Cities at the forefront - from Relief to long-term housing solutions in humanitarian crisis settings

Escalating conflicts, protracted situations and an increasing number of large-scale disasters exacerbated by climate change have forced more people then ever to flee conflict, violence and sudden onset disasters and seek refuge – many in urban areas. As the world is urbanising , there is no sign that this trend will change in the foreseeable future, and more people risk losing their homes. The conflicts in Ukraine, in Sudan or in Gaza, large-scale flooding in Pakistan or Libya or the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria underline that crisis responses need to have a specifically urban dimension. During emergencies and crises, the loss of a home impacts a family’s identity — and has a grave impact on their safety, health, prosperity, emotional well-being and dignity. Often, people are separated from their communities, loved ones and support networks. The absence of a home or shelter reduces their access to water/WASH, reduces their ability to stock food or cook (thus impacting food security); impacts their health (inc. mental health) and reduces their access to social services, education and opportunities for earning an income. For people, families and communities to fully recover, comprehensive shelter and housing solutions are critical. The Global Shelter Cluster (GSC), co-lead by UNHCR and IFRC, brings together a wide network of actors engaging in humanitarian shelter and settlement responses, ranging from pure live-saving and emergency interventions to recovery or longer-term solutions. The GSC develops guidance and tools to support Shelter Clusters or cluster like-mechanisms in 42 countries to coordinate, advocate and improve the shelter response in humanitarian crises, always in support of country-based humanitarian coordination mechanisms. This event will invite urban stakeholders and cluster coordinators to share their experiences with the cluster system in urban contexts. Specifically, the event aims at raising awareness both to humanitarian and city actors about good practices and tools available to support coordination of shelter and settlements responses in the challenging context of urban crises.