lessons learned from a locally-led emergency...

Lessons learned from a locally-led emergency responseMay 2019

CONTENTS

2 | Australian Red Cross

Introduction 3

Backgroundandsummary 3

1. Walking the talk of a locally-led response 4

2. RedCrossRedCrescentNational Societiesdelegatingauthorityandresponsibilitiestoprovincialand branchlevels 5

3. Effectivecoordinationatalllevels: regional,nationalandlocal 5

4. Buildingcapabilitiesatalllevels 6

5. Supportingalocalisedapproach tosurgecapacities 8

6. Buildinghumanitariandiplomacyat regional,nationalandprovinciallevels 9

7. IFRCsupportforlocalisation 10

Glossary 11

Coverimage:VolunteersfromPalangMerahIndonesia(PMI),Indonesia’s RedCrossSociety,wereactivelocalresponderstoearthquakesthatkilledmorethan2700peoplein2018.Credit:CarolineHaga/IFRC

Lessons learned from a locally-led response | 3

INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

This report focuses on the localisationagenda1 and how it can be used to strengthen disaster response and preparednessactivitieswithinthe Red Cross Red Crescent Movement,andamongotherhumanitarian actors.

ItdrawsonarealtimeevaluationundertakenbytheInternationalFederationofRedCrossandRedCrescentSocieties(IFRC),AustralianRedCrossandIndonesian RedCross(locallyknownasPalangMerahIndonesia,orPMIforshort),inDecember2018.

Overall,theevaluationprovidesapositiveexampleofanationally-ledandlocally-managedemergencyresponse,notingthereisalwaysroomforimprovementforfutureresponses.

NinesignificantearthquakeshitIndonesiaduring2018.ThemostdamagingearthquakesoccurredonLombokIslandandinCentralSulawesi.BetweenJuly29andAugust19,2018,earthquakesinLombokkilled515people,destroyedordamaged88,000housesandaffectedabout500,000people.

OnSeptember28,2018,amagnitude7.5quakestrucktheislandofSulawesi,triggeringatsunamiwithwavesupto6mhighandgroundliquefaction.Morethan2,200peoplewerekilled,almost68,000housesdestroyedordamagedandmorethan430,000peoplewereaffected.

TheIndonesianGovernmentdidnotrequestinternationalassistance.Insteadspecificsupportwaswelcomedthroughgovernment-determinedchannelsandoffersofassistancefrominternationaldonorsandinternationalnon-governmentorganisations(INGOs)wereconsideredinordertofillidentifiedgapsintheresponse.Asaresultofthisposition,theoperationprovidesapositiveexampleofalocalisedresponse,fromwhichlessonscanbedistilledfor use in future disaster preparedness and responses. Ofparticularnotearethefollowingpoints:

• PMIrespondedatscalefromtheonset(pursuanttoitsauxiliaryrole2),quicklymobilisingcapacityfromitsstrong network.

• TheIndonesianGovernmentgavePMIadditionalresponsibilities(i.e.inlogistics,INGOcoordinationandcampmanagement),whichrequiredcoordinationacrossarangeofnationalandinternationalstakeholders.WhilethisraisedPMI’simageasacentralresponseactor,italsoheightenedexpectationsofinternationalhumanitarianstakeholdersforeffectivefacilitation.TheseadditionalresponsibilitieswerechallengingforPMIandimposedasignificantburden on them and on IFRC.

• PMIsuccessfullyworkedwiththeIndonesianGovernmenttolaunchaninternationalappealfortheLombokresponsethroughIFRC(later-onexpandingthescopeoftheappealintenttoSulawesi).

• InternationalRedCrossRedCrescentcapacitiescomplementedthecapacityofPMIindifferentwaysin Lombok and Sulawesi, underlining the need for case-by-case decisions to ensure the right support is in placetocomplementthecapacityofnationalactors.

• IFRCstaffidentifiedpragmaticsolutionsinordertoshiftitssurgeeffortstofocusonsupportrolesandoperationalcoordination.

