Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DEVELOPMENTS
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Out Ock
JS OBS
ectio
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The Latest Issues and Trends in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance
What Humanitarian
Constitutes Report Card
a Security
Incident? Aid Effectiveness:
Dignity is the Key
The
Tsunami Reflecting on Five Years
of Recovery Balancing
Market Pay and
Organizational Goals
Preparing
Doctors and Nurses
to Be Managers
Jan/Feb
2010
Vol. 28, No. 1/2
10
MONDAY
DEVELOPMENTS
Copy Editor
Kathy Ward
Additional Contributors
Nasserie Carew
17
Senior Director of Public Relations
Contents
Tawana Jacobs
Senior Public Relations Manager
Margaret Christoph
Senior Admin Associate
Cover photo: Daniel Cima/American Red Cross
InterAction
1400 16th Street, NW January/February 2010 • Vol. 28 • No. 1/2
Suite 210
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202.667.8227 FEATURES Preparing Doctors and DEPARTMENTS
publications@InterAction.org Nurses to Be Managers | 21 Inside This Issue | 3
Cover Story: Management training leads to
ISSN 1043-8157
The Indian Ocean improved health outcomes. Inside InterAction | 4
Tsunami: Experiences Inside Our Community | 5
in Recovery Protection in
Programming | 10 High-Risk Areas | 23 Washington Update | 6
Monday Developments is published 11 Reflecting on five years of Several types of insurance Events | 27
times a year by InterAction, the larg- recovery. significantly increase an NGO’s
est alliance of U.S.-based international ability to handle incidents in Employment
development and humanitarian non-
governmental organizations. With more Key to Aid Effectiveness: dangerous locations. Opportunities | 28
than 185 members operating in every Dignity of Aid
developing country, InterAction works to
Recipients | 13 What Constitutes a
overcome poverty, exclusion and suffer-
ing by advancing social justice and basic Marvin Parvez’s experience in Security Incident? | 25
dignity for all. Afghanistan shows that local It is vital for NGOs to define their
concerns and participation must security policy.
InterAction welcomes submissions of
news articles, opinions and announce-
be at the center of aid work.
ments. Article submission does not guar-
antee inclusion in Monday Developments. Growing Global NGOs
We reserve the right to reject submis- Effectively | 15
sions for any reason. It is at the discretion
of our editorial team as to which articles
How to achieve global
are published in individual issues. coherence without losing local
advantage.
All statements in articles are the sole
opinion and responsibility of the authors. Humanitarians Get a
Articles may be reprinted with prior per- Report Card | 17
mission and attribution. Letters to the A new report highlights
editor are encouraged. opportunities to improve the
grade in reform efforts.
A limited number of subscriptions are
made available to InterAction member
agencies as part of their dues. Individual Balancing Market Pay and
subscriptions cost $80 a year (add $15 Organizational Goals | 19
for airmail delivery outside the U.S.) The changing demands of NGO
Samples are $5, including postage.
Additional discounts are available for leadership are influencing pay.
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delivery. Advertising rates are available
on request. 19
INSIDE This Issue
New Year,
New Influence
O
VER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE SEEN INCREASED
access and opportunity for input from the U.S. NGO
community into the evolution of U.S. government
policies and efforts to redefine approaches to devel-
opment. As we look to 2010, it is my hope for the InterAction
community to see our influence match that access, in that our
value, worth, experience and expertise—in programs and as
a thought leader—is recognized and integrated into consulta-
tions with the U.S. government and multilateral institutions.
Building on conversations with InterAction members, the
Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard Univer-
sity recently published a paper that looks at, “What Makes Inter-
national NGOs Distinctive?” The article points out five distinct
contributions international NGOs make to development and Afghan farmer
humanitarian efforts, including the role we play in strengthen-
ing civil society around the world, our ability to respond quickly NGOs—and donors—to harmonize and rationalize public and
to crises and to engage constituencies, our ability to influence private international development and humanitarian assis-
policy in “western” countries, our ability to serve as knowledge- tance around the world.
sharing agents, and the level of private resources we direct As we start a new year, it is my hope that the U.S. NGO
toward development and humanitarian work. community is seen as an equal to the U.S. government and
As I have mentioned on a number of occasions this year, the other donors in its depth of experience and its knowledge as
InterAction community in 2006 received $5.995 billion from a development actor, rather than as merely service providers
private funding sources—including foundations, corporations, or “implementing partners”; and that the development com-
and over 13.6 million donors groups (which translates to some munity recognizes that U.S. NGOs have successful, large-
40 million individuals)—and $2.87 billion from the U.S. gov- scale privately-funded programs and the capacity to design
ernment, for a total of $8.8 billion in revenue for international and implement life-changing programs that can be leveraged
programs. In addition, for 2006 InterAction members reported by other donors.
spending 92 percent ($8.0 billion) of that amount for program Among other things, this issue of Monday Developments
services in more than 130 developing countries. Beyond the focuses on aid effectiveness, and as we look in 2010 toward
InterAction community, in 2007, total U.S. NGOs private demonstrating the impact and value of the InterAction com-
resources reached $10.2 billion, making the U.S. non-profits munity, we must also work to show that development effec-
collectively one of the world’s largest donors. tiveness is not—as commonly thought—only the domain of
As the Hauser Center paper points out, our resources governments. Aid will never be truly effective until it engages
extend far beyond the financial clout of U.S. NGOs, to our civil society and ensures that local voices and communities
ability to mobilize constituencies, build civil society, react to are heard in the development process. The international
crises and share our vast knowledge—gained by experience NGO community must use our reach and influence to urge
and years of program implementation—with the world. governments and multilateral institutions to incorporate civil
InterAction has been engaged in working with its members society into planning and discussions on broader “develop-
to gather the information, data and anecdotal stories we need ment effectiveness”—and then put our thoughts and learn-
to show the depth of our experience and the reach of our pro- ing into action.
grams. As you might know, one of our major projects is to I wish you a happy new year, and look forward to seeing
work with members to undertake a major mapping effort— our community grow and strengthen in 2010. MD
Photo: Jonathan Saruk
InterAction Welcomes New Members and to become a valuable resource or model for others.
The board of directors in their December 8, 2009 meeting HelpAge USA, an affiliate of HelpAge International, builds
unanimously voted for eight new member organizations to awareness of global aging issues among U.S. audiences; advo-
join InterAction. cates for the empowerment of older, vulnerable adults in the
The Center for Women Policy Studies was established developing world; and raises funds to support the programs
in 1972 as the first policy institute in the United States to of the HelpAge network. HelpAge has programs to address the
study and analyze the impact of public policy on women. needs of older people in health, social protection, economic
The Center’s mission today is what it development, legal protec-
was then—to shape public policy that tion, education and emer-
improves women’s lives and promotes gency/disaster response.
women’s human rights. The Center Over the past 25 years,
works closely with female elected they have built a unique
officials, recognizing that advanc- body of knowledge on older
ing women’s leadership is essential people’s issues which they share with partners, governments
to achieving their mission and that women’s equality and and UN agencies. In addition to their programmatic work in the
empowerment are essential for the sustainable and peaceful field, HelpAge has also worked successfully with ten govern-
development of communities and nations worldwide. Recog- ments in Africa, Asia and Latin American to demonstrate the
nizing that women’s leadership is essential to their mission, effectiveness of pensions as a way to reduce family poverty.
the Center has been educating and activating women lead- International Medical Health Organization (IMHO)’s mis-
ers from around the world through its GlobalPOWER (Part- sion is to develop and improve health and health care infra-
nership of Women Elected/Appointed Representatives) pro- structure in under-served regions worldwide. IMHO believes
gram. This program convenes women members of parliament in a community-based and community-sustained approach,
and cabinet ministers from around the world in Washington which works with local individuals and partners to implement
along with selected U.S. state legislators, to build long term projects. Through these networks, IMHO has developed health
sustainable partnerships—across borders and over time—to care systems through training medical
confront the worst violations of women’s human rights. The personnel and students, and providing
Center is also working in partnership with the International them with medicine and resources to
Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) and the Centre for Devel- better assist needy populations. Since
opment and Population Activities (CEDPA) to bring together its inception IMHO has established four
women members of parliament and ministers, women living primary health care centers in rural
with HIV/AIDS and NGO leaders, and women journalists regions, with fully-trained staff and
from around the world to build new global partnerships to equipment to accommodate most basic medical needs in the
promote woman-centered HIV/AIDS policy in their countries. area, focusing efforts on essential health education, disease
The Global Fund for Children has a mission to advance the prevention, and treatment. IMHO has also supported various
dignity of children and youth around the world. GFC pursues mobile medical clinic programs in regions where people are
its mission by making small grants to innovative community- unable to reach primary care centers. Through these primary
based organizations working with some of the world’s most care centers and mobile clinics, IMHO has helped to provide
vulnerable children and youth, complemented by a dynamic health care to tens of thousands of people.
media program that—through books, documentary photog- Project C.U.R.E.’s mission is to iden-
raphy and film—highlights the issues affecting children and tify, solicit, collect, sort and distribute
celebrates the global society in which we all live. To date, medical supplies and services according
GFC has made over $10 to the imperative needs of the world. The
million in small grants organization has served people in over
to over 300 groups in 120 countries and in the C.U.R.E. Clin-
65 countries. Balanc- ics program has taken medical profes-
ing the scope and scale sionals to various locations in the devel-
of an international funder with the focus and accessibility oping world to attend to the physical
of a community oriented grant maker, GFC forges an open, needs of those who are sick and dying.
collaborative relationship with each of its grantee partners, Six C.U.R.E. clinics, made up of 51 men
a collaboration characterized by the continual exchange of and women within the medical com-
experiences, practices and ideas. Their programs are rooted munity, contribute their time to diagnose, treat, and provide
in community initiative and driven by entrepreneurial lead- free care for 8,000 children women and men living in poverty
ers. Supporting community-based groups at a relatively early and disease. In addition to the medical clinics, the team offers
stage in their development also maximizes the value and basic healthcare education to people in the community.
impact of GFC’s investment. Each grantee partner organiza- Resolve Uganda works to get U.S. political leaders to take the
tion is selected based on its potential to grow in effectiveness steps that will permanently end the war in northern Uganda.
