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When planning distributions, assessments help to understand the context and identify:

• Needs of different vulnerable groups
• Suitable modalities to deliver the assistance with equitable, safe, and dignified access to women, girls, boys, and men.
• Possible negative impacts and safety/security concerns

Assessments may be rapid and broad, or specific and in-depth depending on the urgency to capture data and respond, e.g. a rapid need assessment that will immediately be followed by a lifesaving distribution, an NFI needs assessment for developing a program, or an in-depth analysis to review/improve ongoing activities. 

Continued revision of needs analysis is required to ensure assistance is relevant and delivered through appropriate delivery mechanisms.

This section is not an exhaustive guide to Assessments. It only highlights relevant information for the plannning and implementation of distributions. 

(See more details in: ASSESSMENTS IN EMERGENCIES entry)

General Considerations

• Avoid making promises that IOM cannot fulfill. (Needs assessments can sometimes create undue expectations of assistance among communities.)
• Where possible conduct coordinated need assessments. (more below)
• Discuss with government actors the needs, planned responses, and gaps.
• Representatives from local authorities, community leaders, IDP representatives, and camp managers are involved in the assessment.
• Assessments are coordinated with / accompanied by protection specialized staff.
• Assessment teams know and understand the correct referral pathway for protection cases including GBV. 
• The assessment team is gender balanced and composed of different cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds as relevant.
• People from the different marginalized groups, such as IDPs-host communities, new-old IDPs are represented in the assessment.
• Specific needs of people with mobility impairments, chronic disease, people with disabilities or other specific groups are considered. 
• Conduct field observations in affected areas. Verify and cross-check inputs from beneficiaries, local authorities, and community representatives.
• Interview key stakeholders in affected areas (Key informant interviews).
• Organize Focus Group Discussions with affected communities for qualitative information.
• Conduct Household Need Assessment for sampling of quantitative information.
• Assess risks. (more below)
• Assess access, safety, and security. (more below)
• Assess suitable distribution modalities. (more below) 

When assessing needs, refer to Sphere Standards and Indicators to ensure you are identifying gaps to meet minimum standards. For household items for example consider:  

• People have sufficient and appropriate quality clothing.
• People have sufficient and appropriate quality items for safe, healthy and private sleeping.
• People have sufficient and appropriate items to prepare, eat and store food.
• People have access to a sufficient, safe, and affordable energy supply to maintain thermal comfort, prepare food and provide lighting.

Inter-agency/Inter-sectoral assessment

Inter-agency and inter-sectoral assessment such as Multi-Sector Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA), Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), can inform strategic priorities and objectives, provide information on scale of response, the population/household profiles, displacement trend, and urgent needs. Whenever possible, assessments should be coordinated. 

Coordinated assessments can be joint or harmonised. In Joint Assessments agencies use and follow the same methodology and tools. In Harmonized Assessments data is collected, processed and analysed separately, but through common operational datasets, key indicators, and geographical and temporal synchronization, this data is sufficiently comparable to be compiled into a single database and used in a shared analysis.

Rapid Needs Assessments

At the onset of a crisis or where target population are on the move, RNAs, sometimes combined with beneficiary registration can enable rapid delivery of assistance with speed and at scale. 

As such, when broad consultation with affected populations is not possible before starting projects, and distributions may begin whilst assessments are ongoing, be prepared to revise the planning as new information comes in.^*1 

Also See Beneficiary selection, verification, and registration entry.

Market and cash feasibility analysis

To identify the most suitable modality of NFI assistance (in-kind, cash transfer, voucher, or combination of these), market analysis and cash feasibility assessments are required. Points to assess should include the following:

• Beneficiaries' preferred assistance modality
• Market functionality  in target location(s)
• Access limitations for certain population/gender
• The possible impact of distributions on the local market 
• Availability and quality of items 
• Access to financial service providers
• Negative impact/potential protection risks of in-kind or cash/voucher distribution

For more details of market monitoring and CBI, see CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS (CBI) entry.

Risks analysis

Assess the likelihood of the following points and prepare relevant mitigation measures:

• Interference in project implementation by local authorities and/or armed groups (in procurement, beneficiary selection, during, and after distribution, etc.)
• Occupation/confiscation of warehouses / distribution points / goods 
• Aid diversion (taxation, fees, percentage of humanitarian assistance)
• Diverting assistance to a certain community or geographic area

Access/safety and security analysis

Issues to assess include:

Access

• Issues that may prevent IOM/partner staff from accessing location during the planning, implementation, monitoring, or evaluation phases. (e.g. permissions, time restrictions, etc.)
• Reduced access due to environmental conditions (weather and/or poor infrastructure). 
• Issues that may prevent IOM/partner to have unhindered access to affected populations. (e.g. required approvals, verification of beneficiary lists, etc.)
• Lack of community acceptance.
• Ability of people to access the distribution locations. (time-distance travelled, movement restrictions, weather, infrastructure, etc.)
• Safe and unhindered access to affected populations and marginalized groups. 

Safety / Security

• Distance from the front line or contested areas in active conflict.
• Likelihood that a community will be targeted by violence.
• Recent security incidents.
• Recent/current community tensions and protests.
• Likelihood of existence of IEDs, UXOs, mines, shelling, armed groups presence and hostilities.
• Likelihood of violence against staff, assets, and/or facilities.
• Likelihood of theft or looting of goods.
• Demands to share project details (such as budget, staff lists, personal details, etc.) by local authorities/stakeholders.

Contacts

For more information, please contact the Shelter and Settlements Unit in Geneva: ShelterSupport@iom.int.

Please also find the contact information to the IOM Shelter Reference Group: ShelterReferenceGroup@iom.int.