Evaluation Report 2/2002: Evaluation of the International Humanitarian Assistance of the Norwegian Red Cross

Pages: 66

ISBN: 82-7177-682-7

Conducted by:

Channel Research Ltd

Evaluation of:

The performance of the Norwegian Red Cross (NRC) in international humanitarian aid and its role as a channel of support to the International Red Cross Movement.

Purpose:

With the intent of improving the effectiveness of public Norwegian support to international humanitarian assistance, the two major objectives of the evaluation were to describe and assess the international humanitarian assistance of NRC, and examine NRC as a channel for support to the International Red Cross Movement.

Evaluation Summary:

In 2000 there were NRC operations in 65 countries. The funding received from the Norwegian Government was NOK 250 million – equivalent to approximately 10 per cent of the Government’s total spending on Norwegian NGO’s international operations. NRC is hence the largest recipient of humanitarian aid funding in Norway. NRC seeks in its international activities to provide humanitarian assistance and protect civilians in times of conflict and natural disasters, and to promote knowledge and practise of international humanitarian law. NRC operates through projects implemented by the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, mainly in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and National Red Cross Societies.

In addition to study of written material and interviews, the evaluation team assessed NRC’s work through field visits in four countries: The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, and India. The team found NRC to be highly effective in deploying supplies and personnel quickly to crisis areas, thanks to exceptional access to funding, timely actions and very qualified personnel. NRC responds in original ways to needs not covered by other parts of the Red Cross system. However, when set against the aim of the continued prevention and alleviation of suffering and enhancing local capacity, overall effectiveness is reduced. The value of the International Red Cross Movement in protection and capacity building is not fully utilised; long-term impacts are slight inter alia because little effort is put in to develop relations with local partners who could have continued to manage the projects after NRC’s withdrawal.

Recommendations:

The evaluation recommends that the Government maintain NRC as a channel of funding. In order to facilitate project hand-over, especially in community health and psychosocial services, NRC should provide training and strengthen the local Red Cross societies. Also the Norwegian Government should require a higher level of monitoring and analysis of the factors of success, and train staff with that purpose in mind. Improvement of reporting practices, including outcome assessments, should be required.

Follow-up:

It is decided that NRC will continue to be the Government’s primary channel of funding to ICRC and IFRC. Initiatives aimed at strengthening NRC’s work in the intermediate and long-term perspective will be given serious consideration.