Contents
About the Minimum Standards for Camp Management..................................................... iii
Who are the Minimum Standards for Camp Management aimed at?................. iv
The structure of the standards.............................................................................................. v
Acknowledgements
Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 2
Who stays in temporary sites?
What is site management?..................................................................................................... 4
Why is site management needed?...................................................................................... 4
Where do these standards apply?....................................................................................... 5
Humanitarian Charter, humanitarian principles and Protection Principles......... 8Camps as a last resort............................................................................................................ 10
Provider of last resort............................................................................................................ 11
1. Site management policies and capacities........................................................................... 13
2. Community participation and representation.................................................................. 24
3. Site environment.......................................................................................................................... 35
4. Site service coordination and monitoring........................................................................... 43
5. Exit and transition........................................................................................................................ 51
Annex 1 – Disability inclusion monitoring checklist............................................................. 59
Site management capacities and identification........................................................... 59
Participation and representation....................................................................................... 60
Site environment...................................................................................................................... 62
Site service coordination and monitoring...................................................................... 62
Exit and transition.................................................................................................................... 64
References and further reading................................................................................................... 65
Acronyms and abbreviations........................................................................................................ 68
Index....................................................................................................................................................... 69ii

About the Minimum Standards forCamp Management
In a humanitarian crisis, camps and camp-like settings are often the only places
where internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees can seek protection andassistance.
These Minimum Standards for Camp Management describe the minimum actions
needed to support meaningful engagement within a site as well as planning andcoordination between sectors and agencies. They aim to clarify the role of any sitemanagement agency working on a daily basis in humanitarian settings and to set out
minimum levels of quality of that work. Although called the Minimum Standards forCamp Management, the standards apply to all contexts where displaced people seek
shelter, protection and other support, and the term “site” is used unless a specificcamp context is meant.
The standards are based on the fundamental belief that the rights of all displaced persons
must be respected and their needs met in a way that supports their dignity.

The need for a set of standards to measure the quality of work done by an SMA
is long overdue. In 2002, key SMAs and field practitioners acknowledged the lackof agreement on common standards and policies and the proven inadequate levelsof assistance and protection. They recognised the need for shared guidelines andtools in camp management, resulting in the 2004 Camp Management Toolkit. Today,
the toolkit is a well-recognised reference of comprehensive knowledge and lessons
learned related to site management. Other guides and handbooks followed, notably
the 2010 UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Handbook for the Protection of InternallyDisplaced Persons. More recent demand from field practitioners, together with themain aims of global clusters to develop effective common policy frameworks, led to
the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster starting a project in2016 to establish minimum sectoral standards.
The resulting Minimum Standards for Camp Management are the outcome of wide
consultation in the field, online surveys, focus group discussions, desk reviewsand expert advice. Displaced people, leading operational partners and government
counterparts were all actively consulted to input to the standards. Recognising thatcamps and other displacement settings are part of a larger ecosystem of humanitarian response, the Standards refer to existing guidance documents both in the
CCCM technical sector, like the Camp Management Toolkit and the Handbook for
the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons and core Humanitarian Standards
Partnership resources, including The Sphere Handbook. In doing so, they guideiii

ABOUT THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CAMP MANAGEMENT – WHO ARE THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CM AIMED AT?

people working in displacement settings in what to expect from CCCM professionals
and support site managers who may be new to the sector.

Who are the Minimum Standards for Camp Management aimed
at?
The primary target audience for these standards is site managers and their teams,
that is, staff who work in displacement sites on a daily basis.
They are also intended for use by others working with displaced people in the places
where they live. This includes those working directly and daily with displaced people,
planners and policymakers, technical specialists, coordinators, donors, academics
and those working on advocacy, media or communications.
Different organisational approaches to site management may be needed to realise
these minimum standards, depending on context. Recognising this, these standards
use the generic term “site management agency” (SMA) to refer to the full range ofdifferent site team structures. These include:▪

▪

▪

the traditional camp management agency, which organises the governancestructures of displaced communities and coordinates the assistance and services
provided by humanitarian or other organisations (such as private entities andlocal authorities);
the mobile camp management agency, which relies on adapting CCCM
responses to scattered, numerous and less structured sites where thepermanent presence of a camp management agency is not feasible or desirable.
The agency works closely with the displaced persons living in these sites toorganise a multi-sectoral response to their needs. It focuses mainly on managing
and coordinating communal sites of different sizes and dispersed locations,making sure site residents participate in managing the response. If needed, it
can also target broader populations living in any given area to ensure an areabased coordinated response; andsite management support, which is provided to a national, state or designatedgovernment counterpart or appointed local organisation, where additional
support is needed. The site management support team provides support tostrengthen the capacities of the appointed site management so they can deliveron their roles and responsibilities. This can include supporting, for example,
in day-to-day coordination and monitoring of assistance and service provision;
training and skills building, including by providing appropriate tools; and with
relevant equipment.

iv

ABOUT THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CAMP MANAGEMENT – THE STRUCTURE OF THE STANDARDSThe structure of the standards
The Minimum Standards for Camp Management share a common structure, similar
to other humanitarian standards, to support the reader in understanding theuniversal statement (the minimum standard), followed by a series of key actions,key indicators and guidance notes to achieve them.
▪

▪

▪

▪

The minimum standards are derived from the principle of the rights of displaced
people. These are general and qualitative in nature, stating the minimum to beachieved in any crisis.
Key actions outline practical steps to achieve the minimum standard. These aresuggestions and may not apply in all contexts. The practitioner should select themost relevant for the situation.
Key indicators serve as signals to measure whether the standard is being
reached. They provide a way to capture process and programme results against
the standard and over the life of the response. Minimum quantitative requirements are the lowest acceptable level of achievement for indicators and are only
included where there is sectoral consensus.
Guidance notes provide additional information to support the key actions, withcross-references to other standards, guidance and tools.

Working with the key indicators

The key indicators are a way to measure whether a standard is being achieved andshould not be confused with the standard itself. The standard is universal, but the
key indicators, like the key actions, should be developed further depending on thecontext and phase of the response.
There are three types of indicators:▪
▪

▪

process indicators check whether a minimum requirement has been achieved;
progress indicators provide the unit of measurement to monitor achieving thestandard. They should be used to set baselines, set targets with partners andstakeholders, and monitor changes towards that target; andtarget indicators are targets which represent the quantifiable minimum below
which the standard is not being met. These should be reached as soon as
possible, as falling short will compromise the overall programme.

The standards use both quantitative and qualitative indicators across all domains.
Indicators measuring qualitative information, such as satisfaction or perception
indicators, are included to strengthen accountability especially to site populations,and to help drive and develop programmatic changes that SMAs need to make tomeet the standards.
Sex, age and disability disaggregated data, at a minimum, allows programmemanagers and decision-makers to examine service delivery, treatment and servicev

ABOUT THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CAMP MANAGEMENT – THE STRUCTURE OF THE STANDARDS

outcomes in-depth. Further disaggregation may be needed depending on thecontext.
What is meant by “minimum” and what happens if that cannot be met?

The Minimum Standards for Camp Management are based on the fundamental
belief that the rights of all displaced persons must be respected and their needs
met in a way that supports their dignity. In doing this, these standards are minimum
standards and remain constant. However, the key actions and indicators need to beadapted to be meaningful in the operational setting, and with the input of the site
population, whether displaced or host communities. The context will also change
throughout the site lifecycle, so their appropriateness should be reviewed over time.
SMAs should always strive to exceed these minimums, and to address as manygroups and their particular needs as possible. It cannot be assumed that assistanceis a neutral activity which affects everyone equally. The context and manner inwhich assistance is delivered impacts on whether the human rights and needs ofaffected persons are being respected and fulfilled. A human rights-based approach,therefore, provides the framework and necessary standards for humanitarian assistance activities.
In cases where the standards are not met, any proposal to reduce the minimum
requirements should be evaluated carefully. SMAs should lead a process to collectively agree to any reductions and to report the shortfall in actual progress against
the minimums. These should be agreed by displaced people, host communities,
organisations working in the site and other key stakeholders. Humanitarian organisations must also assess the negative impact on the population when not meeting astandard and take steps to minimise any harm. SMAs should use this response gap
for advocacy and strive to reach the indicators as soon as possible.
Using the standards in context

Humanitarian responses take place in many different contexts. Several factors will
influence how the standards can be applied in the operating environment to support
the right to life with dignity. These include:
▪
▪
▪

▪

the setting in which humanitarian response is being delivered;the differences across populations and diversity among people;
the operational and logistical realities that will affect how and what kind of
humanitarian response is delivered; andthe baselines and indicators that are appropriate to the context – with key terms
defined and targets set.

Culture, language, the capacity of responders, security, access, environmental conditions and resources will influence the response. It is also important to anticipate
any potential negative effects of the response and act to limit these. The MinimumStandards for Camp Management are a voluntary code for quality and accountvi

ABOUT THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CAMP MANAGEMENT – ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ability, designed to encourage the broadest possible use and ownership of thestandards. They are not a “how-to” guide but a description of what must be inplace as a minimum for people to recover and rebuild from a crisis with dignity.
Conforming to the standards does not mean implementing all key actions or meeting
all key indicators of all standards. The degree to which an organisation can meetthe standards will depend on a range of factors, some of which are beyond theircontrol. Lack of access to the affected population, or political or economic insecurity,
may make achieving the standards impossible. In cases where the minimum requirements exceed the living conditions of the host community, SMAs need to assess how
to reduce potential tensions, such as by offering community-based services. In somesituations, national authorities may establish minimum requirements that are higher
than the standards.
Links with other standards

The Minimum Standards for Camp Management do not cover all aspects of humanitarian assistance that support the right to life with dignity. Partner organisations
have developed complementary standards in several sectors, based on the samephilosophy and commitments as this set of standards. These are available throughSphere, the Humanitarian Standards Partnership and its partner organisations’ own
websites.
▪

▪
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

The Sphere Handbook; Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in
Humanitarian Response: Sphere Association
Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards: LEGS Project
Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS):
Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action
Minimum Standards for Education: Preparedness, Response, Recovery: InterAgency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)
Minimum Economic Recovery Standards (MERS): Small Enterprise Education andPromotion (SEEP) Network
Minimum Standard for Market Analysis (MISMA): Cash Learning Partnership(CaLP)
Humanitarian Inclusion Standards for Older People and People with Disabilities:
Age and Disability Consortium

Acknowledgements
The Camp Management Standards Working Group wishes to thank the more than
850 people from all over the world who contributed to the development of thesestandards.
Field consultations were held in Bangladesh, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan andTurkey alongside online video conferencing consultations from Argentina, Bolivia,
vii

ABOUT THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CAMP MANAGEMENT – ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Complementary standards to the Minimum Standards for Camp Management

Source: Wan Sophonpanich / IOM 2020

Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala,Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. These were essential in reflecting
well the diversity and specificity needed in managing displacement sites.
The phrase “nothing about us, without us” is one that we hold dear and want toparticularly thank displaced persons in South Sudan and Bangladesh (and others
who contributed anonymously online) for sharing first hand their expertise of living
in a displacement site and ways to make these standards better reflect that reality.
Our thanks are also made to the following colleagues who, in their roles as membersof national Camp Coordination and Camp Management Clusters/sectoral working
groups or in other humanitarian sectors, played a central role in consulting on andcontributing to the standards.

viii

ABOUT THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CAMP MANAGEMENT – ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ACT Alliance / Christian Aid and
DanChurchAid

Don Bosco Catholic Church

ACTED

El Salvador Civil Protection

ADRA

Global Communities

Afod

Hand in Hand for Syria

Arauca Governorate (Gobernación deArauca)Health Link South Sudan

Ataa Relief

Hold the Child

Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF)

Human Relief Foundation

Blumont

Humanitarian Standards Partners
(HSP)

BRAC

IMPACT Initiatives

CARE

Inter-Sectoral Coordination Group(ISCG)

Caritas BangladeshInternational Organization for
Migration (IOM)

Caritas Iraq

INTERSOS Humanitarian Aid
Organization

Casa del Migrante de Saltillo

Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JECC)
of the Kurdistan Regional
Government

International Committee of the Red
Cross

Maram Foundation for Relief andDevelopment

International Committee for theDevelopment of Peoples (CISP)

Mercy-USA for Aid and Development

Fundación Colombia Nuevos
Horizontes

Muzun for Humanitarian andDevelopmentix

ABOUT THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CAMP MANAGEMENT – ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale

National institute of Civil Defense,
Peru (INDECI)

Danish Refugee Council

Save the Children

National Societies of the Red Cross in
Latin America

Scalabrini Migration Center

NORCAP

Site Maintenance and Engineering
Project (SMEP), Bangladesh

Northern Frontier Youth League(NoFYL)

Somali Young Doctors Association(SOYD)

Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)

South Sudan Development Agency(SSUDA)

Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs, UN (OCHA)

Transit centre: Albergue La Sagrada
Familia, Mexico

Plan International

Transit centre: Albergue de Migrantes
Hermanos en el Camino, Mexico

POINT Organization

Turkish Red Crescent Society

Qatar Red Crescent Society

UNICEF (Wash, Child Protection)

Red Clamor

UN Department of Peace Operations

Refugee Relief and Repatriation
Commissioner, (RRRC) Bangladesh

UN High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR)

RIADIS

Violet Organization

RNVDO

Women Pioneers for Peace and Life
(HINNA)

Saed Charity Association

World Food Programme

Samaritan’s Purse

Youth Activity Organization (YAO)x

ABOUT THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CAMP MANAGEMENT – ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Save Somali Women and Children(SSWC)
Funding was provided by the IOM, the Danish Refugee Council and UNHCR.
Pilot versions of these standards were used in Somalia and Syria and served as thefoundation for capacity building for local NGOs in Indonesia.
Thanks also to IOM and DRC for contributing Jennifer Cline Kvernmo and Tom Storkto coordinate and manage the working group, consultations and drafting process.
The CCCM Strategic Advisory Group, Sara Ribeiro Ferro, Erica Karapandi, and David
Preux contributed to earlier drafts and made extensive comments, while Kit Dyer,
Humanitarian Standards Partners and Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance andProtection (PHAP) helped reach the final one. Graphic design was undertaken by
Livia Mikuelec of The Human Atelier.
Finally, we think of the men, women and children who are displaced and living in
temporary sites today. Refugees, migrants and asylum seekers may we hold up yourdignity so you soon reach home. You inspire us in our humanitarian work.

xi

Introduction

Introduction
Who stays in temporary sites?
Within displaced populations, certain groups of persons may have special requirements? As with the Sphere Handbook and other Humanitarian Standards Partners
guidance, the Minimum Standards in Camp Management has used the term“people” in a broad sense throughout this handbook. “People” are those who Site
Managers support while they temporarily reside in temporary settlements, and all
persons are entitled to the right to life with dignity. “People” include women, men,boys and girls, regardless of their age, disability, nationality, race ethnicity, healthstatus, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristics that they may use to define themselves.
Through its coordination at site level, the SMA is responsible for ensuring aprotective environment for all who stay in the site. Not all people will have equal
control and power and resources, particularly in temporary sites which last for many
years. Individuals and groups will have different capacities, needs and vulnerabilities
throughout the site lifecycle which will change over time. These and other factors
may also be the basis of intentional discrimination. Site management agencies
should pay special attention to balance the requirements of individual and inparticular vulnerable groups while reflecting the principle of impartiality. Special
attention in consultation, program design, monitoring of needs in gaps and assistance is fundamental in temporary settlement management.
Population Categories

Groups with specific requirements

Children

Unaccompanied and separated
childrenChildren formerly associated witharmed forces or groups
Child heads of households
Child spouses
Pregnant girls
Child survivors of gender based
violence

Adolescents and youth

Out of school and unemployed youth
Youth formerly associated with armed
forces or groups2

INTRODUCTION – WHO STAYS IN TEMPORARY SITES?

