Annex 8: West Africa PQF: Integrating Emergency Preparedness & Response

1. Annex 8: West Africa PQF:Integrating Emergency Preparedness & Response Liberia, March 2010

2. Session Outline • Emergency preparedness in Liberia • PQF Liberia emergency terms of reference • Liberia PQF case findings & discussions • CARE’s global humanitarian emergencies mandate & strategy • CARE’s humanitarian accountability framework • Sharing West Africa country offices’ emergency experiences & lessons learned

3. CARE Merlin EPPPresentation of Scenario March 2010

4. Selected scenario

5. Selected scenario continued

6. CARE/Merlin Consortium: Criteria for Engagement • Overall criteria for engagement Engagement in non-presence areas • Alerts by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group and UNMIL. • If the presence of humanitarian agencies/actors responding is not adequate in the targeted areas. • If existing response to emergency by different actors is not sufficient. • If population’s capacity to cope with the emergency is low (Below 4 points on scale or 1 to 10) and thus vulnerability to risk is high Engagement in presence areas • Significant impact in communities where we work. By significant impact, we mean a shock that jeopardize community resiliencies (at least 30,000 people affected for the post-election or cross-border scenario and more than 1,000 affected people or more than 50 deaths for the cholera epidemic scenario) OR • A donor such as OFDA, ECHO, WFP, OCHA requests intervention (call for proposals) in our targeted counties

7. Joint-EPP Coordination How does the joint-ERT function before the emergency hits? • Two ER Coordinator meet (based on needs) • Monthly Joint-EPP meeting between the two ERT coordinators and the two CDs • Quarterly meetings with all ERT members from both organization (including on the field) Role of the Lead Agency during emergency • Confirm the capacity to respond immediately to the other • Convene a meeting of joint-ERT • Take the lead, and liaison with the local UNMIL and other stakeholders. • Undertake the assessment • Coordination at Monrovia level. • Sharing and dissemination of information with the teams in field.

9. PQF Liberia emergency terms of reference • Learn from Liberia context & EPP about integrating humanitarian emergency work within programs & operations: • What can we learn about enhancing emergency work within the program approach? • How do we ensure we retain/strengthen capacity to respond to emergencies within our changing organization? • Process: reviewed Liberia EPP & global emergency framework; talked to communities, partners & staff; developed findings & recommendations

10. Liberia PQF case findings & recommendations General recommendations: • Integrate/align our joint Merlin-CARE EPP with UN, government, others, particularly at county level – find effective ways of engagement; support county EPPs; explore donor funding possibilities for govmt/county preparedness strengthening • Rollout joint Merlin-CARE EPP Train staff • Develop Liberia MOU with Merlin • Explore creative ways to overcome staff/capacity constraints • Build risk reduction into program approach • Link LRSP with EPP • Address gender issues in EPP, other programs & with partners • Strengthen connections/networks with HAC, UN, govmt & others

11. Liberia PQF case findings & recommendations Partners: • Findings: • Need to ensure understanding UCP • Need to develop true partnerships • Include partners in developing capacities short & long-term • Recommendations: • Review MOUs with partners for longer-term partnerships • Need to address critical underlying issues such as ritual killing, SGBV, that can cause conflict • Need to incorporate livelihood analysis into programming • Exploring funding opportunities for risk reduction work (DFID, ECHO, etc)

12. Liberia PQF case findings & recommendations Community – findings & recommendations: • Communities have defined structures: – need to use local capacities; include community leaders; consider early warning within M&E; involve communities in our EPP • Youth unemployment is a threat to security: – integrate youth in programs; provide skills training • Annual floods are a risk: – use post-emergency reconstruction programs to assist communities strengthen social capacities; as well as incorporating risk reduction approaches, eg flood resistant housing • Floods are caused by poor development – a road: – incorporate risk/environment assessment in development work • Map areas/communities to assess flood risks • Look beyond CARE’s capacities: – network & partner • Employ some emergency focused staff

13. Liberia PQF case – group discussion • Discussion: (small groups, then plenary) • What do you think of the recommendations? Are they practical/feasible? • How can other groups (finance, TOC, impact measurement) incorporate these recommendations in their work? • Any other suggestions/recommendations?

14. CARE’s global humanitarian focus: Trends Climate change • sea level rise • heavier rainfall, more floods • more droughts • more heatwaves • more intense hurricanes • spread of diseases like malaria, dengue more humanitarian disasters ... and the poorest people are most affected

15. CARE’s global humanitarian mandate: • Why engage in humanitarian work? • Humanitarian trends • Addressing basic rights • Commitment to women & communities through crises • Empowering women & communities develop capabilities to reduce risk & cope with crises – a development need • CARE’s humanitarian mandate & history

16. CARE’s global emergency strategy “to enable CARE to respond more effectively and comprehensively to humanitarian emergencies worldwide and thereby increase the scope and impact of CARE’s emergency programmes, as well as strengthen donor funding and CARE’s profile”

17. CARE’s Emergency Strategy: how it all fits together Having theCapacity to do it Knowing What to do Emergency management protocols Personnel deployment capacities Humanitarian mandate Preparedness Staff training programs Start up funding mechanisms Humanitarian accountability framework Policy and advocacy Impact: through effective & timely response Supply chain and relief materials Sector focus Operational support Fundraising Results measurement Cross cutting issues CI coordination and alignment Strategic partnerships Being Organised to do it

18. What results are we aiming for? • Impact - saving lives & reducing suffering, through: • Empowering women & communities develop capabilities to reduce risk & cope with crises • High quality & timely emergency responses • Funding & credibility

19. What capabilities do we need in all parts of CARE to enable these results? • Integrating humanitarian emergency work within our program approach • Response capability • Preparedness • Prioritizing emergency work within strategies • Leadership & mindset • Accountability

20. How is CARE supporting the development of these capabilities? • Programmatic guidance & support • Incorporating gender in emergency work • EPP guidance & resources • Staff capacity development • Response management support • Start-up funding - CI ERF • Personnel deployment • Mobilizing CI support: coordination, media, fundraising, advocacy • Humanitarian policies, guidelines & tools

21. CARE’s Humanitarian Accountability Framework PQF Liberia March 2010

22. Components Humanitarian Benchmarks Compliance System Response Target

23. Benchmarks • CARE leaders demonstrate their commitment to quality and accountability • CARE bases emergency response on impartial assessment of needs, vulnerabilities and capacities • CARE uses good design and monitoring to drive improvements in our work • CARE involves the disaster-affected community throughout our response • CARE puts formal mechanisms in place to gather and act on feedback and complaints • CARE publicly communicates our mandate, projects and what stakeholders can expect from us • CARE uses impartial reviews and evaluations to improve learning and demonstrate accountability. • CARE supports its staff, managers and partners to improve quality and accountability

24. Response target • CI's response to humanitarian disaster will be more timely • The quality and accountability of CI's response to disaster will increase • CI will become known for its competence in the three core sectors • Emergency Expenditure and Funding • Emergency Capacity Cost Recovery

26. West Africa PQF – country & regional discussion • Country groups & plenary discussion: Sharing West Africa country offices’ emergency experiences & lessons learned