1. Localisationreferstoinvestmentinthelong-terminstitutionalcapacitiesoflocalactors,thepromotionofmoreequalpartnerships,andbetterintegrationwithlocalcoordinationmechanismsandwasagreedtoaspartoftheGrandBargainattheWorldHumanitarianSummit.

2. Thisauxiliaryrolecanbedescribedas“aspecificanddistinctivepartnership,entailingmutualresponsibilitiesandbenefits,basedoninternationalandnationallaws,inwhichthenationalpublicauthoritiesandtheNationalSocietyagreeontheareasinwhichtheNationalSocietysupplementsorsubstitutespublichumanitarianservices[.]”Resolution2,30thInternationalConferenceoftheRedCrossandRedCrescent(2007).PMIisauxiliarytotheIndonesianGovernmentfordisastermanagementandblooddonations.

1. Walking the talk of a locally-led response

Withmorethan156,000homesandpropertiesdestroyedfollowingtwoearthquakesin2018,localRedCrossvolunteerswereimportanttodeliverthenecessary on-the-groundwork.Credit:RosemarieNorth/IFRC

Thiswasalocally-ledresponsewithlimitedinternationalassistancerequested.Although,theIndonesianGovernmentdidaskASEANmemberstatestoprovidesome targeted assistance.

Thisapproachrequiredafundamentalshiftininternationalpracticesandprovedchallengingformanyactors.

TheIndonesianGovernment’sapproachtothedisasterswasto:

• harness local capacity where possible;

• issue clear guidelines for foreign aid workers asking theyconductactivitieswithlocalpartnersandberegisteredwithgovernmentagencies;

• requestnon-governmentorganisationsworkthrougheitherBNPB(Indonesia’sNationalDisasterManagementAuthority)orPMI,includingforcashprogramming; and

• acceptoffersofinternationalassistancefitforpurpose,specificandintendedtosupportandfillthegapstheIndonesianGovernment(andaffectedcommunities)mostneeded.

TheIndonesianGovernment’sstrongstanceforanationally-ledresponsecaughtmanyintheinternationalcommunity(donors,humanitarianorganisationsandmedia)offguard.Thecriticsofthisapproachfailedtoread the signals and had not kept pace with groundwork theIndonesianGovernmentandotherstakeholdershaddoneoverthepastdecadetotakethereins.PMIandIFRCplayedasignificantroleinthis,particularlyinthedevelopmentoftheDisasterManagementActLawNo.24of2007andrelatedimplementingregulations.

Generally,theongoingIndonesianoperationisawake-upcall for Red Cross Red Crescent, as well as the broader humanitarian community and donors, to translate and actiontheGrandBargaincommitmentsonlocalisation.

Lesson learned 1.1: Policydialogueonlocalisationhasnotyetfilteredthroughtotheoperationallevelamonginternational aid actors.

Lesson learned 1.2: Continuedeffortsarerequiredtohighlighttheimportanceoflocalisation,andtoensurethetransitionfrompolicytooperations:‘walkingthetalk’amonginternationalaidactors.



2. Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies delegating authority and responsibilities to provincial and branch levels

3. Effective coordination at all levels: regional, national and local

Effectivecoordinationsavesenergy,resources,timeand,mostimportantly,lives.Fortheseresponses,theIndonesianGovernmentinvitedASEAN’sCoordinatingCentretoHumanitarianAssistance(AHACentre)tofacilitateinternationalcooperation.

Therealtimeevaluationindicatedtherewerechallengesinmaintainingeffectiveandefficientcoordinationwithallactors.

Someofthesereasonsincluded:

• LimitedcapacityofIndonesianNationalBoardforDisasterManagementandRegionalDisasterManagementAgencies,particularlyattheprovinciallevels.

• Lackofnationalcivil-militarystandardsandmutualunderstanding of ways of working between the military and other humanitarian actors.

• LimitedcapacityofPMIatthebranch/provincialleveltoeffectivelyco-ordinateinmorecomplexforumsandsituations.

