Voices of Asia Pacific: Lessons and Outcomes on Aid Accountability features articles from countries across the region where there are collective approaches to accountability to affected people (AAP) and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) in emergency response and development settings. Nine country networks including in Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Vanuatu, Philippines, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, and India share good practices and challenges in an effort to improve the exchange of information and lessons learned across the region.
Over the past years, there has been substantial progress made by UN agencies and NGOs across Asia and the Pacific to ensure that affected people are central to aid decision making process. Some countries have gone so far as to create collective initiatives to allow meaningful dialogues between affected communities and aid providers. The strategic roll-out of community feedback dashboards, bulletins, perception surveys, and other accountability mechanisms was coordinated between agencies to ultimately achieve system-wide accountability, including on the protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. Lessons from these countries suggest that collective approaches to AAP and PSEA can significantly help influence the decisions in humanitarian responses and development programmes through adapting the way the assistance is delivered, while also providing collective solutions to the challenges that aid actors are facing.
These nine case studies present various models of “people centred approach” undertaken across the region. It is hoped that these stories will provide insights to establish and improve further collective actions to AAP and PSEA.The Voices of Asia Pacific is an initiative of the Regional Working Group on AAP and PSEA.
Community Feedback Platform in Rohingya Camps, Rakhine State, Myanmar
Approximately 133,000 people, the majority of whom are Rohingya, have remained displaced in the central part of Rakhine State in camps or camp-like settings since 2012. This population faces significant challenges accessing basic healthcare, education, and livelihoods due to restrictions on freedom of movement, institutional discrimination, and other factors resulting in their prolonged reliance on humanitarian assistance. (1)
To improve and streamline accountability to and engagement with this internally displaced population in Central Rakhine, the Rakhine Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster began the rollout of an integrated Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) dashboard to monitor and respond to community feedback and complaints from camps in Sittwe and Pauktaw townships.
This CRM is implemented in all 17 camps in Sittwe and Pauktaw managed by the Danish Refugee Council, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and the Lutheran World Federation. These camp management agencies developed their own CRM systems individually, and together with the CCCM Cluster took the best parts of each system to produce a harmonized reporting system that suits the contextual needs of the Rohingya camps.
The CRM was developed by the CCCM cluster and its members following a thorough categorization of complaints by affected communities. It allows for the cross-camp analysis of community inquiries on the response, as well as for a more detailed overview on trends, main issues, and complaints over any given time period.
It brings together feedback and complaints from affected people of various ages, gender, and diversities within the camps, as collected through roving humanitarian personnel, dedicated community feedback desks in private rooms within CCCM offices, mobile desks set up at distribution sites, CCCM help desks and help desks at distribution sites, household visits, hotlines, complaints boxes, and through text messages.
Common complaints, such as those about the distribution of non-food items or other regular service provision, are usually responded to with mass awareness campaigns to inform the wider community about the plans of service providers. Sensitive complaints are referred immediately to relevant protection, gender-based violence, or child protection actors, or in the case of code of conduct complaints, to the relevant organization. Other complaints about damaged infrastructure or maintenance requests are referred at the camp level to the relevant service provider.
There have inevitably been a myriad of contextual challenges in the management of this collective system. One challenge is the fact that Camp Management Committees appointed by the authorities are actively attempting to dissuade affected people from using the Complaints and Response Mechanism. Misunderstandings about what the system is designed for is common. Despite the challenges, this system across the Rohingya camps in Sittwe and Pauktaw townships in Rakhine state is a good example of a functional method of ensuring collective accountability to affected people in a camp setting through a system that is in constant use and that helps inform service provision and advocacy.
Complaints and Response Mechanism dashboard by CCCM:
Community Perception on Disasters Inform Anticipatory Action Initiative in Nepal
Anticipatory action aims to prevent and mitigate humanitarian impacts. By acting in advance of an imminent disaster based on predictive models, humanitarian action can be more effective, efficient, and dignified. The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has funded anticipatory action pilot projects in a number of countries globally, including in Nepal where community engagement and accountability to affected people are guiding principles of the anticipatory action framework.
