Overview
10. WHO's core commitments in response to emergencies are those actions that are always undertaken in support of national health authorities and the affected population and close collaboration with national and international partners.
20. In response to public health events and emergencies, WHO will:
- Undertake a timely, independent, and rigorous risk assessment and situation analysis.
- Deploy sufficient expert staff and material resources early in the event/emergency to ensure an effective assessment and operational response.
- Establish a clear management structure based on the Incident Management System for the response in-country.
- Develop an evidence-based health sector response strategy, plan, and appeal.
- Ensure that adapted disease surveillance, early warning and response systems are in place.
- Provide up-to-date information on the health situation and health sector performance.
- Coordinate the health sector response to ensure appropriate coverage and quality of essential health services.
- Promote and monitor the application of technical standards and best practices; and
- Provide relevant technical expertise to affected Member States and all relevant stakeholders.
WHO Core Commitments in Humanitarian Emergency Response
Inter-Agency Standing Committee Commitments
30. WHO is an Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) member. As such, WHO is obligated to respond to humanitarian emergencies following the IASC Transformative Agenda Protocols, which set the parameters for improved collective action by the humanitarian community in responding to emergencies. The Transformative Agenda focuses on three key areas: leadership, coordination and accountability.
40. Current and updated protocols include the following documents (updates available at the IASC Transformative Agenda website):
50. As these protocols should be enforced by all IASC member organizations in emergency situations, the parameters for implementation detailed in the protocols apply to WHO.
60. In addition, for infectious disease events, WHO has specific assessment, coordination, and leadership obligations to the Secretary-General and the United Nations system according to the IASC Protocol on Level 3 (L3) Activation Procedures for Infectious Disease Events.
70. Key components of the protocols and associated IASC commitments, as they apply to WHO's response to health emergencies, are summarized below in these standing operating procedures.
Protocol 1: Humanitarian system-wide scale-up activation: definition and procedures
80. In the event of a major sudden-onset crisis and/or substantial deterioration of a humanitarian situation triggered by natural and human-induced hazards or conflict, which requires system-wide mobilization, “Protocol 1: Humanitarian system-wide scale-up activation: definition and procedures" provides guidance on activation for a time-bound period of up to six months:
a. IASC Principals approve the activation with the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) based on IASC Emergency Directors Group (EDG) recommendations
b. During the call for scale-up, the Principals also discuss:
i. the most appropriate leadership model and appointment of a Humanitarian Coordinator (HC);
ii. the most appropriate coordination arrangements, including activation of clusters and support to national coordination structures as necessary;
iii. the deployment of surge and inter-agency rapid response teams;
iv. the common advocacy priorities for the humanitarian system and common messages to be at the core of the ERC and IASC Principals' communication strategy; and
v. other context-specific arrangements, as applicable.
IASC "Guidance note on using the cluster approach to strengthen the humanitarian response."
90. The accountability of sector/cluster leads to the HC at the country level as summarized from the IASC's "Guidance note on using the cluster approach to strengthen humanitarian response" is as follows:
a. The HC, with the support of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), retains overall responsibility for the humanitarian response and is accountable to the ERC.
b. While sector/cluster lead agencies cannot be held accountable for the performance of all humanitarian partners within the sector, they are accountable to the HC for ensuring, to the extent possible:
i. establishing adequate coordination mechanisms for the sector or area of activity concerned;
ii. adequate preparedness and
iii. adequate strategic planning for an effective operational response.
c. When stakeholders consider that a sector lead is not adequately carrying out its responsibilities, the HC is to consult the sector lead concerned and, where necessary, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and then may propose alternative arrangements. If needed, the HC may also ask the ERC to consult the relevant IASC Principals at the global level before proposing alternative arrangements.
Resolution WHA65.20: “WHO's response, and role as the health cluster lead, in meeting the growing health demands in humanitarian emergencies."
100. The 2005 humanitarian reform introduced clusters as a means of sectoral coordination to improve urgency, timeliness, accountability, leadership, and surge capacity. Resolution WHA65.20 of 2012 outlines the responsibilities of Member States and donors for the health cluster and WHO's role within the health cluster.
110. The resolution calls on Member States and donors to undertake the following responsibilities:
a. allocate resources for the WHO and health sector activities during humanitarian emergencies through the UN Consolidated Appeal Process and Flash Appeals;
b. strengthen WHO's institutional capacity to act as the Global Health Cluster Lead Agency, to assume health cluster lead in the field and carry out programmatic emergency response activities;
c. ensure that WHO carries out humanitarian activities in consultation with the country concerned;
d. encourage all humanitarian partners, including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), to participate actively in the health cluster coordination;
e. strengthen national-level risk management, health emergency preparedness and contingency planning processes and disaster management units in the health ministry;
f. identify in advance the best ways to ensure complementary coordination between the international humanitarian partners and existing national coordination mechanisms as part of the national preparedness planning and with OCHA where appropriate;
g. build the capacity of national authorities at all levels and manage the recovery process in synergy with longer-term strengthening of the health system and reform strategies, as appropriate, in collaboration with WHO and the health cluster; and
h. establish health response teams voluntarily with a mechanism for deployment in case of humanitarian emergencies, depending on the choice of each Member State.
