INEE Minimum Standards Update

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Ver aquí noticias sobre el proceso de Actualización de las Normas Mínimas de INEE.

Background to the INEE Minimum Standards Update

The INEE Minimum Standards were first published in December 2004 with the knowledge that the process of implementation would provide valuable feedback on the quality and utility of the handbook. Since the launch of the INEE Minimum Standards, significant changes have taken place in the field of education in emergencies. First, a number of issues have evolved or emerged, notably around climate change, disaster risk reduction, and conflict mitigation. Second, the Humanitarian Reform process was launched in 2005 and aims ‘to enhance humanitarian response capacity, predictability, accountability and partnership’ and the handbook needs to explain and take into account the IASC Education Cluster. Third, the companionship between the Sphere Project Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response and INEE Minimum Standards calls for a better representation of the strong linkages between the two sets of standards. Based on recommendations received from the INEE Minimum Standards feedback forms (collected 2005-2008) and verbal recommendations received from members at trainings workshops and various meetings over the past four years, three key areas have emerged as priorities in carrying out the update:

• Reflecting developments in the field of education in emergencies and post-crisis recovery
• Being more user-friendly
• Incorporating the experiences of INEE members using it so far

Purpose and scope of the INEE Minimum Standards Update

The purpose of the update process is therefore not to change the qualitative standards, nor to overhaul the INEE Minimum Standards Handbook. Rather, it is to simplify its format and language while strengthening key issues as needed (for example, DRR, HIV/AIDS, curriculum, etc.) and making qualitative indicators and guidance notes more specific and quantifiable. The update will also address inconsistencies, faults and omissions from the 2004 edition.

Based on the feedback already received, the INEE Secretariat and the Working Group on Minimum Standards have identified a discrete set of changes to be made. These are described in the INEE Minimum Standards Update: Summary of Scope of Work. Click to read in English or French.

The INEE Minimum Standards Update Process

The update of the INEE Minimum Standards will benefit from the experience of the development of the INEE Minimum Standards in 2003-2004, which followed a multi-tiered, consultative process. Existing consultation mechanisms such as the INEE listserv, feedback forms and survey tools will also be tapped into. Most importantly, the strong relationships that INEE has forged since its inception in 2000 with education practitioners and humanitarian workers all over the world will be instrumental in collecting further constructive feedback during the update and dissemination of the INEE Minimum Standards Handbook. The process will make maximum use of the INEE listserv, ensuring broad participation of INEE’s members.

Timeline and Key Steps

1. INEE Global Consultation, Istanbul, Turkey, 31 March-2 April 2009. The INEE Minimum Standards Update process was officially launched at the INEE Global Consultation.

2. INEE Minimum Standards Update Online Consultation, May-June 2009. The online consultation aimed to validate feedback received so far on updating the INEE Minimum Standards.

3. Global Consultative Process (June-December 2009)

• INEE Minimum Standards Update Focal Points

Specialists in each of the 10 areas requiring particular strengthening in the updated Minimum Standards have been identified to act as focal points throughout the update process. They are working respectively on gender, HIV/AIDS, inclusive education, early childhood development, youth, disaster risk reduction, human rights, conflict mitigation, inter-sectoral linkages, and child protection and psychosocial. Focal Points: Click here to access secure webpages.

• INEE Minimum Standards Update Consultative workshops

All INEE members are encouraged to organize consultative workshops to feed into the INEE Minimum Standards Update process. Consultative workshops represent a prime opportunity to engage education practitioners and policy-makers as well as students and communities affected by crises to ensure that their priorities and concerns are addressed in the next edition of the INEE Minimum Standards Handbook.

To read more about how YOU can organize and facilitate INEE Minimum Standards Update Consultative workshops, please click here.

4. Peer review process (January 2010). A peer review by members of the INEE Working Group on Minimum Standards will be made of the draft updated text. More details on this will be available later.

5. Final review by all INEE members (February 2010).  The final draft of the updated INEE Minimum Standards will be available on the INEE website, for final comments by INEE members.

6. Launch of the 2010 edition of the INEE Minimum Standards Handbook: April 2010