IASC Task Force on Meeting Humanitarian Challenges in

IASC Task Force on Meeting Humanitarian Challenges in Urban Areas (MHCUA) Assessment of Tools and Approaches and City Case Studies Nairobi, Manila and Eldoret 28 June 2010

Assessment of Tools and Approaches for Urban Areas • Aim: determine what already exists for crises in urban areas, what are the key gaps and what then is needed • Includes: thematic programmes, guidelines, SOPs, methods • Many T&A exist, some adaptable /adapted from rural situations to urban, others not meeting the gaps • Successful T&A need scaling up/ shared with others in similar contexts. Gaps need new T&A • Importance of context when selecting T&A • Clusters: inventorize specific T&As, indicating context • Gaps found in assessment mirror Case Study findings

Case Study Objectives To understand urban humanitarian challenges in Nairobi, Eldoret and Manila and to learn from experiences in delivering humanitarian assistance in urban settings by identifying opportunities, key gaps and recommendations for improvement. To provide analytical understanding for development the IASC strategy

Methodology • Meetings with UN agencies, NGOs, CBOs, government officials, private sector, urban planners, and communities in informal settlements: • Nairobi: including Mathere • Eldoret: including Langas • Manila: Taguig, Pasig, Quezon and Pila (Laguna) municipalities.

Crisis contexts • Nairobi: chronic emergency in urban areas, natural disasters + sudden onset emergency – 2008 Post Election Violence (PEV) • Eldoret: sudden onset emergency – 2008 PEV displacement to camps in outskirts • Manila: sudden onset emergency: 2009 tropical storm floods in Metro Manila displacing thousands

Key Findings - Challenges • • • Access difficulties + scarce information on locations Govts impacted, reduced response capacities Poor preparation = chaotic and uncoordinated response Insufficient demographic data inhibiting efficient targeting Little to no effective coordination at local urban levels Shelter deficit – different scenarios, same result: protracted homelessness linked to HLP issues • WASH – how to provide safe water and sanitation in densely packed infrastructure (innovative methods) • Health capacity mismatches = unwarranted deaths (Manila); • Sub-SPHERE standards in all sectors

Tools and Approaches • Blanket targeting at first, then more finely tuned. Community targeting works best • KHPT ‘Assessment and Monitoring Working Group on Urban Vulnerability’ to draw up indicators and measurements to assess vulnerability (Kenya) • Cash transfer delivery systems worked well (all) • Community-based surveys, IDP urban profiling, beneficiary tracking to identify vulnerabilities (all) • Info centres – self-targeting for ‘invisibles’ (Nairobi) • ‘Map Kibera’ – GPS mapping of slum areas (Nairobi) • Joint programming improved coordination (Nairobi) • WASH pilots: portoilets, commodes, peepoo bags (all) • Health pilots: SPEED (Manila)

Outstanding Gaps – Case Studies • Shelter: many unable/unwilling to return or relocate remain homeless • No focus on assisting host families • Govt emergency urban ‘calamity funds’ too small • Need for improved health surveillance systems • Need for effective scalable systems for WASH • Need for effective protection against violence • Need for dedicated HCs in high-risk cities to consolidate and improve CT operational roles, responsibilities and leadership, cross-cluster coordination, preparedness (incl. govts, others)

Outstanding Gaps – T & A (1) • Capacities – repository of resources • Identification, registration and profiling to address mobile populations, livelihoods, map future migration intentions, support relations with the urban population, HLP issues • Tool to assess quality of houses IDPs return to • Tools and checklists to understand international/ domestic law concerning land rights, rules, regulations, building codes • Tools to to address the high level of violence affecting citizens and law enforcement officials alike • Cooperation/coordination with urban agencies outside the health sector needed to control health outbreaks

Outstanding Gaps – T & A (2) • Tools, indicators and benchmarks to identify urban food insecurity • Analysis of climate change to address impact of food chain shortages on city-dwellers • Adaptation of approaches to reach people through interface with other actors • Tools and Approaches for WASH in Urban Areas - latrine, hand-washing and shower facility designs for different contexts, describing advantages and costs

Recommendations CT Preparedness: ensure effective collabo-ration and partnerships between humanitarian actors, host government and multi-stakeholder engagement with local actors in urban areas • Revise and update CT contingency plans, involve Govt where possible, develop SOPs for thematic areas • Identify, prepare, train standby teams with technical expertise • Through ‘Actor Mapping’, identify /prepare partners and capacities, leverage private sector, conduct joint trainings, scenario dry runs • Develop standby MOUs with local suppliers • Develop local coordination mechanisms and SOPs

Phased recommendations: short term CTs with Governments: • Vulnerability Mapping of priority urban areas for improved socio-economic data collection; select appropriate tools • Map urban land for future use of temp. shelter/ ECs • Develop relocation/return master plan and determine how many need transitional shelter; T-shelter could include retro-fitting in slums • WASH preparedness: determine which mechanisms will work best in different contexts and prepare standby plans; identify waste disposal landfill sites • Scale up successful pilots: SPEED, cash transfers, homebased toilet systems, sms-messaging, bio-metric IDs, etc.

Phased recommendations: meduim term • Design mechanisms to support host families • Intensify livelihoods assistance: MSMEs development, cash for training etc. • Explore different protection mechanisms: info centres, sms messaging, PPA etc. • Advocate with govt for more CHWs in communities to detect vulnerabilities/ protection problems • Human rights advocacy: slum dwellers = rights denial • Police advocacy: curb harassment