Draft: Febr 2016
Accountability Framework for the Danish Refugee
1
Council’s international programming
In the DRC, we wish to be accountable not just to our donors and membership, but also – especially – to those we try to help. We have many instruments for this, like participation, feedback, complaints­handling and reporting. A key component, however, is informing our beneficiaries and other stakeholders about our Accountability Framework. It defines what they should hold us accountable for. THE DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL (DRC) IN GENERAL Vision “No refugee must be in want of help to find protection and durable solutions. And nobody who wishes to be integrated into Danish society must be in want of help to do so”. “We want to be the best problem­solver in regard to displacement and integration.” Mission DRC is a private, independent, non­governmental, non­profit organisation (NGO), devoted, on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights, to supporting the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), and to promoting durable solutions to the populations affected by forced migration. DRC works in the context of conflict­induced displacements of populations and in return and reintegration situations. The DRC fulfils its mission through: •
•
•
Advocacy: speaking the cause of conflict­affected people Capacity­building: supporting that authorities and conflict­affected people have the capacity to secure, respectively enjoy, the rights of conflict­affected people Substitution: providing assistance to conflict­affected people where their rights are not met 1
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DRC includes the Danish De­mining Group DDG, which operates under its own brand but normally in integrated DRC operations under joint management; hence, the term ‘DRC’ in this AF includes DDG. DRC’s (and therefore also DDG’s) complete international accountability framework (AF) comprises the present global AF and area­specific AFs with additional commitments specific for the area and operation in question. The area­specific AFs can be found under the respective country portals on ​
http://www.drc.dk/relief­work/where­we­work/​
and http://www.danishdemininggroup.dk/about­danish­demining­group/where­we­work/ Page 1 of 8 Draft: Febr 2016
The term ​
conflict­affected people​
refers to refugees, IDPs and host communities in or from the conflict areas of the world. Values and standards The following values and internal standards can be found on DRC’s website and apply to the entire organisation and its staff in Denmark and abroad: • Value Compass • Cooperation standards • Management standards • Management concept See ​
http://drc.dk/about­drc/vision­and­values/​
. Organisation The DRC is an umbrella organisation of around thirty member organisations committed to the refugee cause and broadly representing civil society in Denmark, as well as some 5,000 DRC volunteers. Its head office in Copenhagen is organised under a Secretary General and it comprises seven departments: ​
Asylum & Repatriation;​
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Integration;​
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International ​
(international operations, including the Danish Demining Group); these operational departments are supported by Communications & Fundraising​
, ​
Finance,​
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Human ​
Resources, and ​
IT​
. Outside Denmark, DRC works through its own country offices in some 35 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, most of which refer to a regional office in Abidjan, Amman, Kabul or Nairobi. Affiliations and additional interests DRC is a member of the following networks: • The Danish Fundraising Association – ISOBRO • Global Focus, Danish CSO Association • International Council of Voluntary Agencies – ICVA • Voluntary Organisations in Cooperation in Emergencies – VOICE • European Council on Refugees and Exiles – ECRE • European Reintegration Support Organisations ­ ERSO • The CHS Alliance (for the Core Humanitarian Standard) • Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action ­ ALNAP • The Global Protection Cluster • The Food Security Cluster • The Emergency Shelter and NFI Cluster Represented by DDG: • International Campaign to Ban Landmines – ICBL • Cluster Munition Coalition • International Mine Actions Standards Review Board (a body under UNMAS – the United Nations Mine Action Service) • Global Alliance on Armed Violence (GAAV). Page 2 of 8 Draft: Febr 2016
DRC has signed general partnership agreements with ECHO (funding framework), UNHCR (Memorandum of Understanding) and Danida (funding) and on secondment of personnel with UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, OCHA, UNDP, UNRWA, FAO, IOM, and UNFPA. Page 3 of 8 Draft: Febr 2016
DRC’S INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITMENTS 2
Mandate for the international operations The mandate for DRC’s international programming is the protection and promotion of durable solutions to refugee and displacement­affected populations, on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights, including: a) Providing refugees, internally displaced persons and other affected groups in situations of war and conflict with assistance according to their rights. This assistance can consist of relief and other humanitarian aid, of rehabilitation and support to return home, and of contributions to the promotion of durable solutions b) Contributing to capacity building and co­operation between local and national authorities, as well as other relevant organisations. This work aims at strengthening advocacy and promoting solutions to problems related to situations of conflict, particularly with a view to improving the protection and reintegration of refugees and internally displaced persons c) Recreating a safe environment where people can live without the threat of landmines, unexploded ordnance and small arms and light weapons. Code of Conduct DRC’s Code of Conduct applies to all staff in DRC’s international operations including DDG. It is available on DRC’s website. 3