CERF allocated US$6.7 million for an anticipatory action pilot in Nepal in 2021 for a potential flood event in two major river basins (2). Although no such event took place during the monsoon season of 2021, Nepal witnessed unseasonal heavy rains, floods, and landslides soon after the end of the monsoon season. Against this backdrop, a community perception study was carried out in November 2021 with an objective to inform anticipatory action by gathering community views on disasters and preferences of assistance.
Many of the findings of the community perception study validate key assumptions made during the design of anticipatory action activities. For example, most at-risk communities preferred cash as the main mode of humanitarian assistance to meet immediate needs, which fits well with the framework's design in which more than half of the total budget is allocated for cash transfers. Similarly, community members participating in the study preferred support related to drinking water in the form of in-kind assistance, which also aligns with the framework.
At the same time, a number of other findings will inform the revision of the framework. Related to early warning, it was found that the majority of respondents did not receive early warning messages prior to unseasonal heavy rains in October 2021 and were therefore not able to make timely decisions about evacuating nor take preventive measures to protect assets. Although the disaster event fell outside the monsoon season and did not activate the anticipatory action project, the experience of this disaster highlights the importance of timely, informative, and coordinated early warning messaging for the 2022 monsoon season.
The community perception study fulfilled two purposes in the context of anticipatory action. First, it tested assumptions made in designing anticipatory action activities in 2021. Second, it informed the revision of the anticipatory action framework for the monsoon season in 2022
Beyond anticipatory action, the study has informed contingency planning and preparedness activities for 2022. The regular community perception work will remain instrumental in making humanitarian action more effective and tailored to the context.
After the response to the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal, the humanitarian country team has carried out community perception studies on an annual basis through the support of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) to ensure programme design and implementation are based on the needs and priorities of at-risk communities.
The full report of community perceptions study: Community Perception Report: Flood, Landslide And Heavy Rain, January 2022 - Nepal | ReliefWeb
Addressing system-wide accountability in COVID-19 response in Pakistan
Following the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the public health system in Pakistan encountered unprecedented challenges in dealing with the massive influx of patients due to the lack of equipment and trained medical staff, as well as to the resource limitations of high dependency and critical care management units.
In response and in coordination with the Department of Health, a consortium consisting of ACTED, Cesvi, Concern, Helvetas, Welthungerhilfe, International Medical Corps, and Medecins du Monde conducted needs assessments in 24 districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan provinces to assess the capacity of the public health system to respond to the crisis and to understand community insights in the COVID-19 context. The needs assessments consulted the Government, humanitarian networks, district government staff from health and administration departments, health practitioners, and community members in the districts through face-to-face communications while following COVID-19 protocols. The responses were gathered from 278 healthcare staff (including 34 females) and from 1,468 target community members, including 752 female respondents.
Based on the findings, the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) supported the consortium with medical and non-medical interventions in 24 districts, including the establishment of a toll-free helpline to provide psychological first aid assistance across the country. To support the safe reopening of schools and adoption of safe hygiene and sanitation practices, the project rehabilitated or built handwashing facilities and inclusive latrines in health centres, schools, and in public areas.
The project was designed to adapt to the needs of the communities and to strengthen the capacity of the Department of Health.
During the project implementation, health care facilities and community members were involved through regular consultations. The project ensured that the opinions of male and female health officers, doctors, paramedical staff, and community members were heard and actioned upon. In addition, the consortium maintained complaint and feedback mechanism via helplines and community visits by project staff ensuring timely redressal of any feedback and concerns shared by the community members and health care facilities.
The project exercised flexibility for changes to ensure the relevance of interventions to multiple strains of COVID-19 by implementing needs-based interventions and adapting the implementation approach where required.
A post distribution monitoring (PDM) survey was conducted from July to August 2021 to assess the overall impacts of the project. A total of 697 healthcare facility staff (including 139 females) and 813 community members (402 females and 411 males) provided their feedback on various interventions in the survey.
