Release of the 2011-12 Annual Review of Aid Effectiveness

The inaugural Annual Review of Aid Effectiveness was released today by Foreign Minister Bob Carr. This new and important document is part of a suite of reforms flowing from the 2011 Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness. Its purpose is to inform Cabinet discussion of the four-year budget strategy outlined in the Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework and report on the aid program’s performance against the Framework.

Overview

Working within a four-year strategic plan, the Federation Secretariat‟s Disaster and Crisis Management (DCM) programme is making solid progress in building a more robust and flexible Federation-wide disaster management system that is aligned to the strategic aims and enabling actions of Strategy 2020.
The 2012 DCM plan is aligned to the IFRC‟s Secretary General‟s objectives and priorities (5 business lines) and includes targets based on the Secretariat‟s 2012-2013 Plan and Budget.

Tropical Storm Washi/Sendong Action Review

22-23 March 2012, Cagayan de Oro City, The Philippines

I. Background

Context:

The frequency of intense floods and storms is increasing globally and in Asia and the Pacific amid the specter of climate change, pointing to the need for better mitigation and adaptation to natural disasters.

The rainfall and temperatures associated with these events are becoming more variable and extreme, while the evidence suggests that coastal regions in South, Southeast, and East Asia are at greater risk.

In response to a rapid-onset emergency, Action Against Hunger / ACF International, with funding from AECID, implemented a cash transfer program in Cotobato City, situated in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao in the Philippines. The project established a cash voucher program through local supermarkets to provide flood-affected people with essential food and non-food items. The program also piloted the use of debit cards for the first time in the Philippines.

Special Report by Claudia Hofmann and Ulrich Schneckener

Summary

Transnational nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have developed strategies to improve the diffusion of and general adherence to international norms among nonstate armed actors, with the goal of persuading armed actors to adapt their behavior accordingly.

Bangkok — Countries in Asia are still at risk of electoral violence which can be driven by real and perceived fraud, corruption, or patronage, according to a new study by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“The mere suspicion or allegation of fraud is often enough, in democracies where there is a lack of confidence in authorities, for people to react violently,” says the study, a 20-page investigation of electoral processes in seven countries of South and South East Asia.

I. INTRODUCTION

1. OCHA evaluations serve the dual purpose of accountability for performance and results and learning to inform policy discussions and strategic decisions of OCHA’s senior management, as well as of other stakeholders. Individual evaluations inform on specific issues, activities or areas of work, with the aim of contributing to improved performance and organizational learning.

In today's armed conflicts, humanitarian actors are increasingly challenged by the presence and proliferation of nonstate armed groups (NSAGs). In many cases, NSAGs exert control over territories and populations. However, their knowledge of and respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights standards are often limited. Under these circumstances, direct engagement with NSAGs is crucial for the protection of civilians in armed conflict. The panelists, all experienced field practitioners, presented concrete examples where engagement with