UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Session 6.3. Assessment Basics & Bias: A Community-based Approach A Community-based Approach
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Emergency Needs & Resources Assessment “…a process of gathering and analysing information, which will then form a basis for operations planning….” “…a process of understanding the situation, and identifying the needs, resources, constraints and opportunities, and analysing them in order to better assist affected populations…”
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Assessment: The link to decision-making is key! Info needs of end-users identified Data collection methods selected Data collected Data cross- checked & analysed Conclusions disseminated to decision-makers Conclusions drawn Decision-makers modify response
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training What is the nature of the emergency?What is the nature of the emergency? Who needs help? Who are most vulnerable?Who needs help? Who are most vulnerable? What are conditions of those needing help?What are conditions of those needing help? What resources are immediately available?What resources are immediately available? What is the gap between needs and resources?What is the gap between needs and resources? What are local Ministries, Agencies and other organizations doing?What are local Ministries, Agencies and other organizations doing? Checklist: See Handbook Pages Initial Rapid Assessment Focus What are the main problems? Is there an emergency or not?
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Information Collection Methods – Observation – Interviews – Surveys – Critical sector assessments – Others?
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Data Collection Tools questionnaires questionnaires checklists checklists data processing programs data processing programs weight for height chart (nutrition) weight for height chart (nutrition) gap identification tables (coordination) gap identification tables (coordination) technical tools, i.e. satellite imagery technical tools, i.e. satellite imagery
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Balancing Speed & Accuracy 1.Speed 2. Accuracy 2. Accuracy Utility of Assessment Findings = Accuracy Time f
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Remember! The Initial Rapid Assessment: – just the first of many – quick – simplified A general rule: A general rule: Get the whole picture half right.
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Informal Methods Rapid Appraisal Methods Cost, Time Skills, Flexibility Validity Reliability Credibility Trade-offs Among Methods Formal Methods (Probability Sampling)
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Probability sampling … what is it? …a process: a portion -- or a random sample - of the whole population is selected, examined, interviewed or measured …a process: a portion -- or a random sample - of the whole population is selected, examined, interviewed or measured Purpose: to obtain more precise information about the population without having to interview everybody Purpose: to obtain more precise information about the population without having to interview everybody Random sample: every member has equal chance of being included in sample. Obtaining “randomness” requires expertise, strict adherence to procedures Random sample: every member has equal chance of being included in sample. Obtaining “randomness” requires expertise, strict adherence to procedures
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training What are we trying to avoid by using probability sampling?
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Cultural bias Cultural bias Gender bias Gender bias Seasonal or “time of day” bias Seasonal or “time of day” bias Others? Others? The Effects of Bias in International Emergency Assessments
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training CHOOSE ANY ONE OF THE CARDS BELOW. REMEMBER YOUR CARD YOUR FACILITATOR WILL NOW MAKE YOUR CARD VANISH! And now for something completely different!
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training CONCENTRATE ON YOUR CARD WHILE YOUR FACILITATOR READS YOUR MIND AND REMOVES THE CARD FROM THE GROUP VOILA! - ITS GONE. BUT HOW DOES IT WORK? ASSESSMENT BIAS!
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training “Mandate” Bias & The value of inter-agency assessment Needs Mandate Resources (or “met” needs
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Reduce bias through: Triangulation: varying techniques, indicators of same event, info sources, team compositionTriangulation: varying techniques, indicators of same event, info sources, team composition CoordinationCoordination Joint assessmentJoint assessment
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Assessment Fundamentals: 2. Those in need are people with strengths and capacities on which to build emergency programming responses. 1. All refugees/ displaced or disaster- affected are not the same and any single ethnic or religious group is not homogeneous.
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training AGE GENDER For Effective Planning: Identify Demographic Composition FAMILY STATUS
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Disaggregating Data Disaggregate data to: Disaggregate data to: – identify disparities concealed by averages – ensure equity of access to goods and services Remember: Disaggregated data cannot be assumed from pre-crisis data Remember: Disaggregated data cannot be assumed from pre-crisis data – refugee emergencies distort demographics – traditional gender and age-specific roles may change
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Assessing Capacity: Capacities / Vulnerabilities Analysis Resources Social/ Organizational Motivational/ Attitudinal VulnerabilitiesCapacities
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training C/VA - Disaggregated by Gender Resources Social/ Organizational Motivational/ Attitudinal Capacities Vulnerabilities Women Men Women Men
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training Macedonians returning home from Kosovo UNHCR photo Analyse the next several scenes: What can you assess from what you see? What can you assess from what you don’t see?
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training UNHCR photo
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training UNHCR photo
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training UNHCR photo
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training UNHCR photo
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training UNHCR photo
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training UNHCR photo
UNHCR/e-Centre/InterWorks - Emergency Management Training UNHCR photo