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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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  • 2A
    Respect and protect civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of hostilities

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    In 2017, Australia supported Geneva Call’s work to raise awareness among armed non-state actors about humanitarian norms and help them integrate these norms into their internal regulations (AUD 300,000 in 2017). Australia also supported Geneva Call’s work to prevent the use of victim-activated anti-personnel landmines in the Indo Pacific and humanitarian mine action in the Pacific amongst non-state actors (AUD 400,000 in 2016-2018). This project focuses on Myanmar, India and the Philippines.

    Australia supports Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict (AUD 237,334 April 2017- December 2018). Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict works to promote the rights of children affected by armed conflict. Its work includes: advocacy to advance the UN’s Children and Armed Conflict agenda, and partnerships to help monitor, report and respond to grave violations against children in conflict zones.

    In its operations, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) operates under strict rules of engagement consistent with Australia’s obligations under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Australian domestic law. Mechanisms are in place to investigate any allegations of abuses, through internal governance processes and also through independent and external investigative authorities.

    In Iraq, the ADF is providing IHL training to Iraqi Security Forces as part of it mission to reinforce ISF capabilities to conduct activities against Daesh.

    In Australia, the Australian Government engaged regularly with the Australian Red Cross, including through the National IHL Committee.

    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).
    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
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Australia will continue to comply fully with its IHL obligations, encourage other parties to conflict to do likewise, and support concrete initiatives to enhance IHL compliance. Australia will also continue to contribute positively to the implementation of Resolution 2 of the 32nd International Conference aimed at Strengthening Respect of IHL.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability, Protection

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

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Australia commits to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Australia commits to ensure all populations in need receive rapid and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Australia commits 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.
    • Advocacy
    • 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.

    Australia prioritises the safety and dignity of affected populations and mainstreams protection in all Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) funded humanitarian action. Australia also funds dedicated protection programs and capacities, such as ProCap (AUD350,000 in 2017) and provides core funding to mandated protection agencies (ICRC, UNHCR, UNICEF).

    Australia is a key diplomatic partner for the ICRC’s Healthcare in Danger initiative: our core unearmarked funding to the ICRC (AUD55 million 2016-2018) will include support to this project.

    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?

    Through evidence-based analysis conducted by humanitarian actors and academics.

    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
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    There is insufficient data on marginalised groups to judge how Australia's investments are performing and to make the necessary adjustments.  A lack of access by trusted partners can jeopardise the principle of 'do no harm'.

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

    • Australia will continue 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.
    • In 2018, Australia will formally evaluate its humanitarian action projects in this area, including in relation to sexual exploitation and abuse.

    Keywords

    Protection

  • 2C
    Speak out on violations

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Australia commits 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.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    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.

    Australia regularly condemns serious violations of IHL and abuses of international human rights law, and supports independent investigations into serious international crimes, including through the UN and Human Rights Council (HRC).

    Australia co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution establishing the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism on Syria (Resolution 2379, December 2016) and has provided AUD 300,000 towards start-up funding for the Mechanism. Australia co-sponsored multiple resolutions and delivered statements at the HRC and UN General Assembly deploring human rights abuses in Syria.

    Australia co-sponsored the UN Security Council resolution calling for the establishment of a UN investigative team to support Iraq’s efforts to hold ISIL members accountable for serious international crimes (Resolution 2379 of 21 September 2017).

    Australia called repeatedly for the protection of civilians in Rakhine State, full and unhindered humanitarian access, and accountability for human rights abuses. Australia emphasised the need for and called repeatedly for an independent investigation to determine the extent of abuses in Rakhine state and co-sponsored resolutions at the HRC, for example a  a resolution at the HRC establishing an independent international fact-finding mission and Resolution S-27/1 calling on the Myanmar government to cooperate with the fact-finding mission established by the HRC (adopted at a Special Session of the HRC on 5 December 2017).

     

     

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

    Australia will continue to advocate strongly for compliance with IHL and accountability for serious violations; and pursue opportunities for targeted advocacy in bilateral and multilateral contexts.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    • As a founding member of the Call to Action, Australia reaffirms its commitment to the Call to Action and its 'Roadmap' for implementation.


    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Australia commits to 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.
    • Partnership
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Australia commits to promote and enhance respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law, where applicable.
    • Advocacy
    • 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

    Australia continues to advocate strongly for greater compliance with IHL and accountability for serious international crimes. In 2017, Australia contributed AUD5.6 million to the International Criminal Court and AUD3.25 million to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

     

    Gender-based violence prevention and response

    As a founding member of the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, Australia remains committed to the Call to Action and its 'Roadmap' for implementation.  Australia provides public reporting annually on its progress.

    In relation to Australia’s military operations, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has zero tolerance for all forms of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV). All ADF members are trained on the types of SGBV they may encounter on operations, how to respond and mandatory reporting requirements. Australia has deployed ADF Gender Advisers to missions such as the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

    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?

    Through evidence-based analysis conducted by humanitarian actors and academics.

