Cleaning Up – An Evaluation of the ACT response in Liberia 2004 – 2006

Background

The ACT Alliance (Action by Churches Together) has been responding to the emergency situation in Liberia with annual ACT appeals since 2001. The signing of the Peace Accord in August 2003, followed by the installation of an interim government and the arrival and deployment of UN peacekeepers from October 2003 signalled a new phase in the ACT response. This evaluation therefore looks at the work covered by the three appeals from 2004 to 2006.
The ACT 2004 appeal (AFLR 41) was primarily about providing relief and cleaning up the countryside following the war. The ACT 2005 (AFLR 51) appeal aimed at providing assistance to the population to return and resettle in their communities of origin and start to clean up and respond to the traumas of the years of war. The ACT 2006 appeal (AFLR 61) can be seen as a continuation of this work of rehabilitation as a basis for the many years of long term recovery required.
2006 can thus be considered as a transitional year from relief to development activities for Liberia. Considering the huge challenges the country is facing and the need for ACT members in Liberia to move from relief to development activities and for the ACT alliance to learn about this process, the ACT coordinating office in Geneve decided to undertake an evaluation of the ACT response to the emergency in Liberia over the period 2004 - 2006. Concentration has been on year 2006.

Purpose/objective

- To assess the performance and impact of the past and current interventions.
- To provide a learning opportunity for future operations.
- To identify key issues to consider in the process to shift from humanitarian assistance to long term development.

Methodology

- Focus on impact at beneficiary-level.
- Beneficiaries' perception of what the assistance provided did for them.
- Participatory fieldwork.
- Common interview approaches.
The process was guieded by the ACT Evaluation mechanism, aiming to "enhance transparency and accountability and allow for lessons to be learnt".

Key findings

The report finds that the majority of the interventions by the ACT members was largely successful and relevant and contributed to the overall stabilisation of the emergency situation in the various project areas. Staff, often themselves suffering the effects of war, showed high degree of commitment. ACT members have showed great flexibility in order to respond to the changing needs of the population during the period.
While all members have some knowledge of the Sphere minimum standards, they do not feature strongly in planning or implementing. The Code of Conduct on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse is well known and several members require staff to sign the code. A high number of field staff has participated on workshops on this issue.
Low level of funding for appeals, particularly in 2004, seriously affected plans and what members where able to do. That some members received nothing has contributed to tension between organisations in a situation where cooperation and unity was needed.

Recommendations

- Members should review and discuss their targeting methodologies with a view on learning from "best practices".
- Higher focus on participation of beneficiaries in decisions and involving of local authorities in planning.
- All interventions should be planned with a close regard to conflict sensitivity
- Discussions between members in order to harmonise the many aspects of psychosocial work (especially training of staff, individual and group counselling methodologies, follow-up of clients, methods to engage in peace and reconciliation work, practises with regard to cash and material incentives.
- Joint monitoring visits for lesson learning purposes.
- Joint training on SPHERE standards and Code of Conduct.
- Consider producing a shorter/more user friendly version of the Code of Conduct.
- Attention to gender issues in the member organisations must continue with care being taken that women are involved at all aspects of program planning and implementation, also as tasks are moving from emergency relief to development work.
- Need for more co-ordination at every level.
- ACT members in Liberia should elaborate a proposal for a facilitated programme of capacity development and strategic planning.
- Member should aim at setting more realistic targets for appeals, higher focus on visibility of ACT.

Comments from the organisation

Members of ACT in Liberia show a lot of commitment but needs assistance in order to facilitate the transfer from emergency relief to development work.
There is a need for a deeper understanding of how women and men are differently affected by lack of basic rights (both economical and socio-cultural rights), especially participation and protection.