1. Developing a shelter strategy36
Developing a shelter strategy
This session describes the benefits of developing a strategic plan for response, and offers
11 activities as a planning template
India, 2001

2. Session objectives !
The key learning objectives of this session are to form an
understanding of:
the benefits and risks of developing a sector strategy
applying a template to create a strategic plan

3. Benefits of a strategic plan
There are 5 main benefits of a strategic plan:
develops and maintains a consensus between stakeholders
2. supports common objectives and consistent implementation throughout the period of response
3. supports a common direction and phasing of works at
national, district and local levels
defines the role of the sector in wider response
encourages coordination between sectors
A strategy is required to ensure that the expectations, capacities and needs of all stakeholders are understood and integrated

4. Coordinating and developing a strategy
7 steps to help developing a strategic plan:
form a team of representative national and international stakeholders in the sector
consult with stakeholders from other sectors
develop draft of first version strategic plan at first meeting
agree on a first version at second meeting
disseminate the first version strategy, initiate implementation and initiate a feedback mechanism
build and revise at strategic, programme and project levels continuously throughout the response
monitor and evaluate the plans throughout the response

5. Implementation at all levels
Transitional settlement and reconstruction after natural disasters
(United Nations, 2008)
Strategic planning
e.g. sector strategy
Transitional settlement for displaced populations
Transitional reconstruction for non-displaced populations
Programme planning
e.g. refugee camps
Project planning
e.g. distribution centre

6. Session objectives !
The key learning objectives of this session are to form an
understanding of:
the benefits and risks of developing a sector strategy
applying a template to create a strategic plan

7. 11 Strategic planning activities
Transitional settlement and reconstruction after natural disasters
(United Nations, 2008)
Strategic planning objectives - the humanitarian priorities?
Coordination – what are the roles and responsibilities?
Critical path analysis - what are the challenges?
Transitional settlement and reconstruction - what are the options for the displaced and non-displaced?
Resources - what do we have to work with?
Schedule for implementation - which activities in each phase?

8. 11 Strategic planning activities
Transitional settlement and reconstruction after natural disasters
(United Nations, 2008)
Participation - how should affected and host communities be consulted and involved?
Assessment, monitoring and evaluation - coordination?
Scenarios - how might the situation change?
Legal framework – how should the relevant laws, principles and standards be used to support response?
Handovers – how should roles and responsibilities be transferred between international and national stakeholders?

9. 11 Strategic planning activities
Transitional settlement and reconstruction after natural disasters
(United Nations, 2008)
Strategic planning activities are interdependent:
1. Strategic planning objectives
2. Coordination
3. Critical path analysis
4. Transitional settlement and reconstruction
5. Resources
6. Schedule for implementation
7. Participation
8. Assessment, monitoring and evaluation
9. Scenarios
10. Legal framework
11. Handover
Strategic Plan

10. 1/11: strategic planning objectives37
1/11: strategic planning objectives
Strategic planning objectives
Determining strategic planning objectives involves achieving
consensus with all stakeholders over the intended outcome
who the main affected stakeholders are
who the main assisting stakeholders are
who should participate in the planning process
the desired end state, including vulnerability reduction
a time frame
situation-specific concerns
how the transitional settlement and reconstruction strategy fits into the wider strategic plan

11. 39 2/11: coordination Coordination aims to:
ensure stakeholders communicate and share information
ensure that coordination mechanisms are comprehensive,
and are themselves coordinated
support the implementation of the strategic plan in a equitable and timely manner
reach agreement on focal points and responsibilities

12. 3/11: critical path analysis44
3/11: critical path analysis
Critical path analysis
Critical path analysis involves all stakeholders in identifying,
agreeing and describing the main opportunities and barriers,
including:
security
natural hazards
physical access
capacity
law and land rights
seasons and climate
Each barrier or opportunity identified requires:
discussion of its likely impacts
indicators - is the situation improving or deteriorating?
what has been done about it?
what can be done about it?
Transitional settlement and reconstruction after natural disasters
(United Nations, 2008)

