Iasc cluster approach evaluation, 2nd phase april 2010

Executive Summary
Introduction
Method
Background
Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations

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Mechanisms for 
strengthening partnership
cases,  however,  especially  in  clusters  led  by  WFP,  UNHCR  and  sometimes 
UNICEF, clusters were mainly composed of implementing partners of the lead 
agency  and  had  few  members  without  contractual  relationships  to  the  lead 
agency. The presence of NGO liaison officers in DRC and Myanmar enhanced 
the participation of international NGOs in clusters. 
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   Clusters strengthen partnerships between UN agencies and international NGOs, 
as well as among NGOs through several mechanisms, including:
 
•
   Co-lead  and  co-facilitator  arrangements
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  between  UN  agencies  and  non-UN 
organizations (see box 4 for examples). Overall, such co-lead and co-facilitator 
arrangements  have  positive  effects  in  terms  of  enhancing  credibility  among 
NGOs and enabling cluster operations in many cases where UN agencies faced 
access problems for security reasons.
46
 In some instances, however, NGOs did 
not take up proposals to become co-facilitators because they wanted to maintain 
their capacity to engage in advocacy vis-à-vis the lead agency; because they did 
not have sufficient resources for covering the position of a cluster coordinator; 
because responsibilities as co-facilitator were not clearly identified; or because 
they feared domination by the UN partner. 
 
•
   Generating peer review processes, for example relating to project proposals for major 
funding appeals, that require UN agencies to open up to the scrutiny of NGOs. 
In DRC, for example, organizations present and discuss their activities and this 
process has helped prevent bad practices. 
 
•
   Providing  a  platform  for  developing  concrete  joint  activities.  In  several  cases,  cluster 
members reported that concrete joint activities had arisen out of cluster meetings. 
 
•
   Providing a platform for joint advocacy. Many humanitarian actors highlighted the 
benefits of stronger advocacy, especially in the area of protection. In Myanmar, 
for example, the cluster system enabled humanitarian actors to start discussing 
the sensitive topic of protection with the government. In the oPt, clusters feed 
into an advocacy subgroup of the Humanitarian Country Team.
 
•
   Providing an entry point for newly arrived actors. Many humanitarian organizations 
emphasized  that  clusters  were  particularly  useful  for  new  and  smaller 
organizations, as they created good opportunities for networking.
45   In “co-lead” arrangements, UN agencies and other organizations share the formal leadership role at global 
or country level. In “co-facilitator” or “co-chair” arrangements, the role of the other organization is more 
restricted and focuses on supporting the running and facilitation of cluster meetings. The exact terminology 
for these different types of arrangements remains unclear.
46  Cf. NGOs and Humanitarian Reform Project (2010).