IOM assumes the role of the CCCM cluster co-lead in Nepal with Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) taking the lead. In August, 2008, following the Koshi flood in the eastern region of Nepal, the CCCM cluster was activated to provide emergency relief assistance and protection to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the affected areas.  IOM Nepal was responsible for a range of activities such as site planning, information management, general coordination, and procurement, distribution of non-food items (NFI), formation of Camp Management Committees, and Disaster Preparedness trainings. An Emergency Operation Center was constructed and handed over to the Local Development Office in Sunsari district with necessary furnishing and equipment to carry out regular coordination during emergencies.

Realizing the importance of preparedness for a potential high magnitude earthquake in Kathmandu, IOM commissioned a study on “Identification of Open Spaces for Humanitarian Purpose in Kathmandu Valley” which could be used as camp sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs). The IOM identified 83 potential sites in and around Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts where camps adhering to sub-Sphere standard conditions, given the limited open spaces in the valley to accommodate estimated 1.8 million IDPs, could be constructed in an event of a major earthquake (9 Richter scale).The Council of Ministers, Government of Nepal has approved the use open spaces for humanitarian purposes and following which a gazette notification was published for the protection of these sites from further encroachment. A report on the allocation of open spaces along with GIS information, brief information and detail topographical base map of each site has been submitted to the MoHA for the approval and uploaded in the website aforementioned. Similarly, IOM facilitated a group on Humanitarian assistance/camp management at the civilian disaster response exercise organized by the US Embassy in August, 2011. A work plan on humanitarian assistance/ camp management was prepared out of the workshop.

IOM also extended assistance to develop Earthquake Emergency Response Plan (EERP) for 4 municipalities of the Kathmandu Valley, an earthquake emergency simulation plan and an action plan for disaster management of Dolakha district as part of the Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Programme supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).