Annual report 2004-05
Message from the ALNAP Chair and the Head of the ALNAP Secretariat
Last year, ALNAP continued to pursue its Vision of creating a culture of learning in the humanitarian community – one in which all agencies are open to learning from successes and failures. ALNAP’s Biannual Meetings focused on learning from past experiences in humanitarian action. The 15th Biannual Meeting revisited the lessons learned from the Joint Evaluation of Emergency Assistance to Rwanda (JEEAR) and asked how well the humanitarian system had acted upon them in the last decade. The 16th Meeting provided an opportunity for further reflection, this time on the combined lessons from the last four Reviews of Humanitarian Action. When findings from the JEEAR and the ALNAP Reviews are applied to recent emergencies (e.g., the Darfur crisis) it is clear that the sector still faces major challenges in making humanitarian action effective for all.
One major challenge the humanitarian sector faces is how to protect and provide safety for vulnerable people in situations like Darfur. In response to this need, Protection: An ALNAP Guide for Humanitarian Agencies was piloted this year by several ALNAP member organisations, and the experiences have provided solid foundations for a first edition. We are optimistic that the practical value provided by this Guide will help front-line personnel provide safety and protection, as well as humanitarian assistance, to vulnerable people in crisis.
An important means by which ALNAP can contribute to a culture of learning is by improving the quality and utility of evaluations. ALNAP has now piloted the draft Evaluating Humanitarian Action: an ALNAP Guide to Interpreting DAC Criteria. The publication of a first edition in 2005/6 will provide a much needed aid for evaluators and evaluation managers alike. Moreover, we are delighted that ALNAP has spearheaded the formation of a coalition of humanitarian agencies (tsunami evaluation coalition) who have come together to undertake a shared evaluation of the response to the tsunami crisis. This is a clear indication that a genuine culture of shared learning is beginning to take root in the sector and it also provides an opportunity to demonstrate the added value that a shared approach can bring.
There is much more to be done to improve humanitarian action and ALNAP is in the vanguard of bringing about positive change through learning. This year DfID commissioned an independent evaluation of ALNAP which concluded that ALNAP ‘is a well functioning network that has demonstrated a high degree of productivity and an impressive willingness to adapt its approach and focus in line with the sector’s needs… it is judged a relevant mechanism though which to improve performance’.
ALNAP is now taking up some of the recommendations from the evaluation. A sub-committee on membership issues has been set up to improve communications within the network and provide more clarity on governance and membership. We believe these actions will allow ALNAP to be in an even stronger position to redouble its efforts and help tackle other humanitarian challenges.
Anita Menghetti, Chair
John Mitchell, Head of ALNAP Secretariat
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