Collective Communication and Community Engagement in humanitarian action How to Guide for leaders and responders COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

Foreword: voices of leaders and responders It is well recognised that good communication and participation drawing board over to the communities. “If we wish to deliver high are prerequisites for successful community engagement in We seem to have forgotten that it is quality aid, the foundation development and humanitarian action. We need more sustained for the communities that we work. for that must be trusting and dialogue and meaningful interaction with the people we serve so that It is time for candid communication collaborative relationships they can take informed decisions and play an active or lead role in the between members of our sector in with crisis-affected children and adults, aid they receive. order to bring the communities back supported by ongoing dialogue and So how do we get better at working alongside people affected by disaster? How do to the heart of what we do. In my view, a genuine commitment to take other we build communication channels fit for purpose so the people we serve maintain or currently community voices and concerns people’s perspectives into account. regain control of their recovery and the aid they receive? are pushed on the back burner while By working together in a way that About the CDAC Network While coordination between organisations is vital, deeper collaboration around headquarters rule.” recognises our individual weaknesses The CDAC Network is a common goals is needed to reduce the burden of the aid industry on affected Marvin Parvez, Regional Director, and builds on our respective strengths, growing platform of more communities. Community World Service Asia aid actors can help make the rhetoric than 30 humanitarian, This guide puts the spotlight on collective ways of working through locally-led around communication and community media development, social communication and community engagement platforms to enable more systematic “Like food, water, shelter engagement a reality.” innovation, technology, efforts across an emergency response. and safety, communication Philippa Hill, Humanitarian Evidence, and telecommunication We offer practical guidance to embed communication and community engagement is essential in responding to Effectiveness and Accountability organisations, dedicated in emergency response and broader aid efforts, enabling leaders and frontline humanitarian emergencies. Adviser, Save the Children to saving lives and making responders to communicate and engage effectively with people affected by disaster. Just as we plan the delivery of tangible aid more effective through Marian Casey-Maslen, Executive Director, CDAC Network aid, we need to understand, plan, “This is a really useful communication, information fund and deliver communication – in and readable guide that exchange and community “To make the Participation “World Health Organization languages, methods, and technologies I hope will inspire more engagement. Revolution a reality, we, has an essential role in – that helps and empowers the organisations to start, or Your feedback humanitarians, must listen to supporting countries to build communities we serve. When we step up, their community engagement Acknowledgements Collective ways of working the people we seek to serve, capacities to prepare for, put communication at the heart of actions alongside others. At IMS, our The development of this guide are new to the humanitarian understand their needs and communicate prevent, respond to and recover from our response, not only do we gain in work in Somalia in particular through the has been possible through sector. This guide is currently with them in the best possible way. This health emergencies. Our experience with efficiency, we support resiliency, dignity Radio Ergo project shows how critical it the generous contributions of being tested. We welcome your feedback if any of the best valuable guide helps us do just that. It health emergencies has taught us that and community empowerment.” is for us to work together to ensure that many individuals who shared practice outlined in this guide provides a palette of vivid examples and the most critical part of any emergency Sara Speicher, Deputy General community engagement is coordinated their expertise and time, for needs to be updated. practical advice on how we can act as response is engaging with communities. Secretary, World Association for and institutionalised. Separately we tend which the CDAC Network is one in making the principles of efficiency, Community engagement is a public health Christian Communication to serve our individual organisations, grateful. Particular thanks Copyright accountability and transparency towards intervention. This guide provides practical but collectively we can strengthen goes to Maxine Clayton who CDAC Network (2019) affected people come alive.” – Marina tools and examples of how effective “If there is one thing that information for communities and ensure wrote the initial draft of this Skuric Prodanovic, Chief, System-wide risk communication and community all humanitarian and their voices become part of decision- document and Meg Sattler who Approaches and Practices Section engagement can be operationalized development actors can making processes.” edited various iterations, to at the Coordination Division, United through the collaboration of community agree on, in spite of their Louise Tunbridge, Programme the steering group who guided This work is licensed under a Nations Office for the Coordination of networks and field responders.” different mandates, missions and visions, Manager, International Media Support and accompanied this process, Creative Commons Attribution- Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Aphaluck Bhatiasevi, Team Lead, it is the importance of the involvement and to the numerous people NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. This Social Science Interventions & Risk of affected communities in their work. who contributed, reviewed and means that you can adapt and “#commisaid is the simple Communication, Infectious Hazard And yet we have, until now, struggled agreed to be interviewed for share it but are not permitted to notion that everyone’s an Management Department, WHO Health to find a coherent approach that we can this guide. use it for commercial purposes. expert in their own right and Emergencies all work to. This How to Guide offers a You should use the suggested that the humanitarian system terrific opportunity for us to harmonize A list of individuals who citation below to reference this should allow the affected population to “This guide is extremely our approaches to communication and contributed to this document guide as the source material be part of the decision-making process. important. For decades community engagement, bringing greater can be found on page 75. if you are using, adapting and Because when you ask for input, you we have been focusing on accountability to affected populations sharing the guide. have to be willing to make the necessary communication as a way and importantly shifting power to the Donors changes in your programming. Ultimately of promoting our brands rather than grassroots level to ensure communities This document was made Suggested citation this means #commisaid is about shifting as a tool to listen to the communities have dignity, rights, sustainability and possible through the generous Collective Communication and Community Engagement in the power and allowing the affected we are trying to serve. If we are to truly ownership of programs.” funding from UK Aid, The humanitarian action. population to drive their own recovery.” allow communities to shape and lead Elijah Manyok, Founder and World Association for Christian How to Guide for leaders and Stijn Aelbers, Humanitarian Advisor, our response efforts, then we have to go Executive Director, Smile Again Africa Communication (WACC), Save responders. CDAC Network Internews back to the drawing board and hand the Development Organization – SAADO the Children and Save the (2019). Children Norway.

2 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 3 CONTENTS COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

SECTION ONE: COMMUNICATION IS AID 6 Why do we need this guide?...... 6 About this guide ...... 8

SECTION TWO: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH TO 10 COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT What is communication and community engagement?...... 10 Taking a collective approach: platforms, services and tools...... 14 Minimum actions and services for communication and community engagement ...... 19

SECTION THREE: IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS 20 AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT The communication landscape and understanding information needs and communication preferences ...... 20 Strategic response, action planning and funding...... 25 Human resources, expertise and training...... 28 Budget template...... 29 Dialogue with the community: mechanisms for sharing information and seeking feedback from communities ...... 32 Referral pathways...... 37 Receiving and addressing complaints...... 38 Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse...... 38 A collective approach to sharing information for communities...... 40 “We need to see communities Developing information content...... 40 Working across language, dialects, culture and customs...... 46 as partners in response, not Working with media...... 48 just recipients of information. Opportunities for disaster-affected people to play an active role in decision-making and leadership...... 51 Communities need a specific Keeping people connected...... 53 LIST OF CASE STUDIES Monitoring and evaluating communication and community engagement..... 53 Nepal: Nepal’s inter-agency common feedback role and a stake in the project proves adaptability to a changing context – page 16 SECTION FOUR: ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR 58 response.” COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Bangladesh: The sub-national working group Establishing a national platform...... 58 on communicating with communities (CwC) in Director, Department of Women Affairs, Vanuatu Drawing on global support...... 61 the Rohingya refugee response, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – page 17

SECTION FIVE: LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY FOR 64 Nepal: Differences in information needs and COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT preferred sources between men and women Collective leadership...... 65 following the 2015 Nepal earthquake – page 23 Tips for organisational leaders: pave the way...... 68 DRC: Inclusion of community engagement in the Tips for individuals: be a champion for change...... 70 humanitarian response plan in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – page 30 ANNEX: COMMITMENTS, STANDARDS AND DONOR 72 West Africa: Understanding and working with REQUIREMENTS culture and customs – page 46 National commitments and standards...... 72 International commitments and standards...... 72 Philippines: Radyo Abante – page 49 Yemen: Evaluations and measuring community Key resources are indicated throughout the guide. These are CDAC Network engagement in humanitarian emergencies – resources unless otherwise stated. page 54

Philippines: The Philippines community engagement community of practice – page 63

Dominica: Governments take the lead – page 66 Isa Saleh Mohammed (TWB Trainer) conducting comprehension research. GGSS camp, Monguno, Greece: News that moves – page 69

ERIC DELUCA, TRANSLATORS WITHOUT BORDERS TRANSLATORS ERIC DELUCA, Borno State, Nigeria

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Section One: Communication is aid

Communication. It’s talking to a neighbour. It’s Why do we need this guide? emailing friends. It’s reading the news. We all In recent years humanitarian responders and depend on giving and receiving information to donors have adopted significant commitments and share our experiences and feelings, manage our standards that seek to achieve better outcomes for lives and connect with our families, friends and people affected by disaster. communities. The Grand Bargain1 (2016) is an agreement In a crisis, communication networks can shatter between more than 30 of the biggest donors along with resources and lives, when we need and aid providers, including a participation information and connections more than ever. revolution: to properly include people receiving aid in the decisions that affect their lives. The Communication is as crucial as food, water, shelter Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and and medicine. Accountability 2 sets out nine commitments, including that communities and people affected Where do we go for help? What dangers should by crisis know their rights and entitlements, have Structure of the guide we be aware of? How can we find missing family, access to information and participate in decisions or contact friends further afield? Who will listen that affect them, and can raise complaints that Part One describes why we need a guide to us? What do we do if help is not reaching us? will be addressed. on communication and community How can we report an issue or complain when engagement. there’s a problem? The IASC Commitments on Accountability to Affected People and Protection from Sexual Part Two describes what communication Insufficient or conflicting information can cause Exploitation and Abuse3 similarly commit and community engagement confusion, risk safety and worsen feelings of responders to inform, as well as solicit, hear and encompasses, the vision for a collective isolation. If we don’t trust the information we are act upon the voices, priorities and feedback of approach and the minimum actions and given, the most important messages can miss the affected people (including sexual exploitation and services for preparedness and response. mark. If we are not engaged in decisions about abuse-related complaints) and ensure people can the response we can feel like bystanders, not to play an active role in decision-making. Part Three provides guidance on mention being powerless to complain or report implementing the minimum actions and abuse. National government systems set the context services. – many have in place policies and regulative When our voices are heard and we know what frameworks committing to information Part Four provides guidance on setting to expect we regain control of our lives. We can management and communication systems for up national, multi-stakeholder platforms. actively shape services and hold service providers the rapid and coordinated flow of information to account. We can rebuild and connect with the to communities, as well as the gathering of Part Five offers guidance on providing wider world, speeding up recovery. Communication feedback on community concerns. Annex 1, on leadership, championing and advocacy is aid and community engagement is critical. page 72, outlines these national and international for change in this area. Take three minutes to see why: https://youtu.be/ frameworks in more detail, as well as donor ZDmKLcY7Nis requirements. The Annex outlines commitments, standards and donor requirements However, there are still gaps in the system: for communication and community engagement. • Communities do not feel sufficiently involved in decisions that impact their lives. An Key resources are indicated throughout indicator used to track the Grand Bargain in the guide. These are CDAC Network six countries examines the participation of resources and available at www. disaster-affected people. Nearly everywhere cdacnetwork.org unless otherwise aid workers feel that people are sufficiently IDP camp, Bama town, Bama local stated.

OCHA/YASMINA GUERDA OCHA/YASMINA government area, Borno State, Nigeria

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involved, and disaster-affected people feel that these are not widespread and systematic. Collective they are not.4 Time and again evaluative exercises platforms, services and tools are needed to support “When local actors and communities are not in the point out the need for greater community voice communication and engagement to improve and participation in strategic and programmatic outcomes for disaster-affected communities.12 driving seat, humanitarian action cannot truly restore decision-making.5 About this guide humanity, respect dignity and reduce need.” • More effort is needed to solicit, hear and act This guide suggests practices to support an active Participation Revolution Workstream 2 upon the voices and complaints of disaster- role for communities in humanitarian services and affected people. Many people in humanitarian decision-making, improve access to information crises are unaware of how to make complaints, and keep people connected to support their own about aid provision, abuse, or anything else. ways of coping. It emphasises a collective approach When asked whether they believe they would where humanitarian actors coordinate, collaborate get a response if they did make a complaint, the and are held accountable for their actions. It is majority say they doubt they’d hear back.6 based on action research into a number of initiatives and organisations as well as gap analyses and • Communities cannot access information to help recommendations for strengthening and scaling them make decisions and regain control of their practice. lives. In the 2017 response in Cox’s Bazar, 77% of people surveyed did not have enough information The guide is intended primarily for practitioners in a language they could understand to make and leaders working in national and international good decisions affecting their family. 62% were humanitarian and media development SECTION REFERENCES 7 Rohingya Zuban: A Translators without Borders rapid unable to speak to humanitarian providers due to organisations as well as other entities involved in assessment of language barriers in the Cox’s Bazar Refugee language barriers.7 preparedness, response and recovery. Experience 1 The Grand Bargain (2016). Response. Translators without Borders (2017). in the humanitarian sector and prior knowledge https://www.agendaforhumanity.org/initiatives/3861 https://translatorswithoutborders.org/rohingya-zuban/ • The role of communication and community of relevant policies, plans and processes is http://www.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index. 2 Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability. html?appid=683a58b07dba4db189297061b4f8cd40 engagement in helping people psychologically assumed, as is familiarity with the humanitarian CHS Alliance, Group URD and the Sphere Project (2014). cope with disasters is insufficiently recognised. architecture, the humanitarian programme cycle https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/the-standard 8 Five Essential Elements of Immediate and Mid-Term But it can promote senses of safety, calm, self- and accountability to affected populations. Mass Trauma Intervention: Empirical Evidence. Psychiatry 3 efficacy, connectedness and hope.8 A woman IASC Commitments on Accountability to Affected People Interpersonal & Biological Processes 70(4):283-315; and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (2017). discussion 316-69 (2007) who had been affected by Super Typhoon https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/accountability- http://www.researchgate.net/publication/5668133_Five_ Haiyan in 2013 told a Haitian woman who had KEY RESOURCES affected-populations-including-protection-sexual- Essential_Elements_of_Immediate_and_Mid-Term_Mass_ experienced the 2010 earthquake, “If only we had exploitation-and-abuse/documents-56 Trauma_Intervention_Empirical_Evidence been able to hear stories about how you coped Communication is Aid 4 Tracking the Grand Bargain from a field perspective. Ground 9 Personal communication to the author In English www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l9Y--OTWs8 so we could learn what to do. We would have Truth Solutions (2018) In French www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VbNSuT5XLY had more hope and been able to manage much http://groundtruthsolutions.org/our-work/tracking-the- 10 See e.g. The Importance of Mobile for Refugees: A Landscape In Arabic www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB6yS7Sirrc quicker.” 9 grand-bargain-from-a-field-perspective/ of New Services and Approaches. GSMA (2017) https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp- infoasaid (2012) 5 • People affected by disaster are increasingly E.g. Time To Listen: Hearing People on the Receiving End of content/uploads/2017/02/The-Importance-of-mobile-for- A short video which explains the case for communicating International Aid. M. B. Anderson, D. Brown & I. Jean (2012). refugees_a-landscape-of-new-services-and-approaches.pdf reliant on connectivity, and response with communities, available in English, French and Arabic on CDA Collaborative Learning Projects. programmes need to catch up.10 Mobile CDAC Network’s YouTube channel. https://www.cdacollaborative.org/publication/time-to- 1 1 See e.g. Voices of Refugees. BBC Media Action (2016) telephone networks and the connectivity they listen-hearing-people-on-the-receiving-end-of-international- https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/publications-and- BBC Media Action (2012). Still left in the dark? provide can be a lifeline for those affected by aid/ and On the road to Istanbul: How can the World resources/research/reports/voices-of-refugees and Iraq’s How people in emergencies use communication to displaced people need information, not only food, water and humanitarian emergencies. People rely on these Humanitarian Summit make humanitarian response more survive – and how humanitarian agencies can help effective? Humanitarian Accountability Report CHS Alliance shelter. CDAC Network (2014) to stay in touch with family and friends, but also http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/publications-and- (2015) http://www.cdacnetwork.org/i/20140917162422-moeda for other reasons, such as to help them navigate resources/policy/briefings/policy-still-left-in-the-dark https://www.chsalliance.org/2015-humanitarian- 1 2 whilst they are fleeing dangerous situations.11 accountability-report Policy Paper: The Role of Collective Platforms, Services and BBC World Service Trust (2008). Left in the dark: Tools to support Communication and Community Engagement The unmet need for information in humanitarian 6 Tracking the Grand Bargain from a field perspective. Ground in Humanitarian Action. CDAC Network (2017) There are many efforts and indeed successes responses Truth Solutions (2018) http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ in implementing national and international http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/ http://groundtruthsolutions.org/our-work/tracking-the- i/20170531072915-3fs0r commitments, standards and frameworks, but an pdf/humanitarian_response_briefing.pdf grand-bargain-from-a-field-perspective/ analysis of the humanitarian system shows that

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In this section

• What is communication and community engagement? • Taking a collective approach: platforms, services and tools • In practice: minimum actions for communication and community engagement • Case studies: a sub-national platform in Bangladesh and a common service in Nepal

What is communication and mechanisms and governmental departments. community engagement? They play a key role in preparedness, for example Humanitarians now recognise that keeping in advocacy, capacity strengthening and the people connected to each other, providing inclusion of digital technology for supplying information for and communicating with information, data and connectivity, or mobilising people affected by conflict or natural disasters resources (financial, human or hardware). are among the most important elements of Diagram 1 (on page 12) visualises such a platform emergency response. The quality, effectiveness and its functions. and timeliness of humanitarian action is improved by involving those affected because A definition of communication and they possess valuable local knowledge, can community engagement identify needs and priorities and should have a A working definition is given below for the Section Two: say in decisions that affect their lives. purpose of this guide, though other definitions and terminologies (such as Communicating with The recognition is generating a trend whereby Communities or CwC13) are in use. A collective approach governments, national and international organisations, media development agencies, Communication and community engagement technology companies and other actors in high- is an area of humanitarian action based on the risk countries collaborate in a collective approach principle communication is aid. It gives priority to communication and to ensure communication and community to sharing life-saving, actionable information engagement ‘platforms’ are set up and ready for with people affected by disaster using two- future disasters. These national platforms often way communication channels so aid providers community engagement identify as a working group, community of practice listen to and act on people’s needs, suggested or a project-based collective service. They provide solutions, feedback and complaints, and people key services to communities in a response, receiving assistance have a say in and lead coordinate actors, activities and feedback, and decisions that affect them. It also prioritises support other structures in the humanitarian keeping people in crisis connected with each Gbiti, Cameroon, 17 July 2014: The Regional architecture, such as clusters, inter-cluster other and the outside world. Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, Robert Piper,

OCHA/IVO BRANDAU meets with recently arrived refugees

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A Translators without Borders NATIONAL PLATFORM staff member trains responders on Rohingya terminology MULTI-STAKEHOLDER | PREPOSITIONED | PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

SERVICES TO SUPPORT MOBILISATION SERVICES HUMANITARIAN PREPAREDNESS OF RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITIES AND RESPONSE

Access to Funding Rumour information and tracking connectivity People Support to national coordination Hardware structures, clusters, etc Feedback Complaints mechanism mechanism Contribution to global evidence and learning Community voice in and support from decision-making global platform as needed Common data analysis informs strategic and programmatic decision-making to improve services and outcomes for communities

