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Design the assessment strategy
Setting up an assessment strategy Clusters do not evaluate humanitarian needs in silos, but through an intersectoral process led by OCHA, materialized in a Flash Appeal or a Humanitarian Needs Overview. Setting up a needs assessment and analysis strategy for the WASH sector will help the coordination team platform to make necessary arrangements to gather and analyze the data required to inform feed the intersectoral assessment process (HNO, Flash appeal) and the WASH response. The needs analysis process. This strategy is prepared by the coordination platform or an assessment technical working group (TWIG), and must be validated by the SAG. It should address the following points:. The steps to develop the strategy are described in the following sections.:
Define your information needs
The WASH assessment strategy should not be designed in isolation and should consider the multi-sectoral dimension of the crisis, as well as the humanitarian priorities defined by the Humanitarian Coordinator.
The WASH coordination platform should therefore meet with other priority clusters/sectors to finetune the key questions that should be addressed, including “who are the people in need of WASH assistance”; “how many they are”; “what are the priority geographical areas”; “what are the key WASH needs that should be met”; “what implementation modalities are the most relevant”, etc.
In addition, the WASH coordination platform should define:
- The geographic areas for which data is needed
- Which administrative level data is required at
- The breakdown by population groups, gender, etc.
This initial planning should cover all the different emergency phases. To make sure the strategy fits the purpose, outline the strategic decisions you want to inform as well as the key milestones and timelines of relevant HPC outcomes (Situation Analysis/Flash Appeal, HNO, etc.).
Implement an assessment diagnosis
Describe the assessment landscapes, i.e. who collects what data, when and how. Explain how the different assessment initiatives will contribute to meet your information needs. Outline key gaps, limitations, and challenges, and how they can be addressed. Finally, outline the assessment coordination architecture, such as fora and meetings, including relevant assessment/IM working groups, the coordination platform should attend or set up.
Define data collection modalities and needed resources
Define how the information gap can be filled with primary data collection, and who will do it (partners, coordination platform, specialized agencies). Estimate the resources (financial, human) that will be needed for assessment coordination, data collection and analysis. Evaluate what is currently available and explain how gaps will be addressed through fundraising, recruitment, capacity building, or contracting specialized assessment agencies, such as REACH, ACAPS, etc.
The following considerations should be considered:
Most of the budget needed by the coordination platform for assessment will come from UNICEF, and need to be properly included in their proposals to donors (CERF, OFDA, etc.)
The WASH coordination team can include an assessment specialist deployed for a short period to lead an assessment, for training or preparedness purpose;
When no specific resource can be dedicated to assessment, data collection can be done by WASH partners through a harmonized process coordinated by the WASH coordination platform.
Define your information needs
The WASH assessment strategy should not be designed in isolation and should consider the multi-sectoral dimension of the crisis, as well as the humanitarian priorities defined by the Humanitarian Coordinator.
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This initial planning should cover all the different emergency phases. To make sure the strategy fits the purpose, outline the strategic and programmatic decisions you want to inform as well as the key milestones and timelines of relevant HPC outcomes (Flash Appeal, HNO, etc.).
Implement an assessment diagnosis
Describe the assessment landscapes, i.e. who collects what, when and how and if the core WASH indicators are embedded in these data collection initiatives. Explain how the different assessment initiatives led by the coordination platform or other agencies will contribute to meet your information needs. Outline key gaps, limitations, and challenges, and how they can be addressed. Finally, outline the assessment coordination architecture, such as fora and meetings, including relevant assessment/IM working groups, that the coordination platform should attend or set up.
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