The evaluation covers the overall project implementation and evolution from January 2006 to December 2019 as part of the PRMN project. Included in this scope is the review of PRMN’s approach and services in Somalia, its impact to date, and the extent to which the current methodology will need to enhance the project’s relevance, effectiveness and impact.
The PRMN, project has been operational since 2006. It is a UNHCR led project, with NRC as the implementing partner, and locally sub-contracted partners who collect data on displacements and returns of populations in Somalia as well as protection incidents underlying such movements. At present, there are 37 partners collecting data in 19 regions across 117 districts. The target beneficiaries are displaced populations and returnees (forced or spontaneous) within accessible regions in Somalia.
The project objectives are to (1) avail information necessary to inform responsive and strategically targeted humanitarian response in Somalia, (2) increase access to emergency protection response, and (3) strengthen protection assessment capacity in Somalia.
This is the first formal project evaluation since its inception. The evaluation found that PRMN is a well-respected, relevant and useful project. The evaluation data showed that ‘relevance’ is one of the project’s notable strengths, particularly its ability to mobilise and leverage local capacity in data collection, and to provide direct response to protection incidents or trigger such responses through referrals and alerts. The fact that PRMN has operated successfully for one-and-a-half decades amidst poverty, marginalisation, armed violence, insecurity, political instability, and natural hazards in Somalia is testament to its relevance, strong programme design and the admirable work of UNHCR and NRC staff and the local partners.
The project has the most extensive information network and has been at the forefront of and central to the collection of displacement and returns data in Somalia.
