Dr. Richard Garfield’s latest paper on common needs assessments and humanitarian actions

Dr. Richard Garfield’s latest paper on common needs assessments and humanitarian actions

Richard Garfield, Courtney Blake, Patrice Chatainger and Sandie Walton-Ellery.

Common Needs Assessments and humanitarian action. Humanitarian Practice Network Paper #69, February 2011. Accessed at http://www.odihpn.org/documents/networkpaper069.pdf.

Network Paper 69 summarizes the basic characteristics of a Common Needs Assessment (CNA) and reviews experience in using assessments in recent years.

The authors note that while good Common Needs Assessments can help to develop a better joint understanding of needs, capabilities, and appropriate response, in trying to meet too many objectives, CNAs have sometimes failed to live up to this potential. Carrying out a CNA takes time and resources; even when funds and experienced assessors are available, results have not always been useful or timely.

Drawing on field experience from more than a dozen CNAs, this paper identifies the opportunities, costs and trade-offs involved in carrying them out and provides an overview of steps which can be taken to avert common problems.