Photo: USAID
permanently end the war in
northern Uganda, Resolve
Uganda utilizes three pri-
mary program areas:
Research and reporting: Resolve Uganda conducts field
research and consults with partners in Uganda to develop
policy reports and its advocacy agenda.
Grassroots mobilization: Resolve Uganda organizes thou-
sands of supporters across the country to participate in local
and national advocacy campaigns.
Education of policymakers: Resolve Uganda conducts
media outreach, holds events and meets directly with policy-
makers in Washington, D.C. to influence U.S. policy.
Sierra Club’s mission is to explore, enjoy and protect the
wild places of the earth; to practice and promote the respon- Shah Sworn-In as New USAID Administrator
sible use of the Earth’s ecosystems and resources; to edu- New USAID administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah was sworn-in
cate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality on Jan. 7 in Washington, D.C., by Secretary of State Hill-
of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful ary Rodham Clinton. Dr. Shah will lead an agency that is
means to carry out these objectives. engaged in several critical domestic assessments and evalu-
Their Global Population and Environment Program’s mis- ations of its work. He will need to engage immediately in pro-
sion is to protect the global environment and preserve natural viding strong leadership and direction for the agency’s input
resources for future generations by advancing global repro- and recommendations to the Presidential Study Directive
ductive health and sustainable managed by the National Security Council and National Eco-
development initiatives. Working nomic Council which will enumerate, review and assess the
with domestic and international efficiency and effectiveness of the over 26 foreign assistance
coalition partners, they seek programs and funding sources within the U.S. government
to increase universal access to as well as actively engage and manage USAID’s leadership
voluntary family planning services and comprehensive sex and participation in the Department of State’s Quadrennial
education; advance women’s and girls’ basic rights, including Diplomacy and Development Review. Additionally, his active
access to health care, education and economic opportuni- and immediate engagement on the Pakistan and Afghanistan
ties; promote youth leadership; and raise public awareness humanitarian and development funding issues will be critical
of wasteful resource consumption in the context of social and for the development community. InterAction encourages Dr.
economic equity. Shah to assemble a strong team of development profession-
U.S. Climate Action Network (USCAN) USCAN’s mission is als to support him as he administers the agency in this new
to support and strengthen civil society organizations to influ- and challenging environment. InterAction will meet with Dr.
ence the design and development of an effective, equitable and Shah and his new leadership team to discuss and rethink the
sustainable global strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emis- U.S. government partnership or relationship with the NGO
sions and ensure its implementation at international, national community. InterAction and its 193 members welcome him
and local levels. USCAN also is a partner of the Global Cam- to the position and look forward to an open and transparent
paign on Climate Action (GCCA). GCCA is a bold new initiative, relationship with him and his new leadership team.
involving a growing
number of national Open Data in Microfinance
and global environ- The recently re-launched www.MIXMarket.org has
mental and devel- been described as a major step forward for open data and
opment groups, and focused on one goal—rapid action to save transparency in international development. The MIX Market
the planet from dangerous levels of climate change. USCAN web application provides information for over 1,500 microfi-
plays a critical role as the only network connecting organiza- nance institutions in more than 190 countries around the
tions working on climate advocacy and policy development at world, some with as many as 150 financial indicators and
all three levels of the debate: state/regional, federal, and inter- with records as far back as 1995. Eighty million clients are
national, all of which are becoming increasingly interdepen- served by these organizations. The site, which has been
dent. USCAN is an affiliate network of the Climate Action Net- referred to as the “Bloomberg of microfinance,” makes vast
work (CAN), a worldwide network of more than 400 NGOs from amounts of vital information about the industry accessible
85 countries working to promote government, private sector to anyone with interest, thereby improving transparency,
and individual action to limit human-induced climate change accountability and ultimately performance for essential eco-
to ecologically sustainable levels. MD nomic development services. MD
Administration Confirmations to have the post filled as the Obama administration and the
On November 20, the Senate Foreign Relations Commit- State Department both conduct reviews of the U.S. foreign
tee (SFRC) unanimously confirmed Daniel W. Yohannes as assistance process.
the new Chief Executive Officer for the Millennium Challenge
Corporation. Yohannes, a former banker who emigrated from FY2010 Appropriations
Ethiopia at the age of 18, testified in front of the SRFC on On December 16, President Obama signed the Consoli-
November 4. He will be the third person appointed to the dated Appropriation Act of 2010 into law, an omnibus of six
CEO position—and the first under the Obama administra- appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, including State,
tion—since the MCC’s creation in 2004. Foreign Operations (SFOps). The omnibus package passed
On January 7, Dr. Rajiv Shah was sworn in as USAID the House six days earlier (221-202) without a single Repub-
Administrator. Shah, who testified before the SFRC on lican voting in favor of the bill. The senate approved the bill
December 1, and was unanimously confirmed on Christmas 57-35 on December 13, with three Republicans voting “Yea”.
Eve, had previously served in the U.S. Department of Agri- While the total amounts appropriated to the International
culture and before that at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foun- Affairs accounts and SFOps accounts were six percent and
dation. His nomination in November came after a 10-month three percent lower respectively than total FY2009 levels,*
wait, during which the development community rallied hard humanitarian and poverty-focused accounts fared well. All of
InterAction’s seven core accounts** were up from last year, Corker introduced in July to strengthen the capacity, trans-
an aggregate increase of 26 percent; total funding for the core parency and accountability of U.S. foreign assistance pro-
accounts was approximately $8 billion. The account with grams to effectively adapt and respond to new challenges of
the largest proportional gain was Development Assistance, the 21st century. Markup of the bill, where the relevant com-
which received a 26 percent boost from FY2009 appropria- mittee (in this case the Senate Foreign Relations Commit-
tions, $1.17 billion of which has been reserved for agriculture tee) considers the bill and discusses possible amendments
and food security programs and another $1.28 billion for cli- before it goes to the floor for a vote, began on November 17.
mate change programs. USAID saw a 33 percent increase The bill was still in committee as of the end of December.
to its operating expenses to $1.39 billion. This $330 million
boost will allow USAID to hire 300 additional Foreign Service Other Legislation
Officers to enhance its leadership, technical and manage- On November 4, the House passed House Resolution 711,
rial capacity. The MCC, which suffered a 41 percent funding regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka. It
cut in FY2009, got a 26 percent funding increase in FY2010, urges the Government of Sri Lanka to allow freedom of move-
once again bringing its total over $1 billion. ment for internally displaced persons (IDPs), to ensure that
Two peacekeeping accounts, however, saw cuts of 11 and IDP camps are run by civilian authorities, and to promote
37 percent respectively. Similarly, the FY2010 appropriations justice and political reconciliation including engagement
for food aid account P.L. 480 Title II ($1.69 billion) was cut to with Tamils.
about $630 million short of FY2009 funding. In past years, On November 5, the Senate Environment and Public Works
all three of these accounts have received significant mid-year Committee approved the Clean Energy Jobs and American
boosts through supplemental funding. It remains uncertain Power Act (S.1733). Republican Committee members boycot-
whether President Obama will take this route in FY2010. ted the markup, demanding further analysis by the Environ-
As part of the conference agreement between both houses, mental Protection Agency of the bill’s cost. Some worry that
the Senate dropped the Lautenberg Amendment from the Chairman Boxer’s decision to markup the bill without bipar-
bill. This amendment would have permanently overturned tisan support will have dire consequences for the bill’s future.
the Mexico City Policy, which requires all NGOs receiving U.S. In a move that some are characterizing as Plan B, Senators
government funding to refrain from promoting or performing Kerry, Graham and Lieberman announced on November 4 that
abortion services, as a method of family planning, in other they are working with the administration to construct bipar-
countries. The conference agreement also included a modified tisan legislation that can garner 60 votes to pass the Senate.
