Managing Humanitarian Relief : An Operational Guide for NGOs

by James, Eric

• ISBN13: 9781853396694
• ISBN10: 1853396699
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-11-30
• Publisher: Practical Action Pub

Summary

Responding effectively to humanitarian disasters is far from straightforward, and relief workers often find themselves working in competitive situations or at cross purposes with other agencies. Managing Humanitarian Relief is aimed at relief workers charged with putting together a program of action to help people in extreme crisis. It provides humanitarian relief managers with a single comprehensive reference for all the management issues they are likely to encounter in the field. The book is organized in two parts. First, it provides an outline of different relief programming sectors: food and nutrition, health, water and sanitation, and shelter. Second, it presents 20 separate management topics that are essential for overseeing programs. Its easy-to-use format includes checklists, tables, diagrams, sample forms, and no-nonsense tips from practitioners to help readers in emergency situations.

Table of Contents

Tables	p. ix
Figures	p. xii
Boxes	p. xiv
Photos	p. xv
Acronyms	p. xvi
Foreword: A brief overview of humanitarianism today	p. xxi
Acknowledgements	p. xxiii
About the author	p. xxiv
Introduction: the purpose of this book	p. xxv
Understanding emergencies and disaster-affected populations	p. 1
What is an emergency?	p. 1
Understanding conflict	p. 6
The role of NGOs	p. 8
Humanitarian principles	p. 10
Problems and dilemmas of the international response system	p. 13
Standardized initiatives and approaches	p. 15
Understanding disaster-affected populations and programme sectors	p. 21
Food and nutrition	p. 21
Health	p. 32
Shelter	p. 45
Water and sanitation	p. 50
Sanitation	p. 57
Refugees and internally displaced persons	p. 60
Psychosocial projects	p. 69
Specifically targeted programmes	p. 69
Infrastructure rehabilitation	p. 74
Education	p. 75
Microfinance development	p. 77
Gender-based violence	p. 81
Special approaches	p. 83
Managing in emergencies	p. 89
Management fundamentals	p. 89
Management methods	p. 92
Organizational design	p. 96
Team building	p. 100
Assessing management	p. 102
Carrying out an assessment	p. 105
Gaining information about a disaster zone	p. 105
Quantitative methods	p. 110
Qualitative methods	p. 112
Launching in a new country or area	p. 117
Deciding to enter	p. 117
Government and legal issues	p. 121
Levels of involvement	p. 123
Dealing with HQ	p. 124
The emergency team	p. 125
Establishing an office and accommodation	p. 129
Property rental and purchasing	p. 129
Staff accommodation	p. 131
Buying office equipment	p. 132
Office and filing systems	p. 132
Ordering and maintaining a generator	p. 138
Preparing a proposal and negotiating with donors	p. 143
Fundraising fundamentals	p. 143
Writing a proposal step by step	p. 149
Proposal formatting	p. 151
Negotiating with donors	p. 154
Managing human resources	p. 159
HRM systems	p. 159
Recruitment step by step	p. 164
Induction	p. 170
Performance management	p. 173
Discipline and end of contract	p. 175
Assessing HR systems: a manager's tool	p. 180
Planning, managing and reporting on a project	p. 183
Project cycle management basics	p. 183
Project design	p. 185
Planning and management tools	p. 188
Project launch	p. 192
Narrative reporting	p. 195
Holding meetings	p. 195
Basic problem solving	p. 197
Dealing with stress	p. 199
Understanding stress	p. 199
Managing stress	p. 202
Conflict resolution between individuals	p. 205
Working in different cultures	p. 208
Overseeing finance and accounting	p. 211
Overview of NGO accounting	p. 211
Budgeting	p. 212
Getting funds in a disaster zone	p. 222
Petty cash	p. 223
Financial audit: a manager's tool	p. 224
Setting up a logistics and procurement system	p. 227
Logistics fundamentals	p. 227
Procurement	p. 232
Shipping	p. 236
Storage and warehousing	p. 241
Distribution	p. 246
Maintenance and disposal	p. 249
Handling transport and maintaining vehicles	p. 253
Buying and renting road vehicles	p. 253
Fleet management	p. 255
Driving safely	p. 260
Other modes of transport	p. 265
Communicating using radios and satellites	p. 269
Radio basics	p. 269
Radio equipment and uses	p. 272
Setting up a communications system	p. 274
Organizing a radio room	p. 276
Radio procedures	p. 277
How to use radios	p. 280
Training	p. 280
Satellite communications	p. 281
Internet connections	p. 282
Working with local partners and contractors	p. 287
Identifying partners	p. 287
Assessing an organization's capacity	p. 289
Sub-contractors and the bidding process	p. 293
Building internal capacity	p. 299
Capacity building	p. 299
Facilitating training	p. 300
Presentations	p. 303
Ice-breakers, energizers and team-builders	p. 305
Organizational development	p. 310
Dealing with the media	p. 315
The media and emergency programmes	p. 315
Advocacy at the field level	p. 317
Giving interviews	p. 321
Managing security	p. 325
NGO security fundamentals	p. 325
Security phases	p. 327
Security planning cycle	p. 329
Security management	p. 336
Developing an effective security plan	p. 339
Security audit: a manager's tool	p. 341
Monitoring and evaluating a project	p. 345
M&E basics	p. 345
Monitoring	p. 347
Evaluation	p. 349
Coordinating with other organizations	p. 351
Understanding coordination	p. 351
Coordination between NGOs	p. 355
Coordination between NGOs and the UN	p. 357
Coordination between NGOs and the military	p. 360
Coordination with host governments	p. 364
Closing an emergency programme	p. 367
Handover strategies	p. 367
Phase-out strategies	p. 372
Appendix	p. 375
The Humanitarian Charter	p. 375
Comparison chart between Sphere Standards and UNHCR Emergency Handbook	p. 377
Code of Conduct	p. 381
Summary of international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law	p. 384
The Humanitarian Accountability Project Principles of Accountability	p. 385
People in Aid Code	p. 386
Content of UN standard kits	p. 389
References	p. 391
Useful websites	p. 395
Glossary of common terms	p. 399
Index	p. 407
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