Lessons learned from a locally-led emergency...
Transcript of Lessons learned from a locally-led emergency...
Lessons learned from a locally-led emergency responseMay 2019
CONTENTS
2 | Australian Red Cross
Introduction 3
Backgroundandsummary 3
1. Walking the talk of a locally-led response 4
2. RedCrossRedCrescentNational Societiesdelegatingauthorityandresponsibilitiestoprovincialand branchlevels 5
3. Effectivecoordinationatalllevels: regional,nationalandlocal 5
4. Buildingcapabilitiesatalllevels 6
5. Supportingalocalisedapproach tosurgecapacities 8
6. Buildinghumanitariandiplomacyat regional,nationalandprovinciallevels 9
7. IFRCsupportforlocalisation 10
Glossary 11
Coverimage:VolunteersfromPalangMerahIndonesia(PMI),Indonesia’s RedCrossSociety,wereactivelocalresponderstoearthquakesthatkilledmorethan2700peoplein2018.Credit:CarolineHaga/IFRC
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INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
This report focuses on the localisationagenda1 and how it can be used to strengthen disaster response and preparednessactivitieswithinthe Red Cross Red Crescent Movement,andamongotherhumanitarian actors.
ItdrawsonarealtimeevaluationundertakenbytheInternationalFederationofRedCrossandRedCrescentSocieties(IFRC),AustralianRedCrossandIndonesian RedCross(locallyknownasPalangMerahIndonesia,orPMIforshort),inDecember2018.
Overall,theevaluationprovidesapositiveexampleofanationally-ledandlocally-managedemergencyresponse,notingthereisalwaysroomforimprovementforfutureresponses.
NinesignificantearthquakeshitIndonesiaduring2018.ThemostdamagingearthquakesoccurredonLombokIslandandinCentralSulawesi.BetweenJuly29andAugust19,2018,earthquakesinLombokkilled515people,destroyedordamaged88,000housesandaffectedabout500,000people.
OnSeptember28,2018,amagnitude7.5quakestrucktheislandofSulawesi,triggeringatsunamiwithwavesupto6mhighandgroundliquefaction.Morethan2,200peoplewerekilled,almost68,000housesdestroyedordamagedandmorethan430,000peoplewereaffected.
TheIndonesianGovernmentdidnotrequestinternationalassistance.Insteadspecificsupportwaswelcomedthroughgovernment-determinedchannelsandoffersofassistancefrominternationaldonorsandinternationalnon-governmentorganisations(INGOs)wereconsideredinordertofillidentifiedgapsintheresponse.Asaresultofthisposition,theoperationprovidesapositiveexampleofalocalisedresponse,fromwhichlessonscanbedistilledfor use in future disaster preparedness and responses. Ofparticularnotearethefollowingpoints:
• PMIrespondedatscalefromtheonset(pursuanttoitsauxiliaryrole2),quicklymobilisingcapacityfromitsstrong network.
• TheIndonesianGovernmentgavePMIadditionalresponsibilities(i.e.inlogistics,INGOcoordinationandcampmanagement),whichrequiredcoordinationacrossarangeofnationalandinternationalstakeholders.WhilethisraisedPMI’simageasacentralresponseactor,italsoheightenedexpectationsofinternationalhumanitarianstakeholdersforeffectivefacilitation.TheseadditionalresponsibilitieswerechallengingforPMIandimposedasignificantburden on them and on IFRC.
• PMIsuccessfullyworkedwiththeIndonesianGovernmenttolaunchaninternationalappealfortheLombokresponsethroughIFRC(later-onexpandingthescopeoftheappealintenttoSulawesi).
• InternationalRedCrossRedCrescentcapacitiescomplementedthecapacityofPMIindifferentwaysin Lombok and Sulawesi, underlining the need for case-by-case decisions to ensure the right support is in placetocomplementthecapacityofnationalactors.
• IFRCstaffidentifiedpragmaticsolutionsinordertoshiftitssurgeeffortstofocusonsupportrolesandoperationalcoordination.
