Cluster approach (humanitarian)

Cluster approach (humanitarian)
Name	Cluster approach (humanitarian)
Established	2005
Jurisdiction	International humanitarian response
Parent	United Nations

Cluster approach (humanitarian) The cluster approach is a coordination system for international humanitarian response designed to strengthen United Nations-led coordination among UNHCR, World Health Organization, UNICEF, IOM and other agencies. It was launched after the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami and the Goma eruption alongside reforms prompted by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. The model aims to clarify leadership across sectors such as WFP-led logistics, OCHA-facilitated coordination, and ICRC-engaged protection.

Background and Rationale

The approach originated from reviews following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the 2005 World Summit, and evaluations by the Humanitarian Reform process that involved OHCHR, UNDP, UNRWA, IFRC and donor states including United States, United Kingdom, European Commission partners. It responded to shortcomings exposed during the Hurricane Katrina and Darfur conflict responses, seeking to align capabilities from organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières, Save the Children, Oxfam International, CARE International, Mercy Corps and World Vision. The rationale was to create predefined sectoral leadership for areas including health, shelter, nutrition, protection, water and sanitation, and logistics to avoid duplication among actors like IFRC and specialized agencies such as FAO.

Structure and Governance

Governance rests on the Inter-Agency Standing Committee framework, with strategic oversight by the United Nations Secretary-General and operational support from OCHA. Each cluster is typically led by a designated agency: for example, WHO for health, UNICEF for water, sanitation and hygiene, WFP for logistics and UNHCR for shelter in refugee contexts. Cluster governance interacts with national authorities such as ministries and with actors including IRC, Norwegian Refugee Council, German Red Cross, Caritas Internationalis, and regional bodies like the African Union and Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Donor coordination involves stakeholders such as the ECHO, USAID, JICA and multilateral funds like the Central Emergency Response Fund.

Cluster Roles and Responsibilities

Cluster leads are responsible for needs assessment, strategic planning, inter-agency resource mobilization, and setting technical standards in collaboration with specialists from UNICEF, WHO, UNHCR, WFP, FAO, IOM and non-governmental partners including ActionAid, Plan International, Christian Aid and Islamic Relief Worldwide. Responsibilities include producing consolidated appeals such as the CAP and the Humanitarian Response Plan, coordinating with situational analysis tools used by ReliefWeb, GPHIN, UNAIDS and maintaining liaison with military actors where appropriate, for example during 2010 Haiti earthquake operations that saw engagement from the United States Southern Command and French Armed Forces.

Implementation and Coordination Mechanisms

Implementation uses information management platforms, cluster meetings, technical working groups, and joint needs assessments executed by consortia including ACAPS, Sphere Project, CCPM mechanisms and standards from IASC principals. Coordination mechanisms have linked with emergency appeals such as the Flash Appeal and tools from UNOPS and UNDP for early recovery. Operational field coordination has involved actors like British Red Cross, CIDA, Australian Humanitarian Partnership and local civil society such as Bangladesh Red Crescent Society during cyclones and Nepal Red Cross Society after earthquakes.

Evaluation, Challenges, and Criticisms

Evaluations by the Independent Review of the Humanitarian Response to the 2010 Haiti Earthquake and reports commissioned by OCHA and the IASC noted improvements in predictability and capacity but criticized gaps in cluster performance, accountability, localization, and engagement with organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières and local NGOs. Critics including scholars from Harvard University, London School of Economics, Columbia University and practitioners from Humanitarian Policy Group and Overseas Development Institute flagged problems: overlap between UNHCR and IOM mandates in migration crises, politicization in contexts like Syria, resource constraints in protracted crises such as Yemen and coordination fatigue during simultaneous crises like the West African Ebola epidemic.

Case Studies and Notable Deployments

Notable deployments include the 2005 Pakistan Kashmir earthquake response where UNICEF, WHO and UNHCR led clusters; the 2010 Haiti earthquake where clusters coordinated with military and bilateral responses from United States, France and Canada; the 2014–2016 West African Ebola epidemic where WHO leadership faced critique; the 2015 Nepal earthquake where clusters aided by Asian Development Bank and JICA supported recovery; and the ongoing responses in Syria crisis and Yemen humanitarian crisis where clusters interface with International Criminal Court-adjacent accountability debates and sanctions regimes involving UNSC deliberations. Other deployments include cyclone responses in Philippines (Typhoon Haiyan), displacement responses in the South Sudan crisis, and the Rohingya emergency in Bangladesh where UNHCR, IOM and humanitarian partners coordinated large-scale shelter and protection operations.

Category:Humanitarian aid