provision on the Partner Vetting System (PVS), a plan to vet On December 14, the administration submitted a Pakistan
staff members and officers of any NGOs that apply for USAID Assistance Strategy Report to Congress, the first in a series
contracts, grants and cooperative agreements to ensure that of reports mandated by language in the legislation passed in
neither USAID nor USAID-funded activities were inadvertently October authorizing $7.5 billion in non-military assistance to
benefitting terrorists, ignoring the fact that U.S. NGOs already Pakistan over five years. The report highlights building infra-
have procedures in place for this and that PVS dangerously structure, addressing basic needs, providing improved eco-
blurs the lines between USAID and the various security agen- nomic opportunities, and pursuing economic and political
cies of the U.S. government. InterAction has been in discus- reforms as key objectives of U.S. assistance. A portion of the
sions with the administration for two years on this issue to try $7.5 billion authorization will address immediate humanitar-
and find a workable solution. Funding for PVS is limited to a ian and recovery needs as well as to enhancing education and
pilot program in up to five countries and in Washington, DC. health services. U.S. reconstruction and poverty-reduction
programs will continue to focus on the North-West Frontier
Foreign Aid Reform Province (NWFP) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The State Department’s Quadrennial Diplomacy and (FATA), but will expand their focus to other vulnerable areas
Development Review (QDDR) process continues. The QDDR as well. According to the report, U.S. assistance will be
process is meant to “provide short, medium and long term directed increasingly through a broad range of Pakistani insti-
blueprints” for U.S. government diplomacy and development. tutions—both governmental and local NGOs. MD
On November 6, a group of InterAction CEOs and senior
policy staff met with some of the process’ leaders, including * All comparisons made to FY2009 appropriations levels
Anne-Marie Slaughter (Director of Policy Planning, Depart- include supplemental and stimulus funding made in that year.
ment of State) and Alonzo Fulgham, (then-Acting Administra- ** InterAction’s Core Accounts: (1) Global Health and Child
tor, USAID), and agreed in principle to an outreach structure Survival, (2) Development Assistance, (3) International Disas-
that would enable the development and humanitarian NGO ter Assistance, (4) Transition Initiatives, (5) Migration and
community to provide input to the various QDDR working Refugees Assistance, (6) Emergency Migration and Refugee
groups and subcommittees. Assistance, and (7) International Organizations and Programs.
The Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Account- If you have any questions, or would like to be added to the
ability Act of 2009 continues to move through the Senate. email list for the weekly public policy update, please contact
This is the bill that Senators Kerry, Lugar, Menendez and Margaret Christoph at mchristoph@interaction.org.
Vasikutty Palanithamby
Omanthaichimadam, Sri Lanka
“After the tsunami destroyed
my house, I lived in a temporary
shelter for three years with my wife
and five children because of the
country’s ongoing conflict.” Five
THE
years later, Vasikutty is now able to
move his family to a new home.
INDIAN
OCEAN
Reflecting on
five years of
recovery.
TSUNAMI
BY GERALD ANDERSON, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF THE TSUNAMI
RECOVERY PROGRAM FOR THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
O
N DECEMBER 26, 2004, A 9.1 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE amongst actors and the timely sharing
of information.
STRUCK OFF THE COAST OF INDONESIA’S NORTHERN Proper planning requires reliable
information. Systems must be in place
TIP OF SUMATRA. THE QUAKE GENERATED A MASSIVE to facilitate the collection, analysis and
dissemination of information about
TSUNAMI THAT DESTROYED 469,000 HOMES, KILLED recovery efforts for decision makers
MORE THAN 225,000 PEOPLE IN OVER 12 COUNTRIES AND LEFT SOME in coordination agencies. An example
E
is the Tsunami Recovery Information
1.7 MILLION DISPLACED. and Monitoring System (TRIAMS) cre-
ated by the Red Cross, governments,
Over the past five years, many orga- services in one area while leaving gaps UN agencies, and other coordination
nizations that responded to the Indian in services in others. As governments bodies. In Indonesia, TRIAMS demon-
Ocean Tsunami with emergency inter- are ultimately responsible for ensur- strated to BRR that assistance groups
ventions have finished programs and ing a response that meets the needs of were offering more housing programs
left the affected area. Of those that those affected, it is critical for govern- than were needed, while needs in other
N
remain, most are in the process of fin- ment agencies to play a major role in areas were going unmet. Since its use
ishing recovery projects and are pre- coordination efforts. in response to the 2004 tsunami, the
paring to leave the communities they Following the tsunami, governments TRIAMS framework for data collection,
have assisted. Overall, there is cer- of affected countries set up various which includes vital needs, social serv-
tainly much to be proud of. Hundreds models of coordination. In Sri Lanka, ices, infrastructure and livelihoods,
of thousands of homes have been the government created the Center has drawn attention to the broader
rebuilt; entire communities have been for National Operation (CNO), later recovery needs of affected communities
re-established with new infrastructure, TAFREN, which was then restructured that go beyond standard concepts of
schools and clinics. Fishing communi- and renamed RADA. Thailand kept the damage and loss.
N
ties along with small cottage industries response coordination under the exist- Actors in the recovery process must
have re-emerged and many staff and ing Department for Disaster, Preven- also remember that coordination and
volunteers in the social services sector tion and Mitigation (DDPM) with sig- planning are required at the commu-
have been trained. nificant inputs provided by the Prime nity level. When communities know
The tsunami recovery effort differs Minister’s office. In India, the response what to expect, recovery can begin.
from responses to other natural disas- was coordinated by a range of national It is insufficient to divide up territory
ters in that more organizations have and state governments. Perhaps one of or sectors amongst organizations and
remained engaged for many years after the more effective efforts was in Indone- then have them go their own way.
I
the event, providing a perspective that is sia, where the government established For example, it was critical that the
not often seen. The last five years have the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction American Red Cross worked with local
reminded us of four key lessons that Agency for Aceh and Nias (BRR) after it authorities, the Canadian Red Cross
are instrumental to aid effectiveness: became apparent that an independent and communities when designing a
(1) assist government coordination and body would be needed to oversee the water supply and sanitation solution
planning; (2) support organizations that reconstruction phase. for a Canadian Red Cross housing proj-
are “best placed” to respond; (3) adapt While all the different bodies cre- ect in Indonesia. The water and sani-
programming to changing needs; and ated had varying degrees of success tation system, placement of houses,
(4) plan early for sustainability and exit. and challenges, one common theme drainage and overall spatial planning
These key lessons, along with some that emerged was the need for govern- of the community were all related and
examples from the American Red Cross ment agencies to be empowered to cut could not be looked at in isolation. This
experience in tsunami-affected areas, through bureaucracies and get the job experience has shown that in order for
Photo: Daniel Cima/American Red Cross
are considered below. done. Recovery actors—such as local an intervention to be effective, all those
organizations, UN agencies, interna- involved need to remember that plan-
Responsible coordination and planning tional non-governmental organizations ning and problem solving are neces-
After many disasters, well-inten- (INGOs) or Red Cross/Red Crescent sary on a continual basis.
tioned interventions often start out societies—must support the govern-
poorly organized and weakly coordi- ment mandated coordination role and Support “best placed” organizations
nated. This lack of organization and help ensure that recovery gets on the Responding to long-term recovery
coordination often continues into the agenda early. The agency assigned by needs resulting from major disasters
recovery and reconstruction phases, the government to coordinate recovery requires partnership between affected
frequently leading to duplication of efforts must emphasize joint planning communities, humanitarian organiza-
Dignity of Aid
tance, saying that “continued indiffer-
ence to principles and levels of quality
in delivering aid may lead to a more
chaotic situation for the whole region.”
Recipients
In a recent telephone interview from
his office in Karachi, Pakistan, Parvez,
himself Pakistani, spoke further about
the theme of aid effectiveness, particu-
larly in the difficult context of Pakistan
and Afghanistan.
Marvin Parvez’s experience in Afghanistan shows that
local concerns and participation must be at the center CH: Do you think aid is being handled and
distributed in the region as effectively as it
of aid work. could be? Have the U.S. and local military
hindered or helped in aid delivery?
BY CHRIS HERLINGER, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AND EDITOR, CHURCH WORLD SERVICE
MP: The question can only be answered
in the broader context of what is hap-
pening in the region. If the question is,
is the military doing it effectively, the
answer is “no.” Military intervention
and putting foreign and security policy
first weakens the humanitarian work
in the region and is counter-productive
to the long history, relationships and
trust that NGOs and communities they
work with have enjoyed for decades.
If the question is, are NGOs doing
a good job in terms of handling and
distributing aid, I would say, over-
all, humanitarian agencies are doing
a pretty decent job of saving lives in
Afghanistan, even with the actual
problems of working there. Because of
the active conflict it becomes harder
and harder to actually do the work: to
get to places, establish the networks,
work with communities.
