United NationsInter-Agency Standing Committee (UN IASC)
Health Cluster · Nutrition Cluster · WASH Cluster
INITIAL RAPID ASSESSMENT (IRA) TOOL:
FIELD ASSESSMENT FORM
DRAFT – NOT FOR QUOTATION
For more information on the IRA, please contact Bruce Cogill,
Nutrition Cluster Coordinator ()
How to use this form
The IRA field assessment form is divided into 7 sections. Sections 1 and 2 cover site identification and demographic data. Sections 3 to 7 covers specific sectors of concern (health, nutrition, shelter, etc.).
At the end of the assessment visit, one form should be filled out per site, reflecting the joint findings of the assessment team for the site. Assessment team members should keep records of the data they gather through interviews, observation, group discussions etc. as they proceed, either by writing separate notes or by writing in the boxes on their individual copies of the form.
The summary section on pages 1 and 2 should be filled in by the field assessment team, highlighting the main problems identified and recommendations for action, based on the data collected using the tool. These pages can also be filled in directly by teams or individuals who have very limited time at a particular location and so may not have the opportunity to address the detailed questions on the form.
The “site” is defined here as the place where an affected population is located at the time of the assessment visit (for example a village, a camp of displaced people, a group of people whose homes have been destroyed etc.). Often there will be several sites in an affected area. Where there is a very large population located in one settlement it may be necessary to treat distinct parts of the settlement as individual sites.
Before starting fieldwork, the assessment team should decide on a strategy for data collection, including who will collect data to fill in which sections of the form, and how data will be collected and recorded. The table on Page 3 advises appropriate methodologies for gathering data to complete specific sections of the form. The assessment team can use the same table to note the methodologies actually used at a particular site.
Any important issues encountered at the site that are not dealt with by the questions in the form, as well as any apparent contradictions in data or unexpected data, should be noted in the boxes at the end of each section.
Completed IRA Tool assessment forms should be returned to country clusters for analysis. It is most important that data is recorded legibly and clearly so that errors are not made when transferring and analyzing data.
Prepared jointly by:
IASC Health Cluster
IASC Nutrition Cluster
IASC WASH Cluster
1 January 2008
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Data Collection Strategy..…….…………………………………………………………………... iii
Summary …………..……………………………………………………………………………… 1
Section 1 Identification Information ……………………………………….………………3
Section 2 Population Description ………………………………………….……………….4
Section 3 Shelter and Essential Non-Food Items ………………….……..……………….6
Section 4 Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene ……..………………………………….9
Section 5 Nutrition and Food Security ……………………………………………………..13
Section 6Health Risks and Health Status …..……………………………………………..21
Section 7Health Facility Assessment ……………………………………………………… 23
INITIAL RAPID ASSESSMENT (IRA) FORM 1
IRA / DATA COLLECTION STRATEGYSection of IRA Form / Recommended data collection strategy:
Local secondary data / Key informant interviews / Group discussions / Household-level interviews / Household-level observation / Observation: transect walks, markets, water points
2. / Population description / ● / ● / ●
3.2 / Access to shelter and shelter quality / ● / ● / ● / ●
3.3 / Access to essential non-food items / ● / ● / ● / ●
4.2 / Local capacity in WASH / ● / ●
4.3.1-4.3.8 / Water supply / ● / ● / ● / ●
4.3.9-4.3.10 / Water consumption and collection time / ● / ●
4.5.1 / Defecation practices / ● / ●
4.5.2 / Number of toilets / ● / ●
4.5.3-4.5.5 / Environmental sanitation / ●
4.7 / Access to hygiene items / ● / ● / ●
4.9 / Population priorities for WASH / ●
5.3 / Food aid / ● / ● / ●
5.4 / Food consumption / ● / ● / ● / ●
5.5 / Observation of household food stocks / ● / ● / ●
5.6 / Food access / ● / ● / ● / ●
5.7 / Nutritional status: data and reports / ● / ● / ●
5.8 –
5.9 / Population priorities in nutrition and food security / ●
6.2 / Nearest health facility / ● / ● / ●
6.3 / Health profile / ● / ● / ●
7. / Health facility assessment / ● / ●
IRA FORM DATA COLLECTION STRATEGY 1
IRA / SUMMARYName and locality of site assessed: ______GPS coordinates and P-code: ______
Date(s) of field assessment: ____/____/____ - ____/____/____Population at site (# people): ______
Name and organisation of team leader: ______
Principal contact(s) at the site: ______
Summary of the crisis:- overall judgment of humanitarian situation
- short-term outlook (whether the crisis is worsening or becoming less serious)
- factors that could worsen humanitarian conditions or impede relief operations (bad weather, insecurity etc.)
