Needs assessments

The Conference of Parties (COP) called upon developing Parties and Parties with economies in transition to conduct needs assessments in the light of their obligations under the Convention. The Convention Secretariat was requested to assist these Parties in doing so upon request, to advise them on existing mechanisms of funding and technical assistance, and to provide information to development partners on the needs identified.

In line with the decision of the COP, needs assessment exercises are carried out jointly with the national government concerned. Each exercise has three phases: the pre-needs assessment phase, in which the Secretariat studies relevant documents and Party reports and prepares a detailed programme; the needs assessment mission, during which an international team interacts with the health ministry and various national stakeholders, the WHO country office and the United Nations resident coordinator; and the post-needs assessment phase in which the Secretariat finalizes the needs assessment report in cooperation with national focal points and works with the government and other stakeholders to promote the jointly agreed action plan.

Joint needs assessments have so far been convened in: Bangladesh, Jordan, Lesotho and Papua New Guinea (2009); Ghana, Guatemala and Republic of Moldova (2010); and Bhutan (2011), Palau, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands and Solomon Islands (2012).

At the request of the Government of Nepal, a joint needs assessment mission is scheduled to take place in Nepal from 3 to 7 June 2012.

At the request of the Government of Kyrgyzstan, a joint needs assessment mission is scheduled to take place in Kyrgyzstan from 18 to 22 June 2012.