There is a growing movement by governments, national and international organisations, media development agencies, media and technology companies and other actors in high-risk countries to collaborate through communication and community engagement ‘platforms’. These provide a coordination role for those working on communication and community engagement, as well as providing services for communities and support for other structures in the humanitarian architecture, such as clusters, inter-cluster mechanisms and governmental departments tasked with humanitarian preparedness and response. The diagram visualises such a platform and its functions. TRANSLATORS WITHOUT BORDERS TRANSLATORS

The following elements are essential for an appropriate language and format. This is and programming has been adapted to reflect at greater risk or alienate them. Adequate communication and community engagement: a two-way exchange and requires in-depth these views.15 Feedback is collected at key and effective safeguards are put in place, understanding of the local communication decision points in the programme cycle, on including effective data security and protection 1. Understanding and working within the landscape and capacities, and must include both the humanitarian response and agencies’ mechanisms. local communication landscape – social, managing false information that can put lives performance, including service quality, cultural, economic, political and infrastructure at risk. relevance and responsiveness to people’s 8. Connectivity – Measures are taken to re- aspects, local power dynamics, and barriers concerns. establish, build or maintain communications to information sharing. Preparedness and 4. Participation – Humanitarian actors make time technology infrastructure and support affected response actions are communicated in locally and resources available to build on positive 6. Complaints16 – People affected by crisis know communities to restore contact between family appropriate terms, languages and through local community engagement processes that they have a right to raise a concern or members and communicate with service channels used by the affected population. Aid and, where needed, put in place supportive, complain about the humanitarian assistance providers. providers work in partnership with communities inclusive structures and processes that they did or did not receive or about the and incorporate their knowledge and ensure people, particularly those who may be behaviour of aid workers. They are included 9. Coordination and collective services – perspectives. disproportionately disadvantaged like women, in the design of and have access to safe and Coordinated, collective models and common girls, children, young men, persons living with responsive mechanisms to raise concerns, services in preparedness and response will 2. Community leadership – Humanitarian disabilities and older people, take a leading which are addressed.17 Humanitarian actors reduce the burden on communities, ensure action supports and mobilises the capacities role in designing, shaping and evaluating actively prevent and respond to sexual a more coherent, effective response and and capabilities of individuals, groups and humanitarian responses. 14 exploitation and abuse, fraud and corruption leverage diverse expertise, knowledge and organisations so that affected communities are linked to humanitarian aid. learning. Actors should include local, national better able to lead and shape preparedness 5. Feedback – Communities are aware that their and international NGOs, UN, Red Cross/ and response efforts. perspectives – positive and negative, solicited 7. Protection – Communication and community Red Crescent agencies, government, media and unsolicited – are important to aid workers. engagement approaches require a careful development agencies, local media and the 3. Information exchange and dialogue – Priority Feedback is systematically collected, analysed, assessment of risk, especially in situations private sector. is given to the exchange of accurate, useful, reported and acted on, and explanation is of armed conflict or violence as engaging timely information from trusted sources, in provided to communities as to how strategy individuals or certain groups may put them

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Taking a collective approach: platforms, and advocating with donors, developing standard services and tools materials for country adaptation. Platforms are Communication and community engagement discussed in detail in Section Three. require the collaboration of a diverse set of humanitarian, communication and technology Working collectively requires actors to overcome actors with the objective of catalysing barriers, such as policies that prohibit information communities’ ability to connect, access information sharing, competition for funding and pressure and have a voice in humanitarian emergencies. for visibility. Benefits range from the collective Accountability development and standardisation of tools to Information for These include Governments, National and improved coordination and efficiencies (see to affected International NGOs, the International Red Cross Benefits box-out below) and the promotion of communities and Red Crescent Movement, United Nations leadership by national stakeholders. populations agencies, as well as media development agencies, media (especially those that have a humanitarian Leading, co-leading or participating in broadcasting18 mandate), technology providers collective platforms does not replace agencies’ (such as mobile network operator signatories to responsibilities on accountability to affected the Humanitarian Connectivity Charter) and others people. A collective platform should render these from the private sector. These actors are convened efforts better coordinated, more timely and more through national communication and community effective, achieving greater participation and engagement platforms, which should be ownership as envisaged by the Grand Bargain and recognised in existing or emerging humanitarian Sustainable Development Goals. architecture. Leadership is not predefined and Community should be afforded by the government body or Connectivity responding organisation best placed to take it on. voice informs At global level, collective work supports national services for platforms by sharing guidance and good practice, strategy and communities programmes BENEFITS OF A COLLECTIVE APPROACH TO COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

A collective approach can: • Reduce confusion, tensions and conflict with and between communities through consistency of messaging; Communication and community engagement can be: • Equip local communities with the information they need to be more effective responders to disaster; A programmatic area providing relevant, actionable information for disaster-affected communities to save • Shield affected communities from being overburdened lives, protect livelihoods, support recovery and address dangerous rumours. and over-questioned; • Increases the likelihood of comprehensibility, consistency A means for community voice to inform strategy and improve programmatic areas such as cash and accuracy of language and cultural interpretation; transfer, shelter or nutrition programmes by engaging people in decisions that affect their lives and in • Enable more consistent and stronger advocacy shaping services, as well as providing ways of giving feedback to improve them (thereby encouraging messaging through collective community and adaptive programming). humanitarian voices; • Contribute to greater understanding of trends and issues A means for accountability to affected populations, providing mechanisms to solicit and act upon the due to increased data collection and analysis outreach; voices and priorities of affected people in a coordinated manner, including for sexual exploitation and abuse, before, during and after an emergency19. It is also an approach to putting into practice other sector • Include and value diverse views and expertise in response analysis and implementation design through the standards, like the Core Humanitarian Standard and Grand Bargain, and meeting donor requirements (see inclusion of media development, technology and private Commitments, standards and donor requirements). sector know-how; • Improve cost-effectiveness due to shared resources; An enabler for people helping themselves and each other by keeping people connected to each other or helping them reconnect. • Broaden ownership; and • Enhance the likelihood of more innovative and Coordination, collaboration and diversity of actors through a ‘collective approach’ is critical in appropriate tools being created. communication and community engagement.

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CASE STUDY CASE STUDY

Nepal’s inter-agency common Feedback Project successfully transitioned its The sub-national working group on BBC Media Action, Internews and feedback project proves adaptability to approach into the recovery phase, securing communicating with communities (CwC) Translators without Borders operate a common a changing context an additional two-year mandate from DFID. In in the Rohingya refugee response, Cox’s service for community engagement and A collective feedback mechanism was this period a large series of focus groups were Bazar, Bangladesh accountability, with funding from DFID and IOM, established in the aftermath of the 2015 undertaken across all the priority earthquake- Escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State which includes a collective feedback analysis earthquake in Nepal, with funding from DFID. affected districts which identified themes and in 2017 led to the displacement of over 655,000 service (What Matters?), the production of common It had been conceptualised as a ‘common issues that were important to communities so Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh. The country communication tools; the provision of training to service’ to the entire humanitarian community, that when feedback would be gathered from had already been hosting a verified population of dozens of agencies; and a regular narrowcast and which would collect and aggregate feedback them in future the feedback questions would well over 200,000 Rohingya and likely many more. rumour-tracking bulletin. from earthquake-affected communities be framed in the themes and issues that are through multiple channels and feed into the important to them. The refugees mostly live in camps around Cox’s The project improves efficiency, cost-effectiveness Humanitarian Country Team and Inter-Cluster Bazar. The response is coordinated by the Inter- and accountability in the overall Rohingya response, This set the project up to respond quickly and Sector Coordination Group (ISCG). IOM is the lead closely aligned with several shared commitments of expand once again into the humanitarian space agency for a sub-national working group on CwC to the Grand Bargain. BBC Media Action’s report How during the August 2017 flooding. The feedback address information and communication needs of Effective is Communication in the Rohingya Refugee collected showed a significant contrast to what refugees and host communities. Many national and Response explains the mechanism and analyses the clusters were reporting as priority needs and international agencies participate. results of this initiative. requesting in funding. As a result, the Central Emergency Response Fund now allocates Services implemented include radio broadcasts http://www.shongjog.org.bd/response/rohingya/ funding for each cluster based on the importance and information hubs to provide information, that communities attribute each type of answer questions, capture new questions and offer assistance needed. referrals to services, face to face or through phone and text lines. This is supplemented by roving The model focuses on feedback from information teams. A community feedback service communities, however the government operates collates and publishes feedback. The working a hotline for complaints so anyone wishing to group performs coordination, linking with the make a complaint is advised how to do this via clusters and ISCG to relay feedback and provide the hotline. Issues related to sexual exploitation training and mentoring. and abuse are referred to the protection cluster and its sub-group working to stop gender- Nepali woman asking a question as part of ‘Milijuli Nepali’ - a BBC Media based violence. At later stages, the Common Action radio programme to help people affected by the earthquake Feedback Project worked with the Association BBC MEDIA ACTION BBC MEDIA ACTION of Community Radio Broadcasters on activities Coordination Group to inform decision-making. to close the feedback loop, for example It was the first time such a concept had been broadcasting local radio programmes on issues put into practice. Yet it quickly proved to play a and questions arising in the feedback. significant role: for example, when over 40% of people were raising water supply interruption In 2017 the model was tested in a development as their primary concern the Common Feedback context, receiving an innovation fund grant from Project advocated with UN, government, donors the UN Development Group for a perception and other partners, resulting in an increase survey on the priorities and ambitions of in programmes to address this as well as £4 communities in some of the least developed million in new funding made available by DFID areas, around the four pillars of UN Development to address this community concern. No one Assistance Framework (2018-2022) to guide knew just how far the concept would go. By its programme planning. third year, the Common Feedback Project had not only proven that systematically engaging www.cfp.org.np communities works in relief, but also in recovery, development and preparedness.

In February 2016, as relief and winterisation A presenter at local public radio station Bangladesh Betar support was winding down and reconstruction interviews a guest as part of a special programme to help the Rohingya community in Cox’s Bazar programmes were beginning, the Common BBC MEDIA ACTION

16 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 17 SECTION TWO | A COLLECTIVE APPROACH TO COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

KEY RESOURCES Super typhoon pre-crisis information and consultation MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR Policy Paper: The Role of Collective Platforms, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHR06Ee6Dgc Services and Tools to support Communication and https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/ COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY Community Engagement in Humanitarian Action operations/philippines/accountability-affected- http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ populationscommunications-communities-community ENGAGEMENT i/20170531072915-3fs0r The Philippines Community Engagement This paper makes the case for communication and community Community of Practice (2017, 2018) engagement in humanitarian response at global and national Tool, reports and video on the preparedness work undertaken levels, and describes the shape and functions of collective by the Philippines national platform on communication and Establish a national platform for crisis-affected people have access to the community engagement. platforms, services and tools and describes minimum actions for communication and community information that they need. This should be collective efforts. An annex lists potential national and global services and activities for preparedness and response. engagement in the right languages and formats, based 1. Under national leadership by the most on trusted sources of information and shared Pre-crisis information mapping and consultation appropriate actor, preposition and maintain through preferred channels, which may all vary TOOL: Pre-crisis community perception survey / mapping / support for an inter-agency communication and upon disaggregation of the intended audience. consultation community engagement platform or collective https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/ philippines/document/philippines-cop-community- service to convene duty bearers, diverse actors 6. Put in place appropriate, systematic and engagement-pre-crisis-community-perception and specialists to coordinate activities. The coordinated feedback mechanisms. Feedback platform should serve existing and emerging data should be collected, analysed and humanitarian architecture, particularly those linked into individual and collective referral that support government-led and localised mechanisms to ensure that strategic and responses. programmatic decisions are informed and corrective actions taken. > See Section Four for guidance on establishing a national platform 7. Put in place an appropriate, systematic and coordinated mechanism for ensuring Platform members coordinate and complaints, including sexual exploitation and SECTION REFERENCES 18 Humanitarian broadcasting in emergencies means mass collaborate to: abuse, fraud and corruption are investigated media interventions in enabling people to survive and recover in 2. Establish and document an understanding and acted on. 13 Although the term communicating with communities emergencies. of the context, communication culture, (CwC) and others (e.g. community engagement and language and customs to facilitate meaningful 8. Create or build upon opportunities for disaster- 19 Commitments on Accountability to Affected People and accountability, C4D in Emergencies, #commisaid and and respectful engagement with various affected people to play an active role in beneficiary communication) are also used to describe this Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Inter-Agency work, communication and community engagement is the Standing Committee (2017) affected communities. This will form pre-crisis response decision-making processes, ensuring preferred term for the CDAC Network, as it implies a pro-active https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/system/files/ information that can be rapidly updated in a clear links between community structures and process that brings together the expertise of humanitarian iasc_caap_endorsed_nov_2017.pdf crisis. the humanitarian architecture. actors with that of communications and media specialists, all 20 This refers to information on a country or area’s media and of whom are dedicated to saving lives and making aid more 3. Ensure that assessment and analysis of 9. Build components into preparedness and effective through communication, information exchange and telecommunications outlets and coverage, mobile phone community engagement. usage, etc. as well as on the audience’s demographic profile, the humanitarian context (as reflected in response programmes to keep people languages, media preferences, etc. This is sometimes known as Humanitarian Needs Overviews) includes connected to each other to support their own 14 Recommendations that promote effective participation of the information ecosystem. community perceptions, coping mechanisms, ways of coping, for example by planning ahead people affected by crisis in humanitarian decisions and incentivise data on what information people need, how to safeguard, restore or extend mobile phone participation as a way of working for GB signatories. Inter-Agency Standing Committee (2017) they prefer to receive such information and connectivity or radio access. https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/system/files/final_ which channels they trust, and how they prefer participation_revolution_workstream_reccomendations.pdf to provide feedback and complaints, as well 10. Undertake advocacy and capacity building as a media and telecommunication landscape to ensure an enabling environment for 15 Inter-Agency Standing Committee. Participation Revolution Workstream. snapshot. Data should be disaggregated by sex, communication and community engagement. https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/participation- age and other vulnerabilities. revolution-include-people-receiving-aid-making-decisions- Platform members may work collectively on these which-affect-their-lives 4. Ensure that preparedness and contingency activities, or an individual or group of members planning and response strategies, policies may provide a ‘common service’, whereby they 16 PSEA Implementation Quick Reference Handbook. CHS Alliance (2017) and plans include meaningful communication implement one or more components. http://www.chsalliance.org/files/files/PSEA%20Handbook.pdf and community engagement components, with requisite staffing and budgetary allocations to > See Section Three for guidance on 17 Commitment 5. Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality implement the minimum actions and services. implementing the minimum actions and and Accountability. CHS Alliance, Group URD and the Sphere Project (2014) 5. Put in place appropriate, systematic and services for communication and community https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/the-standard coordinated mechanisms for ensuring that engagement

18 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 19 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

In this section

1. The communication landscape and understanding information needs and communication preferences 1. The communication landscape and and vulnerabilities24, taking into account 2. Strategic response, action planning and understanding information needs and specific needs of all diverse groups, and funding communication preferences explore evolving information needs, as well as 3. Human resources, expertise and training Communication and community engagement seeking opportunities to promote and support requires a sound understanding of the community leadership. 4. Dialogue with the community: collective community: its languages, culture, economic mechanisms for seeking feedback from conditions, social networks, political and power Over time, as assessments become more communities structures, norms and values, demographic nuanced, so should the questions associated 5. A collective approach to sharing trends, history, and experience with engagement with communication and community information for communities efforts by outside groups. Attention should engagement to better inform services and 6. Opportunities for people to play an be paid to whether particular groups (such as activities. The more you know about how people active role in decision-making and women, children, disabled or older people, receive, share and trust information, and can leadership minority language speakers) face specific anticipate how this might change – the better 7. Keeping people connected challenges in accessing or providing information. you will be able to determine how to best support community engagement. 8. Monitoring and evaluation of the Needs assessments tend to focus on sectors minimum actions and services (e.g. food security or shelter) but don’t always HOW YOU CAN DO THIS assess information needs and communication Rapid assessment: preferences. It is important that these are • Undertake a pre-crisis community included in initial rapid assessments to inform perception survey to feed into preparedness how community engagement is undertaken in and contingency planning so that community the response. voices, including those of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are reflected in They should also be included in the detailed any contingency plans (see Key Resources on assessments that follow. Information needs and page 24). communication preferences vary over time. After an earthquake, for example, people might want • Check which actors have conducted or information on tracing missing relatives, how are planning a needs assessment and to access aid, whether they can enter damaged collaborate to avoid duplication of effort and Section Three: Implementing houses and what to do with bodies recovered. burden on communities. But later, they tend to want information on replacing lost documentation such as ID and • Find out what information is already available minimum actions and services property deeds, compensation rights, death (“secondary data review”) and coordinate certificates and legal issues.23 with others to update existing data, such as media and telecommunications There is a range of different ways (‘channels’) landscape guides (see box on page 22). for communication and by which people prefer to communicate and Use this information in conjunction with access information, from radio, newspaper your emergency preparedness plan, context or television, to word-of-mouth, participatory analysis, scenario projections and response community engagement theatre, leaflets or town hall meetings with planning. community leaders. • Include communication and community Preferences vary depending on factors such as engagement questions into needs mother tongue, literacy level, age, ethnic group, assessments, whether these are undertaken social or economic vulnerability, disability, by government, single agency or multiple gender or religion, and can change over time, agencies (e.g. Inter-Agency Rapid particularly when usual channels are disrupted. Assessment, Joint Needs Assessment or Multi Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment). A bank of Understanding these factors is important not questions can be found via the Key Resources only to ensure you know who in a community on page 24. Only conduct a separate Mogadishu, Mustaqbal radio station. The you can reach, but also to avoid doing harm. assessment if it is not possible to integrate it ICRC and the Somali Red Crescent Society into planned ones. are working with a local radio station to encourage everyday habits that will help Data should be disaggregated by sex, age keep diseases, like acute watery diarrhoea

ICRC/MOHAMED ABDIKARIMICRC/MOHAMED and cholera, away. An actress is recording.