International instruments, standards and codes ​
that DRC subscribes to •
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Conventions and the like: The 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees The 1998 Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement The Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Geneva Conventions and protocols of 1949 The OAU and Kampala Conventions The Convention on the Rights of the Child (Related to humanitarian removal of explosive remnants of war (ERW) and small arms control:) The 1997 Anti­Personnel Mine Ban Convention also named the Ottawa Treaty The 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, including the amended protocol II from 1998 and the protocol V from 2003 addressing Explosive Remnants of War The Convention on Cluster Munition (CCM) UNMAS International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS). Voluntary NGO principles and standards: 4
The Core Humanitarian Standard ​
(including its commitment to principled humanitarian action) The SPHERE Protection Principles and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (WASH; Food & Nutrition; Shelter, Settlement & NFI; Health) 2
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a) and b) are quoted from the DRC Executive Committee’s decision in 2004. 3
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The full text of the ​
instruments, standards and codes​
are available on INSITE​
. ​
The CHS has replaced: The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non­Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Disaster Relief; The SPHERE Humanitarian Charter; The HAP principles and 2010 Standard in Accountability and Quality Management. DRC will mainstream CHS in its policies and practice during 2016. 4
Page 4 of 8 •
Draft: Febr 2016
The companion standards to SPHERE (technical standards applied when relevant to the nature of a DRC operation), e.g. The Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) Professional Standards for Protection Work (ICRC, 2013). •
Scope and funding of the international work Under DRC’s mandate, the international operations focus on protection, relief, rehabilitation, post­conflict recovery, capacity­building, humanitarian mine action and community safety, and advocacy. Over the years, DRC has developed particular expertise in relation to: • Protection • Shelter & Non­food Items • Food Security • WASH • Income Generation • Education • Community Infrastructure & Services • Armed Violence Reduction • Mine Action • Coordination and Operational Services Most of DRC’s international operations are implemented by DRC programme structures set up locally for the purpose to work with affected populations, local authorities and other stakeholders. However, DRC also implements activities through local partners when this is the best way to meet DRC’s mandate, values and exit strategy. DRC is committed to assist its long­term implementing partners strengthen their capacity and accountability. DRC’s international operations are funded by money raised from the public and from the private sector and by way of project grants from governmental donors, from the European Union, and from the United Nations. The audited accounts can be viewed in the DRC’s Annual Reports on http://www.drc.dk/about­drc/facts­about­drc/annual­reports/​
. DRC’s approaches to targeting assistance •
Contextual analysis and programming​
that recognize the dynamics of displacements: ● Displacement often transcends real or virtual borders, and so should DRC’s contributions to finding solutions. ● Assistance must target both the displaced and those otherwise affected by displacement, as well as recognise the dynamics between the displaced and other affected populations. It must recognise needs, capacities and diversities of people of concern and seek to optimise its effect within these factors. ● Displacement situations may principally be categorised as either (a) Acute Crisis, (b) Protracted Displacement or (c) Durable Solutions scenarios; the corresponding assistance may be categorised as (i) Saving of lives, (ii) Restoration and development of livelihoods, and (iii) Institutional and organisational change. However, most displacement situations simultaneously contain elements and potentials for all three categories. So should, therefore, DRC’s assistance. While using distinctly different approaches according to category, DRC’s assistance in any Page 5 of 8 Draft: Febr 2016
situation must always look for potentials for building capacity and facilitating durable solutions. •
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Rights­based programming: DRC’s commitment to rights­based programming means that: ● Interventions are designed and implemented with a view to further the realisation of people’s rights ● International, regional and national legal standards, principles and frameworks guide programming in all sectors in all phases of the project and programme cycle ● Interventions contribute to the development of capacities of duty­bearers to meet their obligations and of rights­holders to claim and enjoy their rights DRC’s commitment to working rights­based means that DRC in its work is: ● Focusing on the challenges of making duty­bearer stakeholders take up their responsibilities to protect people affected by conflict, during displacement and after ● Filling­in as much as possible when the duty­bearers are unwilling or unable to do so ● Encouraging and supporting “rights­holders” to claim and practise their rights. Emergency