Attachments
COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE
The Afghanistan Shelter Cluster is pleased to launch its 2025-26 strategy, which sets forth a visionary agenda to enhance shelter and settlement interventions crucial for effective humanitarian responses in Afghanistan. Developed collaboratively with partners and guided by the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), this strategy builds on past performance and aligns with the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, the United Nations Strategic Framework for Afghanistan, and the Afghanistan Coordination Group (ACG) Framework.
Since its activation in 2008, the Shelter Cluster has grown into a robust collective of over 66 operational partners and 81 members, committed to coordinated approaches, resource sharing, and best practices. The evolving humanitarian context necessitates continuous innovation and adaptation to address chronic vulnerabilities alongside emergency responses. Emphasizing accountability to affected populations, the strategy incorporates robust monitoring, evaluation, and evidence-based programming, focusing on inclusive and localized efforts to empower crisis-affected individuals. The need for effective, timely, and efficient emergency shelter and settlements responses requires synchronized development and humanitarian efforts to achieve sustainable, people-centered outcomes.
The Afghanistan Shelter Cluster is positioned at the center of coordinating information, knowledge, and processes to meet this need. Reflecting this, the Afghanistan SC has prioritized three main pillars under which activities and processes will be structured:
• To provide timely, equitable, and safe life-saving emergency shelter, NFI, and seasonal winter support to individuals of all genders, ages, and diversities.
• To provide timely transitional shelter support to displaced and vulnerable people, enhancing their capacity to recover and rebuild, while facilitating their access to secure tenure, essential services, and sustainable living conditions.
• Ensure the integration of protection principles into shelter and NFI activities by designing and delivering support that upholds the safety, dignity, and rights of affected populations, while addressing the specific needs of vulnerable groups, including women, girls, children, elderly, and other at-risk individuals.
Confronted with limited humanitarian financing, novel approaches are needed to:
• Appropriately use cash.
• Provide evidence of need and impact.
• Promote participation and inclusion of women, girls and other with specific needs.
• Foster deep and genuine collaboration with communities, donors, de-facto authorities, the private sector, and civil society.
The ability of the Shelter Cluster to implement the strategic priorities outlined depends partly on external factors, notably actions by the de facto authorities and donor support. The Shelter Cluster expects to be deeply engaged in maintaining and expanding the access and operational space necessary for implementation.
Together, we are committed to further advancing the effectiveness of emergency shelter and settlement work for those in need. We look forward to striving with partners to fulfill this mission and collaborating with all those who share our vision.