Sida's Contributions to Humanitarian Mine Action

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and progress monitored in all phases of a project or a programme. To take one example: the Sida deskstudy on the effects of mine action is concerned about the partiality of those behind the Afghan socioeconomicstudy. Emphasizing partiality overlooks the basic fact that impact can only be secured oncethe operators on the ground have developed the capacity to deal with it. Although independent evaluationmay be required at certain intervals, this by no means excludes the need for operators to have abasic command and knowledge of impact assessment. Capacity-building in impact assessment is apriority and must be part and parcel of any larger impact assessment initiative.There are many opportunities for where to organizationally locate impact-assessment capacities. Whatis the best solution in a given context will vary according to factors such as organizational policy, accessto competent personnel and the scope of the mine problem. In cases where the coordination of assistanceis strong, it may be that the impact-assessment function should be located within a general coordinationbody rather that with specialized HMA agencies. However, when humanitarian funds aredevoted to HMA, implementing agencies as well as donors are ultimately responsible that operationsare conducted on the basis of sound impact assessments, even though the capacity to conduct assessmentsmay vary a great deal. Most fundamentally, sound impact assessment in HMA requires personnelthat have an understanding of both broader issues of development and more specific issues relatingto landmines and their impact.While developing a specialized expertise for HMA organizations is essential, it is not enough. Thechange from an output- to an impact-oriented definition of the mine problem needs to be solidlyrooted amongst all stakeholders. Representatives from government administrations, cooperatingorganizations and affected communities need a basic introduction to the subject as a foundation forconstructive dialogue. Similarly, a basic impact understanding needs to be fostered throughout HMAorganizations. Unless personnel at all levels understand, and give attention to, impact issues, HMAmisses a vital resource. Field personnel in many cases have a deep-seated understanding of the communitiesin which they work, but this is a resource that is too often lost.ConclusionAny HMA operation needs to be rooted in thorough impact-assessment mechanisms. Traditionally,HMA has not distinguished between impact and output, while progress has been measured in termsof mines lifted and square meters cleared. We are now in a reorientation process, where the focus hasturned towards the impact of HMA on people and communities. Given the potential costs to humanlives, it is key that priorities are established on a sound basis. Furthermore, once priorities are established,implementers need the capacity to monitor impact both throughout and after the operation.A successful institutionalization of impact assessments amongst HMA organizations requires thatagencies develop analytically skilled staff, and that sensitivity to impact issues is emphasized in thetraining of all types of staff.Donors are often attracted by the simple and powerful logic of output indicators: this is the cost of liftinga mine; this is the programme cost per square meter. If such measures are applied, programmes that payattention to impact are unlikely to come out as the cheapest, both because they will give priority to smallscaletasks with large impact and because their expenditure on impact assessment will itself be reflected inthe overall cost. A well-informed donor will realize this and make sound impact assessment a preconditionfor support. As this chapter has established, the challenges of moving HMA from being outputorientedto impact-oriented are complex. The challenges differ between stages of reconstruction, betweenphases of projects and between different societal levels. Thus, there is no single answer to the challenge.What works well in one context does not necessarily work well in another, and the different approachesdiscussed here should be understood as complementary rather than mutually exclusive.24 Sida’s CONTRIBUTION TO HUMANITARIAN MINE ACTION – Sida EVALUATION 01/06
Rules of thumb approaches are largely outdated, with the possible exception of a few areas where themine problem is truly limited. Economic analysis has an advantage that it balances impact and costs,while its weakness lies in its understanding of impact as largely restricted to the economic arena. It isalso an inherent risk that the uncertain assumptions upon which any such analysis rests is veiled by thepowerful and unambiguous numbers of its reports. Composite indicators are more robust and coverimpacts in a variety of dimensions. However, they also provide only a rough measure since they reportonly the presence or absence of particular types of impact, regardless of the impact’s importance.Through SAC, composite indicators are about to emerge as the dominant impact-assessment tool inHMA. Community studies have generated interesting insights from existing operational practice butare still in their infancy as a tool for implementing agencies. Their openness to a variety of impacts,as well as to the interplay between different factors, constitutes their primary quality, but difficulty ofaggregation and sheer labour intensity remain drawbacks. The implication of this for Sida is that itmust assess which approach or combination of approaches is most relevant to respond to the need forimpact assessment in a particular context.Complementarity between approaches could take a variety of forms. For the more general impactsurvey and for the first prioritization of tasks, the SAC instruments are sound and can serve as areference. Once key priorities are established, community studies can provide a complement to theLOIS, with the aim of identifying community-specific impact issues and potentially developing localindicators that will ensure a relevant focus throughout the implementation. The main role of economicanalysis is for assessments at the programme level, but even here the exclusive economic focus warrantsthe complement of approaches that look carefully at non-economic dimensions. This is a warning thatapplies particularly to donors, who are often prone to searching for simple and unambiguous representationsof impact. The inherent risk is that support to HMA is biased in ways that are not necessarilyconsistent with larger humanitarian objectives.For Sida, there is a need to revise its current policy of funding demining exclusively. Although impactissues are widely discussed, there is a long way to go before the impact perspective plays the central roleit ought to in HMA practices. Hence, there is also a need for constructive backing from a variety ofactors, and from donors in particular. Sida has demonstrated interest and possesses the knowledge tobecome a constructive player for enhancing impact assessment in HMA. Without such an engagement,Sida runs the distinct risk of violating its broader policy of ’Developmental Humanitarian Assistance’,which focuses precisely on ensuring that humanitarian efforts have both broad and enduring effects.Sida’s CONTRIBUTION TO HUMANITARIAN MINE ACTION – Sida EVALUATION 01/06 25
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Page 64 and 65: programme. The proposal was backed
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Page 74 and 75: 6 RecommendationsIn the preceding c
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Page 78 and 79: 7 ConclusionIn this report, we have
Page 80: 70Appendix 1
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Ziauddin Operations Officer METADup
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Bennedich, Claes Department for eva
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Appendix 3BIBLIOGRAPHYAccelerated D
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Faulkner, F. & L Pettiford, 1998.
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McGrath, Rae, 2000. Landmines and U
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Miscellaneous DocumentsBrady, Justi
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Appendix 4Sida’s CONTRIBUTION TO
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Appendix 6• The area must be secu
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Appendix 7Locality identifier: Dist
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Recent Sida Evaluations00/37:1 Asse
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