Women

Women heads of households,
including widows
Women without male support
Women formerly associated witharmed forces or groups
Survivors of GBV
Pregnant women and lactating
mothers

Older persons

Older persons without family orcommunity support and /or withresponsibility of children aged under18

Persons affected by sickness, ortraumaSick persons without family orcommunity support
Persons living with or at risk of
HIV/AIDS
Survivors of torture

Minority groups

Ethnic and national minorities
Religious minorities
Linguistic minorities
Nomadic/pastoral groups
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,intersex individuals (LGBTI)

Men

Disenfranchised youth/men
Male survivors of sexual violence
Single male heads of households

Persons with disabilities

Persons with physical impairments
Persons with sensory impairments
Persons with psychosocial or
intellectual impairments⊗

Read more about the site managers role in providing assistance and protection
to groups with specific requirements in Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 11, andthe Sphere Handbook 2018, pages 10–16 for definitions and reading.

3

INTRODUCTION – WHAT IS SITE MANAGEMENT?

What is site management?
Site management is the coordination and monitoring of service provision, protection
and assistance in locations where people displace to. Applying the legal protection
framework and minimum humanitarian standards through community governanceand participatory systems, site management is both technical and social. It aims
to make sure services and protection provided in communal settings are in linewith national and international laws, guidelines and agreed standards, to improve
quality of life and dignity during displacement and to advocate for lasting (“durable”)
solutions.
The term “site” is increasingly used in the sector to apply to camps and camp-likesettings including planned camps, self-settled camps, collective centres, reception
and transit centres, and evacuation centres – and it is used throughout thisdocument. Where differences in site characteristics impact daily management activities and the standards, these are explained in the guidance notes. Sites are locations
where services, infrastructures and resources are shared and managed collectively.
To achieve this, effective site-level coordination between all stakeholders is a central
task of every SMA.
Camps (of every temporary shelter category) should remain the option of last resort
and a temporary solution. Where they are established, agencies and authorities
should seek to provide protection and deliver the required range of life-saving
services across humanitarian sectors to a minimum standard.

Why is site management needed?
Where a dedicated SMA and its staff are present, more predictable and coordinated delivery of services is ensured. Site managers and their teams enhance
participation, foster accountability for affected people, and facilitate information
updates on affected populations needs for assistance, humanitarian aid providers
programs and governments services while improving the protective environment.
The structures developed by site managers are often key in empowering affected
people to organise and mobilise their communities, contribute to the delivery ofassistance and make informed decisions for themselves and their families.
Local authorities are often the first responders to a crisis. In some settings, they will
be in charge of all three roles in the CCCM framework (administration, coordination andmanagement). In other settings, national governments may ask external agencies or the CCCM
Cluster to jointly lead the emergency response.

In recent years, the CCCM sector has marked other trends in providing services todisplaced persons. As well as general urbanisation trends, other factors are leading
to displaced people finding refuge in alternative collective sites or preferring non-4

INTRODUCTION – WHERE DO THESE STANDARDS APPLY?

formal camp environments. These include the limited availability of land to legally
occupy and use for generating livelihoods, restrictive access to markets, security
concerns and coping strategies. Host governments are often reluctant to set up
formal camps for political reasons, wishing to avoid the visible acknowledgement of
a displaced population under their responsibility, or anticipating that local people
will be drawn to camps in search of assistance and services not available to themelsewhere. Formal, planned camps need intricate preparation, as well as adequate
land rights, budget and permission from authorities – all of which are often lacking.
Moreover, many displaced people prefer not to live in planned camps due toconcerns such as poor access to markets and livelihoods opportunities, as well as
their association with a lack of freedom of movement. Read more on area-based
approaches for CCCM here.

Where do these standards apply?
The standards apply across the full range of displacement site types, from plannedor spontaneous (unplanned) camps to collective centres, reception and transit
centres, evacuation centres and – in certain settings – to out-of-camp and areabased approaches. There is a common view that populations living in camps areclearly separated from surrounding areas. However, in reality borders are less rigid,
and movement between sites can be very fluid. CCCM organisations are actively
involved in providing site management assistance for displaced communities living
in host communities and outside camp contexts. The table below describe the rangeof sites covered by these standards.

Plannedcamps

Planned camps can be located in urban or rural locations.
They are places where displaced populations live in purposely
constructed sites and have a dedicated management team.
Services in planned camps can include water supply, food
distribution, non-food item distribution, education and healthcare, from humanitarian agencies or existing municipal infrastructure. These services are typically only for the people livingon the site.

5

INTRODUCTION – WHERE DO THESE STANDARDS APPLY?

Self-settled
camps

Displaced groups, often family or related groups, may self-settle
in urban or rural sites on their own. These types of camplike settings are typically independent of assistance for sometime and may exist without receiving any external or formal
humanitarian support. Self-settled camps are often situated on
privately owned land. They are characterised by limited or nonegotiations with the local population or private owners overuse or access. In some cases, a camp management agency may
operate nearby and learn about the displaced persons’ needs
and try to bring them into the management structure so they
can receive assistance.

Collective
centres

Displaced people may find accommodation in existing publicbuildings and community facilities, for example schools,
factories, barracks, community centres, town halls, gymnasiums, hotels, warehouses, disused factories and unfinishedbuildings. These were likely not constructed as accommodation.
They are often used when displacement occurs in or to an urban
setting. Similar to a camp, a collective centre is meant only as
temporary or transit accommodation. Levels of assistance varyfrom full to differing levels of self-reliance, and collective centre
management can play a strong role in coordinating services.

Receptionand transit
centres

Reception and transit centres may be needed at the start ofan emergency as temporary accommodation before people
are transferred to a suitable, safe, longer-term location, or at
the end of an operation as a staging point of return. They
are, therefore, usually either intermediate or short term andmay also host returnees. Transit centres typically also provide
more services to the population and only indirectly engage incommunity participation activities and decision-making.

6

INTRODUCTION – WHERE DO THESE STANDARDS APPLY?

Emergency
evacuation
centres

Emergency evacuation centres are set up to provide appropriate temporary shelter for persons fleeing a specific andimmediate threat, such as natural hazards like cyclones, fires
and flooding. Schools, sports arenas and religious or civic
buildings are often used. They should be prepared and planned
for in advance of disaster events where and when possible andthey need to ensure accessible shelter or keep preparation forreasonable accommodation. Central authorities need to planfor the number of people per night, along with the estimatedpopulation flow.

Outsidecamp orarea-based
approaches

Outside camp or area (sometime called neighbourhood)approaches apply to designated geographical areas and cantake place in urban, peri-urban or rural settings. Activities
are delivered by a mobile team with adaptable skills andprofiles. Their work focuses on setting up a centre to deliversite management services to people living in the entire
community, both host and displaced. Accommodation can
include rented premises and spontaneous settlements. They
are most frequently used in dispersed and hard-to-reachdisplacement settings. They have short lifespans as they areused for evolving emergency situations and should be closelyaligned with national structures.

Urban settings

Since 2008, 50 per cent of the world’s population has lived in cities, and urban
populations are expected to double in the next 40 years. Most population growth
will be concentrated in cities and towns in the least developed countries, particularly
in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
The presence of IDPs and refugees in urban areas is directly linked to the global
trend of increasing urbanisation. At least 59 per cent of all refugees are now living
in urban settings, and this percentage is on the rise. As displacement is increasingly
an urban and dispersed phenomenon, settled camps are becoming the exception.
Most IDPs (around 80 per cent) are choosing to remain outside identifiable camps
or settlements and are instead dispersed in urban, rural or remote settings, hosted
by local families, living in subsidised or rented housing, dispersed in urban environments, and often mixed with migrants and local poor people, or gathered in small
spontaneous settlements of three to five households.
An urban setting can be characterised by one or more of the following: administrative criteria or political boundaries, population density and size, economic
7

INTRODUCTION – HUMANITARIAN CHARTER, HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES AND PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

Settlement types

function, and the presence of urban characteristics. Displaced people often settle
in urban informal areas or marginalised neighbourhoods where resources like availability of services, access to sanitation, and adequate shelter are already strainedby the host population. It makes targeted assistance more challenging and requires
close collaboration with local authorities and host communities by using a multisectoral, multi-cohort approach (area-based approach) to reach the intended recipients and enhance the response.

Humanitarian Charter, humanitarian principles and Protection
Principles
The Humanitarian Charter, humanitarian principles and Protection Principles are all
foundational to humanitarian action and apply to all crises.
The Humanitarian Charter provides the ethical and legal backdrop to the Protection
Principles, the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and these standards. It is partly
8

INTRODUCTION – HUMANITARIAN CHARTER, HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES AND PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

a statement of established legal rights and obligations and partly a statement ofshared belief. In terms of legal rights and obligations, the Humanitarian Chartersummarises the core legal principles that have the most bearing on the welfare ofpeople affected by disaster or conflict. In terms of shared belief, it tries to capture
a consensus among humanitarian agencies on the principles which should govern
the response to disaster or conflict, including the roles and responsibilities of thevarious stakeholders. The Humanitarian Charter forms the basis of a commitment
by humanitarian agencies that endorse Sphere and an invitation to all those who
engage in humanitarian action to adopt the same principles.
Regardless of whether it is a national or international NGO or national authority
who takes responsibility for the site management, the humanitarian principles ofhumanity, neutrality, impartiality and operational independence create the ethicalfoundation for stakeholders carrying out humanitarian work in emergencies. The
four principles are defined as follows:

SMAs, like all humanitarian organisations, must abide by the Protection Principles
which support the rights set out in the Humanitarian Charter and are based on
the principle to do no harm. (Protection as defined by the Inter-Agency Standing
Committee (IASC) is concerned with the safety, dignity and rights of the people
affected by disaster or armed conflict. It is defined as “... all activities aimed at
obtaining full respect for the rights of individuals in accordance with the letter andthe spirit of the relevant bodies of law (that is, international human rights law, international humanitarian law, international refugee law).”) The principles articulatethat the roles of humanitarian actors are separate from those of the state, whichholds legal responsibility for the welfare of people within its territory or control.
⊗
See The Sphere Handbook 2018, pages 33–48 for guidance notes and further
reading.
Site managers contribute to protection by daily taking steps to avoid or minimise
any adverse effects of their intervention, in particular the risk of exposing people
to increased danger or abuse of their rights. They do this when they talk with thedifferent groups of the site population to assess the positive and possible negative9

INTRODUCTION – CAMPS AS A LAST RESORT⊗

consequences of the response in general ( See Standard 2) and adapt the ways
in which services and assistance are provided, to minimise the risk of looting and⊗violence ( See Standard 3). As part of a site planning committee, SMAs ensure⊗that sites are built or improved in areas away from conflict ( See Standard 4) andmake sure there is safe and equal access to assistance and services for all groups in⊗the site for as long as necessary ( See Standard 5). The UNHCR Handbook for theProtection of Internally Displaced Persons (2010) states the protection value of thecoordination and management of collective sites: “if undertaken with a protection
perspective and in close partnership with protection actors, camp management andcoordination can ensure that displaced individuals enjoy their human rights as wellas their fair and unhindered access to available humanitarian services.”⊗

Read more in the UNHCR Handbook for the Protection of Internally Displaced
Persons (2010) version 6 (page 385).

Camps as a last resort
Residence in a camp or any temporary collective site is not a durable solution. Rather,
it is always a temporary response to a situation of displacement. For all displaced
people, achieving a durable solution is the key to ending displacement and must be
taken into account from the start of the response. There are three types of durable
solutions: repatriation and return, local integration and resettlement.

The IASC’s 2004 Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement further outline therights of IDPs relating to return, resettlement and integration. Status as a refugeeends once a person re-establishes a protective state–citizen bond through one of
the three durable solutions. There is no legal consensus as to when the condition of
being an IDP ceases because identification as an IDP does not confer special statusunder international law. However, a person can be considered no longer displacedwhen she or he no longer has protection and assistance needs directly related toher/his experience of displacement.

10

INTRODUCTION – PROVIDER OF LAST RESORT

Because residence in a camp is only a temporary solution to displacement, the
SMA plays an active role in helping to decide whether a durable solution has beenachieved – this is intrinsically linked to site closure. In certain circumstances, theclosure of a site does not mean a durable solution is attained. It is the role of the
SMA to coordinate with all stakeholders, including donors and national authorities,
to advocate for the conditions for an appropriate voluntary return, integration or
resettlement process, and to inform members of the site population of their rights.