120. The resolution calls on the Director-General of WHO to undertake the following roles:
a. have in place the necessary WHO policies, guidelines, adequate management structures and processes required for effective and successful WHO programmatic humanitarian action at the country level;
b. have in place the necessary organizational capacity and resources to enable it to discharge its function as the Global Health Cluster Lead Agency, including as provider of last resort, per agreements made by the IASC Principals;
c. assume a role as Health Cluster Lead Agency in the field;
d. strengthen WHO's surge capacity with global health cluster partners and Member States, including by developing standby rapid response arrangements and mechanisms to deploy and sustain response teams with appropriate resources;
e. provide Member States and humanitarian partners with predictable support for humanitarian health action in humanitarian crises by
i. Coordinating rapid assessment and analysis of humanitarian needs, including as a part of the coordinated IASC response;
ii. building an evidence-based strategy and action plan;
iii. monitoring the health situation and health sector response;
iv. identifying gaps;
v. mobilizing resources; and
vi. performing the necessary advocacy;
f. define the core commitments, core functions and performance standards of WHO, and as Health Cluster Lead Agency, ensure full engagement of WHO's three levels to their implementation according to established benchmarks;
g. operationalize the WHO Emergency Response Framework (ERF), with the performance benchmarks in line with the humanitarian reform and to ensure the accountability of its performance against those standards;
h. establish necessary mechanisms to mobilize WHO's technical expertise across all disciplines and levels, providing necessary guidance and support to Member States and partners of the health cluster in humanitarian crises;
i. support Member States and partners in the transition to recovery, aligning the recovery planning with the national development policies and ongoing health sector reforms and/or using the opportunities of post-disaster and/or post-conflict recovery planning;
j. have WHO develop methods to systematically collect and disseminate data on attacks on health facilities, health workers, health transports, and medical referrals of patients in complex humanitarian emergencies, in coordination with other relevant UN bodies, other relevant actors, and intergovernmental and NGOs; and
k. provide a report every two years to the annual World Health Assembly through the Executive Board on progress in implementing resolution WHA65.20.
IASC Policy on Protection in Humanitarian Action, 2016
130. The IASC Policy on Protection in Humanitarian Action affirms that all humanitarian actors are responsible for placing protection at the centre of humanitarian action.
a. The HC is responsible for leading and coordinating relevant organizations to design and deliver a humanitarian response that is principled, timely, effective, and efficient and contributes to longer-term recovery. Protection informs decision-making in the HCT, and protection priorities are to be identified and result in collective action.
b. The HCT must commit to sharing information and analysis on protection and to prioritize and contribute to collective efforts to enhance protection for affected persons in accordance with each member's expertise and mandate.
c. Humanitarian actors:
i. should address protection issues that intersect with their formal mandates and sector-specific responsibilities, including protection mainstreaming, protection integration and specialized protection activities.
ii. must engage collectively to achieve meaningful protection outcomes that reduce overall risks to affected persons by decreasing threats, reducing vulnerability, and enhancing capacities, and at the country level focus on addressing critical protection risks and prompt collective action in complement to the Humanitarian Response Plan and the protection cluster strategy.
iii must evaluate commitments and progress towards placing protection at the centre of the humanitarian response. The HCT must regularly monitor and assess its progress in working collectively to achieve protection outcomes, reduce the exposure of affected persons to risks and violations, and support affected persons to enjoy their rights without discrimination.
d. The HC and HCT must mobilize other actors within and beyond the humanitarian system, as appropriate, to contribute to collective protection outcomes.
IASC commitments to protection mainstreaming in humanitarian action
140. Protection mainstreaming incorporates protection principles and promotes meaningful access, safety, and dignity in humanitarian aid. The following elements must be considered in all humanitarian activities:
a. Prioritize safety and dignity and avoid causing harm: Prevent and minimize as much as possible any unintended negative effects of your intervention, which can increase people's vulnerability to both physical and psychosocial risks.
b. Meaningful access: Arrange for people's access to assistance and services – in proportion to their needs and without any barriers (e.g., discrimination). Pay special attention to individuals and groups who may be particularly vulnerable or have difficulty accessing assistance and services.
c. Accountability: Set up appropriate mechanisms through which affected populations can measure the adequacy of interventions and address concerns and complaints.
d. Participation and empowerment: Support the development of self-protection capacities and assist people to claim their rights, including – not exclusively – the rights to shelter, food, water and sanitation, health, and education.
IASC commitments on accountability to affected people and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
150. Just as the protection mainstreaming outlined above is relevant to all sectors and agencies, as it puts people at the centre of the response, so does the IASC commitments on accountability to affected populations and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), as outlined below:
a. enforce, integrate and institutionalize accountability to affected populations (AAP) approaches in the humanitarian programme cycle and strategic planning processes;
b. adopt agency mechanisms that feed into and support collective/coordinated people-centred approaches;
c. adopt agency mechanisms that feed into and support collective and participatory approaches that inform and listen to communities, address feedback and lead to corrective action; and
d. measure AAP and PSEA-related results, including through standards such as the Core Humanitarian Standard and the Minimum Operating Standards on PSEA; the Best Practice Guide to establish Inter-Agency Community Based Complaint Mechanisms (CBCM) and its accompanying SOPs.
