Real-time Evaluation of UNICEF’s Humanitarian Response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines

This real-time evaluation (RTE) of UNICEF’s response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines was undertaken between February and June 2014. It is based on an assessment of the first four months of the response, based on field visits, interviews with key informants, discussions with community stakeholders, documentary review, online survey and analysis. Its purpose is to draw conclusions and make recommendations for the on-going response and to identify wider lessons for UNICEF with regard to future large-scale emergency responses. In keeping with the corporate nature of UNICEF’s response, the RTE was managed by the Evaluation Office and undertaken by a team of external consultants. The RTE assessed UNICEF’s response to the typhoon under three headings: (i) UNICEF’s own programme (ii) Its contribution to the wider response, particularly as cluster co-lead (iii) UNICEF’s organisational processes, capacities and management structures, and how well these served the response. The programme was evaluated against criteria of timeliness, relevance and appropriateness, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, coverage, coordination, connectedness of relief to recovery and the longer-term programme. Compliance with UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action and other relevant standards – internal and external – were also considered.