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2022-12 Factsheet - Pacific

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< Dec 2020
December 2022
May 2023 >
Pacific Shelter Cluster

Highlights

The objective of the Pacific Shelter Cluster is to support a coherent and effective humanitarian shelter response following disaster events in Pacific Island Countries, underpinned by preparedness and capacity building initiatives. The regional coordination team led by International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in accordance with its global shelter cluster mandate, leads the Pacific Shelter Cluster as a part of the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT). It prioritises provision of support to country-level clusters across the Pacific according to their specific needs, in support of National Governments who are responsible for humanitarian response in their countries.

IFRC maintains dedicated coordination capacity at the regional level, with a Shelter Cluster Coordinator based in the IFRC Suva office. In 2022, the Pacific Shelter Cluster inputted into the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) regional contingency planning exercise.

If you wish to contribute updates for inclusion in this factsheet, please contact coord.pacific@sheltercluster.org

 

Need analysis

The Pacific region is highly disaster prone, and its populations are particularly vulnerable to natural hazards. The impacts of climate change affect livelihoods, coastal settlements, infrastructure, ecosystems and economic stability in the region. Rise in sea level poses an increasing threat to low-lying coastal areas. Specific shelter vulnerability factors include growing urbanization and the growth of informal settlements, which often result in substandard housing and infrastructure, compounded by social and economic marginalization. Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has added another dimension which has impacted humanitarian shelter preparedness and response.

Response

PREPAREDNESS and CAPACITY BUILDING

Some of the highlights for 2022 include:

Multi-country and regional:

  • The Pacific Shelter Cluster team continued to raise key advocacy points at the regional level through the Pacific Humanitarian Team's (PHT) Regional Inter-Cluster Coordinator's Group (RICCG) and remained on standby to support National Shelter Cluster Leads across the region for potential response, as well as with preparedness and capacity building activities.
  • Contributed to the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) Regional Contingency Planning.
  • Stockpiles of standard emergency shelter and essential household items are updated in STOCKHOLM platform, which has replaced PALM platform.
  • Maintained the Pacific Shelter Cluster, and National Shelter Cluster websites. https://www.sheltercluster.org/pacific

Vanuatu:

  • National Shelter Cluster coordination arrangements were revised during December 2022.

Fiji:

  • National Shelter Cluster coordination arrangements are currently being revised.

 

 

 

Gaps / challenges

There have been additional challenges caused by COVID-19 related travel restrictions, as well as a few recurring challenges including:

  • Frequent turnover of key national shelter cluster coordination team members and shelter cluster members (both Government and humanitarian).
  • Inadequate funding available for widescale shelter preparedness, response, and recovery.
  • Number of frequency of preparedness activities of the Shelter Cluster has declined over the past years due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions. With the situation improving and a permanent Pacific Shelter Cluster coordination now in place in IFRC CDD office in Suva, a renewed focus on preparedness is anticipated in the region in 2023 and beyond.