O
NE OF AID ACCOUNTABILITY’S standards. During the series of dis-
most passionate advocates can placement crises in Pakistan in 2009, CH: So, there needs to be a clear differen-
be found in Marvin Parvez, including those in the Swat valley and tiation between military and non-military
Church World Service (CWS) regional South Waziristan that together dis- assistance?
coordinator for Asia-Pacific and direc- placed more than two million people,
tor of the organization’s Pakistan/ the organization served as a focal point MP: Yes. What exists in Afghanistan is
Afghanistan program. for quality and accountability of agen- a very complex emergency, and was so
For nearly two years, Parvez has been cies working in Pakistan, working with even before the current war began in
designated “Accountability Ambassador” both HAP and the Sphere project, 2001, and has now been made even
from the Humanitarian Accountabil- another accountability collaboration. more complex with military campaigns
ity Partnership (HAP), a Geneva-based As part of its efforts, CWS provided there. The military’s agenda is not
partnership of relief and development training and support to partners, local humanitarian, it’s military. They use
Photo: Church World Service
agencies working to make sure that non-governmental organizations and aid to assist their agenda; humani-
humanitarian groups are accountable members of the Action by Churches tarian agencies make long-term com-
to donors and those the agencies are Together International alliance on the mitments; the development work that
committed to assist. issues of accountability and effective- follows relief work is for the long haul—
The designation was awarded to ness. it’s a long commitment.
Parvez because of CWS’s commitment Parvez has spoken publicly about the We pollute the agenda, we pollute
to comply with HAP humanitarian need for the international community the waters, when humanitarian assis-
tance becomes intertwined with military goals—and that, MP: Fighting militancy with militancy is not addressing the
ultimately, becomes a question, too, about effectiveness: you basics. In that sense, it’s not effective. The problem in this
build a bridge then a bomb destroys it. Afghanistan is show- part of the world is that people don’t have access to basic
ing us that it’s difficult to do humanitarian work or develop- human rights: food, education, health services, security,
ment work amidst military campaigns. justice. These are desperate people, who through the years
have been marginalized. The only way to solve the problems
CH: Doesn’t the military have something of a place in this, though? of Afghanistan—in other words, to be effective—is to build
up democratic institutions and address these social and
MP: I’m not talking about military/NGO cooperation work humanitarian problems for what they are.
during natural disasters—that is needed, as we’ve seen in
our experience in Pakistan. I am saying that the attempt to CH: How well do you think international NGOs do in terms of report-
combine humanitarian ing the compliance, fulfillment and quality part of their work to
work and military opera-
tions is not going to be
I don’t think it’s their donor base, governments, international funders, etc?
successful because it about how long the MP: I think the aid community has a pretty good history in
weakens humanitarian
actors and their ultimate
building stands, but terms of compliance and quality but what we have to further
strengthen is downward accountability towards communi-
effectiveness. An NGO rather if it’s used ties: to make our work accountable to those we seek to serve.
builds a school, then What I’m trying to promote is the HAP message: that we need
military forces bomb the and maintained by to work with transparency, treat those we work with in a
entire village. That isn’t
development work; it’s
the community. dignified way, with their concerns and participation at the
center of what we do.
not humanitarian work.
In a country like Afghanistan, where relationships are so CH: How well do you think aid agencies track measurable results
important, it takes years to build up trust—in our case, six and sustained results—not just to development programs but also
decades of work. I’m afraid the military policies under way to disaster response-recovery/rehabilitation programs as well? For
now will come back to haunt us for decades. example: How well did those more earthquake-resistant home re-
builds stand up five years later?
CH: Why exactly?
MP: I don’t think it’s about how long the building stands but
rather if it’s used and maintained by the community, and
that all depends on community participation and ownership.
Sometimes well-built things are constructed but are not used
because there was not community participation.
InsideNGO conducts essential training Let’s take the issue of water. We know that in many places,
women are usually responsible for gathering water. If we
workshops—worldwide.
don’t involve women’s groups at the outset where the collec-
A Sample of Upcoming 2010 Workshops...… tion sites are built in a displacement camp, it’s not helpful.
An area of the camp may not be safe and the women will
Subaward Management—Feb. 17‐18—DC
not use the collection point because they are afraid of being
USAID/Federal Rules & Regs—Feb. 23‐25—DC assaulted or raped. So the key to effectiveness is to involve
USAID Rules & Regulations—Feb. 23‐25—Jakarta
the communities first and at the outset. I do think agencies
are starting to do a decent job of that now. Community par-
Contracts Overview for NGOs—Feb. 26—Jakarta ticipation from planning to implementation is crucial and it’s
USAID Rules & Regulations—Mar. 2‐4—Hanoi now being widely used by aid groups.
Opening & Closing a Field Office—Mar. 16—DC CH: What will it take to get NGOs better able to track and measure
Young Professionals Forum: Leadership Skills—Mar. 19—DC
effectiveness over time?
Proposal Development—Apr. 8‐9—DC MP: I think the things now in place, like HAP and the Sphere
USAID Award Management: Contracts & Cooperative Agreements Project, are making a difference in improving our effective-
Apr. 20‐21—Nairobi ness and sustainability. HAP, for example, is very strong on
compliance. It’s true that, to an outsider, so many things may
HR: Key Concepts & Practices—Apr. 21‐22—Addis Ababa seem like jargon (all these acronyms!) but I am very hope-
Annual Meeting for Members—the week of July 12‐16—DC ful, that the shift of accountability with HAP and the Sphere
Project can help make that change. I still have to emphasize,
To register for a workshop or to learn more about us, though, that the key to aid effectiveness is at the local level:
go to—www.InsideNGO.org. how agencies ourselves treat those we work with. We have to
do so by placing their dignity at the center of what we do. MD
Growing Global
overlap in the back office. Some staff in different locations
may be duplicating tasks unnecessarily; others may repeat
avoidable mistakes.
Flashpoint #2: Advocacy is at odds. Grass-roots experience
M
OST NGOS GRAPPLE WITH THE CHALLENGE OF in its work? Should the field manager talk to the founda-
balancing expansion and organizational coher- tion’s program officer in India? Should UK board members
ence. For many, growth has come through ad approach people they know at headquarters? Should the
hoc replication, resulting in a loose partnership of U.S. affiliate approach the foundation on its own turf? Ide-
legally separate fundraising entities that share a brand, (e.g. ally, they could do all three; too often, the result is conflicting
Save the Children US, Save the Children UK, etc) and receive information and dropped connections.
support from a central office. For some, growth radiates from
a center that maintains overall program budgets and controls Defining practices of integrators (and how to adopt them)
field support. In either case, as these organizations expand, Our interviews indicate that integrators embrace three
big challenges can emerge. defining practices.
Radiators’ local funders often want more influence over
field work and direct relationships with frontline staff. Rep- 1. They distribute leadership expertise effectively
licators, operating autonomously, can begin tripping over Distributing leadership effectively makes a global team
themselves, arguably wasting donor dollars when efforts more than the sum of its parts. Members of an integrator’s
overlap. Or the reverse is true and they suffer from isolation, leadership team are often distributed across the breadth of
failing to learn from peer experience. the network. All of the leaders we contacted travel widely.
Photo: Taras Livyy - Fotolia.com
Some global NGOs have addressed these challenges by And most seek to bring people into the team who will round
evolving to a hybrid approach that combines advantages of out their collective global experience, sometimes because
radiators (e.g. coherence) and ad hoc replicators (e.g. the they have worked in a particular country, sometimes because
ability to act as a local anywhere) to great advantage. These they have lived there. Having learned a lesson back in 1976,
“integrators” include micro-credit agency Opportunity Inter- today Oxfam is led by chief executives from 14 country offices
national, sustainable development nonprofits Oxfam and who coordinate planning and action; the team grows as affili-
World Vision, and Habitat for Humanity International, which ates join the network, and each leader has a vote.
helps poor families obtain homes. NGO leaders accept that the costs of making this sort of
set-up work are steep in terms of time, money and physi- among different parts of the networks
cal strain. Many managers we interviewed spoke about the Integrators think about the “center” as global and coordi-
importance of getting the team together face to face, despite nated, but not necessarily in one place. People filling global
the logistical complexity and cost. As Jean-Michel Grand, the functions need not be concentrated at “headquarters.” More-
UK CEO of Action Contre le Faim, which has five national over, the role of the center is not a list of functions performed
ACF partners that raise resources, commented, “We do a in “headquarters,” but a set of decisions (made in any num-
conference call every month and a meeting every quarter. The ber of places) that affect the organization globally.
physical meeting is a key in building relationships. We could Organized this way, senior managers are better able to rec-
cut the cost of a trip, but at the end of the day there is so ognize unique areas of strength in the field. When formalized,
much more to gain by meeting in person.” this recognition encourages field organizations to make the
Some networks transfer people proactively, rotating CEO most of their own strengths, and also makes it easy to recog-
assignments. Others create interlocking directorships of coun- nize when they should be working together, and when a given
try boards. Opportunity International Chair Terry Winters organization should take the lead.