• LimitedcapacityofPMItomanageinternalandexternalcoordinationparticularlygivenitsnewroles(e.g.forlogistics)attributedtoitbytheIndonesianGovernment.

Inaddition,thereweregapsinthecapacityoftheAHACentretotakeonitsexpandedrole.Theseincludedpoorassessmentdatacollectionandanalysis,untimelysharingofinformation,lackofframeworkstoconductadequateneedsassessments,andlimitedcapacityoflogisticianstomanageincominginternationalrelief,especiallyregardingshipmentmanagementanddocumentation.ThecapacityoftheAHACentreshouldbeaddressedassoonaspossibleifitistocontinuetoplayagreaterroleinsupportingcoordinationandoperationsofdisasterresponsesamongASEANmembers.

Lesson learned 3.1: NationalSocietiesmayneed to assess and strengthen their internal andexternalcoordinationcapacities.

Lesson learned 3.2: IFRC’spartnershipwithASEAN’sregionaldisastermanagementstructuresiscriticalandcanbestrengthenedtocontributetocapacitydevelopmentandtobuildingstrongersynergiesbetweentheAHACentre,IFRCandNationalSocietiesofASEANmember states.

Lesson learned 3.3: The Red Cross Red CrescentMovementshouldcontinuetoensurestrongcoordinationmechanismsandreadiness planning.

PMI’sHadyPrasetyohascreateddozensofnewmapstoplotearthquakedamage,affectedhouseholds,anddeliveryofhumanitarianaidinLombokusingopen-data.Credit:SydneyMorton/IFRC

MuchofPMI’splanninganddecision-making(aswiththeauthorities)tookplaceatheadquarterlevel.Attimes,provincialandlocalbranchlevelsfelttheywerelargelyoverlooked.Therewereissuesbothways:

• Brancheswereaskedtoimplementfinalplanswithoutanopportunitytoinputintotheirdevelopmentandalsodidnothaveadequatedecision-makingpowersorfinancialandhumanresources.

• Branchesspokeofa‘habitofretainingauthorityatthenationallevel’,despitePMIregulationsthatgavebranches authority.

• Atheadquarters,issueswereraisedregardingcapacitygapsinleadership,implementationandaccountabilityforbothbranchesandataprovinciallevel.

Lesson learned 2: NationalSocietiesmusttakeactiontoimplementtheirdecentralisationpolicies through building enhanced leadership capacitiesatprovincialandlocalbranchlevels,developingclearStandardOperatingProceduresanddelegatingresponsibilitieswithnecessarydecision-making powers and resources.

4. Building capabilities at all levels

RedCrossvolunteersdistributesuppliestofamiliesaffectedbyearthquake.PMI’sstrongvolunteernetworkandvolunteerexpertiseiscrucialtoIndonesia’s emergencyresponse.Credit:SydneyMorton/IFRC

ThestrongnetworksandcapabilitiesofNationalSocietyvolunteersandstaffarecriticalassetsforasuccessfullocalresponsetodisasters.TheIndonesianoperationidentifiedtheneedtomanageandfurtherdevelopsuchcapacitiesandforlocalactorstoaddresstheintegrationofcross-cuttingissues(suchasprotection)intotheiroperations.

4.1 Volunteer resourcesPMI’sstrongvolunteernetworkandvolunteerexpertiseinhealth,WASHandreliefwerekeystrengthsintheIndonesianresponse;inparticular,itsabilitytomobiliseresourcesimmediatelyafteradisaster.

RecruitmentandtrainingofnewvolunteersatthelocallevelisnowongoingatPMIandanewvolunteermanagementsystemisindevelopment.

However,challengespersisttosustaintherequiredvolunteerresourcesforcurrentoperations.Questionsremain regarding how much capacity is enough and how this can be sustained.

Lesson learned 4.1: NationalSocietiesareencouragedtoexploresolutionstosustaintherequiredvolunteerresourcesoverlengthyoperationswithafocusonboththequantityandcompetenciesrequiredatdifferentstagesof the response.