    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
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Information management/tools
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    There is insufficient data on marginalised groups to judge how Australia's investments are performing and to make the necessary adjustments.  A lack of access by trusted partners can jeopardise the principle of 'do no harm'.

    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

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in 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.

    In 2017, Australia supported efforts in Geneva to improve respect for IHL as mandated by Resolution 2 of the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Australia will continue to push for a mechanism which enables sharing of information, experience and developments on strengthening IHL between states.

    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).
    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
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Individual Commitments (6)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Australia acknowledges the global public good provided by countries and communities which are hosting large numbers of refugees, and commits to providing host countries and communities increased financial, political and policy support with refugees and/ or IDPs.
    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Australia commits to a new approach to addressing forced displacement that not only meets immediate humanitarian needs but reduces vulnerability and improves the resilience and self-reliance of refugees and IDPs. It commit to implementing this new approach through international and national programmes, and by taking the necessary political, policy, legal and financial steps required for the specific context.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Australia commits to actively work to uphold the institution of asylum and the principle of non-refoulement. It commits to strengthen and implement national, regional and international laws and policy frameworks that strengthen the protection of refugees and IDPs, such as the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala convention) or the Guiding Principles on internal displacement.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Australia commits to collectively work towards a strengthened international framework for predictable and equitable responsibility sharing in response to large-scale movements of refugees.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Australia commits to measurably reduce internal displacement in a safe and dignified manner, including by working towards a target of 50% by 2030, with the aim of achieving durable solutions for IDPs.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (3)

    • 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
    • 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

    In 2017-18 Australia provided AUD 132.3 million in core funding to support our humanitarian partners, including UNHCR, help meet the needs of displaced people. In 2017, Australia was UNHCR’s 12th largest bilateral government donor and 7th largest of unearmarked funding, providing AUD 25 million in core unearmarked funding, plus a further AUD 15 million in emergency funding paid in 2017. In response to unprecedented levels of humanitarian need, Australia increased its overall humanitarian budget to AUD 400 million in 2017-18.

    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.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    • By applying processes/indicators developed to measure WHS commitments specifically.
    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
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Lack of  international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) compliance and accountability continues to perpetuate displacement. Despite strong and ongoing advocacy by Australia throughout 2017, gender equality and disability inclusion remain a challenge for the international community.

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

    Australia will continue to work with UNHCR and States towards a Global Compact on Refugees; advocate IHL/IHRL compliance and accountability to address and reduce internal displacement; continue to provide multi-year flexible funding to partners; and support and encourage humanitarian and development partners to better coordinate in meeting the immediate and longer term needs of displaced populations, reducing secondary displacement.

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

    Strengthened compliance and accountability with IHL/IHRL to protect displaced persons; and commitment to work towards a Global Compact on Refugees

    Keywords

    Displacement

  • 3B
    Address the vulnerabilities of migrants and provide more regular and lawful opportunities for migration

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    Australia provides regular and lawful opportunities for migration. In 2017-18, the Humanitarian Program will provide 16,250 places. This is an increase of 2,500 places over the 2016-17 program and also includes up to 1,000 places for the Community Support Program (CSP). The CSP is designed to provide a sustainable model of private sponsorship for refugees that will enable communities and businesses, as well as families and individuals, to propose humanitarian visa applicants with employment prospects and support new humanitarian arrivals.

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

    Australia's Humanitarian Program is set to further increase to 18,750 places in 2018-19. Australia will also work with States towards a Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

    Keywords

    Displacement

  • 3C
    End statelessness in the next decade

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    As an active member of the Core Group on Statelessness, Australia has strongly advocated the importance of addressing and reducing statelessness, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Australia provided AUD25 million in predictable, flexible core funding to UNHCR, assisting in delivering on its statelessness mandate.

    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.
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Preventing and addressing statelessness ultimately requires greater compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) and accountability for violations.

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

    Australia will continue to be an active member of the Group of Friends on Statelessness to advocate change and accountability for stateless persons; deliver on our commitments under the 1961 Convention to Reduce Statelessness and the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons; and continue to provide flexible and predictable funding to UNHCR as the mandate holder for statelessness.

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the United Nations Population Fund joint statement on 'Accelerating Efforts to Save Lives, Protect Rights and Dignity and Leave No one Behind'™.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    Partners: UNFPA

    Individual Commitments (7)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    • Australia commit to apply a gender marker to all humanitarian funding providing by the Australian Government - to ensure gender issues are considered at all stages of the program cycle.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Australia commits to empower women and girls as change agents and leaders, including by increasing support for local women-led groups to participate meaningfully in humanitarian action.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Australia commits to 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.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Australia will ensure that humanitarian programming is gender responsive.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Australia will fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment and women's rights.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • On behalf of the MIKTA group of countries - Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea and Turkey - Australia commits to work closely with local and national women's groups to provide them with practical support to increase their capacity to deliver in humanitarian settings.


    • Capacity
    • Leave No One Behind

    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.

