Standby Partnerships

STANDBY PARTNERSHIPS

HQ/OHE/ERM/SCT/2015.3 Photo: WHO/Marco Kokic 2 Foreword

Emergencies are complex, rapidly have been agreed in advance, there is I encourage you to become familiar changing environments where the very little administrative burden on WHO with WHO’s Standby Partnerships. Being World Health Organization (WHO) works in deploying Standby Personnel. prepared through arrangements like with partners to save lives and prevent Standby Partnerships means that as an illness, disability and the spread of Standby Partners are increasingly emergency unfolds, WHO can move disease. Extra personnel must be in place a central element of WHO’s emergency quickly to lead and strengthen a response quickly to support WHO’s emergency risk management system and a strong focused on saving and protecting lives work. Existing staff remain WHO’s most complement to WHO’s other surge by accessing additional resources. important resource when responding mechanisms. Standby Personnel have to an emergency. However emergencies been critical in supporting WHO’s can be a challenging time to identify the response operations to emergencies right staff and negotiate contracts. such as Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, the Syrian regional crisis, That’s where Standby Partnerships can be the crisis in South Sudan and the Michelle Gayer critical. Through Standby Partners, WHO Ebola disease outbreak in West Africa. Director a.i. can rapidly access and deploy highly WHO’s Standby Partner deployments Emergency Risk Management and skilled personnel to support the continue to grow, from 11 in 2013, to a Humanitarian Response, WHO emergency work of WHO and the Health total of 80 deployments as of mid 2015. November 2015 Cluster. Because Standby Partnerships

Photo: WHO/Marco Kokic 3 About this brochure

The following information on WHO’s Standby Partnerships is important for WHO offices seeking to access surge human resources for WHO’s emergency work through Standby Partners.

The guide explains the purpose and benefits of WHO’s Standby Partnerships. It further outlines the skills available from Standby Partner deployment rosters, the steps involved in accessing those personnel, and the roles and responsibilities of WHO, its Standby Partners and the deployed Standby Personnel throughout Juba, South Sudan. Marina Adrianopoli, the entire deployment process. WHO Nutrition Officer, Standby Partner CANADEM

©World Health Organization, 2015 All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health The designations employed and the presentation in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Organization are available on the WHO web site of the material in this publication do not imply the Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary (www.who.int) or can be purchased from WHO Press, expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of products are distinguished by initial capital letters. World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, the World Health Organization concerning the legal Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; status of any country, territory, city or area or of its All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World e-mail: [email protected]). authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers Health Organization to verify the information contained or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate in this publication. However, the published material is being dis- Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. tributed without warranty of any kind, ether expressed or implied. publications – whether for sale or for noncommercial The responsibilityfor the interpretation and use of the material distribution – should be addressed to WHO Press through The mention of specific companies or of certain lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health the WHO web site (http://www.who.int/about/licensing/ manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are Organization be liable for damages arising from its use. copyright_form/en/index.html). endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization Cover photo: WHO/Nyka Alexander 4 Contents

3 Foreword 16 Pre-deployment 4 About this brochure 18 On arrival 7 About Standby Partnerships 19 During the deployment 11 Skills available Completing the 12 Accessing Standby Personnel 22 deployment Requesting Standby Partner Advice for successful 13 support 23 deployments Identifying Standby Partner 15 candidates 24 General conditions

5 WHO rapidly mobilizes qualified and experienced professionals to respond to the health consequences of acute and protracted emergencies, and disease outbreaks. WHO achieves this through drawing upon the deployment rosters of internal and external personnel, and the capacity of partner organisations.

Photo: WHO/Fred Urlep 6 About Standby Partnerships

WHO’s Standby Partnerships are Standby Personnel are not WHO managed by WHO Headquarters. consultants. WHO signs a Standby Standby Partners play a key role in Partnership Agreement directly with strengthening the capacity of WHO the Standby Partner organisation which and the broader health sector during all has a contractual relationship with the aspects of emergencies. individuals that serve as Standby Personnel. The Standby Partner covers WHO holds Standby Partnership the core costs of a deployment and Agreements with external partners manages most administrative require- who provide short-term surge support ments, including contract, salary, per to WHO’s emergency work. These part- diem, insurance and travel to the duty ners maintain deployment rosters of station. This allows WHO to rapidly and pre-screened and trained candidates flexibly deliver surge capacity. who can be rapidly deployed to provide operational support to WHO and the Health Cluster.

