Register Commitments
The Platform for Action, Commitments and Transformation (PACT) is a dynamic advocacy tool and central hub for all stakeholders to advance the Agenda for Humanity. The PACT reflects commitments received in writing. Those stakeholders that want to register their commitments should click on the blue button below to complete the online form. If you do not intend to register commitments, please do not complete this registration form. If you have any questions, please send an email to pact@un.org.
Click here to go back Register CommitmentsExisting User? Login Here
-
2DTake concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability
Individual Commitments (2)
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
-
Tearfund commits to ensure prevention of gender-based violence is prioritised throughout all phases of humanitarian response, in line with the Call to Action and IASC GBV guidelines.
- Operational
- Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
-
Tearfund commits to mobilise and facilitate the active engagement of faith groups in preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence in crisis contexts.
- Operational
- 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.
Gender-based violence prevention and response
Tearfund have consistently incorporated the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines for Gender-Based Violence in relevant proposals and emergency responses. The prevention of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), and support to its survivors, has also been integrated into Tearfund's programming in the Central African Republic (CAR). Tearfund has trained faith leaders on how they can speak out, and respond to, SGBV in humanitarian contexts. This included fifty new faith leaders in CAR and seventy-five faith leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Tearfund has also revised its internal communication guidance on SGBV, with focus on humanitarian contexts, to improve consistency of messaging.
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?
Tearfund is currently working on its SGBV Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) framework, which will include research of SGBV components in wider humanitarian interventions, and engagement with different networks to share learning and good practice.
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.
- Buy-in
- Human resources/capacity
- Multi-stakeholder coordination
B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?
A lack of SGBV skills and sensitivity can be an obstacle to the prioritisation of prevention. There are also challenges in coordinating stakeholders to avoid overlap and ensure effective collaboration. Lastly, the active role of faith groups in crises, and particularly in addressing harmful social norms, is rarely seen.
4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.
In 2018, Tearfund plans to scale-up the integration of SGBV prevention and response throughout its humanitarian interventions and country/regional strategies. Tearfund also intends to provide training for staff on SGBV guidelines in humanitarian response.
5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?
Humanitarian response needs to promote the prevention and response to SGBV using a holistic approach, and consider the impact of contextual social norms in defining interventions in crisis. Additionally, the active role of survivor groups and movements needs to be prioritised.
6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.
Tearfund is part of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, led by the United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This aims to raise awareness around sexual violence in armed conflict, and rally global action to end it. Through this initiative Tearfund helped to shape the Principles for Global Action, which intend to tackle this stigma.
Keywords
Gender, Local action, Religious engagement
-
3DEmpower and protect women and girls
Individual Commitments (2)
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
-
Tearfund commit to ensuring that women and girls are protected, their needs are met, and that their ability to engage in decision making is enhanced, as this is a proven strategy for increasing the effectiveness of humanitarian action as a means of building resilience for all members of families and communities.
- Operational
- Leave No One Behind
-
Tearfund commits to proactively address the harmful social and gender norms in humanitarian responses, empowering and protecting women and girls.
- Operational
- 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.
Tearfund’s approach to addressing and transforming harmful social norms has been more integrated and adapted in various humanitarian contexts (e.g. the Central African Republic, Middle East). Through this, Tearfund aims to ensure effective and long lasting engagement in decision making for women and girls. Additionally, Tearfund has been working to strengthen capacities at the community level to meet the needs of survivors and the most vulnerable women and girls.
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?
Tearfund is currently working on its SGBV Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) framework, which will include research of SGBV components in wider humanitarian interventions, and engaging with different networks to share learning and good practice.
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
- Strengthening national/local systems
B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?
The active inclusion of women and girls to define their own needs, and to challenge harmful norms, is key. However their participation is often challenged by existing norms, and stigma for outsiders is a strong deterrent. The lack of local systems and structures can also be a barrier to effective action.
4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.
In 2018, Tearfund plan to strengthen the advocacy skills of survivor groups in humanitarian contexts. This includes our responses in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Middle East. This will focus on increasing their ability to advocate for their own needs, empower them to drive change and build resilience inside their communities.
5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?
Humanitarian response needs to promote the prevention and response to SGBV using a holistic approach, and consider the impact of contextual social norms in defining interventions in crisis. Additionally, the active role of survivor groups and movements needs to be prioritised.
6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.
Tearfund’s project in DRC - “Engaging with Faith Groups to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls in Conflict-affected Communities” is an innovative project combining implementation and research. It is part of the global initiative on ‘What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls’.