20 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 21 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

As well as gaining a broad understanding of the disseminate a public version of the assessment community, early assessments and analysis should report suitable for the community to explain CASE STUDY explore: how the data has been used, to close the 1. What are the most effective ways for ‘feedback loop’. This may need to be done Differences in information needs and Most information initially came from family humanitarian responders to communicate verbally. preferred sources between men and members and friends via mobile phone, which with communities following a disaster, so that • Design interventions to meet immediate women following the 2015 Nepal has high ownership and usage in Nepal. engagement mechanisms can be developed? information and communication needs and plan earthquake27 Subsequently it came from external sources, for longer-term engagement. It will be necessary Many people said that their main information although less accessible locations were very 2. What information are communities missing, so to continue obtaining and verifying community needs straight after the 2015 earthquakes were poorly served. Information channels reaching that this can be provided for them by authorities, information to design and refine interventions. to do with shelter and temporary settlement, men and women varied considerably. and humanitarian and communications actors? how to access relief, and how to stay safe and • Keep checking how things are evolving, survive aftershocks. These needs were partially Men usually had better access to information 3. To what extent has damage been caused to what is working and not – both in the media met, but rumours caused concern and confusion. about the external context and assistance, local communications capacity following a and telecommunications landscape and your Seven months on, information needs changed. from local government representatives and disaster, and how best can trusted networks be community engagement efforts. Adjust accordingly. People wanted to know about government discussions in teashops. Women relied more on restored?25 assistance, especially for permanent shelter personal contacts – their relatives and friends, • Explore the use of suitable technology to facilitate solutions as winter intensified, and whether social and health workers. Where available • If it is not possible to integrate questions into the collection, collation, analysis and dissemination the land was safe to settle and cultivate. The and functioning, radio and TV were cited as a wider inter-agency assessment or you need of data (see Key Resources on page 24). information circulating was contradictory. information sources, more by men than women. more in-depth information as a context evolves, Marginalised groups and remote communities you can conduct a specific information and It is important to disaggregate data as were generally less well served. communication needs analysis. Whether one BE PREPARED: differences emerge. Women wanted information or several agencies conduct the assessment, it • What do you know about information needs and about dealing with trauma and future quakes but Face-to-face communication was preferred communication preferences from previous, comparable is imperative to coordinate (at a minimum, see disasters? 26 did not feel these needs were well met. They also and trusted, especially for information that was what information already exists by contacting • Do you have plans and agreements in place for working wanted information on caring for children, older more personally relevant as people sought to relevant agencies) and undertake the assessment with media and telecommunications providers? people and pregnant women. Men tended to be rebuild their lives and communities. This was as a common service given its response-wide • Do you have access to a communications landscape concerned by how to treat the injured and deal most likely to come from known sources, from relevance. guide? with the dead (including animals) and what they the VDC Secretary and/or Ward Coordinator for • Are you ready to rapidly update information and plans when disaster strikes? could expect from the government. Young people men, and for women from social or workers and • Work with a mix of partners, such as media • What communication and community engagement wanted to know when schools and colleges neighbours. development organisations, ACAPS and activities and actors exist? would re-open. anthropological researchers that have expertise • Do you have questions on communication and in assessing and analysing different aspects of community engagement ready for inclusion in needs assessments? the context of the response. . • Are you prepared to assess impact of the crisis on the media and communications landscape? After the assessment: • Analyse and share results with actors to inform the response strategy. Remember to

MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LANDSCAPE GUIDES

ACAPS’ Briefing Notes and other resources include data regional, ethnic and religious audiences on the communication landscape and media development • Peak audience periods for radio and television organisations such as BBC Media Action, International • Offline or traditional forms of communication, such as Media Support, Internews and Fondation Hirondelle theatre, music, dance and respected may have undertaken assessments on local media and messengers (e.g. religious leaders or local celebrities) telecommunications (if not publicly available these could be • Mobile phone access, ownership and usage sourced through in-country contacts). • Social media usage • Profiles of telecommunications companies in each Media and telecommunications landscape guides – often country, regulatory environment and network coverage produced by media development agencies28, NGOs or United • Media service providers with capacities to produce radio Nations29 – typically provide information on: programmes, print posters or creative videos • Cultural and social information • Profiles and contact details of the main radio, TV stations, • Literacy levels newspapers and websites. • Languages spoken and understood • Popular and trusted sources of news and information for Community data should be disaggregated by sex, age and IOM distributes tarpaulins to earthquake various groups disability. victims in a remote mountainous village • Media outlets that command significant national, in Dhading district in Nepal IOM 2015/EUNJIN JEONG IOM 2015/EUNJIN

22 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 23 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

“Our friends and family in Manila are the ones telling us on Facebook if there is further news about a disaster.” Dulag resident, Leyte, the Philippines3

KEY RESOURCES Media and Telecommunications Landscape Guides Inter-agency Rapid Assessment Report (2014) Guides providing comprehensive and detailed information Example of a stand-alone information and communication on the media and telecommunications landscape in various needs assessment report, undertaken as this was a gap in countries. Available in interactive, online formats (see e.g. other needs assessments. Bangladesh or South Sudan) as well as downloadable formats (see e.g. Dominica). Rapid Information Communications Accountability http://bit.ly/2BIzdky Assessment (RICAA) http://bit.ly/2AdJ95T Assessing Information and Communication Needs: A Quick and Easy Guide for Those Working in Humanitarian Philippines Community of Practice (CoP) on Community Response Engagement: Communication, Accountability, Community Participation and Common Service Partnerships (2016) Pocket Guide: Information & Communication Questions in The RICAA is a simple needs assessment tool designed Rapid Needs Assessments to capture the information needs and communication Both at http://bit.ly/2CvEQV4 preferences of people affected by crisis. It includes a toolkit for survey design, data collection and analysis via Both CDAC Network & ACAPS (2014) smart phones and tablets, and has an online platform Guidance and associated questionnaire for use in rapid that facilitates the online tracking, compilation and visual information and communication needs assessment, and mapping of information received from communities, Ham A newspaper stand in Antananarivo, Madagascar ANTHROLOGICA 2018 ANTHROLOGICA what to do with the data. (amateur) radio and SMS.

CDAC Network Suite of Common Needs Assessment Tools Pre-crisis information mapping and consultation tool 2. Strategic response, action planning example of this is the 2018 Joint Response Plan for A set of tools that is useful if you are conducting a separate Pre-crisis community perception survey / mapping / and funding the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis33. or more in-depth information and communication needs consultation Emergency responses where international assessment. http://bit.ly/2QNNFCj assistance is requested by a Government are As each context and response will be unique it is http://bit.ly/2PXbmCY The Philippines Community Engagement Community of typically guided by a response-wide, coordinated not possible to provide a blueprint for what will be 31 Information and Communication Needs Assessment Tool Practice (2017, 2018) Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) based on a needed in each response plan, however it should http://bit.ly/2QP2vbB Tool used in preparedness work undertaken by the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO). state explicitly how the minimum actions for Philippines national platform on communication and communication and community engagement (see UNHCR Innovation Service Master Form - Information community engagement. Where no international assistance is requested page 19) will be addressed in the response. and Communication Needs Assessment http://bit.ly/2V8sNnZ the Government will set the response plan, for example, Vanuatu’s Country Preparedness The detail of how this will then be implemented Both UNHCR Innovation (2017) Package32. Response plans are used to should be developed by the national platform Guidance and associated database of questions on BE PREPARED: communicate the scope of the response to affected though action planning (also known as operational information and communication needs that can be Have you planned ahead to disaggregate assessment communities, donors and the wider public, as a key or tactical planning), which should also determine downloaded, adapted and deployed using various mobile data by sex, age and type of disability? Are you ready means for resource mobilisation. the required resources (human, financial and data collection tools. Questions cover e.g. baseline to consider other factors in your data, such as socio- demographic information, channel access, radio / mobile economic status, social minorities, ethnicity, language, material) and how success will be measured. telephony/ face-to-face communications, communication capacity, vulnerability, geographical disparity, or They are also used for response monitoring, modalities with humanitarian responders. literacy and numeracy levels? The IASC Gender and setting out the goals and targets, complemented This approach supports fundraising through Age Marker30, being rolled out as a sector-wide by indicators. Communication and community mechanisms like OCHA’s Central Emergency Understanding the Information and Communication standard tool, can help with this. Needs of IDPs in Northern Iraq engagement needs and plans must be clearly Response Fund (CERF) and Country-based Pooled http://bit.ly/2GADCM3 articulated in such documents if they are to Funds (CBPF). be funded and included in a response. A good

24 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 25 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

HOW YOU CAN DO THIS • Develop a detailed action plan for • Ensure that communication and community communication and community engagement engagement is included in any preparedness by engaging relevant stakeholders. Make and contingency planning as well as in the explicit links to other strategic elements of the assessment and analysis phase, advocating response (e.g. Clusters, cross-cutting issues, for its inclusion if necessary. To ensure that etc.) to ensure that the community engagement 2018 ANTHROLOGICA communication and community engagement approach is coherent, integrated and has a is strategically included in the overall response better chance of being resourced. Avoid being plan it must be included in the preparedness vague: list specific activities, not concepts. See and needs assessment stages. tool under Key Resources on page 31.

• Advocate for inclusion of minimum actions for • Develop a budget for the inter-agency action communication and community engagement plan. A sample budget is given below, which (see page 19) in response-wide plans, such can be adapted to your action plan. The budget as the Humanitarian Response Plan or Joint could be funded as a programme, included Response Plan (see example under Key as a component in a larger response budget Resources on page 31). or broken down for inclusion in different “Systematic participation programmes. • Draw on available data (e.g. from assessments) of targeted populations in as well as the judgement, skills and experience • Include your communication and community of key stakeholders to decide what is engagement planning as an explicit element in assessing their needs and appropriate for the context. There is no ideal agency and response-wide plans and budgets, evaluating how humanitarian framework for this – do what is most relevant. referencing the framework and minimum You could undertake the action planning services and actions for communication and assistance has met these needs through brainstorming and drafting workshops, community engagement (see pages 53-55). supplemented by further research and is paramount for ensuring validation. It is essential that multiple actors • Clarify stakeholder roles, responsibilities and quality of aid delivery.” feel ownership over this process for it to be accountability in relation to the action plan. effective. Monique Pariat, Director General, ECHO, European Commission

“The objective is to provide real-time, actionable information from people at the receiving end of aid that can be translated into programme improvements, while empowering people to express their views.”

How to Establish and Manage a Systematic Community Feedback Mechanism. IFRC and Ground Truth Solutions

Sweet vendor in Sundarbans, West Bengal, India

26 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 27 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

3. Human resources, expertise and HOW YOU CAN DO THIS Budget template training • Plan ahead as to which staff are required, as There is a sector-wide gap in personnel skilled well as internal agency requirements (including ITEM DESCRIPTION LEAD PARTNER(S) COST at communication and community engagement, the platform focal point and alternate): ACTIVITY COSTS particularly working at an inter-agency level. Staff where, in what role(s), for how long and what Outcome 1: Communication between affected communities and humanitarian organisations is improved so that communities are must be actively trained, mobilised or recruited competencies and skills they will need (such as receiving information they need, are aware of their rights and entitlements, shape services on offer and can raise issues when needed. to work on technical projects, inter-agency language or technical knowledge). Remember Output: Communities are well-informed, including about how to access relief and services coordination or data management. To find the staff to include required budget in your overall Activities: you need, you may draw on existing teams, find new response funding plan. • Conduct assessment of information needs and communication preferences using standardised capacity or utilise staff from deployment rosters. format to allow aggregation • Develop new partnerships as a preparedness • Formulate common key messages for communities in appropriate languages and identify It is always a good idea to provide awareness activity rather than in the heat of a response. channels for dissemination raising and training on communication and Develop partnership protocols ahead of • Strengthen local media on rumour tracking, fact checking and debunking rumours community engagement across your organisation time and ensure people can be mobilised and partners working in the response, both to gain immediately to help. This is especially important Output: Community perspectives are collected systematically through an appropriate range of channels buy-in and deepen knowledge and skills. This is an for partners with whom you are not used to • Conduct micro-surveys of community perceptions using standardised format to allow aggregation area that cuts across all technical areas. working or who have a different organisational • Provide technical and financial support to SMS-based platform culture. Staff are required for the following aspects: • Augment youth engagement on tracking, fact checking and debunking rumours • Coordination of the inter-agency, national • Seek out organisations with specialisations • Augmenting local group engagement on tracking, fact checking and debunking rumours platform. This is a key role. It requires a person with whom to partner. They could second a staff Outcome 2: Enhanced and scaled cross-sectoral community feedback from affected communities is escalated to the leadership with the ability to influence leadership; convene member to your organisation or participate through one single and easily accessible mechanism for decision making and coordinate multiple, diverse actors; identify in your national platform. Such actors could Output: A common data analysis mechanism is put in place gaps; lead others to take action; and solve include local groups with expertise in engaging problems and conflict. with certain communities, media or media • Sort and classify data into data set with appropriate disaggregation and analysis development organisations, mobile network • Display disaggregated data by sex, age, disability, ethnicity and other considerations using online • Staff will also need skills in technical areas, operators and other private sector actors. platform e.g. HXL, HDX or KoBo Toolbox such as: Through partnerships you may be able to • Design feedback report in sharable formats accessible to partners and community • Information management including data mobilise not just skills, but materials and Output: Community perspectives are fed back into system level to inform decisions that affect people’s life and well-being analysis and liaison funding. • Ensure responders have the skills to engage with community and respond to rumours, concerns, • Assessment and analysis of information feedback and complaints, e.g. training needs, perceptions and communication • Organise training. Tailored materials are • Ensure clusters, ICCG, HCT meetings have a standing agenda item on community feedback preferences available for varying seniority and technical and engagement so that appropriate action is taken and agencies feedback on action taken for • Assessment and analysis of anthropological experience and can be adapted to the context accountability information and requirements of the target participants Outcome 3: Collective Service Model is improved and refined throughout implementation period • Local media and/or private sector (e.g. (see Key Resources on page 31). Seek to build Output: Monitoring, evaluation and learning processes in place mobile network operator) engagement capacity of staff locally for more sustainable • Set-up and project management of inter- outcomes. • Regular monitoring by the CCE national platform operational feedback mechanisms (e.g. • Mid-term review; after action review at the end call centres, perception surveys, radio and • Recruit locally. People may not be trained as STAFF SALARIES AND BENEFITS video production, print and digital media, humanitarian community engagement experts, information, communication and technology, but there will be a plethora of people with National/sub-national platform coordinator: staff salary, insurance, travel, lodging, etc. Information support officer: staff salary, insurance, travel, lodging, etc. face-to-face consultations) expert skills in data management, minority • Engagement of specific or vulnerable groups group engagement, language, anthropology, to STAFF SALARIES AND BENEFITS • Translation, interpretation and cultural name a few. Universities and community groups For example: mobile phones, laptops, etc. mediation are great places to start. Investing in national OTHER OPERATIONAL AND SUPPORT COSTS • Communication and community engagement staff and familiarising them with response For example: website, IT support, communication costs, translation and interpretation, publication training. systems will be a more sustainable investment and design costs, etc. than relying on short-term expatriates. SUB-TOTAL In a coordinated approach these functions are often split across different organisations. % indirect cost recovery / non-project attributable costs (NPAC) TOTAL COSTS

The budget template is based on a planned inter-agency service in Central African Republic34, which embraces the minimum elements for communication and community engagement with a focus on addressing rumours and working with youth groups, based on context analysis and needs assessment. A learning element was also incorporated to refine and improve the collective model during implementation. Activities are led by different partners, each contributing to the collective approach.

28 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 29 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

EXPERT ROSTERS

Many humanitarian agencies draw qualified staff from rosters has one). There are also specialised rosters such as those when local capacity is exceeded in times of emergency, or from Standby Partner agencies (e.g. NORCAP or RedR – see when specialist skills are needed. Deployments can support Key Resources on page 31) that deploy expert personnel in response, capacity strengthening and preparedness. communication and community engagement. Community engagement experts are often deployed to coordinate, conduct information and communication needs As a preparedness measure, consider setting up a assessments, set up appropriate mechanisms or provide partnership agreement with any rosters from which you may KEY RESOURCES appropriate on-the-job training to field staff. request deployments in future. This helps roster managers to understand demand, advocate for funds and plan for future Guidance to develop a Community Engagement Technical training on communication and Some agencies have their own internal rosters (you can ask surges in requests. and Accountability Plan of Action community engagement in humanitarian response your human resources department whether your agency http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/document/tool-7-guidance- The in-depth, modular training takes participants to-develop-a-cea-plan-of-action/ through the theory and practical steps to embed communication and community engagement into International Federation of the Red Cross (2016) normal operational practice, and how to ensure it CASE STUDY Developing a plan of action specific to communication becomes a predictable, consistent and resourced and community engagement rather than incorporating element of emergency preparedness and response. this into the overall response plan. This training pack includes a detailed facilitator’s Inclusion of community engagement in It included the adoption of a collective code of guide, which can be used both with the training the humanitarian response plan in the conduct and the establishment of a network JRP for Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis: March - material and independently from it. Commission the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of focal points for the prevention of sexual December 2018 training from CDAC Network or download the training Increasingly, community engagement action exploitation and abuse. Strategic Executive Group and partners (2018) materials. planning is included in Humanitarian Response The Joint Response Plan provides the Strategic http://www.cdacnetwork.org/learning-centre/ Plans in order to meet donor requirements linked This mechanism, co-led by OCHA and UNFPA, Executive Group and partners shared understanding foundation-training/ to the Grand Bargain. was detailed in the Humanitarian Response of the crisis, including the most pressing humanitarian Plan and a range of actors contributed projects. needs and the estimated number of people who need Advanced technical training on communication and assistance. It represents a consolidated evidence base community engagement in humanitarian response As part of the activation of the Level 3 emergency It received funding through the CERF which and helps inform joint strategic response planning. The advanced technical training is for two primary and in line with IASC Commitments, the enabled response-wide community engagement This example includes a common service feedback audiences: i) field and technical staff who have Humanitarian Country Team put in place a activities to be scaled up, with a specific focus mechanism as well as a needs assessment section completed the technical training and whose collective mechanism to ensure participation on streamlining community engagement and and specific objectives on communicating with work requires a more in-depth knowledge of of affected people in humanitarian planning ensuring multiple channels to reach vulnerable communities. communication and community engagement, and and programming, and to regularly monitor groups, especially women. http://bit.ly/2Er9vVP ii) senior staff or those on deployment rosters, who community satisfaction and priorities in the DRC. need to have a deeper knowledge of communication The Humanitarian Communication Roster and community engagement. It covers a number http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ of subjects including needs assessments, planning, humanitarian-communication-and-media-roster/ resource mobilisation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. NORCAP and CDAC Network http://www.cdacnetwork.org/learning-centre/ Information about requesting an expert deployment foundation-training/ from the roster and sample terms of reference for staff posts with communication and community Briefing Module on CCE engagement competencies, e.g. Communication and In this two-hour module participants receive an Community Engagement Coordinator, Humanitarian overview of what communication and community Liaison Officer, Technical Team Leader. engagement is, why it is important and how it feeds into improving accountability and participation. Tool 21: CEA responsibilities for job descriptions http://www.cdacnetwork.org/learning-centre/ International Federation of the Red Cross (2017) foundation-training/ Ideas for lines to include in job descriptions setting out an individuals’ responsibilities in relation to CEA. http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/document/tool-21-cea- responsibilities-for-job-descriptions/

Communication is aid e-learning This introductory, scenario-based e-learning course raises awareness and teaches basic elements on how to engage affected communities to help provide the information they need and establish communication IDPs in Goma, DRC mechanisms for dialogue with disaster responders. https://kayaconnect.org/course/info.php?id=768 IOM

