The Evolving UN Cluster Approach in the Aftermath of the Pakistan Earthquake: An NGO Perspective

The South Asia earthquake on 8 October 2006 claimed at least 73,000 lives. Measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, it left many others without food, clothes and shelter to face the harsh winter. So far, through ActionAid International’s emergency response, thousands of tents, packs of food and basic supplies such as blankets, as well as medical supplies, have been distributed in Pakistan. Within one week of the earthquake, relief aid was being delivered by ActionAid staff in three different locations in an area which is extremely inaccessible, as well as being politically sensitive. The many challenges faced by those who were implementing the emergency response included getting to grips with a new approach to humanitarian response being developed by the UN – the cluster approach. This report draws from the experiences of UN agencies, international, national, and local NGOs, and donors in responding to the earthquake to present an analysis of the cluster experience in Pakistan, along with recommendations for the future.