Establish Preparedness Systems that Can Be Activated Rapidly

Time constraints, limited resources and the panic that characterize emergencies affect the ability to respond rapidly and effectively. Wherever possible, preparatory activities should be conducted in the pre-crisis phase, and M&E is no exception.

In the pre-crisis phase, preparatory activities can support the creation of M&E systems that can be activated quickly should an emergency happen. Examples of such activities include:

• Identification of partners for M&E purposes and definition of coordination mechanisms
• Definition of roles and responsibilities for M&E should an emergency occur
• Definition of reporting structures and feedback loops to allow for regular communication between the national and subnational levels
• Development of simple output-level indicators and reporting forms to assist with initial monitoring, in areas where known emergencies are likely to happen