Thought Series – Issue No. 1

The cluster approach was introduced at global level as a part of humanitarian reform in 2005. In Indonesia, this system was first introduced during the response to Yogyakarta Earthquake in 2006. The Indonesian Government and civil society adopted and adjusted this approach to disaster response. Government (in this case, the National Disaster Management Agency/BNPB) issued Decree by Head of BNPB No. 173/2014 that regulated this cluster system and emphasized its commitment to use the system during an emergency and to develop an Indonesian version of the system, including deciding cluster categories. There are eight clusters: Education, Health, Search and Rescue, Logistic and Equipment, Displacement and Protection, Structure and Infrastructure, Economy and Early Recovery. In this Thought Series, SIAP SIAGA’s Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) expert, Kristanto Sinandang reflects on why the cluster system is important for disaster management in Indonesia.