Quality & Accountability Hub

Language: Urdu / English
Interested: Click here to apply
Last Date to Apply: 15th November 2024

Rationale:

The workshop on “Strengthening Accountability: Effective Feedback and Complaints Response Mechanisms” is designed to enhance the capacity of local and national organizations in Sindh Province to build trust and accountability with the communities they serve. In the context of recurring natural disasters and socio-economic challenges, effective Feedback and Complaints Response Mechanisms (FCRM) are essential for ensuring transparency, addressing community concerns, and promoting quality in humanitarian and development interventions. This workshop will provide practical guidance on integrating FCRM into organizational practices, aligned with international standards such as the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS).

By strengthening these mechanisms, organizations will be better positioned to:

• Enhance trust with the communities they serve, ensuring that their programs are responsive to real needs.
• Increase transparency, which can help mitigate risks related to corruption, fraud, and resource mismanagement.
• Ensure compliance with global accountability standards, fostering donor confidence and long- term partnerships.
• Empower communities by providing them with accessible and responsive channels to express their concerns.

Aims & Objectives:

The workshop aims to strengthen the accountability and transparency of local and national organizations working in Sindh Province by enhancing their capacity to develop, implement, and manage effective Feedback and Complaints Response Mechanisms (FCRM). It seeks to promote a culture of accountability and ensure that organizations are better equipped to respond to community concerns, improve program quality, and meet international standards such as the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS).

Objectives:

1. Outline the essentials of a well-functioning Feedback and Complaints Response Mechanism (FCRM)
2. Guide organizations on aligning FCRM with international standards, particularly CHS requirements
3. Identify key steps in establishing an effective FCRM
4. Explore challenges and opportunities in implementing FCRM
5. Design an action plan tailored to organizational needs

Methodology:

The “Blended Learning” approach developed by CWSA over decades of experience will be used in this workshop. The approach will be participatory and needs based in nature. It shall include the selection of participants from various organisations at various levels, the development of content and methodology based on the needs of the participants, the use of experienced and knowledgeable trainers/practitioners, the development of action plans, follow-up refreshers, coaching and mentoring support.

Number of Participants:

20 – 22 participants will be selected for the workshop. Female staff and those with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to participants from organisations based in underserved areas. Applicants will be informed by November 20th about their confirmation status.

Selection Criteria:

This workshop is designed for professionals from local and national organizations working in Sindh Province who are responsible for or involved in program management, community engagement, accountability, and safeguarding. The ideal participants include:

Program Managers and Coordinators overseeing humanitarian and development projects.
Accountability and Safeguarding Focal Points responsible for implementing feedback and complaints mechanisms.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Staff working on quality assurance and compliance.

Community/Social Mobilizers and Officers who manage direct communication and relationships with affected communities.

Human Resources and Administrative Staff involved in complaints handling and reporting processes. Participants should have a vested interest in strengthening their organization’s accountability systems and aligning with international standards such as the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS).

Willingness to contribute PKR 10,000 for the training. Exemptions may be applied for local CSOs with limited funding and those from marginalized groups. Discount of 10% on early registration by 8th November and 20% discount will be awarded to women participants.

Community World Service Asia (CWSA) is a humanitarian and development organization, registered in Pakistan, head-quartered in Karachi and implementing initiatives throughout Asia. CWSA is a member of the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) Alliance, a member of Sphere and their regional partner in Asia and also manages the ADRRN Quality & Accountability Hub in Asia. For more details visit our website: www.communityworldservice.asia

If you wish to participate, kindly register here:

When: 7-9 December, 2024
Where: Bangkok, Thailand
Language: English
Interested Applicants Click Here to Register
Last Date to Apply: 30 September, 2024

After decades of promoting and mainstreaming Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding, we acknowledge that there is still a fragmented understanding and inconsistent application of related principles, standards and tools across different actors and contexts.  is hinders collective progress for the benefit of communities we serve. Fortunately, we have now collectively reached a momentum to formalize the sector’s learning on these three benchmarks – Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding – which make our humanitarian, development and peace activities meaningful and unique to communities. This is further reflected in our pocket guide on Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding through the project cycle.