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4. Dialogue: collective mechanisms for • Design a common feedback mechanism to be seeking feedback used during humanitarian response: The opportunity to inform, influence, comment on • Secure organisational and interagency/cluster and critique actions, projects and services must commitment to support the establishment, be linked to a mechanism to inform and drive resourcing, implementation and monitoring of improvements in humanitarian programmes and the mechanism. across the response. Regular input and feedback • Prepare a concept note outlining the context, from communities is vital to better measure objectives, implementation framework, performance and results and improves the partnerships, resources and expected results. relationship between humanitarian responders and Share these with relevant programme sections, the community. Feedback can be structured and partner agencies and other stakeholders for proactively sought, for example through surveys or feedback and consensus building community meetings, or unstructured and passively • Consult community and stakeholders on sought, by monitoring rumours and social media. objectives of the CFM, ensuring clarity and consensus on what the CFM aims to achieve Whilst humanitarian responders increasingly have and the best approach/mechanisms to ensure feedback mechanisms in place, they need to come its success. much earlier in the response and communities need • Work with service providers to establish that to be much more aware of their existence. There you have the resources (a toll free number is scope for mechanisms to be designed so that or secure server) to establish the preferred feedback data can be aggregated across multiple mechanism. agencies for macro analysis and embedded in the • Work with other partners to establish a list of humanitarian architecture to facilitate a systematic frequently asked questions to ensure that you and coordinated approach, resulting in changes that are able to answer key information requests. are clear to communities. • Conduct a 4Ws (what, who, where, when) to establish relevant stakeholders for the CFM A common feedback mechanism (CFM) is a collective, • Establish how feedback will be sought or easily accessible mechanism for sharing information collated from existing mechanisms, based with affected communities. The CFM not only In Pachong, South Sudan, journalists from Radio Miraya, on which channels (see box on page 35) are addresses complaints and feedback but also serves jointly funded by the United Nations Mission in Sudan preferred by those you are seeking feedback and Fondation Hirondelle, hold village debates and as a tool that generates information for planning, host live broadcasts with voters during the registration from and likely availability during / after performance evaluation and decision-making by all period. the disaster, and how you will collect both actors, either for individual organisations, or for the structured and unstructured feedback, as well OCHA response as a whole. as monitor rumours. As a basic requirement, Effective CFMs help build trust with and among the There is also scope for a common service approach, the mechanism / channels selected must be CFMs are often used by the community as affected population, and enhance the credibility whereby a group of members (e.g. BBC Media community focused and appropriate to their information points where communities ask of humanitarian responders among stakeholders Action, Internews and Translators without Borders’ needs and circumstances taking into account for information related to services. Analysis of including potential partners and donors. CFMs monthly feedback bulletin (What Matters?) in issues including accessibility, friendliness information requests can help in planning future also help inform decision-making and enhance Bangladesh35) or one entity (e.g. Ground truth) and assurance of confidentiality. Design CFM communication campaigns or highlight areas where accountability, rights, transparency and service undertakes feedback processes on behalf of operating guidelines. In consultation with the information sharing is weak. improvement. the national platform, allowing for greater data affected population and other stakeholders, independence. determine and agree on the standard operating procedures of the CFM including the actual EMBRACING RUMOURS AS A FORM OF FEEDBACK It is the role of the national or sub-national CFM platform itself (e.g. hotline), location of platform to design and implement the collective the mechanism (e.g. community information Rumours can be a matter of life or death. They can create us understand risks and what people are feeling or thinking? suffering, raise false expectations and provoke inappropriate Can we embrace them as a form of input and feedback to feedback mechanism. It should be endorsed by the centre), frequency and timing of feedback (e.g. or violent behaviour. And yet rumours are often dismissed inform or improve programming? appropriate coordinating body for preparedness / focus group discussions, community meetings), or unnoticed by humanitarian actors; until they have to deal response and work in conjunction with any clusters format of feedback (calls, SMS, forms, reports, with the consequences. Our humanitarian mandate demands that we pay attention and working groups within the humanitarian etc.). to rumours and act on those that cause harm. Our architecture. • Set up CFM infrastructure and train relevant Communication and community engagement should allow commitments to accountability demand that we listen to for the identification and monitoring of rumours. Rumours rumours about our programmes and staff, and investigate staff on the operations of the platform, e.g. thrive on a lack of information and uncertainty, so they are them. HOW YOU CAN DO THIS hotline, call-centre, feedback and or complaint rife in humanitarian situations. They also feed on information Preparedness forms, interpersonal communication skills, overload or proliferation of fake news. Adapted from Rumour has it: A practice guide to working • Undertake a pre-crisis mapping of feedback conducting FGDs with the affected population, with rumours. CDAC Network (2017). mechanisms to learn what is already in use and operating community radio, etc. How will we engage and work with them? Can we reimagine http://www.cdacnetwork.org/i/20170126102435-rdj7l/ rumours as an early warning mechanism or barometer to help working. Refer to, or gather, data on information • Obtain relevant permissions, authorisation, needs and communication preferences. and licenses necessary for the smooth

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operation of the CFM: e.g. some contexts may • Ensure the mechanism promotes dialogue. POSSIBLE CHANNELS FOR FEEDBACK require authorisation to establish hotlines, call Analyse the communication channels – are centres or prior permission to hold community they one-way or two? If one-way, how can the Community meetings / assemblies Needs assessment I/NGO reports meetings. approach be adapted to enable interactivity Community representatives Household surveys After Actions Reviews • Inform the community about the and dialogue? Is there a way of using Volunteers, community relays Community Resource Map Information caravans establishment of the CFM and guidance complementary channels together to ensure Suggestion / feedback boxes Focus groups SMS on how to use it when providing feedback this?36 Feedback during distribution Key or personal interviews Social media, e.g. Facebook Transparency forum Flyers, leaflets Messaging apps, e.g. WhatsApp and complaints. If necessary, train selected • Take adequate data protection measures Newsletter Voice recorders community members on the requisite skills e.g. to ensure confidentiality and security of data Radio and TV programming Perception surveys 38 See Key Resources on page 36 for how to run the system / operate equipment. and databases including mitigation measures Pre- and post-distribution feedback Helpdesks characteristics of these different means. • Most importantly, explain to the community against hackers, operators, inappropriate Hotline numbers Infohubs what to expect after giving feedback or action, and system failures. Some measures making a complaint, including response times may include background checks on hotline/ for the different categories of feedback or call centre operators, training, back-ups, access • Undertake monitoring of informal feedback such offline if battery charging is not possible, resuming complaint. restrictions, encryptions/software licensing, and as rumours (see Key Resources on page 36). when power is restored. Using multiple channels • Develop a common data handling process constant monitoring. This should not inhibit • Consult with communities and responders to mitigates the risk of complete loss of engagement for feedback taking into account planning, the sharing of information but ensure data is identify and address barriers to feedback being if access to one fails. collection, processing and presentation, protected from abuse. See box below and Key shared, listened to or acted on, e.g. staffing gaps, • Plan and budget for (re)establishing and interpretation, dissemination and referral Resources on page 36 for guidance. poor or non-existent communication channels, strengthening communication channels. Include pathways for acting on the data, and closing the • Plan for how urgent issues, complaints and inappropriate reliance on technology, bad data all appropriate components in any proposals being feedback loop. sensitive issues will be handled which are likely management or confused information flows. developed (e.g. staff undertaking assessments, • Agree on a set of tools and systems for to arise through the feedback mechanism (see • The (sub-)national platform should monitor, then providing fuel for a generator and power acknowledging receipt of a complaint or later section). receive and analyse feedback and ensure that points to enable mobile phone charging while feedback, how data will be entered, stored • Pre-position any necessary items and software community voices or concerns are shared in liaising with mobile network operators for and analysed and who has access to the to facilitate feedback in a crisis, such as regular situational reports and info bulletins. increased access, all cost money). various types of data, including sensitive and emergency crank, ham or suitcase radio facilities • Advocate for the restoration of power lines, radio • Show you’ve listened. Explain changes you’ve confidential data. (e.g. http://www.firstresponseradio.org/equip), and TV outlets and the telecommunications made or not made on the basis of feedback; close • Include clear commitment and agreement solar / crank radios, ham radios, generator and towers. The Emergency Telecommunications the feedback loop. See next section on information on roles and responsibilities of platform SMS-based software (e.g. Frontline SMS). Cluster or companies may set up centres to sharing for the community. members on responding to feedback and • Provide training to community workers, staff, provide free calls, SMS and battery charging • Take action. If, for example, a feedback bulletin complaints, including formal and informal volunteers and others who will be collecting services. If needed and appropriate to community noted a concern that pregnant women were not mechanisms for investigating and resolving feedback. communication preferences, distribute relevant getting enough nutritious vegetables, it’s then complaints, reporting back to individuals and/ • Develop any necessary partnerships to support relief items, such as crank or solar radios. over to aid agencies to either facilitate access to or the community on how the feedback is being the feedback mechanism. • Collect data that is relevant, understandable and that food or provide information on what nutritious addressed or action taken. useable. If asking for feedback on a response, only options are available. People can become • Be clear on responsibilities for recording, During a response solicit information that you can’t find elsewhere rapidly disillusioned if they try using a plethora analysing, reporting responses to feedback • If necessary, activate a sub-national (e.g. in standard needs assessments) and that of suggestion boxes and hotlines, but nothing and complaints and for sharing outcomes and platform that will lead the common feedback is usable to make improvements. Coordinate. happens. We must not only listen to communities learning with others who will be expected to mechanism among its actions and services for Various agencies might be collecting feedback but also act on what we hear. use the feedback, such as other coordinating communication and community engagement. data and you don’t want to ask the same questions bodies (e.g. the HCT). Be clear on how this links • Implement the common feedback mechanism more than once. Design your mechanism to collect to the humanitarian architecture and decision- and process the data in line with the agreed structured data that enables you to take action at A Somali girl in Sayidka IDP making. protection and protocols. Ensure the data the right time. camp in Mogadishu tells Radio Ergo she practises writing by • Resource the mechanism adequately, building is referred as appropriate to the relevant • Use technology appropriately. It can be tempting listening to the radio on existing systems, services and staff coordinating body as well as any clusters and to use mobile phone technology and apps due capacities for sustainability. national platforms that are active. to their ability to reach large numbers of people, fast, with ‘innovation’ appeal. Technology can be an incredible enabler but when using it for MINIMUM DATA PROTECTION MEASURES humanitarian engagement, you must assess who won’t be reached (often, women), and plan In feedback, complaints or otherwise, ensure minimum data • Actors identify and manage risk of use and non-use of data accordingly. It is very unlikely that there is any protection measures are in place37. to vulnerable populations proactively across contexts; response where only technology-based channels • The purpose of using data is clear and defined; • Data collection adheres to domestic and international will work to reach all people for all purposes. • Responders have core competencies and capacity to legal regulations, and ethics; • Access to feedback channels may change as the use data responsibly, including secure infrastructure, • Data protection measures are regularly updated to address context evolves, so monitor over time and adjust. data sharing codes of conduct and harm minimisation new challenges in an evolving landscape. guidelines; Mobile phones, for example, may be used in the

immediate aftermaths of a typhoon, then go ALI NUR SALAAD/IMS-RADIO ERGO

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KEY RESOURCES How to Establish and Manage a Systematic A Framework for Data Sharing in Practice Community Feedback Mechanism http://pim.guide/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ http://bit.ly/2s1x0MZ Framework-for-Data-Sharing-in-Practice.pdf

Ground Truth Solutions and IFRC (2018) Protection Information Management. Global A step-by-step guide aims at supporting Red Cross Protection Cluster (2018) and Red Crescent staff and volunteers to establish and Practical guidance for how to undertake or assess the manage a systematic community feedback mechanism benefits and risks of a given data-sharing scenario, using the Ground Truth Solutions’ Constituent Voice™ for humanitarian or non-humanitarian colleagues. methodology. The objective of the Framework is to work towards the overall reduction in the risk of sharing or not sharing What makes feedback mechanisms work? by illustrating the benefits of sharing through a set Literature review to support the ALNAP-CDA action of minimums in terms of trust, concepts, principles, research into humanitarian feedback mechanism methods, and processes. http://bit.ly/2QQfkme OCHA Think Brief: Building Data Responsibility into ALNAP (2014) Humanitarian Action Chamila, a young mother walking through the remnants Humanitarian feedback mechanisms: research, https://www.unocha.org/sites/dms/Documents/ of her home destroyed by the 2017 floods in Ratnapura, evidence and guidance39. TB18_Data%20Responsibility_Online.pdf Sri Lanka. Living in a temporary shelter with her son, Chamila was one of the many women with limited Nathaniel A. Raymond (2016) access to health services including family planning. Best Practice Guide on Inter-Agency Community- The reproductive health clinic supported by UNFPA has Based Complaints Mechanisms This paper, co-written by the Signal Program, NYU enabled her to access information and services about http://bit.ly/2PX0GEd Gov Lab and the Center for Innovation at Leiden family planning and matters related to sexual and University, identifies critical issues and proposes a reproductive health framework for data responsibility in humanitarian

Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Team MUTAHER UNFPA/MUNIRA on Accountability to Affected Populations and operations. Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Referral pathways: how feedback from HOW YOU CAN DO THIS Rumour has it: A practice guide to working with (2016). communities is referred for action39 • Working with responders, sectors and decision- Operational guidance on how to set up and run an rumours Whatever its channels, a feedback mechanism making bodies (eg. HCTs), put in place inter-agency community-based complaint mechanism CDAC Network (2017) to handle reports of sexual abuse and exploitation by Recognising the need to work with rumours to will only be as effective as its underlying referral procedures that clarify how the referral pathway aid workers. It compiles lessons learned, examples, prevent the loss of lives and alleviate suffering, this pathways. Some matters may be addressed works. If multiple mechanisms are in place and case studies gathered throughout the course of a good practice guide captures approaches, practices immediately by the person receiving the feedback or work out how they converge, complement or pilot project. and tools to working with rumours. It is aimed at complaint, whilst others need to be referred to the could be adapted to become part of a common programme managers and field staff to enable them right person or team and treated with confidence. mechanism. Agree the roles, responsibilities Core Humanitarian Standard Guidance Notes and to integrate working pro-actively with rumours into and accountabilities of partners. You will need to Indicators their response programmes. An issue raised with field staff that is not referred work with the Protection Cluster, Gender Based https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/resources/ www.cdacnetwork.org/i/20170126102435-rdj7l/ onwards could lead to a breakdown in the Violence Sub-Working Group or equivalents. chs-guidance-notes-and-indicators relationship with the community. Feedback that • Design how the referral pathway will influence Service Directory informs a decision without it being fed back to the action, adaptive programming and policy. Core Humanitarian Standard The Service Directory provides information about community can lead to a lack of confidence in the • Ensure data protection see minimum measures Aimed at those involved in planning, managing various tools and services to help communicate better or implementing a humanitarian response, this with communities. There are a range of resources system and people may stop using it. box on page 34 and Key Resources on page 36). document provides guidance on the Key Actions and available that fit a variety of different needs, from • Ensure the referral pathway closes the loop (see Organisational Responsibilities laid out in the Core managing SMS online for data collection to managing Getting this right requires strong coordination. Key Resources on page 44). Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability information following a disaster. Urgent and sensitive cases must be treated (CHS). Available in multiple languages. http://www.cdacnetwork.org/training-and-tools/ accordingly. Working on a collective mechanism can https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/the-standard service-directory/ be more complex as more actors are involved and accountable. See page 38 for more detail.

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Receiving and addressing complaints CHS Alliance documents in the Key Resources RESULTS OF COLLABORATION/LINKAGES BETWEEN AAP AND PSEA Addressing complaints through a national on page 44. This ensures complaints are platform or common service does not replace investigated and acted on. individual agencies’ responsibilities and activities, • Complaints mechanisms should be backed AAP PSEA but should contribute to a system-wide approach. by outreach on community rights and PROCESSES PROCESSES responsibilities and developed at community Complaint mechanisms must be fit for purpose, level. IOM’s Community Based Complaints yet rarely are. In a six-country study with the OECD Mechanisms (CBCM) provide some examples. COMMUNITY Risks of SEA are Ground Truth Solutions discovered that many ENGAGEMENT understood and mitigated RISK people are unaware of how to make complaints • Close the loop: feedback should be provided FEEDBACK AND ANALYSIS on aid provision, abuse or other matters. In Haiti back to the community or complainant to inform COMPLAINTS Feedback and just a quarter of people said they knew how to them what action has been taken. MECHANISM complaints mechanisms are trusted and used CODES OF make a complaint. Uganda rated the highest, with CONDUCT 40 PARTICIPATION by all* (including for two-thirds knowing how to do so. When asked Protection from Sexual Exploitation and sensitive complaints) whether they believed they would get a response Abuse SURVIVOR INFORMATION if they made a complaint, the majority expressed One of the most grievous violations of basic human Affected people ASSISTANCE PROVISION doubts. rights is sexual exploitation and abuse. Agencies understand the behaviour they should INVESTIGATIONS have non-negotiable staff codes of conduct, ADAPTATION AND expect from aid actors Keep in mind: training, processes for dealing with complaints and CLOSING THE FEEDBACK Affected people inform INTER-AGENCY severe punitive measures for staff who breach the REFERRALS • Data shows that hotlines are never the preferred code. But this only does half of the work. LOOP and understand SEA survivor assistance channel to make complaints. People prefer TRUSTBUILDING packages face-to-face conversations, preferably one-on- What if community members don’t raise one, with actors not directly associated with complaints because there is no appropriate way to programme implementation. do so? What if they don’t understand their rights and wrongly accept that aid is conditional? What • Trust plays a significant role in whether if sexual exploitation and abuse is never raised Adapted from a diagram created by the IASC Task Team on Accountability to Affected Populations and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse complaints mechanisms are used. Trust is built as a staff issue because it is being conducted by (AAP/PSEA). and nurtured through ongoing dialogue with intermediaries or community leaders, and agencies affected communities. When a population feels never know about it? *The term ‘all’ intends to capture all groups in the community; women, men, girls, boys, youth, and older persons, as well as persons with disabilities sufficiently empowered they will start making and specific minority groups without any such distinction complaints and raising concerns. HOW YOU CAN DO THIS It is critical that any communication and sexual exploitation and abuse is or that the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse • Responders must demonstrate that complaints community engagement approach includes: complaints mechanisms are inappropriate. (see Key Resources on page 44), with further will be taken seriously, addressed and • Engagement with communities on their rights. Communications expertise is critical to technical training as required. lead to change. When complaints come in, • Clear information on what community combatting sexual exploitation and abuse in • Working with protection actors on protection effective referral systems need to be in place, members can do if rights are breached, times of crisis. from sexual exploitation and abuse, ensuring ensuring concerns are dealt with swiftly and including sharing details of appropriate • Training for staff, volunteers and other key community engagement efforts complement appropriately. channels for raising sensitive complaints, based stakeholders to ensure that at a minimum and support protection strategies. on assessment of community communication they understand the IASC core principles on • Most complaints mechanisms expect people preferences specific to women, children, men, to complain to the same organisation whose people with different types of disabilities, staff members may have abused, harmed or members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans disappointed them. This raises questions of how community, etc. “An investment in researching access, sourcing, flow complaints might be handled, and leads to a • Clear, safe referral pathways that ensure multiplicity of mechanisms, which may cause appropriate investigations are made and actions and trust around information movement in any given confusion, or inaction (if the wrong one is used are taken. There needs to be an accountable and thus no action is taken.) This makes a move process for handling sexual exploitation and community is vital to the design of truly effective towards a collective approach all the more abuse complaints, and closing the loop with the communications strategies, ensuring that people will important. complainant. • A process for identifying trends in community believe, trust and act upon the information they receive, • Feedback mechanisms whereby community complaints on sexual exploitation and abuse. engagement enables feedback to be collected, Trends might identify a number of complaints and thus ultimately saves time and money.” analysed and linked into individual and from a certain area, meaning there needs to collective response efforts should include safe be significant reform; or, they may identify Internews policy paper: Communicating with Communities – Walking the Talk4 ways to complain – more information about how no complaints at all, which can sometimes this can be done can be found in the CAFOD and mean there is a lack of understanding on what

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A woman attends an 5. A collective approach to sharing largely matched what people wanted to know, embroidery class in information for communities but there was a mismatch between local people’s Thatta, Pakistan “Our needs are not only food and water, we want preferred channels and sources of information and to know about our future.” 41 People must be able those used by humanitarian responders. to receive information that can help them keep themselves and their families safe, and protect their People had a strong preference for face-to- livelihoods. They need to know their rights, what aid face communication, but many humanitarian they are entitled to and how to access it. responders favoured radio broadcasting on the Humanitarian responders increasingly have assumption that they were reaching large numbers mechanisms for sharing information but they can of people relatively cheaply. often come late in the response and not coordinated, resulting in confusing or conflicting information. Developing information content Appropriate, systematic and coordinated In the Philippines in 2013, a misunderstanding of mechanisms should ensure that crisis-affected the terms ‘storm surge’ and ‘typhoon’ used in early people have access to the information that they warning messages about Super Typhoon Haiyan need in order to make decisions about their safety (Yolanda) is thought to have led to the loss of and wellbeing, and know their rights, what aid they many lives. 42 Had the word ‘tsunami’ been used, are entitled to and how to access it. This should people would likely have taken appropriate action be in the right languages and formats, based on because they had participated in tsunami drills trusted sources of information and shared through and understood that a tsunami warning required preferred channels, which may all vary upon evacuation.43 disaggregation of the intended audience.

