offering beneficiaries a channel through which they can provide feedback and raise complaints about the assistance they receive is generally regarded by humanitarian agencies as an important part of being accountable. in spite of this, a complaints mechanism (CM) understood as a formalised system addressing grievances is a relatively new concept within the general humanitarian sphere. a CM seeks to provide a safe opportunity to raise valid concerns and to have concerns addressed objectively against a standard set of rules, resting in the values and commitments of the agency.
The main objective of this handbook is to offer practical solutions to the challenge of setting up and managing a successful CM.The handbook provides a step by step guide, including a number of practical tools and exercises to facilitate the process, and it contextualises the concept of a CM and presents some of the added values and opportunities that a CM offers in a humanitarian context.