Pathways for strengthening community feedback and complaints approaches in Papua New Guinea
Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Photo: OCHA/Anthony Burke
Regular input and feedback from crisis-affected communities are vital to better measure performance and results, while at the same time improving the relationship between humanitarian responders and the community. Feedback can be structured and proactively sought by responders, for example, through surveys or community meetings, or unstructured and passively sought, by monitoring rumours and social media.
This policy brief outlines the role of common feedback mechanisms in Papua New Guinea and recommends ways to strengthen approaches to two-way communication with communities in disaster response activities in-country.
Recommendations
Utilise the newly established Community of Practice for communication, community engagement and accountability as a space for: (1) creating a learning agenda on two-way communication with communities; (2) mapping active complaints and feedback systems and related activities of responders; and (3) coordinating on key messaging to communities on priority issues.
Explore the possibility of establishing a collective complaints and feedback mechanism in Papua New Guinea, based on one or more of the models outlined in this brief.
In parallel, instigate a dialogue with relevant government bodies on investment and approaches to complaints and feedback, and the viability of a government-led or co-led mechanism.
Share good practices and document how response actors are acknowledging and responding to cultural reluctance to provide feedback, especially negative feedback, in engagement activities.
Build partnerships and collaboration with groups trusted by communities, such as religious organisations, to strengthen two-way communication efforts.
Explore ways to better capture unstructured feedback and monitor harmful information – for example, by partnering with organisations that conduct social media listening.
Strengthen the links between disaster response coordination structures and activities and the PSEA working group.
Ensure that community feedback and complaints are included in disaster response plans and budgets.
Promote awareness of the principles of two-way communication and the updated Core Humanitarian Standards in meetings, presentations and training.
This guidance was produced as part of CDAC’s partnership with and support to the work of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Humanitarian Advisory Team in Papua New Guinea, which is funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.