- population groups that are inaccessible (and if so, why)
Other problems and priorities identified by the affected population:
KEY FOR RANKING SEVERITY OF NEED (NEXT PAGE)
Red / Severe situation: urgent intervention required
Orange / Situation of concern, or lack of data/unreliable data: further assessment and/or surveillance required
Green / Relatively normal situation or local population able to cope with crisis; no further action required
Ranking of severity of need
(Check one for each) / Problems identified / Recommendations
Population and demographics / Red
Orange
Green
Sites and shelter / Red
Orange
Green
Essential non-food items / Red
Orange
Green
Water supply / Red
Orange
Green
Sanitation / Red
Orange
Green
Hygiene / Red
Orange
Green
Food security / Red
Orange
Green
Nutrition / Red
Orange
Green
Health risks and health status / Red
Orange
Green
Health facilities / Red
Orange
Green
Other (specify)
(e.g. violence, missing persons) / Red
Orange
Green
IRA FORM SUMMARY 1
SECTION 1 / IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION1.1 Place and date:
1.1.1 Name and location of site being assessed. (Note administrative/district boundaries, and whichgovernment authorities should be involved. Note estimated size of site and attach map if possible.)
1.1.2 GPS Coordinates and satellite system:
P-Code if available
1.1.3 Date(s) of the visit:
1.1.4 Hours of the visit:
1.1.4Main contact at this site:
1.2 Assessment team:
Name / Institution / Title / position / Profession/ qualificationsIRA FORM SECTION 1: IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION 1
SECTION 2 / POPULATION DESCRIPTION2.1 Resource persons and other information sources:
2.2 Registration:
2.2.1Are the crisis affected people being registered, or have they been registered (Check one)?□ Yes □ No □ DNK
2.2.2 If yes, which by which institution(s)?
2.3 Movement to and from this site:
2.3.1 Number of people arriving (Note time period): / Number of people leaving (Note time period):2.3.2 Number of additional people expected (Note time period):
2.3.3 How people are moving (Check the two most common):
□ As individuals / □ By household / □ By village / neighbourhood / □ Other (specify)
2.3.4 Distinct social or ethnic groups found within the affected and surrounding populations:
2.3.5 Types of leaders moving or residing with the affected population (Check all that apply):
□ Government (e.g. local) / □ Religious leaders / □ Traditional leaders / □ Other (specify)
2.4Size of crisis-affected population:
2.4.1 Total estimated current population of site: / # People:2.4.2 If the estimate is based on the number of
households and average household size: / # Households[1]: # people per household:
2.4.3Estimated % who are not displaced: / %
2.4.4 Estimated % who are internally displaced: / %
2.4.5 Estimated % who are refugees, stateless, or
other nationalities: / %
2.4.6 Source of these population data (several responses possible)
□ Estimate by local authorities
□ Estimate by affected population
□ Census (specify the date of the census) / □ Registration
□ Estimated from # households and # people per household
□ Other (specify)
2.5 Vulnerable groups:
2.5.1 If there is information suggesting that one or more groups is more or fewer than expected (e.g. women orgirl children are underrepresented for some reason), explain here:
2.5.2 Estimated number of unaccompanied minors: / # ______
2.5.3 Main reason(s) for minors being unaccompanied: / □ Death of parents
□ Separation from parents during flight
□ Evacuation of minors
□ Other
2.5.4Estimated number of infants without mothers
(or other longer term primary caretakers): / # ______
2.5.5 Information on the situation of these infants:
2.6 Displaced population (only complete this section if part or all of the affected population is made up
of internally or internationally displaced people):
2.6.1Place of origin of the displaced people (If different displaced groups are in this site, indicate the origins separately for each.)2.6.2Main factors preventing the return home of the displaced (If different displaced groups are in this site, answer separately for each.)
2.6.3 Organisation of the settlement (Check all that apply. If different displaced groups are in this site,
answer separately for each.)
□ Camp in rural area
□ Camp in urban area / □ Staying with host families in a rural area
□ Staying with hot families in an urban area
□ Collective settlement in large buildings / □ DNK
□ Other (specify)
2.6.4 Relations between the displaced and the host community? (Check all that apply.)
□ Host community willing to assist / □ Tensions / □ Other (specify) / □ DNK
2.7People dead, missing or injured due to the crisis
2.7.1 Dead: / ______People □ DNK2.7.2 Missing: / ______People □ DNK
2.7.3 Injured: / ______People □ DNK
2.8Economic activity
2.8.1 Types of economic activity ongoing since the crisis (trading, industries, crafts, agriculture, services etc.)2.8.2Extent to which people can access essential goods and services (e.g. food, shelter, health care, hygiene items) using resources from savings and/or production and economic activities?
