The IASC adopted the Transformative Agenda in Dec. 2011 The response to the Haiti earthquake and Pakistan floods in 2010 exposed a number of weaknesses and inefficiencies in the international humanitarian response. The Transformative Agenda aims to ensure that these shortcomings are addressed. The Transformative Agenda consists of a set of concrete actions to transform the way in which the humanitarian community responds to emergencies. It focuses on improving the timeliness and effectiveness of our collective response through stronger leadership, more effective coordination structures, and improved accountability. This was the first time, the IASC agreed on how to respond together to a major emergency that requires a system-wide response. These are called Level 3 emergencies and will be judged against 5 criteria.

Level 3 Emergencies Sudden-onset => IASC meet within 48 hours Transformative Agenda Level 3 Emergencies Exceptional in: Scale Complexity Urgency Capacity Reputational Risk Calling a Level 3 emergency: Sudden-onset => IASC meet within 48 hours Decision made by IASC Principals Informed by a meeting of IASC Emergency Directors Level 3 emergencies are exceptional in view of their 1) scale, 2) complexity, 3) urgency, 4) the capacity required to respond and 5) the reputational risk to humanitarian organisations and responders if we don’t get them right. The IASC will meet within 48 hours of a sudden-onset emergency to determine whether it is a Level 3 emergency or not. A decision made by Principals and informed by a meeting between the IASC Emergency Directors. The designation of a Level 3 emergency will automatically activate a system-wide response to ensure we have the right leadership, coordination mechanisms and accountability framework. There will be deployment (by Global Cluster leads and OCHA) of a senior inter-agency team to fulfill core functions. Deployed at a “no regrets” basis. The Humanitarian Coordinator (HC), the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), country clusters and cluster lead agencies remain the prime actors supporting national response efforts. The Transformative Agenda seeks to further strengthen these actors.

Transformative Agenda Protocols Concept papers on definitions & procedures: L3 activation and de-activation, decision-making process; empowered leadership; and the Inter-Agency Rapid Response Mechanism (IARRM) Frameworks: ‘Accountability to Affected Populations’; and ‘Preparedness’ Reference modules - yet to be officially issued: The Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPS) Multi-Sector Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA) Cluster Coordination at Country Level Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP) The TA objectives have been operationalized through a series of protocols, developed by dedicated IASC steering groups. Initial efforts focused on major humanitarian emergencies. The first IASC Transformative Agenda protocols define, among others, the process of system-wide Level 3 (L3) activation. The other Transformative Agenda protocols are applicable in all emergencies, L3 and non-L3 alike. These reference documents define a new humanitarian program cycle and address coordination at the country level, accountability to affected populations and preparedness. Concept Papers : Concept Paper on ‘Empowered Leadership’, March 2014 (4 pages) Humanitarian System-wide Emergency Activation: definitions and procedures, April 2012 (6 pages) Responding to Level 3 Emergencies: What ‘Empowered leadership’ looks like in practice, November 2012 (2 pages) Inter-Agency Rapid Response Mechanism (IARRM), October 2013, (2 pages) Frameworks: Accountability to Affected Populations: The Operational Framework, November 2013, (11 pages) Common Framework for Preparedness, October 2013 (7 pages) Reference Modules: The Humanitarian Programme Cycle, Version 2.0, June 2015 (26 pages) Multi-Sector Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA): Guidance, Revised January 2015 (28 pages) Cluster Coordination at Country Level, Revised July 2014 (51 pages) Emergency response Preparedness (ERP), Draft for Field testing, May 2015 (55 pages) Further information on the TA: Overview document: IASC Reference Module on the Humanitarian Programme Cycle Websites: OCHA: www.humanitarianresponse.info IASC: www.interagencystandingcommittee.org UNICEF Intranet: https://intranet.unicef.org/emops/emopssite.nsf/root/Page010102

