Terms of Reference - April, 2003

 

Minimum Standards Terms of Reference, March 2003

 

Recognizing the right of every individual to receive an education, and the importance of this right, even during situations of emergency and crisis, international efforts have developed focusing on two issues:

1. a broad-based commitment to ensure a level of quality and accountability among education programs serving individuals in situations of crisis; and
2. a recognition that education cannot remain "outside" the mainstream humanitarian debate and must be seen as a priority humanitarian response.

 

There is growing consensus that defining standards for education programs in emergency situations would address both of these issues. Standards serve as a platform for defining good practice and as a powerful advocacy tool both inside humanitarian organizations and externally with governments, donors and populations affected by conflict. It is widely recognized, however, that a few individuals or agencies in isolation cannot define standards for all.

The Working Group on Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies is a Working Group of the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE). The mandate of the Working Group is to develop, in consultation with a variety of stakeholders, a set of minimum standards for education in emergency settings (acute, mid-term, and long-term).

The ultimate target groups for this process are: 1) individuals, 2) teachers and parents, and 3) community leaders and 4) local/national decision makers.

The intermediary target groups include: 1) implementing humanitarian agencies and organizations, 2) decision-makers and politicians at national and international levels, and 3) the parties in conflict.

The immediate target groups include, among others: 1) humanitarian agencies and their representatives, 2) education specialists and decision-makers in the emergency areas, 3) donors with a mandate to respond to humanitarian crises, and 4) ministry education officers in areas of conflict.

The Terms of Reference cover:

• Objectives and anticipated results
• Membership
• Working group structure
• Communication and Co-ordination mechanisms
• Time schedule and milestones of its functions

 

I. Objectives and Results
Objectives

• Develop an effective process for the development and application of broad-based and consensual standards over two years;
• Integrate academic and practitioner experience to reflect research and good practice, noting the importance of the individuals educational, psychosocial and protection needs;
• Develop a strategy for the broad-based recognition of education as a key humanitarian concern for rapid response, and for the acceptance of the emerging standards as benchmark for quality interventions.
• Ensure that the standards are developed in order to be widely applicable, requiring only minor adjustments according to situation and environment.

Results

• The standards reflect and combine existing internationally accepted legal provisions for protection and education, as well as practitioner knowledge of sound practices in fieldwork;
• The standards are widely perceived as a powerful tool for improving the quality of existing and future programs;
• The standards are a tool for advocating for education assistance to conflict and crisis-affected communities;
• The standards are accessible in both paper and electronic form, with translations as appropriate and possible; and,
• The standards process is perceived as inclusive, representative, and the product is perceived as a universally applicable basis for work in this area.

II. Working Group
Working Group Membership

A Working Group was established with representatives of interested and committed organizations with members chosen through an application process, in accordance with the rules and procedures established by a Transition Team set up at an INEE sponsored Experts Meeting in March 2002. Applications included the fo llowing elements: organizational and individual interest in supporting and contributing to the process, background, experience, expertise relevant to the task, and commitment of resources.

The members have a professional education background, direct experience in education in emergencies programs and jointly cover a range of special skills, such as development of strategy and policy, planning and administrative skills, assessment, monitoring and evaluation, group facilitation and training, effective writing abilities and SPHERE-related experience.

 

The members represent the following NGO and UN agencies or organizations:

• CARE/US,
• CARE/Canada,
• >Catholic Relief Services (US),
• >International Rescue Committee (US),
• Norwegian Church Aid (Norway),
• >Norwegian Refugee Council (North),
• Refugee Education Trust,
• Save the Children (UK),
• Save the Children (US),
• World Education,
• UNESCO,
• UNHCR,
• UNICEF.

 

The respective organizations will cover the expenses for their members for meetings, electronic networking and working time.

Working Group Structure

Overall Structure

The Working Group consists of three sub-groups: Operations Group (which includes the Chair), Consultations Group, and Drafting Group with a Focal Point.

Focal Point:A full-time Focal Point will manage the process with the assistance of the Operations Group and in close communication and co-ordination with INEE. The Focal Point will prepare the framework for standards, support donor outreach and fundraising, and lead regional consultations in collaboration with the Working Group members.

Operations Group:The Operations Group will provide oversight to the Working Group budget, development and implementation of a fundraising and communications strategy, as well as oversee the Focal Point and provide direction for his/her work.

Consultations Group:The Consultations Group shall serve as a mechanism for facilitating ownership of and reaching consensus on a set of minimum standards. The Consultations Group will initiate discussions about the standards through the INEE list-serve, develop a facilitators guide for the consultation process, and lead the process of establishing peer and field consultations.