7 Juba, South Sudan. Amirkambiz Hamedanizadeh, WHO Public Health Officer, Standby Partner Norwegian Refugee Council.

8 WHO’s Standby Partners Benefits of Standby Partners

Standby Partners are organisations with WHO invests in strong relationships strong networks of deployable technical with its Standby Partners to help ensure professionals. Partner organisations are that the right personnel can be quickly selected on the basis of their proven deployed to support WHO’s emergency capacity to: operations.

√√ source Standby Personnel with skills Some of the key benefits for WHO of that match WHO and Health Cluster Standby Partnerships include: needs in emergency work; √√ quickly deploy Standby Personnel to √√ enables the rapid deployment the field; of skilled surge personnel to support √√ provide Standby Personnel with WHO and the Health Cluster; appropriate financial compensation √√ fills immediate human resource and insurance coverage; and gaps while alternative staffing √√ work within the terms of WHO’s solutions are put in place; Standby Partnership Agreement. √√ relieves the administrative work- load of WHO offices coping with For more information on WHO’s Standby emergencies; Partners, please contact [email protected] √√ sources profiles which may not be readily available among WHO personnel; √√ complements WHO’s other surge mechanisms, providing a low cost option; √√ builds strong operational relationships with Partners and the governments that support them; √√ enables access to a strong, reliable and scalable system for emergency response. 9 RedR Australia sent us some great “deployees. They were dedicated, talented and really hard working. WHO sent out the RedR deployees as training coordinators to the three countries most-affected by Ebola and to the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER).

Dr Gaya Gamhewage, “ Department of Communications, WHO HQ

Accra, Ghana. Luis Ramirez, UNMEER, Training Coordinator Anna-Marie Schopp, WHO Training Coordinator, Standby Partner RedR Australia Roberto Colombo, WHO IM Officer, Standby Partner iMMAP Sutapa Howlader, WHO Training Officer, Standby Partner RedR Australia 10 Skillsthrough available Standby Partners

WHO’s Standby Partners maintain rosters • Health Cluster coordination of skilled humanitarian and technical • Information management (IM) professionals. Partners propose candi- • Information technology dates from these rosters in response to • Logistics specific deployment requests made by • Media and communications WHO. • Project management • Public health Standby Partner rosters comprise a • Reporting broad range of capacities including, but not limited to, the following emergency • Resource mobilisation functions: • Risk communications and community engagement • Capacity building • Risk management • Data management and analysis • Security • Disaster risk reduction • Telecommunications • Emergency medical team coordination • Training • Epidemiology • Water and sanitation • Geographic information systems (GIS) • Grant management

StandbyAccessing Personnel

Standby Partnership Agreements give √√ WHO is unable to meet additional WHO ready access to personnel to staffing requirements within given support emergency and humanitarian time constraints and funding work. Standby Personnel are not a availability; substitute for WHO’s regular staffing √√ WHO requires the services of Standby arrangements, they are a resource Personnel in an emergency for a for temporarily strengthening WHO’s limited period of time (usually three emergency capacity. to six months); √√ the surge request is for advisory A WHO office could request access to or/and technical operational work Standby Partner support in the following only, and is not for positions that in- circumstances: volve making financial transactions, representing WHO or supervising √√ the WHO office is confronted with staff. an urgent and unforeseen need for additional human resources capacity during an emergency;

Freetown, Sierra Leone. Johan Gonzalez, WHO GIS Officer, Standby Partner iMMAP Steve Sesay, UNMEER, GIS Officer

