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Global Protection Cluster

Protection Information and Analysis
The Issue

The second core function of field clusters is to Inform HCT Strategic Decision-Making. It is defined by the IASC as preparing needs assessments and analysis of gaps (across and within clusters, using information management tools as needed) to inform priorities, identifying and finding solutions for (emerging) gaps, obstacles, duplication and cross-cutting issues and formulating priorities on the basis of analysis. Undertaking regular Protection analysis is essential to all aspects of the work of the Cluster, not least coordination of services, strategic planning and advocacy. Coordinated analysis should be regularly conducted across crisis affected areas, following the Protection Analytical Framework (PAF) together with the Protection Cluster information management and analysis tools including the list of commonly agreed key protection indicators, to contextualize the protection crisis, identify protection risks, needs, and capacity, as well as gaps across and within Clusters and inform setting of priorities. Analysis will help to identify protection risks, needs and gaps, and highlight obstacles, while taking cross-cutting issues into consideration. Results of this analysis will eventually help formulating and updating priorities, for strategic as well as operational planning, to address priorities, response gaps and duplication with operational partners, and to brief Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and Inter-cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) on these key priorities.

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The Approach

Joint Protection Analysis is at the heart of cluster work. Coordination teams should lead quarterly joint analysis sessions at the SAG, and include relevant stakeholders, to review the context and risk-based Protection analysis and update the severity mapping and PiN. Results of this joint analysis will then be discussed during Protection Cluster meetings with operational actors to identify gaps and avoid duplications. Dashboards displaying the results of this analysis should be developed and shared by IMOs and updated on a regular basis. Yearly capacity-building sessions on Protection Analysis to Cluster Partners will significantly contribute to improving joint protection analysis.

  1. Undertake regular protection data and information needs landscape analysis by mapping essential primary and secondary data sources against the PAF components.
  2. Undertake joint Protection Analysis at the SAG level/national and sub-national coordination structures – at least quarterly – with protection partners, AoRs, and other key stakeholders, and considers.
  3. Share and discuss Joint Protection Analysis with operational partners to address gaps and avoid duplication in the protection response during SAG & Cluster meetings. 
  4. Provide capacity building sessions on protection analysis to partners on a yearly basis.

PAU and briefings

PAUs are the cornerstone of collective analysis and strategic planning for the Cluster. Coordination teams should ensure that PAUs are updated on a quarterly basis during the joint analysis sessions, and recommendations of the PAUs should be leveraged during quarterly HCT/ICCG briefings.

The Humanitarian Program Cycle (HPC)

HPC starts with Protection Analysis, which informs strategic planning for the Protection Cluster and resource mobilization, and eventually translates into implementation of Protection activities, and monitoring and evaluation of the Cluster’s Protection activities and impact. One central element of the HPC for the Protection Cluster is the strategic planning process, which is materialized in both the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). It is essential that Coordination teams of both the Cluster and AoR collaborate closely on this. Regular efforts at Protection Analysis must directly inform the Protection section of the HNO, and translate into proper resource mobilization by ensuring that the Protection budget represents a significant proportion of the overall HRP, and includes local/national actors.

  1. Ensure that the HNO/HRP process takes place jointly between Protection and AoR
  2. Align proposals with Cluster Strategies
  3. Mainstream the Centrality of Protection in the sectoral, inter-sectoral and other sectors’ response planning

Click here to access the GPC guidance and tools on Protection Analysis and HPC.

The Information & Analysis Working Group

In 2020, the GPC and its Strategic Advisory Group created a permanent Information and Analysis Working Group (IAWG). The purpose of the IAWG is to enhance protection clusters’ capacities on information management and analysis for quality protection outcomes in a principled, harmonized, collaborative, and structured manner, in support of cluster core functions. The IAWG helps to ensure that improved analysis results in evidence-based decision-making and that protection remains central to all humanitarian interventions.

The IAWG is led by UNHCR (GPC) and meets every other month, with ad-hoc meetings in between. 

The IAWG:  

  • Supports field clusters in implementing the Protection Analytical Framework (PAF)
  • Supports the field to use analysis to support development and peace planning, including ensuring linkages with human rights actors
  • Builds on the work of the Protection Information Management (PIM) initiative, including collaborating with practitioners on lessons learned/best practice
  • Develops and integrates protection analysis guidance into the PIM Training Resource Package
  • Develops PIM training resources targeting managers to emphasise that IM/analysis is relevant to all protection officers (not just dedicated IM staff) 

To get involved in the work of IAWG, please send a message to ariasdel at unhcr dot org.

