Coordination

Shelter Cluster coordination at the global level

IOM is an active member of the Global Shelter Cluster, is a founding member of the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) and is part of the Global Shelter Cluster Support Team. Additionally, IOM has consistently led or co-led global cluster working groups and communities of practice.

Shelter coordination at country level

Shelter coordination mechanisms vary by context. In some responses, there are formalized clusters, in others the government may entirely lead a response, there may be ad-hoc groups or formalized shelter working groups. In others it may simply be that an agency is allocated by United Nations Country Team (UNCT)/ Humanitarian Country team (HCT) to handle the shelter component of the resources received through the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). For more information on the cluster activation process at the country level, see the humanitarian frameworks chapter. Although UNHCR (conflict) and IFRC (natural disasters) are global leads for the shelter cluster, there are many situations where IOM takes a cluster lead or co-leadership role at country level.

In all circumstances, IOM should always be an active member of the Shelter coordination mechanism. While IOM's role (e.g. cluster / or sectoral lead, co-lead or partner) may vary depending on the context, IOM shelter teams should always be engaged in coordinated assessments, meetings and other cluster/sector-led initiatives. IOM's Shelter Programmes should be in line with the overall Shelter cluster/sector strategy - the types of interventions, including understanding what materials should be procured and distributed, what locations to prioritize and modalities for beneficiary selection and distribution should be in line with the overall coordinated strategy.

Inter-cluster coordination

The very nature of Shelter and Settlements interventions, which aim at protecting the health, privacy and dignity of individuals affected by crises, require efficient coordination with other sectors as activities may often overlap or be closely connected. Stand-alone solutions cannot respond to the complex needs of affected individuals. In some cases, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) and Shelter/NFI clusters are combined, although this depends on the context/response and is not always recommended. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions are often included in Shelter programmes, and logistics are a crucial part of Shelter operations as they rely heavily on procurement of relief items and construction materials, while Early Recovery is a key component of the initial response phase after an emergency and leads to recovery, resilience building and reconstruction programmes – all aspects are interconnected with shelter and settlements. Regular coordination with other cluster partners is essential to ensuring an effective and targeted delivery of Shelter and NFI response.

Media

Contacts

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

Please also find the contact information to the larger IOM Shelter Reference Group, composed of operational staff in the field: ShelterReferenceGroup@iom.int.