2.8.3 How are people coping with the situation? (coping strategies)
IRAFORM SECTION 2: POPULATION DESCRIPTION 1
SECTION 3 / SHELTER AND ESSENTIAL NON-FOOD ITEMS3.1 Resource persons and other information sources:
3.2 Access to and quality of shelter:
3.2.1Proportion of people currently living in each type of accommodation below:(Where the displaced are staying with host families, count all the people in the accommodation.)
Type of accommodation / Population with each type of accommodation / Average surface area of each house/shelter m3 / Average number of people per house/shelter
Typical house / ______people
Temporary family shelter / ______people
Collective shelter / ______people
Without shelter / ______people
Total ______people
3.2.2 For houses and temporary family shelters housing people affected by the crisis, note the following:
Protection from cold, heat, wind, rain, snow etc. / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Privacy / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Personal security and security of belongings / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Protection from fire / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Covered space for essential household activities / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
3.2.3 Note the types of locally-sourced materials being used to build or adapt shelters:
□ Metal / □ Timber / □ Canvas / plastic sheets / □ Local materials / □ Other (specify) / □ DNK
3.2.4 A For collective shelters housing people affected by the crisis, note the following points (one table per
collective shelter):
Identification / name of shelter ______
Number of people sleeping in the shelter ______ / Type of building ______
Number of floors ______
Protection from cold, heat, wind, rain, snow etc. / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Privacy / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Personal security and security of belongings / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Protection from fire / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Covered space for essential household activities / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
3.2.4 B For collective shelters housing people affected by the crisis, note the following points (one table per
collective shelter):
Identification / name of shelter ______
Number of people sleeping in the shelter ______ / Type of building ______
Number of floors ______
Protection from cold, heat, wind, rain, snow etc. / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Privacy / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Personal security and security of belongings / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Protection from fire / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
Covered space for essential household activities / □ Very poor/not at all
□ Acceptable / □ Somewhat poor
□ DNK
3.3 Other observations concerning shelter at this site
3.4 Access to essential non-food items (NFIs):
3.4.1 Proportion of households with sufficient clothing for protection from the cold, heat, rain, etc.:□Less than ¼ / □ More than ¼, less than ½ / □ More than ½, less than ¾ / □More than 3/4 / □DNK
3.4.2 Proportion of households with sufficient blankets and bedding for protection from the cold:
□Less than ¼ / □ More than ¼, less than ½ / □ More than ½, less than ¾ / □More than 3/4 / □DNK
3.4.3 Type of fuel used
for cooking: / Is there enough cooking fuel? / If ‘no’, explain why:
□ YES □ NO □ DNK
3.4.4 Proportion of households with sufficient cooking utensils:
□Less than ¼ / □ More than ¼, less than ½ / □ More than ½, less than ¾ / □More than 3/4 / □DNK
3.4.5 Proportion of households with plastic sheeting for temporary shelter:
□Less than ¼ / □ More than ¼, less than ½ / □ More than ½, less than ¾ / □More than 3/4 / □DNK
3.4.6 Proportion of households with tools for construction of shelter:
□Less than ¼ / □ More than ¼, less than ½ / □ More than ½, less than ¾ / □More than 3/4 / □DNK
3.4.7 Proportion of households with the means to provide artificial lighting:
□Less than ¼ / □ More than ¼, less than ½ / □ More than ½, less than ¾ / □More than 3/4 / □DNK
3.5 Other observations concerning access to essential non-food items at this site
IRA FORM SECTION 3: SHELTER AND ESSENTIAL NON-FOOD ITEMS 1
SECTION 4 / WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HYGIENE4.1 Resource persons and other sources of information :
4.2 Existing capacities and activities
Organisation or person(s) responsible / Normal / current activities / Limitations to capacity or performance (lack of staff, materials and equipment, funds, access etc.)
4.3.1
Water supply
4.3.2
Sanitation
4.3.3
Hygiene
4.3Water supply
Water resources: note in this table data concerning sources of water available for the population at the site / 4.3.1Number of water sources of each type / 4.3.2 Water source most used for human consumption et this site / 4.3.3 Water source most used for animal consumption et this site / 4.3.4 Any water sources produce dirty-looking water / 4.3.5 Any sources for which it is likely that the quantity of water available will fall in the near future
Surface water (specify if a lake, a river or other) / □ / □ / □ / □
Borehole or well with functioning handpump / □ / □ / □ / □
Borehole or well with functioning motor pump / □ / □ / □ / □
Protected open well / □ / □ / □ / □
Unprotected open well / □ / □ / □ / □
Unprotected spring / □ / □ / □ / □
Protected spring / □ / □ / □ / □
Traditional water sellers (specify the source) ______ / □ / □ / □ / □
Other (specify) ______ / □ / □ / □ / □
Borehole or well with non-functioning handpump
Borehole or well with non-functioning motor pump
4.3.6If possible, estimate the total quantity of water (in m3 per day) available at the site / ______m3
4.3.7For any water sources for which it is likely that the quantity of water available will fall in the near future,
explain why:
4.3.8 Where applicable, note any water supplies used for drinking and cooking that are treated at any point in the chain between the water source and consumption.
