Reference Group on Meeting Humanitarian Challenges in Urban Areas Work Plan for 2012

The IASC Reference Group for Meeting Humanitarian Challenges in Urban Areas (MHCUA
RG) has been implementing the endorsed IASC Strategy and Two-year Action Plan for Meeting
Humanitarian Challenges in Urban Areas for the past year. The Strategy builds upon six
objectives for improving humanitarian response in urban areas: Strengthen partnerships among
urban stakeholders for more effective humanitarian response, ii) Strengthen technical surge
capacity with urban skills, iii) Develop or adapt humanitarian tools and approaches for urban
areas, iv) Protection of vulnerable urban population against gender-based exploitation and
violence, v) Restore livelihoods and economic opportunities during initial phase for expedited
early recovery in urban areas, vi) and Improve preparedness in urban areas to reduce
vulnerabilty and save lives.
The MHCUA Two-year Action Plan includes the 12 highest priority actions identified in the
Strategy to be undertaken by IASC member organizations. Although not yet fully implemented,
Action Points have been achieved in most strategic objectives during the first year of Action
Plan implementation.