commented, “Our global board members generally sit on up The common theme is “complementarity,” which also
to three boards within the network, and our CEOs frequently means being proactive about decision-making processes:
take on a board role in another country. We also started a net- determining where the authority for certain types of decision
work of mobile CEOs, which allows us to place people in hot- resides, and when a decision should be made at the center.
spots where their skills are needed. There are only about eight Informal relationships among network members are also
people at our headquarters; the rest of our network leadership encouraged. Deliberate attention paid to informal relation-
lives around the world in different cultures and time zones.” ships may seem contradictory, yet each branded NGO net-
work we studied purposefully nurtured them, recognizing
2. They focus on shared impact their importance to the combined organization’s ability to
It is easier for leadership team members to converge on stay relevant.
desired outcomes, or goals, if everyone knows where the For example, World Wildlife Federation (WWF) employees
goalposts are. It is also easier for program leaders to learn working on marine ecosystems in different parts of the Pacific
from each other when they share measures of success, and took the initiative in 2002 to form an advisory group to share
for advocacy leaders to promote the right policies if every- knowledge. The team included staff from Indonesia, Malay-
one knows the specific change that the organization stands sia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Europe, and the United States.
for. Employee motivation gets a boost as progress is demon- One evening, while working together on various projects, the
strated. What’s more, a sharp definition of desired impact team hatched an idea for conserving marine life in the Coral
can make requests to donors crystal clear, which is especially Triangle, a fragile region of the Pacific.
important if the donor is far away from needs in the field. After a series of iterations, WWF leadership adopted this
Consider Habitat for Humanity International, whose lead- strategy, which caught the eye of the President of Indonesia,
ers used to define success in a distinctly U.S.-centric way: multilateral donors such as the World Bank and the Asian
building single-family homes that individual families could Development Bank, and a bilateral donor that awarded a
own. As time passed, Habitat’s leaders realized that this multimillion-dollar grant for the project.
metric was frustrating to its international member organiza-
tions. In some locations, it was difficult to prove land titles. Potential for breakthrough levels of effectiveness and impact
In others, renovating existing structures was a more effective Similar to a jigsaw puzzle in which each piece is different
approach. but works with others to create a coherent whole, integrators
Mark Andrews, senior vice president of operations, aspire to blend strengths in order to provide the strongest
explained, “We came to realize that the best approach was possible offering, whether that means being able to mus-
to partner with other NGOs and find solutions to housing ter a timely and seamless response to a natural disaster, or
other than the North American single family home. [The shift bringing together streams of local knowledge and expertise to
in thinking] came from our recognition that our real metric muster greater influence on the global stage. The integrator
should be ‘families served.’” approach is in early days; we plan to continue to study inte-
grators, and we encourage others to do the same, and share
3. They define complementary roles and responsibilities their thoughts. MD
Humanitarians Get
a Report Card
A new report highlights
opportunities to improve
the grade in reform efforts.
BY ANNE C. RICHARD, VICE PRESIDENT,
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS & ADVOCACY
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE
COMMITTEE (IRC)
I
N 2005, DISAPPOINTED BY THE
world’s handling of the Darfur cri-
sis, the then-top crisis manager for
the UN, Jan Egeland of Norway,
launched a series of humanitarian
reforms. Now, four years later, a report
from several UK-based aid agencies has No single organization can do it alone. implemented programs in emergency
taken these reforms for a test drive in Leadership requires getting the right situations, are needed.
crisis-ridden countries (Afghanistan, people to lead. The UN normally asks a At the time the reforms were intro-
Democratic Republic of the Congo, senior UN development expert (the Resi- duced, previous efforts at coordina-
Ethiopia, Sudan and Zimbabwe) and dent Coordinator from the UN Develop- tion were deemed a failure. Under the
finds them lacking.* The recommenda- ment Program) to take on crisis response old “collaborative response” system,
tions included in the “Synthesis Report: as an additional duty. Resident Coordi- some UN agencies reacted to a crisis
Review of the Engagement of NGOs nators get to senior positions by climb- by taking a giant step backward. Ege-
with the Humanitarian Reform Pro- ing the UN bureaucracy. Their task is land and his successor, John Holmes,
cess” ought to inform policy discussions to advise governments with diplomacy spearheaded introduction of the “clus-
going on now within the Obama Admin- and tact (after all, the government votes ter approach” to coordination. As part
istration and also among other donors in the UN as a member) and influence of this new mechanism, different UN or
to UN agencies and operations. To help development policy while monitoring the international agencies accept responsi-
disseminate the report’s findings, a spe- political environment in capitals. A true bility in advance for leading eleven dif-
cial meeting at InterAction was held on humanitarian leader, however, looks out ferent tasks (or identifying other agen-
December 4th with representatives of for the people affected by the crisis, is cies that can tackle them). For example,
U.S.-based NGOs, the UN Office for the committed to humanitarian principles UNICEF is in charge of nutrition, clean
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and should be prepared to stand up to water and sanitation and the UN refu-
(OCHA) and the U.S. government. the government and, if needed, other UN gee agency is to ensure that displaced
Photo: Sarah Elliott, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
The 2005 reform package prescribed offices and diplomats. In four out of five persons get shelter. The International
improved leadership, smarter coordi- study countries, the UK team determined Federation of the Red Cross heads shel-
nation and a better way to fund crisis- that strong and skilled humanitarian ter and protection in natural emergen-
response. The reforms recognized that leadership was missing. In Afghanistan, cies and an NGO, Save the Children,
the international humanitarian system the humanitarian crisis was sidelined by co-chairs the education cluster. While
is more than a single organization or a the focus on reconstruction and nation- the clear assignment of roles has been
project of the UN alone. Private aid agen- building. Only in the Democratic Repub- an improvement, the UK team found
cies (international and local), Red Cross/ lic of the Congo was there a strong and that an unintended consequence is too
Red Crescent societies, governments and effective UN humanitarian leader. More many meetings and an avalanche of
local people themselves all play a part. candidates, and more who have actually information for aid workers busy trying
to save lives. The solution, again, is hav-
* The agencies formed a consortium and included ActionAid International, CAFOD, Care International
UK, International Rescue Committee, Oxfam, and Save the Children. The International Council of
ing good leaders in each of the eleven
Voluntary Agencies, based in Geneva, also participated in the project, which was funded by the UK response areas who can avoid wasting
Department for International Development. The report and underlying studies are available at the time and understand the importance of
ICVA website: http://www.icva.ch/ngosandhumanitarianreform.html having aid agencies as partners, includ-
ing local aid agencies. thing to the people who are supposed to “reforms” is probably inaccurate, since
The third reform created a Central benefit from international action. The these mechanisms are now the prevail-
Emergency Response Fund (CERF) report’s authors term this “downward ing paradigm of aid delivery. Some par-
to collect funding from major donor accountability” and call for more of it. ticipants, like my IRC colleague Gerry
governments and spend it quickly in I shared these observations about Martone, called for NGOs to step up
response to a crisis or for neglected cri- the report at the December 4th Inter- their participation in the reform pro-
ses. In reality, disbursement of funds Action meeting chaired by Mary Pack cess. Representatives from USAID/
has been slow and very little has reached of International Medical Corps. In OFDA and the State Department’s
the private aid agencies that shoulder response, Mia Beers of USAID’s Office Population, Refugees and Migration
the bulk of operations in the field. This of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) bureau (PRM) discussed ways to help
would be catastrophic, except the report noted that there has been considerable facilitate increased NGO participation.
reveals that only a very small percent- progress in reform of the humanitar- In Washington, attention to crises
age of resources (between one and six ian system, but it is too soon to declare is often easier to measure in terms of
percent) flow through the UN-centric victory. OFDA seeks more input from media coverage, polling data, or num-
CERF. Some donor governments prefer U.S.-based NGOs, especially in upcom- bers of speeches and committee hear-
using country-specific funds also called ing international policy fora, as much ings. The UK report’s authors believe
“pooled funds.” These funds also can be of international discussion to date has that the true test of crisis response is
relatively small, because the U.S. and been dominated by European NGOs. how well those affected by a crisis come
the European Community do not chan- OCHA’s Sune Gudnitz also welcomed through it. Based on their assessment,
nel funding through pooled funds, pre- more NGO input, and reported that humanitarian reforms are not yet work-
ferring more direct (and, in the case of global cluster leads, already aware of ing as originally intended and a renewed
the U.S., bilateral) mechanisms. Regard- the report, will continue the discussion effort is needed. In response, American
less of the route resources take, what is with donors in Geneva in February. NGOs must ask themselves two ques-
needed is funding that is more flexible, Discussants at the InterAction meet- tions. Can we deepen our engagement
timely and adequate. ing stressed the importance of including with the reform process? And can we
Regrettably, the reforms of 2005 left a beneficiary perspective in the reform take U.S. government partners up on
out a key group: the people who are in process, and a need for better mea- their offers to help make that happen?
