Organisation: YAKKUM Emergency Unit (Indonesia)

Preamble / Introductory comments

Accountability is a perceived need and requirement for an organization to grow. Theologically, it was embedded in our establishment as a faith based humanitarian organization when YAKKUM was established more than sixty years ago. Organizationally, it is clearly stated in our current strategic plan. This “accountability” road map in our organization was established when YAKKUM Emergency Unit was appointed to represent ACT International (together with other 8 SCHR members plus UNHCR) to undertake a Peer Review on Accountability to Affected Population (PRAAP) in 2008. The objectives of this peer process were: � To understand the range and diversity of approaches to accountability to disaster-affected populations; � To share best practices, challenges, and learning within and between members in taking forward the adoption, integration and

use of different approaches to accountability, and their relative effectiveness and practicality; and � To inform decisions about whether and how best to prioritise and integrate the diversity of accountability approaches in our

agencies and sector. The peer review process and outcomes were intended primarily to facilitate learning – at the institutional and individual levels. It was hoped that the SCHR members agencies would use this learning to promote stronger accountability to disaster-affected persons within their spheres of influence. The findings of this process were put into a report, which was approved and circulated within SCHR and ACT International (which in January 2010 became ACT Alliance).

The report found that “YEU in many ways can be seen as a model NGO because of its numerous, demonstrated good practices to promote accountability to disaster-affected populations; Its organisational culture is as important as policies and guidelines. YEU’s own policies and procedures are just as significant as ACT’s.”

It recommended that YEU further systematize “snapshot” best practices of accountability within its own organisation and build on those.

This recommendation led us to the decision to apply for HAP membership as we believe that the HAP framework will help our organization to systematize our accountability road map.

Reviewing the progress of our accountability work plan in 2010 below, we should admit that we are far from excellent but at the same time we see that our engagement in HAP accountability work plan has helped us walk the talk. It shows us that accountability is our tool to be a sustainable and transformative organization.

We convey our gratitude to our partner, Christian Aid, and to our affiliation, ACT Alliance which encouraged and facilitated us in embarking on this dynamic process. Our deepest appreciation goes to the disaster affected populations who always challenge us in

understanding, digesting and practising accountability. They are our promoters!

Yogyakarta, January 25, 2011

1. Institutional Commitment (Principles 1, 2 & 7)

Key goal for 2010 Achievements / challenges / lessons learned

2011 objectives

Establishing organizational understanding about accountability and its practices

Achievements: All offices and teams across the organization and accross the country had received information about accountability, HAP principles, their importance, and how to identify their specific role in achieving accountability Accountabilty and HAP principles were integrated into the recruitment system Challenges: To keep the spirit of accountability accross all levels and to keep giving routine refreshment towards the staffs. Lesson learned: Accountability is not a new idea, and had previously been implemented in the daily work of the staffs and organization; but we are now gaining a solid ground for this accountability and developing a clear standard about what should be done to achieve it. Accountability needs to be incorporated

Conducting self assessment practices in the ongoing emergency response

into daily activities within projects so it will not create a sense that this is a new burden for humanitarian workers

2. Accountability in humanitarian action (Principles 3,4,6 & 7)

Key goal for 2010 Achievements / challenges / lessons learned

2011 objectives

Providing Standardized Information towards the Community

Achievement: Together with the staffs, YEU identified common questions that were raised about our organization and used these as standardized basic information to be delivered / explained whenever we start our field program, work in disaster affected areas or on introduction to a new network. Standardized/basic information includes: historical establishment, vision, mission, principles, working strategies and limitations. Adding to this, in every emergency response, we develop basic information about how beneficiaries are able to assess the logistic/aid and how contributors/public can assess how far we help the people. In terms of HR management, external stakeholders (community, vendors, partners) are included in providing feedback for staffs performance, where relevant.

Challenges

Assessing the required information in different communities /different disasters by participative process Formulate information in more innovative ways suitable to the local context

The type of basic information will be different in every disaster area and it needs to be adjusted to the local context. Even though basic information about our organization is generally sufficient, YEU needs to be sensitive to the context. The community is always encouraged to be critical in their continued participation even though it may not be their culture to convey complaints or criticisms. Lesson learned: Providing clear information (under accountability framework) helps our organization increasing community participation and partners’ support and in the end improves the quality of our organization and programs.

