NRC Shelter Handbook: Implementation through the 18 assistance methods

NRC understands there to be 18 shelter assistance methods that are normally combined to support the affected population, depending upon the nature of the shelter or settlement programme. Most of these are commonly used by NRC shelter programmes while some, such as loans and credit, are generally outside our standard capacity but can be considered, if the context requires. The 18 assistance methods are summarised below and then elaborated further in this chapter. Case study examples are offered, in order to illustrate how past responses can be understood using the 18 methods. Although the details of how each assistance method is used in each project will vary, the values of using a comprehensive and consistent description include improving communication between stakeholders, as well as making more visible lessons learnt from previous projects.

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NRC Shelter Handbook: Introduction

This web-book replaces the Shelter Handbook and has been produced as a guide to support NRC field and headquarters staff in shelter programming. It contains material on NRC shelter principles, theory and practical tools. Cross-overs with other NRC core competences are identified as well as different approaches to the provision of emergency, transitional and permanent shelter. This web-book is not a technical construction manual and, instead of describing all issues in detail, provides links to the best resources from NRC country programmes and the wider shelter sector. From revision v2.0 the Shelter web-book no longer covers general project cycle management beyond its shelter-specific aspects. There will be a dedicated NRC resource for project management across the Core Competencies. At time of writing this does not yet exist, and so relevant parts of NRC Shelter Handbook v1.0 may remain useful in the interim.

NRC Shelter Handbook: Planning and proposals

NRC intervenes when people are unable to exercise their right to shelter. This is usually in the context of displacement due to conflict, but NRC also responds to natural disaster displacement (normally defined by whether there is already an NRC presence in the country due to conflict-based displacement) and has projects in ‘non-crisis’ situations (e.g. voluntary returns).

NRC Shelter Handbook: Framework for intervention

This chapter covers the topics that frame the NRC staff actions during shelter interventions. During shelter interventions the NRC staff has to act in accordance with NRC shelter policy and principles recognised by IASC clusters. The assistance provided to IDPs and refugees should be in accordance with internationally recognised standards and codes for shelter and other types of humanitarian assistance. The international humanitarian response coordination is necessary to ensure a coherent response to emergencies, which is the reason why the three main coordination responses are described in this chapter. Shelter-interventions need to take in account the multi-level legal context, which includes the internationally recognised right to shelter or to adequate housing, national legislation and in some cases customary law. Through advocacy, which is based on the NRC’s staff knowledge of legal context and broader situation on the ground, NRC’s country offices are able to improve the protection of the displaced people. NRC has a strong partnership with UNHCR, when working with UNHCR NRC may be asked or required to use UNHCR procedures.

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