Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC)

The term ‘preparedness’ refers to the capacity of governments, national and international organizations, communities, and individuals to anticipate and respond swiftly to hazards, harmful events, or conditions. Being well-prepared to respond to an emergency involves implementing mechanisms that enable national authorities and relief organizations to recognize risks and their potential impacts, develop appropriate contingency plans, and activate them promptly when a crisis occurs. 

ERP planning is not a standalone process. Elements of preparedness must be integrated throughout all phases of the HPC to maximize the speed and effectiveness of emergency response. ERP is a continuous process that is regularly adjusted and updated to reflect changes in environments, hazards, and risks.

The GNC developed a standalone ERP Guide and Toolkit available HERE.

Key tools and resources 

This is the first stage of the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC). The needs assessment and the needs analysis require a coordinated approach to evaluate and prioritise the nutritional needs of affected people during emergencies. It provides the evidence necessary for a coherent and efficient humanitarian response and serves as the foundation for strategic response planning as well as baseline information upon which the response monitoring systems will further rely.  

The needs assessment and the needs analysis are conducted collaboratively with country level nutrition cluster partners. The nutrition needs analysis is closely tied to the most recent in-country IPC Acute Malnutrition Classification, which provides the severity mapping by administrative unit.  

The primary output from this stage is the nutrition humanitarian needs analysis and the people in need (PiN) calculation, which contributes to the Joint and Inter-sectoral Analysis Framework (JIAF) led by OCHA. The outputs of the JIAF inform strategic decision-making regarding humanitarian assistance and protection. This includes determining the overall number of people in need of humanitarian aid, understanding their characteristics, identifying the nature, drivers, and severity of their needs, and analysing how different sectoral needs overlap and coexist.

Analysing and Communicating Information for a Nutrition Response - Level 3 (Français/ Español)   

Humanitarian response planning enables the humanitarian community to respond more effectively to the needs of people affected by crises. It helps to focus activities and allocate resources, align organisations toward common goals, and allow for the assessment and adjustment of the humanitarian response in a changing environment. The country strategy will outline how the humanitarian community plans to achieve the objectives – based on extensive consultations with all stakeholders, including clusters – developed by the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT)  The objectives will be guided by the needs and priorities identified during the needs analysis stage, will adhere to the SMART criteria (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound), and will be results-oriented. 

The Cluster response plans will be developed following the country strategy and will detail how the clusters will contribute to the strategic objectives. In accordance with best practices, response plans will clearly specify cluster’s activities, planned outputs, and targets.

In countries with an activated cluster approach, the strategic response plan will be incorporated into the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), along with a summarised outline of the intervention costs and a monitoring framework to support the fundraising efforts of the HC and the HCT.

Up to date Guidance and templates for the strategic planning stage within the HNRP process are available on the OCHA Knowledge Management Platform. HNRP examples are available on the  Humanitarian Action website.

Resource mobilisation involves securing funds, human resources and supplies and is an integral component of the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC). Building and enhancing strong partnerships with other organisations and clusters is essential for successful resource mobilisation, enabling the effective implementation of nutrition emergency responses. 

Mobilising funds: The financing of strategic objectives and cluster plans can be done through any of the following sources: 

Nutrition response monitoring is a process that tracks the humanitarian assistance provided to affected populations and compares it to the targets outlined in the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP). 

The nutrition cluster/sector produces various reporting and communication products (e.g., nutrition cluster dashboard, factsheets, bulletins, newsletters, annual reports etc.) to keep the larger humanitarian community informed (local governments, donors, and the general public) about the achievement of cluster objectives. 

Would you like to gain comprehensive competencies about the “Response Monitoring”? We packed two levels in bite-size eLearning courses for you:  

Monitoring the Nutrition Response - Level 1 (Français/Español) 

Monitoring the Nutrition Response - Level 2 (Français/Español) 

Additionally, response monitoring provides the RC/HC, HCT, and Clusters informed about gaps in the response – contributing to a more effective and efficient humanitarian response.  

Up to date Guidance and templates for response monitoring within the HNRP process are available at OCHA Knowledge Management Platform. 

Examples of communication products to report on the progress of the response are available at Humanitarian Action Website. 

An Operational Peer Review (OPR) is an internal, inter-agency management tool that is part of the IASC Transformative Agenda. It serves as a mechanism for course correction and identifies areas requiring immediate corrective action. Nutrition clusters contribute to this review process by providing inputs and information on the evolution of the nutrition response. 

Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring (CCPM) is a self-assessment exercise in which clusters evaluate their performance against the six core cluster functions and the Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP). This process allows all cluster partners and coordinators to identify strengths and weaknesses, as well as potential paths for improvement. Ideally, the CCPM should be conducted by all clusters three to six months after the onset of an emergency and annually thereafter. In protracted crises, it is recommended that all clusters complete a CCPM on an annual basis. 

Key tools and resources 

Key tools and resources