Danish Demining Group South Sudan Humanitarian Accountability Framework November 2011 1. DDG South Sudan s objectives, partners and stakeholders Strategic : The provision of a safe environment for returnees and host communities which will support recovery from conflict in South Sudan. Partners: Community members and local governance structures drive the projects in South Sudan and are the integral partners within the country. The Danish Demining Group in South Sudan works with local partner OLAVS to provide effective and complete mine risk education and explosive ordnance disposal. In addition, DDG partners with government bodies such as the Bureau of Community Safety and Small Arms Control (BCSSAC) and the South Sudan Demining Authority to deliver quality mine action and armed violence reduction programming in 4 states of South Sudan. The Danish Demining Group is funded by Danida, Sida, the Government of the Netherlands, the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the Common Humanitarian Fund. Stakeholders: The Danish Demining Group works primarily with returnees and host communities in South Sudan. Coordination of activities takes places alongside
international NGOs and agencies such as Norwegian People s Aid, the Danish Refugee Council and the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre. 2. Organizational Chart Country Program Manager Logistics Manager Head of Finance and Administration Operations Manager Armed Violence Reduction Program Coordinator 1 Logistics Assistant 1 Procurement Assistant 1 Fleet Assistant 19 Drivers + 1 mechanic 1 Human Resources Officer 4 Finance Assistants 20 EOD Operators 3 Technical Advisors 17 Mine Risk Education Facilitators 1 Community Liaison Officer 1 AVR Project Manager 1 AVR Project Supervisor 2 AVR Program Assistants 1 Programme Officer 1 Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant 7 Security Guards 6 AVR Facilitators 2 Compound Assistants 2 Cooks /Cleaners 3. Local and External Standards
DDG s Mandate for International Activities The Danish Demining Group is an international non-governmental organization with a mandate to provide efficient and community-driven solutions to the safety and security threat caused by landmines, unexploded ordnances and other remnants of war. DDG uses a community-driven approach that recognizes the importance of community participation to achieve safe and secure areas. DDG focuses on the following activities in order to achieve our mandate: Clearing landmines, unexploded ordnance and other remnants of war alongside mine risk education and awareness raising activities that promote human security in villages, towns and cities. Armed violence reduction through dialogue and relationship-building between communities and security providers, conflict management education and community action planning on safer spaces Developing impactful solutions for safer areas in close cooperation with relevant partners and stakeholders Internal Standards Danish Refugee Council Code of Conduct Danish Refugee Council Vision, Values and Standards within the Programme Handbook National Standards The Danish Demining Group adheres to all South Sudanese laws with particularly attention as an organization to the following: The 1997 Labour Law The 2007 Personal Income Tax Law The 2010 UNMACC National Technical Standards and Guidelines International Standards The 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction 1980 Convention on Certain Convention Weapons and Amended Protocols II and V on Explosive Remnants of War The Oslo Commitments on Armed Violence The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights The 1949 Geneva Convention and Protocols
The 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees The 1998 Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement The International Committee of the Red Cross Code of Conduct for Disaster Relief The SPHERE Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards for Disaster Response The Humanitarian Accountability Standard 4. The Nature of DDG Beneficiary Relationships The Danish Demining Group strives to eradicate the effects that mines, explosive remnants of war, and small arms and light weapons have on lives and livelihoods, and pays particular concern to the special needs of women and children. In order to assess and learn how best to meet the needs of men, women and children, DDG encourages the participation of communities throughout the entire project cycle and is committed to learning where and how we can assist communities better. It is DDG s intention that community concerns and grievances about DDG work are handled through formal channels and that all efforts are taken to ensure that necessary resolutions are followed through to completion. DDG interacts and works alongside communities by using the following tools and practices: Community entry dialogues with local leaders to assess the needs of an area from the perspective of those that live there Baseline assessment questionnaires and focus group discussions with samplings of community members to ascertain levels of knowledge and perceptions of the threat of mines, ERW and small arms and light weapons for customizing intervention for each area of intervention Impact assessment questionnaires, surveys and interviews with community members to determine the level of impact on the lives and livelihoods of residents Public release of published reports on findings in areas of intervention and distribution to local leaders in areas of intervention Field-testing of communication materials before distribution to understand how communities will view and absorb the information being disseminated. Communications materials delivered in local languages and pictures for all literacy levels Announcements are placed through the NGO forum, local newspapers and on community bulletin boards for advertisement of vacant job posts Building and strengthening relationships between communities and security providers through the establishment of action-oriented community safety planning committees Delivering community-driven projects on armed violence reduction that have been expressed as needs within areas of intervention 5. List of Current Projects
