The Humanitarian Reform Agenda aims to dramatically enhance humanitarian response capacity, 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.

 

Cluster Approach Adequate capacity and predictable leadership in all sectors

Humanitarian Financing Adequate, timely and flexible funding

HC Strengthening Improved humanitarian coordination and leadership

Partnership Building More effective partnerships between UN and non-UN humanitarian actors

 

• THE CLUSTER APPROACH

   

  The IASC Working Group has now endorsed the "Guidance Note on using the Cluster Approach to Strengthen Humanitarian Response."

   

  Concerning the scope of application of the cluster approach, the revised Guidance Note states that: 

  • "In the event of a sudden major new emergency requiring a multi-sectoral response with the participation of a wide range of international humanitarian actors, the cluster approach should be used from the start in planning and organizing the international response."

  and that  

  • "The cluster approach should eventually be applied in all countries with Humanitarian Coordinators. By definition, these are countries with humanitarian crises, which are beyond the scope of any one agency’s mandate and where the needs are of sufficient scale and complexity to justify a multi-sectoral response with the engagement of a wide range of humanitarian actors."

  Concerning terminology, the revised Guidance Note states the following: "some Humanitarian Country Teams prefer to speak of "clusters" and "cluster leads", while others prefer to stick to the more traditional terminology of "sectors", "sectoral groups" and "sector leads" (or in some cases, "working groups", "thematic groups" or "task forces"). It should be left to Humanitarian Country Teams to decide on a case-by-case basis on appropriate terminology for the country in question, depending on the working language and agency preferences. To ensure coherence, standard terminology should be used within each country and similar standards should be applied to all the key sectors or areas of humanitarian activity. A "cluster" is essentially a "sectoral group" and there should be no differentiation between the two in terms of their objectives and activities; the aim of filling gaps and ensuring adequate preparedness and response should be the same."

   

  The meeting, which took place in New York (15-19 November 2006), discussed the Note in light of the outcomes of the "IASC Interim Self-Assessment of Implementation of the Cluster Approach in the Field" . The Interim Self-Assessment is a progress report highlighting main trends, themes and lessons from field experience. Despite constraints in time and methodology, there was a remarkable consistency of issues raised. A comprehensive evaluation of the cluster approach is expected in late 2007.

   

  The overall perception is that the cluster approach demonstrated potential to improve the overall effectiveness of humanitarian response by improving predictability and response capacity, designating clear leads in former "gap" areas, and fostering an atmosphere where partnership between UN and non-UN humanitarian organizations is increasingly the expected norm. Furthermore the cluster approach has created a greater "spirit" of working together. It provided the necessary impetus to begin putting in place the coordination and decision-making structures for genuine UN/non-UN partnership. More needs to be done to translate the desire for partnership into practical, field-based solutions, and the Gobal Humanitarian Platform should help to make this a reality.

   

  However, challenges remain. These include issues of cluster working methods; lack of a consistent approach in applying the cluster lead ToR, lack of clarity about the aims and modalities of the approach; the need for training/cluster sector leads; the role of cluster partners; the need for adequate IM tools and services to support the approach, coordination structures were sometimes not rationalized (leading to too many meetings), and a perception that many Humanitarian Coordinators were not sufficiently briefed on the approach to lead it properly.

   

  The combination of the endorsement of the "Guidance Note" and the agreement to address the outcomes of the "IASC Interim Self-Assessment" provides the momentum for real change and active learning for 2007.

   

  NEXT STEPS

   

  1. The cluster approach should eventually be applied in all countries with Humanitarian Coordinators. The IASC WG has requested that a Task Team be established to support the process of introduction of the cluster approach to countries with Humanitarian Coordinators in 2007.

   

  2. The Task Team will help implement the recommendations of the Self Assessment, including;
   

  1. Operationalize the Guidance Note through the development of a practical toolkit with standard operating procedures and appropriate training.
  2. Develop benchmarks against which the 2007 evaluation of implementation of the cluster approach will measure progress.
  3. Address and prioritise requests for support from the field
  4. Ensure the development of additional practical guidance for outstanding issues that came up strongly in the Self-Assessment, such as:

a. roles of clusters in resource mobilization;
 

b. role of clusters in mainstreaming early recovery;
 

c. operational mechanics of using the approach in countries with integrated missions.
 

d. Identification of tools to promote greater system-wide accountability to affected populations.

REFERENCE MATERIALS   1. Humanitarian Reform Newsletter – End of Year (pdf) 2. "Guidance Note on using the Cluster Approach to Strengthen Humanitarian Response" (pdf) 3. "IASC Interim Self-Assessment of Implementation of the Cluster Approach in the Field" (pdf) 4. Powerpoint Presentation on Humanitarian Reform