1. Localisationreferstoinvestmentinthelong-terminstitutionalcapacitiesoflocalactors,thepromotionofmoreequalpartnerships,andbetterintegrationwithlocalcoordinationmechanismsandwasagreedtoaspartoftheGrandBargainattheWorldHumanitarianSummit.
2. Thisauxiliaryrolecanbedescribedas“aspecificanddistinctivepartnership,entailingmutualresponsibilitiesandbenefits,basedoninternationalandnationallaws,inwhichthenationalpublicauthoritiesandtheNationalSocietyagreeontheareasinwhichtheNationalSocietysupplementsorsubstitutespublichumanitarianservices[.]”Resolution2,30thInternationalConferenceoftheRedCrossandRedCrescent(2007).PMIisauxiliarytotheIndonesianGovernmentfordisastermanagementandblooddonations.
1. Walking the talk of a locally-led response
Withmorethan156,000homesandpropertiesdestroyedfollowingtwoearthquakesin2018,localRedCrossvolunteerswereimportanttodeliverthenecessary on-the-groundwork.Credit:RosemarieNorth/IFRC
Thiswasalocally-ledresponsewithlimitedinternationalassistancerequested.Although,theIndonesianGovernmentdidaskASEANmemberstatestoprovidesome targeted assistance.
Thisapproachrequiredafundamentalshiftininternationalpracticesandprovedchallengingformanyactors.
TheIndonesianGovernment’sapproachtothedisasterswasto:
• harness local capacity where possible;
• issue clear guidelines for foreign aid workers asking theyconductactivitieswithlocalpartnersandberegisteredwithgovernmentagencies;
• requestnon-governmentorganisationsworkthrougheitherBNPB(Indonesia’sNationalDisasterManagementAuthority)orPMI,includingforcashprogramming; and
• acceptoffersofinternationalassistancefitforpurpose,specificandintendedtosupportandfillthegapstheIndonesianGovernment(andaffectedcommunities)mostneeded.
TheIndonesianGovernment’sstrongstanceforanationally-ledresponsecaughtmanyintheinternationalcommunity(donors,humanitarianorganisationsandmedia)offguard.Thecriticsofthisapproachfailedtoread the signals and had not kept pace with groundwork theIndonesianGovernmentandotherstakeholdershaddoneoverthepastdecadetotakethereins.PMIandIFRCplayedasignificantroleinthis,particularlyinthedevelopmentoftheDisasterManagementActLawNo.24of2007andrelatedimplementingregulations.
Generally,theongoingIndonesianoperationisawake-upcall for Red Cross Red Crescent, as well as the broader humanitarian community and donors, to translate and actiontheGrandBargaincommitmentsonlocalisation.
Lesson learned 1.1: Policydialogueonlocalisationhasnotyetfilteredthroughtotheoperationallevelamonginternational aid actors.
Lesson learned 1.2: Continuedeffortsarerequiredtohighlighttheimportanceoflocalisation,andtoensurethetransitionfrompolicytooperations:‘walkingthetalk’amonginternationalaidactors.
4 | Australian Red Cross
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2. Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies delegating authority and responsibilities to provincial and branch levels
3. Effective coordination at all levels: regional, national and local
Effectivecoordinationsavesenergy,resources,timeand,mostimportantly,lives.Fortheseresponses,theIndonesianGovernmentinvitedASEAN’sCoordinatingCentretoHumanitarianAssistance(AHACentre)tofacilitateinternationalcooperation.
Therealtimeevaluationindicatedtherewerechallengesinmaintainingeffectiveandefficientcoordinationwithallactors.
Someofthesereasonsincluded:
• LimitedcapacityofIndonesianNationalBoardforDisasterManagementandRegionalDisasterManagementAgencies,particularlyattheprovinciallevels.
• Lackofnationalcivil-militarystandardsandmutualunderstanding of ways of working between the military and other humanitarian actors.
• LimitedcapacityofPMIatthebranch/provincialleveltoeffectivelyco-ordinateinmorecomplexforumsandsituations.
