inter-agency contingency planning: concepts & process workshop title workshop location date...

Inter-Agency Contingency Planning:Concepts & Process

Workshop TitleWorkshop Location

Date

Facilitator’s Name

Session Design:Inter-Agency Standing Committee

Sub-Working Group on Preparedness and Contingency Planning

2Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process

Session Overview

30

3. Exercise: Levels of Contingency Planning

204. The Inter-Agency Contingency Planning Process

2. Key Concepts of Inter-Agency Contingency Planning

30

1. Introduction 10

Time (min)


OrganizationalPlanning

Sector / ClusterPlanning

Inter-AgencyContingency

Planning

This session will focuson the role of Inter-Agency

Contingency Planning in effective

humanitarian action

Focus of this sessionEffective humanitarian action requires planning at several levels:


Why contingency plan?

• Deal with anticipated problems before the onset of a crisis

• Put in place measures that enhance preparedness

Time

• Establish relationships with partners

• Develop shared understanding of common challenges

• Clarify roles and responsibilities• Strengthen coordination

mechanisms

Relationships

• Identify constraints to effective response actions

• Focus on operational issues

Effectiveness

Enhance the quality of humanitarian response!

There are many good reasons why organizations should contingency plan:


What is contingency planning?

Analyse potential emergencies

Analyse potentialimpact

Establish clear objectives & strategies

Implement preparedness actions

Example:

Due to unusual weather patterns, Country X is at risk of large scale flooding this year

Example:

Up to 1.5 million people would be displaced from their homes and 50% of domestic crop production would be wiped out.

Example:

1. Maintaining people on their land and in their homes

2. Protecting the most fertile crop lands

Example:

Raise public awareness of preventive measures

Distribute emergency supplies in high risk areas

Create water diversion channels

Contingency planning is a tool to anticipate and solve problems that typically arise during humanitarian response:


When to Plan?

Preparedness Planning Contingency Planning

Description

Examples

The primary difference is the level of specificity

• Establish standing capacity to respond to a range of situations that may affect a given country or region

• It is a continuing activity for all Country Teams that should be reviewed regularly

• Establish capacity to respond to a specific emerging or anticipated crisis

• It is a discrete activity triggered by early warning systems

• If the threat becomes chronic, it may be integrated into preparedness planning

• Pandemic influenza• Flooding in a not typically

flood-prone region• Population displacement due

to election violence

• Hurricane season in tropical areas

• Chronic conflict zones


What is inter-agency contingency planning?

Effective humanitarian action requires planning at several levels:

Organizational PlanningDefines specific organizational arrangements to deliver the services that the organization is committed to provide

Sector / Cluster PlanningDefines how organizations will work together to achieve sector specific objectives

Inter-Agency Contingency PlanningProvides a common strategic planning framework & process to ensure alignment of humanitarian action to overarching principles and goals

Function

OrganizationalPlanning

Sector / ClusterPlanning

Inter-AgencyContingency

Planning


Elements of inter-agency contingency planning

Inter-Agency Contingency Planning

Sector / Cluster Planning

• Common analysis, risk & vulnerability assessment

• Scenarios & planning assumptions

• Agreed planning figures• Overall objectives &

strategies• Overall management &

coordination arrangements

• Linkages with government

Elements

Examples

• Monitoring probability of emerging crisis• Projected # of people threatened by the

emerging crisis • Objective to maintain people in their present

location by providing supplies• Establishment of 6 Clusters• Negotiating access with government

Elements

Examples

• Sector objectives & strategies

• Needs assessment & analysis

• Capacity & response commitments

• Standards for response

• Monitoring & reporting

• Sector targets, e.g. in health, food, shelter, etc.

• Vulnerability assessments• Application of sphere standards• Information management• Monitoring & reporting


Who’s involved?

Who leads?

Who should be involved?

• The Resident / Humanitarian Coordinator is responsible for providing overall strategic leadership to the inter-agency contingency planning process.

• All members of the Humanitarian Country Team, in particular those with sector / cluster leadership responsibilities, are expected to ensure adequate coordination during the planning process within their respective sectors / clusters and agencies / organizations.

• All who will be required to work together in the event of an emergency, including government whenever possible.

• Working groups and information sharing mechanisms should be established to ensure the planning process remains manageable and effective.


The planning process

The inter-agency contingency planning process is organized around four basic components:

Preparation AnalysisResponsePlanning

ImplementingPreparedness

• Analyze hazards and risks, build scenarios and develop planning assumptions

• Define response objectives & strategies

• Define management & coordination arrangements

• Develop & consolidate response plans

• Enhance preparedness and continue the planning process

• Prepare for and organize the inter-agency contingency planning process

ACTIONS

Strong coordination and process management


Success criteria for IA contingency plans

• Dedicated leadership

• Appropriate resources

• Investment in planning process, not just planning document

Commitment

• Effective leadership• Clear management and

coordination• Prioritization of key issues• Appropriate delegation to

sector / cluster level• Clear process and milestones• Continuous communication

Execution

• Engagement of all stakeholders • Inclusion of government in

meaningful role• Effective information sharing

Inclusion

Failure in any one area diminishes the quality of the contingency planning process and results.

• Taking action on planning recommendations

• Integration of contingency plans at sector and organizational levels

Follow up


Background & Reference


First version of IASC Inter-Agency Contingency Planning Guidelines developed in 2001.

About the GuidelinesA number of agencies had developed very good internal guidance on contingency planning. However, there was no reference document or standards for how to contingency plan on an inter-agency basis.

Intervening years have seen an expansion in inter-agency contingency planning: 2001: approximately 15 inter-agency contingency plans in existence 2007: approximately 250 inter-agency contingency plans in existence

Revision of the guidelines was initiated in February of 2007 to: Reflect accumulated good practice Include key elements of humanitarian reform, specifically the cluster

approach.


For more information and assistance

Active Networks

Inter-Agency Contingency Planning Guidelines

• Prepared by the IASC Sub Working Group on Preparedness and Contingency Planning

• Published November 2007

• There are active inter-agency networks in many regions that include staff from a range of humanitarian agencies that can provide advice or facilitation experience


Contingency Planning Reference

• Inter-Agency Contingency Planning Guidelines for Humanitarian Assistance, November 2007 (Available in English Spanish, French and Arabic)

• IASC Sub-Working Group on Preparedness and Contingency Planning. Challenges and Suggestions for Enhancing Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Report of the 1st Global Consultation of Contingency Planners in Humanitarian Agencies. 2-4 July, 2007.

Available at: www.humanitarianinfo.org/iasc or www.reliefweb.int

• Choularton, Richard. Contingency Planning and Humanitarian Action: A Review of Practice. HPN Network Paper No. 59, March 2007.

Available at: www.odihpn.org


Thank you!

inter-agency contingency planning: concepts & process workshop title workshop location date...

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concepts processwhat

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