A. Purpose
This protocol outlines the process for assessing the humanitarian situation and determining requirements for a potential response to an emergency.
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B. Policy
The needs assessment process assists CARE to gather the facts and reach consensus-with COs, Lead Members and the CI Emergency Group (CEG)-about whether a response should be initiated or that no response is required.
CARE's Humanitarian Mandate Statement commits CARE to provide assistance on the basis of need. An impartial assessment process is a necessary operational step to determine need and meet obligations of humanitarian principles. CARE's Humanitarian Mandate Statement says that CARE will respond wherever we can add value. The assessment process should explicitly assess the added value that CARE can bring to an emergency response.
CARE's commitment to accountability standards has the following implications for assessments:
- CARE will take a ‘good enough' approach to ensure the right balance is struck between speed and thoroughness, assessment and aid delivery, and other competing factors.
- CARE will seek to minimise assessment overload and promote coordination, by sharing assessment results and conducting joint assessments wherever possible.
- The requirement for objective and impartial assessment of need means that CARE cannot delegate responsibility for assessment exclusively to other parties/entities.
- Assessment should be managed as an iterative, continuous process. Initial response interventions should often begin before receiving detailed assessment reports.
In countries where CARE already has a presence, it is the responsibility of the CO to initiate the assessment process. In type 1 (small scale and severity) emergencies, it is expected that the COs can manage assessments themselves. In type 2 (major scale and/or severity) emergencies, support for assessments may be provided by CARE International under the leadership of the crisis coordination group (CCG)-including CEG and the Lead Member. In type 3 emergencies (non-presence situations), assessments will be initiated and coordinated by the CI Emergency Operations Manager.
The cost of assessments should be covered by the CO. Emergency response funds from CARE International or Lead Members may be requested to cover initial assessment costs but efforts should be made to recover the costs from donor funding whenever possible.
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D. Endnotes
1. For more information, refer to the CARE Emergency Toolkit
Chapter 13 Assessment.
2. Timing: Specific times apply to rapid-onset emergencies. Timing will vary in slow-onset emergencies and must be judged on a case-by-case basis.
3. Dates, times, issues arising and assessment findings should be recorded and reported to monitor emergency response performance.
4. Logistics and administration support required includes transport, cash, telecommunications, travel permits, accommodation and provisions, etc.
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