4.2 Operational capacities: finance and logistics ANationalSociety’slogisticsandfinancecapabilitiesmustbeabletoworkeffectivelytomeetoperationalneeds.The Indonesian response highlighted the need to increase thecompetencyofPMIstaff,especiallyatbranchlevels,to ensure they can work within accepted standards.

TheLogisticsEmergencyResponseUnit(ERU)3provedtobefit-for-purpose,enablingtheoperationtominimisetheimpactofPMI’scapacitygaps.Forthefirsttime,aprocurementdelegatewasembeddedintheERU,helpingtokick-startsomelocalprocurementprocesses.TheERUalso helped to coordinate and sort the large amount of reliefsuppliesdirectedtoPMI.

PMIandIFRCunderlinedtheneedtodevelopthesesectors further with the understanding there may be too muchcomplexityinIFRCfinanceandlogisticsprocedures.

Practicalstepsthatcouldbeconsideredinclude:

• Investindevelopingfinancialandhumanresourceswithafocusontheprovincialandlocallevels.

• Prioritisehigh-riskdisasterareasbyfurtherdecentralisingwarehousingtothedistrictlevelforimprovedresponsetiming.

• Developcapacityoflogisticsstaff,ensuringcompliancewithexistingguidanceandpracticaltraining(focusonemergencyprocurement,warehousing,suppliesstandardsandqualityassuranceatnational,provincialandlocallevel).


• Identify,assessandmaplocal,regionalandnationalsuppliersandmarketstosupportlogisticspreparedness.

Lesson learned 4.2: NationalSocietiesshouldreviewandaddressanyshortcomingsintheirfinanceandlogisticssystemsandstaffcapabilities.TheIFRCshouldalsoreviewitssupporttoensureitisadequate.

4.3 Operational capacities: cross-cutting issuesInternationalstakeholders(bothwithintheMovementandbeyond)identifiedaneedforgreaterfocuson(multi-sectoral)needsassessments,informationmanagement,qualityassurance,andcross-cuttingissuessuch as community engagement and accountability (CEA)andprotection,genderandinclusion(PGI).Suchcomponentswilladdvaluetolocalisedresponsesandtheirinternationalacceptance.

Allactorsstressedtheneedtoinvestincontinueddevelopmentofthesecapabilitiesatnationalandlocallevels,whileatthesametimehighlightingincreasingchallengestoobtaininternationalfundingforlong-termcapacitydevelopmentprograms.

Lesson Learned 4.3: NationalSocietiesandgovernmentsshouldassesstheirabilitytointegrate emergency needs assessments, informationmanagement,qualityassurance,CEA,andPGIintotheiroperations.

Lesson Learned 4.4: There needs to be continuedinvestmentindisasterpreparednesstofurthersupportdevelopmentofthesecapabilitiesatthelocallevel.Concertedadvocacywillsupportmainstreamingthesecapacitiesintonationalhumanitarianstandardsandgovernmentcontingencyplanning.


3. AnEmergencyResponseUnit(ERU)isaninternationalstandardiseddisasterrelief unit established by the IFRC.

5. Supporting a localised approach to surge capacities

IFRCFACTteamleaderAndreasvonWeissenbergandPMIheadofdisastermanagementMuhammadHadiconductanaerialassessmentofearthquake-affectedareas. Credit:BenjaminSuomela/FinnishRedCross

TheIFRCSecretariatadaptedtothenationally-ledoperation,supportingPMIindeliveringonitsmandateasa key Indonesian responder to the disasters and refrained fromtakingonimplementationroles.

IFRCstaffonthegroundandmanagementinJakartaandKualaLumpurdemonstratedgoodpracticeinalocalisedresponseby:

• beingflexibleandusingexistingsurgetoolsinapragmaticway;

• shiftingfromimplementationtosupportroles;

• ensuringdelegatesdemonstratedtheadequatesoftcompetencies(suchasattitudes,sensitivitytoculturalcontextandhumility)requiredforsupportroles;and,

• adoptinga‘businesscontinuity’approach,allowingforquickdeploymentsoflocalandregionalIFRCSecretariat personnel and replacing them in their line-functionwithstafffromotherIFRCofficesorsurgepersonnel.

