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Self Report 2018

The self-report on WHS Commitments below is organized according to the 24 transformations of the Agenda for Humanity. It is based on commitments pledged at the time of report submission. Click on the 'Expand' symbol to expand each section and read the reporting inputs by transformation.

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  • 1B
    Act early

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to act early upon potential conflict situations based on early warning findings and shared conflict analysis, in accordance with international law.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to make successful conflict prevention visible by capturing, consolidating and sharing good practices and lessons learnt.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    Estonia contributes to international crisis management as part of the international community's burden-sharing and common security building. Estonia has deployed civilian experts to various European Union (EU) civilian missions, i.e to support the reform of police services in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine), in Palestine (EUPOL COPPS Palestine), to help manage conflict in Georgia (EUMM Georgia), and also to the EUAM Ukraine and the United Nations (UN) mission UNMIK in Kosovo.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Estonia welcomes different initiatives to make humanitarian aid eco-system more fit for purpose, find innovative ways to work together and address the need of those who need it the most.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding amounts
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Challenge is to tackle the root-causes as well as long-term measures for conflicts and humanitarian crisis.

     

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Estonia continues to contribute to international crisis management as part of the international community's burden-sharing and common security building.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    While working closer together with other actors, it is of utmost importance to emphasize that humanitarian activities should remain exclusively humanitarian in nature.

    We need to emphazise more the need and means for early warning and early action by mobilising the full array of early warning and preparedness, conflict prevention and mediation, crisis response and management, to early recovery, stabilisation and peace-building.

    Keywords

    Humanitarian principles

  • 1C
    Remain engaged and invest in stability

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to improve prevention and peaceful resolution capacities at the national, regional and international level improving the ability to work on multiple crises simultaneously.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to sustain political leadership and engagement through all stages of a crisis to prevent the emergence or relapse into conflict.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to address root causes of conflict and work to reduce fragility by investing in the development of inclusive, peaceful societies.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    Estonia continues to contribute to international crisis management as part of the international community's burden-sharing and common security building.

    Estonia has deployed civilian experts to various European Union (EU) civilian missions, i.e to support the reform of police services in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine), in Palestine (EUPOL COPPS Palestine), to help managing conflict in Georgia (EUMM Georgia) and also to the EUAM Ukraine and United Nations (UN) mission UNMIK in Kosovo.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Estonia has stressed the need to work closer together to ensure better linkages with development, disaster risk reduction and climate change agendas.

    Estonia has emphazised the need for a more comprehensive approach in its foreign policy frameworks and humanitarian advocacy messages in the international humanitarian aid meetings.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Focus even more on the resilience of states and societies.

     

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Engage earlier with development cooperation actors in humanitarian crises.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    Today’s crises either natural or man-made cannot be solved by humanitarian means alone. Estonia finds it important to respond to basic needs arising after a catastrophe immediately and operatively, given that there are relevant capabilities and resources, and it is possible to act in the manner that is currently needed and for which there are appropriate means.

    Keywords

    Protection

  • 2B
    Ensure full access to and protection of the humanitarian and medical missions

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Estonia recommits to promoting/advocating humanitarian access and engaging with third parties to that end.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Estonia recommits to providing assistance according to the humanitarian principles.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to ensure all populations in need receive rapid and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Commit to promote and enhance efforts to respect and protect medical personnel, transports and facilities, as well as humanitarian relief personnel and assets against attacks, threats or other violent acts.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    In humanitarian aid policy, Estonia builds on the principles of providing humanitarian aid – humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality – as provided for in the articles of association of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent and resolution 46/182 of the General Assembly of the United Nations as well as international humanitarian law, the Geneva humanitarian conventions and the underlying document “European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid” of the European humanitarian aid policy.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Estonia, among the international community has been committed to and will continue to be so to the universality of the humanitarian principles and calls everyone to respect the norms that safeguard our humanity.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Estonia shares the grave concern about the ongoing violations of International Humanitarian Law, impunity, diminishing humanitarian space and access.

    Keywords

    Humanitarian principles, IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2C
    Speak out on violations

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to speak out and systematically condemn serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of international human rights law and to take concrete steps to ensure accountability of perpetrators when these acts amount to crimes under international law.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    In humanitarian aid policy, Estonia builds on the principles of providing humanitarian aid – humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality – as provided for in the articles of association of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent and resolution 46/182 of the General Assembly of the United Nations as well as international humanitarian law, the Geneva humanitarian conventions and the underlying document “European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid” of the European humanitarian aid policy.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Estonia as a State Party to the Geneva Conventions (and to their Protocols) has committed to respect and to ensure respect for the treaties. Thus, by recognising the competence of The International Humanitarian Fact-finding Commission (IHFFC), Estonia will continue to stand for the implementation of international humanitarian law and consequently to the protection of victims of armed conflicts.

