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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)
3Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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:
4Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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:
5Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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:
6Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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
7Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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
8Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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
9Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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.
10Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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
11Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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
12Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
Background & Reference
13Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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.
14Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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
15Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
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
16Inter-Agency Contingency Planning: Concepts & Process
Thank you!