Key findings of the PDM survey established that the provision of medical and non-medical equipment was crucial and life-saving. The survey found that 99% of health care facilities considered the assistance as appropriate. Some 322 health care facilities were upgraded across 24 districts through the provision of essential medical and non-medical equipment, benefitting 1.2 million people. Medical equipment such as BiPAPs, defibrillators, cardiac monitors, and o xygen concentrators have helped healthcare facilities to establish or strengthen High Dependency Units (HDUs) and Critical Care Units (CCUs) in the targeted areas.
Furthermore, 100% of the health care facilities surveyed were satisfied with the distribution process for equipment and supplies, while 90% of the healthcare facilities reported knowing how to set and use the equipment provided. Healthcare facilities confirmed that the equipment and supplies were provided at the point of use, and also that relevant staff were trained to properly handle and use the equipment to ensure the overall effectiveness and sustainability of the assistance that was provided.
A comprehensive social and behavioural communication campaign, including posters, banners, streamers, and radio and TV broadcasts, has reached over 1.6 million people and has encouraged patterns of responsible behavior amidst multiple waves of COVID-19. Some 67% of people remembered two or more key awareness messages related to COVID-19.
These post distribution monitoring findings helped to improve the programmes and were carefully considered by the project steering committee and inter-agency working groups to improve the COVID- 19 assistance across the 24 districts of Pakistan.
The consortium exceeded the initially proposed target of 240 healthcare facilities because needs on the ground were much higher than initial estimates. The consortium ensured that all systems and procedures to systematically ensure the participation of and accountability to affected people were in place across all elements of the response. The consortium remained flexible in its approach in responding to evolving needs, implemented innovative COVID-19 response activities beyond the response activities initially envisaged, and adjusted project interventions in consultation with the donor (ECHO) as required.
Government-led approach for communication and community engagement in Vanuatu
To put the community at the centre of emergency response, the Government of Vanuatu and the humanitarian community established a sub-cluster on Communication and Community Engagement (CCE) in 2019. Led by the Government’s National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), the CCE Sub- Cluster is positioned under the National Emergency Telecommunications Cluster aims to systematically listen communities and respond to their immediate needs in times of crisis.
The Government-led, multi-agency CCE Sub-Cluster supports not only a coordinated approach to information dissemination, but is also championing a community feedback mechanism that ensures that the perspectives of communities can be considered in decision-making and programme adaptation. Strong civil society co-chairing by the Vanuatu Red Cross is helping to better leverage the expertise and reach of locally based organisations. This locally-led , multi-stakeholder approach also supports the inclusion of marginalised groups such as people with disability and the elderly.
Since 2018, the CDAC Network (Communicating with Disaster-Affected Communities) and Ground Truth Solutions have been working to facilitate and support collaborative CCE approaches and locally-led CCE platforms in Fiji and Vanuatu, in partnership with national disaster management organisations and Government ministries, with funding from the Australian Government. In Vanuatu, CARE provides additional CCE Technical Advisory and secretariat support.
The Vanuatu Government-led system has two primary objectives. The first is to establish the foundation for resilient two-way collaboration between people facing crisis and the many organisations that seek to support them. The second is to build this capability as a common platform that broadly integrates communication capabilities across the diverse ecosystem of organisations responding to a crisis (government, private sector, international actors, and civil society).
The heart of platform- building activities focused on creating a coalition of organisations ready to provide sustainable communication and engagement capabilities centred within Vanuatu’s existing disaster response system. It has been crucial to the programme’s vision that Vanuatu-led organisations and people are at the centre of this collaboration, with international actors in supporting roles.
Since being established in 2019, the CCE platform has conducted a series of community feedback surveys and used their findings on community insights and perceptions to influence humanitarian responses. The platform has also supported the development and coordination of key messages on humanitarian activities, including the promotion of COVID-19 alert systems.
However, there are challenges to the CCE approach across Vanuatu. Many communities are remote and geographically isolated within Vanuatu’s difficult terrain. Another challenge is the low literacy level across the country. Technological infrastructure is limited in Vanuatu with many people with limited access to the internet, mobile phone, or radio coverage in certain areas. This further deteriorates the inclusion of marginalised groups (including people with disability, women, and elderly people) in receiving timely and accurate information about humanitarian activities. COVID-19 has added additional challenges where lockdowns and restrictions make it difficult to physically access communities to pass on information.
