Coordinated Humanitarian Assessment

A coordinated humanitarian assessment is an assessment planned and carried out in partnership by humanitarian actors, in order to document the impact of a particular crisis and to identify the needs of affected people. Credible and accurate assessment results form the basis for needs-based strategic planning and system-wide monitoring.

Needs assessment provides the evidence base for strategic planning, as well as the baseline information upon which situation and response monitoring systems will rely. It should therefore form a continuous process throughout the humanitarian programme cycle.

Coordinated assessments are carried out in partnership with all humanitarian actors in order to assess the humanitarian situation and to identify the needs of the affected people. Local and national authorities, civil society and affected communities are encouraged to participate in this process, the output of which is a humanitarian needs overview (HNO).