Enabling feedback and complaint mechanism for affected communities in Sulawesi disaster response

Summary:

A major earthquake of 7.4 magnitude, struck Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on Friday 28 September 2018. The quake generated a tsunami whose waves lashed coastal areas and a liquefaction that swallowed thousand houses with significant humanitarian impact. The combined effects caused the deaths of an estimated 4,340 people, many missing, and hundred thousand affected people. During the emergency response to the recovery phase, Indonesian Red Cross, known as PMI, supported by IFRC, implemented the Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) into the program since the beginning of Sulawesi disaster response. CEA is an approach to Red Cross operations. It is supported by a set of activities that help put communities at the center of the program. One of the activities is a community participation and feedback. PMI/IFRC utilized the community engagement by setting up and running a feedback mechanism that could enable access to the affected community in Sulawesi. The aim is to have 2-way communication to communities in getting a clarity information and can share their concerns, complaints or feedback as their own rights. This approach has a specific focus on how to promote the feedback channels to community, how effective they used those channels during emergency to recovery phase, and its mechanism to respond feedback received. The feedback mechanism was conducted in Central Sulawesi response holistically by training the volunteers on how important the feedback, establishing the channels (Hotline, SMS, radio show, face-to-face, and social media), managing feedback and complaint, as well as responding it.

Background/Objectives

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on September 2018. The quake generated a tsunami whose waves lashed coastal areas in two districts and liquefaction that swallowed thousand houses with significant humanitarian impact. Those affected hundred thousand people, included thousand deaths and missing. After disaster, there were troubling information and rumours spread. An effective feedback mechanism can prevent misconceptions information, building trust in communities, and promoting accountability. PMI and IFRC established feedback and complaint channels for affected communities in Central Sulawesi in order to enable access to communities in raising their concerns as their rights.

Description Of Intervention And/or Methods/Design

The IFRC/PMI assessment indicated that hotline, radio, face-to-face, and social media were suggested as feedback channels for affected communities in Central Sulawesi. PMI activated those channels immediately since the emergency. Volunteers were trained on communication and responding to the feedback and complaints from community. PMI provided Hotline to simplify community reached out PMI and it was advertised during field activities. Community also can share their feedback face-to-face to PMI help desks in the posts or during the aid distribution. Another one is PMI's radio program where community can call-in during show. From those channels, volunteers recorded feedback into ODK (Open Data Kit) application. The feedback manager categorized the feedback as its type, sensitive/non-sensitive, location, sector, topic, and age. The feedback was referred to PMI/stakeholders in related sectors, by following the referral pathway. PMI Central Sulawesi ensured the community have access information and know how.

Results/Lessons Learned

PMI received a regular flow of feedback from affected communities. From 902 feedback received within a year post disaster, appeared to be open and honest, including negative feedback. Community reported misconduct in aid distribution or complaints on beneficiaries criteria. Communities often used feedback channels as a means to request further assistance and ask specific questions. Women are the ones who gave the most feedback, between age 18 to >60. In four affected districts, "aid distribution" and "water/sanitation" sectors became the highest topic of feedback. Based on the analysis, the community preferred to share their concerns to in-person with volunteers apart of use Hotline, radio, or social media. From all channels that PMI provided, to have conversation in help desk with communities were the most effective way to know what they feel. That is important to train feedback collector/volunteers on having a good communication skill and responding the feedback well.

Discussion/Implications For The Field

Suggested recommendations for the establishment or improvement of feedback mechanism are as follows. Firstly, develop comprehensively the induction programmes in each sector for volunteers/staff and to understand that feedback or complaint are good to improve the services, build trust to community and not considered as a harm. Secondly, ensure adequate capacity to manage the feedback - the responsibilities are clear and has sufficient personnel. Thirdly, provide clarity on the responses of feedback. It is vital to manage expectations so that communities got a clear response. Lastly, connect with other aid agencies that can support requests/information that cannot be provided/known by

Abstract submitted by: 

Hasna Pradityas

Aulia Arriani

Maria  Yohanista