13. 4/11: settlement and reconstruction45
4/11: settlement and reconstruction
Settlement and reconstruction
Transitional settlement and reconstruction involves deciding which
option will be supported and how
This includes:
selecting and combining which of the six transitional settlement and six transitional reconstruction options are appropriate for support
agreeing the appropriate level of support for each option
ensuring that the support offered to each option is equivalent
ensuring that the transitional settlement and reconstruction plans, as a whole, contribute to the strategic and national programme
providing a foundation to detailed technical programme and project planning

14. 47
5/11: resources
Resources
Identify resources required for strategic, programme and project plans
Determine where they are and how the resources will be obtained, stored and distributed
resources
capacity
materials and resources
funding

15. 6/11: schedule for implementation51
6/11: schedule for implementation
Schedule for implementation
Implementation involves stakeholders deciding and understanding:
how the main bottlenecks in implementation will be overcome
which major activities must be undertaken
when and where each activity will take place
when strategic reviews will take place
which indicators will be used
that equity of response is ensured
that programme and project implementation remain coordinated with the strategic objectives

16. 52 7/11: participation Participation aims to:
involve all stakeholders, ensuring that all opinions are heard and that everyone can express themselves comfortably
identify and support a common agreement
ensure that all stakeholder groups have their roles and representation recognised and integrated into coordination
The UNHCR Tool for Participatory Assessment in Operations
(UNHCR, 2006)
Continuous participation is important in the development and implementation of the response strategy at every level

17. 55
8/11: assessment
Assessment, monitoring, eval.
Continuous assessment, monitoring and evaluation is required to
provide information that informs the strategic plan
The purpose of assessments is to ensure that response is:
appropriate to needs and circumstances
consistent with the strategic planning objectives
Impact Assessment for Development Agencies: Learning to Value Change
(Roche, 1999)

18. 8/11: monitoring and evaluation
Assessment, monitoring, eval.
Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the situation will ensure
up to date information on factors such as:
beneficiaries
e.g. population needs
risks
e.g. hazards and vulnerabilities
damage levels
e.g. to buildings, infrastructure and livelihoods
capacities
e.g. of each of the stakeholders as it varies over time
resources
e.g. material and environmental resources of the population
Impact Assessment for Development Agencies: Learning to Value Change
(Roche, 1999)

19. 58
9/11: scenarios
Scenarios
A number of different scenarios must be developed, from a best-
case scenario to a worst-case scenario
Scenario planning should assist in the selection of transitional
settlement and reconstruction options by:
building on the assessment process
taking into account factors such as:
beneficiaries
risks
damage levels
capacities
resources
identifying several possible indicators for each scenario, defining when one scenario is more probable
identifying the most likely scenario

20. 59
10/11: legal framework
Legal framework
The purpose of a legal plan is to achieve a comprehensive and
integrated legal framework that supports:
the affected and host population
transitional settlement and reconstruction
survival
land rights and use
beneficiary selection

21. 61
11/11: handover
Handover
A handover plan should ensure that responsibilities are transferred
and that any additional responsibilities are identified
Various handovers will occur throughout the response,
both between and within stakeholder groups
Handover will include passing responsibility between:
coordinators within the various coordination mechanisms
individuals within organisations
search and rescue teams, the government and within the humanitarian and development communities
Final handover occurs once the strategic planning objectives
have been achieved

22. Strategic plan throughout response
Strategic planning objectives
Coordination
Critical path analysis
Transitional settlement and reconstruction
Resources
Schedule for implementation
Participation
Assessment, monitoring and evaluation
Scenarios
Legal Framework
Handover
Emergency
Recovery
Durable solutions

23. Discussion
Discussion
in groups
Working in groups, list operations you have worked in and grade the level of shelter strategy from more effective to less effective
Strategies
more
less
Each group agrees a key point
Key point

24. Bibliography ‘The Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP)’ (UN/OCHA)
‘The UNHCR Tool for Participatory Assessment in Operations’ (UNHCR, 2006)
‘Transitional settlement and reconstruction after natural disasters’ (United Nations, 2008)