    Keywords

    Humanitarian principles, IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Estonia commits to advocate strongly and consistently for the respect of international law, including international humanitarian law among Estonian civil society, humanitarian organisations and with partners abroad.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Estonia commits to continue training in international humanitarian law, in particular to Estonian military and civilian personnel, involved in crisis management operations
    • Training
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • Estonia commits to fighting impunity for IHL violations, supporting work of ICC, continuing to promote the universality and preserving the integrity of the Rome Statute.


    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and enhance respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law, where applicable.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Commit to speak out and systematically condemn serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of international human rights law and to take concrete steps to ensure accountability of perpetrators when these acts amount to crimes under international law.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Implement a coordinated global approach to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in crisis contexts, including through the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's rights.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability

    Estonia stresses the importance of following the principles of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). The International Criminal Court (ICC) has an important role in punishing the perpetrators of such crimes. Since 2011 Estonia has also had a representative in the Assembly of States Parties Committee on Budget and Finance.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    States are obliged to prevent and hinder genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity within their population.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Estonia will continue placing the respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) at the top of the international agenda, strengthening dialogue and cooperation among States on the implementation of IHL and implementing the EU guidelines on the promotion of compliance with international humanitarian law.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    All parties to armed conflict must comply with IHL, including with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution as also reflected in international customary law.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2E
    Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Estonia commits to fighting impunity for IHL violations, supporting work of ICC, continuing to promote the universality and preserving the integrity of the Rome Statute.


    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and enhance respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law, where applicable.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    As part of the annual training to Estonian military, international humanitarian law is covered.

    Estonia has made and continues to make donations to the International Criminal Court (ICC) Trust Fund for Victims as well as to NGOs who are fighting for more universal principles of the ICC and the capacity building of the State Parties’ law enforcement authorities (Coalition for the ICC, Parliamentarians for Global Action etc.).

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Core Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new approach to addressing forced displacement that not only meets immediate humanitarian needs but reduces vulnerability and improves the resilience, self-reliance and protection of refugees and IDPs. Commit to implementing this new approach through coherent international, regional and national efforts that recognize both the humanitarian and development challenges of displacement. Commit to take the necessary political, policy, legal and financial steps required to address these challenges for the specific context.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to promote and support safe, dignified and durable solutions for internally displaced persons and refugees. Commit to do so in a coherent and measurable manner through international, regional and national programs and by taking the necessary policy, legal and financial steps required for the specific contexts and in order to work towards a target of 50 percent reduction in internal displacement by 2030.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Acknowledge the global public good provided by countries and communities which are hosting large numbers of refugees. Commit to providing communities with large numbers of displaced population or receiving large numbers of returnees with the necessary political, policy and financial, support to address the humanitarian and socio-economic impact. To this end, commit to strengthen multilateral financing instruments. Commit to foster host communities' self-reliance and resilience, as part of the comprehensive and integrated approach outlined in core commitment 1.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to actively work to uphold the institution of asylum and the principle of non-refoulement. Commit to support further accession to and strengthened implementation of national, regional and international laws and policy frameworks that ensure and improve the protection of refugees and IDPs, such as the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol or the AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala convention) or the Guiding Principles on internal displacement.
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    Refugees

    During the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA) July-December 2017 the main priorities were protracted forced displacement, resilience building and innovative solutions to humanitarian emergencies. A side event was organised jointly by the Presidency and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in November on the lessons learned and recommendations from the rollout of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF).

     

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Thematic consultations on the Global Compact on Refugees, and the implementation of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) has proved to be useful exercise leading to results in 2018.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • Estonia supports the resilience approach in the development cooperation and humanitarian activities that would strengthen self-reliance of both refugees and internally displaced people. Estonia has supported the United Nations humanitarian agencies annually through voluntary contributions.
    • Our non-governmental organizations (NGO) partners (NGO Mondo, NGO Estonian Refugee Council) are implementing bi-lateral projects in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey to address and improve the lives of civilian Syrians fleeing the conflict and in Ukraine to address the need of the internally displaced persons of the aftermath of East-Ukraine conflict. Activities will continue in 2018.

