SUMMARY OF NEEDS
The recent outbreak of conflict in Sudan has profoundly impacted the humanitarian situation and created an overwhelming level of needs. This warrants a significant response scale-up covering the entire country. The Coordination and Common Services (CCS) cluster’s primary goal is to ensure that humanitarian decision-making is well-coordinated, inclusive, and evidence-based. CCS actively promotes timely information exchange, conducts thorough analysis, and advocates for the needs of affected populations. The sector also focuses on facilitating access, enhancing the safety of humanitarian workers, and disseminating crucial information. Crucial enabling factors are required to achieve these goals, such as maintaining well-functioning coordination mechanisms, conducting comprehensive multi-sectoral needs assessments, establishing registration databases for internally displaced persons (IDPs), sharing accurate and reliable data through the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), and promoting heightened safety and security measures for humanitarian workers.
RESPONSE STRATEGY
The CCS cluster facilitates humanitarian operations through:
- Data to inform decision-making, including disseminating accurate DTM data, conducting multi-sectoral needs assessments, registering and verifying IDPs and returnees.
- Coordination to promote an efficient humanitarian response, including leading inter-cluster coordination, supporting leadership in strategic coordination, and establishing hubs closer to people in need.
- Advocacy for affected populations, including coordinating humanitarian public information and advocacy efforts and negotiating with conflict parties for civilian protection.
- Enhancing access and security, including deploying security personnel, promoting crisis readiness and preparedness, and strengthening civil-military coordination and access negotiation capacity.
TARGETING & PRIORITIZATION
Following the onset of the conflict, there is a need to establish new hubs closer to those in need and gain consent for cross-border supply delivery. Civil-military coordination and access negotiation capacity must be strengthened, and UNDSS security management capacity enhanced to support expanding humanitarian operations. Internal displacement is likely to continue, which necessitates additional assessments and operational contingencies.
PROMOTING QUALITY & INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING
The CCS cluster focuses on promoting high-quality and inclusive programs in the humanitarian response. It collaborates with diverse stakeholders, conducts thorough needs assessments, and provides capacity-building to enhance coordination and program effectiveness. Data-driven decision-making, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous improvement are fundamental. Feedback mechanisms, program adjustments, and robust monitoring ensure the response meets evolving needs. Regular reviews, lessons learned, and after-action reviews contribute to ongoing enhancement of humanitarian efforts.
COST OF RESPONSE
CCS seeks 25 million-dollar investments to improve coordination services, register and verify IDPs and returnees, conduct comprehensive needs assessments, and ensure accurate DTM data on affected populations. It also includes the cost of scaling up security support in proposed hubs vital for effective humanitarian response and access to vulnerable populations, including conducting security risk assessments, route planning, and facilitating program delivery to affected areas. Access activities include evaluating acceptable levels of risk, securing humanitarian corridors, and establishing and maintaining a communication system with the parties of the conflict.