Shelter + Environment technical working group

Terms of Reference

Technical Working Group to inform Vanuatu Environmental Shelter and Settlement profile

April 2019

Background

The Shelter Cluster Vanuatu is currently developing an environmental shelter and settlement profile which aims to fill a gap in the knowledge base of the cluster highlighted during past responses. Linking to the cluster’s Technical Guidelines, the profile will inform environmentally sustainable shelter programming by making key information about environmental considerations, impacts, concerns and opportunities relevant to shelter and settlements programming available and accessible to Shelter Cluster partners. Central to the profile is a checklist which guides shelter practitioners through the steps required to ensure that environmental protection is adequately considered in their programs.   

Aims and outputs of the Technical Working Group (TWG)

The aim of the TWG is to ensure that the process of drafting the environmental shelter country profile draws on the extensive knowledge of Shelter Cluster partners and Government counterparts working across Vanuatu, to develop relevant and up-to-date country-specific guidance. The TWG will provide a common platform for partners to contribute to the content of the profile.

The output of the TWG will be a checklist with annexed documents containing information relevant to shelter and settlements programming such as:

·  Ecosystems and protected areas

·  Environmental degradation and climate change risks

·  Legal frameworks/laws/regulations

·  Natural resource practices

·  Shelter building practices and materials

·  Resources and local contacts

It will be structured on the new (2018) Sphere Standards for Shelter and Settlement programming and designed to support coordination and technical capacity of the cluster, informing macro-level planning through to household item distribution.

The checklist and annexes will be living documents that can be added to by the Shelter Cluster over time. An outline has been drafted by Shelter Cluster co-lead International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) with input from International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and will be used as a base document to be developed by the TWG.

Members will be asked to:

• Contribute to the development of the structure and content of the checklist and profile
• Suggest other key stakeholders who can contribute to the process
• Share relevant resources and documents
• Review final draft

TWG members

• Shelter Cluster Lead (PWD) and co-lead (IFRC) TWG chairs.
• Global Shelter Cluster Environment Community of Practice (GSC ECoP)
• International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
• National Disaster Management Office (NDMO)
• Vanuatu Red Cross Society (VRCS)
• Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation (DEPC)
• Forestry Department
• CARE

**several other organisations and Government Departments were invited to join the group but haven't partipated to date

Timeline

1. TOR shared and reviewed by TWG members 06 - 10 May
2. Draft checklist shared with members on 09 May for review and feedback
3. 1-2 TWG meetings (or alternative contact) to be held between 13 May - 14 June
4. Final feedback from TWG members to be received by end of 14 June
5. Chair/co-chair/GSC ECoP to update the profile by 30 June 2019

CURRENT STATUS (NOV 2019)

• The checklist has been developed and reviewed by the TWG, and is now ready for piloting
• The annexes have been developed with key inputs from TWG members and are available for download and further inputs of the wider TWG and Shelter Cluster Vanuatu partners. 

Please provide any feedback on these documents to coord1.vanuatu@sheltercluster.org