Shelter Cluster


The Shelter Cluster is an Inter-Agency Standing Committee coordination mechanism that supports people affected by natural disasters and conflicts with the means to live in safe, dignified and appropriate shelter.
The Shelter Cluster is one of eleven sectorial coordination groups that are part of the Cluster Approach, that followed the Humanitarian Response Review in 2005.
Currently 43 humanitarian organizations are part of the Shelter Cluster at global level, more than 500 organizations coordinate shelter assistance with the support of the Shelter Cluster at country level.
The Shelter Cluster’s scope includes all activities related to achieving the right to adequate housing with a humanitarian focus. This includes:
The Global Shelter Cluster is co-chaired by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The IFRC convenes the Shelter Cluster in natural disaster situations. UNHCR leads the Shelter Cluster in conflict situations where there are Internally displaced persons, whereas in refugee situations the core mandate of UNHCR takes precedence over the cluster system.
The IFRC is convening the Cluster and not leading it because, as a neutral and impartial organization, it cannot be part of the command structure of the United Nations. This difference was formalized in Memorandum of Understanding between the IFRC and The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The structure of the Global Shelter Cluster includes:
The Shelter Cluster’s structure also include working groups, communities of practice and other support mechanisms.

Operations

Since its inception in 2006, the Shelter Cluster has coordinated humanitarian shelter assistance in 43 responses.
YearCountryReason for deployment
2006IndonesiaEarthquake
2006PhilippinesTyphoon Durian
2007MozambiqueCyclone, floods
2007PakistanCyclone, floods
2007BangladeshCyclone Sidr
2007Sri LankaConflict
2008TadjikistanCold wave
2008MyanmarCyclone Nargis
2008NepalFloods
2008PakistanEarthquake
2009BangladeshCyclone Aila
2009Democratic Republic of CongoConflict
2009Indonesia, West SumatraEarthquake
2009Indonesia, West JavaEarthquake
2009Burkina FasoFloods
2009PhilippinesTyphoon Ketsana, Typhoon Parma
2009El SalvadorFloods
2009Occupied Palestinian TerritoriesReconstruction
2010HaitiEarthquake
2010KyrgyzstanConflict
2010MyanmarCyclone Giri
2010LesothoFloods
2011AfghanistanConflict
2011El SalvadorTropical Depression
2011Ivory CoastConflict
2011MadagascarSeasonal cyclones, floods
2011PhilippinesTropical Storm Washi
2011SudanConflict
2011YemenConflict
2012Central African RepublicConflict
2012FijiCyclone Evan
2012LibyaConflict
2012MaliConflict
2012PeruSeasonal Floods
2012PhilippinesTyphoon Bopha
2012SomaliaConflict
2012South SudanConflict
2012SyriaConflict
2012MyanmarConflict
2013IndiaFloods
2013MozambiqueSeasonal Floods
2013BangladeshCyclone Mahasen
2013PhilippinesBohol earthquake
2013PhilippinesTyphoon Haiyan
2014UkraineConflict
2015VanuatuCyclone Pam
2015NepalEarthquake
2016FijiCyclone Winston
2016EcuadorEarthquake