Overview

Cluster Approach Map

 Humanitarian Reform and the Global Cluster Approach

Humanitarian reform seeks to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian response by ensuring greater predictability, accountability and partnership. It is an ambitious effort by the international humanitarian community to reach more beneficiaries, with more comprehensive needs-based relief and protection, in a more effective and timely manner.

Contacts: Global Cluster/Sector Lead Contacts and Cross-cutting Issues Leads

Policy and Guidance

Training

The ad hoc, unpredictable nature of many international responses to humanitarian emergencies prompted the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) in 2005 to launch an independent Humanitarian Response Review of the global humanitarian system. The review assessed the humanitarian response capacities of the UN, NGOs, Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and other key humanitarian actors including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to identify critical gap areas and to make recommendations to address them.

Following the recommendations of the review, the cluster approach was proposed as a way of addressing gaps and strengthening the effectiveness of humanitarian response through building partnerships. Moreover the cluster approach ensures predictability and accountability in international responses to humanitarian emergencies, by clarifying the division of labour among organizations, and better defining their roles and responsibilities within the different sectors of the response. It is about making the international humanitarian community more structured, accountable and professional, so that it can be a better partner for host governments, local authorities and local civil society.

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) has designated global cluster leads in eleven areas of humanitarian activity.

 Aim

The Cluster Approach aims to strengthen overall response capacity as well as the effectiveness of the response in five key ways: 

  • First, the approach aims to ensure sufficient global capacity is built up and maintained in all the main sectors/areas of response, with a view to ensuring timely and effective responses in new crises. 

  • Second, the approach ensures predictable leadership in all the main sectors/areas of response. Cluster leads are responsible for ensuring response capacity is in place and that assessment, planning and response activities are carried out in collaboration with partners and in accordance with agreed standards and guidelines. Cluster leads also act as the “provider of last resort”. 

  • Third, the approach is designed around the concept of partnerships (i.e. clusters) between UN agencies, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement* , international organizations and NGOs. Partners work together towards agreed common humanitarian objectives both at the global level (preparedness, standards, tools, stockpiles and capacity-building) and at the field level (assessment, planning, delivery and monitoring). By designating cluster leads, the aim is to make the international humanitarian community a better partner for host governments, local authorities and local civil society, and to avoid situations were governments have to deal with hundreds of uncoordinated international actors. 

  • Fourth, the approach strengthens accountability. Cluster leads are accountable, at the global level, to the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) for building up a more predictable and effective response capacity in line with IASC agreements. At the field level, in addition to their normal institutional responsibilities, cluster leads are accountable to Humanitarian Coordinators for fulfilling agreed roles and responsibilities for Cluster leadership, such as those listed in the IASC Generic Terms of Reference for Sector/Cluster Leads at the Country Level. The approach also strengthens accountability to beneficiaries through commitments to participatory and community-based approaches, improved common needs assessments and prioritization, and better monitoring and evaluation. 

  • Fifth, the approach should help to improve strategic field-level coordination and prioritization in specific sectors/areas of response by placing responsibility for leadership and coordination of these issues with the competent operational agency.  

*The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has stated that its position on the cluster approach is the following: "Among the components of the Movement, the ICRC is not taking part in the cluster approach. Nevertheless, coordination between the ICRC and the UN will continue to the extent necessary to achieve efficient operational complementarity and a strengthened response for people affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence. At the global level, the ICRC participates as an observer in many of the cluster working group meetings. 

 When is the Cluster Approach Used?
If major “new” emergency requires a multi-sectoral response with participation of a wide range of international humanitarian actors, the cluster approach should be used from the start to plan and organize the international response. For new emergencies the activation procedure should be followed, which entails the following:

  • The humanitarian coordinator (HC) or resident coordinator (RC) consults relevant partners;
  • He/she proposes leads for each major area and sends a proposal to Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC);
  • ERC shares proposal with Global Cluster Leads;
  • ERC ensures agreement at global level and communicates agreement to HC/RC and partners within 24 hours of receiving the proposal;
  • HC/RC informs host government and all partners.

During on-going emergencies, it has been endorsed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) in late 2006, that all countries with Humanitarian Coordinators will implement the cluster approach.

A  "Diagnostic Tool" to steer the progress and ensure that the next phase of humanitarian reform is a field driven process has been developed. The tool aims to assist Humanitarian Country Teams (HCTs) to determine the support needed to use the approach and to establish a plan and timeframe for doing so.

The tool is based on lessons learned from the IASC Interim Self-Assessment of the Cluster Approach, conducted in autumn 2006.  Taking these lessons into consideration should ensure that HCTs using the approach in 2007 (a) understand the operational purpose and modalities of the cluster approach, (b) clearly identify roles and responsibilities, response capacity and operational gaps, (c) ensure that adequate coordination structures are in place, and (d) develop targets against which progress can be measured.

The Diagnostic Tool is designed to assist Humanitarian Coordinators in guiding discussions with HCT partners on how to proceed with planning for and using the cluster approach. Completing the diagnostic analysis should not require a heavy process. Most of the information required should be readily available in existing documents (e.g. CHAP, UNDAF, RC Annual Report, notes from meetings, etc.).

Upon completion of the exercise the HCT should have consensus on (a) the current state of response capacity (and response gaps) and coordination mechanisms in country and how this compares to the "standards" of leadership, partnership, predictability and accountability of the cluster approach as outlined in the Guidance Note, (b) a bullet-point list of the “next steps” to be taken by the Humanitarian CT to use the cluster approach (with key targets and timeframe) and (c) a bullet point list of the external support that is needed to begin (e.g. guidance notes, advice needed, issues that require further clarification, targeted training).

 Links
  ReliefWeb
  OCHA IM Toolbox
  Humanitarian Information Centres and Partners
  OCHA Who, Does, What, Where (3W)
  OCHA in 2010
  IRIN
  Humanitarian Appeal CAP
  CERF
  FTS
  RedHum
  OCHA 3W
  Virtual OSOCC
  GDACS
  IASC
  Trust Fund for Human Security
  Partnership