Drafting Group:The Drafting Group will address the technical aspect of coordinating the drafting of the standards, editing drafts with input from Working Group members, and lead the process (with support of the Focal Point) of finalizing the standards based on feedback from peer and field consultations.

 

III. Consultation Process

There are four main components to the standards development process: inputs via the INEE list-serve and website, field-based discussions, regional consultations, and a peer review process. Information gathered from each step/level will be used to inform the next phase of the process.

INEE list-serve and Website
A number of questions will be released to the INEE list-serve members for initial feedback, drawing on practitioners perspectives and first-hand experience. These questions will aim to stimulate discussion and interest in the development of standards, invite active participation in the standards process, and promote further involvement at the field level.

Field Discussions
These discussions will be facilitated by NGOs and other implementing agencies on an informal and voluntary basis, according to guidelines that will be developed by the Consultations Group. Those participating in these discussions will include, but not be limited to the following: NGOs, community school administrators and teachers, School Management Committee members, parents, students, children and youth. INEE will work closely with the Working Group, the Focal Point, local NGOs, INGO country offices, and agency regional and country offices to ensure broad participation of practitioners in the field.

Regional Consultations
The Consultations Group, the Focal Point, and INEE will facilitate these consultations. Building upon the outcome of the informal field discussions, the Working Group tentatively plans to hold consultations in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe with a representative group of 30-35 individuals who have expertise in the field of education in emergencies. It is possible that smaller consultations could be held at almost no cost in cities where a large number of INGOs, multi-lateral, and bi-lateral agencies are located, such as Hamburg, Geneva, Paris, and Washington, DC. Those included will be, among others, representatives from NGOs and UN agencies as well as regional education specialists, government education officers, refugee or community representatives, and Working Group members.

Peer Review
This review process will take place via e-mail with the involvement of approximately 30-40 individuals. This group will include education specialists, donors, government education officers and other interested professionals who are able to make significant contributions, but have not been part of the previous processes.

Following the peer review process, the Drafting Group and Focal Point will finalize the standards document for final review by the Working Group. Facilitators Guides will be consistent in addressing the content of the draft standards, but differ in their approach soliciting feedback from each group.

IV. Co-ordination and Communication Mechanisms

Over the past two years, the INEE has recruited over 85 organizational members and over 530 individual members working in education in emergencies throughout the world. The INEE list-serve, presently with over 530 subscribers, and the website will be the principle vehicles for disseminating information about the consultative process.

As a Working Group of INEE, the INEE Secretariat, based at UNESCO in Paris will provide both communications and co-ordination support to the Working Group and the Focal Point. The INEE Network Co-ordinator will work closely with the Focal Point to solicit feedback from members and stakeholders on a regular basis, encouraging debate and transparency. INEEs website will have a designated page for the Minimum Standards process that will be regularly updated in co-ordination with the INEE Webmaster and co-ordinator. The INEE Co-ordinator will provide support and information to the Focal Point for carrying out the consultations and peer review processes, including planning joint meetings around the consultations.

Finally, the Working Group and Focal Point will work closely with the INEE Secretariat and the INEE Steering Group in the development and implementation of a strategy for the housing and adoption of the Standards among practitioners, donors, and other policy-makers.

V. Post-development Strategy for Housing and Adoption the Standards

The Working Group and INEE will also ensure that the humanitarian community, governments, agencies, and donors house the Standards in an appropriate network, organization, or agency that will promote the use and adoption of the standards. The Focal Point, in conjunction with the Working Group and INEE, will develop a strategy for the adoption of the standards, recognizing that it is possible, that INEE itself will house the standards. The Working Group, in conjunction with the Focal Point, will also develop a guide for the implementation of and training around the standards.

VI. Time Schedule and Key Milestones

The Working Group has a limited life span of up to (approximately) 2 years until the Minimum Standards are defined and housed. In order to achieve this deadline, the Working Group shall meet in different parts of the world, with regular communications via tele-conference calls and e-mail between these meetings.

 

Key Activities	Output	Timeframe
Minimum Standards Working Group Meeting 1	Establish mechanisms for management, communication, and sub-groups   Define roles and responsibilities	January 2003
Minimum Standards Working Group Meeting 2	Draft standards and indicators discussed   Consultations and roll-out process planned	June 2003
Consultation Process	Incorporate feedback from consultations   Peer review	September 2003 January 2004
Minimum Standards Working Group Meeting 3	Working group review consultative process and current draft of standards	February 2004
Education in Emergencies 2004 Consultation	Presentation of final draft standards	April 2004
Minimum Standards Working Group Meeting 4	Produce final document and confirm "housing" of standards; next steps	June 2004

Revised: April 9, 2003