• LimitedcapacityofPMItomanageinternalandexternalcoordinationparticularlygivenitsnewroles(e.g.forlogistics)attributedtoitbytheIndonesianGovernment.
Inaddition,thereweregapsinthecapacityoftheAHACentretotakeonitsexpandedrole.Theseincludedpoorassessmentdatacollectionandanalysis,untimelysharingofinformation,lackofframeworkstoconductadequateneedsassessments,andlimitedcapacityoflogisticianstomanageincominginternationalrelief,especiallyregardingshipmentmanagementanddocumentation.ThecapacityoftheAHACentreshouldbeaddressedassoonaspossibleifitistocontinuetoplayagreaterroleinsupportingcoordinationandoperationsofdisasterresponsesamongASEANmembers.
Lesson learned 3.1: NationalSocietiesmayneed to assess and strengthen their internal andexternalcoordinationcapacities.
Lesson learned 3.2: IFRC’spartnershipwithASEAN’sregionaldisastermanagementstructuresiscriticalandcanbestrengthenedtocontributetocapacitydevelopmentandtobuildingstrongersynergiesbetweentheAHACentre,IFRCandNationalSocietiesofASEANmember states.
Lesson learned 3.3: The Red Cross Red CrescentMovementshouldcontinuetoensurestrongcoordinationmechanismsandreadiness planning.
PMI’sHadyPrasetyohascreateddozensofnewmapstoplotearthquakedamage,affectedhouseholds,anddeliveryofhumanitarianaidinLombokusingopen-data.Credit:SydneyMorton/IFRC
MuchofPMI’splanninganddecision-making(aswiththeauthorities)tookplaceatheadquarterlevel.Attimes,provincialandlocalbranchlevelsfelttheywerelargelyoverlooked.Therewereissuesbothways:
• Brancheswereaskedtoimplementfinalplanswithoutanopportunitytoinputintotheirdevelopmentandalsodidnothaveadequatedecision-makingpowersorfinancialandhumanresources.
• Branchesspokeofa‘habitofretainingauthorityatthenationallevel’,despitePMIregulationsthatgavebranches authority.
• Atheadquarters,issueswereraisedregardingcapacitygapsinleadership,implementationandaccountabilityforbothbranchesandataprovinciallevel.
Lesson learned 2: NationalSocietiesmusttakeactiontoimplementtheirdecentralisationpolicies through building enhanced leadership capacitiesatprovincialandlocalbranchlevels,developingclearStandardOperatingProceduresanddelegatingresponsibilitieswithnecessarydecision-making powers and resources.
4. Building capabilities at all levels
RedCrossvolunteersdistributesuppliestofamiliesaffectedbyearthquake.PMI’sstrongvolunteernetworkandvolunteerexpertiseiscrucialtoIndonesia’s emergencyresponse.Credit:SydneyMorton/IFRC
ThestrongnetworksandcapabilitiesofNationalSocietyvolunteersandstaffarecriticalassetsforasuccessfullocalresponsetodisasters.TheIndonesianoperationidentifiedtheneedtomanageandfurtherdevelopsuchcapacitiesandforlocalactorstoaddresstheintegrationofcross-cuttingissues(suchasprotection)intotheiroperations.
4.1 Volunteer resourcesPMI’sstrongvolunteernetworkandvolunteerexpertiseinhealth,WASHandreliefwerekeystrengthsintheIndonesianresponse;inparticular,itsabilitytomobiliseresourcesimmediatelyafteradisaster.
RecruitmentandtrainingofnewvolunteersatthelocallevelisnowongoingatPMIandanewvolunteermanagementsystemisindevelopment.
However,challengespersisttosustaintherequiredvolunteerresourcesforcurrentoperations.Questionsremain regarding how much capacity is enough and how this can be sustained.
Lesson learned 4.1: NationalSocietiesareencouragedtoexploresolutionstosustaintherequiredvolunteerresourcesoverlengthyoperationswithafocusonboththequantityandcompetenciesrequiredatdifferentstagesof the response.