The diverse nature of humanitarian, development, and peace activities means that no-one-size-fits-all and the search for single and simple solutions are rarely effective. Tailoring Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding requires deep understanding and adaptability from all actors working through the Nexus.

This is what this workshop is about. If this resonates with you, please join us in Bangkok!

This workshop represents a unique opportunity to go one step further in both promoting and applying Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding in a holistic and contextualised manner. It will provide you with:

• An update on Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding principles, standards and tools.
• An introduction to the pocket guide on Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding around the project cycle.
• A review of opportunities and challenges of applying collectively Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding through the Nexus.
• Thee co-creation of materials produced to disseminate and practically implement Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding in a joint and collective manner in your specific work context.

Learning Outcomes:

• Locate and describe Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding principles, standards and tools (the Core Humanitarian Standard-CHS, the Humanitarian Standards Partnership-HSP, including Sphere, IASC commitments and principles, and many more).
• Navigate and use the pocket booklet on Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding through the project cycle phases and the Nexus.
• Analyse and explain the rationale, and advocate for joint (all standards considered through the projects or programmes phases) and collective (all actors together as per a people-centered approach) implementation of Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding.
• Select best practices and translate these into key messages to design, co-create and produce common materials on Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding tailored to specific contexts and needs.

This will be achieved in a conducive environment enabling experience sharing and debates on opportunities and constraints for joint and collective application of Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding. It will provide an opportunity to utilise peer learning and dive into the Nexus approach.

Last but not least, the learning from this workshop will directly contribute to your job performance and leadership skills for effective humanitarian, development and peace work!

Who is this for?

This is for all humanitarian, development and peace actors dedicated to implement Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding. This workshop is building on previous CWSA and global quality and accountability initiatives’ trainings, workshops and webinars.

We expect applications from actors who are:

• Practitioners, managers, evaluators, leaders, mentors and champions on Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding.
• Former participants and contributors to the CHS, HSP, Sphere ToTs and workshops, but not limited to those.

What are you paying?

US $ 1000 per participant for UN/INGOs.
US $ 700 per participant for NNGOs & consultants.
This is a partial cost-recovery initiative.
Places will be allocated on a first come first basis. Early Bird Discount of 10% is available if you apply before 20 August.

This training fee covers shared accommodation in Bangkok, breakfast, lunch, refreshments during the training, training materials and trainers’ cost.

Disclaimer: CWSA will not be responsible to arrange for or cover visa and travel costs. Participants will cover their own travel costs.

Important Notice: A session is suggested during the Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week Asia Pacific 2024 (jointly hosted by UN OCHA, ICVA, ADRRN and CWSA) to present some of the various materials produced on Quality+Accountability+Safeguarding co-created during these 3 days. You are therefore strongly encouraged to plan simultaneously your participation at the conference from 10 to 12 December 2024 and benefit from all other sessions of interest. Register Here for the Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week Asia Pacific 2024 before August 15.

Our offer for the week:

Workshop: 7 – 9 Dec, 2024
Check in: 6 Dec, 2024 &
Check out: 10 Dec, 2024
10 – 12 Dec, 2024: Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week – Asia Pacific 2024

APPLY before September 30!

Meet the facilitators’ team!

This workshop will be facilitated by Sylvie Robert and Rizwan Iqbal who have a long history of training together and innovating with CWSA team since the first deployment of the Sphere focal point in Pakistan, in 2005.

Sylvie Robert is an independent consultant with over 25 years of experience, specializing in Quality, Accountability to Affected Populations and Safeguarding, including all forms of sexual misconduct. Sylvie’s field experience with NGOs, United Nations’ agencies and Red Cross/Red Crescent since the 90’s is with complex emergencies in the Balkans, Eastern and Western Africa, the Great Lakes of Africa, Central America, MENA and South Asia, as well as in development contexts, with specific work on the links between emergency and development. Sylvie has a long history with the Standards’ inter-agency initiatives such as Sphere, LEGS, the CHS and more.