Keywords
Gender, People-centred approach, Religious engagement
-
4AReinforce, do not replace, national and local systems
Individual Commitments (4)
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
-
Tearfund commit to keeping affected persons at the centre of all assistance planned and provided, maintaining robust beneficiary feedback mechanisms.
- Operational
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
-
Tearfund commits to deliver change within its own organisational ways of working so that southern-based actors can play an increased and more prominent role in humanitarian response. It will therefore commit to the implementation of the Charter for Change by May 2018.
- Operational
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
-
Tearfund commits to expand the evidence base identifying the role and added value of using local and national partners in humanitarian response. This will be done through identifying what factors create an effective enabling environment between national governments, local NGOs and the international community.
- Policy
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
-
Tearfund commits to promote cash transfer programming with national and local level NGOs and innovating with new ways of using cash programming within community based mechanisms and social safety nets.
- Advocacy
- 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.
Cash-based programming
Tearfund 's Cash Advisor developed an internal report looking at how Tearfund can corporately strengthen cash transfer programming, and better align with global trends. Tearfund also collaborated with the University of Reading on an impact study entitled “Humanitarian Cash Through Self-Help Groups: Making the Most of Local Approaches?”. This was based on a trial project in Ethiopia and looked into the impact of humanitarian cash programming on development initiatives. Tearfund also provided cash-based interventions (CBIs) design and implementation training to its field staff and local partners. In October 2017 Tearfund's Cash Adviser provided training to twenty people, which included local partners in Mali. As a result Tearfund became part of the Cash Working Group in Mali, connecting with other local NGOs and international NGOs (INGOs).
Strengthening national/local leadership and systems
Tearfund is part of a consortium of six INGOs who are collaborating on the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) funded project “Accelerating localisation through Partnerships project”. This project aims to support localisation in Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria and South Sudan. Tearfund is the focal point agency in Nepal. Tearfund has also developed a new set of guidelines - Field Emergency Response Procedures - which equips local offices and local partners to take the lead in responding to small-medium sized disasters, and manage new spikes in existing humanitarian crises.
People-centered approaches (feedback mechanisms, community engagement, etc)
Tearfund has modified its Quality Standards to incorporate good practice on beneficiary accountability. With the launch of Tearfund's upcoming monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system, this will help more accurately identify areas of corporate weakness and opportunities for strengthening feedback mechanisms.
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?
Tearfund is monitoring its cash transfer programming and the amount distributed. Tearfund has also commissioned evaluations to appraise the quality of its responses, which includes an assessment of beneficiary accountability.
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.
- Data and analysis
- Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
- Human resources/capacity
B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?
In Tearfund's responses, limited visibility of local partners’ critical gaps has hindered capacity building efforts. Time and financial cost, along with a lack of clarity in global coordination in the sector, have also been an issue for cash programming training. Additionally, gathering and analysing data across countries has been difficult without a corporate M&E system.
4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.
To support national partners to incorporate CBIs in their responses, Tearfund will target three to six countries for further cash programming training. Tearfund is also planning to pilot the Field Emergency Response Procedures and its new Disaster Management Capacity Assessment Tool, which aims to support local organisations to determine, influence and deliver humanitarian preparedness and response. Work is ongoing to develop Tearfund's corporate M&E system.
5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?
Tearfund believes that the sector needs to build a stronger culture of knowledge exchange and openness amongst key stakeholders. This will support the sharing of good practice and lessons learnt. To improve the relevance of its responses, Tearfund believes it needs to do more to encourage active participation from field offices and local partners.
6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.
Participating in the ECHO localisation project brings together learning across different contexts and agencies to help inform what changes are required. Tearfund’s online learning platform (Tearfund Learn) is available to staff, local and international counterparts alike, enabling Tearfund’s learning on localisation, cash programming and other sectors to be shared.
Keywords
Cash, Local action, People-centred approach, Quality and accountability standards
-
4CDeliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides
Individual Commitments (3)
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
-
Tearfund commits to continuing to work with national governments to recognise and affirm the role of faith and faith based organisations to provide faith-based assistance to communities in need.
- Advocacy
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
-
Tearfund commits to facilitate improved coordination between faith, state and humanitarian actors.
- Partnership
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
-
Tearfund commits to improve the understanding between faith-based actors and humanitarian system, to improve accessibility, networking and opportunities for collaboration in response.
- Training
- 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.