To address these challenges, the CCE sub-cluster works in a very collaborative way, under the leadership of the Vanuatu NDMO. The sub-cluster makes use of the pooled expertise of its members, while tapping into existing networks to extend the reach of their activities and to ensure the effectiveness of their activities. The CCE sub-cluster has been strategic in planning and prioritising those activities that can have a greater impact on communities and on the people they aim to reach and serve.
In 2020 and 2021, these diverse CCE stakeholders responded to severe Tropical Cyclone Harold, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively addressing overlapping and cascading disasters has demonstrated the NDMO’s overall commitment to the initiative by dedicating significant staff time to the national platform development and by facilitating linkages with other relevant Government ministries.
The road to collective accountability in the Philippines
The spike in COVID-19 in urban cities and rural areas of the Philippines in early 2020 has offered ample evidence of the need to meaningfully engage with affected people and at-risk communities to contain the virus at the local level. Regular engagement with community members and vulnerable groups has helped address and minimise misinformation and rumours, learn about their unique needs and challenges in the context of lockdowns, and has enhanced community quarantines to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.
The Government of the Philippines and aid organisations conducted a series of consultations and dialogues with communities using a pre-designed inter-agency data collection system namely Rapid Information, Communication and Accountability Assessment (RICAA). The roll out of RICAA in the COVID -19 pandemic aimed to identify information needs, preferred communication channels, and to establish two-way communication between communities and actors (Government and aid organizations) responding to COVID-19 across the country, thus ensuring access to accurate information and communities’ feedback to adjust the response.
RICAA was originally created and used during the response to Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 with the set-up of an emergency humanitarian radio station and community consultations. Over time, the systems expanded and in the COVID-19 response, RICAA supported local implementation and coordinated the use of different kinds of communication channels, such as public hotlines, community assemblies, and listening exercises, frontline SMS and voice mail, social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages), and radio programming.
RICAA methodology includes face-to-face consultations and key informant interviews with vulnerable groups, such as the urban and rural poor, persons with disabilities, older people, minority groups, internally displaced communities, and those living in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
In 2020, RICAA was conducted in two rounds, with the first implementation held from 30 March to 1 April covering the National Capital Region, and the second round from 13 to 22 April covering various regencies across the Philippines. In total, 14 national organizations participated in the assessment and consultation process.
The findings of RICAA established that while the general dissemination of information on COVID-19 and preventative measures was strong, messages provided by national and local government authorities could gain by being more specific and clearer, as well as by offering additional information on local services. Analysis also showed that the flood of information by legitimate (as well as fake) sources on social media and other channels was reported as overwhelming by some community respondents, making it difficult to distinguish between verified information and misinformation.
The results of RICAA identified preferred and accessible communication channels for various community segments. For example, while TV was the most preferred channel in National Capital Region (NCR), some people affected by lockdowns or in hard-to-reach areas outside NCR had no access to TV or radio, which highlighted the need for a more proactive approach to provide tailored information to these groups through direct engagement.
The overall findings of RICAA were carefully considered by the Humanitarian Country Team and the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group to improve COVID-19 assistance in complementarity with Government efforts
For the Department of Health, RICAA provided an opportunity to complement existing community engagement mechanisms with additional feedback across vulnerable groups and at- risk communities.
RICAA is an iterative and continuous process, with subsequent rounds focused on the evolving needs of affected communities, feedback on the provision of assistance by the Government and aid organisations, the integration of the Social Amelioration Programme (3), and combining capacities to combat the spread of rumors and misinformation at community level. Additionally, RICAA will remain an invaluable tool to determine information needs in communities and establish feedback mechanisms when responding to the impact of natural disasters in the Philippines.
