UNICEF’s response to Georgia crisis: Real time evaluation

In August 2008, conflict broke in and around South Ossetia, involving the Georgian, South
Ossetian and Russian military, leading to both internal and external displacement of large
numbers of people, including children. Although a large number of the civilians displaced by
the conflict remained within the Georgian territory, there were substantial number of people
who fled to the Russian Federation (North Ossetia and beyond) to escape the fighting.
Humanitarian aid by UNICEF was provided from both sides. This evaluation, however, has
concentrated on the UNICEF response within Georgia where over 80 per cent of
displacements occurred.

From the findings of the evaluation six aspects can be concluded: (i) UNICEF, as the leading
international children’s agency with an ongoing development programme in Georgia and
Russia, was quick to respond to the needs of the conflict-affected children and their families,
providing supplies to the most vulnerable within the first few days of the crisis. (ii) There was
passion, professionalism, commitment and urgency to respond at all levels of staff --
management, programme and administrative (national and international). (iii) The
mechanisms, systems and tools were in place and they clicked together from Office of
Emergency Programmes in New York, Regional Office and Country office to respond
effectively. For example, UNICEF HQ and RO, working in tandem with the CO, were able to
recruit and deploy a substantial team for the response fairly rapidly including experienced
staff from the region. (iv) UNICEF was a team player within the UN system and was
respected by other humanitarian organisation for its leadership and policy dialogue with
authorities. (v) A complex crisis caused by international conflict requires sensitive handling
and making delicate strategic choices during the management of the response and this report
points out the need for refinements and managing a balanced response.