Iasc cluster approach evaluation, 2nd phase april 2010

Executive Summary
Introduction
Method
Background
Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations

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•
   Geographic  coverage.  Clusters  can  be  implemented  in  entire  countries  or 
territories, for example in the oPt, or for limited geographic areas of a country, 
as in Uganda, DRC, Chad and Myanmar. Partial implementation can be due 
to the geographic concentration of an emergency or to political pressures not to 
classify certain situations as “humanitarian”, including in Karamoja/Uganda 
and the border areas of Myanmar. Clusters are never implemented for refugee 
situations, where UNHCR has an overall mandate for coordination.
17
 
 
•
   Coverage of thematic areas. Various numbers of clusters, ranging from six to eleven, 
were implemented in the case study countries. In several cases, different clusters 
were combined at country level. 
 
•
   Level of integration with existing mechanisms. Sector-based coordination mechanisms 
existed  in  all  case  study  countries  before  the  implementation  of  the  cluster 
approach. While global guidance clearly specifies that clusters are intended to 
strengthen  sectoral  coordination  and  that  relevant  fora  can  be  called  clusters 
or  sectors,  countries  chose  very  different  approaches  and  clusters  were  either 
introduced in addition to sectors, replaced them or were merged with them.
18
 
 
•
   Country-specific challenges. Different country contexts present specific challenges 
for  the  implementation  of  the  cluster  approach.  This  ranges  from  questions 
concerning  the  interaction  between  clusters  and  peacekeeping  or  integrated 
missions  in  Haiti,  Chad  and  DRC,  to  political  or  security-related  access 
constraints in Myanmar, the oPt, Chad and DRC. 
 
•
   Terminology. There is no uniform use of terms to describe clusters. Thus, some 
countries  continue  to  use  the  term  “sectors”  for  all  or  some  clusters,
19
  “sub-
clusters” can either refer to clusters at the level of provinces or thematic sub-
groups or working groups and shared cluster lead arrangements can be termed 
“co-lead”,  “co-chair”,  “co-facilitator”  or  “co-stewardship”  arrangements. 
This report will use “cluster” as the main term for sector-based coordination 
forum, “sub-cluster” for thematic sub-groups, “co-lead” for shared leadership 
arrangements and “co-facilitator” for instances where cluster lead organizations 
delegate or hand over cluster coordination tasks at national or sub-national level 
to other organizations. 
17   An exception are Palestinian refugees, for which the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine 
Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA) is responsible.
18  IASC (2006b)
19   In the oPt, for example, some thematic areas remain “sectors”, whereas others have become “clusters” and 
this has created confusion among humanitarian actors.