Project Title Supporting Conflict-Sensitive Recovery Programming in Southern Sudan Danida Protection, Community Security To enhance the value of other Danida-funded ROI programmes in South Sudan (especially Northern Bahr el Ghazal) by integrating conflict reduction approaches with existing relief and development activities (in line with the Oslo Commitments). Returning and Host Communities Authorities Involved County Commissioner, Payam Administration, Boma Leadership, South Sudan Police Services, Ministry of International Affairs Implementing Partners Volunteers - Community Action Planning Committee Project Title Authorities Involved Implementing Partners Protecting Communities from Explosive Remnants of War in Southern Sudan Sida Mine Action Southern Sudanese communities will be safe from the threat of Explosive Remnants of War Returning and Host Communities South Sudan Demining Authority, United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre OLAVS Project Title Authorities Involved Implementing Partners Community-driven mine action and community safety in South Sudan Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade - GPSF Mine Action Using a community-driven safety approach, DDG will work to destroy ERW threats in rural areas where people are trying to rebuild their lives following the years of civil war. Returning and Host Communities South Sudan Demining Authority, United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre OLAVS
Project Title Authorities Involved Implementing Partners Survey, Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Mine Risk Education in Southern Sudan Humanitarian Aid Division, Royal Government of the Netherlands Mine Action Information regarding ERW contamination is enhanced and associated risks reduced on a community by community basis. Returning and Host Communities South Sudan Demining Authority, United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre N/A Project Title Authorities Involved Implementing Partners Humanitarian Mine Action Sudan Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) Mine Action During the 6-month period, Jul-Dec 2011, vulnerable civilians (Especially new arrivals) in NBeG and Warrab states will have been protected from mines and ERW through the deployment of a rapid response mine action unit capable of providing Survey, Clearance and Mine Risk Education functions. Temporarily displaced persons from Abyei South Sudan Demining Authority, United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre N/A 6. Accountability Improvement Plan Outputs Means of Verification The HAF South Sudan is updated on a yearly - HAF is approved by HQ in Denmark - Completed community entry checklists basis and shared with DDG staff, partners and beneficiaries - All DDG staff are briefed on HAF in refresher trainings - Training Report - HAF is available for public viewing on the - HAF is included in all community entry dialogues with partners and stakeholders DDG website
By the end of 2012, a user-friendly complaints and concerns system is in place throughout all DDG South Sudan s areas of intervention to collect, investigate and resolve concerns raised by communities. Recruitment, training and information sharing procedures and opportunities are known and understood by all existing and potential DDG staff by end of 2012 The capacity of local partners to meet humanitarian accountability standards is strengthened by 2012. Community members have access to information about DDG throughout project cycle. - A filing system for the intake of written and verbal complaints is updated on a quarterly basis between areas of operation to Juba office and further to Nairobi for the receipt and follow up of complaints and concerns. - Focus Group Discussions are conducted on best ways in which to incorporate community concerns and complaints - Complaints are logged on a monthly basis at field sites - Bi-annual capacitybuilding training for field staff on working with communities and information collection - Performance reviews are completed yearly for all staff - Newly-hired staff complete a full induction - Meetings to share information with communities are held at least twice during the project cycle - Local partners participate in regular monthly meetings - Local partners participate in training opportunities at least twice a year - The Humanitarian Accountability Framework and relevant background information are distributed - Regularly updated files in field office sites and Juba office - Focus Group Discussion notes from 3 month evaluation activity following initial implementation to check quality and effectiveness of system - Terms of Reference for each job position - Training reports - Staff performance appraisals - Recruitment checklists - Induction checklists - Community Entry checklists - Meeting minutes - Training reports - Baseline assessment reports - Impact assessment reports
to community leaders at the beginning of operations - Baseline survey findings are given to community leaders at the start of operations - Impact assessment findings are given to community leaders following the completion of activities