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DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE/TOOLKIT: 1. Coordination

Last updated: 21 Sep 2023

Overview

To ensure a harmonized and needs-based NFI distribution, IOM should coordinate with various stakeholders at national and local levels. These various levels of communication should be inter-woven, for instance, the prioritization of target groups may be coordinated at national level and reflected in the sector strategy, but the selection of beneficiaries may need to be coordinated with the local leaders, and de-duplicated with other partners working in the same location. 

 

Key considerations and topics of coordination

Local authorities
/community leaders		 Relevant Clusters/Sectors/WGs At the project location
(field coordination)
  • Ensure activities are in line with humanitarian principles and depoliticized. 
  • Secure unhindered access to beneficiaries for assessment and provision of assistance.
  • Clarity on IOM responsibilities.
  • Identify potential risks. 
  • Appropriate types of assistance and mode of distribution. 
  • Needs assessments and selection criteria. 
  • Conduct and monitor the distribution activities. 
  • Obtaining approval for distribution. (by signing a consent form) e.g. camp management agency 
  • Location/spaces of distribution sites.
  • Required support from local authority/community.
  • Arrangement of security and crowd control.
  • Align with the overall Shelter Cluster/Sector/Working Group’s strategy.
  • Avoid duplication. 
  • Trigger referrals to other sectors of assistance, for example, by coordinating with the WASH sector hygiene items can be distributed with NFI kits.
  • Harmonize/standardize the specifications, quantities and kits. 
  • Prioritize locations and modalities for beneficiary selection and distribution.
  • Share the distribution plans and the NFI stock capacity on regular basis with the Shelter Cluster. Update the plans if they have been revised according to the actual needs, especially in case of emergencies and massive displacements that require reallocation.

See: SHELTER AND NFI COORDINATION entry for more detailed guidance.
  • Harmonize localized approaches not covered under national coordination mechanism.  
  • Avoid field level duplication.
  • Understand potential gaps that others can cover.
  • Lower the risk of tensions in the beneficiary community.
  • Coordinate scheduling of activities.

Contacts

For more information, please contact the Shelter and Settlements Unit in Geneva: ShelterSupport@iom.int.

Please also find the contact information to the IOM Shelter Reference Group: ShelterReferenceGroup@iom.int.

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