4. Accountability

narrative reports. Ultimately, DEC reporting timelines disincentivise members in working in partnership with multiple L/NAs; particularly those where capacity sharing activities include DEC members strengthening L/NA partner reporting skills. However, reporting timelines are set from the beginning of any DEC Appeal and are fairly inflexible due to fixed onward reporting deadlines for DEC Secretariat. Short extensions are possible.

Consultations highlighted that L/NAs understand that reporting is required, and some don’t find it a big challenge. But some highlighted that reporting (and proposal writing) is a real challenge and they do not have staff to support. This was heard particularly from Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs) led by persons with disability.

A small number of L/NAs highlighted challenges with a lack of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) specialists in-country, but this was not discussed further in detail. A number of L/NAs highlighted a need to increase the detail in, and cross-checking of, needs assessments conducted. This was largely related to the issues of relevance and inclusion. Around one-third of L/NAs highlighted that some of the aid provided to date was not relevant. One example was where internally displaced persons (IDPs) had been provided with food kits which they did not want and sold them at the market. Some L/NAs highlighted that the specific needs of persons with disability were not being met as disabled persons organisations (DPOs) were not involved in the needs assessment processes44. The role of Government in assessing needs and coordinating needs assessments was not mentioned in any consultations. When this was raised in feedback and verification sessions, some L/NAs highlighted that they did not trust the Government to be solely responsible for coordinating needs assessments.

DEC members working with multiple L/NAs: to request allowable extensions for reporting deadlines from DEC Secretariat (up to 4 extra days).

DEC members working with DPOs: to consider allowing alternative reporting methods for DPOs and other L/NAs who struggle to prepare formal written reports. For example, partnership agreements with DPOs could allow verbal reports.

Cluster Coordinators: to ensure that L/NAs are actively informing needs assessment and the contextualisation of Cluster minimum standards.

DEC members: to direct L/NA partners to the Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub for Eastern Europe (RSH EE) to access resources and support.

Only 16% of L/NA survey respondents selected ‘Accountability to affected populations / safeguarding / Do No Harm / monitoring and evaluation’ in their top four support areas most important for strengthening locally led humanitarian action. Survey results showed that 42% of L/NA survey respondents would feel confident explaining what Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) means (compared to 59% of INGO survey respondents). Although significantly fewer said they would feel confident explaining: Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Sphere standards; 35% and 16% of L/NA survey respondents.

Very few L/NAs mentioned accountability and safeguarding in consultations, and none mentioned Do No Harm or Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). To note, it was mainly staff with safeguarding roles that mentioned these factors in consultations with international actors. However, concerns were raised that there very few safeguarding issues are being reported across the response. DEC is funding the Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub for Eastern Europe (RSH EE) which aims to provide practical and accessible safeguarding resources in Ukrainian and languages of refugee-host neighbouring countries.