Save the Children's Emergency Response to Post-Electoral Violence in Cote d'Ivoire

A political crisis arising from the disputed presidential elections on 28 November 2010 brought Cote d'Ivoire to the brink of civil war in the first quarter of 2011. Heavy fighting erupted in the West and in Abidjan, resulting in a reported 3,000 deaths and over one million displaced people, including 500,000 children. Save the Children (SC) has been active in Côte d'Ivoire since 1996 with programs in education, protection and civil society. Programming targeting orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) has also been in place since 2008. Save the Children International declared an emergency response in Cote d'Ivoire from April to September 2011. In response to the wide-ranging humanitarian needs, SC CDI expanded its scope to deliver life-saving interventions in Health, Nutrition, Food Security & Livelihoods, WASH and NFIs/Shelter in the West of the country and in Abidjan. Disposing of the second highest number of staff and the greatest geographic coverage among INGOs in Côte d'Ivoire, Save the Children (SC CDI) is today one of the key humanitarian agencies in the country. The Evaluation of Humanitarian Action (EHA) was carried out by an external consulting team of two people, to ensure an objective and transparent assessment of Save the Children's achievements during the emergency response. In addition, Save the Children Sweden seconded a Regional Protection Programme Advisor to support the team and assist with data collection. The evaluation team collected data in Cote d'Ivoire from 7 - 21 May, 2012. The purpose of the evaluation was to document and analyze major outcomes, successes and lessons from the emergency response in Cote d'Ivoire.