12 RequestingStandby Partner support

How to Request Request Form Terms of Reference

Once a surge deployment need has The request form includes the details ToRs for the deployment are defined been identified, a WHO office can required for deployment such as: by the requesting WHO office. request Standby Partner support by Generic ToRs are available to the sending the required documentation √√ a justification which clearly indicates requesting WHO office and should be to the WHO Surge Focal Point in why the additional function is used to facilitate rapid deployments. headquarters. This includes an official required and how it will support The supervisor and Standby Personnel ″Request for Surge Support Form″ the emergency; discuss and agree on the specific (request form) and Terms of Reference √√ equivalent professional level of deliverables/activities at the duty station. (ToRs) for the assignment. The WHO the role; Surge Focal Point will review all requests √√ duty station; and advise whether the Standby Partner √√ start date and duration of or another WHO surge mechanism is the assignment; most appropriate for meeting the WHO √√ supervisor’s details; office’s need. √√ language skills required; √√ visa and medical requirements. The request form and ToRs are essential to ensure that all requirements of the For any deployment forms, deployment are known from the outset documents or information, of the request. This enables the most please contact [email protected] appropriate identification of suitable Standby Personnel, and increases the overall speed of the deployment.

13 Strengthening the WHO response capacity “through Standby Partner deployments has certainly substantially boosted the WHO response capacity, both in natural disasters and in conflicts.

The response to the Typhoon Haiyan disaster affecting the Philippines saw a massive deployment of experts from Standby Partners, which enabled a more effective WHO role in leading the health cluster, not only at the national, but also at subnational levels, translating into effective coordination and health information management at the local level.

Standby Partner support was essential in strengthening the health information management function of the Health Cluster, following the 51 days war in Gaza 2014. A deployment from the Norwegian Refugee Council translated into additional analytical capacity to identify response and recovery priorities. And a deployment of a communications officer through RedR Australia resulted in a strengthened WHO capacity to provide enhanced visibility for health challenges and health sector response and recovery needs through web postings, articles and various communication and media products.

Dr Gerald Rockenschaub, WHO Head of Country Office oPt and former “ Regional Advisor for Emergencies - EURO

14 StandbyIdentifying Partner candidates

A strong vetting process identifies qualified candidates with the required skill set and experience. STEP 1: STEP 3: Deployment request Ranking candidates WHO Surge Focal Point shares a deploy- The requesting WHO office provides ment request from the requesting WHO feedback/approval (ideally within 48 Office with Standby Partners for both hours). The WHO office should identify their and their donor’s consideration. a preferred candidate and rank the Partners identify suitable candidates remaining candidates, indicating if any from their rosters, and nominate these are unacceptable. This saves time if a candidates by sharing CVs and availability preferred candidate is no longer available. timeframes with the WHO Surge Focal Point (ideally within 72 hours).

STEP 2: STEP 4: Reviewing nominations Deployment decision WHO Surge Focal Point vets the WHO Surge Focal Point informs the nominations and shares the most suitable Standby Partner of the WHO decision to profiles with the requesting WHO office deploy or not to deploy the nominated for their consideration. candidates.

Geneva, WHO Headquarters. Strategic Health Operations Centre during Typhoon Haiyan response in the Philippines. 15 Pre-deployment the DEPLOYMENT process

Standby Partner

Once a Standby Personnel has been √√ Certificate of Good Health issued The Standby Partner arranges: selected, the Standby Partner provides within the last six months by a the WHO Surge Focal Point with: certified physician stating that the √√ deployment contract and salary; individual is fit to travel and carry √√ per diem for the duration of the √√ electronic copy of valid national out the assignment, has received deployment, including duty travel passport; the required vaccinations, and has and Rest and Recuperation (R&R); been provided with any prophylactic √√ valid certificates of the United √ insurance for health, accident, med- medicines required for the country/ √ Nations Department of Safety and ical evacuation, third-party liability, countries to which he/she is to travel; Security (UNDSS) mandatory field and war and other extraordinary risks; √√ United Nations Certificate (UNC) security training courses (Basic and √ required pre-deployment training application from; √ Advanced); and briefing; √√ two colour passport photos or high √√ WHO Declaration of Interests form √ travel itinerary and travel arrange- quality digital format photos for √ signed by the Standby Personnel; ments to and from the duty station processing the UNC. √√ Standby Partner Agreement (or closest possible point of entry); Undertaking signed by the Standby √√ visa application (if required). Personnel;

16 Roles and responsibilities between WHO and Standby Partners are pre-agreed to ensure personnel are deployed to the field quickly and safely.

