ALNAP 8th Review of Humanitarian Action, Establishing an ALNAP Interest Group on Humanitarian Performance Indicators

The exploratory work conducted earlier this year by the Humanitarian Performance Project provided ALNAP with: insights into the different components of performance within the Humanitarian System; a mapping of existing mechanisms and initiatives; and a better sense of the scope and complexity of the issues that will need to be addressed as the System seeks to develop methods for monitoring its overall performance. The final report on the exploratory work is currently being modified to appear as a jointly authored chapter by John Borton and Ben Ramalingam in the RHA 2008.

At the Madrid Biannual the ALNAP membership indicated a preference for tackling this complex agenda by focussing on areas that were of manageable scope, offered potential ‘quick wins’ and which were broadly supported. The areas selected were: Impact Assessment; Participation (including beneficiary perception surveys and focus groups); and Joint Evaluation. Consideration is currently being given as to how best to carry forward the work on Participation and Joint Evaluation. Impact Assessment was selected as the Day 1 theme for the Berlin Biannual. The specially prepared Background Paper “Rethinking the Impact of Humanitarian Impact” concluded: “The focus should be on how the sector and agencies within it can move towards a more systematic, considered and collaborative approach to analysing indented and unintended, positive and negative humanitarian impacts”

Since the Madrid Biannual, an independent team have been commissioned to prepare a pilot ‘State of the System’ report that will produce its first assessment in October 2009. As well as generating a first attempt at an overall assessment of performance, the pilot will show how much use can be made from the creative use of readily available information sources including available evaluation reports, opinion surveys of key groups of stakeholders within the Humanitarian System, and available beneficiary surveys. In parallel to the pilot, ALNAP would now like to establish an ALNAP Interest Group on Humanitarian Performance Indicators.