What are the humanitarian coordination mechanisms at country and regional levels? In the second online session of the learning stream on humanitarian coordination, jointly organized by PHAP and ICVA, guest experts explored the coordination mechanisms available at country level, and some of the existing regional structures.

The session focused on the function of various country-level humanitarian coordination structures and actors, including the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) role, the Humanitarian Country Teams (HCTs), and the cluster approach at national and sub-national levels, highlighting the strengths and limitations of these structures.

Participants were provided with recommendations on how NGOs can better engage in these coordination mechanisms, and also had an opportunity to ask questions.

Briefing paper

ICVA has prepared an explanatory briefing paper on the discussions during the event. You can access the document in English and in French. The briefing paper will be soon available in also Arabic.

Follow-up responses and interview with Paul Knox Clarke

Read the written responses to the follow-up questions by the guest experts

Read the interview with Paul Knox Clarke from ALNAP on the current status of the humanitarian coordination system at the country level.

Recommended resources

• OCHA, “International Coordination Mechanisms,” UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
• Humanitarian Response, “Clusters: Who does what?,” HumanitarianResponse.info
• IASC, “Guidance note on using the cluster approach to strengthen humanitarian response,” Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), 24 November 2006
• ICVA, "NGOs & International Inter-Agency Humanitarian Coordination Architecture," NGO Coordination Resource Centre
• ALNAP's webpage on Humanitarian Leadership and Coordination

Geneva Humanitarian Connector

This event was made possible through the Geneva Humanitarian Connector, an initiative of PHAP supported by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Learning objectives

• Knowledge of the different coordination mechanisms available at country level
• Familiarity with key actors at country level, and their main roles
• Awareness of the opportunities and challenges for NGOs to engage in country-level and regional-level coordination mechanisms
• Familiarity with sources of information on coordination structures at country and regional levels

Target audience and event access

The event is particularly targeted to those working in international and national NGOs engaged in humanitarian action, who are seeking for a stronger understanding of the various humanitarian coordination mechanisms.

Learning stream on humanitarian coordination

As part of the learning stream on humanitarian coordination, this event was the second session of six live interactive online learning events that ICVA and PHAP have organized in the coming months with the purpose of providing NGOs and humanitarian workers with a stronger understanding of the humanitarian coordination mechanisms at global, regional, and country levels.