elements (including wasted resources and more conflicts) were also discussed by partners in Coxs Bazar and DRC (S1 Table). /F2 9 0 R Conceptualization, Thirdly, these results were consistent with previous work that included a literature review and interviews with NCP-experienced personnel (but not interviews or surveys from partners) [8]. Fewer interviews and surveys were conducted in Coxs Bazar because only two rounds were conducted due to local logistical considerations, and the Coxs Bazar NCP had completed a similar online survey in February 2020 (results of which were incorporated into this study). certification scheme, which together with the Standard itself represents a breakthrough in helping humanitarian agencies be more accountable to Additionally, 423% of informants (with higher proportion in Coxs Bazar and DRC) discussed how the NCP negatively evolved. Int J Health Plann Manage. The city itself had experienced massive urbanization as millions of Haitians settled in thousands of poorly constructed homes. NCP stakeholders in the field, however, provided additional elements to describe and gain a deeper understanding of the overall WASH coordination. Partners commit to participating in Cluster mechanisms, making data available for response monitoring, and participating in improving Accountability to Affected Populations [6]. Oral (for key informant interviews) and written (for online surveys) formal consent was obtained from each respondent willing to participate in the study. To understand how water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) coordination leads to humanitarian response outcomes, we conducted a nine-month mixed-method evaluation in three humanitarian contexts (Coxs Bazar Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Yemen) varying in terms of humanitarian and WASH response and coordination. Project administration, Please note there is extensive literature on emergency response in high-income contexts documenting a top-down approach to emergency response backed by government-sponsored agencies where Governments must be ready to direct and control emergency operations [23]. Enablers identified by partner informants and respondents included: virtual meetings allowed more partners to attend; and partners felt more freedom to communicate candidly away from government buildings where coordination meetings were held in Yemen. Forced Migration Review The dynamic nature of the humanitarian relief enterprise will create unique pressures and difficulties for organizations. We can have months and months of delay [] We need the sub-agreements for it [], some more local authorization and [], you can still be prevented to implement if you dont get your travel permits on a daily or weekly basis. -Yemen INGO, "The WASH Cluster is within UNICEF, but UNICEF is also an important stakeholder in WASH. And sometimes its confusing. -DRC INGO. Despite being mostly outside individual NCP control, these were identified as consistent barriers to coordination. /F1 6 0 R Meeting expectations was discussed with partner informants only. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami highlighted the limitations of UN and NGO coordination mechanisms and lead to the creation of the "Cluster System" whereby sector specific actors (such as those working in water and sanitation) meet proactively and coordinate on the ground to provide a more coordinated response. Membership in HAP requires compliance with standards in accountability, quality management, and transparency, and allows a forum to provide feedback and even peer complaints. /Filter /FlateDecode Accountability toward beneficiaries entails creating feedback mechanisms that can empower communities to become active participants in the relief and reconstruction process. Limitations of this work included: 1) participants were randomly selected from NCP contact lists, thus we did not select only active participants who might have been more aware of NCP activities, tools, and products; 2) this led to a response rate of 98 interviews for 457 emails which might lead to selection bias and a lower representativity of government, donors, and other non-WASH stakeholders; and, 3) the total number of key informant interviews and online surveys collected over the study differed across contexts, thus the weight given to each informant and respondent varied between contexts. There were decisions that were made without the partners being able to know what was going on. Without efforts aimed at professionalizing individuals and organizations within the aid community, responses to the growing number of complex humanitarian emergencies will be ad hoc, poorly-coordinated, of poor quality, and have limited long-term effectiveness. Conceptualization, Prehosp Disaster Med. Writing review & editing, Roles NCPs operate as a partnership of national and international response organizations, host government(s), donors, relevant stakeholders, and other humanitarian While several hundred organizations have affirmed and adopted the Sphere Minimum Standards in humanitarian programming, significantly fewer have officially The Humanitarian/Joint Response Plan, the WASH strategic documents, and the technical documents and standards were also mentioned as helping to reach these two outcomes. As the global relief and development community contemplates the next decades of humanitarian operations, a few essential questions should be raised: What are the most important barriers to providing effective aid? Across contexts, NCP staff