ALNAP Bulletin SEPTEMBER 2009

Welcome to the September 2009 edition of the ALNAP Bulletin, which provides regular updates to Full and Observer Members on ALNAP Secretariat activities.

Since the last Bulletin, we have completed and published the 8th Review of Humanitarian Action. It contains three in-depth studies on performance assessment, impact assessment and humanitarian innovations (each chapter is covered in more detail later). It is now available online The 8th RHA was published in July 2009. and in hard copy. Recent Events and Activities All Full Members should have received their hard copies of the complete edition, stand alone copies of each of the chapters and key message sheets, the latter also March 2009 published in French and Spanish. Ben Ramalingam presented at the Save the Children Leadership Development week, on the leadership We have already received a lot of complimentary competency around ‘External Orientation of Leaders’. feedback from within and beyond the membership. His presentation covered key crisis drivers for the Please do send more feedback on all/any of the humanitarian sector, and networked approaches to chapters, positive or negative! A survey about the strategic change. format, dissemination and use of the 8th RHA is now live and readers are encouraged to take part in it. This ALNAP also made a contribution to a HFP Distance kind of feedback is essential for us to be able to make Learning Module for ECOWAS, on the topic of strategy improvements next time round. and leadership.

In collaboration with the ProVention Consortium, we have also published a lessons paper on response and April 2009 recovery following urban disasters. John Mitchell was invited by OCHA to give a presentation in Geneva to the Global Cluster Leads Donor meeting on During the last months, members of the Secretariat have accountability in the clusters. attended and contributed to a number of meetings and events, enabling us to communicate our research The pilot ‘State of the System report’ work was launched findings to interested parties. and work is on schedule. The team of consultants, led by Paul Harvey, are now working on the first draft We are now busy getting ready for a new round of which is expected in late autumn of this year, with initial ALNAP initiatives, about which more below, and for findings from the pilot to be presented at the 25th bringing the network together in London for the 25th ALNAP Meeting. More information and supplementary ALNAP Meeting in November 2009, which will focus on documents can be found here. Innovations in humanitarian response.

We are also delighted to welcome a new Full Member to May 2009 the ALNAP network – New Zealand (NZAID). In May, Karen Proudlock attended the launch of the ALNAPBulletin SEPTEMBER 2009 Page 2 joint follow-up evaluation of the links between relief, performance agenda and builds upon previous ALNAP rehabilitation and development (LRRD) organized by research. Although it is not a short read, it is essential Sida. to anyone who really wants to get a deeper insight to what the humanitarian performance agenda is all about. The ALNAP Organisational Change chapter was key It will also be very useful when we come to improve the background material for the EPN Conference on methodology for the next State of the System report. Facilitating Change. Ben Ramalingam and Paul Clarke ran a Master Class ‘Breakthrough Change in Times of Another key part of the Humanitarian Performance Crisis’ which was very well received by all attendees. Project (HPP) is also about improving humanitarian impact assessment and our recent study Kim attended the HAP General Assembly in Geneva. has been published in the 8th RHA. We are ALNAP, People in Aid, Red R, Skill Share and BOND ran the pleased to report that the chapter is now being featured first meeting on leadership in the aid system, Learning on the website of 3IE, the International Initiative for to Lead. Hosted by Save The Children, it was very well Impact Evaluation. received, with a follow up planned for the autumn. One of the central features of the study is a new framework for planning and implementing impact June 2009 assessments, which has already been picked up by a In June, John Mitchell and Karen Proudlock also number of ALNAP members including OCHA, Save the presented the framework and findings of the ALNAP Children, ECB and the DEC. Impact Study to members of the Inter-Agency Standing The innovations study, with case studies on cash, Committee (IASC) Real-time Evaluation Interest Group community feeding therapy, mobile technologies and in a workshop on ‘Joint evaluations and the future of the transitional shelter approach, has proved especially inter-agency evaluations’ in Geneva. Download the popular among the membership and more widely. presentation here. This will be the focus of the 25th ALNAP Meeting in Any organisation interested in John or Karen presenting November, about which more below. to their own agency on impact issues please write to John ([email protected]).