Responders should put in place appropriate, In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, systematic and coordinated mechanisms information needs will likely focus on what for ensuring that people have access to the happened, how to trace missing loved ones, how to information that they need to make decisions connect with family and friends, how to stay safe, about their safety and wellbeing, and know their what aid is available and how to access it. Over time rights and aid entitlements. the needs will evolve and become more complex.

This should be in the right languages and formats, Information should be clear, concise and simple. If based on trusted sources of information and shared people are affected by trauma they may struggle through preferred channels, which may all vary with complex information. Stick to a few key upon disaggregation of the intended audiences, messages to aid retention and clarity. making a mixed methodology approach the best. It should be expressed in plain, jargon-free, local HOW YOU CAN DO THIS language. It should encourage and highlight the Preparedness benefits of positive action. It should build in means • Pre-approved key messages on humanitarian for interaction, so that people can ask questions “Poor information flows principles and other thematic areas and provide feedback, and so responders know • Understanding of appropriate channels and how information needs are evolving. between aid workers likely information needs and refugees is a real • Work with local authorities to ensure that Criteria for effective information sharing systems for mass information dissemination are • Get input from communities regarding what challenge. We need to in place and can be scaled up information is needed and how it should be provided. invest in strategies that Information: can help refugees make • Weather updates • Always include opportunities for people to ask • Evacuation Procedures for clarification and raise questions, issues or their own decisions and • Early Warning Advisories complaints. The provision of information should • Public Service Messages be a cyclical dialogue of ‘call and response’. become agents in their • Life Saving News own survival.” Information content and key messages will have Be prepared: most impact if the information is relevant, useful Bob Kitchen, Director of IRC Emergency Response speaking about the International Choosing appropriate channels should not be and actionable, and if people: Refugee Committee (IRC) relief operation underestimated. Following the Nepal earthquake in • Are encouraged to discuss the information and spanning Syria and all four surrounding 1 2015, the information being shared by responders ask questions; ASIA/KHALID COMMUNITY SERVICE WORLD RASHEED countries.

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• Understand how they, their families and of format, pictures and language to use. Text on communities will benefit from acting on it; its own has limited value. It can help to include Tips on developing rapid, life-saving information • Feel the language, approach and actions are pictures, or use radio messaging, loudspeaker compatible with their culture and customs; announcements, videos, and in-person Identify what the hazard is – what could cause harm or suffering? What action or behaviour do you • Know and trust the source of information; communication. 44 want to encourage? What is the motivation for people to take this action or behave differently? What • Hear repeated and consistent messages from • Share information on an interactive, two- are the resulting key messages you need to convey? Prioritise the hazards that post the greatest risks different sources. way basis. Use different channels to reach to the community. different groups in a community and reinforce HOW YOU CAN DO THIS information. Once you have established the key messages, develop information content that is suitable for the • Determine what information content is to • Ensure a cycle of listening and conversation to formats you intend to use, such as a bulletin, public service announcement, drama, debate, or Q&A be developed and shared. Consult needs identify rumours, assess risk and act. To verify with subject experts. Pre-test messages to avoid misunderstandings that could have devastating assessment data, lessons from comparable a rumour, identify reliable information sources, consequences. responses and community consultations. find the facts and triangulate them. To correct • Check whether prepositioned life-saving misinformation spread by a rumour, you’ll need information exists. It might have been developed to create a compelling new narrative. What is the desired action by the National Disaster Management Authority, • Work with sectors / clusters / national platforms What is the hazard? or behaviour? What is the motivation? government health ministry, or clusters. to develop consistent information to avoid • A message library can be used. This is a confusion or harm due to the use of different searchable database of critical messages for terminology. Get specific support from technical rapid dissemination in an emergency. Messages experts for sensitive issues such as non- A plague outbreak in Madagascar, Seek early health care Keeping you and your will need to be contextualised, translated and refoulement, protection, gender, targeting. with risk of serious illness if suspected symptoms family safe from adapted for the channel through which they are • Think about your audience – what will motivate and death occur the disease being disseminated and/or pre-tested with a them? What is their level of knowledge of the sample of the intended audience. issue? How will different languages in different • Make sure that the information is useful, areas be considered? relevant and actionable, enabling people to • Sometimes you will need to restrict information take action (‘news-you-can-use’). It should as not all information is for everyone. Assess all evolve over time as the context and needs information for suitability and risks. Publicising Key messages from World Health Organisation and change. staff salaries or information about cash Ministry of Health • Ensure that the language, approach and actions distributions could put people at risk of being are compatible with people’s culture and attacked. • The plague is a serious illness that can affect people in urban and rural environments, customs. Use community profiling questions to • Think about timing. There are suitable formats families that are wealthy or disadvantaged, citizens and leaders, children and adults. develop a clearer picture of who you are trying for more complex information, such as radio to engage and determine how best to do so (see dramas or community theatre, however, these • Pulmonary plague progresses very rapidly and a sick person who does not receive Key Resources on page 44). may take time to develop and may be more treatment within 48 hours may die. • Engage the target audience in the design relevant in weeks and months after a disaster • Treatment against plague is FREE and AVAILABLE in medical centres. Correct and delivery. Test comprehension by mother rather than immediately unless they are administration of treatment must be overseen by medical professionals. tongue, level of education, gender, and age. prepositioned. • Treatment is effective if it is administered as soon as first symptoms appear. Report This can help determine the best combination immediately to the nearest primary health centre as soon as first symptoms appear for health care treatment. • To protect their family against infection, sick people should be taken care of at the PRIORITY INFORMATION TO BE SHARED FOR EFFECTIVE PROGRAMMING primary health centre by health care professionals. This is a selection of messages to encourage early health care seeking behaviour developed Programmatic information 4. You have the right to be treated with respect 1. Who is entitled to receive support 5. Information about right to prevention of sexual and by the World Health Organisation and Ministry of Health in Madagascar. Messages were 2. What to expect, when to expect, from whom exploitation and abuse also developed on recognising signs and symptoms, understanding how it is transmitted 3. Plans for distribution and prevention measures, locations of health centres that were treating the disease, 4. Reasons for any changes to plan ‘News you can use’ & connectivity amongst other aspects. Information about a free, government hotline for information and 5. Requirements for the safe handling and use of the items 1. Public health and safety information questions was also given. that are distributed 2. Government services and regulations 3. Family tracing processes Accountability messages 4. Ways to connect with loved ones and service provider The key information was used to produce a range of communication materials, largely in 1. Aid is free and needs-based. If you are asked to do particularly when systems have been disrupted Malagasy, and shared widely, e.g. public service announcements, talk shows, social media, anything that makes you feel uncomfortable to receive 5. Rumour tracking and management through community health workers. aid, you can complain [add the organisation’s complaints procedure here ]. 2. You have the right to complain and give feedback 3. You have the right to be informed

42 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 43 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

KEY RESOURCES Closing the Loop – Effective feedback in TV Feasibility Assessment Checklist humanitarian contexts. Practitioner Guidance. http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ http://bit.ly/2EJhEUQ i/20141104143357-oozvu/

Bonino F., with Jean, I. and Knox Clarke, P. for ALNAP All infoasaid (2013) / ODI (2014) These checklists help you to decide whether radio, Guidance for people designing or implementing SMS, mobile and television are appropriate channels of feedback mechanisms in a humanitarian programme communication to use to communicate with a crisis- and deal with a broad caseload of non-sensitive issues affected population. (feedback) in addition to sensitive ones (complaints). Emergency preparedness and response checklist for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse communication (PSEA): the IASC 6 core PSEA principles http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ http://bit.ly/2BHkMgz i/20141104143357-aqzwr/

Translators without Borders and the IASC AAP and infoasaid (2013) PSEA Task Team A checklist to help you be better prepared both before Preventing sexual exploitation and abuse in the and after an emergency breaks. humanitarian sector starts with an understanding of the basic principles. The IASC Accountability to Communication toolbox: Practical guidance for Affected Populations (AAP) and Protection from program managers to improve communication with Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Task Team and participants and community members Translators without Borders (TWB) have developed https://www.crs.org/sites/default/files/tools-research/ a plain-English version of the six principles and are communication-toolbox.pdf working towards translating it into 100 languages. Catholic Relief Services (2013) Enhanced Due Diligence guide– safeguarding for Practical guidance for programme managers who want external partners to communicate more effectively with programme https://www.ukaiddirect.org/safeguarding/ participants and community members.

Department for International Development, Better Message Library Delivery Department (2018) A searchable database of messages developed in This guidance provides details of the new standards conjunction with UN Clusters for those wanting to announced by DFID in March 2018 and how they will rapidly disseminate critical information to affected “We do not have a radio right now. be used in enhanced due diligence assessments to populations in an emergency. assess an organisation’s ability to protect from sexual http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ It got damaged a few months ago. exploitation and abuse and harassment, children, message-library/ young people and vulnerable adults they work with as There are others who also do not have well as their own staff and volunteers. Community Profiling Questions radios. […] Throughout these months http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ The Characteristics of Different Communication i/20141104143357-induz/ I think it would have been better if Channels http://bit.ly/2RDhiWr infoasaid (2012) there had been weekly meetings to give A tool to develop community profiles, illustrating infoasaid (2013) socio-economic characteristics, lifestyle and media information and let officials know what A description of different communication channels, consumption habits so as to inform your information their coverage and reach, the type of information that and message development. we needed and what was worrying us.” is suitable for dissemination in this way, the level of interactivity with the audience, and the cost. Channels UN OCHA Strategic response planning: Overview Kumari B.K. of Fulpingkot Village Development Committee, Sindhupalchowk, Nepal 5 range from mass media such as TV, radio and print to the http://bit.ly/2HgkNhL more traditional methods such as drama or music. A guide for CAFOD staff to accompany partner Radio Feasibility Assessment Checklist organisations to set up CHM within international http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ programme activities, CAFOD (2010) i/20141104143357-wwwyp/ http://bit.ly/2FGVmU1 Women from the Muslim community in Bambari, Central African Republic, listening to Radio Lego Ti la Ouaka (The voice of Ouaka). The Assessing the Mobile Environment PSEA Implementation Quick Reference Handbook, community radio was launched in February 2015 http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ CHS Alliance (2017) and it broadcasts social cohesion messages, i/20141104143357-auoqe/ http://bit.ly/2Fzpa5J humanitarian public service announcements, community messaging and music. OCHA/GEMMA CORTES

44 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 45 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

Working across language, dialects, culture response. Organisations like Handicap International new meanings can emerge. It is important to • Provide training for bilinguals to become and customs provide support for communicating through those understand what words and phrases mean in local translators or interpreters if professionals aren’t Often communication and community engagement that have communication disabilities. context. available, especially for minority languages and efforts fail because aid workers and the people responders on working with many languages. affected do not speak the same language. In a Communicating with people in the right language46 • Do not use different translations of the same term study on the 2017 Rohingya refugee response, 62% improves participation, dialogue, needs assessment, across sectors. Develop a glossary of multilingual, • Create peer support and mental health care for of people reported they were unable to speak to inclusion, accountability and helps to better identify consistent terminology for translators, interpreters and translators to help them cope humanitarian providers.45 minority and marginalised groups. interpreters, and field staff when translating with what their work exposes them to. technical terms. Often literal translation doesn’t Responders often communicate in international, HOW YOU CAN DO THIS work (see Key Resources below). Work with local official or majority languages, but use translation • Outline how preparedness work will integrate speakers to find precise and useful translations for and interpreting by national staff, volunteers or local language and cultural interpretation. the target audience and test them. community members, external translation, or face-to- face information gathering. This is risky. Information • Include questions on language in needs can get lost in translation. Confidentiality can be lost, assessment to gather information on languages community tensions amplified, messages skewed by spoken, understood and read by disaster- KEY RESOURCES power dynamics, vulnerabilities exacerbated. Whole affected people.49 This will flag where intentional sections of the population could remain unheard. efforts are needed. Make language data accessible Field guide to humanitarian interpreting and cultural Translators without Borders (2017) Interpreters can suffer poor mental health after to organisations through maps. mediation An example of a comprehension study of internally what they are exposed to if they are not properly https://translatorswithoutborders.org/field-guide- displaced people (IDPs) and host communities at humanitarian-interpreting-cultural-mediation/ different sites in the Maiduguri area of Borno, Nigeria. supported. • When communicating with communities work in people’s mother tongue. Work with professional Translators without Borders (2017) Glossary for North-East Nigeria There are various factors that make working with interpreters and translators to ensure accuracy Interpreters and cultural mediators are key to those http://www.translatorswithoutborders.org/twb- language challenging, including multi-national (see Key Resources on opposite page). affected by disaster to receive and share information in glossary-north-east-nigeria response and management teams, timeliness, and • Test comprehension of information by mother their own language. This guide supports humanitarian lack of information about languages people speak. tongue, gender, and age to determine the best field managers, interpreters and cultural mediators in Glossary for Bangladesh Organisations are increasingly working with experts means by which to communicate with any given their daily interactions and responsibilities. Developed in http://www.translatorswithoutborders.org/twb- (like Translators without Borders), but this is an issue target group. Remember that words can carry partnership with Save the Children. glossary-bangladesh that needs more attention in preparedness and different meanings in different locations, and Working with a translator or an interpreter. Both Translators without Borders (2017) From: Developing a participatory approach to involve Glossaries for field workers and interpreters working crisis-affected people in a humanitarian response. The across the response in Nigeria in English, Hausa, and CASE STUDY Participation Handbook Kanuri and in English, Bangla, Chittagonian, Rohingya http://bit.ly/2SMDZV1 and Burmese for those working on the Rohingya Understanding and working with culture English and French, although people in Liberia, humanitarian response in Bangladesh. Terminology and customs Sierra Leone and Guinea speak over 90 languages. ALNAP & Groupe URD (2009) includes protection, housing, land and protection, and An early shortage of information for non-literate Section III.2 (pages 88-93) provides guidelines for mental health and psychosocial support is available. A defining feature of the 2014 Ebola outbreak audiences and local language speakers left choosing and working with an interpreter or translator, in West Africa that killed over 11,000 was that swathes of the population in deadly ignorance. as well as tips for listening and taking into account what Module 09 - Why language matters. Technical many people, fearful and suspicious, resisted After missteps early in the response, medical teams is said. training on communication and community treatment by foreign and national aid workers or changed their approach by communicating with engagement in humanitarian response refused to hand over bodies for safe burial. Whole through local mobilisers with the right language Communications Dashboard: Internally Displaced This module takes participants through the importance communities refused medical teams and in some skills and educating people to reduce stigma, People in Northeast Nigeria of language in humanitarian preparedness and response. http://bit.ly/2SYV6n5 Commission the training from CDAC Network or cases attacked those who tried. working with survivors, and burial practices were 47 download the training materials. amended to pay respect to traditions and beliefs. Translators without Borders and International http://www.cdacnetwork.org/learning-centre/ Treatment and prevention measures had not been Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Displacement foundation-training/ designed with an anthropological perspective, “The unprecedented Ebola epidemic in West Africa Tracking Matrix (DTM) (2018) taking into account an understanding of the is not just a health crisis. It is also an information The dashboard is an example of how to display language Communication with Communities during the First Six cultural, historical and political context. After crisis. It has exposed not only failures in the local and data collected from key informants at specific sites Weeks of an Emergency. missteps early in the response, medical teams international response to a deadly epidemic, but the to help organisations make data-informed decisions http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ changed their approach by communicating through ineffectiveness of using top down messages to reach to communicate with and support the crisis-affected i/20141024163109-7l3v8 local mobilisers with the right language skills, communities that exist largely in an information population more effectively. educating people to reduce stigma, working with blackout. As we develop strategies to address this IASC Emergency Response Preparedness guidelines. survivors, and amending burial practices to pay catastrophe and others like it, more attention needs Language profile of five IDP sites in Maiduguri, north- https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/reference- east Nigeria group-risk-early-warning-and-preparedness/ respect to traditions and beliefs. to be spent understanding how to deliver credible https://translatorswithoutborders.org/wp-content/ documents/iasc-emergency-response-preparedness and trustworthy information to populations in crisis.” uploads/2017/04/Language-profile-of-five-IDP-sites-in- 48 Information shared in the early stages was in Anne Bennett, Boston Globe Maiduguri.pdf

46 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 47 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

“Our staff generally speak Hausa, not Kanuri or Shuwa. That means we can talk to the host communities, but not the IDPs.”

NGO worker, Maiduguri, Nigeria 6

6. Working with media Responders sometimes buy airtime to broadcast Mass media such as local and national radio and a health radio programme or blast early warning television broadcasters, newspapers, cinema, SMS but may lack expertise to develop engaging advertisers and mobile network operators play a or actionable content. Media businesses may lack critical role in helping populations in crisis. They can: the expertise to develop appropriate humanitarian content. A collaborative approach to humanitarian • Reach thousands, if not millions, of people very broadcasting can ensure information reaches quickly; people fast and at scale. Setting up a partnership, defining actions and collaborating on simulations • Reach areas that are physically difficult to as preparedness actions will help to ensure that the access, provide life-saving and life-sustaining response goes well. information to help people help themselves;

• Restore calm, inspire hope and give people the space to express themselves, sharing solutions to the new problems and asking questions; Young men learn to assemble mobile phones as part of a UNICEF-supported vocational training

programme - Bossaso, Puntland, June 2013 JUEZ UN SOMALIA/F. • Provide two-way communication between aid workers and affected communities, for example, through call-in shows, interviews, mobile or via online platforms; CASE STUDY • Expertly develop, test and broadcast content across various formats to ensure information Radyo Abante Hour’ where listeners called in to ask questions is relevant, understood and actionable, using After Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, radio of humanitarian agencies or government multiple formats; and was used to provide critical information and representatives. Radyo Abante was one of support, and act as a communication channel the main sources of information for affected • Help hold relief providers to account. between communities, local and international communities, particularly those living in humanitarian responders and the government. bunkhouses who tended to listen to the radio in Radyo Abante (‘move forward’) was on air just six groups. MEDIA AND HUMANITARIAN RESPONDERS: A PERSPECTIVE FROM INTERNEWS days after the typhoon, staffed with experienced local journalists and producers previously The relationships between local media, When donors and humanitarian responders involve Building on capacities of local media is just as valuable as employed in commercial media outlets that had government and humanitarian responders local media in their response they build local capacity, building capacity in any other part of the community during a been destroyed. took time to build, reinforcing the need for strengthen local accountability and reduce tensions between crisis response (e.g. health workers, local government or civil collaboration at preparedness phase, but humanitarian organisations and the population they are society organisations); arguably more so, owing to the cross- Funded collectively by World Vision International, ultimately it provided an invaluable service. trying to serve. cutting nature and wide societal reach of the information that Misereor and UNFPA to improve uptake of media can provide. Such investment enhances the ability Local media generally have well-established, positive trust of local journalists and media outlets to play a crucial role services and knowledge about relief efforts, The volume of SMS received – 40,964 over relationships with their audiences and communities, who during disaster, which is vital for the transition to recovery. PECOJON, First Response Radio and Internews a seven-month period from a listenership of tend to see it as being independent from the humanitarian provided radio equipment and training in 230,000 people – showed just how interactive response and therefore a channel for them to talk freely Adapted with permission from Internews (2017). humanitarian broadcasting. the station was. Station reporters explained, about sensitive issues, such as corruption. Communication with Communities: Walking the Talk. “What is very interesting is that people started https://www.internews.org/resource/communication- Local media can act as a counterbalance to information communities-walking-talk The station provided news, entertainment and giving us food and gifts to say thank you. We can channels that the community may perceive as reflecting psychosocial support through sessions like feel they appreciate it, from what they say and social hierarchies and associated power imbalances. karaoke or comedy,50 and an ‘Accountability the gifts they bring.” 51

