Review of the International Federation's Shelter Committment

In late 2006 the Federation Secretary General and the United Nations Emergency Response Coordinator signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), committing the Federation to take a leading role in the provision of shelter in response to natural disasters. The Federation’s commitments were both global and local. At global level, the Federation pledged to increase its operational capacity and to lead a ‘network of interested organisations’. Following specified natural disasters in which emergency shelter was required, it further pledged to coordinate a network of agencies at field level.

The ‘network’ referred to in the MoU was the IASC Emergency Shelter Cluster. The present report was commissioned by the Federation’s Shelter Department. It reflects on steps taken by the Federation in fulfilment of the commitments it made in 2006. It considers demands on the Federation and its members, and how the Federation has met the expectations of stakeholders in leading or ‘convening’ the Emergency Shelter Cluster. Through desk review, and interviews with and questionnaires to current and former staff of Shelter Coordination Teams, of the Movement and of other Shelter Cluster partners and stakeholders, the report considers:

• The extent to which the Federation has met the MoU commitments it made in 2006 in respect of the Shelter Cluster
• The extent to which the Federation’s role in convening the Cluster has improved the coordination of emergency shelter
• How the Federation’s performance in leading the Cluster in natural disaster and preparedness has contributed to advancing humanitarian reform.

Findings are intended to provide a ‘report card’ that will inform the Federation’s own understanding and next steps as Cluster convener. The report aims to identify lessons and make recommendations on a) the measures needed to maintain the commitment made by the Federation and b) how the Federation can improve its services to the Shelter Cluster.