Minimum Economic Recovery Standards: Third Edition

The Minimum Economic Recovery Standards (MERS) offer tools for humanitarian agencies, inter-governmental organizations, local populations and government departments to enhance the effectiveness and quality of the economic assistance offered, and thus make a significant difference in the lives of the people affected by disasters. For this third edition, 90 organizations and 175 international technical professionals across every region engaged with MERS in a full revision of the standards.

The Standards are designed to be used pre-crisis, in the earliest days of response, through recovery, to the beginning of longer term development. They are helpful any time you are interacting with a market – whether the response is intended to be market-neutral, market-aware, or market-integrated. They can be used for any market and for programs where economic or livelihood outcomes are not the primary focus of the activities. This book will be most useful to field practitioners and humanitarians implementing programs immediately after a crisis. Donors, governments, private-sector actors, proposal writers, and operational staff may also find it a helpful reference point when designing or reviewing project activities.

Six categories of standards are included: 1) Core Standards, 2) Assessment and Analysis Standards, 3) Enterprise and Market Systems Development Standards, 4) Asset Distribution Standards, 5) Financial Services Standards, and 6) Employment Standards.