48 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 49 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

TEN PREPAREDNESS STEPS FOR WORKING WITH MEDIA IN EMERGENCIES 7. Opportunities for disaster-affected any work undertaken with children is done so (COURTESY OF BBC MEDIA ACTION) 51 people to play an active role in decision- appropriately and with the right safeguarding making and leadership measures in place. 1. Appoint a member of staff as the media focal point. 7. Ensure that you have trained your operations and Community engagement must go beyond passive This person should have a programmes role, rather than technical staff to provide clear local language interviews participation, whereby the affected population • Determine whether direct participation or someone who interacts with media requests and handling containing actionable information on different is simply kept informed. People must be able participation by representation (i.e. through journalists. humanitarian issues. It may be useful to support local to participate in decisions that affect them (see community representatives, committees or media entities to undertake Lifeline Programming 2. Understand the local media landscape: find out how training.53 diagram). They need opportunities to determine community-based organisations) is appropriate, communities vulnerable to humanitarian crises normally and shape services, including during preparedness, bearing in mind power dynamics and biases. receive news and information, and what channels they use 8. Prepare and pre-test key information likely to be useful and perform leadership roles (e.g., serving on to communicate. in the critical stages of an emergency. Adapt it for use in management communities). • Adopt quick approaches to promote community different media channels. engagement and monitor participation and 3. Establish contacts within the identified media channels and institutions and keep them ‘warm’. 9. Preposition communications platforms that partners are Commitment 4 of the Core Humanitarian Standard community leadership. Different levels of likely to need in a crisis. Train people to operate them. includes a performance indicator assessing participation may be appropriate at different 4. Include details of working with local and national media Identify suppliers who can deliver broadcast equipment whether “Communities and people affected by times. For example, in the early stages of a in the organisation’s preparedness plans, such as which and services rapidly.54 crisis are satisfied with the opportunities they have response, consultation might only be possible channels you would work with, how and what resources to influence the response”. with limited numbers of people, but over time would be needed. 10. Stay prepared: Hold refresher training and simulations with staff and partners. Keep abreast of changes in the there will be more opportunities for deeper 5. Ensure a budget for working with media is available, e.g. media landscape. Regularly update preparedness plans Test contextually relevant initiatives that engagement. by including it within project proposals for the response. and contact databases. equip local communities to drive responses, Don’t forget the potential needs of funding for generator acknowledging their capacities and making • As a result of the context or pre-existing fuel or solar power. their own assessments. Communities should be differences in power (e.g. based upon gender, 6. Coordinate. Ensure media work is integrated into the actively engaged in the monitoring and evaluation race, class, caste, or other characteristics), wider Communication and Community Engagement of responses. All stages of the cycle should participation will not usually occur effort. Find out what other agencies are planning and be focused on enabling communities to take spontaneously. Foster a process of mutual look out for synergies, overlaps and ways to streamline full responsibility for resources and responses, learning and dialogue to stimulate greater communication with media representatives who will likely giving voice to those who would typically be participation. be overwhelmed. disempowered or disenfranchised (women, children, youth, disabled, elderly). • Pay particular attention to groups or individuals traditionally excluded from power HOW YOU CAN DO THIS55 and decision-making processes. KEY RESOURCES • Make sure communities are adequately informed in order to be able to participate • Assess risk to both the community and staff Radyo Abante: A Collaborative Commitment to CwC Jacqueline Dalton, BBC Media Action (2016) & Accountability Booklet for humanitarians on working with local media in decision-making. Local populations are in engaging communities and ensure that no Case study on the use of radio in response. as part of community engagement efforts. the first to react in a disaster. Their ideas on harm is done. Take into account safety, security, http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ how to respond appropriately to the crisis cultural and societal factors. i/20141124131123-z7io0 Lifeline programming section and programme design must be sought on https://www.bbcmediaactionilearn.com/course/view. an ongoing basis. Engaging early saves a lot • Gain informed consent, whereby permission Lifeline - working with broadcasters in php?id=187 more time trying to fix inappropriate decisions is granted in full knowledge of the possible humanitarian crises later on. Bear in mind that the physical and consequences, risks and benefits. https://www.bbcmediaactionilearn.com/mod/page/ BBC Media Action psychological impact of a disaster or conflict on view.php?id=798 Lifeline programming resources: about Lifeline, tools communities, social breakdown and previous • Final decisions and action taken needs to be for media and aid agencies, online training. experience of aid influences how engagement reported back to communities. These activities efforts may be met. need to be repeated and seeing how their input is being used will create trust in the process and WORKING WITH MOBILE NETWORK OPERATORS • Who participates? Ensure representation of lead to further engagement of communities. the community is inclusive, engaging people Mobile connectivity is a lifeline for people affected by crisis to reduce the loss of life and positively contribute to at all stages of the work. You may need to work disaster. Mobile networks play a vital role in keeping people humanitarian response. with existing structures, advocate for them to connected to each other, facilitating access to information and assistance within affected populations and among The Charter provides scope to work with mobile network be restructured if they are not representative Governments, NGOs and the international humanitarian operators more closely. In the Philippines, for example, the or develop new or complementary ones so that community. operator SMART is a member of the Community Engagement people, including the most marginalised and Community of Practice. vulnerable, are fairly represented. In 2015 a Humanitarian Connectivity Charter was launched, since signed by 148 mobile network operators in 106 http://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/mobile-for- countries. Signatories commit to improving access to humanitarian-innovation/humanitarian-connectivity-charter • Children also have a right to participation. communication and information for those affected by There are specialist organisations (such as Save the Children) with whom you can partner so that

50 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 51 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

A TYPOLOGY OF PARTICIPATION Keeping people connected 9. Monitoring and evaluating People staying connected to each other is communication and community TYPE OF PARTICIPATION DESCRIPTION paramount in emergency response. On arrival in engagement Greece, many refugees asked for Wi-Fi or charging Success of the national platform will be achieved Passive participation The affected population is informed of what is going to happen or what has services ahead of food, water, or shelter56. Dadaab through providing the right information at the right occurred. While this is a fundamental right of the people concerned, it is not one Refugee Complex in Kenya is host to 235,269 time, having incentives and infrastructure in place that is always respected. registered refugees and asylum seekers and three for communities to share views, collaborating of its mobile phone towers are among its ten most with various communities as equal partners where Participation through the The affected population provides information in response to questions, but it profitable for mobile network operator Safaricom57. communities have a direct say in decisions and supply of information has no influence over the process, since survey results are not shared and their control over future planning, service delivery, accuracy is not verified. Open lines of communication between evaluation and policy development. responders and communities are needed but Participation by The affected population is asked for its perspective on a given subject, but it has often communities’ own networks are more The range of services and activities should be consultation no decision-making powers, and no guarantee that its views will be taken into important to their survival, recovery and wellbeing. assessed against a sliding scale of community consideration Connectivity is often listed as an unmet need in engagement, and efforts made towards ensuring disaster response, because although it is critical community leadership whilst recognising the ‘good Participation through The affected population supplies some of the materials and/or labour needed to finding family members, receiving critical safety enough’ 58 principle (see diagram on page 54). material incentives to conduct an operation, in exchange for payment in cash or in kind from the aid information, transferring funds and mobilising organisation. a response, it is treated as ‘outside’ the remit of humanitarian responders. This needs to change. Participation through the The affected population supplies some of the materials and/or labour needed for supply of materials, cash an intervention. This includes cost-recovery mechanisms. HOW YOU CAN DO THIS or labour • Ensure that damage to telecommunications infrastructure is included in multi sector needs analysis, and overlay findings with information Interactive participation The affected population participates in the analysis of needs and in programme conception, and has decision-making powers. on communications preferences to inform assessment of projected connectivity gaps requiring rapid response. Local initiatives The affected population takes the initiative, acting independently of external organisations or institutions. Although it may call on external bodies to support • Engage with connectivity providers in country its initiatives, the project is conceived and run by the community; it is the aid organisation that participates in the people’s projects. pre-crisis and during response. These include mobile network operators, local media Alternative systems of inquiry for a sustainable agriculture, in the Institute of Development Studies Bulletin, organisations, emergency power providers, etc. vol 25, (Brighton Institute of Development Studies, 1994), pp. 37-48. Adapted from Pretty, J. • Engage with the Emergency KEY RESOURCES Telecommunications Cluster and ensure that Your phone is now a refugee’s phone KEY RESOURCES relevant technical NGOs (e.g. NetHope or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1BLsySgsHM Télécoms Sans Frontières) are included in Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and https://www.alnap.org/system/files/content/ BBC Media Action (2016) Accountability resource/files/main/alnap-groupe-urd-participation- coordination structures Best watched on Smartphone, this short, immersive https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/the-standard handbook-2009.pdf film helps the viewer to experience with immediacy • Engage with telecommunications regulatory the confusion and fear facing refugees making CHS Guidance Notes and Indicators ALNAP & Groupe URD (2009) bodies and associated government departments a perilous journey by boat. Your phone is now https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/resources/chs- In-depth resource for developing and implementing to advocate for increased access for communities a refugee’s phone. Text messages arrive from guidance-notes-and-indicators a participatory approach to involve crisis-affected your family. Suddenly someone contacts you on people in a humanitarian response. • As part of coordination efforts, ensure MNOs WhatsApp warning you to turn back. But are they Both Core Humanitarian Standard (2014) are not overwhelmed by requests from all right? Your lifeline is a phone with no signal that’s The Core Humanitarian Standard sets out Nine The Community Score Card (CSC): A generic guide humanitarian actors. Advocate for a single rapidly running out of battery. Commitments to improve the quality and effectiveness for implementing CARE’s CSC process to improve of a response. The CHS Guidance Notes and quality of services humanitarian focal point (generally sitting with The Importance of Mobile for Refugees: A Indicators provide Key Actions and Organisational http://www.care.org/sites/default/files/documents/ the coordination body). Landscape of New Services and Approaches Responsibilities with indicators and guiding questions FP-2013-CARE_CommunityScoreCardToolkit.pdf http://bit.ly/2QOqIhy to promote measurement of progress towards meeting • Advocate for funding to address known the standard and drive continuous learning and CARE Malawi / Cooperative for Assistance and Relief connectivity needs, such as charging or GSMA (2017) improvement. Multiple languages available. Everywhere, Inc. (2013) emergency satellite connectivity support. Current research and activities on refugees’ use of A toolkit for engaging the community in feedback on mobile technology on the themes of connectivity, Developing a participatory approach to involve services and projects, where indicators of success are • Gather evidence on the positive impacts digital tools and platforms, family reconnection, crisis-affected people in a humanitarian response. co-developed by the community and responder. of increased connectivity in humanitarian education, and livelihoods and mobile money. The Participation Handbook response.

52 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 53 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

SLIDING SCALE OF COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT “Expressing feedback would be useful not just to express problems, but if NGOs would ask what project do we really want to have, what project is needed in the COMMUNITY INFORMATION CONSULTATION INVOLVEMENT COLLABORATION LEADERSHIP bunkhouse.”

Palo Bunkhouse Resident, Leyte, the Philippines 7

Monitoring and evaluating the collective per cent of people who are satisfied with the aid approach effort, variations of which are currently being Collective approaches should be monitored tested via HRPs for Chad and Syria). This enables on outcomes not just activities. It is important the HCT and agencies to take a ‘pulse check’ to see Using a communication and community • Advocate for cyclical response monitoring that to ensure indicators on communication and if programmes are going in the right direction or engagement approach in monitoring and overlays evolving situations with community community engagement are included in response whether changes are needed. evaluation perceptions and programme progress, rather planning approaches, whether government-led or Community feedback should be systematically than after-action activity monitoring. via the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC). This This should be part of ongoing performance used to determine the success or not of any given ensures there is accountability for communication monitoring and not a one-off, trends tracked and response. The extent to which communities have • It is critical that monitoring of and including and community engagement activities in the same verified to identify gaps in the overall response. been involved in response decisions should be community engagement is strengthened, way there is for any others. It is essential that feedback results in adaptive monitored so that agencies and coordinators are especially at the collective level. Don’t rely on programmes and that the response is best held to account for Grand Bargain and ethical precedents to inform a stronger approach. Put Response-wide indicators based upon community aligned with the needs of and feedback from the commitments. in place, or advocate for, bold, accountable perceptions can be included and tracked through community. monitoring and evaluation that best supports systematic feedback collection (for example: Evaluations are conducted after – and sometimes your collective approach. during - humanitarian responses to determine the success of interventions. These typically focus on whether agencies have satisfactorily implemented CASE STUDY their planned projects. This is insufficient. It omits the question of whether the right things were done, Evaluations and measuring community (or similar) five questions on how transparent or whether the response adapted to evolving needs KEY RESOURCES engagement in humanitarian and accountable we are to communities and and/or community feedback. 63 emergencies measured their feedback on engagement; we Our work: Response wide In Yemen, Oxfam WASH and Protection could measure changes and improvements or There are several good examples of evaluators http://groundtruthsolutions.org/our-work/ coordinators together with the Communicating identify whether the quality of engagement engaging disaster affected populations.59 In the response-wide-programmes/ with Communities (CwC) working group declines. This will help hold not only individual Philippines60 and Haiti,61 evaluators listened to developed a survey on perceptions of assistance organisations but the overall response affected people about their experience of agencies’ Ground Truth Solutions and community engagement. The survey accountable to better engage with communities. efforts to be accountable to them. From 2015-17 Ground Truth Solutions’ approach offers the (https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/enhancing- Dan Church Aid, Save the Children and Ground humanitarian community a sense of how affected people see the actions undertaken, providing a informed-engagement-conflict-affected- Truth Solutions piloted a quality and accountability IOM conducts an NFI distribution of mattresses to IDPs regularly updated set of benchmarks linked to communities-yemen) highlighted large gaps in living within an IDP camp in Lahij govenorate, Yemen. project in four countries (Mali, Nepal, Ethiopia and the goals of the country humanitarian response knowledge on assistance provision and access Many of those living within the camp have fled from Lebanon) funded by ECHO, reinforcing the roll-out plan against which individual agencies or sectors nearby govenorates where the ongoing war has been as well as poor perceptions of the humanitarian spreading into their neighbourhoods of the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS). can measure and, importantly, adjust their assistance. performance. HOW YOU CAN DO THIS The working group identified five key questions • Include indicators on collective community infoasaid Generic M&E framework on perceptions of assistance which were shared engagement in humanitarian response plans62. http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ among humanitarian actors. Through the These should be linked to both specific activities i/20141104141123-zdqxj/ systematic collection of evidence to assess the and overall results. infoasaid and International Federation of the Red challenges, gaps and successes in how agencies Cross (2012) are engaging with communities the team could • Use community perception data as a means for This framework allows you to assess the impact of evaluate not only the provision of assistance but monitoring, and then evaluating, a response. communications interventions. Indicators cover key how accountable we are to affected populations This shouldn’t be the only way a response is components of a communication project including: through our engagement processes. monitored but should serve as a check and information provision, dialogue, analysis and verification of feedback, and response. If agencies working in crises included the same MUSE MOHAMMED/IOM balance on other forms of monitoring. Budget for this in your collective service planning.

54 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 55 SECTION THREE | IMPLEMENTING MINIMUM ACTIONS AND SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

SECTION REFERENCES 33 JRP for Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis: March - 43 We should’ve said, expect a tsunami. Rappler information to alleviate their suffering and assist December 2018. Strategic Executive Group and partners (November 2013). with their recovery. Lifeline programming also aims 23 What do we know about Communicating with (2018) http://www.rappler.com/nation/43731-we-should-have- to give affected people the opportunity to voice their Communities following an Earthquake? CDAC Network http://bit.ly/2Er9vVP said-tsunami-haiyan concerns, express their needs, share their stories and (2015). hold humanitarian aid providers to account. BBC Media 34 44 http://www.cdacnetwork.org/i/20150427141213-vrsfn Inter-Agency Collective Service for Community The Power of Speech. Translators without Borders Action offers training in this and an online version is also Engagement, project proposal for Central African Republic. (2017). available. 24 See e.g. Humanitarian inclusion standards for older September 2017 – December 2018. Implementing https://translatorswithoutborders.org/twb-response- people and people with disabilities (2018). agencies: OCHA, UNICEF, UNHCR, Internews, Danish nigeria/ 54 Such as First Response Radio http://www.helpage.org/download/5a7ad49b81cf8 Refugee Council, Search for Common Ground, Ground Truth Solutions. 45 Rohingya Zuban: A Translators without Borders rapid 55 Adapted from Commitment 4 of the CHS Guidance 25 Assessing Information and Communication assessment of language barriers in the Cox’s Bazar Notes and Indicators. Core Humanitarian Standard Needs: A Quick and Easy Guide for Those Working in 35 See What Matters? BBC Media Action, Internews and Refugee Response. Translators without Borders (2017). (2014). https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/ Humanitarian Response and Pocket Guide: Information & Translators without Borders (2018) https://translatorswithoutborders.org/rohingya-zuban/ resources/chs-guidance-notes-and-indicators, Communication Questions in Rapid Needs Assessments. https://www.internews.org/resource/what-matters and Developing a participatory approach to involve 46 Both CDAC Network & ACAPS (2014) Excerpt from Language barriers in the humanitarian crisis-affected people in a humanitarian response. The 36 http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ A radio programme could be two-way, for example, response in north-eastern Nigeria. Translators without Participation Handbook. ALNAP & Groupe URD (2009). i/20140721173332-ihw5g if it is based on audience research to inform its content Borders (2017). http://bit.ly/2SMDZV1 or includes a radio call-in option for questions and http://bit.ly/2RRRUcE 26 See e.g. What do we know about Communicating with comments. A poster, developed with representatives 56 The Importance of Mobile for Refugees: A Landscape of 47 Communities following an Earthquake? CDAC Network of the intended audience, could be used to share brief Ebola: a crisis of language. Nadia Berger and Grace New Services and Approaches. GSMA (2017). (2015). health information, but could be used in conjunction with Tang (2015) http://bit.ly/2QOqIhy http://www.cdacnetwork.org/i/20150427141213-vrsfn a community meeting for dialogue. http://bit.ly/2Ca3YQN Ebola outbreak, Liberia: Communication challenges and 57 The Importance of Mobile for Refugees: A Landscape of 27 Adapted from Are you Listening Now? Community 37 Adapted from OCHA Think Brief: Building Data good practices. ACAPS (2015) New Services and Approaches. GSMA (2017). Perspectives on Communication with Communities Responsibility into Humanitarian Action. Nathaniel A. http://bit.ly/2rvxn1Y Ebola outbreak, Sierra Leone: http://bit.ly/2QOqIhy during the Nepal earthquake. Margie Buchanan-Smith, Raymond (2016) Communication challenges and good practices. ACAPS 58 Subindra Bogati and Sarah Routley, with Srijana Nepal, https://www.unocha.org/sites/dms/Documents/TB18_ (2015) In an emergency response, adopting quick and simple Sweta Khadka, Yamima Bomjan and Neha Uprety for Data%20Responsibility_Online.pdf http://bit.ly/2SLkgFf approaches may be the only practical possibility. ‘Good CDAC Network (2016) enough’ does not mean second best, but rather it means 38 http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ Perception surveys can be used as a feedback 48 Toxic information and the fight against Ebola. Anne recognising and acknowledging limitations in terms of i/20160811085949-qjzug mechanism in a response, often designed as a common Bennett (2014). Boston Globe. capacity and time, prioritising appropriately, taking steps service across responders. It is a systematic approach http://bit.ly/2El9DVZ to anticipate and fill gaps and, as the situation changes, 28 E.g. BBC Media Action, International Media Support, to gathering the perceptions of affected people on the review and revise accordingly. Excerpt from Impact 49 Internews, Fondation Hirondelle and Search for Common relevance and effectiveness of services, the quality of A 2017 study by Translators without Borders showed Measurement in Emergencies: the Good Enough Guide. Ground relationships with aid providers, the extent to which that Hausa is the primary language of displaced Emergency Capacity Building Project (2007). Available at people feel enabled to cope independently. It also populations in 47 percent of IDP sites in north-east http://bit.ly/2eCTThG 29 E.g. UNICEF as part of its Communication for gathers non-beneficiary communities’ view of the Nigeria, but humanitarian organisations are using it as Development Programmes (C4D) or WHO through its situation. The data is analysed and used by humanitarian the primary language of communication at 81 percent 59 Evaluating Humanitarian Action Guide (2016). John risk communication programmes. actors to adapt their response to specific circumstances of sites. Being aware of this disconnect is the first step to Cosgrave and Margie Buchanan-Smith for ALNAP. and concerns in real-time. Regular perception reviews addressing it. The Power of Speech. Translators without Available at 30 The IASC Gender with Age Marker (GAM). Inter-Agency can act as an important tool to guide the response, Borders (2017). https://www.alnap.org/help-library/evaluation-of- Standing Committee (2018). measure impact and ensure the views of affected https://translatorswithoutborders.org/twb-response- humanitarian-action-guide https://reliefweb.int/report/world/iasc-gender-age- populations are regularly considered. nigeria/ marker-gam-2018 60 The Pamati Kita project: an experiment in the provision 39 Bonino, F. with Jean, I. and Knox Clarke, P. (2014) 50 Feeling a sense of normalcy is a critical component in of common services and in promoting a collective 31 A strategic response plan typically includes an Humanitarian feedback mechanisms: research, evidence dealing with trauma. approach to AAP. CDAC Network (2015). overview of the context and crisis; population affected; and guidance. ALNAP Study. London: ALNAP/ODI http://www.cdacnetwork.org/i/20150223152703-nheak immediate, medium and longer-term needs; likely 51 Case study – Radyo Abante: A Collaborative http://bit.ly/2SMEuOT scenarios; response so far; response objectives, sectors Commitment to CwC & Accountability. CDAC Network 61 The evaluation team trained 30 national staff from of intervention and activities; budget; coordination 40 Briefing note. The Grand Bargain: Perspectives from (2014) the participating agencies to conduct the focus group and partnership; monitoring and evaluation; and the field. Ground Truth Solutions and OECD (2018). http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ discussions. These teams asked open-ended, non- exist strategy. Cross-cutting issues and accountability http://bit.ly/2PzOcST i/20141124131123-z7io0 agency focused questions. Report and terms of reference to affected communities will likely also be included. available at 52 communication and community engagement should 41 Iraqi woman displaced to Suleymaniyah quoted in Extract adapted from Lifeline - working with https://www.alnap.org/help-library/independent-joint- also be included. For information on the United Nation’s Iraq’s displaced people need information, not only food, broadcasters in humanitarian crises. Jacqueline Dalton, evaluation-of-humanitarian-response-in-haiti Humanitarian Response Plans see water and shelter. CDAC Network (2014) BBC Media Action (2016) http://bit.ly/2Fytp1x http://www.cdacnetwork.org/i/20140917162422-moeda https://www.bbcmediaactionilearn.com/mod/page/ 62 Examples of these can be provided by OCHA. view.php?id=798 32 Republic Of Vanuatu Country Preparedness Package. 42 Typhoon Haiyan Learning Review. Austin, C. and Bailey, 63 Contributed by Simone E. Carter Government of the Republic of Vanuatu National N. for CDAC Network (2014). 53 Lifeline programming is special media programming Disaster Management Office (2017) http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ for communities affected by humanitarian crises. It aims http://bit.ly/2DfwNvM i/20141124131123-z7io0 to provide people with timely, relevant and practical

