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Guidance on an integrated approach to victim assistance

THE CONVENTION ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS (CCM)
November 2016

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This Guidance was developed by the Convention on Cluster Munitions Coordinators for 2016 and 2017 on Victim Assistance (Australia, Chile and Italy) and Cooperation and Assistance (Austria, Iraq and Australia), with technical support from Handicap International, through funding provided by the Government of Australia. The Coordinators collected the range of good practices and national examples of effective implementation of an integrated approach presented in the Guidance. The dual imperatives of this integrated approach are to: (1) ensure that as long as specific victim assistance efforts are implemented, they act as a catalyst to improve the inclusion and well being of survivors, other persons with disabilities, indirect victims and other vulnerable groups; and (2) ensure that broader efforts actually do reach the survivors and indirect victims amongst the beneficiaries.

Building the capacity of policy-makers and planners to strengthen mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Roxanne Keynejad
Maya Semrau
Mark Toynbee
Sara Evans-Lacko
Crick Lund, Oye Gureje
Sheila Ndyanabangi
Emilie Courtin
Jibril O. Abdulmalik
Atalay Ale
Abebaw Fekadu
Graham Thornicroft
Charlotte Hanlo
October 2016

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Background

Little is known about the interventions required to build the capacity of mental health policy-makers and planners in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We conducted a systematic review with the primary aim of identifying and synthesizing the evidence base for building the capacity of policy-makers and planners to strengthen mental health systems in LMICs.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Knowledge, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, LILACS, ScieELO, Google Scholar and Cochrane databases for studies reporting evidence, experience or evaluation of capacity-building of policy-makers, service planners or managers in mental health system strengthening in LMICs. Reports in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or German were included. Additional papers were identified by hand-searching references and contacting experts and key informants. Database searches yielded 2922 abstracts and 28 additional papers were identified. Following screening, 409 full papers were reviewed, of which 14 fulfilled inclusion criteria for the review. Data were extracted from all included papers and synthesized into a narrative review.

Results

Only a small number of mental health system-related capacity-building interventions for policy-makers and planners in LMICs were described. Most models of capacity-building combined brief training with longer term mentorship, dialogue and/or the establishment of networks of support. However, rigorous research and evaluation methods were largely absent, with studies being of low quality, limiting the potential to separate mental health system strengthening outcomes from the effects of associated contextual factors.

Conclusions

This review demonstrates the need for partnership approaches to building the capacity of mental health policy-makers and planners in LMICs, assessed rigorously against pre-specified conceptual frameworks and hypotheses, utilising longitudinal evaluation and mixed quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Assessment of Rehabilitation Capacity in Ghana

Christian, Asare
et al
2016

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Purpose: This study describes a cross-sectional assessment of infrastructure, human resources, and types of rehabilitation interventions provided in a sample of healthcare facilities in Ghana. The objectives were to (a) develop and pilot a questionnaire assessing rehabilitation capacity in LMICs, and (b) provide initial data regarding available rehabilitation care in rural Ghana.

 

Methods: Data was collected from a sample of rehabilitation workers at 9 facilities, comprised of 5 regional and 4 district hospitals, located in seven of the ten geographical regions of Ghana. Participants completed a modified version of the World Health Organisation's Tool for Situational Analysis to Assess Emergency and Essential Surgical Care, adapted to reflect core indicators of rehabilitation infrastructure. Participating facilities were mailed questionnaires and agreed to subsequent site visits from the first author.

 

Results: There were several limitations associated with basic rehabilitation infrastructure. Consistent with previous research, significant human resources limitations were observed as hospital-based rehabilitation services were primarily rendered by 20 physiotherapists and 21 physiotherapy assistants across the 9 participating sites. No rehabilitation physicians were identified at any of the surveyed facilities. With regard to therapeutic interventions, management of musculoskeletal impairments was generally consistent with current evidence- based practices, whereas rehabilitative approaches for neurologic conditions were limited to physical rather than sensory-motor modalities.

 

Conclusions: For the first time there is study data which details the rehabilitation infrastructure, human resources, and interventions in Ghana. This study furthers the field through the adaptation and initial piloting of a rehabilitation assessment instrument that can be used in LMIC contexts.