3. Monitoring and Evaluation (Principle 5)

Key goal for 2010 Achievements / challenges / lessons learned

2011 objectives

Becoming a learning organization

Achievements: Each divisions revised their SOP. It is planned to circulate and have them in practice by early 2011 There is annual staff meeting to enable sharing and learning between teams/offices in the country Challenges: Ensuring the learning cycle process is done continually and the results are shared

Circulate and have the revised SOP in practice

in a timely manner.

4. Addressing Complaints (Principle 6)

Key goal for 2010 Achievements / challenges / lessons learned

2011 objectives

Establishing a complaints handling mechanism for staff and community

Achievement Inputs for the complaint handling mechanism are gathered and being compiled to create the first draft of the mechanism Challenges: Each region/affected population hasdiferrent cultures and customs, education levels and willingness to submit complaints, hence the mechanism serves as a guideline instead of a technical instructions so that the staffs in the field can adjust them according to the local situation

Completion of the complaints handling mechanism

Case Study Example: Good practice in humanitarian accountability and quality management – Summary version

Case study : promoting accountability in the health clinic established in post Tsunami devastated area (Nagan Raya, West Aceh, Indonesia) in the midst of political context YEU established a health clinic from a mobile clinic service during the post tsunami response in West Aceh. Considering the need for better public health service and access, the intensive mobile health service was turned into stable/stationed health post and has grown as an outstanding health clinic. Despite being a church based humanitarian organization, YEU was able to continue her work among Muslim majority community without much problem as we stick to our humanitarian code of conduct and are disciplined in applying the principle that aid is given regardless race, religion and free from political affiliation. However when the clinic grew bigger and showed signs of a healthy financial income, some leaders in the local government structure used their power to take over the clinic for their own interest by using the sectarian issues, i.e. our health clinic was undertaking proselytisation/Christianization. They provoked unclear information about our health services available in the clinic among the people and finally decided to close our health clinic without proper regulation. Understanding the need to deliver clear information and be held accountable, to clarify the rumor YEU, together with local field staffs, developed information sharing and complaints handling mechanisms. Through these

mechanisms, we announced information that was typically requested by the public, especially points on religion affiliation and how people can check our accountability in terms of aid given. It was circulated among the surrounding community and helped to clarify our standpoint of being organization based on humanitarian principles. People still believed us and asked us to operate the health clinic. The local government still refused to allow us to continue our health clinic service. In the end we learned that accountability helps organization carry out the organizational mandate even though it is not always accepted by certain political interests. Field experience in YEU DRR project in Pariaman, West Sumatera Indonesia after earthquake: In the beginning of project implementation, there was no agreed mechanism for complaints handling. The affected population /program beneficiaries were able to send complaints directly to any of YEU field staffs they met in the street and the staff, if they received a complaint, would send it to the headquarters directly without being sure who would respond. During the project implementation, the field team agreed to develop a complaints handling mechanism. The discussion itself was good as it helped us to understand that accountability is a priority and we were encouraged to find better ways to promoting accountability practices in the field. The culture of complaining is culturally different from place to place. Generally people in Pariaman, West Sumatera did not think that complaining about humanitarian aid is a good manners. YEU needs to undertake a continuous effort to promote the complaints handling mechanism among the people so that they are encouraged to understand and practice their right to accountability. YEU also learns that accountability / being accountable is not only a goal but also the right strategy to ensuring sustainable transformation within the organization as well as at a community level.

Plans with regard to: undertaking a baseline analysis, a certification audit, or mid term certification review

Reviewing our progress and in the process of completing the accountability work plan in 2010, the baseline analysis and certification audit cannot be done yet in our organization in these 2 years. After our 2 year- accountability workplan is fully accomplished in 2012, we will then be able to develop a new plan about how our organization is going to undertake baseline analysis, a certification audit, or mid term certification review

Progress in / highlights from the field (if not otherwise covered above)

Every field relief and rehabilitation project is obliged to develop “contextual” complaints handling mechanism. YEU plans to promote accountability principles and practice in the humanitarian context among faith based organizations working in Indonesia in 2011 to strengthen our inter faith approach based on our research findings on accountability practices in West Sumatera earthquake. The report will be shared to HAP HQ when it is accomplished.

Summary / Other comments As humanitarian organization that believes in and works towards sustainable transformative development, YEU has learned that accountability / being accountable is not only an organizational goal but also the right strategy to ensure sustainable transformation within the organization as well as at a community level.