56 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 57 SECTION FOUR| ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

Section Four: Establishing In this section • Establishing a national platform a national platform for • Drawing on global support communication and community engagement

Establishing a national platform There are a few recommended options for Government agencies, organisations and clusters where the platform should sit in humanitarian have set up initiatives to engage affected people, architecture: but this needs to be done more systematically, collaboratively and in a way that informs real-time • Within the government, providing cross- decisions. ministry and -sector services (this may not be appropriate in a conflict). A nationally-led approach to communication and community engagement (working group or • If a cluster system is activated, at inter- similar) may already exist. In some cases it may be cluster level. The same applies for a ‘sectoral’ necessary to establish one. approach; i.e. it would sit with the inter-sector coordination group. In this case a cross-sector The structure and functions of national platforms Technical Working Group (TWG) in support of will vary according to context, based on needs the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and and capacities, but all act as a complementary Inter-Cluster Coordination (ICC). With clear coordination service to existing and emerging Terms of Reference, the TWG would seek to humanitarian architecture. bring together actors and provide technical guidance to clusters, agency partners, and They may take the shape of a technical working government. This is an inclusive approach group like the government-led multi-stakeholder that ensures those who would not normally platform Shongjog64 in Bangladesh, a community engage through clusters actively participate in of practice like the one OCHA leads one in the coordination. Philippines65 or a common service such as the Inter-Agency Common Feedback Project66 in • A Community Engagement Coordinator Nepal (see case study on page 16). position is created to link efforts across the response with leadership, sitting in the HC or Platforms should undertake preparedness RC’s office and supported by a project team. actions to ensure that response actors are well- placed to pivot communication and community Regardless of where it sits the service must be engagement into response-mode when required. linked to the relevant national coordination structures and humanitarian architecture and Leadership of the platform should be agreed convene the relevant government agencies and early and could be provided by a government, diverse actors. It is recommended that it does not NGO or a UN body, a member of the International sit under any individual cluster but is strategically Red Cross Red and Crescent Movement or a supported by those clusters with specific media development organisation, depending expertise, eg. CCCM and Protection. on which entity has the best local knowledge, capacity and expertise. Several platforms are Government agencies and humanitarian led by a government body with a national and organisations should integrate collective actions international agency as co-chairs, though this is on communication and community engagement Yahaya Tijani (TWB Kanuri Team Lead) not appropriate for all contexts. into preparedness. conducting comprehension research. GGSS

ERIC DELUCA/TRANSLATORS WITHOUT BORDERS ERIC DELUCA/TRANSLATORS camp, Monguno, Borno State, Nigeria

58 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 59 SECTION FOUR| ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

POTENTIAL FORMS AND FUNCTIONS OF A NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR COMMUNICATION AND • Community feedback trends and plans for coordination processes, policies, structures and COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT response financing norms. • Roles and responsibilities FORM FUNCTION • Define how, where and when info will be • Fundraising for national platform. National platforms exist in a Platforms have different combinations of functions, as relevant to the context. shared and analysed – ensuring adequate number of forms. • Convening, relationship building, coordinating and collaborating capacity for analysing and appropriate • Assessing whether communication and • Working group • Directly implementing and supporting humanitarian action and strategies mechanisms for using the feedback both community engagement efforts in a response • Community of practice • Amplification and advocacy that extends the reach of individuals within the national platform, clusters and have been adequate and whether responses • Common service e.g. • Supporting policy-making and policy implementation inter-cluster were adapted to the expressed needs of affected common feedback • Mobilising resources • Feedback to communities to close loop populations. mechanism or hotline • Setting rules, norms and standards for operational response • Task team or sub-group to • Innovating practice and approaches • Liaise closely with PSEA networks to ensure that • Providing technical support to national platform a task team • Agenda setting and developing usable knowledge • Cluster PSEA activities include systematic community such as advice on decision-making to determine • Network engagement. appropriate forms of country level collective platform, and the provision of guidance and • Determine budget requirements. Funding training to help build national and local capacity. HOW YOU CAN DO THIS should inform analysis of opportunities and should be an integrated and a predictable part of • Define roles and responsibilities of the needs67 integrated into overall coordination. systematic humanitarian financing. • Making accessible a minimum set of simple tools platform, as well as of its members. Use based on good practice that can be adapted the minimum actions and services for • Identify a named focal point and alternate • Use and adapt existing tools, good practice,68 as contextually appropriate, and providing an communication and community engagement for each participating organisation who will lessons learned and evidence, while also overview of what each tool should be used for (on page 19) as a checklist and establish a terms participate in the platform. This focal point documenting and sharing the new. and how it links into existing frameworks (such as of reference (template under Key Resources on should be sufficiently senior that they are able to the CHS and Grand Bargain). page 62) with a context analysis showing the make decisions on behalf of their organisation. • Undertake capacity building with response rationale for setting up the platform alongside actors on how to both participate in and benefit • Facilitating cross-country learning and helping its aim and objectives, composition and how • Involve diverse groups. Different disasters from collective community engagement. to grow communities of practice. it relates to and influences other bodies in the will call for different skill sets and capacities. humanitarian architecture. Community engagement experts are not often • Advocate to continually ensure there is pressure • Maintaining standby capacity with trained ‘traditional’ humanitarian actors. Cast the net on leadership to strengthen community experts available for deployment. • Develop an action plan based on the minimum wider to include civil society organisations, participation both at programmatic and strategic actions that sets out priority actions and services media, language experts, anthropologists, levels. • Documenting best practices, lessons learned to be undertaken, with a designated lead for telecommunications providers and other private and evidence from different initiatives, ensuring each element, timeframe and budget. sector bodies, local networks, minority activist • Request global support, for example on these are appropriately shared from context to groups and community members. advocacy or technical support if it is needed. context. • Seek endorsement of both the terms of reference and action plan by platform • Moving from preparedness to response mode will • Periodically review the national platform • Identifying gaps in global capacity, tools, members as well as the ICC, HCT and relevant require adapting objectives and activities to the to ensure it is fit for purpose, for example by guidance or technical support and working to government bodies. evolving context. Ensure this is acknowledged undertaking an after action review or learning overcome them. in the platform’s terms of reference or Standard review, and making adjustments as need be. • While overall leadership of the national Operating Procedures (see Key Resources on Learning from multi-stakeholder platforms platform should come from the Humanitarian / page 62) and endorsed by members. Drawing on global support Check out recent work on a number of national Resident Coordinator / Humanitarian Country Communication and community engagement is best multi-stakeholder platforms, including Bangladesh Team in line with IASC responsibilities, the • Ensure people meet regularly to maintain managed locally but global support can be accessed (Shongjog), Philippines, South Sudan, Vanuatu and platform can be established by any organisation momentum on the actions and services are through the CDAC Network, the Communication Fiji on the CDAC website: appropriate to the context. Leadership roles adapted based on feedback, discuss what and Community Engagement Initiative,69 the http://preparedness-response.cdacnetwork.org should be pre-agreed as part of operational activities partners have implemented, see IASC Task Team on Accountability to Affected The 2018 evaluation report on national platforms readiness. how other actors can contribute and how Populations and Protection from Sexual Exploitation 70 in Bangladesh, Philippines and South Sudan, communication and community engagement can and Abuse (AAP/PSEA ) and OCHA if it is required. Strengthening information sharing and two way • Resource the national platform through be integrated into programmes and response- Key support functions provided by these and other communication preparedness capacity for better appropriate staffing. wide activities. global actors include: dialogue, better information and better action, • Advocating, with organisational leaders, donors summarises many of the key features of these • Conduct a mapping exercise of who is doing • In situations where there is a Humanitarian/ and coordination bodies, for the benefits of platforms. This evaluation was commissioned what, where, when (‘4Ws’; template under Key Resident Coordinator, HCT and/or Inter-Cluster collective and systematic communication and by CDAC Network as part of its Disasters and Resources) to know which agencies are working Coordination Group, communication and engagement with communities. Emergencies Preparedness Programme. on communication and community engagement community engagement should be a standing Read now: http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and- and their focal points. Share this with other item on meeting agendas, specifically discussing: • Integrating communication and community resources/i/20180430115942-c8457 actors and update to keep it current. Mapping • Critical community information needs engagement into existing global humanitarian

60 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 61 SECTION FOUR| ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

KEY RESOURCES CASE STUDY CDAC Network Preparedness and Response site Philippines Community of Practice (CoP) on Details of national platforms in Bangladesh, Community Engagement: Communication, The Philippines community engagement Philippines, South Sudan and elsewhere, including Accountability, Community Participation and community of practice an overview of the platform, tools and guidance and Common Service Partnerships (2016) learning and evaluations. Standard operating procedures that provide an As part of post-typhoon Haiyan preparedness http://preparedness-response.cdacnetwork.org example of how the CoP deals with emergencies initiatives in 2014, a national platform, the and remains proactive on preparedness to ensure Community of Practice (CoP) on Community 4Ws template consistency and clarity in providing wide access to Engagement (CE), was established by OCHA to Template to facilitate a mapping exercise of who is information and empowering affected communities to support the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) doing what, where and when (a ‘4Ws’) to capture have more meaningful participation. and Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) to which agencies are working on communication and mainstream two-way communication in the event community engagement and who their focal points Policy Paper: The Role of Collective Platforms, of a major disaster. are. Services and Tools to support Communication and http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ Community Engagement in Humanitarian Action. i/20171215154835-zu2cd This paper makes the case for communication and With more than 50 members, the CoP provides community engagement in humanitarian response at strategic direction and technical support on Camp Coordination/Camp Management clusters; Establishing a common platform for global and national levels, and describes the shape community engagement in preparedness and the Zamboanga Learning Review on Post-Conflict communication and community engagement: and functions of collective platforms, services and response to sub-national working groups. Community Engagement (which can be found examples of terms of reference tools and describes minimum actions for collective Members include UN agencies, international non- here: http://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/ Examples of terms of reference from national efforts. An annex lists potential national and global government organisations, faith-based groups, operations/philippines/document/philippines- platforms the Philippines and South Sudan, as services and activities for preparedness and response. private sector, civil society organisations, media zamboanga-learning-review-post-conflict- well as the national and sub-national platforms in http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ networks, academia, government agencies and community); and expansion of membership to Bangladesh. i/20170531072915-3fs0r in-country member organisations of the CDAC incorporate humanitarian radio programming, http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ i/20171215165316-jd7ng Network. social media (through a partnership with news network Rappler) and ham radio. Operations Protocol: Minimum Preparedness Capacities and resources provided include and Response Actions of the CoP on Community improvement of two-way communication The CoP has also undertaken some innovative Engagement platforms, feedback avenues, accountability activities: the use of drones to assist the local https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/ pathways, closing-the-communication-loop community; a Frontline SMS (http://www. operations/philippines/document/minimum- mechanisms, partnerships and the use of frontlinesms.com)/Infoboard system for feedback response-and-preparedness-operations- various technologies for communicating with channels, and humanitarian radio programming for protocolversion the affected population. The CoP also provides in-depth community consultation. recommendations, updates and relevant technical assistance to the HCT, ICCG, government agencies The CoP has extended its work on preparedness (including local government) and other thematic to undertake pre-crisis information mapping in working groups in preparedness and response. line with contingency planning scenarios of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Manila, a super-typhoon SECTION REFERENCES 69 The Communication and Community Engagement To date, the CoP has successfully managed to (Haiyan-type) in the Northern Luzon and Visayas Initiative aims to help improve the quality and initiate interventions in the following humanitarian Region and an eruption of Mayon volcano, Albay 64 http://www.shongjog.org.bd effectiveness of humanitarian responses, through responses, largely delivered though sub-national Province (see Key Resources). It was the first time 65 https://www.unocha.org/philippines/community- a harmonised, timely, systematic and predictable platforms: community engagement had fed into initiatives engagement collective service for communication and community • Armed-conflict in Zamboanga City (2014-2017) to ensure that, aside from each household, the engagement with affected communities throughout • Armed-conflict in Marawi (2017-Present) voices of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged 66 http://www.cfp.org.np all phases of the humanitarian programme cycle. • Typhoon Hagupit (2015) & Typhoon Koppu (2016) groups (women, children, persons with disability 67 See e.g. South Sudan Communication with 70 See helpdesk: • Typhoon Knockten (2017) and Mayon Volcano and elderly) were reflected in government and HCT Communities in South Sudan; Gaps and Needs https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/ eruption (2018) contingency plans. Analysis – Baseline Study. Forcier Consulting (2015) accountability-affected-populations-including- http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ protection-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse Successes include the development and use More information on this case study at: http:// i/20160805101517-2zjwp of the Rapid Information Communication and bit.ly/2CqpWhz. This case study was adapted Accountability Assessments (RICAA); the standard from Case Study: The Philippines’ Community 68 See e.g. Annex 3: Good practice in multi- inclusion of two questions pertaining to information Engagement Community Of Practice. OCHA- stakeholder Collective Platforms. Policy Paper: The needs and preferred communication channels in Philippines/Humanitarian Country Team’s Role of Collective Platforms, Services and Tools to support Communication and Community Engagement the first phase of the HCT rapid assessment used Community of Practice on Community Engagement in Humanitarian Action. CDAC Network (2017) by clusters; regular dialogue/listening exercise (2018) http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ between the government, responders and the i/20170531072915-3fs0r affected population; support to the Protection and

62 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 63 SECTION FIVE | LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

A UN inter-agency mission meets with displaced families in their settlement near Mokolo, in Collective leadership communities in various humanitarian responses. northern Cameroon. The IDPs have received some The Grand Bargain, Core Humanitarian Standard What this means in practice – the establishment food and household items, distributed by both the authorities and humanitarian partners on Quality and Accountability and IASC of national platforms and implementation of Commitments on Accountability to Affected minimum actions and services – are described in People and Protection from Sexual Exploitation detail in earlier sections, as is the reasons why a OCHA/IVO BRANDAU and Abuse all lay out commitments to ensure collective approach is appropriate. communities and people affected by crisis know their rights and entitlements, have access to HOW YOU CAN DO THIS information and play an active role in decisions • Community input and feedback should that affect them, and can raise complaints that directly inform all humanitarian response will be welcomed and addressed, including operations. Take leadership decisions on sexual exploitation and abuse-related the basis of an analysis of the dialogue complaints. National frameworks, like Vanuatu’s with affected people, including those most Country Preparedness Package71, also lay vulnerable and those most at risk, and act out preparedness and collaboration between on systematic feedback on the response. national and international actors in disaster Advocate for collective mechanisms for response with regard to communication and dialogue, feedback and complaints to be set community engagement. up where they aren’t in place. Decisions within all levels of the humanitarian architecture A collective leadership approach amongst (e.g. in clusters, where they exist) are similarly governments, humanitarian responders informed on the basis of dialogue and and other actors is required to ensure these feedback. It is also important to collaborate commitments are met. The establishment of across humanitarian organisations and collective approaches to and coordination of local media networks and other existing communication and community engagement communication channels to ensure that Section Five: Leadership and 72 is both a Grand Bargain commitment and affected communities are well informed about has significant support in the sector73. Such developments affecting their daily lives and approaches have demonstrated their ability their future. advocacy for communication to improve efforts to engage crisis-affected and community engagement

In this section

• Collective leadership • Tips for organisational leaders: pave the way • Tips for individuals: be a champion for change

64 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 65 SECTION FIVE | LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

• Where it does not already exist, advocate for • Agree leadership arrangements, and provide the leadership to create and responsibilities and accountabilities early on. resource a national platform that enables In every ‘at risk’ country, this means the National a range of actors to convene, coordinate Disaster Management Unit or the Humanitarian and collaborate to provide services for Country Team agreeing in advance on affected communities and the humanitarian governance, leadership arrangements, architecture on communication and community responsibilities and accountabilities as well engagement. Annex 1 outlines the national as standard operating procedures (including and international commitments and standards feedback and complaints mechanisms). Where as well as donor requirements that can be not led by the government, leadership could referenced to support advocacy efforts. be provided by an NGO, CBO, UN agency, Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement • Agree the roles of the platform and ensure representative, media development organisation it sits appropriately within the humanitarian or other, depending on who has the best local architecture. The platform will likely play knowledge, capacity and expertise. Leading several roles, such as coordination, direct or co-leading the collective platform does implementation of response activities or not replace responders respecting their own advocacy to support policy-making and policy responsibilities, including their accountability to implementation. affected people.