4.2 Operational capacities: finance and logistics ANationalSociety’slogisticsandfinancecapabilitiesmustbeabletoworkeffectivelytomeetoperationalneeds.The Indonesian response highlighted the need to increase thecompetencyofPMIstaff,especiallyatbranchlevels,to ensure they can work within accepted standards.
TheLogisticsEmergencyResponseUnit(ERU)3provedtobefit-for-purpose,enablingtheoperationtominimisetheimpactofPMI’scapacitygaps.Forthefirsttime,aprocurementdelegatewasembeddedintheERU,helpingtokick-startsomelocalprocurementprocesses.TheERUalso helped to coordinate and sort the large amount of reliefsuppliesdirectedtoPMI.
PMIandIFRCunderlinedtheneedtodevelopthesesectors further with the understanding there may be too muchcomplexityinIFRCfinanceandlogisticsprocedures.
Practicalstepsthatcouldbeconsideredinclude:
• Investindevelopingfinancialandhumanresourceswithafocusontheprovincialandlocallevels.
• Prioritisehigh-riskdisasterareasbyfurtherdecentralisingwarehousingtothedistrictlevelforimprovedresponsetiming.
• Developcapacityoflogisticsstaff,ensuringcompliancewithexistingguidanceandpracticaltraining(focusonemergencyprocurement,warehousing,suppliesstandardsandqualityassuranceatnational,provincialandlocallevel).
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• Identify,assessandmaplocal,regionalandnationalsuppliersandmarketstosupportlogisticspreparedness.
Lesson learned 4.2: NationalSocietiesshouldreviewandaddressanyshortcomingsintheirfinanceandlogisticssystemsandstaffcapabilities.TheIFRCshouldalsoreviewitssupporttoensureitisadequate.
4.3 Operational capacities: cross-cutting issuesInternationalstakeholders(bothwithintheMovementandbeyond)identifiedaneedforgreaterfocuson(multi-sectoral)needsassessments,informationmanagement,qualityassurance,andcross-cuttingissuessuch as community engagement and accountability (CEA)andprotection,genderandinclusion(PGI).Suchcomponentswilladdvaluetolocalisedresponsesandtheirinternationalacceptance.
Allactorsstressedtheneedtoinvestincontinueddevelopmentofthesecapabilitiesatnationalandlocallevels,whileatthesametimehighlightingincreasingchallengestoobtaininternationalfundingforlong-termcapacitydevelopmentprograms.
Lesson Learned 4.3: NationalSocietiesandgovernmentsshouldassesstheirabilitytointegrate emergency needs assessments, informationmanagement,qualityassurance,CEA,andPGIintotheiroperations.
Lesson Learned 4.4: There needs to be continuedinvestmentindisasterpreparednesstofurthersupportdevelopmentofthesecapabilitiesatthelocallevel.Concertedadvocacywillsupportmainstreamingthesecapacitiesintonationalhumanitarianstandardsandgovernmentcontingencyplanning.
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3. AnEmergencyResponseUnit(ERU)isaninternationalstandardiseddisasterrelief unit established by the IFRC.
5. Supporting a localised approach to surge capacities
IFRCFACTteamleaderAndreasvonWeissenbergandPMIheadofdisastermanagementMuhammadHadiconductanaerialassessmentofearthquake-affectedareas. Credit:BenjaminSuomela/FinnishRedCross
TheIFRCSecretariatadaptedtothenationally-ledoperation,supportingPMIindeliveringonitsmandateasa key Indonesian responder to the disasters and refrained fromtakingonimplementationroles.
IFRCstaffonthegroundandmanagementinJakartaandKualaLumpurdemonstratedgoodpracticeinalocalisedresponseby:
• beingflexibleandusingexistingsurgetoolsinapragmaticway;
• shiftingfromimplementationtosupportroles;
• ensuringdelegatesdemonstratedtheadequatesoftcompetencies(suchasattitudes,sensitivitytoculturalcontextandhumility)requiredforsupportroles;and,
• adoptinga‘businesscontinuity’approach,allowingforquickdeploymentsoflocalandregionalIFRCSecretariat personnel and replacing them in their line-functionwithstafffromotherIFRCofficesorsurgepersonnel.