WHO responsibilities

The WHO Surge Focal Point: The requesting WHO office arranges:

√√ arranges the UNC for the Standby √√ any support required for the visa Personnel prior to departure; application (i.e. Letter of Invitation); √√ sends the requesting WHO office √√ security clearance through the the confirmed flight itinerary; UNDSS Travel Request Information √√ ensures the Standby Personnel Processing (TRIP) system; receives any country specific admin- √√ airport pick-up; istrative information provided by √√ initial hotel or guest house accom- the WHO requesting office. modation.

Monrovia, Liberia. Hassan Srour, WHO Logistics Officer, Standby Partner Norwegian Refugee Council Photo: WHO/Roar Sorensen 17 theOn deployment arrival process

Once the Standby Personnel has arrived The PER must be completed at the at the duty station, the requesting WHO end of the deployment by both the office ensures that he/she is provided Standby Personnel and their in-country with: supervisor. It is an important tool in order to receive feedback on the √√ UN badge, access to work facilities performance of the Standby Personnel such as office space, desk and and to evaluate the key outputs and telephone, and any other equipment results achieved during the deployment. required to perform their ToRs; √√ operational briefing about the emergency; √√ security briefing, any required security materials and training (and is included in the office security plan, including for evacuation); √√ time to discuss the ToR and to agree on planned key outputs for the Performance Evaluation Report (PER).

During the deploymentthe deployment process

Support

During the deployment, the requesting WHO office:

√√ arranges and pays for any required √√ provides appropriate supervision post-arrival and in-country transport and guidance throughout the (travel from the closet port of entry deployment; to the duty station, duty travel √√ ensures the Standby Personnel has beyond the designated duty station, access to the required facilities and transport to the office each day if operational support so that they necessary, and R&R), and the issuing can effectively deliver on their ToRs of security clearances; and PER outputs. √√ ensures the Standby Personnel is fully integrated into the office and team/department in which they will work;

Manila, Philippines. Tim Hayden, WHO Public Health Officer, Standby Partner RedR Australia

19 As part of the ongoing health response raising activities, and developing a “to the Syria crisis, Joe Swan was deployed regional online photo library, Joe by Standby Partner organisation undertook a number of support RedR Australia to work with WHO’s missions in the Kurdistan Region of Emergency Support Team (EmST) in Iraq (KRI) where he produced country Amman, Jordan. Joe’s role as communi- health situation reports, media releases, cations officer was to bring more public stories from the field, and media attention to WHO’s work in Syria and briefing points. neighbouring countries (Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey) in order “Having Joe on-hand to support to generate positive public and health communication initiatives, whether in partner engagement and donor support Jordan, Iraq or elsewhere in the region, for WHO’s work in improving the health has been very helpful to our operations,” of affected populations. said Dr Nada Al Ward, EmST coordinator. “Standby Partner support has enabled “The surge deployment was a great WHO to build up the EmST quickly and experience,” reflected Joe, on his six to contribute to the delivery of some month assignment which commenced of the critical functions of WHO during in April 2014. “Being in a regional role, emergency response,” she said. I was very lucky to be involved in an array of projects. One day I would be “I’m grateful to both RedR Australia and working on a web article on disease WHO for the deployment opportunity,” surveillance in Egypt, the next – a photo Joe said. “The work was meaningful, essay on medicine deliveries to support the support definitely needed, and refugee communities in Turkey,” he said. I really feel as if I was able to make an impact during my six months on In addition to activities such as assignment,” he said. developing donor snapshot documents, Amman, Jordan. coordinating social media campaigns, Joe Swan, Joseph Swan, promoting and running awareness RedR Australia Standby Personnel “ WHO Communications Officer, Standby Partner RedR Australia

20 During the deploymentthe deployment process

Security Extension requests

Standby Personnel are entitled to the If Standby Personnel agree, the request- same security provisions as WHO staff ing WHO office can send an ″Extension including security coverage under the Request for Surge Support″ form to United Nations security framework. the WHO Surge Focal Point to extend Standby Personnel complete UNDSS the deployment period. The extension field security training courses prior to request form requires details on the deployment and must adhere to all reasons for extending the deployment WHO and UN security regulations and and any updates to the ToRs, supervisor procedures. or duty station.