Provider of last resort
In IDP settings where the cluster approach is initiated, the cluster lead agencies are charged
with being the “provider of last resort” (POLR) to ensure predictability of response.
Where necessary and depending on access, security and availability of funding, the cluster
lead, as POLR, must be ready to ensure the services are provided as needed to fulfil crucial gaps
identified by the cluster and reflected in the humanitarian response plan of the humanitarian
country team, led by the humanitarian coordinator.
Access, security and availability of funding
If the cluster lead has no funding to fill the gap or implement the required activities as POLR,
the cluster lead agency cannot be expected to implement these activities but should continue
to work with the humanitarian coordinator and donors to mobilise the necessary resources.
The Minimum Standards for Camp Management

11Site management
policies andcapacities

1. Site management policies andcapacities
Site managers have an essential role in enhancing participation, fostering accountability for affected people, and facilitating information management updates
between sectoral aid providers and governments while improving the protective
environment. For managers and other staff at sites to be able to do this, the organisations for whom they work need to have mandates, policies, strategies and actionplans grounded in humanitarian and protection principles. Site managers and staff
also need to be equipped to carry out their work by being provided with supervision,
training (both on-the-job and targeted training), mentoring (working in pairs orwith experienced staff), regular team meetings, regular feedback sessions, periodic
performance appraisals, written reports and equipment or logistics support.
Site management may be carried out by humanitarian organisations (national, international or voluntary) or led by local or national government authorities. In spontaneous settlements, or at the start of an emergency the community may lead the
management of the site. National authorities are responsible for providing security,
maintaining law and order and guaranteeing the civilian character of a camp or
temporary site.
The site management team serves not only the site population and surrounding
host community but also service providers through its coordination, information
management and representation role. While these responsibilities are covered insubsequent standards, their central role is establishes the entry point for accountability that enables other agencies to ensure a participatory approach in their work⊗
( See in particular Standards 2.1, 2.2 and 4.1). Establishing inclusive and transparent partnerships will help to build legitimacy inside and outside the site.
While sites are often set up with the expectation that they will be short term,planning should always anticipate the need for longer-term assistance, expansion
and unexpected eventualities. The needs and capacities of the host community
should be also be assessed in relation to the services, infrastructure and assets
established. Services and infrastructure such as schools, community halls, roads,
electricity cables or water points may also benefit local communities.
States are fully responsible for the protection of everyone in their territories nomatter their legal status, whether displaced or members of host communities, andfor ensuring public order and security from threats. Humanitarian organisations
must advocate that the national authorities assume their responsibilities to help
reduce exposure to threats and mitigate any devastating effects of the initial causeof displacement.
13

1. SITE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND CAPACITIES – STANDARD 1.1

The key actions and indicators described against these four standards may apply not just at thesite level, but to organisations, coordination platforms and the overall humanitarian response.

⊗

Links to CHS Commitment 2.

Standard 1.1:
Mandate, policies and presence
Affected populations have equitable access to protection and assistancethrough a mandated site management agency for as long as necessary.

Key actions▪

▪

▪

An SMA is appointed by an overall response authority (government, clusteror other) to be present to carry out management activities when an influxof displacement requires specialised site management services (see guidancenotes).
The SMA must have humanitarian policies (including preventing sexual
exploitation and abuse (PSEA)) and strategies as well as leadership and organisational systems that guide and encourage site management teams to work inprincipled ways.
The SMA sets up a site management team, comprising people with the required
capacities and adequate resources.

◦◦

The site management team may cover more than one physical location,
depending on the context.
Site management teams may be stationary or mobile or a combination of
the two.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪
▪
▪

1 site management team per 15,000 displaced persons (see guidance notes)% of site population who are satisfied with overall levels of service% of SMA staff who know the process for complaints against the SMA, including
PSEA.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. The need for a site management team to be present at a location will be
triggered by a significant number of displaced people and the likely durationof displacement. The need for an external site management team will depend
14

1. SITE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND CAPACITIES – STANDARD 1.2

2.

3.

4.
5.

6.

on the capacity of local authorities or organisations to meet people’s needs
according to humanitarian principles.
The ratio of one site management team per 15,000 displaced persons needs tobe contextualised taking into account community capacities, the relationships
between displaced and host communities, the capacities of service-providingorganisations, and the type of sites, especially in evacuation centres and transit
sites.
For informal sites scattered in urban, peri-urban or rural areas, the SMA could
cluster sites based on the number of individual locations, the distance between
them, the needs at the sites and the number of displaced people living in them,to assess and plan support needed from one mobile team. Site visits by mobile
site management teams should be regular and predictable to the population⊗in specific geographical areas.
For more information on out-of-camp sitemanagement, see the CCCM Cluster’s 2019 working paper, Management andCoordination of Collective Settings through Mobile / Area Based Approach.
The site management team may have a base at site-level offices, centralised ormunicipal offices or community resource centres.
⊗
While adhering to the humanitarian principles ( See Introduction) is the cornerstone of humanitarian response, the SMA must also show accountability in its
activities which, by definition, exercise influence and power over the lives ofaffected persons and communities.
Pressure from media, donors and governments can be overwhelming at thestart of a response. This can push SMAs and teams into making promises andcommitments they may not be able to keep. These standards aim to support
site management teams to avoid this through appropriate prioritisation andsequencing of activities.

Standard 1.2:
Site lifecycle planning
Appropriate and inclusive planning ensures adequate protection andassistance are provided throughout the site lifecycle, from set-up to closure.

Key actions▪

Develop a site management action plan.

◦◦

Engage with key members of the site population and other stakeholders
including the host community and local authorities.
Include both men and women in the project team and as key informantsfrom the population and host community as well as representatives of thediversity of the community.
15

1. SITE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND CAPACITIES – STANDARD 1.2◦◦▪

Assess and include targeted actions for vulnerable persons and people withspecific requirements.

◦
▪

▪

◦
◦

Include HR, financial and equipment contingency needs in contingency
plans, at a minimum.
Engage service providers to feedback on contingency plans during development.
Account for the needs of vulnerable people, making sure they are not atincreased risk in contingency plans.

Regularly review and update contingency plans as the situation and planningscenarios evolve.

◦◦▪

Ensure protection assessment findings are reflected in site management
action plans.

Share a summary of the action plan with the host community and representatives of local authorities.
Develop contingency plans for spontaneous arrivals, unplanned (forced returns)
closure and possible events that will affect the site, such as floods, fire and otherhazards.

◦▪

Ensure community consultation is in appropriate language(s) and format(s)for the stakeholders engaged.
Consider financial, material and HR resources, including the technical needs
and safety of the population.

Monitor the situation in and around the site by carrying out observation andphysical risk assessments to identify threats.
Ensure new service providers are incorporated into contingency plans andevacuation procedures.
Practise emergency procedures.
Inform the population of their role in contingency planning.

◦◦
Develop an agreement with host communities and local authorities detailing theconditions needed to return land and infrastructure.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪
▪

Community workshops are used to develop and share contingency plans.
Site management action plans and contingency plans are updated.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. From day one, the site management team’s job is one of constant motion andneeds a high degree of flexibility, quick thinking and prioritisation, innovationand careful planning. Informing, consulting, involving and reporting to the key

16

1. SITE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND CAPACITIES – STANDARD 1.3

stakeholders (authorities, host community members, services providers andpeople affected by the emergency) will include transparently sharing the intentions of the site management team and consultation aimed at building effective
partnerships. Is it critical to set clear benchmarks and develop criteria to monitor
implementation of the site management action plan based on the profile of the
population.
2. Consider the timing of consultations with displaced people about sensitive
issues, including hazards and closure, as early as is feasible but without causing
additional stress.
3. While sites are often set up with the expectation that they will be short term,planning should always aim for longer-term needs, expansion and unexpected
eventualities. The needs and capacities of the host community should also
be assessed in relation to the services, infrastructure and assets established.
Services and infrastructure such as schools, community halls, roads, electricity
cables or water points may also benefit local communities. Conversely, buildings
which have been degraded due to their temporary use as collective centres canhave a negative impact on the local community. The eventual handover of such
assets during site closure should be defined and agreed with involved stakeholders from the start. The planning of site set-up/improvement and site closure
are interrelated from the start.
⊗

Site lifecycle planning should be done alongside Standards 3.2 An appropriate
environment, 4.1 Site coordination and 5.4 Planned closure.
⊗

Read more about contingency planning in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter
1, environmental planning in Chapter 6, and safety and security in Chapter 12.

Standard 1.3:
SMA and site management team capacity
Site management teams have the operational and technical capacity to
manage the site.

Key actions▪

Coordinate with HR departments to ensure the site management team is staffedin a similar representation to the site population.

◦◦▪

Balance the proportion of female and male personnel to reflect communities
and their needs.
Ensure the presence of staff from key minority groups in the displaced
population, including religious or ethnic minority groups.

Train site management team staff in CCCM principles and practices.
17

1. SITE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND CAPACITIES – STANDARD 1.3▪

Coach and train site management team staff in humanitarian principles and theCode of Conduct.

◦▪

Ensure they understand the reporting significance and have signed a Codeof Conduct in an appropriate language.
Include PSEA.

◦
Ensure the site management team has enough appropriate equipment for thecontext and the job.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪
▪
▪

Ratio of staff (female:male) is proportional to that of the site population.
% of site management staff who have signed a Code of Conduct% of site management staff who have completed adequate training related totheir role.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. The size and make-up of a site management team is highly contextual anddepends on a range of factors including local government and community
capacities, language and other communication needs, site characteristics, sitelandscape features, service provision needs and service provider capacity, andsecurity conditions.
2. The site management team needs to have a balance of skills and capacities,
whether in leadership, protection, assistance, technical sectors, administration,
IT, conflict management, information management and/or community mobilisation. In some contexts, it might be favourable for female staff to be overrepresented, since generally female staff are more able to speak with men in
the population than male staff are with women.
3. A dedicated site management team needs to be present in the site from thestart and equipped with the resources needed to carry out the tasks of representing the people affected by the crisis. Adjustments to the core team should
be made over time according to the planned activities and conditions at the site.
4. Site management teams need to be supported by organisations with humanitarian policies and strategies in place as well as leadership and organisational
systems, such as finance and HR, that guide and encourage them to work inprincipled ways.
5. Local NGOs have proved to be successful site managers. Where country operations have adopted the IASC cluster approach, cluster lead agencies are increasingly finding that where access to the site population is granted, and its overall
acceptance is achieved, this is a favourable option.

18

1. SITE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND CAPACITIES – STANDARD 1.3

6. In cluster settings, the SMA will be allocated sites by the cluster coordinator orcluster lead agency. In refugee settings, this allocation process will be coordinated by UNHCR. In other settings, the government will play a key role. Thisshould happen in close cooperation with local authorities while verifying theircapacities and resources.
7. In circumstances where field staff are not trained on the CHS nor on-sitemanagement roles and responsibilities, it will be the duty of the cluster or
sector lead to appoint an NGO/UN agency to support them in implementing the
Minimum Standards for Camp Management. This support could also be used forremote site management capacity building.
8. Core CCCM training for allsite management staff includes at a minimum thefollowing topics:
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪

roles and responsibilities;
participation;
providing information and listening back (accountability);
humanitarian principles and Protection Principles;
coordination;site improvement and planning; andsite closure (with reference to technical standards including Sphere or local
building codes where appropriate).

9. Beyond training in CCCM, staff should also be trained in the SMA’s Code of
Conduct and PSEA. For almost all agencies, the reporting of sexual exploitation
or abuse (SEA) is mandatory and aimed at ensuring standards for accountability
for all. PSEA is a shared and mandated responsibility by the entire humanitariancommunity, including local, national, regional and international partners. To
combat it, the UN has taken measures to prevent, report, investigate and impose
sanctions against perpetrators of SEA. One such measure was the developmentof in-country networks. These act as the primary body for coordination andoversight on prevention and response to SEA in the country in which it occurs.
Gender equality training is increasingly recognised as complementary to PSEA
training.
⊗

Read more about potential staff profiles and proficiencies in the CampManagement Toolkit Chapter 2 and the Collective Centre Guidelines, UNHCR/IOM
2011. See the Recruiting, Training and Supervising Staff checklist in the CampManagement Toolkit Chapter 2.
⊗

For more information on available training resources see the Global CCCM Cluster
Learning site at www.cccmlearning.org/login/index.php.
PSEA resources⊗

Stop sexual exploitation and abuse by our own staff, Camp Management Toolkit
Chapter 2.
19

1. SITE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND CAPACITIES – STANDARD 1.4⊗

See the IASC PSEA Six Core Principles.

⊗

See the IASC and Global Protection Cluster’s 2015 Guidelines for Integrating
Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action: Reducing risk,
promoting resilience and aiding recovery.
⊗

See the 2018 Report of the UN Secretary-General: Conflict-Related Sexual
Violence.
⊗

For plain language versions of the IASC’s six core principles in more than 100
languages, see Translators Without Borders: https://translatorswithoutborders.org/
psea-translated.

Standard 1.4:
Site resident database and data protection
All personal information collected from site populations is appropriately
gathered, stored and used.

Key actions▪
▪

Establish and maintain a site resident database.
Know, understand and apply applicable data protection policies to data collectedby the SMA.

◦

◦
◦
▪

Coordinate all site organisations to develop a site-level agreed data sharing andprotection protocol, including defining consent and information sharing. Agree:

◦
◦

▪

▪

Ensure that proper procedures are in place to secure the data, including safeand locked rooms, electronic backups, passwords and access restrictions tosensitive data. Confidential documents should be clearly marked.
Where necessary, personal information should be removed or replaced witha code to protect anonymity.
Clear procedures should be in place for information to be protected or
destroyed in the event of evacuation or withdrawal.

what data needs to be collected and entered into a storage system, by whomand how;
how dissemination of information or reports prepared from data minimises
risk to the site population; andwhat information must remain restricted.

◦
Coordinate with stakeholder agencies to train all enumerators in the agreed
sharing and protection rules.
Monitor and oversee the way data is used and shared.

20

1. SITE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND CAPACITIES – STANDARD 1.4.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

▪

A specific consent and confidentiality protocol is agreed and in place for all stakeholders operating at the site.
Information-sharing practices are agreed and in place for all stakeholders
operating at the site.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. Increased interest and demand among both humanitarian organisations andgovernments to apply more advanced methods of data science in humanitarian
work highlights the need for SMAs and their site management teams to better
understand the challenges of introducing new technology or data retention
methods in the CCCM sector.
2. If biometrics and other systems are used, site populations must understand what
their biometric information will be used for and who the data will be sharedwith, how long it will be kept and whether they have an alternative to biometrics
collection.
3. Site management teams need to gather information on individuals to bettertarget protection and assistance responses. However, irresponsible processingof information can put people at serious risk as well as invade their privacy.
Finding the right balance between collecting and sharing information for the
benefit of site residents while protecting people against misuse of information
should include the following principles:
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

⊗

In determining what data needs to be collected, carefully assess why the
information is needed. Only information that serves a protection purpose,and that neither harms the informant nor others, should be collected.
Identify data that can be especially sensitive to make sure the collection andsharing are subject to protection measures.
Collect data in a way that is sensitive to protection concerns, to avoid jeopardising anyone’s security and privacy.
Agree with all humanitarian stakeholders how the information is shared anddefine why it needs to be shared. Only information relevant to a determined
protection purpose should be shared.
Only share individual information with the informed consent of the person
concerned. Explain this to the person during data collection.
Do a risk analysis: the level of risk associated with different kinds ofinformation will vary, and the site management team should work withother operational agencies to assess the risk levels and design information
management systems accordingly.

See also Sphere Handbook, Shelter chapter.
21

1. SITE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND CAPACITIES – STANDARD 1.4⊗

Read more about data protection and information management as well as theInformation Management checklist in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 5.
See also the Managing Information checklist in the Camp Management Toolkit
Chapter 2.
⊗

See also the ICRC’s 2020 Handbook on Data Protection in HumanitarianStandards.

