Attachments
OVERVIEW
The Global Protection Cluster (GPC) was established in the context of the humanitarian reform in 2005. It is a network of UN agencies, NGOs and international organizations working on protection in conflict and disaster settings, including in child protection, gender-based violence, housing, land and property and mine action.
The Strategic Framework is based on extensive consultation on-line, with staff in the field and at headquarters, as well as a literature review of relevant recent reviews and evaluations of humanitarian response: a description of the consultations is annexed; a context analysis, which is derived from the consultations and literature review, forms the background to the development of the Framework and is also annexed. The Framework guides the priorities and work of the GPC for the next four years and builds on the achievements of the GPC to date, which include promoting the centrality of protection in humanitarian action, providing a wide spectrum of support to staff in the field and developing policy standards and response capacity.
The GPC uses the IASC definition of protection which states that protection is ‘’all activities aimed at ensuring full respect for the rights of the individual in accordance with the letter and spirit of the relevant bodies of law (i.e. human rights law, international humanitarian law and refugee laws).” That means protection is an objective, a legal responsibility and a multi-sector activity to (1) prevent or stop violations of rights, (2) ensure a remedy to violations- including the delivery of life-saving goods and services- and (3) promote respect for rights and the rule of law.