UNICEF's Response to the Emergency in the Horn of Africa, 2011-2012: Lesson-Learning Exercise

In December 2011, UNICEF senior management agreed to conduct a Lesson-Learning Exercise (LLE) on UNICEF’s response to the emergency in the Horn of Africa (HoA). According to the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the exercise, the LLE aimed to provide a structured corporate reflection, drawing out major lessons and insights on which aspects of UNICEF’s corporate response to the HoA emergency worked well, which aspects worked less well, and why. The aim was to provide practical recommendations to strengthen the operations supporting the HoA response, and UNICEF’s procedures for addressing future emergencies, in particular any adjustments required to the Corporate Emergency Activation Procedure (CEAP) and its associated Simplified Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) in the longer term. The ToR indicated that the LLE should focus mainly on UNICEF’s internal operations, processes and procedures.