    Keywords

    Community resilience, Displacement

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Core Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Empower Women and Girls as change agents and leaders, including by increasing support for local women's groups to participate meaningfully in humanitarian action.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the Outcome documents of their review conferences for all women and adolescent girls in crisis settings.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Ensure that humanitarian programming is gender responsive.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's rights.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    During the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA)  July-December 2017, the protection of women, girls, boys and men from sexual and gender-based violence was a key concern during many discussions of humanitarian crises and the formulation of common advocacy messages.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    The cooperation and outcome of the joint initiatives and programmes has been very good.

    In its humanitarian aid projects Estonia has provided separate attention to helping the most vulnerable groups of the society – women, children, victims of sexual violence, internally displaced persons and refugees – by taking into account their gender, age and state of health.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Estonia reconfirms its commitment to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1325 and its follow-up resolutions, and to implement the European Union's (EU's) second Gender Action Plan for the period 2016-2020. Estonia, among the EU and its Member States are committed to ensure the full and equal participation and representation of women and girls and their leading role in disaster risk reduction (DRR), conflict prevention and resolution, post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation, and in all phases of humanitarian assistance.

    Keywords

    Gender, Protection

  • 4A
    Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems

    Core Commitments (6)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to reinforce national and local leadership and capacities in managing disaster and climate-related risks through strengthened preparedness and predictable response and recovery arrangements.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to increase investment in building community resilience as a critical first line of response, with the full and effective participation of women.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to ensure regional and global humanitarian assistance for natural disasters complements national and local efforts.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance aimed to address the differentiated needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises in fragile situations and complex emergencies, including increasing cash-based programming in situations where relevant.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    Building community resilience

    Estonia supports the resilience approach in development cooperation and humanitarian activities that would strengthen the self-reliance of both refugees and internally displaced people. It can do so by supporting host communities through securing sustainable livelihoods and access to basic services, addressing vulnerability and risk, putting the needs of the affected people at the center of global decision making, respecting the gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.

    Estonia is contributing to the local capacities mainly through bi-lateral projects in the Syrian neighbourhood and in Ukraine.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Depends on the projects.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • Capacity-building and empowerment of local responders is crucial. Where possible, Estonia will promote ways to enable local actors better.
    • Anticipate and mitigate risks, and to prepare and respond to crises, while building on the existing structures.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Estonia shares the view that humanitarian aid should be provided as locally as possible and as internationally as
    necessary, taking into account the full respect of the humanitarian principles.

    Keywords

    Community resilience, Displacement, Gender, Local action

  • 4B
    Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as other relevant strategies and programs of action, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to improve the understanding, anticipation and preparedness for disaster and climate-related risks by investing in data, analysis and early warning, and developing evidence-based decision-making processes that result in early action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    The Estonian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid is under one structure in the MFA. It has a 4 year strategic plan in the same document. Same director of the division and DG are responsible for the budget planning. That allows synergies between the activities in both fields. Joining the Sendai Framework facilitates international cooperation and development activities in the areas of population and environment protection, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Many of the Estonian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid activities are complementary where possible (in the protracted crisis situation, preparedness activities). Revised European Union (EU) development consensus takes into account also humanitarian needs.

    In Ukraine, Estonia has both development cooperation and humanitarian aid projects undergoing focused on IDPs. Estonia has financed OCHAs Protection Capacity project in Ukraine to enhance social protection of the IDPs.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Preparedness
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The results of responding to humanitarian crises depend on the initial readiness and capability of the country involved in accepting international help.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • Protracted forced displacement was one of the Estonian humanitarian aid policy priorities and it will continue to contribute to support refugees and IDPs situations in humanitarian crises and migratory routes.
    • Estonia considers it important to support the work of international agencies in responding to international humanitarian crises. Through 2018-2020 Estonia will continue to support our current international partners, such as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), with voluntary contributions.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Estonia first and foremost considers important the implementation of activities reducing the risk of disasters (increasing awareness, cartography of natural disasters, building surveillance, legislation) and the support of developing countries in, for example, developing response plans for emergencies, developing early warning systems and planning mass evacuations.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    According to the Estonian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Strategy for 2016-2020, Estonia intends to increase the financing for readiness to catastrophes and prevention of humanitarian aid resources from 2% to 5% of the humanitarian aid budget.

    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction, Displacement, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 4C
    Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis and planning towards collective outcomes

    The Estonian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid is under one structure in the MFA. It has 4 years’ strategic plan in the same document. Same director of the division and DG are responsible for the budget planning. That allows synergies between the activities in both fields.