Furtherpracticalstepscouldinclude:

• prioritisingsoftcompetenciesandlocallanguageskillsfor surge delegates, and

• consideringaddingahumanitariananalystprofiletosurgerolesfilledbytheIFRCSecretariat.

Lesson learned 5: IFRC can do more to communicatehowtooptimisesurgecapacitiestoNationalSocietiesandtomakeIFRCsupportprocesses(finance,HR)reflectlocalisedresponses.



6. Building humanitarian diplomacy at regional, national and provincial levels

NationalSocieties,likePMI,areintegratinginformationmanagement,mapping,needsassessmentandotherresponseandpreparednessactivity.Credit:SydneyMorton/IFRC

NationalSocietieshavebothanauxiliaryroletotheirpublicauthoritiesandarehighinfluentialhumanitarianorganisationsintheirowncountries.Therefore,theyare well placed to persuade decision makers and opinion leaderstoact,atalltimes,intheinterestsofvulnerablepeople, with full respect for fundamental humanitarian principles.Tostrengthenthelocalisationagenda,NationalSocietiescouldfurtherbuildtheirhumanitariandiplomacyefforts,particularlybeforeandduringdisasterresponses.

ThePMIapproachtohumanitariandiplomacyprovidessomeusefullessonsandgoodpracticeexamples,givenitsactiveroleinnationaldisastermanagementworkinggroups.PMIhasalsoinfluencedtheshapeofIndonesia’sdisastermanagementarchitecture,supportingthedevelopmentofadequatenationalframeworks.IFRC’ssupport has also been crucial.

NationalSocieties,withappropriatesupportfromIFRCand ICRC, can undertake humanitarian diplomacy with theirgovernmentsandotherrelevantactorssuchasASEANandtheUN.

NationalSocietiescanpromoteeffortstointegrateemergencyneedsassessments,informationmanagement,logistics,qualityassurance,communityengagementactivitiesandprotection,genderandinclusionapproachesingovernmentresponseandrecoveryplanning.Theycanalsofacilitateinitiativestoestablishhumanitarian standards and disaster management StandardOperatingProcedures,translatinggovernmentalframeworksintopracticalprocedures,coordinationmechanisms,delegationofauthorityandadequatefinancingofrolesentrustedbythegovernment.

Lesson learned 6: NationalSocietiesandthe IFRC are encouraged to build stronger humanitariandiplomacyactivitieswiththeirgovernmentsandotherrelevantactors,withafocusonarticulatingrolesandresponsibilitiesofstakeholdersandensuringresponseeffortsadhere to humanitarian standards.

7. IFRC support for localisation

PMIvolunteersdeliveringtarpaulinsandfollowingtheSulawesiearthquake.Credit:BenjaminSuomela/FinnishRedCross

The commitment to more localised humanitarian actionisanintegralcomponentofIFRC’sagendaandstrategyandisanchoredintheSevilleAgreementanditsSupplementaryMeasures.4

Overdecades,NationalSocietieshaveinvestedindevelopingcapacitiesatcommunity,branchandheadquarterlevelswithintheirownterritory,andinbilateralandmultilateralcooperationwithotherNationalSocieties,theIFRCSecretariatandtheICRC.IFRCdemonstrateditscommitmenttolocalisationduringtheIndonesianresponseandcontinuestodoso.Inthiscontext,PMIandotherNationalSocietiesidentifiedopportunitiesforIFRCtofurthersupportthelocalisationprocess.

Opportunity 1: AdvocacyContinuingtoadvocatewithintheIFRCSecretariatandtoNationalSocietieswillbeessentialtohighlighttheimportanceoflocalisationandtheimplicationsforallMovementcomponents.Advocacyshouldbehonestandtargetboththebenefitsandriskstobeaddressedinmovingtolocally-ledresponses.

