ReliefWeb

Overview

The Shelter Cluster has been active in Ethiopia since 2008. The two-year Shelter / NFI Cluster strategy for Ethiopia is intended to guide interventions for Shelter Cluster members until the end of 2021. It recognizes that contexts across Ethiopia are both changeable and highly specific, with unique needs per location. At the time of writing, there were 3.2 million1 IDPs in Ethiopia, from both conflict and climate-related disasters. Whilst it is hoped that conditions will allow these people to return to their place of origin before 2021, previous experience shows that there is a high likelihood of further displacement. As a result, the strategy includes consideration of shelter preparedness, response and shelter recovery support to account for both returns and secondary displacement.

The strategy has been developed with the input of government an other stakeholders, including linked clusters and partners. It recognizes that shelter assistance will increasingly need to be conducted in close coordination with multi-sectoral stakeholders to ensure that approaches are integrated and that broader needs are addressed. It is based on the understanding that shelter and NFI interventions must include better integration with government and civil society.

The strategy holds protection of affected populations at its core. Core principles are to be mainstreamed throughout shelter and NFI operations:

• Do no harm: prioritizing health, privacy, safety and dignity,
• Accountability
• Management of expectations
• Adequate targeting
• Ensuring meaningful access of affected populations
• Participation and empowerment of affected people
• Enhancing resilience
• Coordination, and
• Context driven responses.

It includes a breadth of response options, including in kind assistance, cash and markets assistance, integrated programming with shelter construction and rehabilitation activities and a strong focus on Housing, Land and Property, capacity building of staff, national authorities, civil society and affected populations and advocacy for those with shelter and household needs.

The strategy articulates the Shelter Cluster’s goal, objectives and available response options covering a range of situations across Ethiopia. This includes new emergency displacements and disasters, care and maintenance of shelter for people in protracted displacements and supporting sustainable returns and recovery where the context allows, and it is safe to do so.

This strategy does not include refugee populations and is to be implemented in parallel with the Ethiopia Country Refugee Response Plan (ECRRP) 2019-2021.