DEC Cyclone Idai Response Meta-Synthesis Report
Executive Summary
Executive Summary Between March 2019 and March 2021, thirteen of the DEC’s member agencies responded to the Cyclone Idai disaster in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
This report draws together lessons, good practice and challenges from members’ reports, external evaluations and other documents, framed around four of the Core Humanitarian Standard’s Commitments.
Member agencies quickly understood that Cyclone Idai both exacerbated pre-existing challenges and created new problems, such as destruction of shelter, loss of productive assets, injuries leading to temporary or permanent disabilities, and so on.
feedback mechanisms to ensure full participation, others did not offer differentiated support for these groups. Member agencies’ approaches to needs assessment and data collection do not necessarily facilitate inclusion, and the expertise of specialised organisations (eg Age International) was not used to provide a more effective or equal response.
All member agencies ensured that affected communities were involved in decisions around who should receive support. There was consistency between member agencies around the people and groups identified as ‘most vulnerable,’ with selection criteria including household size and composition (with femaleheaded households prioritised), gender and age. However, as in previous responses, the inclusion of people with disabilities and older people varied widely between organisations. While some proactively adapted programme activities and
The outbreak of COVID-19 was seen as a ‘crisis on top of a crisis’, to which DEC members and their local partners responded quickly. The flexibility of the DEC’s funding was used to great effect in adapting activities to meet new needs and to work in changing circumstances.
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