Pakistan: Assessment of the District Coordinators’ performance - As of 23 Dec 2024

In August 2024, 12 District Coordinators (DCs) were recruited at the request of the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) to strengthen coordination in vulnerable districts across Pakistan.

To assess the roles and effectiveness of the DCs, a comprehensive evaluation was conducted, gathering 257 responses via Kobo from diverse stakeholders. The assessment focused on evaluating the performance of DCs in supporting district administrations, facilitating humanitarian coordination, and bridging gaps between strategy and execution.

Key Findings:

Facilitating Coordination:

  • The DCs effectively supported needs assessments, partnership building, access facilitation, data management, and communication, addressing critical gaps in humanitarian response.

Critical Location for the DCs Role:

  • A total of 31% of the respondents expressed that District Coordinators (DCs) are primarily needed in the district, while 30% emphasized their necessity across all areas. Additionally, 26% indicated that the need for DCs is more pronounced at the division level, and 14% stated that they are essential at the Tehsil level.

Stakeholder Feedback:

  • A total of 37% of the responses were provided by government employees, while 36% were from NGOs, 16% originated from INGOs. The majority of the respondents occupied managerial or program-level positions.

Recommendations:

Role Extension:

  • A significant 98% of the participants expressed strong support for the extension of DC contracts beyond 2024, citing their beneficial effects on coordination and resource optimization.

Capacity Building:

  • Suggested improvements include enhancing technical expertise, responsiveness, and information sharing.

Conclusion:

  • The District Coordinators have demonstrated their vital role in connecting strategy with execution at the district level. Enhancing their responsibilities and bolstering their capabilities will further improve humanitarian coordination and effectively address urgent needs in at-risk areas.