The Emergency Shelter/Non-Food Items (NFI) Cluster works to ensure that everyone has the right to adequate housing.  The cluster brings together local authorities with UN agencies and NGOs in order to coordinate and improve the provision of emergency shelter and NFIs. The result is a harmonized effort to support affected Somali people to claim their right to adequate housing and live in dignified circumstances. 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 NFIs and shelter-related interventions.

The cluster contributes to the protection of displaced and other vulnerable groups from life-threatening elements through the distribution of Emergency Assistance Packages (EAPs), improve living conditions and facilitate access to durable solutions for displaced people.

Through the cluster approach, the Emergency Shelter/NFI Cluster assures the provision of an accountable, predictable and reliable emergency response to all affected people in need of shelter and NFIs in Somalia. Shelter and basic NFIs provide the bedrock of recovery from the shock of displacement and offer early relief from disaster. Without this foundation, the chances of protecting basic human dignity are reduced, health is compromised, the ability to cope with poor nutrition is diminished and it is increasingly difficult to improve lives in the settlements.

The cluster's response strategy contains three pillars that reflect different shelter-related needs:

1. Emergency response - Enhancing the cluster’s capacity to respond to new displacement sin a timely, transparent and accountable manner.
2. Transitional shelter - Provision of transitional shelter to stabilized IDP settlements, as of yet mainly located in Puntland and Somaliland.
3. Support for durable solutions - When conditions are conducive, support voluntary return to place of origin or voluntary relocation, and help with settlement planning and realization.

The Emergency Shelter/NFI Cluster also advocates that all members conduct Post-Distribution Monitoring exercises to measure the appropriateness of the items distributed, the effectiveness of the distribution methodology, and the possible protection risks encountered during and after the distributions.