The Global Protection Cluster (GPC) has taken a lead role in 2018 in operationalising the centrality of protection, through improved coordination and the development guidelines, tools, as well as strengthening the role of field protection clusters. In 2016 and 2017, the Global Protection Cluster (GPC) Operations Cell and the Protection Standby Capacity Project (ProCap) carried out a desk review of field and global protection cluster actions to promote the centrality of protection. To build on this initiative, the GPC again sought to review global and field efforts to reinforce the centrality of protection in humanitarian action. The 2018 review reveal what can be achieved when Humanitarian Coordinators embrace the protection agenda; by making it a recurrent item in the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT); by tasking protection clusters to provide information and analysis; and by requesting UNHCR Representatives, as cluster leads, to think of solutions to protection issues. Above all, this review demonstrates the value in ensuring that all sectors undertake protection risk assessments and that they mainstream protection throughout their activities. Moreover, a coherent protection strategy from the HCT can make a critical difference in tackling the most difficult protection issues while identifying those actors with a comparative advantage best placed to address them.
The five country studies selected for the 2018 GPC review (Afghanistan, South Sudan, Ukraine, Whole of Syria and Yemen) allow for more context specific reflection and highlight particular issues around accountability, shrinking humanitarian space, localisation and the humanitarian-peace-development nexus. They also highlight the need to engage in innovative ways with higher levels and an accelerated pace of forced displacement, new partnerships, coordination and humanitarian financing. The review also tackles thematic issues like Protection of Civilians and Anti-trafficing among others and highlight good practices in prioritisation and operationalisation of protection activities. Furthermore, the review outlines GPC achievements in 2018 including its provision of field support missions, trainings, help desk function, community of practice, and communication strategy.
Read the full review here