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| Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Name | Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment |
| Abbreviation | MCIRA |
| Purpose | Rapid multisectoral needs assessment in humanitarian emergencies |
| Initiated | 2000s |
| Lead | United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |
Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment
Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment is a standardized rapid needs assessment approach used in humanitarian emergencies to estimate needs across sectors and inform strategic response. It is applied by coordinated consortia and United Nations agencies to guide resource allocation after sudden-onset crises and complex emergencies. Practitioners from agencies such as United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Health Organization, United Nations Children's Fund, International Organization for Migration and International Committee of the Red Cross commonly participate alongside national authorities and non-governmental organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières, International Rescue Committee, and Oxfam International.
MCIRA emerged from efforts by humanitarian coordination mechanisms including Cluster approach discussions and policy work by United Nations bodies following disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami and complex responses like in Syria. The model builds on precedents set by assessments used during the Haiti earthquake, 2010, the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and protracted crises such as in South Sudan and Yemen. It is implemented within frameworks influenced by instruments such as the Sphere Project standards and guidance from Inter-Agency Standing Committee meetings and draws on operational systems like Humanitarian Programme Cycle planning.
MCIRA aims to rapidly identify humanitarian needs across sectors to inform strategic decision-making by actors including United Nations Security Council, European Commission Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), bilateral donors like United States Agency for International Development and United Kingdom Department for International Development, and humanitarian clusters such as Health Cluster, WASH Cluster, Food Security Cluster, Protection Cluster, and Shelter Cluster. Scope covers geographically defined populations affected by events such as the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, civil conflict exemplified by Libya conflict (2011), or epidemics like the 2014 West Africa Ebola virus epidemic. Outputs typically feed into appeals such as Humanitarian Response Plan and Flash Appeal processes and inform donor briefings at venues including United Nations Headquarters and regional hubs like Geneva and Nairobi.
MCIRA methodology follows rapid assessment principles articulated by bodies such as World Health Organization emergency guidelines and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs protocols. Teams deploy standardized sampling frames, often using population lists from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or national census data like those managed by United Nations Statistics Division, and combine quantitative modules inspired by tools from Food and Agriculture Organization and qualitative techniques used by Save the Children and Concern Worldwide. The approach adapts triage concepts from International Committee of the Red Cross practice and epidemiological methods from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prioritize life-saving interventions.
Data collection employs mixed methods utilizing household surveys, key informant interviews, and facility assessments with mobile data collection platforms such as KoboToolbox, Open Data Kit, and systems modeled after ACAPS rapid assessment protocols. Geographic information systems from organizations like UNITAR and mapping tools used by Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team support spatial analysis. Standard indicators reference guidance from World Food Programme, United Nations Children's Fund, and Global Health Cluster manuals; tools also integrate protection screening formats developed by Inter-Agency Standing Committee and mental health modules influenced by World Health Organization mhGAP resources.
Analysis synthesizes multisectoral findings into situational reports, needs matrices, and decision-support dashboards used by coordination fora such as Cluster approach meetings and Humanitarian Country Team. Outputs include vulnerability profiles and prioritization lists that inform documents like Humanitarian Needs Overview and allocation decisions by mechanisms including the Central Emergency Response Fund. Reporting aligns with standards from Sphere Project and guidance by Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to ensure credibility for stakeholders including donor governments (e.g., Japan International Cooperation Agency, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), international financial institutions such as World Bank, and large NGOs like CARE International.
MCIRA is implemented through partnerships among United Nations agencies (e.g., United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organization), international NGOs (e.g., Médecins Sans Frontières, Oxfam International), and national actors including ministries of health, interior, and disaster management authorities like Federal Emergency Management Agency. Cluster leads coordinate sector-specific inputs while inter-cluster coordination bodies and the Resident Coordinator or Humanitarian Coordinator oversee synthesis. Donor coordination forums and diplomatic missions in capitals such as Addis Ababa or Brussels use MCIRA outputs to align funding and advocacy.
MCIRA faces limitations documented in responses to crises such as Hurricane Maria (2017), Rohingya crisis, and ongoing conflicts in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Challenges include access constraints due to insecurity (as seen in Afghanistan and Somalia), displacement dynamics exemplified by Internally displaced persons in Iraq, data quality issues reported in the 2010 Haiti response, and coordination bottlenecks among actors like UN agencies and large NGOs. Operational constraints arise from limited baseline data, funding shortfalls from donors including European Union and United States, and differing mandates among actors such as International Organization for Migration and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Continuous methodological refinement is informed by lessons from evaluations by Independent Evaluation Group and after-action reviews convened by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Category:Humanitarian assessment