A growing literature advocates the use of triggers for action as part of an early warning and response system for humanitarian assistance, although there is as yet little discussion of approaches to defining such triggers.
Triggers based on humanitarian need can include particular triggers for different levels of crisis. The literature also notes that both ‘entry’ and ‘exit’ triggers are important to ensure the programme starts and finishes according to need, not funding or political considerations. ‘Soft’ triggers can be used to start a consideration process for response, and ‘hard’ triggers can be used to begin an automatic intervention. The report provides examples of trigger frameworks and indicators.
Trigger indicators should be context-specific and based on field research. Key recommendations for developing trigger indicators are to:
- Identify the shocks of greatest local concern
- Choose trigger indicators that provide sufficient advance notice
- Set conservative thresholds for triggers that reflect the exponential (rather than gradual) worsening of crisis
- Ensure that the trigger system supports, rather than undermines, national and community processes
- Ensure that indicators are workable
- Ensure that trigger indicators are agreed among different actors.
