Minimum Economic Recovery

Standards - 2nd Edition

About The SEEP Network

• Improve the effectiveness of member organizations• Build and sustain a large, vibrant, and engaged

learning community• Serve as the leading practitioner voice

• A global network of over 130 international practitioner organizations dedicated to combating poverty through promoting inclusive markets and financial systems

• Members are active in 170 countries, supporting nearly 90 million micro-entrepreneurs

Provides people affected by disaster:

• An opportunity to earn income via employment or operation of a business

• Contributes to dignity • Assists people to recover

from the crisis • A vocation and ability to

practice that allows individuals to meet their own needs

What is economic recovery?

Rapid, tailored support for livelihoods, enterprises and economies in the wake of a crisis

Development of the StandardsFirst edition – released in 2009 Series of consultations & trainings

Ecuador - consultation Kenya - consultation London - consultation Jordan - training and consultation Indonesia - training and consultation

Second Edition –released in Nov 2010

June 2010 Writeshop -Reconvened original writes and some new members Technical review by over 20 experienced individuals and organizations

Pilot tested with 4 programs ACDI/VOCA Sierra Leone CRS Sudan: North Sudan Program AED and Shorebank in the Gaza Strip Mercy Corps Myanmar

In all, 6363 discrete agencies and several hundred individuals contributed or provided feedback to the

Standards

Chemonics

Childfund

DAI IFRCFEG Consulting

IOM

Relief International

International Rescue CommitteeUNHCR

Women's Refugee Commission

World Wildlife Fund

USAID

Tufts University

Sphere Project

Coordination with The Sphere Project

A companion standards to the Sphere Handbook 2011 Edition

The Goal of the Standards

To improve the impact of economic recovery programming by building consensus on good practices.

The Focus

Strategies and interventions that improve enterprises, employment, and cash flow and asset management among crisis-affected businesses and households.

• Practitioners experienced in humanitarian situations, but less familiar with economic recovery initiatives

• Practitioners experienced in economic development, but unaccustomed to crisis environments

• Practitioners and programs working in multiple sectors in crisis environments (e.g. health, education, infrastructure, or HIV and AIDS)

Audience for the Standards

The Benefits of Minimum Economic Recovery Standards

• Promote program quality and accountability

• Ensure consistency across programs

• Educate staff , partners and grantees

• Negotiate with funder

• Learn basic requirements for other sectors

• Compatible with other frameworks

Minimum Economic Recovery Standards

Standards, Key Actions, Key Indicators and Guidance Notes

Structure of the Standards

Qualitative in nature and specify the minimum levels to be attained.

Structure of the handbook

Standards

e.g.: Core standard 1: Market-Oriented programming

Program design and implementation decisions consider economic and market dynamics.

Structure of the handbook

Key Actions

Necessary activities and inputs in order to meet the minimum standards

Key action 1: Market-Oriented programming

Conduct/identify market analyses to develop projects and interventions.

Structure of the handbook

Key Indicators

• “Signals” whether a minimum standard has been attained

• Way of measuring and communicating processes and results of key actions

Key Indicator 1: Market-Oriented programming

Interventions invest only in activities that target viable markets.

Structure of the handbook

Guidance Notes

• Specific points to consider in different situations

• Guidance on tackling practical difficulties, benchmarks or advice on priority issues

• Critical issues or gaps relating to the standards

GN 1: Market-Oriented programming

Viable markets: Understanding the markets….

For more information go to http://seepnetwork.org/mers Or contact Yibin Chu at chu@seepnetwork.org