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Context analysis

The ability of any WASH intervention to deliver immediate, life-saving, and sustainable services depends on how well it aligns with current beliefs, practices, and motivations, as well as ongoing physical and personnel resources. To prepare for any WASH intervention, a context analysis must be carried to understand communities' specific needs and how they can best be served. IOM country offices and other stakeholders will have valuable information about local cultures, common WASH practices as well as other critical factors such as the environmental setting (e.g. water sources, potentially contaminating activities in the area, climate variability, weather patterns, rainfall) and the political situation (e.g. land ownership rights issues, existing policy and governance structures, national policies, and standards).

Other secondary data can be used to assess the WASH situation such as: UN/NGO reports, former sanitary surveys, government statistics, satellite and aerial mapping, recent partner assessments and OCHA hazard maps, water quality monitoring records, IOM weekly and monthly reports, ReliefWeb country reports, water perception surveys, and WASH Cluster coordination minutes. The Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR) also shows the network of civil society organizations working on grassroots disaster reduction. This information allows contextualization of the service provision prior to the emergency to allow appropriate WASH interventions relevant to the context.

Needs and risk assessments

Needs assessments provide the evidence base for planning WASH interventions. They provide the necessary information to define priorities that can be used for operational planning. Ensuring that assessments are effectively implemented and coordinated enables IOM to strategically position itself for immediate emergency response, programme development, and implementation. In addition, information gained through needs assessments can also support IOM and the humanitarian community in determining the level of an emergency. Inter-cluster Initial Rapid Needs Assessments (IRNA) are coordinated through the cluster system. As outlined in the Coordination section of the WASH Approaches page, this increases efficiency, avoids duplication and over-surveying affected communities, as well as information sharing. IOM WASH therefore aims to undertake inclusive and integrated needs assessments in coordination with other units. Coordination with other units allows for data cross-checking to ensure that needs and risk assessments provide accurate information to inform and guide WASH (and other) programmes.

WASH needs assessments examine both WASH vulnerabilities as well as WASH facilities and community capacity so IOM WASH can work with communities to identify and prioritize risks to water supply and design appropriate interventions to address critical gaps while identifying opportunities for longer term prevention, preparedness, and recovery with consideration of long term impacts. IOM does this through rapid initial assessments, followed by inclusive and integrated knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) surveys, and more in-depth targeted household level surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews (KII) as necessary.

Needs assessments are used to develop implementation plans using a risk-based approach, where-by multiple risk factors are considered including how WASH interventions may interact with conflict, climate change, the environment, or where WASH interventions in fragile contexts can be leveraged to address underlying causes of conflict and strengthen social cohesion, in collaboration with other non-WASH actors. The IOM's Risk Scenario Planning can also be used for risk analysis and operational planning, and to predict trends. The frequency and depth of the analysis will depend on context.

The needs and risk assessments can also inform implementation plan fund transfer modalities such as in-kind solutions or cash-based interventions (CBI), which are highly context dependent. The needs and risk assessments can provide valuable information to define what specific needs can be met with different fund transfer modalities.

Monitoring and evaluation

IOM WASH supports a multi-disciplinary approach to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in order to support mutual learning. It aims to leave no one behind in the M&E of WASH services. It recognizes the intersectionality of the public health imperative which requires long-term, holistic monitoring across multiple sectors such as WASH, climate change adaptation (CCA), disaster risk reduction (DRR), health, education, governance and human resource and institutional capacity.

IOM WASH M&E is conducted through the IOM WASH Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework, which is tailored for IOM WASH programmes and projects, whilst being adaptable for various contexts. It ensures evidence-based planning with regular monitoring, evaluation, and incorporation of learning into new interventions. Who is responsible for the different parts of the monitoring process and to what extent, tools and techniques to be used, how affected communities can be involved, methods for analysis, how the information will be used and shared as well as timeframes will depend on the context, and should be done in coordination with the WASH Cluster. Findings should be triangulated when possible, to ensure consistency and results - shared both internally through IOM WASH and externally within the sector to promote continuous learning and improvement to provide programming that is benchmark of best practice.

The IOM Global WASH Support Team also undertakes project performance reviews (PRRs) for high-profile or high-risk WASH programmes and projects to ensure that continuous quality control, feedback, and learning are incorporated into all WASH programming.

Occupational health and safety

In addition to the public health imperative of WASH, occupational health and safety of IOM staff and stakeholders are crucial to WASH interventions. Risks will be assessed on a case by case basis. However, risk mitigation measures may include aspects such as personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g. closed toed shoes for construction where available, face masks in  COVID-19 and Ebola contexts), barriers surrounding drilling equipment or waste management areas, and relevant training for persons using technical equipment.

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Contacts

IOM's Global WASH Support Team is available to support country missions in a variety of ways as outlined in the IOM Global WASH Support Team mechanisms, including surge support, remote support, and/or monitoring, evaluation, and learning.

The Global WASH Support Team can be contacted for additional information or specific guidance at washsupport@iom.int.