About the oPt Protection Cluster

The Protection Cluster was set up in January 2009 under the leadership of OHCHR, to coordinate the protection activities of international and national humanitarian and human rights actors, and advocate human rights and international law in humanitarian action.

Structure of the cluster

The Protection Cluster is part of the Humanitarian Coordination Structure in oPt and is accountable to the UN DSRSG/Humanitarian Coordinator. The Protection Cluster (PC) is a broad-based, participatory forum, comprising on an equal basis United Nations humanitarian agencies and actors, as well as local and international non-governmental organisations with protection mandates in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank.  It is the main inter-agency forum in the oPt for the collaboration and overall coordination of activities supporting protection in humanitarian action.  Members of the PC meet periodically in the West Bank and in Gaza to provide updates and as necessary to discuss trends and coordinate action on critical issues.

Four Areas of Responsibility (AORs) feed into the PC: Child Protection and Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support (MHPSS), Gender-based Violence (GBV), Legal Aid and Mine Action. These AORs meet regularly to keep members connected and updated and to address critical and emerging issues.

A Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) supports the Protection Cluster Coordinator to develop and implement the strategic framework, priorities, and work plan for the cluster. The SAG may also provide guidance on protection trends and emerging issues and recommendations on cluster response.

The role of the cluster lead

OHCHR is the lead agency of the oPt PC and works in accordance with the IASC Generic Terms of Reference of Cluster Leads at Country Level. OHCHR endeavours to enhance the coordination of information sharing among partners at the country and international level. It coordinates interagency efforts including developing a common strategy, a rights-based analysis of protection needs. It provides consolidated inputs into the Humanitarian Needs Overview and the Humanitarian Response Plan, develops contingency plans, guidelines and information notes, and other documents agreed by the members of the cluster. It also ensures linkages with, and the mainstreaming of, protection standards by other clusters/sectors in the oPt and consultation and information exchange with the global clusters/sectors.

Each AOR is led by the following agencies: Child Protection and MHPSS is led by UNICEF; GBV by UNFPA, Legal Aid by NRC and Mine Action by UNMAS.

Scope of work/ types of activities covered by the cluster

The programmatic interventions of the clusters’ partners in 2022 aim to foster increased respect for IHL and IHRL and accountability for violations while ensuring that vulnerable Palestinians have access to protection (and other multi-sectoral) services that prevent and mitigate the effects of the occupation and conflict-related violence.

The Protection Cluster will achieve this aim by monitoring and documenting violations, particularly to increase accountability and inform advocacy to prevent further violations; rights-based advocacy with duty bearers, including third states; a protection presence for communities at risk of settler violence and displacement; legal aid services; inclusive multi-sectoral responses to gender-based violence (GBV) survivors, including economic enablement; child protection services including individual case management; mental health and psychosocial services (MHPSS) for adults and youth; and explosive remnants of war (ERW) risk mitigation and education responses.