Furtherpracticalstepscouldinclude:
• prioritisingsoftcompetenciesandlocallanguageskillsfor surge delegates, and
• consideringaddingahumanitariananalystprofiletosurgerolesfilledbytheIFRCSecretariat.
Lesson learned 5: IFRC can do more to communicatehowtooptimisesurgecapacitiestoNationalSocietiesandtomakeIFRCsupportprocesses(finance,HR)reflectlocalisedresponses.
8 | Australian Red Cross
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6. Building humanitarian diplomacy at regional, national and provincial levels
NationalSocieties,likePMI,areintegratinginformationmanagement,mapping,needsassessmentandotherresponseandpreparednessactivity.Credit:SydneyMorton/IFRC
NationalSocietieshavebothanauxiliaryroletotheirpublicauthoritiesandarehighinfluentialhumanitarianorganisationsintheirowncountries.Therefore,theyare well placed to persuade decision makers and opinion leaderstoact,atalltimes,intheinterestsofvulnerablepeople, with full respect for fundamental humanitarian principles.Tostrengthenthelocalisationagenda,NationalSocietiescouldfurtherbuildtheirhumanitariandiplomacyefforts,particularlybeforeandduringdisasterresponses.
ThePMIapproachtohumanitariandiplomacyprovidessomeusefullessonsandgoodpracticeexamples,givenitsactiveroleinnationaldisastermanagementworkinggroups.PMIhasalsoinfluencedtheshapeofIndonesia’sdisastermanagementarchitecture,supportingthedevelopmentofadequatenationalframeworks.IFRC’ssupport has also been crucial.
NationalSocieties,withappropriatesupportfromIFRCand ICRC, can undertake humanitarian diplomacy with theirgovernmentsandotherrelevantactorssuchasASEANandtheUN.
NationalSocietiescanpromoteeffortstointegrateemergencyneedsassessments,informationmanagement,logistics,qualityassurance,communityengagementactivitiesandprotection,genderandinclusionapproachesingovernmentresponseandrecoveryplanning.Theycanalsofacilitateinitiativestoestablishhumanitarian standards and disaster management StandardOperatingProcedures,translatinggovernmentalframeworksintopracticalprocedures,coordinationmechanisms,delegationofauthorityandadequatefinancingofrolesentrustedbythegovernment.
Lesson learned 6: NationalSocietiesandthe IFRC are encouraged to build stronger humanitariandiplomacyactivitieswiththeirgovernmentsandotherrelevantactors,withafocusonarticulatingrolesandresponsibilitiesofstakeholdersandensuringresponseeffortsadhere to humanitarian standards.
7. IFRC support for localisation
PMIvolunteersdeliveringtarpaulinsandfollowingtheSulawesiearthquake.Credit:BenjaminSuomela/FinnishRedCross
The commitment to more localised humanitarian actionisanintegralcomponentofIFRC’sagendaandstrategyandisanchoredintheSevilleAgreementanditsSupplementaryMeasures.4
Overdecades,NationalSocietieshaveinvestedindevelopingcapacitiesatcommunity,branchandheadquarterlevelswithintheirownterritory,andinbilateralandmultilateralcooperationwithotherNationalSocieties,theIFRCSecretariatandtheICRC.IFRCdemonstrateditscommitmenttolocalisationduringtheIndonesianresponseandcontinuestodoso.Inthiscontext,PMIandotherNationalSocietiesidentifiedopportunitiesforIFRCtofurthersupportthelocalisationprocess.
Opportunity 1: AdvocacyContinuingtoadvocatewithintheIFRCSecretariatandtoNationalSocietieswillbeessentialtohighlighttheimportanceoflocalisationandtheimplicationsforallMovementcomponents.Advocacyshouldbehonestandtargetboththebenefitsandriskstobeaddressedinmovingtolocally-ledresponses.