John Mitchell participated in a Tearfund advisory group on capacity building for Disaster Risk Reduction, and wrote a conclusion for AIDMI’s publication on ‘Reducing Risk: Learning and Doing’ .

July 2009 July was a big month for the Secretariat, with saw the launch of the new ALNAP website and the new Review of Humanitarian Action.

The first chapter in the 8th RHA presents a wide a wide- ranging overview of the performance agenda - at the New website at www.alnap.org heart of ALNAP’s work - drawing on experiences from the private, public and development sectors. The chapter The new ALNAP site (www.alnap.org) has been very ‘Counting what counts: performance and effectiveness well received, and makes ALNAP resources far more in the humanitarian sector’ is, as far as we are aware, accessible than before. It also incorporates a number of the first comprehensive overview of the humanitarian new features such as membership areas, forums and the ALNAPBulletin SEPTEMBER 2009 Page 3

ALNAP Blog. Watch this space for more developments. The ‘State of the System’ survey closed with 500 respondents. We would like to thank the many Last, but not least, July saw the publication of a new respondents who took the time to participate in the lessons paper. Disaster response in an urban environment survey as this will form an important element of the presents a wide variety of challenges. Humanitarian findings. organisations often have more experience of disaster response in rural settings, and local authorities and ALNAP’s Annual Report 2008-09 was published online. community organisations may have little experience of planning and executing large-scale activities in response September 2009 (to date) and recovery. The publication of the HPP Briefing Note no 2 gives a The latest lessons paper was the result of over 8 months current update on our work as part of our humanitarian of work by ALNAP and the ProVention Consortium, performance workstream. synthesizing key research in this important but neglected The ALNAP Steering Committee meeting was held on 8 area. This research focused on responses to a number September. of urban disasters, including earthquake responses in Bam (Iran), Bhuj (India), Izmit (Turkey), and Kobe (Japan); storm and hurricane in Gonaives (Haiti) and New Orleans (United States), and conflict responses in Angola and Planned Future Events and Activities Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina). The paper highlights key lessons to guide local authorities, national governments, September 2009 international agencies, the private sector, learning Preparations are being made for ALNAP to launch its centres and community organisations in approaching series of Innovations Case Studies highlighting specific the specific challenges of addressing and responding to innovations in the humanitarian sector. The first of these disaster risks in urban environments. case studies is looking at Concern’s use of M-PESA for mobile cash transfers and will be published shortly. If anyone is interested in contributing a particular case study, which could be of interest across the membership and the wider sector, please contact Kim Scriven ([email protected]).

September will see the start in earnest of a new study on establishing how to use information from beneficiary surveys as a mechanism for assessing performance. Karen is leading on the development of a concept note, which is being shaped in consultation with member

© Manoocher Deghati/IRIN agencies, academics and independent institutions who are either involved in implementing participatory ‘Responding to Urban Disasters: Learning from Previous methods or conducting research on the relationship Relief and Recovery Operations’ is now available on the between participation and improved performance and website. accountability. Initial discussions between ALNAP and HAP‐I, The Fritz Institute, The Listening Project and Tufts August 2009 University have already begun. If you are interested in IRIN featured the Innovations Study in an excellent article being involved, contact Karen Proudlock (k.proudlock@ by Anna Jefferys, which had front page coverage on the alnap.org). site and much interest across blogs and on Twitter. As an aside for those who don’t know of it, ALNAP’s ALNAPBulletin SEPTEMBER 2009 Page 4