22

Community
participation andrepresentation

2. Community participation andrepresentation
Making sure that all groups of the population participate meaningfully in decisionmaking and site governance structures is an essential part of good site management.
Participation is central to upholding the basic rights of displaced populations in all
types of temporary settlements during humanitarian crises, and to their health,psychosocial well-being and safety. It is a key step towards making sure thatdifferent requirements, capacities and expectations of all groups in the displacedcommunity are represented and addressed, thus contributing to improving humanitarian response and accountability towards affected populations. Well-functioning
sites depend on the site population participating in an active and meaningful way.
Supporting this will require training, coaching and encouraging community representatives to be responsive leaders.
Degrees of participation

Source: Camp Management Toolkit

Participation in a long-term process, which requires an in-depth understanding of
the local context. Its aim is not just to give a voice to the different groups among
the displaced communities, but to go further and ensure that residents are heard
and take part in decisions affecting their lives. Often, at the start of a rapid-onset
emergency, site management teams and site populations may not have the time orenergy to prioritise meaningful participation. Information transfer methods, consultation processes, feedback mechanisms, and site governance structures need to beestablished with this in mind – and they need to be set up early.
Barriers to participation depend on the context and will be different for distinctgroups in the site population and will vary over time. They can also be social or24

2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION – STANDARD 2.1

related to the physical environment. There may be existing barriers from rules orpolicies that disadvantage certain population groups.
Communication activities in a site are essential in promoting meaningful community
participation and stakeholder accountability. Site residents’ views on life in the siteshould be considered and included in most decision-making processes. The roleof site managers is to create a means for two-way information flow between the
different stakeholders. It is from this transparent and constant dialogue around dailysite challenges that community participation becomes effective. As well as directcontacts with the site population, it is increasingly common to use media like text
messages and websites to promote dialogue across a site.
⊗

Links to CHS Commitments 3, 4, 5 and 8.

Standard 2.1:
Community participation
The site population is able to participate meaningfully in decision-making
related to the management of the site.

Key actions
▪

▪

▪
▪

▪
▪

Plan and budget for adequate time and resources needed for developing
effective participation as part of site management.
Agree with other stakeholders that the site population participates in and is
involved with each stage of the project cycle – assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Train and support site staff to use participation methodologies.
Encourage the use of participatory approaches and methodologies by service
providers.
Monitor and manage the potential abuse of participation and power.
Adjust site management programming to respond to monitoring of needs.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

▪

▪

% of the site population who are satisfied with the opportunities they have toinfluence site decisions% of female committee members who feel their views are taken into accountduring decision-making processes% of inter-agency coordination meetings involving community representatives25

2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION – STANDARD 2.1.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. There is often an assumption that women’s participation requires a separate
mechanism. This may be a useful way to engage with women in restrictive
cultural environments and separate groups may also be needed to provide
the privacy and space for women to discuss issues that affect them. However,separate groups should be combined with strengthening women’s participation in general site governance structures. Women’s participation in generalcommittees should be also promoted to avoid men having a sole or majority
influence in site decision-making.
2. Participation in decision-making can be formal or informal, engaging different
stakeholders such as service providers. While it will be useful to use different
participatory approaches and strategies, employing a mix of differing organisational policies, internal experiences, support (indirectly through staffing or
directly through funding) may confuse and create tensions in the site population.
The SMA should start a dialogue with all relevant stakeholders to promote transparency in the approaches used with the site population and set up forums forsharing best practices and lessons learned. The SMA should establish the rightbalance between direct community participation and indirect representation byelected representatives through the various stages of response.
3. Self-selection by participants could be seen as a way of overcoming too narrowor too broad a selection in some situations. Advertising topics of discussion
or decision-making in advance allows participants to some extent choose how,where and when they want to contribute.
4. SMAs will also need to consider host communities, how displacement affects
them and their access to resources, to avoid creating tensions and incorporate
ways they can participate in the decisions that affect them.
5. In non-camp settings, the community structure is trained to identify priorities
and solve collective problems in much the same way as traditional planned
and informal sites. The contrast of participatory techniques in these two CCCM
approaches will be more about who the engagement is targeted towards. In
camp settings, this is primarily NGOs, and in area-based CCCM programmes,
this is a larger audience including local governments or authorities and service
providers.
6. SMAs should understand that people with specific needs includes people whohave long-term sensory, physical, psychological, intellectual or other impairments that, in interaction with various barriers, prevent them from participatingin or having access to humanitarian programmes, services or protection. Humanitarians should strive to recognise the capacities of people with specific needs tocontribute to the humanitarian response as well as the multiple forms of discrimination they face.
26

2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION – STANDARD 2.2⊗

Read more about modes of participation and challenges to it as well as theCommunity Participation checklist in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 3. See
also the Setting Up Governance and Community Participation Mechanisms checklist
in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 2.
⊗

Read more about the rights of persons with disabilities at www.un.org/
development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-withdisabilities.html.
⊗

Read more about women’s participation in the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)’s
Improving Participation and Protection of Displaced Women and Girls Through CampManagement Approaches.
⊗

Watch how to use the coaching technique to build the participation of campcommittees in both traditional sites and out-of-camp approaches on www.youtube.
com/watch?v=cExBGw9g3aM.
⊗

Read more about non-camp settings in the Global CCCM Cluster’s 2019
Management

Standard 2.2:
Information sharing with communities
Regular communication with the displaced community, host community
and all other stakeholders is appropriate and relevant.

Key actions▪

Develop information dissemination mechanisms in appropriate language(s) andformat(s) for the stakeholders engaged.

◦▪

Create and regularly update agreed standardised key messages or FAQs to be
used by all agencies.

◦▪

▪

Ensure initial and ongoing assessments include questions on preferredcommunication languages, formats and channels.

During disease outbreaks, seek comprehensive guidance about community
messaging from health actors, including national ministries of health.

Develop minimum standards or guidelines for information sharing andencourage all service providers to use these.
Regularly disseminate to the site population information about services
provided, including organisational roles and mandates, details of the service andcontact information.

◦

Ensure this is updated as services change, for example, changing foodrations.
27

2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION – STANDARD 2.3▪

Follow up with site populations to ensure messages and information has been
received and understood.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

▪
▪

% of the site population able to name service providers (an organisation or staff
name)% of the site population who consider recent key messages appropriate
Appropriate modes of dissemination are used to share key messages.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. The key actions for both camp and non-camp settings emphasise creating
and sharing site-level information campaigns for displaced communities andhost communities. The main difference for out-of-camp settings would be thedifferent kinds of modalities needed – as it is much harder to spread information
outside planned sites (all types) in out-of-camp neighbourhoods as people aredispersed and isolated. In such settings, there is also a need to build on existingmechanisms for information sharing while considering the wider variety of
population needs in the area. Camp settings are more likely to have a relatively
more homogeneous site profile with similar levels of vulnerability.
2. Focus groups could be used in transit centres and evacuation sites to share information with site populations.
3. Site populations are likely to have varying levels of literacy (forexample,children’s literacy is different to adult literacy), and in some locations
more than one language. They are also likely to rely on different information
sources, for example, youth and older people often rely on quite different
sources of information. Some people will also have difficulty accessing some
types of information and formats (for example, persons with sensory or
cognitive impairments)⊗

Read more about disseminating information and see the Disseminating Information checklist in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter⊗

Find more on information sharing in Core Humanitarian Standards Commitment 4

Standard 2.3:
Feedback and complaints
Site populations, both displaced and host, have access to safe andresponsive mechanisms to handle feedback and complaints to service
providers.

28

2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION – STANDARD 2.3

Key actions▪

At site set-up and with the site population and service providers, establish
harmonised feedback and complaints mechanisms, including response.

◦
◦

◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
▪

▪

Ensure that information about feedback and complaints mechanisms is available
in appropriate language(s) and format(s) to account for different levels of literacy
and technology use and is accessible for people with specific requirements
Train staff on confidentiality.

◦▪
▪

Work with service providers to make sure all staff across the site have ashared understanding.

Respond to, track and document feedback and complaints.
Make sure a PSEA reporting channel(s) and follow-up mechanism is in place.

◦▪

As necessary, coordinate or consolidate different mechanisms from service
providers.
Use a set of different formats for submission of feedback and complaints,
such as verbal, written, electronic, paper-based, comments boxes, help
desks and hotlines
Ensure the mechanism(s) is able to maintain confidentiality.
Make sure the mechanism includes agreed and realistic response
timeframes.
Establish a feedback and complaints tracking system.
Ensure ability of people to access information and express despite disabilities
Update standard operating procedures as required, for example, changed
service levels.

Raise awareness among the site population, both displaced and host, of
PSEA and how to report incidents.

Monitor that the feedback and complaints mechanism(s) is functioning. If
necessary, follow up directly with service providers if the site population fails
to get a response from an individual agency mechanism.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

▪

▪

% of site population aware of feedback and complaints mechanisms and know
how to access them% of complaints or feedback investigated, resolved and results fed back to thecomplainant within the agreed time frame.
% of member groups of site governance structure having trained on the Code of
Conduct29

2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION – STANDARD 2.3.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. Receiving feedback in camp settings often has negative associations. People
who have missed out on assistance have a right to complain, and while allcomplaints may not receive a resolution, they do all need to receive a response.
The language of the displaced community should be the preferred languageof the population. Standard operating procedures for complaints proceduresshould be established and accompanied by training for staff and community
leaders, and should include aspects of accessibility, effectiveness and confidentiality.
2. The views and needs of all members of the displaced community, including
people living in the host community, are heard via feedback and complaints
mechanisms in multiple formats.
3. Examples of communication tools used for feedback include complaintcommittees, grievance committees, suggestion boxes, radio with call-in service,letters addressed to the SMA or humanitarian community, hotlines, and
SMS messaging. They also include house-to-house visits with a standardisedmonitoring form filled in by SMA staff during predefined hours.
4. It is important to develop procedures that ensure anonymity and confidentiality. Follow-up and referral procedures of sensitive issues such as SEA andhuman rights violations should preferably be the responsibility of one agency
that acts as the protection focal point, or the relevant sector agency.
5. The approaches used must address the specific context and will depend on
the way feedback is handled. A mixture of informal and formal mechanisms isoften used. Ideally, feedback and complaints mechanisms should be designedwith methods of communication commonly used, preferred and understoodby the people involved. These should all be taken into account when putting
in place an appropriate feedback and complaints mechanism: the literacy
rate of the site population; the safe access to use the mechanism by all,including vulnerable groups; the confidentiality of communication support andthe available resources to roll out the process.
6. As much as possible, the SMA should coordinate and harmonise the different
formal and informal feedback mechanisms, avoiding duplications and promotingthat they are set up when none exist. Above all, the SMA should advocate for allagencies to be involved.
7. Gathering of protection data must only take place when response capacity is inplace and an explanation can be given to site residents as to how this information
will be used. The lead protection agency should build capacity on agencies
needing more support to ensure confidentiality, setting up the referral of cases
for specialised protection agencies and adequate case management systems.

30

2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION – STANDARD 2.4⊗

Read more about feedback and complaints mechanisms in the Camp Management
Toolkit Chapter 3.
⊗

Find more on feedback and complaints mechanisms in CHS Commitments 4
and 5Standard 2.4:
Governance structures
Inclusive and representative governance structures are accountable to andhave the capacity to meet the needs of the site population.

Key actions
▪
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪
▪

Assess and understand existing participation structures and power dynamics.
Consult with key informants in the community and other stakeholders about thestructure of and selection to site governance groups or committees.
Integrate with, adapt or support existing governance structures or community
leadership.
Assess the role of host communities and ensure they have a voice in governancestructures, especially in resolving disputes.
Develop terms of reference, including a code of conduct, for different sitemanagement groups or committees.
Use an agreed participatory selection process for groups or committees.
Advocate for these participatory structures to play a significant role in decisionmaking processes related to providing assistance and protection in the site.
Communicate the roles and responsibilities of groups or committees to theentire site population, including the host community.
Systematically assess ethical ways of engaging with women, youth and often
under-represented people to respect dignity and avoid any increased stigma.
Support these people and groups to ensure they are included in decision-making
processes and have a meaningful role.
Communicate with all external stakeholders (service providers, local
government and the host community) so they are aware of the agreed
governance structure, the role and responsibilities of the groups or committees,
and how to work with them.
Build the capacity of site governance committees or groups.
Monitor the performance of site governance committees and groups against
their terms of reference, and work with the committees and groups to makesure they are accountable to the site population.

31

2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION – STANDARD 2.4.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

▪

▪

% of the site population who feel they are represented by and through the site
governance structure% of site population who report that the site governance structures are inclusive,
effective and reaching all of the displaced population
Governance structures are representative of the make-up of the population.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. Generating a representative site governance structure that includes women,children and minority groups will be different in each operational context.
Community mapping exercises can be a useful tool for SMAs. Over time andin every context (not just in long-term protracted situations) this tool can makethe views of key stakeholders on critical issues clearer, as well as the needs ofpeople and their preferred way of communicating.
2. The barriers (cultural, physical or socio-economic) that could impede certain
groups from participating meaningfully in governance structures need to berecognised, and measures taken to mitigate these. Understanding the power
dynamics already in play in the community, both displaced and host, as well as
the barriers that different groups face to participating in decision-making, arecrucial steps to define the best way to work towards increasing the participationof all groups.
3. In some contexts – particularly outside camps – community representation,
governance structures or leadership may already exist. As such, it is crucially
important to do a thorough analysis to understand how these groups work, theirrole and the extent to which they are adequately able to represent the entire
community. Depending on the outcome of this analysis, new structures mayneed to be created. Still, it may be more appropriate to widen existing structures,or simply to increase their support and capacity building to enable them to playa role in coordinating and managing humanitarian assistance and protection.
4. Participatory models for short-term collective centres (including transit sites
and evacuation centres) typically focus on improving data collection or distribution, designing appropriate humanitarian services, and providing forums for
information dissemination and conflict resolution. Models for these frequently
take the form of steering committees, community notice boards or sub-sector
technical groups. Long-term collective centres can have similar aims but takedifferent forms (such as national associations), link up with civil society or haveadvocacy goals.
5. Ensuring that consultations happen with community members to prioritise their
specific cultural practices and traditions in the immediate aftermath of a hazard
32

2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION – STANDARD 2.4

can be invaluable to building back social cohesion. At the same time, some
cultural practices may harm elements of the community, and site managers needto balance tradition with respect for human rights. Therefore, not only men,
women, children and vulnerable groups should be represented in a governancestructure, but also cultural leaders and representatives.
6. Inform or consult with local market actors as a stakeholder group, linking livelihoods to early recovery, even in remote sites.
⊗

Read more about setting up representatives and governance structures in theCamp Management Toolkit Chapters 2 and 3 and in the CCCM Cluster Collective
Centre Guidelines Chapter 4. See also the Setting Up Governance and Community
Participation Mechanisms checklist in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 2.
⊗

Find more on community participation in the Core Humanitarian Standard⊗

Read more about how to support children’s participation in the Child Protection
Minimum Standards, Standard 23 Camp Management and Child Protection

33

Site environment

3. Site environment
The location and planning of a site have a critical impact on the health, wellbeing and protection of the displaced population, as well as on the SMA’s ability
to manage daily activities, ensure participation and develop relationships with thehost community. Just as important as the physical location and layout of the site is
the process by which a site is established, grows, changes, improves and ultimately
closes down.
While sites are often set up with the expectation that they will be short term,planning should always aim for longer-term needs, expansion and unexpected
eventualities. The needs and capacities of the host community should also beassessed in relation to the services, infrastructure and assets established – such as
schools, community halls, roads, electricity cables and water points – which may
also benefit local communities.
National authorities are ultimately responsible for allocation of land. The SMA, withthe support of the cluster/sector lead agencies if they exist, must ensure all actions
taken during the lifecycle of the site are comprehensive, inclusive, well-coordinatedand uphold the rights of the displaced population. It is important to note that insome contexts, especially during displacement related to disasters caused by natural
hazards, the site management and coordination roles are more and more often
being carried out by national authorities.
The local authorities are not only often the first responders to a crisis, but in somesettings they will be in charge of managing sites directly. In other settings, national
governments may ask external agencies or the CCCM Cluster to jointly lead theemergency response.
⊗

Links with CHS Commitment 1.

