IASC strategy on meeting humanitarian challenges in urban areas

In 2010, the Inter- Agency Standing Committee (IASC) produced a strategy on meeting humanitarian challenges in urban areas. The IASC Urban Strategy includes a recommended Two-Year Action Plan of priority actions to be implemented by IASC agencies and other interested partners.

The aim of the IASC Urban Strategy is to recommend actions that humanitarian actors can take to make their responses to humanitarian crises in urban areas more effective and thus save more lives and accelerate early recovery. The strategy is built around six key objectives: i) Improving multi-stakeholder partnerships, ii) Building technical surge capacity and urban expertise, iii) Developing and adapting tools to urban contexts, iv) Promoting the protection of vulnerable urban populations, v) Strengthening livelihoods and vi) Enhancing preparedness among national and local authorities in urban areas. It details issues, gaps and proposed actions for each objective.

Working under the direction of the IASC Working Group, the Strategy and Action Plan were developed by the IASC Task Force on Meeting Humanitarian Challenges in Urban Areas, chaired by UNHABITAT, with active participation of United Nations agencies, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), international non-governmental organisations consortia and the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement. The Strategy and Action Plan are evidence-based and reflect experiences and good practices from stakeholders throughout the international humanitarian system.

The IASC Reference Group on Meeting Humanitarian Challenges in Urban Areas is a subsidiary body of the IASC Working Group that emerged from the original task force. The group acts to maintain profile and to bring related policy issues to the IASC Working Group’s Agenda.

Access the strategy and view activities of the Urban Reference Group online: http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/iasc and choose ‘Subsidiary bodies’ in the menu.

¹http://www.humanitarianinfo.org