The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) not only provides data that is essential to improving responses to humanitarian crises, but also provides training for human rights protection, poverty reduction, the promotion of gender equality and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Pamela DeLargy, Chief of the UNFPA Humanitarian Response Unit, spoke about the United Nations role in emergency preparedness and humanitarian response at UN Headquarters in New York on 25 January 2007.

In talking of changes in the humanitarian sector at the United Nations, Ms. DeLargy referred to the "cluster approach": a system formulated by a committee of United Nations agencies, which aims to improve the predictability, timeliness and effectiveness of humanitarian response and pave the way to recovery. The basic premise of this approach is that accountability and reliability can be improved by identifying organizational leaders, who would be responsible for specific areas or clusters, where there is a recognized gap in humanitarian response. The "cluster approach" represents a substantial strengthening of the "collaborative response", with the additional benefits of predictable and accountable leads that will in turn enhance partnerships and complementarity among the United Nations, the Red Cross Movement and non-governmental organizations.

There are nine elements under the cluster system for humanitarian response: camp coordination and camp management, early recovery, emergency shelter, emergency telecommunications, health, logistics, nutrition, protection and water, sanitation and hygiene. Under the "protection cluster", the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will work closely with UNFPA to provide services in a more efficient way for internally displaced persons (IDPs) by using the Fund's demographic data collection and analysis. A three-day consultation will be held in Geneva between the two agencies to work out particular mechanisms and technical guidance on collecting information and providing services to IDPs.

The two major collaborations between UNHCR and UNFPA over the past two years were successful and will be expanded in the coming two years, Ms. DeLargy said. One joint project was a training programme in Africa and Central Asia for clinic management trainers dealing with rape victims. With over 450 trainers from 48 countries, Ms. DeLargy noted that it was an important contribution to emergency preparedness and addressed the issue of sexual and gender-based violence. The second joint collaboration in 2006 ensured that camp-based populations and IDPs in 22 countries, including South Africa, Burkina Faso, Pakistan and Jamaica, had adequate supplies of male and female condoms, sexually transmitted infections drugs and post-exposure prevention for HIV.

The need for improved reproductive health care for women and young girls and gender equality will continue to rise, commented a representative from China, adding that better assistance should be provided to women and girls in afflicted areas.

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