Task Force
on Safe Access to Firewood and Alternative Energy in Humanitarian Settings
The IASC Taskforce on Safe
Access to Firewood and Alternative Energy in Humanitarian Settings
was formed in March 2007. The Task Force is co-chaired by UNHCR, WFP and Women's Commission.
The guiding purpose of the
IASC Task Force on Safe Access to Firewood and alternative Energy in
Humanitarian Settings (IASC Task Force SAFE) is to reduce exposure to
violence, contribute to the protection of and ease the burden on those
populations collecting wood in humanitarian settings worldwide, through
solutions which will promote safe access to appropriate energy and reduce
environmental impacts while ensuring accountability. The collection,
supply and/or use of firewood and alternative energies – and
consequences thereof, such as rape, murder and environmental degradation
– is a multi-sectoral issue which cannot be effectively addressed by a
singularly-mandated agency or cluster acting alone. Until the creation of
IASC Task Force SAFE, there has been no effective mechanism within the
humanitarian response system for responding to the various concerns
associated with fuel in a holistic and coordinated manner. Instead,
responses have tended to be ad hoc and rarely make use of lessons learned
by other sectors. Only by involving humanitarian organizations with varied
expertise in physical protection, environmental protection, camp design
and management, gender-based violence (GBV), food distribution, nutrition,
health, poverty reduction, livelihoods support and other areas, can all
aspects of the issue be effectively addressed. A coordinated response
requires the input of all relevant agencies and NGOs. The diversity of
viewpoints and expertise represented in IASC Task Force SAFE ensures that
all components of the fuel issue are addressed with equal weight.
For further information, please contact one of the Task Force Chairs.
