MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2002, Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning : Community Planning

This research examines the situation with the delivery of humanitarian services to the internally displaced persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan. It explores the ways in which relief assistance could be delivered more efficiently. The study concentrates on several major approaches to service delivery: 1) delivery of assistance in an integrated fashion (addressing multiple issues at a time), 2) delivery of assistance in a segmented fashion (addressing one issue at a time), 3) delivery of assistance with participation of the Government of Azerbaijan, and 4) delivery of assistance without the Government's participation. The research focuses on five main issues which have been identified as the most urgent ones: food aid, shelter, health, employment/income generation, and education. For each of these issues, the research tests the effectiveness of the above approaches to service delivery. The study concludes by establishing that integrated approaches to service delivery tend to yield longer-term results, but they can be complex and consume many more resources and much more time than segmented approaches. Segmented projects, generally, tend to be simpler, and reach far more beneficiaries. However, they are more likely not to eradicate root causes of problems addressed. And finally, collaboration and coordination of efforts with the government and other organizations involved are crucial to avoid overlapping and duplication of activities in both integrated and segmented projects.

Committee: Dr. Johanna W. Looye (Advisor) Subjects: Urban and Regional Planning