Global Study on participation is one of the most detailed the functions they play. It will explore the overarching reviews of participation undertaken in the aid sector, relationships and dynamics among different actors covering six country case studies. This can be found here. and institutions, and associated policy, programming, political and financial interests and relationships. This The second of the meetings in the ‘Learning to Lead’ USAID-supported study is led by the Humanitarian series will be held at British Red Cross on 23 September. Policy Group and Ben will be closely involved. Contact Catherine Russ ([email protected]) of Red R for more details. The International Rescue Committee is hosting a conference on ‘Humanitarian Reform: Strengthening partnership for more effective humanitarian response’. October 2009 The conference will take place on 13 October 2009 at the As part of the ongoing workstream on humanitarian Ditchley Foundation Conference Centre in Oxfordshire. performance, an interest group on Key Performance John Mitchell will be attending. Indicators has been set up to share thinking and relevant materials on approaches to organisational and John Mitchell will give a keynote presentation at an programme performance. The first meeting is planned international conference on accountability: ‘Profit and for October. Not for Profit: a new partnership for the aid industry’ organised by the the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, a October will see a new initiative, which aims to develop leading Italian University. The conference will take place evaluation capacity in the humanitarian sector. To date, on 29-30 October 2009 in Pisa. 16 interviews have been conducted with key informants including representatives of UN agencies, bi-lateral donors, NGOs, Red Cross and Red Crescent movement November 2009 and academic institutions, as well as independent The 25th ALNAP Meeting will take place on 17 and 18 evaluators, to establish evaluation-related needs and November 2009 at the Kensington Forum Conference sound out/fine tune the concept and approach outlined Centre in London. The meeting is organized in close above. partnership with the Humanitarian Futures Programme based at King’s College London. Initial soundings suggest a lot of support for the initiative and, in particular, for facilitated knowledge- The meeting theme Innovations in International sharing within and between agencies on evaluation Humanitarian Action will be building on the study capacities and systems, which is perceived to be lacking. ‘Innovations in International humanitarian action’ Already, DEC, WFP, UK, BRCS, ECHO and DFID published in the 8th Review of Humanitarian Action. have expressed an interest in participating in workshops. Gareth Thomas, Minister of State for International Please contact Karen Proudlock (k.proudlock@alnap. Development, will give the welcome address. The org) for further information about this initiative. keynote presentation will be given by Lynda Gratton, Professor of Management Practice at London Business October will also see the next phase of an ODI-ALNAP School. research project on humanitarian networks. Following the publication of an ALNAP-ODI-ICVA Background Find out more about the 25th ALNAP Meeting note on humanitarian networks, there has been a lot Download Concept note of interest in the Network Functions approach as a way of analyzing and improving cross-organisational In an Innovations Fair organized around presentations collaborations. and discussions, meeting participants will have an opportunity to learn about humanitarian innovations This interest has recently led to the conceptualization of from those who have developed them in real-world a dedicated study, with the overall aim of exploring and settings. Specific innovations will be showcased, mapping the different networks within the system and ALNAPBulletin SEPTEMBER 2009 Page 5 drawing on efforts across the ALNAP membership and Download concept note beyond. If any agencies would like to get involved in the The Secretariat is currently working to produce an showcasing of an innovation, please get in contact with internal monitoring mechanism to track progress made Kim Scriven ([email protected]). against the five strategic objectives agreed in theALNAP Strategy 2008-2013. M&E expert Rick Davis has provided guidance in this process. The new mechanism should be live by November.

A new course ‘Advanced Humanitarian Evaluation Practice and Ethics’ will take place on 12-13 November 2009. Visit the Channel Research website for more information.

December 2009 John Mitchell will be attending the HPG Advisory Group Meeting.