In December 2021, RICAA was deployed to respond to Typhoon Rai (Odette) to ensure that affected communities were consulted in the delivery of aid assistance. RICAA was expanded to cover information on cash, protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as gender and inclusion. It was collectively rolled out by the Government and humanitarian responders in severely affected areas. The findings of community consultations were analysed in an innovative Common Feedback Platform (community voices bulletin) – Tingog sa Komunidad. This nearly real-time community feedback platform aims to further strengthen the inclusion of community voices in the decision-making process for the response to Typhoon Rai (Odette).
(3) The Social Amelioration Programme (SAP) is the Philippine government’s social protection program for more than 18 million Filipino households belonging to the low-income and most-vulnerable sectors and those that are severely affected by COVID-19.
Community perceptions on issues of sexual exploitation and abuse in Afghanistan
In December 2021, a community perception survey was conducted by IOM that covered the issues of Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Accountability to Affected People (AAP).
The survey was conducted within an Emergency Event Tracking tool used by IOM to monitor sudden internal mobility among people. Thanks to the collaboration between the AAP and the PSEA networks in- country, some key indicators regarding PSEA were successfully embedded in the response-wide community perception survey. The total number of crisis-affected people surveyed was 7,316 (with only 0.4% female) from across all provinces. The gender disparity reflects the ongoing challenge humanitarian actors are facing in Afghanistan to ensure women participation in humanitarian action, however humanitarian actors are working to address this challenge. The analysis of the answers from respondents provided a clearer picture of the situation and pointed towards avenues for the future work of the PSEA Network in Afghanistan.
While 82% of responders were aware that humanitarian assistance if free from any charge, only 23% knew where to report cases of abuse or exploitation from humanitarian workers, and where to receive assistance in the event of such abuse or exploitation. It must be acknowledged that since only 0.4% of responders were female, results would be different if more women were included in the survey. For example, we can expect lower averages of positive responses to questions related to PSEA if a higher number of female responders were included, considering that the access of women and girls to communication and media can be often restricted in Afghanistan.
A complementary approach between AAP and PSEA was used for formulating questions, analysing findings and indicating actions to address the issues. This method of work was fruitful and should be encouraged in other countries to avoid duplications, multiple results, and to save resources.
UN Women initiated a PSEA Task Force including all operating UN agencies in the country and voluntarily coordinated the first year on behalf of the Resident Coordinator. Initially a full staff survey was conducted of 380 staff members of the UN to assess their capacity and understanding of sexual misconduct. It was found that many staff had not completed required induction trainings and were unsure of the mandatory reporting procedures.
Challenges included low literacy and/or English language skills of support staff (drivers, security etc.) coupled with the highly technical UN language used to describe safeguarding and misconduct issues. A large proportion of training, content, and policy language was incomprehensible to local staff. Confusion existed amongst the reporting processes which were presumed to be different and disconnected between agencies. Furthermore, the anonymous staff survey on PSEA and risk analysis revealed that under-reporting was an unresolved issued.
Following this survey, a 'ONE UN' all staff Town Hall refresher training was delivered to all staff providing clear instructions on mandatory reporting and presenting localised examples of sexual misconduct.
A UN PNG Resource Guide on Sexual Misconduct was then produced for all staff members. The Resource Guide uses plain language, visuals, and images to clearly describe the rules on sexual misconduct and the process for reporting. The document combines all global UN policies/protocols/Secretary General Bulletins into an accessible, digestible, and user-friendly product for all levels of UN staff in PNG.
Creating a country level document which is applicable to all UN Agencies is increasing accountability on reporting across UN agencies. These activities and Resource Guide have strengthened the 'ONE UN' perspective on PSEA in PNG and encouraged a collective approach to PSEA among agencies.
UNCT joint resource mobilisation for PSEA in Cambodia
In a challenging time for the aid community and increased number of humanitarian crises worldwide, when resources mobilisation for PSEA activities could be difficult, the joint commitment of senior leadership is essential provide a sustainable approach to PSEA.
In Cambodia, a PSEA Task Team was established in June 2020. This was followed by the development of a PSEA action plan that was endorsed by the United Nations County Team (UNCT) focusing on four key areas of work: 1) Management and Coordination; 2) Community engagement and support; 3) Prevention; 4) Response. While some actions have been completed quickly, such as the mapping of PSEA measures in place within the UN entities operating in Cambodia, and the compilation of existing resources, including training and ICE materials, one of the main challenges was to find financial support to continue the work of the PSEA Task Team.
