NFI Sector Working Group: Working Paper on NFI Assistance Monitoring

The Non-Food Item (“NFI”) Sector is the second-largest sector (in terms of dollar value) for the humanitarian response in Syria. While there are sizeable pressures to deliver assistance to the population in need in a rapid manner, the NFI sector members also are very much aware of the need for proper monitoring of activities toward ensuring accountability to the affected population and donors, and in order to track the successes, challenges, and impact of our work toward a more efficient NFI sector response.

In January 2015, the NFI Sector Working Group agreed to look specifically into the issue of NFI assistance monitoring. Over the month of February 2015, the Sector Coordination Team surveyed all sector members (through interviews and email correspondence) requesting information related to their monitoring practices – including current arrangements, constraints, plans, and ideas for improvement. The following provides a brief summary of the findings and identifies areas to jointly consider as a way forward amongst the sector.