Child and adolescent health issues are a priority during humanitarian emergencies, and responses need to be coordinated across health and other sectors. It is recommended to establish a child and adolescent health working group (integrated with reproductive, maternal and newborn health, if possible) to act as the key body within the health cluster that promotes child and adolescent health.
A RMNCAH/CAH working group should be established within the health cluster/sector at the national level during the response phase. The goal is to create an intersectoral, interagency coordinating body that promotes and coordinates CAH activities in emergency contexts.
It will also be useful to establish subnational and field-level RMNCAH/CAH working groups to communicate and pursue the same goals at other levels.

Suggested roles for the RMNCAH/CAH working group

• Advocate for the interests of all children (from birth through adolescence) in humanitarian action.
• Advocate for the integration of child protection, disability-inclusion, early childhood development and gender-sensitive activities in humanitarian action.
• Advocate for the inclusion of children, young people and parents in humanitarian activities (e.g. assessments, planning, implementation and evaluation).
• Ensure child and adolescent health is fully included in rapid assessments, follow-on assessments, early warning systems, health information systems, and other monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Ensure that child and adolescent health is fully considered in prioritization exercises (especially the interests of older children, adolescents, unaccompanied minors, children with disabilities and other groups at high risk).
• Facilitate communication between the health cluster, other agencies working in child and adolescent health, and the affected population (bidirectional information flow).
• Lead intersectoral collaboration related to CAH interests and promote the life-cycle approach to health and well-being, especially the neglected interests of older children and adolescents.
• Represent CAH interests, needs and opportunities at cluster meetings.
• Facilitate bimonthly meetings to help coordinate CAH responses and encourage ongoing communication between stakeholders.
• Provide guidance on resources (i.e. human, material and financial) needed to support CAH capacity within clusters and government ministries.

The RMNCAH/CAH working group can be led by any government body, local or international nongovernmental organization or UN agency that has the capacity to effectively lead the CAH response in collaboration with the ministry of health. It should include members from other sectors. If a similar group already exists, build on this.
The RMNCAH/CAH working group should be established and function transparently. Meetings should be held in public facilities to promote visibility and commitment. Government representatives should be involved and, if possible, have a role in chairing meetings. Community members, including young people, should be included. The working group should establish procedures for communication within the group and with external bodies and the community. The working group should hold itself and its members accountable for their stated deliverables.