    Many of the Estonian Development Cooperation and humanitarian Aid activities are complementary, where possible (in the protracted crisis situation, preparedness activities). Revised European Union (EU) development consensus takes account also humanitarian needs.

    In Ukraine, Estonia has both development cooperation and humanitarian aid projects undergoing focused on internally displaced people (IDPs). Estonia has financed the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHAs) Protection Capacity project in Ukraine to enhance social protection of the IDPs.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Protracted forced displacement was one of the Estonian humanitarian aid policy priorities and it will continue to contribute to support refugees and IDP situations in humanitarian crises and migratory routes. Estonia continues to implement resilience related projects carried out by the NGO Mondo and NGO Estonian Refugee Council in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Estonia supports the need to focus on concrete deliverables in protracted crises, including education, health services and livelihoods for displaced people.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Estonia has emphazised the need for a more comprehensive approach in its foreign policy frameworks and humanitarian advocacy messages in international humanitarian aid meetings. It has stressed the need to work closer together to ensure better linkages with development, disaster risk reduction, climate change agendas. Nevertheless, is of utmost importance to emphasize that humanitarian activities should remain exclusively humanitarian in nature.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    Direct funding to national/local actors

    Estonia supports the principle of empowering local responders. However, considering Estonia’s size and the size of the Estonian humanitarian aid programme, Estonia remains a strong supporter of the multilateral humanitarian system in order to maximize the effect of its aid. To answer to the community needs, Estonian bi-lateral humanitarian activities have been community based, i.e. also using the knowledge of diaspora where possible. There’s also possibility for fields visits and need assessment. Funding is also flexible to change the activities and even to terminate the project, if really needed.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Estonia will continue to explore the possibilities to enhance the capacity of local and national responders and to work more closer together in the field.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Estonia considers important the leading role of local governments and partners in preventing crises and ensuring readiness for responding to catastrophes.

    Preventing crises and strengthening the security and resilience of the population has become more and more important in addition to reacting to disasters. It can only be done by reinforcing local capacities.

    Keywords

    Local action

  • 5B
    Invest according to risk

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as other relevant strategies and programs of action, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to invest in risk management, preparedness and crisis prevention capacity to build the resilience of vulnerable and affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    The Strategy for Estonian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid 2016-2020 underlines the special focus on the most vulnerable population groups – women, children, elderly and people with disabilities – by taking into account their gender, age and state of health. Estonian humanitarian NGOs working in Ukraine with local partners have paid special attention to elderly and people with disabilities while distributing first aid and food aid items. Also one of the aims of the sustainable development goals is to ensure accessibility to education and suitable conditions for school to everyone (including vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities).

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Estonia continues to pay close attention to persons with special needs while planning its humanitarian activities.

    Keywords

    Disability, Gender

  • 5D
    Finance outcomes, not fragmentation: shift from funding to financing

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to broaden and adapt the global instruments and approaches to meet urgent needs, reduce risk and vulnerability and increase resilience, without adverse impact on humanitarian principles and overall action (as also proposed in Round Table on "Changing Lives").
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    Estonia has joined the Grand Bargain commitment and supports results-based planning and financing on humanitarian action.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • By applying processes/indicators developed to measure WHS commitments specifically.

  • 5E
    Diversify the resource base and increase cost-efficiency

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance aimed to address the differentiated needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises in fragile situations and complex emergencies, including increasing cash-based programming in situations where relevant.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    Estonia has supported common principles for multi-purpose cash-based assistance to respond to the humanitarian needs. Estonian NGOs have used this opportunity on a small scale in Ukraine, while finding the most flexible and suitable solution to answer the humanitarian needs of the civilian population affected by the crisis.

    In our bi-lateral projects Estonia insists that management costs wouldn't exceed 20%. In contribution to the international humanitarian aid organisation we can add our voice on some of the advisory boards for budget planning (headquarter vs field offices/programmes).

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Estonia will explore the possibilities to support the use of humanitarian cash transfers and emphasize the importance of private sector partners. With our NGO partners we will continue to find suitable ways to strengthen social protection systems to deliver humanitarian aid, including also cash where needed and appropriate.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    As a supporter of the Good Humanitarian Donorship principles, Estonia made this commitment to follow-up on good practices in humanitarian financing.

    Estonia support the increase of flexible and predictable funding and multi-year financing solutions, which will help to make the planning process more predictable.

    Keywords

    Cash

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