 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.1 The purpose of this Handbook is to help UNHCR officials and implementing partners in the field to manage the supply of food, health and other material assistance for refugees and other persons of concern to the High Commissioner.*
* A refugee is «any person who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear or for reasons of other than personal convenience, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence, is unable or, owing to such fear or for reasons other than personal convenience, is unwilling to return to it.» (Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Chapter II.) Persons of concern to UNHCR are those defined as refugees under the Statute, as well as persons whom UNHCR may be called upon to assist, pursuant to resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
1.2 Donors provide UNHCR with the resources necessary to protect and assist refugees. We must strive to use these resources to achieve the best possible results, to maintain and enhance our credibility with both those we are trying to help and those who are providing the means. Material assistance is an integral and significant component of all UNHCR programmes. Programme supplies and food aid provide immediate relief and promote interim self-reliance while refugees await durable solutions, and alleviate the economic burden on many countries where refugees are located.
1.3 The majority of UNHCR field personnel have limited expertise in purchasing, logistics or commodity management. Many UNHCR staff find themselves in isolated situations where both technical knowledge and local facilities to handle supplies and food aid are lacking. Often, we are called upon to exercise initiatives in finding workable solutions for which we must answer later in the organizational context of our accountability to UNHCR. This Handbook sets out planning, control, monitoring and reporting standards and practices to guide all UNHCR supply operations in the field, and to make local improvements.
2.1 The contents of the Handbook are divided into eight chapters, each listed in the Table of Contents and covering a major topic concerning supplies and food aid as it pertains to field operations. The first five chapters systematically develop the provision and management of material assistance from initial identification of need to receipt, control, inland transportation and storage of supplies and food aid in the field. Chapter 6 deals with all aspects of vehicle acquisition, control and maintenance, while Chapter 7 provides specific information concerning warehouse management and storekeeping practices. Chapter 8 gives an overview of distribution requirements for refugee programmes, to control and report on end-use. Each chapter incorporates charts which summarize or augment the information in the text. A listing of the chapter contents precedes each chapter.
2.2 Supplementary information which has been specifically referenced in the text is attached as an Annex. All Annexes to the text are collected at the back of the Handbook for easy reference. The Annexes are listed in the Table of Contents and are immediately preceded by their own detailed listing.
2.3 Suggested forms which field offices may use or adapt locally (as referenced in the text) are presented in their own Forms Annex. Conversion Tables have also been included for the convenience of field personnel, as well as a short Bibliography of other useful and relevant publications. A list of the abbreviations used in the text follows the Table of Contents.
2.4 To permit users to easily refer to specific information in the Handbook, an alphabetical keyword Index may be found in the final section of this publication.
3.1 The standards and guidelines described in these pages are intended to have worldwide application in UNHCR. They are based on past UNHCR experience, existing management requirements, established international practices and sound technical advice. The knowledge and experience of many UNHCR staff, both at Headquarters and in the field, were used to compile this Handbook. Our implementing partners, contracted agents, consultants, other UN organizations and international humanitarian institutions have also contributed.
3.2 In gathering the information, it was evident that many factors influence the Standards attainable at the local level. The variety of UNHCR's implementing procedures, partners and options affect our ability to impose standards. Circumstances in the host country may also limit our efforts to fulfil our objectives effectively - economic and social development status, political stability, security conditions, or the availability of local facilities and trained field workers.
3.3 Regardless of local arrangements and conditions, however, UNHCR officials in the field are expected to implement procedures which reflect the management requirements outlined here for each stage of the supply process. The fact that material assistance and food aid are turned over to implementing partners does not diminish UNHCR's responsibility to account for their ultimate use. Cooperation and close liaison between UNHCR officials and implementing partners, through regular meetings and visits to storage facilities, distribution centres and refugee sites, will allow UNHCR personnel to monitor conditions, obtain first-hand information and take remedial action.
3.4 Monitoring measures whether programme goals are actually being achieved, and identifies the reasons for any problems. Where we cannot control and report directly, we must ensure the accountability of our implementing partners by making every effort to improve their awareness of the standards, to monitor their work, and to obtain prescribed reports.
3.5 Know your country, the ports, the transportation and storage system, local suppliers and implementing partners - their capabilities and limitations.
4.1 Better collaboration in decisionmaking among the parties involved in refugee operations benefits both the field personnel and the refugees. Insofar as the supplies and food aid component is concerned, close cooperation provides a «united front» to maximize programme effectiveness, minimize potential losses and deal with problems such as commodity diversions, misuse of property and outside pressure tactics. Regular contact between officials of the host government, UNHCR, WFP and others involved promotes better planning, and more accurate and timely information for scheduling transport and establishing storage requirements.
4.2 Consider providing a regional forum for exchanging information on purchasing, logistics and supply management. Bring together all the concerned parties, including officials from UNHCR Headquarters, to discuss the overall supply process, related responsibilities, and specific local operational issues. Depending on the agenda, these meetings may also involve forwarding agents, local transport companies, insurance agents, surveyors, port and customs officials, fleet and workshop managers and warehouse managers.
4.3 Share the information in this Field Handbook. UNHCR field personnel are encouraged to provide copies or excerpts, as appropriate, to all those involved in any aspect of the supply process. There is always room for improvement.
5.1 The Guide to Supplies and Food Aid provides an overview of the supplies and food aid function within UNHCR, detailing organizational considerations and responsibilities, applicable rules and policies, controls and standard practices.
5.2 This Field Handbook has been designed to supplement the information in the Guide, for the particular benefit of UNHCR personnel and our implementing partners in the field. Except where necessary for purposes of continuity, information contained in the Guide is not repeated here. You are advised, therefore, to refer to the Guide to Supplies and Food Aid to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the responsibilities, policies and standards applicable to the supplies and food aid function.
5.3 The Guide to Supplies and Food Aid was first distributed in early 1988 to all organizational units and geographic desks at Headquarters, and all regional and branch offices in the field. For additional copies, please contact the Supplies and Food Aid Service at Headquarters.
 |
 |
