National Shelter/NFI Cluster Meeting - 17 September 2014, Jouhayna Hotel, Erbil – Minutes
Participants
Chair – Dag Sigurdson – National Shelter/NFI Cluster Coordinator
ACTED, BPRM (US Consulate), CCCM Cluster, DRC, ERC Erbil Governorate, Handicap International, IOM, Medair, Samaritan’s Purse, Save the Children, UN-HABITAT, UNHCR, UNICEF and UNOCHA
Agenda
· Welcome and introductions
· Opening remarks
· Finalisation of National Shelter/NFI Cluster Strategy
· Update on HNO/SRP process
· Update on Sub-National Shelter/NFI Cluster Operational Plan for KR-I
· AOB
Opening remarks
· An update on the HNO/SRP process is added to the agenda. No feedback has been received on the minutes circulated from the previous meeting, which will therefore be deemed accepted.
Finalisation of National Shelter/NFI Cluster Strategy
· The main purpose of this meeting is to continue the discussion around an overarching National Shelter/NFI Cluster Strategy, the strategy will be supported by two operational plans: one for the north of the country (KR-I) and one for the central and south of the country. So far, the Sub-National Operational Plan for the north has advanced the most.
· The draft national strategy has been shared with the participants of last week’s meeting for feedback but none was received, it therefore is deemed to be accepted by the Cluster partners.
· The strategy is based on the Shelter Cluster template and tries to capture the different scenarios across the country, it is meant to be a platform for joint interventions.
· The government counterpart in the centre and south of the country remains unclear; the counterpart that will be responsible for dealing with the displacement situation needs to be clarified. The Ministry of Planning is the government counterpart for KR-I.
· Members of the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) and Shelter/NFI Clusters have been listed based on their activity in shelter and NFI distributions on the ground, as their expertise is crucial. Participants are kindly asked to let the Cluster know if any additions are to be made.
· IOM is currently listed as the co-lead of the Cluster for centre and south of the country (TBC).
· It is explained that the Cluster was activated in Baghdad earlier this year, with a focus on NFI distributions in the south. With the escalation in displacement and refocus to the north, the situation has changed. The strategy therefore needs to capture the reality of the situation.
· UN-HABITAT wonders if the graph in the presentation that shows the breakdown of IDPs per shelter type is reflective of the whole country.
· It is explained that the realities might differ significantly per governorate; this is why the structure of the Cluster is split between the north of the country (KR-I) and the centre and south. Jens Christensen is Sub-National Shelter/NFI Cluster Coordinator for the north, for the centre and south a Sub-National Coordinator still needs to be identified.
· IOM confirms that that the graph is indeed a summary of the whole country. A new release of DTM figures will be shared tomorrow.
· Graphs showing shelter needs per governorate also exist, the CCCM Cluster has developed these and they will be shared with the participants.
· The main challenge is to agree on the planning figures, as the needs of the recently displaced are different from those that have been displaced earlier in the year and have already received assistance.
· There is an urgent need to address the shelter and NFI needs of about 480,000 people in the north[1], with winterisation as a major requirement. This figure is a result of consolidated assessments and has been verified in a workshop together with the Ministry of Planning.
· Of the remaining 940,000 IDPs in the rest of Iraq (most of who are in Anbar), 70% is likely to require assistance. Of those requiring assistance, 30% indicates that shelter is a priority and 70% indicates that NFIs are a priority. This adds up to 660,000 people in need of shelter and NFIs in the centre and south.
· The figures for NFI and shelter assistance do not add up to the total target population of 1,260,000 because a significant amount of people will need both shelter and NFI assistance.
· UN-HABITAT wants to know if the figures are linked to the last REACH report.
· It is explained that the REACH report was taken into account, but most of the figures are based on those submitted for the HNO process.
· The CCCM Cluster adds to this that DTM is the only dataset that allows planning at this level.
· Previous NFI distributions are not taken into account in these figures, as some people might have been displaced longer but remain in need of assistance for the duration of their displacement.
· The assistance required should therefore be spread out over a timeframe of 3, 6 and 9 months.
· The operational planning has to be guided by overall planning figures; this is the purpose of the strategy.
· BPRM asks for clarification on the division of activities and responsibilities between the various clusters.
· It is clarified that the CCCM and the Shelter/NFI Clusters work closely together and reinforce each other’s work. NFI distributions are managed by the Shelter/NFI Cluster, as are shelter interventions across the board. The CCCM Cluster is responsible for groups of more than 10 families, site selection, site monitoring and setting up and managing camps and collective centres.
· BPRM wants to know what happens if the absorption capacity of the planned camps (240,000 people) is fully utilised, are people in camps no longer the responsibility of the Shelter/NFI Cluster?
· It is clarified that the Shelter/NFI Cluster tried to map who is doing what in the 26 camps, and not all of them have funding or assigned lead agencies. The Cluster is focused on filling these gaps, to make sure that as many camps as possible are covered and management of them is as coordinated as possible. Unfunded and unmanaged camps are therefore the priority.
· OCHA wants to know if the government of KR-I has accepted the numbers, what the timescale is for the establishment of camps and how this fits into the IDP Immediate Response Plan.
· It is confirmed that the numbers are based on the consolidation of the IDP Immediate Response Plan and the workshop from last week. The figure of 480,000 people in need[2] seems to have been agreed, but the response plan is still in draft. Three priority groups were identified: people living in the open, people in schools and religious buildings and people in unfinished buildings, adding up to roughly 240,000 people.
