Attachments
By Elise Rech
Abstract
The humanitarian coordination architecture has been based on a United Nations-led cluster approach since 2005. To make cluster coordination more equal and inclusive towards its membership, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have been cluster co-coordinators in many cases. Although recognised as a good practice, the co-coordination of field protection clusters by NGOs remains a difficult undertaking whose results have been seldomly evaluated. Using a collaboration theory as a lens and drawing on interviews with protection cluster co-coordinators, this research paper assesses the impact of cluster co-coordination and examines the necessary conditions for more successful collaboration. The study demonstrates that cluster co-coordination does achieve positive outcomes: it strengthens the cluster, enhances NGO participation and has positive spillovers for co-coordinating NGOs. However, a lack of transparency and accountability from the cluster lead agency's side, as well as bad faith behaviours and power abuses, are identified as major obstacles to the achievement of strategic outcomes. In addition, high turnover rates of co-coordinators lead to limited learning from experience and prevent progress in better leveraging co-coordination positions. The research shows that it is of utmost importance that the co-coordinators are positioned as useful, credible and powerful counterparts to foster an enabling collaborative environment where better outcomes can be achieved.