Standard 3.1:
A safe and secure environment
All site residents and service providers live in a dignified environment that issafe and secure from harm or violence.

Key actions▪

With governance structures and service providers, develop a site-based safety
plan at site set-up. Update this plan regularly.

◦

Ensure the SMA has adequate capacity in safety and security assessment
and response.
35

3. SITE ENVIRONMENT – STANDARD 3.1

◦
◦

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

Use a risk-based approach to evaluate external and internal threats andappropriate measures to respond to them.
Regularly assess the site for risks, and update contingency plans according
to emerging risks.
If necessary, develop relocation plans.

◦With service providers, site planners and community governance structures,
undertake regular observational and safety audits of the site, evaluating both
physical infrastructure and community behaviour. Develop a response plan toaddress “red flags” found during safety audits.
◦ With protection colleagues, include gender-based violence (GBV) and otherprotection risks in safety audits, and make sure measures are in place, basedon needs, to mitigate risks and to respond to these risks.
◦ Monitor population densities in and across the site.
◦ In response to red flags, consider site reorganisation or population resettlement in the site.
◦ If necessary, implement relocation plans for households or services locatedin unsafe areas.
Establish safety committees at the relevant levels to address site-specific threatsor risks.
Establish and maintain information channels to communicate risks to the site
population.
Train SMA staff adequately in safety and security and put in place appropriate
security measures.
Follow appropriate referral mechanisms.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

% of recommended mitigation actions from safety audit directly integrated into
site maintenance and improvement plans (or addressed with site maintenanceactivities).......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. Safety audits are a tool designed to give SMAs and service providers an understanding of how all groups (including those at risk such as adolescents, older
people and people with specific needs) feel about their safety and security whenusing site facilities during both day and night. Depending on the context, safety
audits should be done together with a protection specialist or with speciallytrained focal people. The results of the safety audits, observational monitoringand mapping of the results can then be used to work with site planners andservice providers (where available) to develop appropriate interventions to36

3. SITE ENVIRONMENT – STANDARD 3.2

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

⊗

address any concerns. These interventions may include installing additional key
facilities where needed, expanding or reducing parts of the site as needed, andredirecting traffic and livelihoods to maintain a balance between overly dense
and less used parts of the site.
As a safety intervention, more lighting could be installed, but SMAs and service
providers should be aware of the potential unintended consequences of this.
Community consultation is an essential part of the solution.
Relocatinghouseholds to different parts of the site is an extremely complex
undertaking, with many protection risks which may undermine existing
community structures and capacities. Such moves should only be taken if there
are no alternatives, and in full consultation with everyone involved.
The problem of high population densities in different parts of a site (suchas around markets and water points) can be a key factor contributing to aheightened risk of GBV or other forms of protection risk. Observational audits
will help to understand and highlight problem areas and potential solutions.
It is not enough to only consult women and children about safety and dignity,
the results of consultations must be acted upon. Be aware of social hierarchies
and power dynamics, and actively engage with decision-makers to reinforce therights of women and children to safely access facilities in the site.
Safety committees is a broad term which could include all forms of security ina site but is usually related to voluntary actions for fire prevention, search andrescue, first aid and so on.
See also Sphere Handbook, Shelter chapter⊗

Read more about site safety and security as well as the Safety and Security
checklist in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 12.

Standard 3.2:
An appropriate environment
All site residents have an environment that is physically, socially andculturally appropriate.

Key actions▪
▪

Set up a site development committee to facilitate community participation.
Use community consultations to ensure the site plan meets the needs of allgroups in the site.

◦◦

Find out site population expectations of the appropriate use of facilities,
noting these may not all be the same.
Assess changes in site population needs and capacities from the pre-crisis
context.
37

3. SITE ENVIRONMENT – STANDARD 3.2

◦
◦

◦

◦
▪

Plan and set up a site-wide address system.

◦
◦
▪

◦
◦

◦

◦

▪

▪

Assess and develop the technical capacity of the displaced and host communities.

Engage with community leadership structures, national or local authorities andservice providers, to set up the site according to the site plan.

◦▪

Take into account non-literate residents.
For facilities (collective centres, transit sites) this takes the form of room
allocation rather than address system.

Throughout the site lifecycle, advocate for adequate and appropriate technicalexpertise to plan, establish and maintain the site.

◦▪

Identify immediate needs and capacities for both the displaced and hostcommunities, and consider any specific needs of at-risk groups.
Support the most vulnerable people to voice their needs during planning,
and advocate that their needs are taken into account in the design andmaintenance of site facilities.
Engage with disability groups in the site population. Appoint a focal personfor people with specific needs on the site management team. If possible,
retrofit modifications to site facilities or negotiate special access to meettheir needs.
Monitor community participation in site planning to ensure continued
engagement and appropriate resource use.

Through advocacy, ensure the affected population has access to essential
services and facilities, including education and livelihoods opportunities.
Engage with the community, site planners and service providers to address
and resolve problems encountered during site improvement.
Bring together key actors including service providers to establish an
acceptable distance and safe travel (or transport) to essential services andfacilities.
Coordinate with site planners, technical experts and service providers toprioritise and deliver essential services and livelihoods opportunities where
there are none.
Work with site planners to prioritise competing technical requirements andsequence these appropriately.

Ensure that facilities for mourning and burying the deceased reflect cultural
norms, noting these may not all be the same.
Consider the environmental impact of the site and make plans to limit environmental damage.
Ensure space and appropriate places for cultural facilities for religious practices
and rituals, performing arts, cultural events and festivities and so on.

38

3. SITE ENVIRONMENT – STANDARD 3.2▪

▪

With community representatives, make sure that any community-managed facilities are maintained, and that decommissioning is considered.
Maintain basic site infrastructure, either through advocacy to service providers
or through direct action.

◦

Include a budget line for basic maintenance in project proposals.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

▪

There is an agreed site plan developed with community involvement and appropriate technical expertise that meets the needs of all groups in the displaced
population.
% of the site population, including host communities, indicating that the sitereflects their needs, safety and priorities.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. The role of site managers and their teams in planning sites or site improvements is to ensure that all stakeholders, including the site population and hostcommunities, participate in developing the site plan. Site managers support site
residents and host communities to influence site planning and site improvement
decision-making through participatory methods such as assessment, consultative meetings, focus group discussions and go-and-see visits. People withspecific needs and marginalised groups should be consulted to make sure thesite plan reflects and addresses their needs.
2. A site development committee includes relevant local or national authorities,
cluster/sector leads, site planners, service providers, hydrologists, engineers,
members of the site population, GIS experts, public health experts, lawyers andexperts in land tenure and other relevant technical experts as needed. As muchas possible technical standards found in Sphere should be used by the site development committee.
3. In area-based or mobile camp management operations, as well as places where
people have already self-settled, site improvements will need to be done
gradually, as people initially will naturally have feelings of ownership which could
make replanning more difficult without extensive consultations.
4. In urban displacement contexts, precarious land tenure agreements and lack ofspace make it almost impossible to undertake heavy improvements and maintenance works. In these cases, the SMA could opt for low tech site improvement,
coupled with housing, land and property due diligence processes and land
advocacy with competent local authorities. Likewise, in certain urban contexts,
site management could advocate for communal facilities such as schools,
community centres and primary health care posts to be built in places that can

39

3. SITE ENVIRONMENT – STANDARD 3.2

be accessed by the populations of more than one displacement site and hostcommunities.
5. Area-based CCCM approaches offer a new way to provide assistance definedby geography, through a mix of social analysis and service delivery, with sitemanagement servicing districts, neighbourhoods or targeted communities overindividuals or households. In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, demolition
and rubble removal will need to be done, alongside meeting the immediateneeds of providing temporary shelter to people affected. It must be agreed
which areas or buildings should be cleared first and which can be used for
temporary sheltering options.
6. Also, due to legal regulations, the need for post-disaster criminal investigations,the need to preserve historical building sites, and the priorities of privately
owned and state-owned properties must be taken into account. These canbe some of the key delays or barriers to eventual reconstruction and finding
temporary sheltering options.
7. Site planning should also consider multiple or sequential disasters: for example,
an earthquake, followed by heavy rain , then aftershocks where those living
in sites will be affected by multiple disasters and the site will require multiple
technical upgrades.
8. Site managers managing evacuation centres in urban environments must
advocate being connected to the network of reopened/restored roads, to all
public services (for example, schools in one direction, the town hall in another)as the effects of aftershocks or other subsequent disaster events may have asignificant negative impact on the continued use of mass shelter options likesports halls.
9. Service providers should be encouraged to develop technical options that
respect the rights of all people, including persons with disabilities and of allages, to safely access facilities. However, specific or adaptedinclusive design andconstruction may be needed for children, older persons and people with mobility
barriers. In areas where there is overlap, SMAs should coordinate partners tomeet. Referral pathways should be regularly updated and tested.
10. Use spatial planning and the thematic indicators in Sphere to determine theright ratio of the number of communal facilities for each section of the site.
11. Site planning and set-up play a crucial role in making sure that a community
can continue specific practices, traditions and transmission of knowledge andskills in the immediate aftermath of a hazard. Therefore, not only men, womenand vulnerable groups should be represented in a governance structure, butalso cultural leaders and representatives, as well as marginalised and stigmatised groups.
12. How people use the spaces in the site on a daily basis will vary in each context
based on the cultural aspects of the inhabitants, the phase of the emergency and40

3. SITE ENVIRONMENT – STANDARD 3.2

time of day or year, and will likely change over time. Understanding the everyday
practices of the site residents can become a key factor in meeting their needs
and ensuring safety across the site.
13. Mobile site management teams can still be involved in improving sites.
The mobile teams can facilitate essential site maintenance activities wherever
people find themselves and coordinate (or directly organise) shelter improvements to support minimum living standards and protection. Mobile teams may:
▪
▪

▪

⊗

provide household-level internal partitions or window and door repairs;
mitigate site hazards such as debris removal, or simple sanitation network
repair; orfacilitate forms of tenure security for displaced communities living in
informal sites (such as rental and right to occupancy agreements).

See Sphere’s Shelter and settlement standard 2: Location and settlement planning.

⊗

Read more about site managers and site planning as well as the Set-up checklist
in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 7. See also the Ensuring the Maintenanceof Camp Infrastructure checklist in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 2.
⊗

Read more about collaborating with child protection actors to ensure children’ssafety in the Child Protection Minimum Standards, Standard 23 on CampManagement and Child Protection.
⊗

For more information on site improvements in collective centres and other out-ofcamp settings, see the CCCM Cluster’s Management and Coordination of Collective
Settings Through Mobile / Area Based Approach Working Paper.

41

Site service
coordination andmonitoring4. Site service coordination andmonitoring
Site coordination is the process of sharing information and planning to achieve
agreed mutual goals. It involves bringing together relevant humanitarian organisations and site populations to ensure activities are complementary and support the
populations in realising their basic rights. Coordination aims to ensure assistanceand protection are provided to the site population in an efficient and accountableway. Standards of living in the site must be maintained, as must full and equal accessto basic human rights for the site population.
Services need to be planned and carried out with care and responsibility towards
the site population to ensure acceptability, use and adequate maintenance. Services
must be planned, implemented and monitored using technical excellence and asound understanding of the physical and environmental characteristics of the site,
cultural habits and norms, and the specific needs and priorities of vulnerable usergroups. The SMA should not underestimate the need for strong technical support.
The SMA and service providers need to make sure that enough skilled staff areavailable for effective programme design, technical supervision and monitoring.
Coordination at and between site, community and country levels

SMAs will operate in a coordination setting beyond the site. Coordination also takes
place between sites, at regional and national levels. The primary role of the sitemanagement team is coordination within a site rather than between sites, except
in area-based contexts where the team may cover multiple sites. The SMA will alsoneed to report to national coordination mechanisms on the condition of the site.
Service providers at site level will likely also be operating in a broader coordination
setting, probably at national level and possibly at sub-national level, for example,
43

4. SITE SERVICE COORDINATION AND MONITORING – STANDARD 4.1

clusters or a thematic coordination platform. They will need to report their operations to these mechanisms.
The success of the coordination process is underpinned by developing andmaintaining transparent and effective partnerships with diverse stakeholders,
including national authorities, the CCCM cluster/sector lead, service providers, thesite population and the host community.
⊗

Links to CHS Commitments 1, 4 and 6.

Standard 4.1:
Site coordination
Services are coordinated to meet the needs of the displaced and hostpopulations.

Key actions
▪
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

Act as a focal point for all activities and issues taking place across the site.
Map all stakeholders (who, what, where) and help agree and clearly set out how
tasks will be divided between them.
Maintain open communication and coordination channels with the relevant
national and local authorities.
Establish and maintain good relations with host populations, supporting themto participate in work and activities across the site.
Regularly bring together site-level stakeholders to share information, gather
concerns, make collective decisions and update organisations.