IAWG workstreams
1. Human Rights (HR) Inclusion

Human Rights workstream in 2021 has supported pilot of human rights analysis as part of the protection analysis; produced a guidance video, infographics on stakeholder mapping and developed and piloted a training module on human rights analysis with field colleagues. In 2022, the workstream has ensured that human rights analysis is integrated in the PAUs and Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC) by developing minimum requirements for the national protection clusters.  

Focal point: Roberta Serrentino, Human Rights Engagement Consultant, GPC (DIP), UNHCR

Email: serrenti@unhcr.org

2. Legal Aid Analytical Framework (LAAF)

During the past year the Task Team on Law and Policy (TTLP) has initiated and carried out the first phase of a project with a focus on legal aid in humanitarian settings. The Legal Aid Analysis Framework is a tool designed to assist Protection Clusters and AoRs (co-)coordinators, international as well as national and international development, human rights, peace and humanitarian organizations in conducting a comprehensive analysis of the legal aid landscape in a given country or territory affected by a crisis. As a next step, TTLP will be focusing on translation of the tools in French, Spanish, Arabic; piloting in relevant contexts, documenting the learning from them and documenting relevant good practices in the area of legal aid in humanitarian settings. For more information, visit the Legal Aid in Humanitarian Settings webpage.
Focal point: Martina Caterina, Chair of GPC Task Team on Law & Policy, UNHCR (DIP/IDP Section)

Email: caterina@unhcr.org

3. IRC, DRC and ACF initiatives

IRC’s SIDA funded project on ‘Localizing Protection Analysis Capacity for Impact’, builds from previous collaboration and resource development, to ensure PAF products are accessible and customizable to diverse contributors to do protection analysis, especially those at local level. The timeline of the project is from April 2022 to March 2024, in three countries (NE Syria, Nigeria and South Sudan).
Focal point: Katie Juergens-Grant | Protection Analysis Specialist, Violence Prevention and Response Unit, International Rescue Committee UK.
Email: Katie.Grant@rescue-uk.org 

ACF’s Protection Integration in Nutrition Security project, funded by SIDA, started in 2021. The objective of the project is to strengthen ACF’s capacity to develop and use a Protection Integration in Nutrition Security Framework in all nutrition sensitive response and prevention interventions.
Focal point: Vanessa Coëffe, Protection Specialist, Action Contre La Faim
Email: vcoeffe@actioncontrelafaim.org

DRC’s project is funded by BHA, for 18 months, to support Protection Analysis in five national protection clusters. The overall goal is to strengthen protection analysis, that not only inform protection cluster strategy, but also inter-agency development planning processes. The project has three outcomes; increased knowledge skills and attitude for strengthened joint protection analysis from protection cluster members; conclusions from the protection analysis are incorporated into the HNOs and CCAs and; learning and best practices are documented and disseminated for other protection cluster members and interagency fora.
Focal point: Brennan Webert, Protection Advisor, Global Protection Unit, Danish Refugee Council
Email: brennan.webert@drc.ngo

4. Inclusion – disability and ageing

Data disaggregation and analysis by gender, age and disability is fundamental to efficient humanitarian response planning. IAWG has established an inclusive information and analysis work stream to align data collection, disaggregation, and protection analysis methods with international best practice guidelines, and to support operationalisation of these practices at the field level.
Focal point: Sabreen Ibrahim AL DWEIB
Email: si.al-dweib@hi.org

5. Integrated Analysis – Food Security and Protection

The IAWG is examining the trade-off between protection risks and hunger facing the most acutely affected populations in humanitarian crises, with a view to proposing more appropriate and effective responses.  This builds on the GPC’s advocacy work with the food platform which aims to 1) bring the voices of affected population to the centre and 2) show how integrating protection in food security is crucial.

IAWG contact

Ryan Alexander Arias Delafosse

GPC Information and Analysis Working Group Co-Lead
IMMAP
Mail: ariasdel@unhcr.org
Support Materials
Useful Links

Protection Information Management (PIM)

What is PIM? “Principled, systematized, and collaborative processes to collect, process, analyze, store, share and use data and information to enable evidence-informed action for quality protection outcomes.”

Protection Information Management Website


ACAPS
https://www.acaps.org/


Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)
https://dtm.iom.int/


iMMAP
https://immap.org/

 

 

 


Joint Intersectoral Analysis Framework (JIAF)
https://www.jiaf.info/


Joint IDP Profiling Service (JIPS)
https://www.jips.org/


REACH initiative
https://www.reach-initiative.org/

Global Databases