SHOW - Section 1: Strategic Moment of Reflection (SMR)

To prepare for the Strategic Moment of Reflection (SMR) and to inform the Annual Results Report (ARR), operations analyse progress towards results in the past implementation year.

The purpose of this analysis is to gather all available data and evidence, indicators and evaluations to identify and understand changes over time, trends, achievements, challenges and gaps. It helps guide discussions during the SMR highlighting what has worked well, what has not, and what needs to change in implementing the strategy.

Step 1: Analyse data and evidence

Operations analyse progress towards results in the past implementation year. The purpose is to inform SMR discussions about what has worked well, what has not, and what needs to change in implementing the strategy. The analysis informs the Annual Results Report (ARR).

Results managers, with support from information management colleagues, begin by analysing all data and evidence from their result areas for the past year. This includes:

a) Compiling and reviewing all indicator data (year-end actuals).

• Compile year-end actuals for all impact, outcome and output indicators, including reports from funded partners, assessments and surveys.
• Determine which targets were met or not met, identify the results areas that progressed as planned and the areas where progress was slower or deviated from the strategy.
• Review the indicator actuals and their evolution from baseline or previous actuals.
• Identify in the disaggregated actuals if any population type, age, gender, disability or other diverse group is insufficiently supported, and why.
• Assess the quality of existing data and note any data gaps.
• Report indicator actuals in COMPASS and note data limitations.

b) Reviewing other monitoring data and evidence.

• Review monitoring reports gathered throughout the year, including narrative reports from partners, internal documents, information from government sources and surveys and reports of monitoring visits conducted together with forcibly displaced and stateless people.
• Review individual and community feedback received by forcibly displaced and stateless people. 
• Incorporate evidence from relevant evaluations, such as findings from a country strategy evaluation completed in the previous year, that provide critical information for the review (see the Overview of the Evaluation Office for further resources).  

c) Reviewing resources.

• Review the use of financial and human resources, focusing on what was prioritized.
• Reflect on whether UNHCR’s presence was adequate and resource mobilization opportunities were fully utilized.
• Go through information on resources, budgets, and expenditures to understand implementation efficiency and effectiveness.
• Analyse implementation rates for the past year and identify any year-end closure issues to address.

Step 2: Undertake joint MFT analysis

Before embarking on the SMR together with external stakeholders, the multi-functional team (MFT) may first undertake an internal analysis of evidence and data, using the same guiding questions it will use during the SMR, together with external stakeholders and forcibly displaced and stateless people.

The consolidation of key data and evidence includes:

a) Taking stock of changes in the context (for country and multi-country operations only).

• Analyse changes in the context using ongoing context and protection monitoring, data on population demography and movement, and the Annual Statistical Report (ASR).
• Review the situation analysis for major legal, institutional, political, economic and socio-cultural changes affecting the protection situation.
• Consider risks and opportunities to advance protection and solutions impacts and outcomes for forcibly displaced and stateless people and how they affect the implementation of the strategy.
• Identify changes to stakeholders.
• Verify if the planning scenario is still relevant.

b) Understanding the priorities and views of forcibly displaced and stateless people (not applicable to bureaux and headquarters divisions and entities).

• Review assessments and protection analysis results from the planning and implementation phases.
• Analyse information from forcibly displaced and stateless people obtained through feedback and response mechanisms, post-distribution monitoring exercises, monitoring conducted with forcibly displaced and stateless people, and other ad-hoc consultations with communities.
• Include views from different AGD groups to inform what results are achieved for whom, and which groups need more attention.

c) Identifying progress, achievements and gaps (for operations conducting an SMR).

• Analyse trends of population demographics and movements using annual statistics and other data.
• Assess progress on each impact and outcome statement of the strategy using indicator data and other information to tell a story of change, noting successes and areas for improvement.
• Evaluate contributions from UNHCR and other stakeholders towards outcomes and outputs.
• Update the stakeholder analysis if needed (see PLAN – Section 3).
• Review UNHCR’s use of financial and human resources based on evolving needs.
• Prepare preliminary analysis of progress towards protection and solutions, which will be validated during the SMR.

d) Understanding risks, opportunities, and risk treatments (for operations conducting an SMR).

• Build on the annual risk review undertaken by the country operation in November of the previous year to reflect on how the risks, risk treatments, and opportunities have affected progress toward results.

After preparing the preliminary analysis, operations undertake an SMR. The SMR is a dedicated process for operations and stakeholders to review progress and identify challenges, opportunities and possible strategic shifts or reorientations. In the last year of the strategy, the SMR can be combined with the strategic planning workshop. Some operations may decide to conduct an SMR before the end of the year, while not all data is available. In such cases, they use the available or estimated data and update it for the ARR.

