OCFA HOSTS WORKSHOP ON HUMANITARIAN EVALUATION
Abu Dhabi, 14 December 2011: The UAE Office for the Coordination of Foreign Aid (OCFA) hosted a one-day workshop today in Abu Dhabi for the UAE’s humanitarian donor community on the principles and practices of evaluating humanitarian programs. The workshop was held in partnership with DARA, an independent organisation committed to improving the quality and effectiveness of aid for vulnerable populations suffering from conflict, disasters and climate change, and chaired by the UAE Red Crescent Authority.
The event was conducted, in Arabic and English, by leading experts in the field, and allowed participants to review current evaluation practices by UAE donors, as well as introducing guidelines to help humanitarian organisations improve the evaluation of their programmes.
Representatives from UAE donor organizations included Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE Red Crescent Authority, the Islamic Affairs and Charity Department of Dubai, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable Foundation, the International Humanitarian City, and Dubai Charity.
“This initiative is part of OCFA’s on-going commitment to help UAE donor organisations improve the delivery of their humanitarian programs by facilitating knowledge transfers and bringing international and local aid organizations together to exchange best practices” said OCFA Executive Director Sultan Shamsi. “The introduction of guidelines for humanitarian evaluation will help the UAE’s humanitarian community to ensure that their programs are reaching those most in need.” Al Shamsi added that the workshop emphasized the importance of factoring in evaluations at the earliest stages of project planning.
The event took the form of an interactive and open discussion on humanitarian evaluation through vivid case studies of humanitarian programs carried out in Somalia and Pakistan. Seasoned humanitarian professionals Ross Mountain, Director General of DARA, and Riccardo Polastro, Head of Evaluation, brought long and wide-ranging experience in humanitarian work around the world.
Speaking at the event, Ross Mountain said, “UAE organizations have contributed generously to humanitarian efforts. Drawing lessons and applying good practice can ensure enhanced impact for the victims of conflict and disasters, whom we seek to help”.
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About OCFA:
The UAE Office for the Coordination of Foreign Aid (OCFA) was established in 2008 by federal government mandate to support the nation’s foreign aid sector by building capacities, sharing information and facilitating cooperation among donor organizations for the benefit of communities in need worldwide. For more information please visit www.ocfa.gov.ae
About DARA:
DARA is an independent organization committed to improving the quality and effectiveness of aid for vulnerable populations suffering from conflict, disasters and climate change. It has recognized expertise in providing support in the field of humanitarian aid as well as climate change, disaster and risk reduction. It has conducted evaluations of humanitarian operations in over 40 countries across five continents for a variety of government, United Nations and European Union agencies as well as major international organizations, including the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement.
www.daraint.org/evaluations
For more information, please contact:
Fadwa Qourah Hadid
Office for the Coordination of Foreign Aid (OCFA)
Tel: +971 2 6544407
Mobile: +971 55 9463027
Email: hadeed@ocfa.gov.ae
www.ocfa.gov.ae
@UAEForeignAid