Using the Minimum Standards in Shelter and Settlement Planning

1. 3.4 Using the Minimum Standards in Shelter and Settlement Planning

2. Shelter and settlement standard 1: strategic planning “Existing shelter and settlement solutions are prioritised through the return or hosting of disaster-affected households, and the security, health, safety and well-being of the affected population are ensured.” NSF photo – Turkish earthquake damage What do you think this standard is really about? (please see page 211 of the 2004 Edition)

3. Shelter and settlement standard 2: physical planning “Local physical planning practices are used where possible, enabling safe and secure access to and use of shelters and essential services and facilities, as well as ensuring appropriate privacy and separation between individual household shelters.” OXFAM photo (please see page 215 of the 2004 Edition)

4. Shelter and settlement standard 3: covered living space 3.5 m2 / person “People have sufficient covered space to provide dignified accommodation. Essential household activities can be satisfactorily undertaken, and livelihood support activities can be pursued as required.” OCHA photo – Yogyakarta, 2006 How much space is enough? Can you visualize it? (please see page 219 of the 2004 Edition)

5. Shelter and settlement standard 4: design “The design of the shelter is acceptable to the affected population and provides sufficient thermal comfort, fresh air and protection from the climate to ensure their dignity, health, safety and well-being.” CHF photo - reconstruction housing in Indonesia What parts of this standard can be measured? (please see page 221 of the 2004 Edition)

6. Shelter and settlement standard 5: construction “The construction approach is in accordance with safe local building practices and maximises local livelihood opportunities.” OCHA photo - reconstruction housing in Indonesia Look at the indictors… could any be in conflict? (please see page 224 of the 2004 Edition)

7. Shelter and settlement standard 6: environmental impact “The adverse impact on the environment is minimised by the settling of the disaster-affected households, the material sourcing and construction techniques used.” UNEP photo – hillside deforestation surrounding refugee camp (please see page 227 of the 2004 Edition)

8. Non Food Items…. Mercy Corps photo Why is this included in the shelter and settlement chapter?

9. Non-food items standard 1: clothing and bedding “The people affected by the disaster have sufficient clothing, blankets and bedding to ensure their dignity, safety and well-being.” Siddhartha Woolen Mills – “Standard Refugee Blanket” (please see page 230 of the 2004 Edition)

10. Non-food items standard 2: personal hygiene “Each disaster-affected household has access to sufficient soap and other items to ensure personal hygiene, health, dignity and well-being.” Bulk soap (please see page 232 of the 2004 Edition)

11. Non-food items standard 3: cooking and eating utensils “Each disaster-affected household has access to cooking and eating utensils.” What is included ? What isn’t? (please see page 233 of the 2004 Edition)

12. Non-food items standard 4: stoves, fuel and lighting “Each disaster-affected household has access to communal cooking facilities or a stove and an accessible supply of fuel for cooking needs and to provide thermal comfort. Each household also has access to appropriate means of providing sustainable artificial lighting to ensure personal security.” What other standards are affected by meeting this one? CHF International photo (please see page 234 of the 2004 Edition)

13. Non-food items standard 5: tools and equipment “Each disaster-affected household responsible for the construction or maintenance and safe use of their shelter has access to the necessary tools and equipment.” (please see page 236 of the 2004 Edition)

14. Visualizing some of the indicators… Now you know them. Can you see them?

15. Some Key indicators for shelter: • The initial covered floor area per person is at least 3.5 m2 • The covered area enables safe separation and privacy between the sexes, different age groups, and separate families Using the Sphere guidelines, what would be a basic planning figure for space per person in a mass shelter like this? UNHCR photo

16. Approx. 2 meters Approx. 2 meters 3.5 - 4.5 m2

17. Using the indicators in practice: “One program is based on the planning assumption that an average household of six people should receive at least one 4 metres X 6 metres sheet of plastic.” - What does this mean in practice? 4m x 6m = 24 m2 24m2 6 people = 4.0 m2 per p. But isn’t that greater than 3.5m2 - the Sphere indicator? No. But why not? 4 m 6 m

18. 3 m 3 m 4m 6 m 4m A = ± 3.1 m2/p A = ± 3.5 m2/p 6 m 4m A = ± 2.8 m2/p It all depends on context, climate, tradition, and how you use it! The indicator is for covered shelter space, not sq. m. of plastic sheeting distributed!

19. UNHCR photo People need a new place to live, even if only temporarily. Where do you start?

20. ? What exactly does this mean, and where or when does it apply? Site Selection and Planning Some Key Indicators…. “Temporary planned of self-settled camps are based on a minimum surface area of 45m2 for each person”

21. Q. How big should a site be to host 20,000 displaced people in an emergency camp? 20,000 X 45 m2/p = 900,000 m2 , Let’s say our site is 900m X 1,000 m 900 m = 0.9 km 1,000 m = 1 km A. Sphere indicator of sufficient site space is 45 m2 / person

22. What about those firebreaks, distances between dwellings, etc. listed in the indicators? These indicators are based on something called the “building block” approach to site layout design. In general, it works like this...

23. Master Planning (one approach) ~ dwelling = 1 family 5 persons ß ~ 80 persons cluster = 16 families ß ~ = 16 clusters block 1,250 persons ß ~ = 4 blocks sector 5,000 persons ß camp ~ 20,000 persons = 4 sectors the “Building block”approach

24. 3.5 M 5 M Storage Cooking/Heating Storage Example - One Tent - Size = 17.5 M 2 = 1 Dwelling Shelter Space per Person = 3.5 M 2 (if there are 5 in the family) A Dwelling

25. 40 m 2 m 40 m A Cluster

26. zone for latrines 6 m between clusters 180 m 220 m A Block = 16 clusters

27. 455 m 15 m between blocks 375 m Water Point A Sector = 4 Blocks

28. 2 1 3 4 A Camp = 4 Sectors

29. Sphere Camp Admin. Support Sector 1 Sector 2 Clinics, Dist Cntr. 0.925 kilometer Sector 3 Sector 4 Schools, other support 1 kilometer

30. What does this mean for planning and programming? If our study emergency population of 20,000 displaced has the demographic makeup described below, what programmatic impact does the information have on the provision of shelter materials to these people? You have 3,750 pre-cut plastic sheets (4mX5m)with metal eyelets at the edges for fastening with cord, people have access to light wooden poles. Heavy rain is possible within the next 2 weeks. Assume plenty of usable site area - no restriction. • 15,000 are in complete families, avg. fam. size = 6 • 4,000 are minority population, avg. fam. size = 8 • 1,000 are ex-fighters and child soldiers, all male, aged from 10-22 yrs. They claim no family attachment within the larger group What Sphere guidance will help you design your distribution program for these plastic sheets? What is your basic plan?

31. What Sphere guidance will help you design your distribution program for these plastic sheets? What is your basic plan?

32. CONCLUSION: Site and shelter requirements are highly site-, climate-, and culture- specific. The Common Standards and Indicators relating to analysis are therefore key in this chapter. The other more directly quantifiable indicators relating to site and shelter space relate primarily to disaster response camps. Even so, the indicators provide a very useful starting point and measure for evaluating adequacy of response in the shelter sector.