Everyone has the right to adequate housing. The Emergency Shelter/NFI Cluster brings together local authorities, where possible, with UN agencies, local and international NGOs, in Somalia, whose mandate includes provision of emergency shelter and Non Food Items (NFIs), to work towards, coordinated, efforts to support affected Somalia populations to claim this right to adequate housing. Cluster members distribute NFIs such as plastic sheeting, cooking sets, blankets, jerry cans, sleeping mats, sanitary items and shelter. The cluster provides minimum standards that guide members in the provision of shelter related interventions.

Through the Cluster approach, the shelter cluster assures, provision of accountable, predictable, and reliable emergency response, to all affected populations in need of shelter and non food items in Somalia. Shelter and non food items provide the bedrock of recovery from the shock of displacement and relief from disaster. Without this foundation, the level of protection offered is reduced, health is compromised, the ability to cope with poor nutrition is diminished and it is more difficult to improve lives at the settlements.

The cluster's response strategy contains three pillars reflecting each of the arching shelter needs:
1. Emergency Response: Enhancing the capacity of the Cluster to respond to new displacement in a timely, transparent and accountable manner.
2. Transitional Shelter: Provision of transitional shelter to stabilized IDP settlements which, traditionally, has been Puntland and Somaliland.
3. Support for durable solutions: When conditions are conducive, support voluntary return to place of origin and voluntary relocation.

The Cluster advocates that all members conduct Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) exercises to measure the appropriateness of the items distributed, the effectiveness of the distribution methodology and the possible protection risks encountered during the distributions.