informants discussed good communication and information sharing as a main success. << The emergence of COVID-19 over the time period of the study allowed for assessment of the adaptation of individual NCP and additional barriers and enablers occurring during this time. This guide puts the widely used 2010 HAP Standard into context and identifies challenges and solutions for organisations looking to instil accountability in their management systems. The United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the primary coordinating body for the humanitarian aid community, set up the Cluster Coordination System in Haiti, but it was unable to cope with the massive influx of thousands of non-professional responders who were unfamiliar with the Cluster system. To gain a deeper understanding of the views of NCP staff and partners on outcomes enabled by NCP activities, tools, and products in humanitarian response, we conducted evaluations in three contexts (Coxs Bazar in Bangladesh, DRC, and Yemen). While this will still be voluntary, and will likely not establish a mechanism for prohibiting amateur actors, it does mark an important step forward in establishing standards for organizations that provide emergency medical services. At the humanitarian context level, the Cluster approach aims to ensure a coherent and effective response by completing the 6+1 core functions of: supporting service delivery; informing strategic decision-making; planning and implementing cluster strategies; monitoring and evaluating performance; building national capacity; and, supporting robust advocacy; all while remaining accountable to affected populations (AAP) (IASC, 2015). Supervision, What future issues must be understood to optimize the efficiency of aid? Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies x^uxhnTR(W"U*H/ArMrib 3}_zWn.,U1UXnZOq1tnxW|RY~YTq)*U6UjU/UqLwW>6]X7}N8.^n?ljXUMDfMgUl|iO%5mrb\a !>A:^@(i4U"D@)Zkl T As NCP staff were interviewed several times over the study, quantitative analysis was not completed for NCP staff informants. No, Is the Subject Area "Yemen" applicable to this article? MeSH Online surveys were downloaded and translated if needed. The authors would also like to thank the Global WASH Cluster (GWC) Cluster Advocacy and Support Team (CAST) for their helpful supervision and revisions, and Julia Debertin, Sarhin Jahan, Eddy Wanyonyi, Marine Ricau, and Elizabeth Mitchell for data entry and analysis assistance. As of the beginning of 2012, the percentage of humanitarian NGOs that were members of HAP was 1.6% (68 members out of 4400 organizations). While several hundred organizations have affirmed and adopted the Sphere Minimum Standards in humanitarian programming, significantly fewer have officially become members of the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP), an organization developed to create and voluntarily enforce standards in accountability and transparency. For partner informants/respondents, thresholds of 25%, 50%, and 75% were selected to facilitate analysis of the described existing NCP tools, activities, and products and coordination outcomes. The total number of HAP members for the years 2005 through 2012 was divided by the estimated number of humanitarian NGOs active in 2010. The Enhanced Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance (ELRHA) scoping study of 2010 indicated that the vast majority of humanitarian workers (over 90 percent of the 1500 surveyed) desire greater professionalization of the field and greater formal mechanisms for certification. This revised Theory of Change is being used to improve NCP strategies, including the Minimum Requirements, and ultimately, benefit affected populations. /ProcSet [/PDF /Text ] /Type /Page Differences were also observed within partners knowledge and use of the tools across contexts (S2 Table) and included: a higher occurrence of mention of Monitoring and Evaluation and mapping products in Coxs Bazar and Yemen; a higher occurrence of mention of needs assessment tools in DRC and Yemen; and, a higher proportion of partners submitted monthly activity reporting data in Coxs Bazar and attended national-level coordination meetings than in DRC and Yemen. Investigation, In DRC and Yemen, partner informants discussed enablers from the NCP including: most donors required response organizations to be an NCP partner; and, the NCP was involved in pooled fund distribution and/or in close contact with donors. There is this enthusiasm. WebHumanitarian Accountability Report 2022: Accountability is Non-Negotiable The Humanitarian Accountability Report (HAR) 2022 draws on seven years of accountability The 1994-96 Rwandan Refugee crisis and the deadly cholera epidemic in the massive refugee camp in Goma lead to a 1996 Joint Evaluation in Rwanda and the ultimate creation of the Sphere Standards in humanitarian response, which created basic minimum standards for the provision of aid. Those studies also highlighted similar challenges related to coordination (e.g. The organization has no registered commitments. We completed 93 key informant interviews, 157 online surveys, and monthly activity reports with National Coordination Platform (NCP) staff and partners. Secondly, results highlighted that the NCP staff and partners were overall aligned by contexts in: 1) their perspectives of the existing tools, activities, and products; 2) the outcomes met (and not met) by the NCP; and, 3) the main successes and barriers to WASH coordination. 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