Minimum Economic Recovery Standards - UNHCR

1 Minimum Economic Recovery Standards Third Edition The SEEP Network Practical Action Publishing Ltd Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development Bourton on Dunsmore, Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 9QZ, UK. The SEEP Network, 2017. Second edition published by Practical Action Publishing 2013. Third edition published by Practical Action Publishing 2017. ISBN 978-1-85339-957-2 Paperback ISBN 978-1-78044-670-7 Library Ebook ISBN 978-1-78044-957-9 Ebook All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the written permission of the publishers.

2 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Citation: SEEP (2017) Minimum Economic Recovery Standards , Third Edition, Washington , the SEEP Network and Rugby, UK, Practical Action Publishing < > Sections of this publication may be copied or adapted to meet local needs without permission from the SEEP. Network, provided that the parts copied are distributed for free or at cost not for profit. Please credit Minimum Economic Recovery Standards and the SEEP. Network for those sections excerpted. To access this publication online, visit This study is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

3 The contents are the respon sibility of the SEEP Network and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. This initiative is carried out as part of the AED FIELD-Support mechanism. For more informa tion, please visit Since 1974, Practical Action Publishing has published and disseminated books and information in support of international development work throughout the world. Practical Action Publishing is a trading name of Practical Action Publishing Ltd (Company Reg. No. 1159018), the wholly owned publishing company of Practical Action. Practical Action Publishing trades only in support of its parent charity objectives and any profits are covenanted back to Practical Action (Charity Reg.)

4 No. 247257, Group VAT Registration No. 880 9924 76). Contents Using the Standards vi A Quick Look Inside the Standards 1. 1 Core Standards 8. 2 Assessment and analysis Standards 38. 3 Enterprise and market Systems Development Standards 64. 4 Asset Distribution Standards 92. 5 Financial Services Standards 116. 6 Employment Standards 140. Annex: market -linked Tools and Frameworks for Assessments 156. Glossary 162. Standards Development Task Force 178. Using the Standards This resource is not a how to' for implementing Economic programs in humanitarian contexts. Its intent is to provide the reader with guidance on what good programming looks like and what to consider when you are planning your activities.

5 You can read each section separately or in sequence. Each section contains cross-references to other chapters or sections that may also be relevant, because many of the Standards or actions are linked. Use the figure on page 1 to guide you. This book will be most useful to field practitioners and humanitarians implementing programs immediately after a crisis. Donors, governments, private-sector actors, proposal writers, and operational staff may also find it a helpful reference point when designing or reviewing project activities. There will always be a tension between universal Standards and the ability to apply them in the moment.

6 Each context is different, and local conditions may make it impossible to meet these Standards . This book provides the reader with an understanding of the final results that implementers should be working towards. A Quick Look Inside the Standards Core Standards Standard 2 Standard 5. Standard 1 Efforts are Intervention Standard 3 Standard 4. Humanitarian coordinated to strategies for Staff have Do no harm programs are improve target populations relevant skills market aware effectiveness are well defined Assessment and analysis Standards Standard 2 Standard 3. Standard 1 Standard 6. Scope of Fieldwork Standard 4 Standard 5.

7 Prepare in M&E occurs assessment is processes are analysis is useful Immediate use advance of throughout the determined by how inclusive, ethical, and relevant of results assessments program cycle data will be used and objective Enterprise and market Systems Development Standards Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 4 Standard 5. Send market Implement Standard 3 Work with existing Support viability systems staff market system Be adaptive and market actors and and growth of immediately after analyses early and risk aware use facilitation enterprises and a crisis adapt frequently approaches market systems Asset Distribution Standards Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 4.

8 Standard 5. Asset Asset programming Standard 3 Asset Assets expand programming simulates Recovery Productive assets replacement and diversify responds to without undermining are protected is fair and livelihoods identified needs local markets transparent Financial Services Standards Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 5. Standard 1 Standard 4. Support local Use existing Follow consumer Demand for Understand local supply for formal financial protection financial services rules, norms, and financial services service providers regulations is understood support functions for cash transfers Employment Standards Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3.

9 Decent Interventions are Job sustainability employment is labor market - is supported promoted based 2 Minimimum Economic Recovery Standards Who should use the MERS? The Minimum Economic Recovery Standards (MERS) should be used by anyone planning or implementing Economic or livelihood programs in a humanitarian context. It will also be useful for operational staff procuring and/or providing large volumes of goods for a specific area (such as non-food items distributions). to understand how to avoid a negative impact on the market . Donors, governments, private-sector actors, proposal writers, and evaluation staff will find it a useful resource for designing or reviewing project activities.

10 When should these Standards be applied? As often as possible. The Standards are designed to be used pre-crisis, in the earliest days of response, through Recovery , to the beginning of longer term development. They are helpful any time you are interacting with a market whether the response is intended to be market - neutral, market -aware, or market -integrated. They can be used for any market and for programs where Economic or livelihood outcomes are not the primary focus of the activities. Cross-cutting issues and specific target groups In revising the MERS, care has been taken to address issues that are relevant across the Standards .