This handbook guides readers through the first of the four stages in the ICRC’s project cycle, describing in detail the process of assessing economic security. Its material supplements the EcoSec Training Module 1, “Assessing Economic Security”. It is the first in a series of three handbooks on EcoSec practice. The next two cover the remaining stages in the project cycle and are entitled “EcoSec Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation” and “EcoSec Response: Programming and Implementation”. They supplement the material covered in Training Modules 2 and 3, which have the same titles.

This handbook has been designed to ensure that, first of all, the economic security context is understood. From there, we go on to define the information that needs to be collected during an EcoSec assessment and plan how to analyse this information. Once these fundamental issues have been clarified, we look closely at the assessment process and how to present the information in a report.

Chapter 1 - Essential concepts: introduces basic concepts that are essential for understanding economic security, livelihoods and EcoSec response.

Chapter 2 - Assessment content: Looks at the information that should be included on each of the relevant topics in an EcoSec assessment.

Chapter 3 - Data analysis: Examines the use of the data collected. While the situation analysis enables us to understand who is affected by the current situation and why they are affected, forecasting allows trends to be detected so that possible future gaps in economic security as well as recovery prospects can be anticipated. If clear risks to lives or livelihoods exist and are likely to persist, the response analysis will facilitate the identification of an appropriate response.

Chapter 4 - Assessment process: This chapter takes us from the point of knowing what information is needed and how it will be used to looking at the assessment process itself.

Chapter 5 - Reporting: Useful tips on presenting findings so that the main messages reach the target reader(s) and inform decisions that need to be taken.

Further reading - This section contains a list of helpful supplementary material.

Available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

• Organization: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
• Pages: 126
• Year of publication: 2017
• Copyright: © ICRC, April 2017
• Url: https://www.icrc.org/en/publication/ecosec-handbook-assessing-economic-security