The representative or director defines the format of the SMR, engages stakeholders at the country level and assigns the MFT and/or resources. It is completed by the end of February.

To conduct the SMR, an operation needs to prepare the background materials and invite external stakeholders. After the SMR has taken place, it distributes the findings, conclusions and lessons learned to relevant stakeholders, and adjusts its strategy, as needed.

The SMR includes four steps:

Step 1: Prepare the background materials

Operations compile background materials for the participants, including:

• Context and stakeholder analysis
• Population demography and movement trends
• Progress and changes against each impact, outcome, and output statement, using indicator analysis and feedback from the affected populations
• Areas of change in terms of risks and opportunities

Step 2: Engage external stakeholders and forcibly displaced and stateless people

During the SMR, operations bring together the MFT, external stakeholders and forcibly displaced and stateless people, including representatives from:

• The host government
• The United Nations
• Civil society
• Funded partners
• International financial institutions 
• Private sector
• Forcibly displaced and stateless people and the host communities

Forcibly displaced and stateless people and host communities can take part through representatives or organizations led by them. They can participate in a joint workshop or be consulted separately, depending on the context.

Bureaux and headquarters divisions and entities hold their SMRs internally.

Step 3: Conduct the SMR

The SMR can be held in person or online and through various modalities (e.g., by holding bilateral meetings using existing coordination mechanisms and community groups or via a multi-stakeholder workshop). The exact format is tailored to the nature and size of the operation. Operations may consider using a guiding tool such as outcome harvesting during the SMR.

Key questions to ask during the SMR may include:

Context

• How did the operational context change last year?
• What and how did changes in regional, political, legal, security, humanitarian space/access, and social and economic factors impact the situation of forcibly displaced and stateless people in terms of protection and solutions?
• What were the trends in population movements and demographics, including arrivals, recognition, returns, and resettlement departures?
• How have stakeholders evolved, and how does this affect progress towards impacts, outcomes and outputs?

Results

• How did the situation of forcibly displaced and stateless people change with regard to expected impacts and outcomes? What evidence supports these changes, and why? What are the main challenges, how can they be overcome, and who needs to take action? 
• How did UNHCR contribute to outcomes and outputs? Which targets were achieved or not achieved? Which areas or which population types made the most progress? Which outcome areas and population types changed the least?
• How did UNHCR’s prioritization affect the situation of forcibly displaced and stateless people?
• What roles did other stakeholders play? How did partnership and collaboration contribute to outcomes?
• What worked well, and what could be improved at the strategic and implementation levels?
• What were the key considerations for meeting the different needs of people based on age, gender and diversity, as well as their views and feedback?
• To what extent and in what way did UNHCR engage with forcibly displaced and stateless people?
• How have risks, opportunities, and mitigation measures changed?

Future Outlook

• What key lessons learned from this year can we use next year?
• How should the strategy evolve based on these lessons learned? To what extent are UNHCR’s strategic priorities and the prioritization approach fit for purpose for the next year of the strategy?
• What key information do we need to gather next year?
• What areas might have new opportunities or risks in the future that need strategic rethinking, considering any contextual changes?
• How should the risks, opportunities and mitigation measures may change in the future?
• Did our planning assumptions hold true during the past year and what needs to be updated for the next implementation year?
• [Internal] What are the observations and actions related to the code of conduct, and managerial and operation responsibility in advancing the age, gender and diversity (AGD) policy and the operation’s efforts regarding protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), fraud prevention or other ethics-related practices?

Step 4: Complete the SMR and adjust your strategy

Once the SMR is finished, the operation shares the findings, conclusions and lessons learned with relevant stakeholders. This can be in the form of presentations, updates or a report.

Based on their data and evidence analysis, and the SMR, operations identify whether any course corrections, adjustments or reorientations are needed for the multi-year strategy. Such adjustments can include updates on the population planning figures and minor changes to outcomes, outputs or implementation modalities.  

A formal strategic reorientation is only necessary in case of major changes to the context, population trends, socio-economic situation, partners or stakeholders or an operation’s vision and priorities. If an operation identifies a need for strategic reorientation, it should consult with the relevant bureau. Operations can reflect other adjustments when the strategies are updated during the first quarter of the year. For more information on strategic modification, see PLAN – Section 8.

Finally, operations capture the findings of the SMR and the results analysis in the Annual Results Report (see SHOW – Section 2).