· UNHCR points out that there are two sources for data, local government and monitoring teams from agencies. The latest government figures from Dohuk show that around 97,000 families are in need of assistance. The movement of displaced populations is a concern because of the approaching winter.
· It is very important to get IDPs currently living in schools out of these buildings before 15 October, when school starts. Camps are therefore being set up for these people, but UNHCR is appealing to the government to consider other shelter options as well.
· The figures seem realistic and are not contested; they will therefore be used in the SRP process.
· The objectives of the National Shelter/NFI Cluster are presented, which were also shared after last week’s meeting. They are supposed to be broad enough to last until the end of next year and support return of IDPs.
· UN-HABITAT wants to know if host communities are considered in the objectives.
· It is clarified that “affected communities” under Cluster Objective 1 covers this.
· The Key Issues reflect the actions that need to be taken to meet the Cluster Objectives.
· A lot of information is available to inform assessments, monitoring and evaluation. The products listed are informing the work of the Cluster, suggestions for additions are welcomed.
· UN-HABITAT points out that the government has a national policy on displacement, which could be included as a reference.
· The policy has been considered but deemed quite general in scope. However, it can be used as guidance and checked for compliance with international standards.
· The response plan figures will be updated on a regular basis, in 3 to 6 months a shift should become clear as people move to more viable shelter options. It is important to track movements across shelter types and this needs to be linked up to the various assessments that are undertaken. The table can also be expanded to give an overview per governorate; this would improve the detail of the analysis and provide an overview of gaps.
Update on HNO/SRP process
· The initial input was 6 pages, but the complete HNO is supposed to be 10 pages in total. A 1-page snapshot has therefore been submitted to push humanitarian issues to the forefront. OCHA has revised the draft and incorporated the snapshot.
· OCHA indicates that the final HNO meeting is today and thanks the Cluster for its input. Finalising the SRP is the next step.
· Projects uploaded to OPS need to be reviewed on 21 September the latest. Due to short deadlines, a number of projects still have a budget of 0, everyone is encouraged to finalise their budgets as quickly as possible.
· Cluster partners are asked to be available to review the projects, a good cross section of operational partners is preferred, but technical expertise is important as well. The suggested composition is UNHCR, IOM, NRC and ACTED because of these organisation’s role in the NFI and Shelter Working Groups. UN-HABITAT, OCHA and local NGOs are also invited.
· Valerie Amos visited last week; her advice highlights the urgent need for shelter and NFIs.
Update on Sub-National Shelter/NFI Cluster Operational Plan for KR-I
· After the workshop with the government last week, the first draft of the IDP Immediate Response Plan was developed within 48 hours. The shelter and NFI needs are clearly spelled out, and it is clear that building 26 camps is not going to be enough as at the moment this would for instance only cover roughly 200.000 people in Dohuk. Winterisation kits and alternative shelter solutions are therefore crucial.
· In Dohuk 29 people attended the Shelter/NFI meeting and there were many different organisations active trying to address the needs of the displaced people. Work is being undertaken on most camps, but big gaps still remain.
· Even if everything goes well, three large camps remain without a responsible agency. The main question is if Cluster partners will be able to move equally fast on all camps and get them ready before winter.
· In Erbil there is gap for 70,000 people, alternative land and sites therefore need to be identified. The government supports a more diversified approach to shelter.
· There is a need to stabilise people living outside of camps and support people living in camps with winterisation.
· In Baghdad, authorities have been telling IDPs to vacate 69 schools, while offering alternative shelter solutions. In Najaf and Karbala there is one month left to vacate the schools. There is a need to encourage agencies to focus more on the centre and south of the country, while supporting collective centres rather than camps.
· The Cluster will encourage the existing networks in the centre and south of the country and build upon them to ensure that there is a national and coherent approach to meeting the needs of the displaced. A targeted operational plan for the centre and south of the country is needed to complement the immediate response plan being developed for the KR-I.
AOB
· BPRM would like to know if there is a plan in place to relocate people that are currently living in schools.
· It is clarified that this is being discussed at governorate level between relevant authorities, as the situations differ. A Working Group for addressing the specific issues around schools could be formed at sub-national level. People that are living in schools are included in the targets.
· In Dohuk the process of moving people out of schools is led by the government, the humanitarian community is involved on an ad hoc basis. The sites that are offered as an alternative differ and so does the interest of people to move there.
Action points
· Participants are kindly asked to let the Cluster know if any additions are to be made to the list of Cluster partners.
· The CCCM Cluster has analysed the shelter needs per governorate, this analysis will be shared with the participants.
· Participants are kindly asked to let the Cluster know if any additions are to be made to the list of assessments.
· The Cluster will check the government’s national policy on displacement for relevant guidance and compliance with international standards.
· Projects uploaded to OPS need to be reviewed on 21 September the latest. Everyone is encouraged to finalise their budgets as quickly as possible.
· UNHCR, IOM, NRC and ACTED are asked to be available to review the projects on OPS. UN-HABITAT, OCHA and local NGOs are also invited.
www.sheltercluster.org 4
[1] The sub-national IDP Immediate Response Plan for KR-Iis currently being revised, the figure has been adjusted to 380,000.
[2] The sub-national IDP Immediate Response Plan for KR-Iis currently being revised, the figure has been adjusted to 380,000.