need of aid and protection. For reforms sures of the effectiveness of reforms. The time is ripe to move beyond criticism
to be truly useful, they must mean some- There was a realization that referring to and toward greater engagement. MD
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T
HE HEADLINES HAVE BEEN headquartered. The research speaks role,” says Brown. “While this may drive
appearing for some time: “Sec- to the market forces compelling NGO the creation of new incentive plans [in
ond Careers: Millions of Older boards and trustees to make choices not-for-profit organizations], boards of
Workers Are Choosing to Do about how best to attract and retain directors dominated by large contribu-
Well by Doing Good for Others” (AARP the executive leadership they need to tors may object to the use of funds as
Bulletin Today, June 18, 2008); “Start- perform in an increasingly challenging bonus or incentive arrangements.” Fur-
ing Over, With A Second Career Goal operating environment. ther, there is the question of what met-
of Changing Society” (The New York One of the general findings of this rics would be used to gauge progress
Times, December 13, 2008); “A Boom in research is that executive boards toward goals. If the metric is delivery of
‘Encore Careers’” (Boston Globe, June 1, more and more often contain individ- service, how do you measure success
2009). The movement of talented exec- uals with a mix of voluntary and pri- when factors such as the local political
utives and managers from private sec- vate sector backgrounds, resulting in situation are bound to come into play?
tor careers into the not-for-profit world “adoption and adaptation of a range of
seems to be developing into a trend. Its private sector approaches to manage- Organizational implications
impact on the executive ranks of inter- ment and remuneration.” NGOs are recognizing that they
national non-governmental organiza- The People in Aid survey notes that may need to pay more than the his-
tions (NGOs) is beginning to be seen in the well-publicized trend in recent years torical norm to attract and retain the
the higher salaries being paid to direc- for directors’ salaries in the commercial type of management talent they need
tors and key executives, and a reorien- sector to rise faster than general sala- to run their organizations effectively.
Photo: Orlando Florin Rosu - Fotolia.com
tation towards greater professionalism ries is now being mirrored in the volun- That would include recruiting for such
and measurable impact. tary sector, increasing the gap between roles as CEO, CFO, general counsel,
the remuneration of directors and other CIO, Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief
Defining the trend staff groups. While the research results Human Resources Officer—skills that
A 2008 research report sponsored do not suggest a rush to join in the trend are universally applicable, whether the
by People in Aid on trends in execu- to spiraling salaries, higher pay is, to organization is for-profit or not-for-profit.
tive compensation in the UK voluntary varying extents, the report notes that “Organizations need people with the
sector documents leadership dynam- “currently the price that the majority talent to manage during a crisis, even—
ics that seem to apply equally to global of [survey participants] are prepared to perhaps especially—during times of eco-
organizations wherever they might be pay for some high impact jobs or indi- nomic stress and dwindling contribu-
tions,” Brown says. “Nevertheless,” he adds, “there will be major transformation effort. The market for talent clearly plays a
adjusting to do on the organization’s, the major donors’ and the role for these organizations, and it may be unavoidable. As
incoming executive’s parts.” noted by Steve Lohr in The New York Times, the Bridgespan
At the same time, according to the People in Aid study, Group, a nonprofit organization that advises foundations and
there is an ongoing debate within the not-for-profit commu- not-for-profit groups, has estimated that not-for-profit orga-
nity surrounding executive pay. How well can organizations nizations face a collective “leadership” deficit over the next
balance the tension between market forces (driving the cost decade of more than 600,000 senior managers.
of management talent) and the ideals and principles underly-
ing their purposes and activities? Conclusion
A significant subset of study participants (one-third) indi- The rising complexity, global scope for many organizations,
cated that “attracting a different caliber of executive was and increased need for professionalism and accountability
part of a wider organization development strategy to foster within not-for-profit organizations is requiring a higher level
a renewed culture of high performance, accountability and of management talent in the executive ranks of these orga-
impact.” That cultural shift is often intentional, designed to nizations. That, in turn, appears to be driving an increase in
address challenges that the organizations have faced and compensation at the top levels.
coinciding with major organizational transformation efforts The individuals filling those executive ranks are often
such as mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, and major crossing over into the not-for-profit world from often highly
increases in funding, scale and range of operations. “Such successful careers in the for-profit sector, bringing with them
exponential shifts when organizations are getting bigger and the best practices of that sector and helping the hiring orga-
more complex require a new and different range of competen- nizations adjust to ever more challenging times.
cies, and the result is often an upward gearshift in terms of The need for management skills is growing at a time
salary on recruitment,” the study concluded. when the popularity of these “encore careers” appears to be
It is true that many not-for-profit organizations are inten- increasing. Finding a match between the talented executive
tionally changing the parameters of their executive compen- who wants to move into the not-for-profit sector and an orga-
sation to attract specific talent levels. At the same time, others nization that could benefit from the executive’s skills would
say their repositioning of salaries has been a reactive measure provide benefits—and require adjustments—on both sides of
in response to failed recruiting efforts or a wider benchmark- the equation. MD
ing exercise, and not an integral part of an organizational Questions and comments? Contact curtis.grund@orcww.com.
Global Leadership
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DU-Global Leadership Ad FINAL.indd 1 11/5/09 10:13:33 AM
Nurses to Be Managers
management and leadership is to bet-
ter prepare future health workers while
they are still in pre-service training at
medical and nursing schools.
Management training leads to improved health outcomes.
A way forward
BY MICHAEL PAYDOS, SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER, COMMUNICATIONS, MANAGEMENT In Brazil, Dr. Henrique Sa, Dean
SCIENCES FOR HEALTH of the University of Fortaleza Medi-
cal School, says, “What little I learned
I
“ WAS APPOINTED A DISTRICT MED- cation has not kept pace. Second, the about administration [in medical school]
ical officer in 1993, straight from a role of health managers is not as valued was obsolete and old fashioned. There
surgery ward, and within a week I as the role of the clinical specialist. As seems to be a hidden curriculum that
had to manage an entire district,” Dr. Abdo Hassan Alswasy, a consultant the physician is a ‘born leader.’ Medi-
explains Dr. Willis Akwahle, Direc- in obstetrics and gynecology in Aswan, cal students need structured knowledge
tor of the Malaria Control Program in Egypt, explains, “When I was in medi- on management and leadership as well
Kenya. “It was a totally different world.” cal school, I thought my job would be as practical experience. They need to
Health care in developing countries is to treat suffering people. I received no understand how a health system oper-
a totally different world: a multibillion- leadership and management training in ates, how health services are managed
dollar endeavor struggling to address medical school. Today, my leadership and how a health facility is managed.”
simultaneous challenges such as HIV/ and management challenges are many, Rather than taking a piecemeal
AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and major such as reducing maternal mortality, approach to strengthening leadership
issues in maternal/child health. Yet increasing community awareness of and management capacity, we need to
the people charged with leading and post-abortion care, ante-natal care, and achieve a clear objective: prepare all
managing this work often have little improving the performance of obstetri- current and future leader-managers
formal preparation to succeed. Unless cians in district hospitals.” A survey con- in health care to lead and manage to
this truth is recognized, the billions ducted by the Uganda Ministry of Health achieve results.
of dollars being pledged by donors, in 2005 found that of the 56 directors of In 2008, the School of Medicine at
plus the huge investments that recipi- district health services in the country, 55 the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de
ent countries make in health, will not of them were licensed physicians. Nicaragua (UNAN, the National Univer-
achieve the hoped-for results. Leadership failures, breakdowns in sity of Nicaragua) worked with a number
communication and poor staff orien- of partners to design a management and
New roles in health tation and training are all significant leadership course for fifth-year medical
Two key issues underlie this dilemma. causes of errors in health care provi- students. Developed with USAID sup-
Photo: Charles Akena
First, while the roles that doctors and sion. Apart from patient safety, the port, the course emphasized results
nurses play in the delivery of health care risks of poor leadership and manage- based planning, allowing students to
in developing countries have changed ment range from wasted resources to work in teams and tackle a real-life
dramatically, the preparation they typi- emigration of health workers to other health challenge. The first year of the
cally receive in medical and nursing edu- countries. And without these financial program received positive feedback from
the vast majority of students. One noted, “The course is giving agement. He proposed a partnership with the local school
us tools that perhaps we won’t use directly with patients but we of public health and a number of international partners to
will need to be able to give patients better care and services.” create a leadership development program for the entire State
After evaluating and revising the program, UNAN has now fully Secretariat of Health. The program, launched in 1998 and
funded and institutionalized the management and leadership expanded each year, took a challenge-based, results-focused
program into its regular curricula for medical students. Addi- approach to leadership development.
tionally, two other universities in Nicaragua have begun to rep- An external review conducted in 2005 noted that from
licate the course for their programs. 2000 to 2004, 25 of 37 participating municipalities were able
Current health workers, who have already concluded their to reduce their infant mortality rates, some by as much as 50
formal studies, need programs to strengthen their leadership percent. The São José Hospital, located in the state’s capital,
and management capacity. These programs do not have to saw patient complaints go down by more than 75 percent.