◦ Use different ways of sharing information other than meetings.
Plan, implement and monitor protection and assistance activities and outcomesthroughout the site lifecycle.
◦ Understand standards for safety, protection and dignity, noting the role ofother sectors in setting those standards.
◦ Make sure essential services are placed in settlements in a way that follows
those standards.
Provide regular updates on work plans, the ability to meet minimum standards
and responding to changes in the site.
◦ Establish sectoral minimum quality standards in consultation with clusters
or sectors, service providers and the site population.
Advocate that the search for durable solutions is included in all actions donewith and for the site population.
Advocate for the inclusion of site representatives and governance structures inoverall and sectoral coordination mechanisms.
44

4. SITE SERVICE COORDINATION AND MONITORING – STANDARD 4.2.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators
▪
▪

▪

▪

Coordination meetings include all stakeholders or stakeholder groups.
Coordination meetings include representatives of the displaced and/or hostcommunity.
% of agenda items that are developed jointly with the representatives of thedisplaced and/or host community% of meeting action points that are acted on in the agreed time frame.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. Coordination does not mean meetings, although they can be a useful venue fordecision-making. Decision-makers should go to meetings so that problems are
addressed and resolved quickly. Separate level meetings are time-consuming,and the aim of coordination is not to delay decision-making or make assistanceineffective. It is not necessary to duplicate coordination structures at all levels.
2. For sensitive issues, other forms of coordination may be useful and appropriate,such as bilateral meetings with partners. It is critical to be aware of which issues
should be handled with discretion.
3. In non-camp settings, the exchange of information will be between a broader
range of stakeholders including local authorities. In these circumstances, the roleof the site management team will be to support site/area-level coordination by
convening and connecting various stakeholders, including community members(both displaced and host communities), and to strengthen/establish communication and coordination mechanism(s).
⊗Read more about coordination tools and challenges as well as the Coordination
checklist in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 4. See also the Coordinatingand Monitoring Assistance and Service Provision checklist in the Camp Management
Toolkit Chapter 2.
⊗

Read more about coordination in out-of-camp settings and the work of the Global
CCCM Cluster’s Area-based Approach Working Group on the CCCM website: https://cccmcluster.org/global/Area-based-Approach-Working-Group.
⊗

Read more about the role of women in coordination in the NRC’s Improving Participation and Protection of Displaced Women and Girls Through Camp Management
Approaches.
⊗

Watch how a camp manager coordinates on: www.youtube.com/watch?v=
7xlp6vmo_L0&feature=emb_logo.

45

4. SITE SERVICE COORDINATION AND MONITORING – STANDARD 4.2

Standard 4.2:
Site service assessment, monitoring and reporting
The site population’s needs are monitored and reported throughestablished systems.

Key actions
▪
▪

▪

▪

Know who your population is and their needs and capacities.
Ensure service providers are aware of the role of the SMA in monitoring gaps
and needs.
Establish and maintain communication channels between the site governancestructure and service providers.
Create or develop an agreed harmonised assessment tool for site profiles.

◦
▪

▪

▪

▪
▪

Set up sectoral indicators in consultation with clusters or sectors and service
providers.

Undertake joint, multi-sector assessments to understand needs and capacities
following significant changes in the population or site conditions.

◦ Involve the site population in monitoring services.
Collect data and manage information on service needs across the site.
◦ Coordinate with service providers to ensure that gaps and duplications in
the delivery of assistance and services are identified and responded to.
◦ Apply confidentiality and data protection policies to individual and family
information.
◦ See sectoral minimum quality standards.
Support data sharing agreements where possible between service providers inthe site to avoid duplication of work.
Feedback site-based information to national coordination mechanisms.
Make sure site residents have regular and timely access to accurate information
to guide their individual and family decisions to return, integrate or resettle.
Ensure the information is in an appropriate language(s) and format(s).
◦ Share with site populations the results from any assessments in potential
areas of return, integration or resettlement to independently determine thesafety of the options.
◦ With service providers, develop key messages for identified vulnerable
people to be informed about continuing access to services throughout theprocess.
◦ Relate information, at a minimum, to legal (protection), health, education,water supply and energy services, livelihood opportunities, markets andreligious and cultural institutions.

46

4. SITE SERVICE COORDINATION AND MONITORING – STANDARD 4.2◦◦◦

Conduct regular intention surveys and other forms of consultation at thehousehold level to evaluate how households are making decisions and if
there are barriers to their preferred options.
Understand and address rumours quickly.
Through community participation mechanisms, monitor community-level
trends in solution choice, including the timing and conditions of any move.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators
▪
▪
▪

▪

Site indicators are agreed with partners.
% site profiles updated within the agreed timeframe% of site population who are able to express their informed desire for return,
integration or resettlement% of site population aware of where to access information on options for durable
solutions.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. SMAs need to have a leading role in what information is being collected in
the site to be informed and highlight the gaps, needs and capacities of the
population. Reporting outputs expected from an SMA will be different in eachcontext. At a minimum, an SMA needs to know who is in their site, the needs oftheir population and the agencies who are providing it. SMAs also need to know
how the differences between the sexes, age groups and populations groups areaffected in their settings.
2. The SMA is also responsible for producing a report to stakeholders on activities and prioritised gaps. This is particularly true for informal sites or in mobile
approaches which may not be as frequently monitored by service providers.
3. Referral pathways may be essential for key technical services including health,security, GBV, protection, child protection, child survivors of GBV and missing
persons
4. If information is being collected and documented by another stakeholder,depending on the sensitivity of that data, SMA staff should join the datacollection team. Prior agreements on what information is being gathered by
who are crucial as these protect the site community from data collection fatigue⊗
and prevent the duplication of similar information. See Standard 1.4 for more
information.
5. Focus groups can reveal a wealth of detailed information and deep insight. Whenwell executed, a focus group creates an accepting environment that puts participants at ease allowing them to thoughtfully answer questions in their own words
and add meaning to their answers. A good focus group requires planning.

47

4. SITE SERVICE COORDINATION AND MONITORING – STANDARD 4.3

6. Care should be taken in sharing information about returns, integration or resettlement with site populations not to raise unrealistic expectations. Gathering
information on any development programming in those locations will be useful.
Understanding the desires for solutions and addressing rumours will be asensitive task.
7. If regular service monitoring is conducted, multi-sectoral assessments should
only be needed following a significant change in the population or site conditions. Site management staff should be involved in the planning for any large
assessments run by agencies.
8. For non-camp settings, the above also applies. However, more time will beneeded to agree with stakeholders what information to collect, why and how.
⊗Read more about site service monitoring in the Camp Management Toolkit
Chapter 4. See also the Coordinating and Monitoring Assistance and Service
Provision checklist in the Camp Management Toolkit Chapter 2.
⊗

Read more about key actions to support children’s equal access to site structures,
services and spaces in the hild Protection Minimum Standards, Standard 23 on CampManagement and Child Protection.
⊗

See also Standard 2.2: Community participation.

Standard 4.3:
Referral pathways
People in need are referred to specialised service providers.

Key actions
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

Build awareness for the site population and all organisations working in the siteof critical referral pathways for health services, GBV, child protection and otherprotection services.
Minimise overlap between service providers and help streamline referral
pathways.
Train SMA staff in critical referral pathways and ensure staff know how to appropriately and ethically advise people on how to access them.
Make sure follow-up procedures on referrals are in place, for example througha referrals database.
Share any updated case management protocols (such as child protection andGBV) with all relevant partners.
Advocate for specialist services or for an increase in specific services as conditions change.

◦

Advocate for quality specialist services.
48

4. SITE SERVICE COORDINATION AND MONITORING – STANDARD 4.3▪

▪

Help community governance structures or representatives to play a key role inreferrals as appropriate (subject to relevant training).
Promote systems for self-referral.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

Functioning referral pathways are in place to ensure that people with specific or
specialised needs receive the assistance and protection required.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. While referral pathways are developed by specialised agencies, an SMA has a
crucial role through its constant (or regular) presence in the site to disseminate information to communities about specialised services in a timely manner.
Referral pathways may be essential for key technical services including health,security, GBV, protection, child protection, child survivors of GBV and missing
persons.
2. A comprehensive understanding of the risk factors faced by vulnerable groups,
particularly women and girls, and the causes of these risks is essential for
effective prevention interventions. SMAs are responsible and accountable forworking at the site level, together with the relevant authorities and protection
actors, to protect all people living in the site.
3. A survivor of GBV should be fully informed of their choices, the services
available and the potential positive and negative consequences of accessing
those services. Awareness of service providers about existing referral pathways
is sometimes more challenging where there is limited capacity in field locations.
Organisation and critical services should be encouraged to have services in thesite and not just place an agency flag or sign at the entrance of the site where no
activities are taking place. Sharing resources or saying when your agency does
not have capacity to respond is preferable to not delivering on services.
⊗

See also Sphere Protection Principle 3.

49

Exit and transition

5. Exit and transition
As humanitarian situations change, the management of many sites will transfer fromone organisation to another at least once over the life of the site. This transfer
may be to international or national NGOs or more likely to national or local authorities, who may take on a site management role in addition to their other mandates.
The transition may also be more widespread, affecting service providers and otherstakeholders. Transition to a new site manager does not usually involve closing thesite, but instead requires services to continue being provided to people seeking
protection and assistance.
Site closure, like site set-up and planning, changes depending on its context. It
can take place for a variety of reasons and in a diverse number of ways or stages.
These range from planned and orderly closures influenced by organised, voluntary
return movements or dwindling donor support, to abrupt and disorderly closuresdue to disasters caused by natural hazards, security threats or government coercion.
In some cases, while assistance and service provision phase out, the site itself
does not close, in terms of the removal of its infrastructure or its function as acommunity location. It may itself become a viable permanent settlement, town orsite of economic or social activity. It may also simply return to its previous function.
Partial or total unplanned closures that involve forced return require strategic andproactive management mechanisms to be put in place to guarantee the protectionof the affected people.
Whatever the circumstances, careful planning and extensive coordination is crucial
and should be carried out by the site management team in collaboration withnational authorities and other key stakeholders, including the legal owners of theland. Together they should ensure that site and host populations participate fullyin the process. Buildings which have been degraded due to their temporary use ascollective centres can have a negative impact on the local community. The eventual
decommissioning, or rehabilitation and handover, of such assets during site closure
should be defined and agreed with involved stakeholders from the start, or as close
as possible to it. The planning of site set-up/improvement and closure are interrelated from the beginning.
SMAs and CCCM cluster coordinators are in a unique position to monitor if secondary
displacement is taking place. This may happen when conditions in the areas of returnor resettlement are not conducive for a safe and dignified return. Reasons could
relate to security, housing and livelihood opportunities, basic services and social
retaliation. Where this occurs and an SMA has successfully monitored the situation,
advocacy on the challenges faced by the displaced people should be done with local
or appropriate authorities.
51

5. EXIT AND TRANSITION – STANDARD 5.1

Standard 5.1:
Transition to a new SMA and site management team
Site populations continue to receive appropriate and timely support andservice provision during site management transition periods.

Key actions▪

With the new SMA, develop a transition or handover plan.

◦
◦

▪
▪

▪

▪

At a minimum, this plan should ensure service continue to be provided in
the site. Include existing service providers in this process.
Ensure infrastructure and equipment handover includes details of key
resources, tasks and technical requirements.
Include rehabilitation and decommissioning needs.

◦
Include existing site representation structures in the handover process.
Work with the incoming SMA to establish a caseload action plan to address theneeds of vulnerable people, which does not place them at increased risk due tosite handover and ensures their uninterrupted access to services.
◦ Make sure that vulnerable people and their caregivers are appropriately
informed about a new SMA and their ongoing access to services.
Work with the new SMA to ensure its capacity and expertise is adequate.
◦ Capacity building should include all areas but in particular issues ofland tenure, infrastructure maintenance and protection and humanitarianprinciples.
◦ Work with the new SMA, for example, through partner or shared roles,
mentoring or shadowing.
Share a summary of the transition or handover plan with the host community
and representatives of the local authorities.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

▪

% of site population who are satisfied with services provided during transition
periods
Community and partner consultations are used to develop and share transitionor handover plans.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. Incoming SMAs may be humanitarian organisations, government authorities(local or national) or community groups. It is critical to build capacity and provide
time for technical support and overlap between senior staff and new agency staff
52

5. EXIT AND TRANSITION – STANDARD 5.2

coming in to complete activities and consultations. In areas where it is possible,
the new SMA should be encouraged to retain original staff, who are rehired toprovide both experience and institutional memory to ensure continuity for the
population. For planned handovers, capacity and expertise of the incoming SMA
can be assured, and capacity plans and activities put in place if needed. For more
rapid handovers, the CCCM cluster coordinator and the cluster lead agency may
have a role in making sure capacity plans are rolled out in incoming SMAs.
⊗

See also Standard 1.3: SMA and site management team capacity.

Standard 5.2:
Planned closure
Site closure takes place in a planned and consultative manner, and its
impact on any residual site populations is mitigated.

Key actions▪

Revisit site closure plans and adapt to the current context.

◦
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪
▪

▪

▪

Use results from consultative meetings, focus group discussions or intentions surveys to inform any action.

If appropriate and feasible, set up go-and-see visits to return, integration or
resettlement locations.
Compile a list of site residents who are ready to relocate, taking note especiallyof large families, people with specific needs and female-headed households.
Advocate for appropriate transport.
Involve site governance structures and leadership in the planning and implementation of closure.
Seek solutions for vulnerable people to be absorbed into any social safety net
should site services suddenly be reduced or withdrawn.
Monitor site closure against the plan.
Ensure feedback and complaints mechanisms remain available to the affected
population.
Make sure measures are in place for the residual population, who may need toaccess special services while residing or remaining on-site, including receiving
access to appropriate levels of assistance.
Use or adapt existing participatory approaches and tools to find out anddocument community perceptions on site closure and relocation.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

% of service-providing organisations that adopt and provide input to closureplans (target 100%)53

5. EXIT AND TRANSITION – STANDARD 5.3▪

▪

Feedback and complaints mechanisms are maintained throughout the closure
process.
% of protection and security issues related to closure that are reported andreferred.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. As with site set-up, each site closure will be highly contextual, and engaging thecommunity is a key element in a smooth closure process.
2. While closing formal camps is a government responsibility, national exit
strategies are not the responsibility of a single agency or authority and needmultiple stakeholders across different levels of government, community oragency to be engaged.
3. The closure of sites hosting IDPs must align with any government plans for IDP
movement, the restitution of the land and any other administrative issues.
4. The closure of sites hosting refugees will involve national governments signing
legal memorandums of understanding with countries of return or resettlement.
These are organised by UNHCR, the government of refuge and intended countryof return or resettlement.
⊗

See also Standards 2.2: Community participation, 2.3: Information sharing with
communities and 2.4: Feedback and complaints.
⊗

Read more about site closure as well as the Closure checklist in the CampManagement Toolkit Chapter 7.
⊗

Read more about site closure in the CCCM Cluster’s Camp Closure Guidelines.

Standard 5.3:
Unplanned closure (partial or whole)
Unplanned (forced returns) and spontaneous closure is anticipated and its
impact on site populations managed and mitigated.

Key actions▪

Ensure site residents have access to basic services.

