Emergency Toolkit

Cluster Coordination Reference Module

**The cluster coordination mechanism is one of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Transformative Agenda Protocols. This document outlines the basic elements of cluster coordination and intends to serve as a reference guide for field practitioners to help facilitate their work and improve humanitarian outcomes:** The reference module includes eight sections: - Cluster and Sector Coordination - Cluster Activation - Cluster Functions - The Role of Clusters in Preparedness - Cluster Management Arrangements - Sharing Leadership - Minimum Commitments for Participation in Clusters - Inter-Cluster Coordination, Sub-National Coordination, Monitoring Cluster Coordination

Multi-Cluster/Sector Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA)

The Multi-Cluster/Sector Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA) is designed to identify strategic humanitarian priorities during the first weeks following an emergency. MIRA should be carried out under the auspices of the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator (while the primary responsibility for coordinating humanitarian assistance rests with national authorities, if international humanitarian assistance is required a Humanitarian Coordinator-HC or Resident Coordinator-RC is responsible for leading and coordinating the efforts of humanitarian organizations (both UN and non-UN)) and wherever possible, led by the government. MIRA is not specifically designed for MHPSS, but it does provide important information on the needs perceived by the affected community. It consists of: - Secondary data analysis (SDA) to determine the extent of the disaster and the number of affected people and to sketch out the strategic humanitarian priorities. - Community level assessment (CLA) - The MIRA Framework to align intra- and inter-sectoral information and to - support humanitarian actors reach a common understanding on strategic - humanitarian priorities. - The assessment normally comes with 2 products: - A Preliminary Scenario Definition, is issued 72 hours after the disaster’s - onset - A MIRA Report, released after 2 weeks.

Global Multisectoral Operational Framework for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support of Children, Adolescents and Caregivers Across Settings [Field Demonstration version]

UNICEF’s operational framework aims to help develop programmes across the social ecological model and the mental health continuum of prevention, promotion and treatment to improve the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of children, adolescents and their caregivers globally. The strategies and approaches included in the framework will help in accelerating actions for children’s, adolescents’ and caregivers’ mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in national and regional development strategies. The framework can be used in development contexts, humanitarian contexts and within the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. This operational framework emphasizes engaging actors in the health, social welfare and child protection and education sectors at all levels of society to design, implement and evaluate MHPSS strategies that are locally relevant, comprehensive and sustainable.

The Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action 2019

The Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) are intended to: 1. Establish common principles amongst those working in child protection, and to strengthen coordination between them. 2. Improve the quality of child protection programming, and its impact for children. Improve accountability within child protection work 3. Provide a synthesis of good practice and learning to date 4. Enable better advocacy and communication on child protection risks, needs and responses.

Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action. Reducing risk, promoting resilience and aiding recovery

These guidelines provide practical guidance and effective tools for humanitarians and communities to coordinate, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate essential actions for the prevention and mitigation of gender-based violence, throughout all stages of emergency response, from preparedness to recovery. MHPSS is integrated throughout the guidelines.

Camp Management Toolkit

Applicable to both IDP and refugee scenarios, the toolkit incorporates a wide range of relevant information on managing displaced populations living in communal settings (collective centres, spontaneous sites, established camps, etc.).

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants on the Move in Europe 2015

This brief guidance note seeks to provide advice on protecting and supporting the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants in Europe. It describes key principles and appropriate interventions to guide all those who are designing and organizing emergency services and/ or providing direct assistance to the affected people.

Psychosocial Support and Social and Emotional Learning for Children and Youth in Emergency Settings

This document clarifies relevant terminologies and approaches relating to psychosocial well-being and social and emotional learning (SEL) in education in crisis affected contexts, and how psychosocial support (PSS) and social and emotional learning relate to one another

Operational Guidance for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings

The toolkit provides a set of materials to assist managers and facilitators/animators in setting up and implementing quality CFS. These resources have at their core the protection of children from harm; the promotion of psychosocial well-being; and the engagement of community and caregiver capacities.

Inter-Agency Guiding Principles on Unaccompanied and Separated Children

This set of comprehensive guidelines outlines a framework and set of principles intended to ensure that the rights and needs of separated children are effectively addressed. The guidelines aim to promote and support preparedness, coordination and good practice based on lessons learnt. The document addresses all aspect of an emergency from preventing separations, to family tracing and reunification through to long-term solutions and encourages the pooling of complementary skills and expertise.