Standby Personnel must receive the same The WHO Surge Focal Point discusses security considerations for personal the extension request with the Standby protection and housing security as WHO Partner for their approval and informs staff, including access to appropriate the requesting WHO office of the -out security materials and equipment. come. If confirmed, the Standby Partner will extend the deployee contract and amend the travel itinerary. “

21 Completingthe deployment process the deployment

requesting WHO office WHO Surge Focal Point Standby Partner

At the end of a deployment: Arranges a debrief with the Standby At the end of the deployment the Standby Personnel either via phone/Skype/face Partner carries out an evaluation of √√ ensures the Standby Personnel to face, and will share this feedback each deployment through a systematic completes the WHO End of Mission with the requesting WHO office and the internal debriefing of the Standby Technical Report and prepares hand- global and regional WHO Focal Points Personnel, and provides a copy of the over notes, which must be cleared by for this emergency. evaluation to the WHO Surge Focal Point. the WHO in-country supervisor, and provides a copy to the WHO Surge Focal Point; √√ ensures the Standby Personnel and their supervisor complete the PER and provide a copy to the WHO Surge Focal Point; √√ arranges any required exit inter- views/meetings.

for successfulAdvice DEPLOYMENTs

Keeping in mind the following advice will √√ When Standby Personnel arrive √√ Debriefing with outgoing personnel help ensure Standby Personnel can make in-country, the supervisor should is a valuable part of the deployment a valuable contribution to support the discuss their TORs and refine these and will help ensure that Standby emergency work of WHO and the Health as necessary to ensure Standby Partnership deployments continue Cluster: Personnel clearly understand what to be productive in the future. is expected of them during the √√ Standby Personnel should be deployment. √√ The terms, conditions and responsi- considered an integral part of WHO’s bilities of WHO for Standby Personnel emergency operations – they are an √√ Supervision and clear task-setting will deployments differ to those of important asset to the operational help Standby Personnel to effectively consultants. General conditions of capacity of WHO and the Health deliver on their TORs. Standby Personnel deployments are Cluster. outlined in the next section. √√ Standby Personnel are provided √√ Standby Personnel should be to WHO from other organisations. provided with the same facilities and They may not be fully aware of WHO’s operational support that would be culture or procedures, so it is essential provided to WHO staff. that the receiving WHO office takes this into consideration and assists the Standby Personnel as required.

23 Generalof Standby partner conditions deployments

Contractual relationship No contractual link directly between Standby Personnel and WHO. Standby Personnel have a formal contract with the Standby Partner only. Relationship to WHO Standby Personnel must agree in writing (signed Standby Partner Agreement Undertaking form) to perform their assignments in compliance with WHO’s instruc- tions, and to exercise the utmost discretion in matters related to their assignment. Role of Standby Personnel Either advisory or technical operational roles (under the supervision of a WHO staff member). Standby Personnel cannot undertake supervisory roles or officially represent WHO.

Length of deployment Usually between three and six months. Extensions beyond this period require the prior approval of WHO’s Human Resource Department.

Salary and per diem Arranged and paid for by Standby Partner.

Travel to duty station Arranged and paid for by Standby Partner. UN Certificate Provided by the UN at request of WHO.

Arrival in-country Receiving WHO office arranges airport pick-up and initial accommodation, and provides required office space and equipment.

24 In-country duty travel Travel arranged and paid for by WHO, per diem is paid by the Standby Partner.

Rest and recuperation According to WHO’s policy in force at the duty station. Travel arranged and paid for by WHO, per diem is paid by the Standby Partner.

Insurance Health, accident, medical evacuation, third-party liability insurance (covering war-risk and other extraordinary risks) provided by Standby Partner.

Repatriation and evacuation, Arranged and paid for by Standby Partner with assistance from WHO when needed. including medical evacuation

Security arrangements Standby Personnel are covered by the UN security framework. They are required to complete the UN mandatory field security training courses before deployment, as well as confirm they will abide by WHO and UN security policies and directives.

25 More information For further information on WHO’s Standby Partnerships, please contact [email protected]