Humanitarian Programme Cycle Transformative Agenda Humanitarian Programme Cycle A framework for: Collective action Effective, evidence-based, transparent and accountable response. Enablers: Effective coordination Information management. The ultimate objective of the humanitarian programme cycle is to improve the delivery of aid to people affected by crises through a better joint response. Organizations are required to act with the collective in mind, to collaborate together and share information and to hold each other accountable for working toward collective action. This requires a commitment from each organization to contribute to the collective response, and not simply focus on the individual organization’s corporate priorities, mandate or fundraising concerns. Each individual organization’s contribution to the response should be provided in line with the overall response strategy and complement the work of other organizations. When applied correctly, The Humanitarian Programme Cycle helps to ensure a more effective, evidence-based, transparent and accountable response. It consists of a set of inter-linked and sequential tools designed to assist Humanitarian Coordinators and Humanitarian Country Teams to prepare, plan, fund, monitor, and evaluate collective humanitarian response operations. Enablers: Effective coordination serves to identify and meet priority needs, address gaps and reduce duplication in humanitarian response. It ensures that each aspect of a programme cycle is applied as part of a joint effort that uses the available resources and capacities. Humanitarian information management is the systematic process of collecting, collating, storing, processing, verifying, and analysing information and disseminating relevant information to humanitarian stakeholders.

Humanitarian Programme Cycle Transformative Agenda Humanitarian Programme Cycle needs assessment and analysis response planning fundraising implementation and monitoring peer review and evaluation. The foundation of humanitarian action and a responsibility of all humanitarian actors is to enhance the protection of affected populations. System-wide efforts to jointly achieve this aim require applying a rights-based approach and ensuring protection driven strategic analysis and priority-setting. Each step of the humanitarian programme cycle should be implemented in a manner that adheres to and promotes well-established humanitarian principles, standards, and codes of conduct.   The humanitarian programme cycle is composed of five areas of activity: needs assessment and analysis; response planning; fundraising; implementation and monitoring; peer review and evaluation. Within each, a series of steps lead to the preparation of a response management tool(s). These are designed to enhance collective decision-making. For example, the consolidation and joint analysis of needs data lead to the preparation of a humanitarian needs overview, which supports the Humanitarian Country Team in developing a shared understanding of the impact and evolution of a crisis and informs strategic response planning. Technical guidance and templates for each area of activity can be found at: https://humanitarianresponse.info/programme-cycle/space. There are also three key enablers that support the implementation of the cycle: emergency response preparedness, information management and coordination. The sequencing of steps and timelines differ between sudden onset and protracted crises, but the programme cycle’s overall objectives and principles – effectiveness, accountability, evidence-based planning, inclusivity, inter-agency collaboration and field ownership – are the same. In sudden-onset crises, the Humanitarian Coordinator and Humanitarian Country Team need to take decisions quickly based on limited or incomplete information given the urgency to set the overall direction of the response and to ensure the quick mobilization of action and resources. As a result, the programme cycle timeline is accelerated and some specific tools have been designed to ensure well-coordinated action in the very confused and fast-moving environment of a sudden onset crisis. In protracted crises, more time is allotted for the process to allow for broad consultation at both the national and subnational levels; there are also a reduced number of tools given that information is likely available on the vulnerable populations, scope of the crisis and assessed need.

Implementing the TA Responsibility for implementing the TA: Transformative Agenda Implementing the TA Responsibility for implementing the TA: Humanitarian Country Teams Country Clusters Cluster-Lead Agencies (incl. UNICEF) OCHA UNICEF Regional and Country Offices Responsibilities for implementing the Transformative Agenda reforms are distributed among various actors. In 2012 IASC designated humanitarian country teams, country clusters, cluster lead agencies and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) as prime actors in the implementation of the reforms. At the same time, the senior management of IASC-organizations is responsible for the dissemination of reforms to their regional- and country-management within their agencies.

Supporting the roll-out of the TA Transformative Agenda Supporting the roll-out of the TA Senior TA Implementation Team (STAIT): Missions, OPRs, field support, communication, learning and policy revisions Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluations (L3s) Individual agency trainings (eg. Brindisi) To date, the implementation of Operational Peer Reviews (OPRs) and STAIT missions have constituted the strongest focus of STAIT’s activities. OPRs are designed to take place within 90 days following the declaration of an L3 emergency (Philippines, CAR, South Sudan, Syria, Iraq). STAIT missions are conducted upon the invitation of the Humanitarian Coordinator and the Humanitarian Country Team. The aim of OPRs and STAIT Missions is to support the inter-agency management of humanitarian responses through a real-time analysis of the response and to identify necessary course-correctors early on. Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluations (IAHEs) are automatically triggered by the activation of an L3 response and final reports are expected 12-15 months after the L3 activation. The purpose of the IAHEs to promote accountability – especially to affected populations – and contribute to strategic learning. (Philippines Haiyan almost final, South Sudan initiated) All IASC partners conduct individual trainings and support to the roll out of the TA.