Sexual and Gender Based Violence - A Two- Day Psychosocial Training

This training is a basic introduction to understanding sexual and gender-based violence in a psychosocial context. It is our hope that this training will provide staff and volunteers with the skills and confidence to better respond to the needs of people affected by SGBV.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings: What Should Camp Coordination and Camp Management Actos Know?

This document is for humanitarian actors within the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) cluster, at national and subnational levels, in countries facing emergencies and crises. This document provides an overview of essential knowledge that humanitarian actors within the CCCM cluster/sector should have about MHPSS in humanitarian emergencies

Guidance Note on Psychosocial Support Facilitating Psychosocial Wellbeing and Social and Emotional Learning

This INEE Guidance Note encourages more intentional and consistent implementation of practical, good quality psychosocial interventions on the education frontlines by teachers, education administrators, parents, counselors, peers, ministries, and other education personnel in three concrete ways: - It clarifies the education sector’s importance in supporting the psychosocial wellbeing of children and youth; - It provides educators with practical tips and advice about how to integrate PSS into formal and non- formal education efforts; - It highlights linkages between PSS in education and other sectors

Health Cluster Guide: A Practical Handbook

This Health cluster guide highlights key principles of humanitarian health action and how coordination and joint efforts among health and other sector actors working in partnership can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of health interventions and promote better health outcomes. It draws on Inter-Agency Standing Committee and other documents but also includes lessons from field experience. Although addressed to health cluster lead agencies, coordinators and partners, the guidance is equally valid for coordinators and members of health sector groups that seek to achieve effective health action in countries where the cluster approach has not been formally adopted. The guide should be useful in different humanitarian crisis contexts, including sudden onset and slow onset crises and protracted emergencies. It does not address all the specificities of the different contexts.

Evaluation of Child Friendly Spaces - Tools and Guidance for Monitoring and Evaluating Child Friendly Spaces

This document provides practical guidance to child protection and MHPSS practitioners for monitoring and evaluating child friendly spaces. It presents tools for planning and implementing monitoring and evaluation of CFS. For each tool, the objectives are explained, along with insights and lessons on the usefulness of the tool.

Alternative Care in Emergencies Toolkit 2013

This book is designed to facilitate interagency planning and implementation of alternative care and related services for children separated from or unable to live with their families during and after an emergency.

How to Support Survivors of Gender-Based Violence When GBV Actor is Not Available in Your Area – A Pocket Guide

The resource package uses global standards on providing basic support and information to survivors of GBV without doing further harm. It is encouraged to adapt this resource to your local context with the support of a GBV specialist.

Handbook for Coordinating GBV Interventions in Humanitarian Settings

This handbook is a quick-reference tool that provides practical, field-level guidance to establish and maintain a GBV sub-cluster in a humanitarian emergency. It provides the foundations for coordination. More in-depth information can be pursued through resources referenced in this handbook.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Children Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups Programmes - Field Test Version

The contextualization guidance defines the key aspects of contextualisation for CAAFAG MHPSS programmes and highlights key steps for contextualizing the MHPSS for CAAFAG Operational Framework. The guidance also offers information, tools, and illustrative case studies to inform the adaptation of components of the MHPSS for CAAFAG Operational Framework to cultures, contexts, and situation.

Inter-Agency Child Protection Working Group: Training Package on Child Friendly Spaces

A training package to be delivered to child workers with no experience running a child safe space, enabling them to establish a quality program in an emergency setting. Participants learn the theory behind CFSs, how to set up and run them, and what kind of resources are needed to support the psychosocial wellbeing and protection of children in emergencies.

Child Protection in Emergencies: Coordination Handbook

This Handbook is designed for situations where the international community is formally engaged with the humanitarian response and where the cluster system has been activated. The Handbook may, however, also be useful for contexts where there is no cluster approach. Although the Handbook is primarily addressed to child protection coordination teams, which may include coordinators, co-leads and information managers, the guidance is equally valid for all members of the child protection coordination group, including national and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), government representatives and other members, who seek to achieve an effective and coordinated response.

The Inter-Agency Minimum Standards for GBV in Emergencies Programming

These standards apply to GBV specialized programming in all phases of an emergency. The resource includes 16 Standards on GBV Guiding Principles, Staff Care, Women’s and Girls’ Participation and Empowerment, Psychosocial Support, GBV Case Management, Women’s and Girls’ Safe Spaces, Health Care for GBV survivors, Referral Systems, Safety and Risk Mitigation, Justice and Legal Aid, Dignity Kits, Cash and Voucher Assistance, Economic Empowerment and Livelihoods, Transforming Systems and Social Norms, Collection and Use of GBV Survivor Data, GBV Coordination, Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation. Key actions, guidance notes, links to additional resources and indicators are included for each standard area.