Response: ● Based on DRC’s commitment to the Humanitarian Imperative we prioritise emergency response in acute crises as the needs and risks of rights violations peak. Mine Action: ● Normally, clearance tasks are not selected by the clearing agency but assigned to it centrally by a national Mine Action Centre and/or by UN agencies. However, there may be room within the tasking to consider beneficiary population priorities and DRC/DDG principles and targets. DRC’s programming principles …are related to: • Entry • Targeting of beneficiaries and participants in the action • Modes of delivery of assistance • Exit ­ when fundamental rights related to DRC’s mandate are upheld and protected by willing and capable national and international institutions. DRC’s operational principles …are related to: • Protection • Advocacy • Capacity Development • Resilience • Emergency Preparedness • Gender, Age and Diversity • Information­sharing • Participation • Complaints­handling and Feedback • Partnerships Page 6 of 8 Draft: Febr 2016
• Do­No­Harm / Conflict sensitivity • Complementarity • Sustainability • Environment • Replicability of Strategies and Methodologies. DRC’s international programming approaches and ​
operational principles​
are documented in DRC’s Programme Handbook chapter 6. Monitoring and evaluation – a quality management system Monitoring and evaluation of DRC’s assistance is central to continuous learning and improvement. In addition to narrative and financial monitoring and reporting prescribed in the individual project contracts with a donor, DRC maintains an internal planning, reporting and learning framework for DRC country/regional operations, comprising strategic planning, regular internal reporting and an annual internal review. DRC also carries out or commissions external project reviews or evaluations and one or two thematic reviews per year. CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT OF DRC’s ACCOUNTABILITY TO ITS BENEFICIARIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS Status of January 2016 DRC’s international operations are certified under the ​
HAP Standard in Humanitarian Accountability and Quality Management​
since 2007 and re­certified in September 2013 for another four years. DRC will seek external certification under the new Core Humanitarian Standard. Accountability Improvement Plan (AIP) The plan comprises some of DRC’s internal accountability­related organisation development projects, identified through DRC’s local and central strategic planning processes. The plan is an appendix to DRC’s Accountability Framework and available on http://www.drc.dk/relief­work/how­we­work/humanitarian­accountability­framework/​
. Strategic planning in DRC International – is connected with learning processes The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework (MEL) in DRC gives priority to accountability and learning processes. In country/regional operations: The framework is provided by the MELMOP ­ the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Minimum Operational Procedures. All regional or country programmes must have a ​
Strategic Programme Document​
(SPD), which defines DRC’s area­specific rationale and goals within a medium to long term perspective. It reflects DRC’s general intent in an area, ​
not​
necessarily the sum of projects assured at the time. The SPD is revised following an internal annual operations review, which looks at progress and lessons learnt, expected situational context, relevance of the operation’s goals and assumptions and, finally, DRC’s capability to achieve its goals. Annual reviews are conducted by key operation staff, assisted by the regional office or HQ, and prepared through Page 7 of 8 Draft: Febr 2016
impact studies, solicitation of beneficiary and stakeholder feedback including complaints, external evaluations or sector reviews. The annual reviews must include the accountability commitments undertaken by DRC and also consider the need for external reviews/evaluations. The SPD is concretised in an annual country/regional ​
Results Contract, ​
which defines specific programme and capability ​
Result Targets ​
that are reviewed every quarter. Global: Local stakeholders including affected populations and field staff influence the process through the annual operations reviews, which are to be condensed in a meta­evaluation of lessons learnt for review by the annual conference of DRC regional/country directors and HQ’s management, operational units and Operations and Policy Support Division. This process combines with the strategic planning process conducted at HQ for all departments in DRC. For DRC’s international operations the combined processes result in a number of internal development projects, which are specifically planned, resourced and monitored. The overall internal development theme for the entire DRC 2013­2016 strategic planning cycle is defined as ​
DRC – a leading international organisation.​
DRC’s internal organisation development projects for the international operations 2013­16 are structured under five pillars, namely, ​
Effective organisation, Compliance and support, Quality and innovation, Policy influencing, ​
and​
Operational presence​
. The annual conference in 2016 is expected to help identify the theme and elements for the next strategic planning cycle 2017­20. COMPLAINTS DRC’s international operations and staff must comply with this Accountability Framework. Complaints or feedback regarding non­compliance should be submitted as follows: ● Field operations:​
Through the Complaint/feedback mechanisms of the operation in question. ● DRC International Head Office: Through the Code of Conduct complaint Registrar on [email protected]​
. The procedures are described on ​
http://drc.dk/relief­work/concerns­complaints/​
. ANNEX ●
AIP of February 2016 Page 8 of 8