▪

◦ Coordinate with service providers to relocate or reprovision services.
◦ Advocate on behalf of site populations to maintain services.
Work with local and national authorities and other stakeholders to find alternative accommodation solutions for site residents affected by the closure.
◦ Support movement of belongings and infrastructure.

54

5. EXIT AND TRANSITION – STANDARD 5.4

◦

◦
▪

▪

▪

Compile a list of site residents who need to relocate, taking note especiallyof large families and female-headed households. Advocate for appropriate
transport.
Make sure accommodation for people with specific needs is adapted to meetthose needs.

Use or adapt existing information-sharing mechanisms to inform the site
population and service providers about what is happening and why.
Ensure feedback and complaints mechanisms remain available to the affected
population.
Use or adapt existing participatory approaches and tools to find out anddocument community perceptions on site closure and relocation.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

▪

▪

% of the site population who are able to access basic services during site closure
or relocation
Feedback and complaints mechanisms are maintained throughout the closure
process.
% of protection and security issues related to closure that are reported andreferred.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. Situations resulting from conflict and disasters caused by natural hazards areoften unpredictable. People remain in sites for far longer than initially planned.
Future eventualities and different scenarios need to be anticipated from thevery beginning of an operation. Effective management of the site, infrastructure
and assets must be based on assessments including the timing of exit. Carefulplanning should aim to safeguard the site population.
2. While forced site closure and forced return of displaced people to their area oforigin is not acceptable, the SMA should be ready to respond to it. Site closuremust be linked to a durable solution framework for all displaced people.
⊗

See also Standards 2.1: Governance structures, 2.2: Community participation, 2.3:
Information sharing with communities and 2.4: Feedback and complaints.
⊗

Read more about site closure as well as the Closure checklist in the CampManagement Toolkit Chapter 7.
⊗

Read more about site closure in the CCCM Cluster’s Camp Closure Guidelines.

55

5. EXIT AND TRANSITION – STANDARD 5.4

Standard 5.4:
Rehabilitation and decommissioning
Rehabilitation of the site meets the needs of residual populations and hostcommunities while taking into account local regulations and environmental
needs.

Key actions▪

Consult with all service providers, community representatives and other stakeholders to develop a rehabilitation and decommissioning plan that details
equipment, infrastructure and guidance on land and infrastructure rehabilitation.

◦
◦
◦
◦
▪
▪

▪

▪

Consult during site set-up, as infrastructure and land management options
evolve, and during site closure periods.
Ensure that burial grounds used by the site population are clearly marked
and included in rehabilitation and decommissioning plans.
Ask for specific decommissioning protocols for any hazardous waste sites,such as health facilities, chemical storage sites and slaughter yards.
Request from service providers decommissioning plans for all toilets andsludge management facilities.

Assess, mitigate and monitor any negative environmental impacts.
Share the rehabilitation and decommissioning plan with the host and residual
community and any local government.
Review initial and updated site plans and any initial host community agreements
and revisit with the community through participatory mechanisms.
Revisit the agreement with host communities and local authorities detailing theconditions needed to return the land and infrastructure.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Key indicators▪

Environmental concerns are assessed, mitigated and monitored.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Guidance notes
1. Site closure will produce large amounts of waste of different kinds such as
shelter materials, left-behind belongings and damaged items of various kinds.
Waste such as chemicals, batteries, expired items and health waste will need to
be properly disposed of. Preparing for site closure includes cleaning, whether
removal or on-site burial or incineration. Risk of contaminating soil and water
sources should be taken seriously.

56

5. EXIT AND TRANSITION – STANDARD 5.4

2. Environmental rehabilitation does not necessarily mean returning the site to its
former status; even if feasible, it will be costly and time-consuming. It may be
more appropriate to find out what the host community would like to see happen
to the site once it has been closed.
⊗

Read more about environmental considerations in the Camp Management Toolkit
Chapter 6. See also the Closure checklist in Chapter 7.
⊗

Site lifecycle planning should be done alongside Standards 3.2 An appropriate
environment, 4.1 Site coordination and 5.2 Planned closure.
⊗

See also the technical chapters of the Sphere Handbook for more detail on decommissioning and rehabilitation of water, sanitation and hygiene, shelter and settlements and health infrastructure.

57

Annex 1 – Disability
inclusionmonitoring
checklist

Annex 1 – Disability inclusion
monitoring checklist
How can the inclusiveness of a site be monitored? This checklist is not exhaustive
nor meant to replace participatory approaches but can be used as a complementary
tool by site managers willing to assess the overall inclusiveness of a site, or as a tool
to support the development of an inclusive strategy for persons with disabilities.
To monitor inclusion, data disaggregation by sex, age and disability will be critical.
Whenever relevant and within available assessments, analysis and response capacities, SMAs are encouraged to use tools tested in humanitarian contexts, such as the
Washington Group Short Set of Disability Questions.
The questions below follow the structure of the Minimum Standards for CampManagement.1 The questions should be contextualised and can be adjusted to fit
different settings or programmatic purposes.

Site management capacities and identification
Site lifecycle planning
▪

▪

▪

▪

Were persons with different types of disabilities engaged in the development of
the action plan?
Does the site management action plan consider the diverse requirements ofpersons with disabilities? Does it include targeted actions for persons who willneed reasonable accommodation?
Have inclusive budgeting and material resources been considered in the action
plan? For example, a budget line for accessibility and reasonable accommodation, starting from the design phase; and procurement of supplies that follow
the universal design principles.
Have the requirements of persons with disabilities been included in contingency
and evacuation plans?

Site management team capacity▪

▪

Is someone in the site management team appointed as disability inclusion focal
point?
Are there both men and women with disabilities working for the sitemanagement agency as staff, volunteers, community mobilisers and so on?

1 For inclusion-specific standards, see Age and Disability Consortium. Humanitarian Inclusion
Standards for Older People and People with Disabilities, 2018. www.helpage.org/download/
5a7ad49b81cf8
59

ANNEX 1 – DISABILITY INCLUSION MONITORING CHECKLIST

▪

▪

▪

Are persons with disabilities encouraged to apply for site management
positions? Is reasonable accommodation provided for persons with disabilities
working in the site management team?
Has the site management team received training on disability inclusion and is theteam able to apply learning to deliver inclusive assistance? Is technical advice on
inclusion available within the SMA or through partners?
Are the organisation’s premises and processes accessible to persons withdifferent types of disabilities?

Identification and data protection
▪

▪

▪

▪

Have persons with disabilities been identified during registration or throughother data collection mechanisms?
Is data disaggregated by sex, age and disability available to the site management
agency?
Is data related to persons with disabilities adequately protected throughout the
information management cycle?
Is informed consent collected from persons with disabilities whenever relevant(or assent where consent cannot be provided, such as for children or persons
with intellectual impairments); and in an accessible way (e.g. through easy read
forms)?

Community participation and representation
Community participation
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

Are persons with disabilities included in participation methodologies set up by
the SMA? Has a budget been allocated to support their engagement?
Are persons with disabilities involved in each stage of the project cycle –assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation?
Are there diverse accessible channels for persons with disabilities to reach out
to the site management team and report on their views and concerns?
Do persons with disabilities report to be satisfied with the opportunities they
have to influence site decisions?
Do women with disabilities feel their views are considered in decision-making
processes?

Information sharing and communication▪

▪

▪

Have persons with different types of disabilities been consulted on their communication needs and preferences?
Is key information, education and communication material provided in multiple
formats and mediums in the site (such as large print, easy read and jargon free,pictograms, sign language, oral, radio, videos, text messages)?
Is information disseminated in multiple accessible locations (such as at information desks, distribution sites, safe spaces and health facilities; during site
60

ANNEX 1 – DISABILITY INCLUSION MONITORING CHECKLIST

committee meetings and focus groups; via door-to-door visits and community
mobilisers)?
▪
Is monitoring organised to ensure that persons with different types of disabilities are included and have access to key information about the site’s life, overall
services and assistance available, as well as on specific services that concern
them?
Feedback and complaints
Can feedback and complaints be collected through a variety of channels (such asverbal, written, electronic, paper-based, boxes, help desks, hotlines), in accessible ways and locations?
▪
Are feedback and complaints mechanisms accessible to people who stay in their
shelters?
▪
When taking actions and reporting back, is accessibility also considered?
▪
Is there a way to monitor the use of feedback and complaints mechanisms by
persons with disabilities (for example, is data disaggregated by sex, age anddisability using the Washington Group Short Set of Questions)?
▪
Can disability-specific complaints be also collected through these mechanisms– e.g. on accessibility, inappropriate (or denial of) reasonable accommodation?
Are answers provided in a timely, accessible and knowledgeable way?
▪
Are prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse mechanisms accessible topersons with disabilities?
Governance structures
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

Are there active organisations of persons with disabilities, self-support groups orcommunity disability committees in the site or surrounding communities? If so,
are they representative of the site population in its diversity (sex, age, ethnicity,disabilities)?
Are persons with disabilities and/or their representative organisations involved
in site governance structures or groups? Do they play a meaningful role? Are thepersons/entities involved representative of the population in terms of sex, age,
ethnicity and disability? Do persons with disabilities feel they are represented
by and through the site governance structure?
Have barriers and enablers to participation of persons with disabilities been
identified? Have persons with disabilities been involved in their identification?
Do barriers and enablers assessments take place on a regular basis?
Has a risk assessment been conducted, keeping in mind the “do no harm”
principle, on the participation of persons with disabilities and the potential
impact on their life and the way they are perceived? Are risk assessments
conducted on a regular basis?
Have trainings been organized by the SMA or partners for persons with disabilities, their families and organisations of persons with disabilities to ensure their
meaningful participation and increased resilience?
61

ANNEX 1 – DISABILITY INCLUSION MONITORING CHECKLISTSite environment
A safe and secure environment
▪

▪
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

Are observational and safety audits regularly conducted in the site, evaluating
both physical infrastructures and community behaviour, keeping in mind therisks men, women, boys and girls with disabilities may face? Is there a strategy
in place to mitigate the risks identified?
Are persons with disabilities represented in safety committees?
Are information channels to communicate risks to the site population accessible
to persons with disabilities (in a variety of formats, in multiple locations)?
During site set-up and site improvement, have measures been taken to adopt
universal design principles and ensure access to the site and infrastructures
for the greatest number of people? Do these consider, for example, pathways,
access to shelters, WASH, distribution sites, communal areas, schools and healthcare facilities? Do they consider the range of existing disabilities (such as
physical, psychosocial and intellectual, and sensory impairments)?
Are persons with disabilities, their families and caregivers consulted throughout
the site lifecycle on their needs, the barriers they face and expectations for thesite plans? For example, in terms of the overall set-up, infrastructures, shelters,
access to WASH facilities, distribution sites, health care facilities, schools andcommunal areas.
Are national laws, norms and standards on accessibility and inclusion considered
and respected?
Is reasonable accommodation provided to persons with disabilities and theirfamilies, in terms of access to facilities, services and assistance?
Is there a budget planned for reasonable accommodation and site improvement
to act on the barriers persons with disabilities may face?
Are accessibility audits conducted regularly to assess part or all of the site’senvironment, including meeting spaces?
Are acceptable distance and transport to essential services and facilities
considered for persons with disabilities?
Do children with disabilities have access to education? Do other persons withdisabilities and their families have access to education and livelihoods opportunities?

Site service coordination and monitoring
Site coordination▪

Are there disability-focused organisations working in the site or communities(e.g. specialized NGOs or services dedicated to persons with disabilities, organisations of persons with disabilities)?

62

ANNEX 1 – DISABILITY INCLUSION MONITORING CHECKLIST

▪

▪
▪
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

Are there other professionals to support inclusion efforts at site level, forexample, mental health and psychosocial support, protection, child protection,
GBV staff?
Have relevant services and stakeholders been identified, mapped and involved?
Is inclusion a regular item on the agenda of site coordination meetings?
When a disability working group (or age and disability group) is activated incountry, does the site management team attend the working group’s meetings?
Are persons with disabilities and disability committees involved in collective
decisions, including through site-level stakeholders’ meetings? Are coordination
meetings accessible to persons with disabilities?
Are persons with disabilities involved when deciding on sectoral minimum
quality standards?
Are persons with disabilities included in the implementation and monitoring ofprotection and assistance activities and outcomes throughout the site lifecycle?
Is advocacy also conducted for and with persons with disabilities in the searchfor durable solutions?

Site service assessment, monitoring and reporting▪

▪

▪

Are site profiles and assessment tools inclusive (for example, identifying persons
with disabilities, with data disaggregated by sex, age and disability; identifying
risks, barriers and requirements)?
Are persons with disabilities involved and consulted in services monitoringand multi-sectoral assessments? Are there specific questions for persons withdisabilities in surveys and monitoring tools used by the SMA?
Do persons with disabilities have meaningful access to information to guidetheir decisions to return, integrate or resettle? Is service continuity accessible
throughout the process? Are barriers for making decisions identified?

Referral pathways
▪

▪

▪
▪
▪

▪

Are persons with disabilities aware of critical referral pathways for healthservices, GBV, child protection and other protection and specialised services?
Has information been communicated in multiple formats and through multiple
accessible channels?
Are site management staff aware of critical (and accessible) referral pathways
and do they know how to appropriately and ethically advise people, including
persons with disabilities and their families, on how to access them?
Are follow-up procedures on referrals in place?
Are case management protocols shared with partners as needed?
Is advocacy conducted for quality specialised services for persons with disabilities?
Do disability committees play a role in referrals?

63

ANNEX 1 – DISABILITY INCLUSION MONITORING CHECKLISTExit and transition
Transition to a new site management agency
▪

▪

▪

▪

Has service continuity for persons with disabilities been included in thetransition or handover plan?
Have persons with disabilities and their caregivers been included in the process
and informed meaningfully of the transition plans?
Have the needs and requirements of persons with disabilities and their families
been identified so that they are not placed at increased risk due to site
handover? Has their access to services been secured?
Has the new SMA been trained on disability inclusion practices? Are its capacities
and expertise adequate?

Closure
▪

▪
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

Have persons with disabilities been consulted through meetings, focus groups
or other means on site closure plans?
Have appropriate go-and-see visits been set up for persons with disabilities?
Has appropriate transport and support been arranged, including to prevent therisk of separation from families and caregivers?
Have contingency plans considered persons with disabilities in terms of social
safety nets should services suddenly be reduced or withdrawn?
Are feedback and complaints mechanisms still available and accessible topersons with disabilities?
Are supportive measures still in place for persons with disabilities who are part of
the residual population, for example access to special services while remaining
on-site, to assistance and to self-help groups?
When site closures are unplanned, have persons with disabilities been informed
about what is happening and why, have their minimum requirements been
considered (for example, access to basic services, transport and accommodation)?