be large and expensive, and employees can be prepared rap- By 2005, the State Secretariat of Health in Ceará had fully
idly through in-service learning programs that blend face-to- institutionalized leadership and management training into
face and Web-based activities. Commitment and innovative its staff orientation system.
thinking are the indispensable ingredients. Management Sci- Introducing leadership and management programs into
ences for Health, a U.S.-based international health organiza- undergraduate curricula does pose challenges. Curriculum
tion, has developed a number of approaches to developing negotiation and approval process within academic institutions
the management and leadership skills of health profession- can be a long and complicated process. However, in El Salvador,
als, including in Ceará, Brazil. Guatemala, Nicaragua, Tanzania and Uganda, engagement by
Efforts in Ceará, a state of seven million people located in academic administrators and faculty have met the challenge,
Northeast Brazil, provide an example of how these programs with Ministry of Health encouragement and technical support
change the paradigm and make a difference in the lives of from Management Sciences for Health. Also critical to success
the rural poor. These programs succeeded because leaders is having excellent management and leadership development
like Brazilian Deputy Secretary of Health Luis Eduardo de materials that can be adapted, and a process of engagement
Menezes Lima recognized a challenge and took bold steps and planning including discussions, meetings and trainings
to address it. What he found at the Ceará State Secretariat with teaching institutions and ministry authorities. MD
of Health were many excellent public health practitioners, For more information please contact the author at mpay-
but few who had specific training in leadership and man- dos@msh.org.
Plant knowledge.
Grow justice.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN
SUSTAINABLE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• MA in Sustainable International Development
• MS in International Health Policy and Management
• Dual MA in Sustainable Development & Coexistence
http://heller.brandeis.edu
Protection in
erages are in place to protect against high risks. Four key
coverages in any sound crisis portfolio include: (1) kidnap,
ransom and extortion; (2) personal accident; (3) commercial
High-Risk Areas
auto; and (4) political risk.
N
GOS FACE INHERENT RISKS WHEN WORKING “We’re seeing an increasing number of local national staff of
overseas. Many NGOs are often targeted by criminal aid organizations and their families being targeted,” explains
and terrorist groups, either for financial or political Kevin Henry, Vice President of Hiscox. “The targeting of aid
gain. Last year proved to be deadly for NGOs, with organizations reinforces the need for NGOs to provide proper
increasing incidents of kidnapping and violence against the prevention training for all employees and have up-to-date cri-
humanitarian community. sis management plans in effect.”
In addition to the threat to staff, NGOs sometimes face the One of the biggest benefits of a K&R policy is access to a
loss of crucial equipment and property overseas. These losses crisis negotiation team, which deploys to assist a client in
interrupt critical services, delay missions, and negatively impact the event of a hostage incident. Without a policy, the costs to
the organization financially as replacement costs are absorbed. secure their services—which can be thousands of dollars a day
Aid organizations working in developing countries can help per incident—can be extremely cost-prohibitive for any NGO.
mitigate their risks by implementing a comprehensive crisis
management plan, incorporating security risk assessments, In the absence of police and security forces, DRC citizens organize
and clarifying internal roles and responsibilities. into self-defense groups in order to secure their neighborhood after
Another tactic is to ensure that the proper insurance cov- attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army.
Photo: Willy Lukemba
In addition to the crisis team, the policy also pays for busi- tion in rural and developing areas. Not only do they trans-
ness interruption and any liabilities directly resulting from port goods and equipment, they are also used to ferry staff.
a kidnap incident. Ransom monies are also included and do Armored vehicles, often incorporated as part of a tactical
not necessarily have to equate to cash payments. For many security plan, function as an extra line of defense to help
NGOs, an exchange or promise of goods and services (such protect aid workers.
as the building of a well in a village) are often demanded Whether soft-skinned or armored, vehicles represent
as ransom in lieu of cash. Such non-monetary transactions a tremendous investment. A loss of one vehicle can delay
are considered ransom payments, and would therefore be an NGO’s mission, while a replacement vehicle is acquired
included in the policy. and funding reallocated to cover the costs. Rather than self-
Another key element of a K&R policy is coverage for result- insure, NGOs should seek to cover vehicles under a com-
ing expenses surrounding a kidnapping. Benefits such prehensive global auto insurance policy that would protect
as rest and rehabilitation, travel costs, public relations, against theft or damage. It is also advisable that NGOs work-
employee salaries and more are expenses most organizations ing in volatile regions add political violence coverage, which
do not anticipate, but should be considered as well, as they covers incidents of war and terrorism, riots, insurrection,
can exceed the costs of the ransom itself. civil unrest, malicious damage and more.
What Constitutes a
the important details of the incident.
Often an insurance provider will have
to respond. Sometimes training will
have to be designed, policies reviewed
Security Incident?
or more insurance obtained in order to
mitigate further loss.
Timely reporting of security incidents
is a critical measure in protecting the
lives of the NGO’s staff in country. A
It is vital for NGOs to define their security policy. well-maintained report system can help
BY JOHN SCHAFER, DIRECTOR OF SECURITY, INTERACTION them to make appropriate response deci-
sions, alert others to potential threats/
risks and identify, analyze and react to
changes in their security situation.
At the receiving end, the unit that
collects information on such incidents
writes down the information and con-
siders questions prompted by that infor-
mation. Depending on the gravity or
impact of the situation the NGO’s coun-
try office may pass on a similar report
to headquarters with further indication
of the actions it has decided or proposes
to undertake and a clear indication of
what is expected from headquarters.
Once the situation has been dealt
with, everyone involved should be
orally debriefed and a written factual
report, should be produced.
The organization should also produce
I
N A FAR OFF PLACE NOT SO LONG lars to cover response, program delays, an annual Security Incident Report (SIR)
ago, a driver for an international relocation and victim assistance. management. Key elements include a
NGO recognized that the street he A few years later and thousands of security audit, an annual review of inci-
was traveling, normally filled with miles away, two security profession- dents, and a comparison to previous
children, was empty. He was escorting a als previously employed by the affected years considering various factors such
program manager to a regularly sched- organizations talked about the ordeal as incident locations and risk levels.
uled meeting. Recognizing the anomaly for the first time.
of the empty street, his level of alert- In their discussion they agreed that But we can’t afford security
ness increased. Suddenly a man with a one of the major problems that NGOs The returns of a security program
gun jumped out and started screaming, have is that their security policies often are often invisible. There is not a spe-
“Get out! Get out!” The driver slammed do not clearly define what constitutes cific line item that a financial audit that
the car in reverse and drove out of the a security incident, nor do they specify demonstrates the importance of a well-
dangerous situation. When the two to whom an incident must be reported. rounded security effort. For instance,
arrived back at the office they reported measuring loss is always financial.
the incident to the country director. The Reports must be managed There is a dollar amount associated
country director decided not to inform Once a security incident is defined, with a vehicle that is stolen; there is a
headquarters or anyone else of what the organization must report and dollar amount associated with program
had happened, because he believed that manage the incident. In most cases, delays due to a security incident; and
the event did not constitute a security a person or unit inside the organiza- there is a cost associated with time lost
incident. Furthermore, the NGO’s secu- tion will be responsible for collecting due to an accident. When too many
rity policy did not define security inci-
Photo: Ivan Tykhyi - Fotolia.com
14 February
Earth Education International
Sustainable Global Stewardship
Program
San Ramon, Ajuela, Costa Rica
www.earthedintl.org/Spring.htm
22 February
World Youth Empowerment Master of New Professional Studies:
Foundation International Leadership
Training Conference
Adelaide, South Australia
Peace Operations
www.wyea.org/conference
Study the theory and practice of peace operations, international
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EMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITIES
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COORDINATOR
New York, NY Baltimore, MD
American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is an international International Youth Foundation (IYF) Program Coordina-
development organization motivated by Judaism’s impera- tor, Morocco/India. Based in Baltimore, MD USA, the Program
tive to pursue justice. Position: *Assistant Director of Develop- Coordinator will support IYF’s youth employability programs
ment*, New York, NY. Responsible for organizing and leading in Morocco & India. Duties will include (but are not limited to)
adult group missions to the developing world to help allevi- technical coordination & operational support, assisting with
ate poverty, hunger and disease. Bach’s deg or higher in Intl tracking evaluation data, liaising with the grants & contracts
Development, Social Work or a related field or foreign equiv. department, & regularly interfacing with IYF’s field staff & lo-
Must have 5 yrs of progressive, post baccalaureate program cal partners. REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor’s degree & 1-3 years
mgmt exp with an intl development or human rights orga- of experience in related field; English and French fluency
nization. Must have 3 yrs exp managing complex logistics for (speaking, reading, & writing). Master’s degree in interna-
international group trips traveling to the developing world. tional or social sciences field is preferred. For complete job
Must have 3 yrs of exp in major gifts fundraising & develop- description and instructions to apply, visit www.iyfnet.org
ment strategy in the Jewish community. Must have 3 yrs exp and click on the jobs link. Applicants are required to submit a
in developing & managing program budgets. Mail resume to: completed job application, cover letter and resume to jobs@
B. Hirschfelder, American Jewish World Service, 45 West 36th iyfnet.org.
Street, New York, NY 10018.**
Tsunami Recovery we are reminded that the way organizations disengage from
continued from page 12
communities is also extremely important. It is critical that
organizations start thoughtful exit planning early on and
ronmental concerns at all stages of the project cycle, and how involve many stakeholders. Disorderly exit by organizations
addressing these issues can make results more sustainable. can leave communities confused. In the post-tsunami envi-
As aid groups finish their work in tsunami-affected areas, ronment, extensive interventions followed by a sudden pull-
out have sometimes undermined an organization’s recovery
efforts, as well as those of other organizations.
