Clusters
Clusters
With the establishment of the humanitarian cluster system, the humanitarian community as a whole is better organized and more accountable to the people in need: the different agencies and organizations work from a common strategy and share good practices, they address gaps and ensure that duplication is avoided.
The cluster system exists on a global level, but can be activated at national, or subnational, level in response to an emergency. At the country level, clusters are usually co-led by a UN Agency and an NGO.
In Ukraine, the Humanitarian Cluster System was activated in 2014 – and since then, it has played a vital role in coordinating the humanitarian response in the country. In Ukraine, UNHCR leads the Protection Cluster and the Shelter/NFI Cluster.
Protection Cluster
UNHCR leads the Protection Cluster in Ukraine, alongside Right to Protection as co-chair.
The Protection Cluster unites a high number of partners working within all areas of protection activities. There are three specialized areas of focus: Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence, and Mine Action. In addition, the protection cluster facilitates three specific working groups on: Age and Disability; Housing, Land and Property; as well as LGBTQI+ Communities.
Key activities of the Protection Cluster partners:
- Case management
- Psychosocial support
- Legal assistance
- Protection counselling and protection monitoring
- Referral to specialized services and transportation
- Individual protection assistance (cash & in-kind)
- Hotlines
- Advocacy, assessments, awareness-raising, capacity building, community-based protection, and support to service providers
- Multi-sectoral coordination, site management and community engagement in collective sites
Latest Documents & Resources:
➾Protection Cluster Hub Factsheets: East | South | Central-West
➾Ukraine Protection Analysis Update 2024
➾Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 (Pages 59-68)
➾Protection Monitoring at the Community Level Tool Dashboard
Shelter and Non-Food Item (SNFI) Cluster
UNHCR leads the Shelter/NFI Cluster in Ukraine, alongside NGO Danish Refugee Council as national co-chair and NGO People in Need as co-chair in the Eastern hub.
The Shelter/NFI Cluster coordinates the efforts of a high number of partners, delivering assistance in different areas of shelter support and provision of essential relief items (non-food items). The Shelter/NFI Cluster also plays a pivotal role in the planning and coordination of a large part of the winterization response in Ukraine. Through technical guidelines, the Cluster provides instructions, standards and recommended modalities to ensure coherence across partners’ activities.
Key Activities of the Shelter/NFI Cluster partners:
- Emergency Shelter Support: Provision of Emergency Construction Materials and Emergency Shelter Kits
- Essential Household Items: Distribution of non-food items (basic relief items that are not food), appliances, and furniture to support affected households
- Winter Heating Assistance: Support through winter cash for utilities, provision of solid fuel, and heating appliances
- Personal Insulation: Distribution of winter clothing, bedding, and other relief items to help families stay warm
- Shelter Insulation & Humanitarian Repairs: Thermal upgrades, light and heavy repairs , including improvements to IDP housing, common spaces in multi-apartment buildings and social facilities
- Collective Site Support: Care and maintenance, refurbishment and upgrading of collective sites including for winter
- Rental Assistance: Support to households through rental subsidies