Although women and children often form most displaced populations living in camps or camp-like settings, their needs are not always well-represented in camp governance structures. Furthermore, persons with disabilities in displacement contexts still find themselves on the edge of society and are often stigmatized, marginalized or even live completely in hiding. Hence, community engagement with these and other vulnerable groups within camp communities require targeted and appropriate approaches with a focus on developing capacities of field teams. Ensuring meaningful participation of all groups of a displaced population in decision making processes in camp governance structures is therefore an essential pillar of good camp management. Only when all groups’ voices are heard and considered, the assistance provided to them will be given considering these needs, capacities and expectations.
The creation of the Working Group sees its roots in the break-out session on participation at the 2018 Global CCCM Cluster retreat that brought to light the need to consolidate the different Camp Management approaches while achieving equal and meaningful participation from the onset of humanitarian responses. The working group starts in July 2019 and will last until July 2020, with possibility of extension. The Working Group will be composed of different CCCM actors and operational expert representatives from UN agencies and NGOs who expressed their interest to actively participate and contribute to the objectives of the Working Group. Participation is open to both humanitarian and development actors who wish to share learning and best practices that might be applicable to the CCCM focus that will be applied to investigate participation of vulnerable groups in displacement.
The Working Group is co-chaired by the International Organization for Migration and the Norwegian Refugee Council.