International Rescue Committee With infrastructure projects, the process for repairs, main-
tenance and tariffs need to be clearly defined and institution-
Partnerships & Compliance Coordinator alized. For example, homeowners need to know how to main-
tain their new wells, hand pumps
The Partnerships & Compliance Coordinator (PCC) will lead the
and sanitation systems; they It is critical that
Partnership Sub Grant Unit for the IRC Thailand country program.
The purpose of the PSG Unit is to oversee the management, coordination
also need to know when to call in
experts and where to find them.
organizations
and the key risk control elements of the CO’s entire Human capacity building efforts
may require extended supervi-
start thoughtful
sub-grant process to ensure a high level of financial management
and compliance. The PSG Unit leads, or is a key contributor to all steps in sion and refresher training after exit planning
the process. agency offices have closed. In an
American Red Cross community-
early on.
The position is based in Bangkok, but the PCC will spend a portion based disaster risk reduction program, we have seen that
of his/her time visiting program sites along the border, working even modest levels of continued engagement can help. Con-
closely with direct beneficiaries and IRC’s partners to ensure they
tinued field staff or even volunteer follow-up monitoring can
are complying with the terms of their agreements and USG regulations.
keep communities motivated and reinforce desired behaviors
Requirements and outcomes. Sustainability of outcomes must be consid-
BA degree or equivalent; 3+ years work experience in the NGO ered early, and built into exit plans that are reviewed periodi-
environment and/or audit sector and accounting experience cally throughout the project cycle.
or strong knowledge of basic accounting principle; Experience A disaster the magnitude of the 2004 tsunami is, hopefully,
working with community based organizations in a sub-grantee a rare occurrence. Through my travels to the affected regions
relationship; Strong Knowledge of U.S. Government rules and regulations; over the last five years, I have continued to be amazed at the
Good communication skills with individuals from a resiliency of affected communities and am constantly reminded
variety of educational and cultural backgrounds; Willingness to of the importance of people taking an active part in their own
travel frequently.
recovery. Five years later, those involved in the recovery effort
This position is fully accompanied
should feel proud of their accomplishments but also take the
opportunity to reflect on the experience and explore opportuni-
Please apply at www.ircjobs.org ties to improve the planning, coordination and delivery of recov-
ery assistance the next time an event like this happens. MD
28 MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS January/February 2010 To advertise, call 202-667-8227 ext 548 or email publications@InterAction.org
Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the
United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase
economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. By linking local individuals
and communities with new ideas and technology, Winrock is increasing long-
term productivity, equity, and responsible resource management to benefit the
poor and disadvantaged of the world. Winrock and its local partners have in-
stalled more than 70,000 stand-alone renewable energy systems in remote and
rural areas. Winrock has also helped international development agencies bring
4 billion kWh of clean, renewable electricity to developing countries in Africa,
Asia, Eurasia, and Latin America.
Annual salaries and consulting rates will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Excellent employment benefits include life, dis-
ability and medical insurance, retirement, and other normal Winrock benefits. Assignments requiring travel provide insurance and travel expenses.
Volunteer assignments are also available in some locations.
Applicants should go to the Jobs link at www.winrock.org and submit a current resume and cover letter referencing “Renewable Energy Special-
ists” by Friday, January 15, 2010. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt prior to deadline.
Winrock would like to thank all applicants for their interest but only candidates who meet all requisite criteria and are short listed will be con-
tacted.
EEOE/AA.
NOW HIRING:
Country Directors* Program & Training Officers* Administrative Officers*
The Peace Corps is looking for senior-level executives and The Peace Corps is looking for senior-level managers with exceptional The Peace Corps is looking for senior-level managers with
managers with exceptional leadership and motivational skills to manage staff and design and manage international extensive administration and finance experience, international
skills, international experience (including living overseas), development programs in a variety of fields such as health, education, and cross-cultural experience (including living overseas),
administrative and financial management expertise, and small business development and agriculture/environment that and exceptional management and leadership skills to serve
strong cross-cultural experience to serve as country directors. positively impact communities overseas. International and cross- overseas as administrative officers.
International development experience is desired. cultural experience are required.
The Administrative Officer ensures the effective management
We seek candidates that are reflective of the diversity of PTOs manage, advise and develop teams of professional program of country operations in support of a population of staff
Peace Corps and our Volunteers. and training staff to support Peace Corps Volunteers at post. Our and Volunteers entirely dependent on the critical services
PTOs oversee the processes of planning, analysis, implementation (administrative unit supervision, financial analysis, policy
Country directors must be United States citizens and must not and monitoring of programs and training activities, support staff and execution and implementation) the AO provides.
have been associated with intelligence activities. Candidates Volunteers to meet the expectations of project partners and conduct
should have work experience managing a program or business staff development. These officers guide coordination between working We seek candidates that are reflective of the diversity of
of comparable size to a Peace Corps country program (i.e., units to ensure effective strategic planning, cost-effective budgeting, Peace Corps and our Volunteers.
approximately 15 to 50 staff, 50 to 250 Volunteers, and an and appropriate recommendations.
operating budget ranging from $900,000 to $4 million), as All Administrative Officers must be United States citizens and
well as experience mentoring staff and volunteers. Since We seek candidates that are reflective of the diversity of Peace Corps must not have been associated with intelligence activities.
approximately 90 percent of Peace Corps staff at each post and our Volunteers. Candidates should have work experience managing a program
are host country nationals, cross-cultural communication skills or business, and mentoring staff and volunteers. Since
are critical. All PTOs must be United States citizens and must not have been approximately 90 percent of Peace Corps staff at each post
associated with intelligence activities. Candidates should have work are host country nationals, cross-cultural communication skills
The salary range for these positions is $87,848 - $140,940. experience managing an international development program or are critical.
These positions are time limited, as are the positions of business, and mentoring staff and volunteers. Since approximately 90
all Peace Corps U.S. direct hire employees. Employees are percent of Peace Corps staff at each post are host country nationals, The salary range for these positions is $46,736 - $104,534.
appointed for a 30-month tour and may be granted a second strong cross-cultural communication skills are critical. All Peace Corps U.S. direct hire positions are time limited.
tour for a maximum of five years (60 months) with the agency. Employees are appointed for a 30-month tour and may
The salary range for these positions is $57,678 - $129,008. All Peace be granted a second tour for a maximum of five years (60
Corps U.S. direct hire positions are time limited. Employees are months) with the agency.
appointed for a 30-month tour and may be granted a second tour for a
maximum of five years (60 months) with the agency.
The Peace Corps is one of the most successful and respected development agencies in the world. More than 195,000 Volunteers have served in 139 countries
since the inception of the Peace Corps in 1961. Thousands more from every background are eager to serve as teachers, business advisors, information technology
consultants, health and HIV/AIDS educators, and agricultural extension Volunteers.
Peace Corps accepts applications for these positions throughout the year. You may apply on-line through the website, http://pcoverseasjobs.avuedigital.us/. You
must complete the on-line application to be considered for a position; resumes are supplemental.
If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Overseas Recruitment, Selection and Support at 202-692-2411 or e-mail AOandPTOjobs@peacecorps.gov for
AO and PTO positions and CDSelection@peacecorps.gov for Country Director positions.
*While many of these positions do not require fluency in a language, some do. We anticipate a specific need for fluent French, Portuguese and Spanish speakers.
To advertise, call 202-667-8227 ext 548 or email publications@InterAction.org MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS January/February 2010 29
Senior Director for Humanitarian Policy
InterAction is seeking a Senior Director for Humanitarian Policy to serve as the
organization’s primary staff lead in relations with United Nations humanitarian agencies,
including dealing with humanitarian reform and various policy issues including
protection and displacement.
30 MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS January/February 2010 To advertise, call 202-667-8227 ext 548 or email publications@InterAction.org
Job Openings Director of
Monitoring &
Evaluation, ICAP
Baghdad, Iraq
Chief of
Operations,
Infrastructure
Kabul,
Afghanistan
Deputy Chief
of Operations,
Infrastructure
Kabul,
Afghanistan
Director,
Contracts &
Grants
Arlington,VA
Deputy, Chief
Financial Officer
Arlington,VA