Opportunity 2: Targets and milestonesDevelopingaroadmapforlocalisationwithspecifictargets and milestones to guide the process will be importantandwillprovideagoodbasisforaMovement-wideapproach,yettobedeveloped.ThiscansitalongsidetheworkplanoftheLocalisationWorkStream,co-convenedbyIFRCwiththeGovernmentofSwitzerland.5
Opportunity 3: SimplificationSimplifyingIFRCsupportsystemsandtools(finance,HR,logistics),whicharecomplexandinvolveahighlevelofchecksandbalances.Increasedviabilityandapplicabilityrequiressimplifiedsupportprocessesthatcanworkwithinlocallyownedprocesses.IFRCSecretariatlogisticsspecialists are currently working to capitalise on lessons
learnedfromrecentoperationsandmakecurrentpoliciesandproceduresmoresuitabletothelocalisationagenda.
Opportunity 4: Direct fundingExploringoptionsfordirectfundingtoNationalSocietiescouldbeexpanded.TheIFRC’spooleddisasterrelieffundisagoodexampleoflocalisedfundinganditsscope(eligibleactivities)andscale(maximumfunding).
Opportunity 5: Deployment personnelUsingsurgepersonnelfromNationalSocietiesindisasterpronecountriesfordeployments(includingtraineemissions)wouldboosttheirresponsemanagementcapacityandincreasetheirunderstandingofinternationaloperationalmechanisms.ItwouldalsoimprovetheNationalSocieties’readinesstohostinternationalassistance,andstrengthenthecapacityofotherNationalSocietiesincloseproximityofdisasteronsets.
Lesson learned 7: There are a number of practicalactionsthattheIFRCcantaketofurtherdrivelocalisationincluding:continuingtoadvocateforlocalisation;developingaroadmapforlocalisation;simplifyingIFRCsupportsystemsandtools;exploringoptionsfordirectinternationalfundingtoNationalSocieties;and,prioritisingtraininganddeploymentofsurgepersonnel from disaster-prone areas.
10 | Australian Red Cross
4. TheSevilleAgreementof1997providesaframeworkforeffectivecooperationand partnership between members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.ItspecifieswhichorganisationwithintheMovementwouldtaketheleadincertainfieldoperations.
5. TheLocalisationWorkstreamisoneof10thematicworkstreamsdistilling51sharedcommitmentsundertheGrandBargain.Eachworkstreamisco-convenedbyonedonorgovernmentrepresentativeandonehumanitarianagency,withmembersincludinggovernments,communities,RedCrossandRedCrescentNationalSocietiesandlocalcivilsociety.
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GLOSSARY
AADMER ASEANAgreementonDisasterManagementandEmergencyResponse
AHA Centre ASEANCoordinatingCentreforHumanitarianAssistance
APRO Asia-PacificRegionalOffice
ASEAN AssociationofSoutheastAsianNations
BNPB BadanNationalPenanggulanganBencana(NationalDisasterManagementAuthority)
BOCA BranchOrganisationalCapacityAssessment
BPBD BadanPenanggulanganBencanaDaera(Provincial/districtdisastermanagementauthority)
CCST Country Cluster Support Team
CEA Community engagement and accountability
DREF DisasterReliefEmergencyFund
EA EmergencyAppeal
EMT EvaluationManagementTeam
EPoA EmergencyPlanofAction
ERAT EmergencyResponseandAssessmentTeams
ERU EmergencyResponseUnit
HQ Headquarters
ICRC InternationalCommitteeoftheRedCross
IFRC InternationalFederationofRedCrossandRedCrescentSocieties
INGO InternationalNon-GovernmentalOrganisation
NDRF NationalDisasterResponseFramework
NGO Non-GovernmentalOrganisation
NS NationalSociety
OCAC OrganisationalCapacityAssessmentandCertification
PGI Protection,GenderandInclusion
PMI PalangMerahIndonesia(IndonesianRedCrossSociety)
PNS ParticipatingNationalSociety
RCRC Red Cross Red Crescent
RTE Real-TimeEvaluation
SOP StandardOperatingProcedure
WASH Water,SanitationandHygiene
ToR Terms of Reference
UN UnitedNations
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