Interagency Contingency Planning and Emergency Preparedness: Challenges and Lessons Learnt

1. Interagency Contingency Planning and Emergency Preparedness: Challenges and Lessons Learnt V. Harutyunyan M.D. Head of Health / Merlin Global Nutrition Cluster Annual Meeting Geneva, 9 – 11 July 2013

2. Contingency Planning and Emergency Preparedness: definitions Contingency planning is a management tool used to analyse the impact of potential crises and ensure that adequate and appropriate arrangements are made in advance to respond in a timely, effective and appropriate way to the needs of the affected population(s). (IASC) Emergency preparedness consists of all activities taken in anticipation of a crisis to expedite effective emergency response. This includes contingency planning, but is not limited to it. (HPN paper No59)

3. Relevance of the Issue EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database

4. Relevance of the Issue Commonly accompanied by food scarcity (Sphere 2011) Disaster Data: A Balanced Perspective. Cred Crunch issue 31. March 2013

5. Relevance of the Issue Uppsala Conflict Data Program

6. Nutrition in disaster prone and conflict affected countries • GAM is above 10% in 54% of conflict affected and 25% of disaster prone countries Childinfo.org, UNICEF Uppsala Conflict DataProgram EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database

7. Overview of Nutrition Cluster Contingency Planning Status (process) • 23 humanitarian nutrition coordination groups, including 21 NC-s currently active: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, CAR, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Ethiopia, Guinea, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Pacific Region, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Yemen • Sources of data: UNICEF, OCHA, individual NC web sites, Google search • Criteria: documented CP, indicative elements of CP, timelines of developing CP

8. Overview of Nutrition Cluster Contingency Planning Status (results)

9. Challenges • Resistance to conduct Contingency Planning • Increasing number of actors, diversity of approaches and formats • Complexity of inter-cluster contingency planning • Uneven technical and operational capacities of cluster partners • Rapid staff turnover, loss of institutional memory • Ambiguity of roles and responsibilities • Weak involvement of government • Limited CP guidance, capacity to facilitate CP • Underfunding

10. Recommendations / Lessons Learnt • Advocate with the HCT, Donors, cluster partners and governments in support of CP/EP • Give greater attention to the process of CP • Provide leadership to the CP process and encourage others to do the same • Integrate CP within response planning cycle

11. Make CP a participatory, multiagency exercise to: Build Capacities Mobilize technical and operational capacity of the cluster Increase NCC legitimacy and teamwork within the NC Secure partners’ buy-in and support Enhance quality of humanitarian response

12. Recommendations / Lessons Learnt • Advocate with the HCT, Donors, cluster partners and governments in support of CP/EP • Give greater attention to the process of CP • Provide leadership to the CP process and encourage others to do the same • Integrate CP within response planning cycle • Make CP a participatory, multiagency exercise • Agree level of detail in advance, keep it simple • Ensure clear allocation of roles with regard to the CP • Regularly test and update CP

13. Discussion • What challenges have you faced with enhancing preparedness of nutrition cluster / sector to respond to new emergencies? • How you have addressed them? • What GNC can do to facilitate / improve country level Nutrition Clusters contingency planning?