Global Shelter Cluster
Coordinating Humanitarian Shelter
Global Shelter Cluster - Teleconference 14 June 2012
Meeting MINUTES
1. Updates on key issues from the field
Pakistan: IOM recommended that a review of the Shelter Cluster in Pakistan should be carried out to
illustrate good practice, particularly around handover of cluster coordination responsibilities. Since the
Working Group on IMPACT is planning to carry out a number of inter-agency evaluations or case studies,
this will be considered in their planning.
Philippines: IOM (Philippines) highlighted difficulties in linking global level Cluster funding to country level
operations. The Working Group on Enhancing Shelter Cluster Coherence will consider this in the
deliverables linked to their work on better defining linkages between country and global level clusters.
IFRC, which carries out reviews of all clusters it leads at the country level, has recently completed a review
of the IFRC-led cluster in the Philippines. This will be shared and posted publicly on the website once a
management response has been completed.
El Salvador: IFRC provided an update on the cluster in El Salvador which has been recently handed over to
Habitat for Humanity. An evaluation noted considerable improvements in Contingency Planning and the
roles and responsibilities of national organizations are more defined. Nevertheless, concerns were raised
regarding the exclusion of shelter actors at the national level.
South Sudan: IOM informed participants that the Cluster is working on Emergency Shelter and NFI
distributions. NFI distribution monitoring report focusing on the Upper Nile region will be released shortly
by Medair.
Ivory Coast: UNHCR updated participants on a recent briefing by the Shelter Cluster Coordinator in Cote
d’Ivoire. The main gap identified was the lack of consideration for self-recovery. The gap was acknowledged
and will be followed up by the IMPACT Working Group.
Central African Republic: UNHCR is leading the Shelter/NFI Cluster since late 2011. Shelter is now included
in the CAP and thus shelter actors can access funding from the Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF).
Somalia: Comprehensive information on the Somalia Cluster is available on sheltercluster.org (click here),
including interesting Post Distribution Monitoring Guidelines, and specifications on the dignity kit which
was developed for women. Medair is working on producing a lighter version of the Post Distribution
Monitoring Guidelines and will share it once they are finished.
Bangladesh: IFRC is in the process of negotiating with UNDP leadership arrangements according to the
different stages of the disaster management cycle, as is the case in Mozambique with UN-Habitat.
2. Update on the Global Shelter Cluster activities
Coherence Working Group
 A work plan consisting of 8 broad issues has been prepared and is available for consultation on the
global section of sheltercluster.org (here). The WG will initially address the 3 following issues:
1. Scope and structure of the cluster
Global Shelter Cluster
Coordinating Humanitarian Shelter
2. Minimum requirements for country level cluster leads
3. Guidance documents on dealing with different cross-cutting / mainstreaming issues: Age, Gender,
Protection, HIV, Environment, SGBV.
Impact Working Group
 ToR and work plan will be available shortly and will be published in the global section of
sheltercluster.org (here)
 The Working Group will seek to develop key indicators and guidance to assess the cluster’s impact as a
result of the shelter response of cluster agencies.
HLP Working Group
 The Working Group is coordinating closely with the HLP Area of Responsibility of the Protection Cluster
(UNHABITAT leads both) and has identified the following 4 stage process:
1. Map land issues and create a matrix
2. Establish priorities (3-5 issues)
3. Undertake study to identify gaps
4. Develop strategic plan to raise awareness of land issues
 NRC has developed a one day training on HLP for shelter actors
Predictability in Shelter Cluster resources Working Group
 The Working Group has decided to change its name from “Predictability in Shelter Cluster funding” to
the above mentioned to include issues such as secondments, surge capacity and human resources.
3. Review of the proposed Terms of Reference for the Global Shelter Cluster Strategic Advisory Group
(SAG)
 The need for a SAG was discussed at the 2011 teleconference and advanced on 2011 Global Shelter
Cluster meeting in November 2011. Following up on this initial discussion a draft ToR was circulated
before the 2012 mid-year review meeting/teleconference.
 Contributions and comments were made on the proposed ToR for the SAG. The comments touched on
issues such as the need to establish mechanisms through which cluster members can contribute to the
SAG, further clarity on the provision of strategic oversight, membership of the SAG both in terms of
number and criteria for selection, decision making capacity of the SAG, and the need to include
mechanisms through which national actors can feed into the SAG.
 It was agreed that a new draft of the ToR will be circulated. An interim SAG will be established to further
refine the ToR and start acting in the interim period. Organizations interested in being part of the
interim SAG please notify Miguel (urquia@unhcr.org ) and Pablo (pablo.medina@ifrc.org). Any
organization member of the IASC (including NGOs which are part of ICVA or Interaction) can be
Global Shelter Cluster
Coordinating Humanitarian Shelter
members of the SAG. Organizations currently leading a WG are not automatically part of the SAG. The
interim SAG will present a new ToR for endorsement at the Global Shelter Cluster meeting in November
2012, after which members will commit for a period of one year.
4. AOB
 IDMC requested that any case study relevant to IDP assistance in accessing adequate housing and the
transition to durable solutions be shared. The concept note on housing practices for IDPs can be found
at sheltecluster.org here. For more information please contact Nadine Walicki from IDMC at
nadine.walicki@nrc.ch
 ACTED highlighted the need to discuss potential GSC contributions to MIRA. This will be done bilaterally
with the GSC lead agencies and in the framework of the Working Group on IMPACT.
Conclusions
 The Global Shelter Cluster meeting will take place on the 1st and 2nd of November hosted by IFRC at its
office in Geneva.
 Documents related to the GSC working groups can be found at the global section of sheltercluster.org
(here)
 Participants are encouraged to subscribe to Global Email Updates through sheltercluster.org here.
 Any feedback and suggestions from participants are welcomed and should be addressed to Miguel and
Pablo. Anonymous feedback on the work of the cluster (either at country or global level) can be
provided through sheltercluster.org here.