CEA in Emergencies

This page is a one-stop shop for CEA in emergencies. It outlines the minimum actions for community engagement at each stage of the response, and the tools to help you put these into practice. It has links to CEA training packs for emergencies, a guide to CEA in emergencies, and case studies specific to conflict, earthquakes, and extreme weather. For health related emergencies, visit our CEA and Health page.

Ten actions to engage communities during emergency response operations

To successfully engage communities during emergency response operations, CEA should be incorporated into all stages of the programme cycle. To help you to do this, you can follow the ten actions below which have been categorised by the different stages. Under each action, you’ll also find a list of related tools from the CEA Toolkit. View a full explanation of each step here.

Explore CEA in Emergencies Related Trainings

18 July 2023

CEA branch-level training (updated)

A highly interactive two-day training to support branch staff and volunteers to improve levels of community engagement in…

21 July 2022

CEA in Emergencies Module

A three-hour training module providing an introduction to the 10 minimum actions for good community engagement and accountability…

21 July 2022

CEA in Emergencies Training

A one-day training package exploring in detail the 10 minimum actions for good community engagement and accountability in…

Explore CEA in Emergency Case Studies

25 September 2023

Eswatini Drought FbF: Validating Early Actions with Community Members

This case study captures learnings from an Early Action Protocol (EAP) validation exercise which was carried out by…

22 February 2023

Engaging communities to build resilience and accountability mechanisms

A case study on engaging communities to build resilience and accountability mechanisms after the Nepal 2015 earthquake.

28 September 2020

Feedback mechanism, the guidelines: Hurricane Dorian operation

As part of the Hurricane Dorian emergency appeal, a community feedback mechanism was established by Bahamas Red Cross…

24 September 2020

Case study: Operating a feedback hotline in the Bahamas

This case study presents the process of establishing and operating a feedback hotline that was undertaken by the…

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19 June 2019

Engaging people in armed conflict

Type:

Report

Organization:

ICRC

A discussion paper from the ICRC called ‘Engaging People Affected by Armed Conflicts and Other Situations of Violence’. It recommends how to overcome the challenges faced when delivering assistance to…

  • Communication
  • Conflict
  • Disaster
  • Displacement

19 June 2019

CEA 2017 Good practices from around the world

Type:

Report

Organization:

ICRC, IFRC

A document featuring examples of community engagement and accountability initiatives carried out by the IFRC in both emergency and longer-term contexts.

  • Conflict
  • Crisis
  • Disaster
  • Emergencies

19 June 2019

Perception survey: Nepal

Type:

Tool

Organization:

Nepal Red Cross

Community perceptions surveys produced by the IFRC to measure satisfaction in relation to disaster response, following the Nepal earthquake in 2015.

  • Disaster
  • Earthquakes
  • Engagement
  • Feedback

17 June 2019

Exit guidance (Haiti)

Type:

Report

Organization:

IFRC

IFRC ‘Exit Guidance’ document, detailing the key messages, lessons learned and exit strategies following the Haiti earthquake.

  • Mainstreaming
  • Project cycle management

17 June 2019

CEA planning template

Type:

Template

Organization:

IFRC

A CEA planning template following the 2015 Nepal earthquake. This document covers the strategic steps of implementing CEA following the disaster, for urban and rural areas respectively.

  • Earthquakes
  • Mainstreaming
  • Project cycle management

17 June 2019

Strengthening community voices in disaster law decision making

Type:

Training Material

Organization:

IFRC

A presentation from the IFRC Asia Pacific about the importance of community influence in decision making; community participation in disaster management in Asia Pacific and a national perspective of citizen…

  • Disaster
  • Emergencies

17 June 2019

CEA leaflet

Type:

Infographic

Organization:

IFRC

An IFRC leaflet detailing what is meant by CEA, why it is important and how it helps to build more resilient communities, both in emergency situations and as part of…

  • Communication
  • Disaster
  • Emergencies
  • Information as aid

17 June 2019

Behaviour change: communication in emergencies toolkit

Type:

Tool

Organization:

Sierra Leone Red Cross, UNICEF

A toolkit produced by UNICEF to promote behaviour change in emergency situations. Tools include guidelines, charts, checklists and monitoring tools.

  • Behaviour change
  • Communication
  • Video

8 February 2016

Are you Listening Now? Community Perspectives on Communication with Communities during the Nepal earthquake

Type:

Report

Organization:

CDAC Network

The CDAC Network’s research, ‘Are You Listening Now?’ considers whether, in the aftermath of the Nepal earthquakes in April and May 2015, people were getting information that was useful and…

  • Earthquakes
  • Perceptions

2 July 2015

Common feedback project – Nepal, 2015

Type:

Report

Organization:

HCT Nepal

An inter-agency report on the ‘Common Feedback Project’, following the 2015 Nepal earthquake. It focuses on the accountability response and how affected people were given access to information and feedback…

  • Earthquakes
  • Participation

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