Other-4C
Tearfund is actively involved in the Joint Learning Initiative (JLI), aiming to contribute to the evidence base for the role of faith actors in humanitarian response. In 2017, Tearfund sent staff and local partners, representing programmes from around the world, to participate in the forum on Localising Response to Humanitarian Need. This forum brought together faith based organisations (FBOs) and secular counterparts to highlight their contributions in humanitarian preparedness and response, and to strengthen partnerships. The evidence from this forum underpinned the 'call to action'. In addition, Tearfund led a research project exploring social connectedness and identity, for communities affected by conflict. This highlighted the role played by personal faith and faith leaders. Subsequently, Tearfund promoted this research and organised round tables with colleagues and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to explore the findings.
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?
Tearfund monitors its progress against the Charter for Change. In addition, Tearfund monitor and report on its expenditure, including transfers to local faith based organisations, as part of the International Aid Transparency Initiative.
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
- Data and analysis
- Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?
There have been challenges in strengthening the capacity of local actors, particularly when humanitarian response is not their primary focus. Additionally, a lack of evidence on the value and role of local FBOs has prohibited funding growth. The complexity of joined up humanitarian-development work slows Tearfund down.
4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.
Tearfund will continue to work in consortia with other INGOs and the University of Leeds to explore the role of faith and localisation. Tearfund will also launch its Disaster Management Capacity Assessment Tool, and use this to strengthen local and national capacity.
5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?
The New Way of Working needs to come to greater fruition. It is currently too high level and there needs to be stronger practical implementation. In addition, there needs to be a greater recognition of the role of faith, with funding and practice reflecting this.
6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.
Tearfund has previously developed a resource aimed at church leaders, to help them prepare for and respond to disasters in their communities. Tearfund is currently conducting a review into how this has been utilised, and the effectiveness of this, with the intention of strengthening its utility.
Keywords
Humanitarian-development nexus, Local action, Religious engagement, Transparency / IATI
-
5EDiversify the resource base and increase cost-efficiency
Individual Commitments (1)
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
-
Tearfund commits to increase effective, evidence-based monitoring and evaluation of faith based actors, holding itself accountable to the evidence and learning from its evaluations.
- Operational
- 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.
In October 2017, Tearfund was actively engaged in the Joint Learning Initiative’s International Forum on Localizing Response to Humanitarian Need: The Role of Religious and Faith-based organisations. During this event Tearfund shed light on the evidence of church-level action around disaster preparedness, as well as evidence on the influence of theology on people’s perception of risk. Tearfund has also hired a Humanitarian Impact & Learning Officer who works to support regional and country teams to ensure they are: i) conducting evaluations and learning reviews as per our internal procedures ii) promoting a culture enthused by monitoring, evaluation and learning across the organisation iii) accompanying teams, where needed, to strengthen their capacity in monitoring, evaluation and learning and; iv) to hold Tearfund to account against recommendations and learning that has been generated.
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?
Tearfund is in the process of reviewing the impact of our ‘Guidelines for Church leaders in disaster-prone areas’. This review is also revealing areas for learning, which we will feed back into our work and adapt accordingly.
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.
- Human resources/capacity
- Information management/tools
B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?
Without a robust M&E system in place it makes it difficult to monitor and evaluate the role of faith based actors and this weakens accountability mechanisms. Work is ongoing but the roll out will take time. Secondly, Tearfund has limited resources/capacity to conduct impact studies to explore the role of faith.
4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.
In 2018, Tearfund would like to improve its systems for capturing learning and making this accessible at all levels of the organisation. Tearfund is currently working to identify evaluations that it can share publicly on its partner facing website - ‘Tearfund Learn’. Additionally, work is ongoing to develop Tearfund's corporate monitoring and evaluation system, which will improve visibility of humanitarian evaluations and reviews that have taken place by staff and partners.
5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?
Tearfund believes that increasing strategic engagement with the Joint Learning Initiative (JLI) - an international collaboration on evidence for faith groups’ role and contributions to local community health and wellbeing and ending poverty - will support collective progress against this commitment. Tearfund currently have a senior leader chairing one of the evidence hubs.
6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.
The Forum on Localizing Response to Humanitarian Need was designed to produce a body of evidence on local faith actors. One hundred and forty two people from thirty-six countries assembled to learn from Sri Lankan religious leaders and FBOs and from each other about local faith engagement in humanitarian response.
Keywords
Quality and accountability standards, Religious engagement
Attachments
-
WHS Commitments Attachments