HAP deployment to Haiti – final report

As a result of the 12th January 2010 earthquake 2.3 million people were displaced resulting in over 1300 camps, with 1.6 million residents. The camps vary in terms of size (from a few tents to up to 50,000 people); how they were formed (while some were planned the majority formed spontaneously after the earthquake); and level of support and management from NGOs and agencies. For the humanitarian response, a focus on, and sufficient level of, accountability is necessary to meet people’s needs, and reduces the possibility of errors, abuse and corruption. Such a focus results in more effective and better quality programmes, and enables organisations themselves to perform better. For the purpose of improving accountability at the operational level and to highlight it on the humanitarian agenda in Haiti, a HAP deployment was conducted from March to September. This deployment was established as a part of an overall quality and accountability presence that incorporated the expertise of both HAP and The Sphere Project, and was hosted by the joint initiative of RedR Uk and Bioforce, DRSS. The team worked to seek improvement in how the international community shared information and involved the disaster-affected communities in the response, and supported the establishment of well-functioning complaint mechanisms to hold agencies and individuals accountable for their actions. Achievements of the six-month deployment included the design and implementation of impact-oriented training for national and international agencies, the development of a widely applicable tool to assess the role of camp committees, initiation of a joint complaints mechanism, and establishment of a forum to exchange knowledge and joint initiatives. The team worked closely with HAP members, non-affiliated agencies, the UN, national NGOs and national and international media. Though this phase of HAP presence in-country has ended, the material developed and analyses conducted are continuing to influencing the humanitarian response in both Haiti and beyond.