We will be putting concerted efforts to develop the Web The Humanitarian LifeStraw®, created by Vestergaard Frandsen, 2.0 features on www.alnap.org. which filters and purifies water fror drinking. Also planned for this month is the publication of the pilot ‘State of the System Report’. The pilot ‘State of the System Report’ will be presented by Humanitarian Outcomes on the second day of the meeting. Membership Highlights The Humanitarian Futures Programme’s Stakeholder Forum will be held on 19 and 20 November and will focus The report of the Sida-led joint evaluation on LRRD post- on ‘Strategic Leadership in ’. ALNAP tsunami was published in May. Download ‘A ripple in has made a substantive contribution to this meeting, development? Long term perspectives on the response and members of the ALNAP team will be attending. to the Indian Ocean tsunami 2004’. This meeting will provide a platform for launching a The ICRC has published the ‘Interpretive Guidance’, new collaborative study on humanitarian leadership. which aims to clarify the meaning and consequences This new work has been developed in collaboration with of direct participation in hostilities under international the Humanitarian Futures Programme (HFP), and Tulane humanitarian law (IHL). University’s Disaster Management Leadership Academy (DMLA). The research aims are to clarify the dimensions has recently published their new Humanitarian of leadership in the humanitarian sector, exploring the Relief Policy. One of the policy’s core elements is the various leadership models which have been applied in provision of flexible and timely funding to organisations sectors outside the humanitarian sector, and analysing which demonstrate a clear capacity to deliver effective and exploring leadership in specific humanitarian humanitarian assistance in a manner that is responsive to contexts in more detail. This study will coordinate closely identified need and adheres to humanitarian principles. with People in Aid and other key actors with an interest Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FHA), one of the in leadership issues. Please visit the ALNAP website or newest ALNAP members, received the prestigious contact John Mitchell ([email protected]) for further United Nations’ Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction. information about this initiative. FHA was given the Certificate of Merit for its disaster ALNAPBulletin SEPTEMBER 2009 Page 6 prevention, mitigation and preparedness activities to govt.nz) reduce the vulnerability of over half a million people Profile: NZAID leads the NZ Government’s response in living in the mountainous northern areas of Pakistan. the Pacific but is also part of a broader international The UN Sasakawa award for disaster reduction was effort with support provided through United Nations established in 1986 by founding chairman of the Nippon multilateral agencies specialising in humanitarian Foundation, Mr Ryoichi Sasakawa. To find out more assistance, the Red Cross Movement and New Zealand about Focus’s award-winning work in this area, contact non-government organisations (NGOs) with partners in the Full Member representative Salim Sumar (salim. the affected country. [email protected]). NZAID has an increasing focus on prevention, disaster preparedness and risk reduction. NZAID also places importance on the coordination of international and local resources, as this is critical in getting the most effective response to a crisis.

Over the past five years the organisation has been strengthening its evaluation capacity has also been Focus being given DRR award by Sir John an active member of the development evaluation Holmes community, contributed to joint evaluations and hosted international evaluation events. Over the coming year Jemilah Mahmood, Full Member Representative for NZAID intends to develop specific guidance on the Mercy Malaysia, has moved to join UNFPA as Chief of the evaluation of humanitarian assistance with the aim of Humanitarian Response Branch. We wish Jemilah well undertaking more reviews and evaluations in this area. in her new role, and look forward to continuing good relations with Mercy, and exploring new possibilities Website: http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/ with the UNFPA.

Since March 2009, one new Full Member organisation has joined the ALNAP Network - welcome to New Other news in brief Zealand Aid (NZAid)! A short description their work ALNAP’s Communications Officer, Franziska Orphal, will is given below. There are now 63 Full Members in the go on maternity leave in September. The Secretariat ALNAP Network - you can more details on all of them would like to welcome Josh Harris to the team who will here. be taking over this role during her absence starting on 5 October 2009. New Zealand Agency for International Ben Ramalingam will be re-joining the team in October Development - NZAID after taking sabbatical leave to write a book on Constituency: Donor complexity sciences and international aid, which will be Representative: Penny Hawkins (penny.hawkins@nzaid. published by Oxford University Press.

Current secretariat staff are: John Mitchell Director of ALNAP Colin Hadkiss Administrator ALNAP Secretariat Ben Ramalingam Head of Research and Development Overseas Development Institute Tel: + 44 (0)20 7922 0300 Karen Proudlock Evaluation and Research Officer 111 Westminster Bridge Road Fax:+ 44 (0)20 7922 0399 Kim Scriven Research and Innovations Officer London SE1 7JD, UK Email: [email protected] Franziska Orphal Communications Officer