NARRATIVE REPORT 2009 - The ICHRP

International Council on Human Rights Policy - Narrative Report 2009
The evaluation team set out to assess the influence of four of the Council’s recent projects: on peace
agreements [128], terrorism [129], corruption [131A], and climate change [136]. The team focused
particularly on evidence of influence on government policies. 6
The evaluators’ report may be obtained from the Council. In summary, the evaluators found that the
research of the Council is generally of high quality; that its work is appreciated by those who know
about it; and that it has influence in a range of ways; but that a relatively small circle of people are
aware of the Council’s work; that a direct influence on government policies is rarely discernible; that
the Council needs to produce short policy-focused products in addition to its reports; and that the
organisation should considerably reinforce its communications’ capacity and expertise.
The Council’s Board considered the evaluation in February 2010, and found that many of its findings
match or complement their own assessment. The Board expects to integrate the evaluation into its
own broader review, and to report back to DFID, and Finland, in mid-year when it will have finalised
the strategic plan for 2011-13 in consultation with the Council’s new Executive Director.
Financial management
Following a very difficult year in 2008, management of the organisation’s finances was of particular
concern to the Board and the Secretariat in 2009, especially in light of the difficult external
environment.
Towards the end of 2008 new arrangements for the Council’s finances were put in place and agreed
with the Board. Sabrina Lambat, who took over responsibility for the ICHRP’s accounts in extremis
during the year, was appointed formally to the post of Accountant. It was agreed that she would be
supported by the Council’s finance adviser, Peter Blanchard, who agreed to take on a more explicit
oversight responsibility. Mr Marc Bétemps was reappointed auditor.
These arrangements proved to be sound. When the accounts were audited at the beginning of 2010,
they were found to be up to date and well managed; and, having started the year in an extremely
exposed position, following a very substantial loss in 2008, the Secretariat had rebalanced income and
expenditure and cut costs by CHF400’000 (relative to 2008) without deeply harming the research
programme. (Indeed, research fees and consultancies doubled in 2009 relative to 2008.) Income did
not rise, which remains a cause of concern; and in the longer term it remains essential to restore the
reserve which was lost in 2008. Nevertheless, the Council had reconstructed its tradition of precise
accounting, and had put itself in a position from which it can start to rebuild its finances – even if,
being obliged to live off current income, its situation remains extremely vulnerable. It will be essential
to make at least a small surplus in 2010.
Office
As part of its effort to cut costs, in 2009 the Council sharply reduced the office area it occupied in the
Villa du Montfleury, where the Council has been located since it was established in Switzerland in
1998.
The Villa du Montfleury has been an excellent facility and a fine venue for meetings. During 2009,
however, the staff and Board agreed that it was an appropriate time for the Council to move closer to
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The Council does not measure its impact by this criteria alone. The Board considers that the Council’s work
should be relevant to a wide range of potential audiences and that the Council approach is not designed to
influence specific governments on specific policies.
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