CASE STUDY Governments taking the lead Governments have primary responsibility for addressing the needs and priorities of affected communities when responding to a crisis. The “If anything is clear, it is that Red Cross/Red Crescent movement, the UN and adding and empowering humanitarian organisations should be secondary NETWORK SARAH MACE/CDAC responders, supporting where the government’s voices that have been muted capacities to respond are overwhelmed. or overlooked makes us a In Dominica, following the hurricanes in 2017, stronger organization that is the Prime Minister’s daily press releases included some details about humanitarian activities, often better at what it does, as well focusing on what had been achieved or broad plans for the response. Amateur radio operators as a better organization.” shared information at the national and community 8 level, with the support of a wider network of and soon after the hurricane hit Dominica, Kairi The Hewlett Foundation associations overseas and linkages to Facebook. FM started broadcasting essential and life-saving news about the availability of aid. The diaspora Once physical access had improved, more played a crucial role, passing on humanitarian information was shared through face-to-face information targeted specifically to the needs of meetings and visits. Community stakeholders family and friends.74 began to play a more active role in disseminating information. Some agencies established field Ground Truth Solutions was specifically tasked teams to facilitate community meetings, which in this response to collect and measure the views served to circulate project and other relevant of affected communities on the response and information, answer people’s questions, collect recovery efforts in Dominica, as well as in Antigua feedback and close the feedback loop by letting and Barbuda. This was done through a series of people know what action had been taken with surveys and focus group discussions and shared 75 previous feedback. with authorities as well as humanitarian actors. Sri Lanka has faced severe drought, floods and landslides A CDAC deployment supported coordination in recent years, leaving thousands of women and girls of Social media, phone and WhatsApp became efforts on communication and community reproductive age vulnerable during and after emergencies. 76 UNFPA in Sri Lanka works closely with the government and increasingly important as connectivity improved engagement. local partners to ensure that reproductive health is integrated

into emergency response HUTTER UNFPA/CHRISTIAN

66 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 67 SECTION FIVE | LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

• Ensure that staff participating in the national safety, health, aid entitlements and access, and platform are able to make decisions on behalf rights; “Iraq’s population is educated and literacy rates are high. of the organisations they represent so that decisions can be made quickly and any issues • A system for people to provide feedback We expect humanitarian organisations to reach out to resolved in an effective and timely manner. This is (including complaints and sensitive issues), important to maintaining the momentum of the in which response-wide, feedback data is local media networks and other existing communication platform. collated, analysed, linked into individual and collective referral mechanisms. Community channels to ensure that affected communities are well • Promote efforts to set common communication feedback information must be used to informed about developments affecting their daily lives and community engagement norms and inform corrective action, and strategic and standards to which all participating agencies programmatic decisions; and their future.” adhere. • Opportunities for disaster-affected people Kevin Kennedy, Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq 9 • Advocate with donors for communication to play an active role in decision-making and community engagement to become a processes; compliance issue. They should demand evidence of participation (assessing levels of participation • Coordination of and advocacy for humanitarian obtained) and whether responses evolved based activities that restore or provide means for on community feedback, rather than merely various communities to remain connected, whether mechanisms were in place or not. working with media and telecommunication actors. • Use the united voice of the national platform to advocate to governments and donors to meet • Advocate with peers and donors for the inclusion their commitments on communication and of coordinated communication and community community engagement by committing funding engagement in response-wide plans and specifically for this, cemented in response plans. protocols. CASE STUDY Tips for organisational leaders: • Ensure standard operating procedures, pave the way templates and tools are updated to incorporate News that moves Leaders of organisations are critical to ensuring that communication and community engagement community engagement is timely and sustainable. throughout the full programme cycle, beyond At the height of large-scale refugee relocation Only they can ensure that teams have the human needs assessment and evaluation. in 2015 to Greece, Internews launched ‘News capacity, time, funding and space needed to that Moves’ to provide migrants and refugees properly mainstream it. Strong leadership is required • Take leadership decisions on the basis of with reliable, verified information about asylum, to ensure that communication and community community feedback. EU regulations, freedom of movement and aid engagement evolves from an ‘add on’ to a non- services. Refugee Liaison Officers gathered negotiable part of how we work. • Designate a focal point and ensure staffing is rumours circulating in formal camps, informal appropriate, both in terms of number and skills, sites and along the migration routes into the There also needs to be a commitment for to be able to implement communication and Balkans and Western Europe. maintaining organisational engagement in community engagement activities. Ensure this collective platforms beyond the interest of individual is written into job descriptions and that staff are A key aspect of the project was that information champions.77 given the time they need to do the work properly. was made available in languages and formats People shouldn’t ‘double-hat’. that people understood. HOW YOU CAN DO THIS AS A SENIOR MANAGER • Ensure that your organisation participates The website (https://www.internews.org/ • Lead your teams toward improved integration in external forums and national platforms updates/news-moves-mediterranean-rumor- of communication and community engagement to coordinate preparedness and response tracker) and Facebook pages in Arabic and Farsi by prioritising staff time and allocation of funds activities, exchange experience and learning, were used to identify and debunk rumours, towards this work. and collaborate on capacity strengthening and whilst rumour-tracking bulletins were distributed • Plan, and write things down: Include action- fundraising, including for preparedness. to aid organisations to share with community oriented communication and community contacts. More than 300,000 people accessed engagement components in response strategies • Humanitarian organisations are expected to the information online and offline. and plans, including those for preparedness and reach out to local media networks and other contingency planning. At minimum, include: existing communication channels to ensure that Shiekh Bashir Ahmed, 80, listens to his radio at Ifo refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya. Ahmed told Internews that he • Mechanisms for ensuring that disaster-affected affected communities are well informed about takes his radio with him everywhere, and especially likes to

people have access to the information they developments affecting their daily lives and their listen to the prayer broadcasts OCHA need in order to make decisions about their future.

68 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 69 SECTION FIVE | LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY FOR COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

KEY RESOURCES Organisational self-assessment and alignment for Scoping Study: Engaging the Private Sector in communication and community engagement Mainstreaming Communications with Communities For leaders wishing to refresh their leadership skills This scoping study looks at engaging the private and explore changes in their organisation at a deeper sector in mainstreaming communication and level a tool is available to undertake an organisational community engagement in Bangladesh. It discusses audit, based on the McKinsey 7s Model. This looks what activities are being carried out by private sector at seven organisation dimensions and how they organisations in Bangladesh as part of their CSR, can be adapted to mainstream communication and including those responding to disaster appeals, and community engagement: strategy, structure, systems, tries to understand the scope for mainstreaming shared values, style, staff and skills. communication and community engagement in their http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ disaster response design. i/20181201141931-5rzij http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ i/20180604150741-86pef Toolkit for mainstreaming Communications with Communities in Humanitarian Response The overall objective of this toolkit is to guide policy actors and practitioners of national and international humanitarian agencies, donor communities, private sector entities, government ministries and departments to adapt communications and community engagement for the development of an appropriate disaster affected community-centered communication strategy throughout the project cycle and integrate it into policies, priorities and practices. http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ People charge their phones wherever they can in Nepal i/20180604150741-86pef ASSOCIATED PRESS ASSOCIATED

• Budget for communication and community • Create awareness. Start a conversation with engagement activities and lobby for budgeting colleagues and collaborators about what of external forums and national platforms to more could be done to champion community enable the implementation of common services. participation. • Share information with colleagues and • Report back to communities, staff and donors collaborators. What are the benefits? How does on how you are evolving your programming it help to implement commitments like the Core based on community input. Humanitarian Standard? What has interested SECTION REFERENCES you in doing more about communication and 71 75 • Share your community engagement work with community engagement? You could do this in Republic Of Vanuatu Country Preparedness Package. Hurricane response and recovery in the Caribbean. your peers via the HCT (or equivalent) or in more meetings, in newsletters or by hosting an event Government of the Republic of Vanuatu National Ground Truth Solutions (2018) Disaster Management Office (2017) http://groundtruthsolutions.org/hurricane-response- informal exchanges. or training. https://ndmo.gov.vu/resources/downloads/com_ and-recovery-in-the-caribbean/ • Share success stories that demonstrate why jaextmanager/category/47-country-preparedness- 76 Tips for individuals: be a champion for communication and community engagement package A learning review of Communications and change are beneficial to the organisation as well as the Community Engagement during the Hurricane Maria Everyone can be a leader for communication and collective humanitarian response. 72 The Grand Bargain. Agenda for Humanity (2016). Response in Dominica. Routley, S. for CDAC Network community engagement. You do not have to be • Make it an agenda item. Ask for community https://www.agendaforhumanity.org/initiatives/3861 (2018) http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ ‘the boss’ or a manager – everyone can guide engagement to be included as a standing 73 Policy Paper: The Role of Collective Platforms, i/20180914160532-w9axq and enlist the help of others to achieve response agenda item for meetings, strategic and Services and Tools to support Communication and strategies and plans that include meaningful operational planning, and reviews. Community Engagement in Humanitarian Action. 77 Policy Paper: The Role of Collective Platforms, community engagement. • Enlist the help of others. Get your manager CDAC Network (2017) Services and Tools to support Communication and and colleagues on board and convey shared http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ Community Engagement in Humanitarian Action. HOW YOU CAN DO THIS messages. i/20170531072915-3fs0r CDAC Network (2017) • Identify the framework. Identify existing policies, • Be the change you want to see. Set an example http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ 74 guidance, plans and values in your organisation by trying something new in your work and take A learning review of Communications and i/20170531072915-3fs0r that are enablers for communication and calculated risks (if it works out, great; if not Community Engagement during the Hurricane Maria Response in Dominica. Routley, S. for CDAC Network community engagement and use these as learn from it). (2018). frameworks for suggesting new approaches and http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ activities. Lobby for inclusion where they are i/20180914160532-w9axq missing from policies, guidance and protocols.

70 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 71 ANNEX | COMMITMENTS, STANDARDS AND DONOR REQUIREMENTS COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

Earthquake and landslide- affected family in Shangla, Annex: Commitments, Pakistan standards and donor requirements

National commitments and standards In countries with a failed state or affected by The primary role and responsibility to provide armed conflict national governments will unlikely timely assistance to those affected, ensure lead on this area of work. It would instead be led people’s protection and security and provide by an international agency with a transition and support for their recovery is that of the affected exit strategy for longer term leadership. state. Many governments have policies and regulative frameworks in place for this, International commitments and which include information management and standards communication systems for rapid and coordinated The World Humanitarian Summit and the resulting flow of information to communities, as well as the commitments, in particular the Participation gathering of feedback on community concerns. Revolution, gave renewed momentum to the centrality of affected people through ensuring Fiji’s National Humanitarian Policy for Disaster collective and systematic participation, shaping Risk Management, for example, includes a aid priorities and programme design to render priority on national information management and humanitarian assistance accountable, relevant communication systems between duty bearers and adaptive to needs. Key global commitments to enable the production of National Disaster and standards on communication and community Management Office (NDMO) situation reports and engagement are detailed below. public messaging. The Grand Bargain It seeks to ensure that national warning https://www.agendaforhumanity.org/ and communication systems, update and initiatives/3861 communication systems to communities are in place to build community awareness on disaster An outcome of the World Humanitarian Summit, risk management and humanitarian action, and the Grand Bargain is a shared commitment gather feedback on community concerns. between more than 30 donors and aid providers that aims to get more aid into the hands of people The policy provides for strong national leadership in need. The commitment of signatories to listen during disaster response and recognises the need more to and include affected people in decisions to work across NDMO, Ministries, Divisions and that affect them (the ‘Participation Revolution’) the Fiji Cluster System as well as non-government requires humanitarian actors to: agencies, media, a national Public Emergency Broadcast system, and community messaging • Dialogue with affected people and communities, networks. including to those most vulnerable and those most at risk, and receive feedback on our Increasingly, governments are leading or working response work; with collective platforms to provide services to • Act and adapt our action based on what we’ve communities, such as in Bangladesh where the heard and give feedback on the decisions and Department for Disaster Management leads the the action we’ve taken; and Shongjog platform and in the Philippines where the Philippine Information Agency plays an active • Provide information that is accessible, timely role in the Community Engagement Community and relevant. of Practice. COMMUNITY WORLD SERVICE ASIA/KHALID COMMUNITY SERVICE WORLD RASHEED.

72 HOW TO GUIDE WWW.CDACNETWORK.ORG CDAC NETWORK 73 ANNEX | COMMITMENTS, STANDARDS AND DONOR REQUIREMENTS COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: A COLLECTIVE APPROACH

Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Steering group Accountability (DFAT), the Canadian government asks that the Amy Rhoades (IOM); Charles Antoine Hofmann (UNICEF); Jacqueline Dalton (BBC Media Action); https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/the-standard perspectives, needs and priorities of impoverished Laura Walker McDonald; Philippa Hill and Richard Cobb (Save the Children); Sara Speicher (WACC); and marginalised groups in communities are Sarah Mace; Walter Mawere (SAADO) The Core Humanitarian Standard sets out nine integrated into development and humanitarian commitments that organisations and individuals action. Contributors, reviewers and interviewees involved in humanitarian response can use to Abdullah Al Razwan; Abdurahman Sharif (Somalia NGO Consortium); Angela Brayton (CARE improve the quality and effectiveness of their Department for International Development (DFID), International); Atem Sijin; Brigitte Mukengeshay (DG ECHO); Bronwyn Russel (UNRCO); assistance. These ensure that communities UK asks partners to ensure that mechanisms are Carla Benham (World Vision); Caroline Austin (IFRC); Charlotte Lancaster (UNOPS); and people affected by crisis know their rights in place for obtaining regular, accurate feedback Elissa Webster (CARE International); Eva Erlach (Ground Truth Solutions); Eva Niederberger (Oxfam); and entitlements, have access to information covering people’s views on assistance received and Franklin Moliba Sese (Humanitarian Communication Roster); Gil Francis Arevalo, OCHA; in an accessible format and language, the organisations providing it. Partners need to show Helen Barrett (Communicability Global); Henry Glorieux (UN Resident Coordinator Office, Bangladesh); participate in decisions that affect them, and how feedback is collected and acted upon to improve John Warnes (UNHCR); Julia Lewis; Julie Marshall (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK); can raise complaints that will be welcomed and relevance, appropriateness, equity, effectiveness Kai Hopkins (Ground Truth Solutions); Maxine Clayton; Meg Sattler (OCHA); Mia Marzotto (Translators addressed. and value for money. DFID also have Enhanced Due without Borders); Mohammed Alshamaa (Save the Children Yemen); Nicola Iris Padamada (Save the Diligence requirements for Safeguarding. Children UK); Nicolas Seris (International Rescue Committee); Nils Carstensen (DanChurchAid); IASC Commitments on Accountability to Affected Phyza Jameel (ETC/WFP); Richard Lace (BBC Media Action); Rita Maingi (OCHA); Robert Powell; People and Protection from Sexual Exploitation Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation Sabina Carlson Robillard; Sarah Routley; Sharon Reader (IFRC); Simone Elyse Carter; and Abuse (Norad) highlights community participation as a Stewart Davies (OCHA); Tanya Axisa (IASC AAP PSEA Task Team); Ujjwal Amatya (REED Nepal) https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/ central part of humanitarian assistance specifying accountability-affected-populations-including- that engagement with crisis affected people is a right. The development of the guide was supported by the CDAC Network Secretariat: Angela Rouse (writer), protection-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse/ Hannah Murphy, Marian Casey-Maslen and Murray Garrard. documents-56 Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) supports efforts that enhance If you are reading the printed version of this document, you can find all of the hyperlinks referred to in The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) the capacity of affected populations to demand the online version of the How to Guide, which can be downloaded at www.cdacnetwork.org Commitments on Accountability to Affected People accountability from local and national authorities, and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse institutions and humanitarian organisations. commit responders to: • Establish appropriate management systems to Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration solicit, hear and act upon the voices and priorities (PRM) and Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster of affected people in a coordinated manner, Assistance (OFDA), USA has a funding requirement including for sexual exploitation and abuse, for partners to have a framework in place that takes before, during and after an emergency; recipient feedback into account. This has been a legal SOURCES FOR QUOTES USED IN THIS DOCUMENT • Adopt agency mechanisms that enable disaster- requirement since 2016. 1 6 affected people to participate in and play an https://www.internews.org/sites/default/files/ Quoted in The Power of Speech. Translators without active role in decisions that will impact their lives, resources/Internews_Lost_SyriaReport_Nov2013_web. Borders (2017). pdf https://translatorswithoutborders.org/twb-response- well-being, dignity and protection; and nigeria/ • Adopt approaches that inform and listen to 2 From rhetoric to action: local actors driving the participation revolution. Final concept note for the 7 Quoted in Typhoon Haiyan Learning Review. Austin, C. communities, address feedback and lead to KEY RESOURCES corrective action, including sexual exploitation ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment – Participation and Bailey, N. for CDAC Network (2014). and abuse-related complaints. Global frameworks and commitments on Revolution & Localisation Side Event (June 2018). http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ communication and community engagement i/20141124131123-z7io0 3 Quoted in Typhoon Haiyan Learning Review. An overview of the various global level frameworks Other frameworks Austin, C. and Bailey, N. for CDAC Network (2014). 8 Committing to diversity, equity and inclusion. Larry and commitments that have components specific to http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ Kramer, January 2018, https://www.hewlett.org/ Several other frameworks and commitments communication and community engagement. have components specific to communication and http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ i/20141124131123-z7io0 committing-diversity-equity-inclusion/ community engagement. These are summarised in i/20180412152101-obmjy 4 How to Establish and Manage a Systematic Community 9 Quoted in the article Iraq’s displaced people need the document, Global frameworks and commitments Feedback Mechanism, IFRC and Ground Truth Solutions information, not only food, water and shelter. CDAC on communication and community engagement (see (2018) Network (2014) Key Resources opposite for list). https://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/wp-content/uploads/ http://www.cdacnetwork.org/i/20140917162422-moeda SECTION REFERENCES sites/5/2018/06/IFRC_feedback-mechanism-with- Donor requirements communities_ok_web.pdf 78 Fiji National Humanitarian Policy for Disaster A number of government donors have mandatory 5 Risk Management. Ministry of Rural and Maritime Are you Listening Now? Community Perspectives on requirements, including for example: Development and National Disaster Management, Communication with Communities during the Nepal Government of the Republic of Fiji (2017). earthquake. CDAC Network (2016) Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade See pages 4-5. http://www.cdacnetwork.org/tools-and-resources/ (DFAT), Australia requires its partners to have http://bit.ly/2CMLWVc i/20160811085949-qjzug accountability frameworks.

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The development of this guide was funded by UK Aid from the UK government through the Department for International Development’s Disasters and Emergencies Preparedness Programme. However the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the UK government or their official policies.

The final production and printing of the guide was made possible by World Association for Christian Communication (UK), Save the Children International and Save the Children Norway