As JIPS, it is our priority to support partners involved in a profiling exercise, from the initial to the final stages of the process. We normally do this remotely and, during the most critical steps of the exercise, we often go on field missions to run workshops, train partners, engage with all relevant stakeholders, and address any possible issue. However, experience shows that in the case of particularly complex processes, it is crucial to invest in long-term deployment to countries in order to provide a more direct support and follow the process more closely.
The on-going profiling exercise in Sudan has been one of these cases, both because of the complex context and because it was one of the first countries where we were implementing the full and complete durable solutions indicator library and analytical framework.
Khadra Elmi, Profiling Advisor, has been on a long-term deployment to Sudan to support the exercise -aimed to inform durable solutions to the protracted displacement situation in two IDP camps, Abu Shouk and Al Salam, and the wider urban area of El Fasher. Now, after an ambitious data collection merging micro and macro components, and with the data analysis phase in full swing, Khadra concludes her long-term deployment and shares the challenges, as well as the added value and lessons learned from this direct support approach.
During our chat, she particularly stressed the importance of being in the country to provide additional support to coordination, joint analysis and community engagement and to contribute to building trust relations among partners.