Opportunity 2: Targets and milestonesDevelopingaroadmapforlocalisationwithspecifictargets and milestones to guide the process will be importantandwillprovideagoodbasisforaMovement-wideapproach,yettobedeveloped.ThiscansitalongsidetheworkplanoftheLocalisationWorkStream,co-convenedbyIFRCwiththeGovernmentofSwitzerland.5

Opportunity 3: SimplificationSimplifyingIFRCsupportsystemsandtools(finance,HR,logistics),whicharecomplexandinvolveahighlevelofchecksandbalances.Increasedviabilityandapplicabilityrequiressimplifiedsupportprocessesthatcanworkwithinlocallyownedprocesses.IFRCSecretariatlogisticsspecialists are currently working to capitalise on lessons

learnedfromrecentoperationsandmakecurrentpoliciesandproceduresmoresuitabletothelocalisationagenda.

Opportunity 4: Direct fundingExploringoptionsfordirectfundingtoNationalSocietiescouldbeexpanded.TheIFRC’spooleddisasterrelieffundisagoodexampleoflocalisedfundinganditsscope(eligibleactivities)andscale(maximumfunding).

Opportunity 5: Deployment personnelUsingsurgepersonnelfromNationalSocietiesindisasterpronecountriesfordeployments(includingtraineemissions)wouldboosttheirresponsemanagementcapacityandincreasetheirunderstandingofinternationaloperationalmechanisms.ItwouldalsoimprovetheNationalSocieties’readinesstohostinternationalassistance,andstrengthenthecapacityofotherNationalSocietiesincloseproximityofdisasteronsets.

Lesson learned 7: There are a number of practicalactionsthattheIFRCcantaketofurtherdrivelocalisationincluding:continuingtoadvocateforlocalisation;developingaroadmapforlocalisation;simplifyingIFRCsupportsystemsandtools;exploringoptionsfordirectinternationalfundingtoNationalSocieties;and,prioritisingtraininganddeploymentofsurgepersonnel from disaster-prone areas.


4. TheSevilleAgreementof1997providesaframeworkforeffectivecooperationand partnership between members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.ItspecifieswhichorganisationwithintheMovementwouldtaketheleadincertainfieldoperations.

5. TheLocalisationWorkstreamisoneof10thematicworkstreamsdistilling51sharedcommitmentsundertheGrandBargain.Eachworkstreamisco-convenedbyonedonorgovernmentrepresentativeandonehumanitarianagency,withmembersincludinggovernments,communities,RedCrossandRedCrescentNationalSocietiesandlocalcivilsociety.


GLOSSARY

AADMER ASEANAgreementonDisasterManagementandEmergencyResponse

AHA Centre ASEANCoordinatingCentreforHumanitarianAssistance

APRO Asia-PacificRegionalOffice

ASEAN AssociationofSoutheastAsianNations

BNPB BadanNationalPenanggulanganBencana(NationalDisasterManagementAuthority)

BOCA BranchOrganisationalCapacityAssessment

BPBD BadanPenanggulanganBencanaDaera(Provincial/districtdisastermanagementauthority)

CCST Country Cluster Support Team

CEA Community engagement and accountability

DREF DisasterReliefEmergencyFund

EA EmergencyAppeal

EMT EvaluationManagementTeam

EPoA EmergencyPlanofAction

ERAT EmergencyResponseandAssessmentTeams

ERU EmergencyResponseUnit

HQ Headquarters

ICRC InternationalCommitteeoftheRedCross

IFRC InternationalFederationofRedCrossandRedCrescentSocieties

INGO InternationalNon-GovernmentalOrganisation

NDRF NationalDisasterResponseFramework

NGO Non-GovernmentalOrganisation

NS NationalSociety

OCAC OrganisationalCapacityAssessmentandCertification

PGI Protection,GenderandInclusion

PMI PalangMerahIndonesia(IndonesianRedCrossSociety)

PNS ParticipatingNationalSociety

RCRC Red Cross Red Crescent

RTE Real-TimeEvaluation

SOP StandardOperatingProcedure

WASH Water,SanitationandHygiene

ToR Terms of Reference

UN UnitedNations

National Office23-47VilliersStNorthMelbourneVIC3051

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May2019

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