64

References and further reading
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, Minimum Standards
for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action: 2019 Edition, 2020. https://alliancecpha.org/en/CPMS_home
ALNAP. Participation Handbook for Humanitarian Field Workers, 2009.
www.alnap.org/help-library/participation-handbook-for-humanitarian-fieldworkers
BritishRed
Cross.
Community
Engagement
Hub.
https://
communityengagementhub.org
The Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP), Minimum Requirements for Market
Analysis in Emergencies, 2013. www.calpnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/
2013/07/minimum-requirements-for-market-analysis-in-emergencies.pdf
Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster. Camp
Closure Guidelines, 2014. https://cccmcluster.org/resources/camp-closureguidelines
Global CCCM Cluster. CCCMCase Studies Volume 1, 2014. https://cccmcluster.
org/resources/cccm-case-studies-vol-1
Global CCCM Cluster. Urban Displacement & Outside of Camp: Desk Review,https://cccmcluster.org/resources/urban-displacement-out-camps2014.
review-udoc
Global CCCM Cluster. CCCMCase Studies Volume 2, 2016. https://cccmcluster.
org/resources/cccm-case-studies-vol-2
Global CCCM Cluster. CCCM Case Studies 2016-2019 Chapter 3, 2019. https://
cccmcluster.org/resources/cccm-case-studies-2016-2019-chapter-3
Global CCCM Cluster. Management and Coordination of Collective
Settings Through Mobile / Area Based Approach: Working Paper, 2019.
https://cccmcluster.org/resources/management-and-coordination-collectivesettings-through-mobile-approach-working-paper
Global Protection Cluster Working Group. Handbook for the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons, 2010. www.globalprotectioncluster.org/_assets/files/
news_and_publications/IDP_Handbook_EN.pdf
Humanitarian Standards Partnership. Humanitarian inclusion standards forolder people and people with disabilities. Key inclusion standards 4, 5 and 6,
2018. https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Humanitarian_inclusion_standards_for_older_people_and_people_with_disabi....pdf
OCHA. Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, 2004. https://reliefweb.int/
report/world/guiding-principles-internal-displacement-2004
IASC. IASC Six Core Principles, https://psea.interagencystandingcommittee.org/
update/iasc-six-core-principles

65

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪
▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

IASC. Strategy: Protection from and response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
and Sexual Harassment, 2018. https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/iascchampion-protection-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-and-sexual-harassment/
strategy-protection
IASC and Global Protection Cluster. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based
Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action: Reducing risk, promoting
resilience and aiding recovery, 2015. https://interagencystandingcommittee.
org/working-group/iasc-guidelines-integrating-gender-based-violenceinterventions-humanitarian-action
ICRC, Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Standards, 2020. www.icrc.
org/en/data-protection-humanitarian-action-handbook
IOM, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and UN Refugee Agency UNHCR). CampManagement Toolkit. https://cccmcluster.org/resources/camp-managementtoolkit
NRC. Sustainable Settlements: Maximising the social, environmental
and economic gains in humanitarian displacement settings, 2017.
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/sustainable-settlements-maximisingsocial-environmental-and-economic-gains-humanitarian
NRC. Community Coordination Toolbox, 2020. https://cct.nrc.no
NRC. Improving Participation and Protection of Displaced Women and Girls
Through Camp Management Approaches, 2020. www.nrc.no/resources/
reports/improving-participation-and-protection-of-displaced-women-andgirls-through-camp-management-approaches
Overseas Development Institute. Protracted Displacement: Uncertain Paths
to Self-reliance in Exile, 2015. www.odi.org/publications/9906-protracteddisplacement-uncertain-paths-self-reliance-exile
Oxfam GB. Impact Measurement and Accountability in Emergencies: The
Good Enough Guide, 2007. https://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/
impact-measurement-and-accountability-in-emergencies-the-good-enoughguide-115510
The SEEP Network. Minimum Economic Recovery Standards (3rd edition), 2017.
https://seepnetwork.org/Blog-Post/Minimum-Economic-Recovery-StandardsThird-Edition-exist-190
Sphere Association. The Sphere Handbook (4th edition), 2018. https://spherestandards.org/wp-content/uploads/Sphere-Handbook-2018-EN.pdf
UNHCR. Handbook for the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons,2010. www.unhcr.org/uk/protection/idps/4c2355229/handbook-protectioninternally-displaced-persons.html
UNHCR, IOM. Collective Centre Guidelines, 2010. https://reliefweb.int/report/
world/collective-centre-guidelines66

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

▪

▪

▪

UN. Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006.
www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-ofpersons-with-disabilities.html
UN Security Council. Conflict Related Sexual Violence: Report of the UN
Secretary-General. S/2018/250, 2018. www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/report/s-2019-280/Annual-report-2018.pdf
Women in Displacement. https://womenindisplacement.org

67

Acronyms and abbreviations
CHSCore Humanitarian Standards

GBV

Gender-based violence

IASC

Inter-Agency Standing Committee

IOM

International Organization for MigrationNGO

Non-government organisation

POLR

Provider of last resort (cluster)

PSEA

Preventing sexual exploitation and abuse

SEA

Sexual exploitation and abuse

SMA

Site management agency

UNHCR

UN Refugee Agency

WASH

Water, sanitation and hygiene (sector)

68IndexTerm

Minimum Standards inCamp Management

Camp Management
Toolkitabbreviations

68

accountabilityvii, 4, 13, 15, 19, 24, 31,
31, 43

10, 14, 15, 20–22,
24–27, 30, 32, 34, 39,
46, 47, 60–63, 65, 66,
73, 75, 77, 96, 109, 118,
121, 127, 132, 138, 141,
186, 187, 189, 190, 192,
195, 196, 203, 213, 226

area-based approach

5, 7, 8, 26, 39, 40, 43

18

assessment

25, 27, 35, 39, 46, 48, 55

18, 38, 42, 47, 52, 54,
56, 63, 64, 66, 73, 236,
242, 247– camp closure

109, 114, 115– camp set-up

101, 102, 104, 107– education

121, 258, 259, 263, 268,
270

– environment

84, 86, 87, 89, 91, 92– food security

186, 189, 193, 196, 197– GBV

146–148, 150, 153– group level140– health

237, 238, 239, 251, 254,
255

69

INDEX– livelihoods

275–277, 279–281– needs

22, 23, 68, 74–76, 79– participation27, 49, 50, 51, 57– programme cycle

38– protection

16

42, 123, 125, 126,

– PWSN

156, 157, 161–164, 166– registration

131–133, 139– risk16– role of CMA– safety and security

23, 2435

57, 171–173, 176, 180,
183

– shelter multi hazard

223, 229, 230– site plan104

– transparency

57– WASH

202–204, 215

Camp Management
Toolkitiii, 17, 19, 19, 22, 33, 27,
31, 37, 41, 45, 48, 54,
55, 57checklist– community
participation

42, 57– coordination

68

70

INDEX– coordinating andmonitoring assistanceand service

42– disseminating
information

43– ensuring themaintenance of campinfrastructure42– environment

91– inclusivity– information
management

80– managing
information

43– PSEA33– recruiting, training
and supervising staff

42– safety and security

183– setting up governanceand community
participation
mechanisms

42– site closure

115– site set-up

115

collective centres

4, 5, 6, 10, 17, 32, 27,
38, 41, 51, 65

9, 16–18, 31, 36, 61, 65,
84, 85, 97, 99, 100, 102,
103, 108, 119, 120,
147–149, 221–227, 230,
231, 258, 265, 270

71

INDEX

community
participation4, 13, 19, 24, 31, 32, 25,
27, 35, 37, 38, 47

10, 11, 22, 36, 42,
45–58, 64, 131, 149,
172, 176, 211, 213, 224,
258, 260, 270

contingency plans

16, 36, 64

20, 22, 31, 34, 41, 43,
134, 171, 172, 175–178,
180, 183, 192, 222, 232,
248, 255, 260, 261, 270

coordination

9, 15, 16, 20–22, 26, 27,
38, 41–43, 97, 241– camp committees

50, 51, 55, 56– camp management
agency14, 15, 30, 31, 33,
60–68, 72–77, 80, 85,– camp closure

107, 109, 111, 115– cluster coordination

23, 24– diarrhoeal disease249– education

258, 260–262, 267, 270– entitlement cards

132– food security

189– food/non-food items

187, 188, 196– health236–239, 246, 248, 250,
252, 254, 255– IDP campadministration23– inter-camp

24

72

INDEX– LGBTi

164– livelihoods

274, 275, 279, 280– meetings

33, 38, 42– national– OCHA

78, 172– protection

121–123, 126, 127,
156–159, 164, 165– PSEA– rainwater88– refugee model22– registration

130, 132, 133, 138– safety

170–172, 174, 180– sectoral– security providers

34– shelter

220–222, 224, 227, 229,
232

– site– site planning and GBV

146, 148, 149, 151, 152– training

32, 52,– UN-CIMIC

3573

INDEX– WASH

87, 88, 202–204, 207,
214, 215

Core HumanitarianStandard (CHS)8– appropriateness andrelevance

35, 44– communication,
participation andfeedback

25– complaints
mechanisms

25– coordination andcomplementarity

44– effectiveness andtimeliness14– local capacities andnegative effects

25– staff support andtreatment

25

durable solutions

4, 10, 44, 47

14, 19–23, 31, 43, 47,
51, 64, 77, 96, 107, 108,
110, 111, 115, 126, 131,
224, 237

emergency evacuation
centres

7, 15, 32

9, 17, 18, 20, 64, 147,
222

feedback andcomplaints

14, 26, 27, 46, 47– PSEA

14

governance structuresiv, 24, 31, 32, 33, 26, 35,
36, 49, 53, 61

37, 47, 49, 64, 76

74

INDEX

governmentiii, 4, 13, 14, 15, 19, 21,
31, 51, 54

9, 17, 22, 24, 26, 37–39,
61, 97, 105, 107, 109,
111, 118, 120, 122, 131,
132, 137, 171, 180, 238,
244, 263, 265, 268, 269,
277

– local13, 18, 26, 52, 56

36, 51, 62, 97, 109, 246– national

4, 35, 52, 54

Handbook for theProtection of InternallyDisplaced Personsiii

host communityvi, 5, 8, 13, 15, 16, 17,
31, 31, 26, 27, 28, 30,
35, 38, 39, 40, 44, 45,
51, 52, 56, 57

10, 14, 18, 23–25, 31,
32, 34, 38, 47, 48, 50,
53, 55–58, 60–62, 65,
72, 75, 76, 84–87,
89–92, 96, 97, 99, 101,
102, 105–107, 111,
114–115, 119, 126, 137,
141, 146, 151, 158, 160,
163, 164, 170, 172–174,
177, 181, 183, 188, 197,
203, 204, 206, 211, 215,
220, 221, 223, 224, 226,
232, 246, 253, 254, 260,
262–267, 274–281

Humanitarian Chartervii, 8, 9

164, 203

humanitarianprinciples

8, 19

14–15, 24, 32, 35, 50,
63, 181

HumanitarianStandards Partnershipiii

informal sites, seeself-settled camps
local authorities

4, 8, 15, 16, 19, 35, 38,
39, 44, 45, 51, 52, 62
75

INDEX

minimum standards

iii, iv, vi, vii, vii, 11

15, 84, 101, 121, 141,237

– child protection

121– education

258–260, 266, 269, 270– information sharing
and data protection

27– LGBTI– sectoral

164
44, 46– shelter

221, 224

mobile teams, see also
area-based approach

7, 15, 27, 39, 41, 47, 65

17, 30, 36, 77, 85, 136,
175, 223

monitoring

16, 25, 44, 46, 47

22, 25, 32–34, 39, 42,
46–50, 52, 54, 56, 57,
61–64, 66, 72, 107, 111,
115, 118, 121–123,
130–132, 134, 139–141,
144, 145, 147, 148, 151,
153, 159, 178, 180, 183,
186–189, 194, 197,
202–204, 209, 213–215,
220, 221, 227, 229, 232,
237, 247, 258–261, 263,
264, 269, 270, 278, 279,
281

– assistance and service
provision

45, 4824, 30, 118, 156, 157,
162,

– community
participation

38

27, 48, 134– complaints andfeedback

29

76

INDEX– data20

22, 74, 77, 80, 161, 166,221,

– environmental
impacts

56

84–87, 90, 91, 277– governance

31, 2526, 30,– population density

36

140

– safety and security

36

125–127– secondary
displacements

51– site action plan17, 25– site closure

53

option of last resort

4

9, 14, 41, 77, 96, 119

people with specificneeds

26, 29, 36, 38, 39, 55

23, 32, 34, 36, 38, 39,
42, 43, 46, 47, 49, 57,
61, 64, 68, 75, 80, 104,
107, 111, 112, 115, 123,
130, 134, 136, 138,
155–167, 172, 173, 186,
188, 191, 193, 195–198,
205, 214, 215, 224, 226,
232, 236, 239, 243, 244,
253–255, 270, 275–277,
280, 281

planned camps

5planning,site planning38

protection principles

8, 9, 13, 19

PSEA (preventing sexual
exploitation and abuse)

14, 18, 19, 19, 29

88, 96–98, 103–106,
115, 149, 196, 203, 210,
215, 221, 223, 230, 231

33, 42, 152, 193
77

INDEX

reception and transit
centres

6

9, 17, 18, 139, 240

relocation

36, 37, 53, 55

23, 91, 97, 98, 102, 109,
119, 159, 177, 178, 180,
230, 275

safety audits36144, 148

safety plan35

self-settled camps

4, 6, 26, 39, 41, 47

18, 96–98, 115, 221, 243

service providers

4, 13, 16, 18, 31, 25, 26,
27, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38,
39, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49,
51, 52, 54, 56

14, 22, 24–27, 31, 33,
34, 37, 38, 42, 43, 47,49,
50–53, 55–58, 60–62,
64–66, 72, 74, 77–80,
85, 90, 109, 111, 114,
115, 119, 122, 127, 132,
133, 147, 149, 152, 157,
159, 180, 186, 187–189,
192, 194, 195, 197, 198,
204, 207, 208, 221, 249,
277

– education

258–261, 263, 264, 267,
269, 270– financial

186, 187, 189– health

163, 209, 236–238, 244,
248, 253, 255, 256, 262– WASH87, 202–211, 214, 215

site closure

51, 53, 55, 56

10, 14, 19–22, 27, 31,
41, 43, 46, 84, 96, 97,
107, 111, 113–115, 119,
156, 157, 203, 222, 224,
237, 260

78

INDEX– education263– health254

Site Development
Committee

37, 39site management
action plan

15, 16, 17

site management team

13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17,
21, 21, 24, 38, 43, 45,
51, 52, 53

The Sphere Handbook

iii, vii, 9, 19, 31, 40, 41,
49, 57UNHCR Handbook for
Emergencies

101, 103, 107, 115

195

9, 85, 203, 224

79