Education in Emergencies - Child Protection Collaboration Framework V.1

This framework specifically supports collaboration and coordination between Education and Child Protection cluster coordination teams. It provides steps to strengthen collaboration through the humanitarian project cycle. For each phase it outlines the objective of collaboration, three different levels of potential collaboration, key steps including minimum suggested actions, promising practice examples from different countries, and further tools and resources to support collaboration. It aims to enhance the quality, coverage and accountability of the humanitarian response, and reach more children in need.

Working with Other Sectors to Enhance Outcomes of MHPSS Elements of Child Protection An Introductory Guide for Child Protection Practitioners - Field Test v.1

This guide has developed recommendations based on interviews with specialists within the various sectors. It has been revised by other independent specialists and validated by a group of child protection coordinators and sector specialists.

Field Handbook on Unaccompanied and Separated Children

The purpose of the field handbook is to provide operational guidance for child protection staff and all other actors working on prevention and response to family separation in emergencies. The handbook sets out to ensure that responses meet agreed inter-agency standards (where relevant), and are complementary. Moreover, it seeks to ensure that responses are appropriate to the particular situation of individual unaccompanied and separated children, and in their best interests, emphasizing the importance of working with affected communities, including children themselves, and building on their strengths and resilience.

Alone and Unsafe: Children, Migration, and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

This study seeks to improve understanding of the risks and types of sexual and gender-based violence faced by children who migrate on their own, as well as the unfortunate and widespread gaps in protection and assistance for these children. It looks closely at the situation in dangerous or remote locations – places that are fragile, conflict-ridden, underserved and hard to reach, where children may be particularly vulnerable. The study also identifies actions that are urgently needed, by governments and humanitarian organizations, to better protect and assist children migrating on their own and reduce the risk of sexual and gender-based violence, as called for in the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

Baby Friendly Spaces

The Baby Friendly Spaces (BFS) is a model of intervention for a holistic program to support pregnant, lactating women and their children in emergency situations.

Leadership in Humanitarian Action: Handbook for the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator

The Handbook is a guide to the normative framework for humanitarian action and the operational approaches, coordination structures, and available tools and services that facilitate the mobilization of humanitarian assistance. The Handbook has a particular focus on the roles and responsibilities of the UN Resident Coordinator (RC) and the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) in leading and coordinating inter-agency humanitarian action in support of the host Government and local actors, and the skills, competencies and qualities of an effective hu- manitarian leader. It is not a prescriptive guide. The approaches to humanitarian action (and levels of priority) will differ according to the context and the type of emergency. It can be used to support decision-making in a range of crises; help identify the international technical expertise available prior to and at the onset of an emergency; facilitate partnerships among humanitarian organizations, national Governments and local actors; and plan and better prepare for humanitarian response. The Handbook is not intended to be read from cover to cover, but as a reference with easy access to guidance on particular topics and links for further reading.

A Compendium of Resources: Community-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

The compendium provides valuable information about available resources, including guidelines, training manuals and tools. The description of each resource includes a detailed overview of its features, and information about how to access documentation, training or publications supporting each resource. The compendium is intended to be used as a reference document to identify available resources for implementing CB-MHPSS in humanitarian settings. The compendium does not describe how to implement particular interventions, but rather provides resources to inspire program development across a broad spectrum of approaches within the frame of the IASC Guidelines for MHPSS in Emergencies, and a map to point users to additional sources of information.

What Works to Protect Children On The Move

This rapid evidence assessment (REA) aimed to answer three questions: What interventions have been effective in ensuring the protection of children on the move? What are the implementation factors that make these interventions effective or that hamper effectiveness (for example the context of the intervention, and specific design features such as who is targeted)? What kinds of social welfare and child protection systems are linked to effective interventions?. This report provides an assessment of the reviewed literature and its key findings, and identifies gaps.

Handbook for Coordinating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Emergencies

This handbook is a quick-reference tool that provides practical, field-level guidance to establish and maintain a GBV sub-cluster in a humanitarian emergency. It provides the foundations for coordination.

Examples from the Field - Child Friendly Spaces

Examples of Child Friendly Spaces in DRC, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Nepal and Uganda.