Source(s) involved / Treatment process(es) / Effectiveness of the treatment process(es)
□ None, not functioning or destroyed
□ Functioning but not reliable
□ Functioning reliably □ DNK
□ None, not functioning or destroyed
□ Functioning but not reliable
□ Functioning reliably □ DNK
□ None, not functioning or destroyed
□ Functioning but not reliable
□ Functioning reliably □ DNK
4.3.9 Quantity of water used per household per day for all uses
Drinking, cooking and hygiene / Animals / Washing clothes / Other (specify)
□ >75 litres □ DNK
□ 51-75 litres
□ 26-50 litres
□ <25 litres / ______litres / ______litres / ______litres
4.3.10 Note the time, in minutes that it takes on average to collect all the water required for a household for one
day (including the journey time, waiting time at the water point and time to fill the water containers) If
several trips are required per day, count the total time required for all the trips.
□ >120 min / □ 61-120 min / □ 30-60 min / □ <30 min / □ DNK
4.3.11 If this is a pastoral community, note the current source of water for livestock
□ Same source as for human consumption / □ Same source as for human consumption plus another source / □ Only from a separate source to the one used for human consumption / □ DNK
4.4 Additional comments concerning water supply at this site
4.5Sanitation:
4.5.1Number of people, out of 10, on average, currently using each of the places listed below to go to defecateIn the open, not in a defined and managed defecation area
In a defined and managed defecation area
In public toilets (pit latrines, pour-flush latrines, flushing toilets etc.)
In family toilets and shared family toilets (pit latrines, pour-flush latrines, flushing toilets etc.)
□ DNK / Check that this column adds up to 10
4.5.2 Average number of users per functioning toilet
□ > 100 / □ 51 – 100 / □ 21-50 / □ ≤ 20 / □ DNK
4.5.3Presence of human faeces on the ground on and around the site
□ substantial presence less than 10 m from shelters / □ substantial presence, generally more than 10 m from shelters / □ substantial presence, generally more than 30 m from shelters / □ no substantial presence / □ DNK
□ substantial presence less than 10 m from water sources / □ substantial presence, generally more than 10 m from water sources / □ substantial presence, generally more than 30 m from water sources / □ no substantial presence / □ DNK
4.5.4Presence of solid waste, including household waste, building rubble, animal carcasses and animal faeces on and around the site
□ substantial presence less than 50 m from shelters / □ substantial presence, generally more than 100 m from shelters / □ no substantial presence / □ DNK
□ substantial presence less than 50 m from water sources / □ substantial presence, generally more than 100 m from water sources / □ no substantial presence / □ DNK
4.5.5Presence of stagnant wastewater or rainwater on and around the site
□ substantial presence less than 50 m from shelters / □ substantial presence less than 100 m from shelters / □ no substantial presence / □ DNK
□ substantial presence less than 50 m from water sources / □ substantial presence less than 100 m from water sources / □ no substantial presence / □ DNK
4.6Additional comments concerning sanitation at this site
4.7Hygiene
4.7.1Proportion of households possessing soap□Less than ¼ / □ More than ¼, less than ½ / □ More than ½, less than ¾ / □More than 3/4 / □DNK
4.7.2Proportion of households possessing one or more mosquito netsin good condition
□Less than ¼ / □ More than ¼, less than ½ / □ More than ½, less than ¾ / □More than 3/4 / □DNK
4.7.3Proportion of households possessing at least one narrow-necked water container (e.g. jerrycan) for storing
drinking water
□Less than ¼ / □ More than ¼, less than ½ / □ More than ½, less than ¾ / □More than 3/4 / □DNK
4.7.4 Average total capacity of water containers per family (litres)
□ 0-10 litres / □ 11-20 litres / □ 21-40 litres / □ >40 litres / □DNK
4.8Additional comments related to hygiene at this site e.g. any specific obstacles to hygiene (particularly handwashing after defecation or handling faeces of children and sick people and before food handling) not mentioned above, any particular groups who are excluded from access to resources and facilities for hygiene:
4.9 What are the priorities expressed by the population concerning water supply, sanitation and hygiene?
IRA FORM SECTION 4: WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HYGIENE 1