Strategic planning

Once the needs assessment phase is completed, all necessary data should have been collected and analysed to inform strategic planning allowing the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) process to start. The HRP has become the main tool for intersectoral strategic planning in protracted or a stabilized context. It is a one-month duration OCHA-driven process done with the support of each sector, usually occurring once a year in a protracted emergency. Part of the HRP process, the development of the WASH Operational Response Plan (WORP) is an essential function of the WASH coordination platform, requiring joint efforts from IMO, WCC and WASH partners. The WORP includes:

• The WASH response analysis based on the needs assessment data;
• The strategic orientation of the WASH response;
• An estimation of the population targeted for the WASH response (caseload);
• A prioritization of activities and population groups to be covered by the WASH sector; and
• An estimation of the WASH response funding requirement.

The WASH operational plan sets targets against which the WASH response will be monitored. Its objective is inter-sectoral planning, so it can not contain too many details on each sector. More details about the WASH response modalities can be normally found in the Strategic Operational Framework.

In large sudden onset emergencies, the annual HNO + HRP documents can be replaced by a Flash Appeal, which follows the same logic but drafted over a very short period (3 to 5 days), and mostly based on secondary data. A Flash Appeal contain both needs assessment and response strategy information.

• Focus response's activities and resources
• Ensure that organizations are working toward the same goals and using the same modalities
• Assess and adjust the humanitarian community’s response to a changing environment.