In order to mobilise joint resources for PSEA efforts, in particular for a consultant to undertake a joint SEA assessment and develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the inter-agency reporting system, the UNCT agreed to a cost-sharing system for joint PSEA work. The Resident Coordinator’s Office and UNICEF prepared a cost estimate for each UNCT member based on their respective numbers of staff working in Cambodia. Subsequently, based on the new operational modalities of the UN Development System Reform, a UN-to-UN agreement was drafted for the transfer of funds where the RC signed on behalf of all the contributing agencies. In total, US$50,000 was raised, exceeding the initial cost-share requirement.
These resources will enable the PSEA Task Team to conduct a joint SEA risk assessment, establish inter- agency SOPs for the inter-agency reporting system, develop a community-based complaints mechanism (CBCM) on PSEA and victims’ support, and to more generally to strengthen the capacity of the PSEA Task Team members in Cambodia.
This cost-sharing system is an example of how the collective commitment of the aid community to PSEA can result in conducive conditions and ensure functional SEA reporting mechanisms, even when resources are scarce.
A joint Partners Induction Training on PSEA in India
The humanitarian aid community in India is composed of a very high number of local and international partners with different capacity levels and understanding regarding PSEA.
In recent months, the India PSEA Network has completed a mapping survey of PSEA best practices and complaints and feedback mechanisms (CFM) among 151 UN implementing partner organisations. But a major further step was found to be essential to bring the same level of knowledge and understanding of PSEA Core Principles and Standards: a standardised partner induction package.
The UN PSEA Partners Induction training for 70 UN civil society partners is a joint effort realised by 11 UN Agencies using participatory, interactive group work methods. It has been jointly facilitated in English and Hindi by UN Women, UNFPA, and UNICEF PSEA focal points as a 5-hour online session. The training is supplemented by a resource folder and PSEA partner resource guide which includes organizational tools and templates.
The outcomes from the Implementing Partners capacity building have been very positive:
- Increase from 39% to 100% of participants who understand the UN Mandatory reporting
- Increase from 54% to 100% of participants who understand what constitutes sexual misconduct under the UN Rules on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
- Increase from 30% to 100% of participants who were able to differentiate between India
- Prevention of Sexual Harassment laws on Sexual Harassment reporting and safeguarding mandatory report versus UN SEA mandatory reporting.
60% of participants who did not know how to handle SEA cases prior to the training, identified as feeling "confident and prepared to handle cases of SEA confidentially using survivor centred approaches" in the post training analysis.
Contributors
Myanmar: Annalise Ingram (OCHA), Travis Wesley Lyon (UNHCR) I Nepal: Bronwyn Russel (UNRCO), Smriti Pant (UNRCO), Biplav Pradhan (OCHA) I Pakistan: Huda Irfan (CESVI-Pakistan) I Vanuatu: Jacinta Isaacs (CDAC Network), Philippines: Maria Agnes Palacio (OCHA), Pascal Pillokeit (OCHA), Husni Husni (OCHA) I Afghanistan: Maria Scicchitano (Inter-Agency PSEA) I Papua New Guinea: Michelle Muller (UN Women) I Cambodia: Luisa Karst (UNRCO) I India: Michelle Muller (UN Women)
Editors: Husni Husni (OCHA) and Pierre Peron (OCHA)
Design: Kritsada Tulkijjawong (OCHA)
For more information, please contact husni.husni@un.org
Published in April 2022
Credits:
Photo credits: Htet Htet Oo (Myanmar), Tilak Pokharel, Anthony Burke (Nepal), Sadat Kashif, OCHA (Pakistan), Yaelle Link, Joe Lowry, Karina Coates (Vanuatu), Almudena Montoliu Garcia, Iris Lapid, OCHA (Philippines), Fariba Housaini, Sadeq Naseri, Pierre Peron (Afghanistan), Anthony Burke (Papua New Guinea), Christopher Reardon, UN (Cambodia), OCHA (India)