PMWG Checklist Shelter CAR MEAL Officers May 2016
Shelter
Losing a home can be a devastating experience, particularly in the context of an emergency. The provision of appropriate and safe shelter solutions is one way to promote the safety and dignity of beneficiaries as shelter not only helps reduce physical exposure to violence but can also provide an important sense comfort and security psychologically. As a potentially large asset, the way shelters are designed and allocated is crucial so ensuring meaningful access and establishing accountability processes (covering information sharing, beneficiary participation, feedback processes, and staff behaviour) should be a priority.
This checklist offers guidance for field staff on how the shelter program can be adapted to promote the safety, dignity and access of beneficiaries.
ANALYSIS
Assess who are the most vulnerable groups in the community such as internally displaced people, refugees, elderly, people living with chronic illnesses, child/female headed households, older people or people living with disabilities etc.[1]
Include questions about safety issues in the needs assessment e.g. physical attacks, mined areas, or environmentally unsuitable areas such as steep hills, subsiding land areas and areas prone to flooding, volcanic activities and other potential natural disasters.
Include questions in the needs assessment to understand whether the type of assistance will enhance people’s dignity i.e. is it culturally appropriate? Is it appropriate for all groups?
Include questions in needs assessment about possible barriers preventing people from registering or accessing shelter assistance. These could include: logistical(bad roads, time and distance to get assistance, lack of ID documents), financial(fare for transportation), security (unsafe roads, presence of armed groups or potential for thefts), physical (lack of mobility or physically unable to repair or rebuild their shelters), or psychological/cultural (certain groups who are unable to leave the house alone, child-care or other family responsibilities)
It is essential to understand land tenure arrangements, including statutory/legislative and customary access rights to land, water and other natural resources as well as inheritance rights. This precaution will reduce the risk of eviction or conflict erupting due lack of clarity of these issues. When unsure consult Protection Cluster (Housing, Land and Property Group where possible).
Assess whether access to shelter is causing tension or conflict.
Whenever possible, locally acceptable and available materials and labour should be used to benefit the local economy, while not depleting local resources
MAPPING AND REFERRAL
Compile and share information between staff on existing service providers in the community (police, health care – medical and psychosocial – family tracing, safe houses etc) and how to contact them if staff are approached by people who have been exposed to harm (do not deliberately seek to identify specific incidents or individual survivors).
Provide information about people’s entitlements and where and how they can access remedies, resolve disputes or apply for compensation – by referring to relevant authorities, legal services, or another agencies specialising in housing, land and property rights.
Provide information about actors who are supporting people to secure or replace documentation such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, passports, land titles or other property documentation.
[1] Until more accurate information is available, assume that 15% of the affected population has some form of disability. Help Age International estimates that at least 11% of the world’s population is over the age of 60.