Rizwan Iqbal, currently a Global Accountability & Safeguarding specialist, having over 16 years of experience in the non-profit sector across 35 countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle-East. Throughout his career, Rizwan has been dedicated to fostering quality programming, engaging directly in capacity enhancements for partners and organizations. Holding certifications as a trainer on humanitarian quality standards such as Sphere, CHS and Economic Recovery Standards, Rizwan’s focus has been on monitoring and evaluating operational quality using comprehensive frameworks, standards and tools.

Community World Service Asia (CWSA) is a humanitarian, development, advocacy and capacity enhancement organisation, registered and head-quartered in the global South and implementing capacity enhancement initiatives across the globe. CWSA is a member of the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) Alliance, a Sphere regional partner and the regional focal point for the Asian Disaster Reduction & Response Network’s (ADRRN) Quality & Accountability Hub.

When: 7-9 December, 2024
Where: Bangkok, Thailand
Language: English
Interested Applicants Click Here to Register
Last Date to Apply: 30 September, 2024

Join us for an empowering three-day learning journey, diving into dynamic discussions, hands-on learning, and mastering the art of implementing safeguarding tools and approaches. Together, we will learn how to transform safeguarding strategies with survivor-centered approaches, and explore ways to forge stronger connections with communities through effective communication on safeguarding.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• Safeguarding commitments and tools
  Understanding safeguarding as a key commitment for upholding accountability to all stakeholders.
• Understanding the standard conduct and voicing concerns upon code of conduct violations with organisations
  Assessing agreements within the humanitarian community on expectations in terms of staff conduct as well as expected responses.
• Survivor centered approaches
  What are we looking for with regards to survivor centred approaches? Can we manage survivor centredness and still apply zero tolerance to non-action?
• Applying Sexual Exploitation Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) data into programming
  Using available data on SEAH into program cycles and improving the quality of projects.
• Establishing and implementing effective complaints and response mechanisms
  Exploring ways of working with communities and other stakeholders to effectively implement the four key pillars of a robust complaints and response mechanism.
• Engaging with communities on complaints and response mechanism, SEAH and Safeguarding
  Learning about working with communities to understand contextualised systems in place as well as expectations from community members in terms of complaints handling and conflict resolution.
• Improving communication and information sharing on protection of rights
  Identifying ways to communicate provisions of the code of conduct and PSEAH policies in a respectful and clear way.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This is an intermediate to advanced training for humanitarian and development practitioners. We expect applications from practitioners who:

• Demonstrate prior experience and knowledge in safeguarding work.
• Participants need to be at a level within their own organisation where they can ask for and implement policy and procedural changes.
• Are committed to attending all sessions.

WHAT ARE YOU PAYING?

• US $ 1000 per participant for UN/International organisations
• US $ 700 per participant for National/Local organisations

This is a partial cost-recovery initiative.

Places will be allocated on a first come first basis. Early Bird Discount of 10% is available if you apply before 20 August.

This training fee covers shared accommodation in Bangkok, breakfast, lunch, refreshments during the training, training materials, and trainer’s cost.

Disclaimer: CWSA will not be responsible to arrange for or cover visa and travel costs. Participants will cover their own travel costs.

OUR OFFER FOR THE WEEK

Check in: 6 Dec, 2024
Check out: 10 Dec, 2024
Workshop: 7 – 9 Dec, 2024

10 December: Launch of Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week-Asia Pacific

Applicants must register here for the RHPW Asia Pacific 2024

APPLY: Click HERE to apply before September 30, 2024

Community World Service Asia (CWSA) is a humanitarian, development, advocacy and capacity enhancement organisation, registered and head-quartered in the global South and implementing capacity enhancement initiatives across the globe. CWSA is a member of the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) Alliance, a Sphere regional partner and the regional focal point for the Asian Disaster Reduction & Response Network’s (ADRRN) Quality & Accountability Hub.

CWSA is deeply committed towards Accountability to Affected People and people centered aid. Over the last years, CWSA has organised a range of webinars, learning series, and trainings, aiming to raising awareness on overall accountability and respectful work environments, as well as creating local and regional resources of Quality and Accountability Experts.

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