Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP)

The Consolidated Appeals Process

The Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) is a programme cycle for aid organisations to plan, coordinate, fund, implement, and monitor their response to disasters and emergencies, in consultation with governments.

The CAP contributes significantly to developing a strategic approach to humanitarian action, and fosters close cooperation between host governments, donors, aid agencies, and in particular between NGOs, the Red Cross Movement, IOM and UN agencies. Working together in the world's crisis regions, they produce a Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) and an appeal for funds.

The Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP)

The CHAP outlines humanitarian action in a given country or region. It provides: - Analysis of the context in which humanitarian takes place; - Best, worst, and most likely scenarios; - Analysis of need and a statement of priorities; - Roles and responsibilities, i.e. who does what and where; and - A clear link to longer-term objectives and goals; - A framework for monitoring the strategy and revising it if necessary.

The CHAP is the foundation for developing a Consolidated Appeal.

The Consolidated Appeals

Consolidated Appeals present a snapshot of situations, response plans, resource requirements, and monitoring arrangements. If the situation or people's needs change, any part of an appeal can be revised at any time.

Whenever crises break or natural disasters occur, humanitarian partners develop a Flash Appeal to address people's most urgent needs. This can later become a Consolidated Appeal.

Humanitarian Coordinators are responsible for preparing the Consolidated Appeals, launched globally by the UN Secretary-General before the beginning of each calendar year. Mid-Year Reviews are presented to donors in July of each year.

Who benefits from the CAP?

People struck by disasters and emergencies count on coordinated and effective assistance and protection, on time.

Humanitarian agencies reinforce their ability to plan and respond jointly, efficiently, and holistically, thereby enhancing the credibility of humanitarian response.

Governments rely on Appeals for a "one-stop" overview of humanitarian action, and help ensure that funds are spent strategically and efficiently.

Money matters

Donors provide resources directly to appealing agencies in response to projects in appeals. Listing NGO and UN projects in an appeal enables the aid community to present a more complete picture of need and the financial requirements to address them.

The Financial Tracking Service (FTS), managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), shows humanitarian funding needs and contributions in a continually updated on-line database see Financial Tracking Service (OCHA)

Since 1992, about one hundred donor countries have provided US$29 billion for 240 appeals to address the needs of people in more than fifty countries and regions, such as Angola, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Former Yugoslavia, Haiti, Indonesia, Iraq, Sudan, and West Africa.

Who manages the CAP?

The Emergency Relief Coordinator is responsible for the CAP at headquarters and Humanitarian Coordinators lead the process in the field.

To support them, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee established a Sub-working Group on the CAP, which each month brings together aid agencies to further issues such as needs analysis and prioritisation, training and workshops in the field, and resource mobilisation.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has a specific team, which each day works on the CAP with NGOs, the Red Cross Movement, IOM, UN agencies, and governments.

In sum, the CAP aims to get people in need the best available protection and assistance, on time.