Shared Leadership

Overview of Shared Leadership/Co-Coordination

Structure & Responsibilities

Sharing CCCM Cluster leadership is about sharing responsibilities for leading and coordinating the Cluster between the Cluster Lead Agency (CLA – either IOM or UNHCR) and a Cluster Co-Coordinating Partner – another humanitarian organization (INGO or NNGO) or with the government. Different shared leadership structures can be put in place according to the context, covering both national and sub-national levels. For example, at the national level leadership might be shared between the CLA, government authority, and an NGO. Or a national NGO might be the national Co-Coordinating Partner with the CLA, and a local NGO in one sub-national location. 

Sharing leadership can strengthen cluster functions but does not replace the core accountabilities and responsibilities of the designated CLA. This means that the Cluster Co-Coordinating Partner is not accountable to the Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) for the cluster’s functioning, or the Provider of Last Resort responsibility. Where clusters are formally activated, their ultimate leadership and accountability under the IASC cluster approach is therefore maintained by the CLA. 

Shared Leadership with Government

Active engagement of national and local governmental authorities in CCCM coordination where this is possible can strengthen its effectiveness, and support efficient transition and deactivation of the Cluster in the longer term. The level of engagement of government authorities in CCCM Cluster coordination at national and sub-national levels will vary depending on the context, and the willingness and capacity of authorities to lead or contribute to the coordination of the response in line with humanitarian principles.  

IASC clusters are formally activated when existing coordination mechanisms are overwhelmed or constrained. However, in situations where the government takes leadership, many of the same principles can be applied in support of Government-led emergency or crisis sectoral coordination mechanisms. For these, international humanitarian support can augment national capacity, underpinned by the principles of the cluster approach. 

The following table compares coordination arrangements in different settings: 

Cluster & Sector Coordination & Government Leadership

Shared Leadership with NGOs

The IASC guidance on cluster coordination endorses NGO co-coordination as a good practice, strengthening the overall effectiveness of a cluster. The NGO Cluster Co-Coordination Manual from NRC (see Related Resources), is a very useful resource on this, containing guidance and tools including example ToRs. 

Sharing leadership strengthens participation of NGOs and promotes the principles of partnership in the Cluster, strengthens links between sub-national or field level and the national Cluster, and enables the Cluster to benefit from NGO technical expertise: “when clusters share leadership… partnerships, advocacy, and information transfer tend to improve. Sharing leadership produces stronger engagement and better coordination". It is particularly good practice for national and local actors to carry out Cluster Co-Coordinating Partner roles.

While NGO co-coordination is promoted as good practice, it requires capacities, time, and resources for the Co-Coordinating Partner to make co-coordination and co-leadership work – see below.  

Setting Up Cluster Co-Coordination

Establishing Co-Coordination

The establishment of shared leadership should be assessed in consultation with the Global CCCM Cluster. When sharing leadership with the government, this should be agreed by the CLA with relevant government authorities.  

For NGO shared leadership, in some responses, this is actively promoted by the HC and HCT. In others, Cluster members might approach the Cluster with the suggestion, or the CLA and Cluster Coordinator might decide to actively seek to set up shared leadership/co-coordination for the Cluster. The selection process for an NGO Cluster Co-Coordinating Partner should be transparent and consultative. It might include an ‘expression of interest’ for nominations, voting by cluster members, or consultations with the HC/HCT. 

Drafting an MoU 

An MoU (memorandum of understanding) between the CLA and the Cluster Co-Coordinating Partner must be developed and agreed between the two entities, defining respective roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities.

ToRs should be drafted for coordination team members from the Cluster Co-Coordinating Partner. See Toolkit Section 1.6 – Coordination Team Staffing.   

Capacities, Resources & Funding 

Effective coordination requires people, skills, time, and resources – which applies to government bodies co-leading a cluster, and NGOs acting as Co-Coordinating Partners. Providing full- or part-time staff to a Cluster requires funding. Cluster Coordinators sometimes might need to advocate for this, in support of Cluster Co-Coordinating Partners. For NGOs, some humanitarian donors support coordination and can include specific funding for NGO cluster co-coordination and sub-national coordination. Depending on the context, the HC/HCT may help mobilize funding if NGO co-coordination is an HCT priority. 

Establishing Successful Relations

• Ensure the setup is one of partnership, not delegation, particularly for NGO co-coordination:  
  • An NGO-appointed Co-Coordinator is not a deputy to the CLA-appointed Cluster Coordinator, and coordination responsibility should be shared between them.  
  • Particularly bear in mind this dynamic if the Cluster Co-Coordinating Partner is new to cluster co-coordination, and for national NGOs.  
• Shared leadership of a Cluster is most effective where the co-coordinators can work jointly, rather than sharply dividing responsibilities.  
• When establishing government shared leadership arrangements, a division of responsibilities between staff might make sense and if so, should be included in a CLA-government MoU. 

Other Contribution to Coordination Capacity

Aside from establishing shared leadership through Cluster Co-Coordination Partners, other coordination capacity can be provided to CCCM Clusters by partners through either staff secondment or other resources. See example ToR for IM support from REACH to a Cluster coordination team in Related Resources.

Example staff secondments from Cluster members to a Cluster coordination team include:  

• IM or Assessment Officers  
• Technical Coordinators 
• Capacity-Building Officers 
• Example other support activities from Cluster members include: 
• Running trainings or other capacity-building initiatives 
• Consultancies 

Related Resources