 

Limitations: The questionnaire used for the study was modified from the questionnaire for assessing surgical care in resource poor countries, and has not yet been validated. Since the study was conducted in a convenience sample of rehabilitation/physiotherapy centres in Ghana, generalisability may be limited.

Cross-cutting Capacity Building Learning Review

LIPSON, Brenda
GARBUTT, Anne
March 2016

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This short report is based on an analysis of the individual case studies on capacity building in Cambodia and Bangladesh. The purpose of this cross-case report is to present the views of the two consultants with regard to the following:

  • Points arising from the experiences in the two countries which shed light on the ADD approach and working model of capacity building.
  • Recommendations for ADD to reflect upon in its work to strengthen the capacity building model and the overall monitoring, evaluation and learning on this work.

Bangladesh Capacity Building Learning Review

GARBUTT, Anne
March 2016

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The capacity building model develops DPOs that represent people with disability. The capacity building support at all levels is based on a core understanding of what is a good DPO and strengthened by a needs based approach to individual organisations.

Cambodia Capacity Building Learning Review and Annex

LIPSON, Brenda
March 2016

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ADD look at multiple factors, and others specific to the situation of organisations of People with Disabilities (PWD), to generate certain conditions which inform the choice of capacity building approach. In particular, ADD Cambodia’s commitment to an empowering and participative approach which aims to build sustainable organisations of PWD is a direct response to many of the negative factors. It underpins the ADD Cambodia strategy, as they work to “….help disabled people (sic) have their own ideas and develop their own approaches”. This commitment is critical for working in a new context where international donors are increasingly withdrawing from the country, as they are defining it as a newly emerging middle-income country.

Participatory Monitoring of Community-Based Rehabilitation and other Disability- Inclusive Development Programmes: the Development of a Manual and Menu

Madden, Rosamond H
et al
2016

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Purpose: This paper describes a three-year research project leading to the development of the CBR Monitoring Manual and Menu (MM&M). The MM&M is a practical toolkit that meets the needs of CBR managers and stakeholders, and is consistent with the philosophy of CBR and community- based disability-inclusive development. It is designed to produce meaningful and locally useful information and data, based on international data standards where possible, to enable aggregation at regional, national and international levels.

 

Methods: Five complementary workstreams of research were carried out from 2011 to 2014: 1) literature review and analysis; 2) participatory action research with CBR stakeholders; 3) analysis and refinement of validity of concepts andstructures; 4) consultation and review; and 5) synthesis of results. This article documents the method and key results of each of the five workstreams, and the lessons learned along the way.

 

Results: The MM&M is now freely available on-line at thttp://sydney.edu. au/health-sciences/cdrp/projects/cbr-monitoring.shtml. Collaboration among members of the development team continues, chiefly via an on-line group to which new members have been welcomed.

 

Conclusion and Implications: At the time of writing, the MM&M is the only international monitoring product, known to the authors, that consciously sets out to reflect both a ‘bottom- up’ and ‘top-down’ perspective of monitoring information and data.To achieve this for a complex programme such as CBR, and to align with its principles, it was essential to use a multi-component and multi-stage strategy for tool development, involving a diverse multidisciplinary team including collaboration with CBR stakeholders.

NGO self-assessment through a SWOT exercise

NETWORKLEARNING.ORG
January 2016

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This short guide aims to guide non-governmental organisations (NGOs) through a four-step analysis of capacity. Known as a SWOT exercise, this tool has been found to be useful in many NGOs and stands for the "Strengths" and "Weaknesses" within your organisation; plus factors outside your organisation that offer "Opportunities" or pose "Threats."  The guide enables NGOs to lead themselves through the SWOT exercise and make, implement, evaluate and monitor the resulting strategic action plan

Capacity building. ADD international’s approach. A learning paper

ADD
2016

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In 2016 ADD commissioned an independent learning review of their Capacity Building model. The review focused on ADD experience in Cambodia and Bangladesh, and was carried out by Anne Garbutt of INTRAC and Brenda Lipson of Framework. The review confirmed that the ADD approach is working as they thought, that it is effective, and that it contributes to positive change in line with ADD Theory of Change.

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