    Australia mainstreams gender considerations across its programming, as well as providing dedicated funding. For example, Australia supported access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in humanitarian contexts through programs with UNFPA and the International Planned Parenthood Federation across the Pacific, Asia and the Middle East. In 2017, SPRINT responded to: cyclone Gita in Tonga, displacement in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Uganda and Niger; floods/landslides in Sri Lanka and Nepal; and volcano-related displacement in Vanuatu. In 2017, approximately 35,000 crisis-affected people received UNFPA prepositioned supplies for clean birthing, obstetric care, contraception, hygiene, treatment for sexually transmitted infections and for survivors of sexual violence.

    Australia is working closely with local and national women's groups to provide them with practical support to increase their capacity to deliver in humanitarian settings.  For example, over 2017, Australia developed a new AUD50 million initiative under the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, Disaster READY, which is working to strengthen disaster preparedness across the Pacific and Timor Leste for the next five years.  This new program recognises and responds to the differences in how women and men prepare for, and are affected by, disasters. It will increase women’s participation in disaster planning, as well as safeguard the basic rights of women and girls.

    Australia remains committed to applying a gender marker to all humanitarian funding provided by the Australian Government.  As a first step, we are supporting the development of a new gender and age marker by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee through our funding for key partners such as the Gender Standby Capacity Project (to which we provided AUD375,000 in 2017).

    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.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • 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?

    Through evidence-based analysis conducted by humanitarian actors and academics.

    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
    • Data and analysis
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    • Empowering and protecting women and girls is not always a priority for partner countries or delivery partners in all contexts, meaning progress in this area can be  slow.
    • A lack of access by trusted partners can jeopardise the principle of 'do no harm'.

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

    Over 2018 we will be formally evaluating our efforts in this area, including in relation to sexual exploitation and abuse.

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

    Leadership by States championing this issue and by the UN Secretary General will help spur collective progress on this issue.

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

    Setting targets for the number of women in leadership positions, and supporting women from affected communities to have a seat at the decision-making table, can yield wide ranging and lasting benefits.

    Keywords

    Gender

  • 3E
    Eliminate gaps in education for children, adolescents and young people

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    In 2017, Australia committed funding to Education Cannot Wait (AUD 10 million over 3 years) and ran an innovation challenge (AUD 2 million) focused on increasing access to education in emergencies, particularly for girls.

    Through Save the Children Australia provided education to children in IDP camps and host villages in Rakhine State (Myanmar) and refugee camps on the Thai border.  In Thai camps 191 teachers received pre-service training and 189 received in-service training.  In Jordan and Lebanon, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has established mult-iyear partnerships with UNICEF to support education services (formal and non formal) for Syrian refugees and vulnerable host communities.

    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.
    • Other: Australia's implementing partners may report separately through other mechanisms.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Following up each commitment through existing reporting and assessment channels. For example, in Jordan/Lebanon implementing partners are tracking enrollments and numbers of children outside education and helping Ministries develop tracking of educational outcomes.

    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
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Security impacts attendance. Limited access lowers quality and affects education delivery. Annual humanitarian funding limits longer term planning. Humanitarian actors need better links to government education systems to support reintegration to formal system.

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

    In Myanmar, build capacity of Temporary Learning Spaces' Parent Teacher Associations on educational quality standards and accountability mechanisms and support post primary and secondary schools in Sittwe and Pauktaw. Continue multiyear partnerships with UNICEF in Jordan and Lebanon and support Jordanian Ministry of Education.

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

    Reliable and unrestricted field access. Linked humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response and multiyear funding for protracted crises.

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

    In 2017, Australia partnered with Mexico, Korea, Indonesia and Turkey (MIKTA) to run an innovation challenge to increase access to education in emergencies, particularly for girls. Winners, sharing a prize pool of AUD 2 million, were announced in December.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Education, Innovation

  • 3G
    Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Australia commits to working with international and regional partners to promote policy and practice to improve disability inclusion in humanitarian action.
    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Australia is pleased to endorse the Charter for Disability Inclusion in Humanitarian Action and commit to practical action towards its implementation.
    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Australia will commit resources to support people with disabilities to gain greater independence and inclusion in their communities. This includes through support to the International Committee for the Red Cross Special Fund for the Disabled to support physical rehabilitation for people with disabilities in post-conflict environments.
    • Financial
    • 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.

    Australia mainstreams the inclusion of persons with disabilities across its humanitarian programming, as well as funding dedicated programming. Australia has consistently advocated for our partners, including UNOCHA, to disaggregate more of their data by sex, age and disability status.

    Australia supports leaders with disabilities as change agents, including but not limited to those from the Asia-Pacific region. Australia is committing resources to support people with disabilities to gain greater independence and inclusion in their communities. This includes $600,000 to the International Committee for the Red Cross Special Fund for the Disabled in 2017 to support physical rehabilitation for people with disabilities in post-conflict environments.

    Australia also funded Ms Nelly Caleb, a Vanuatu-based disability advocate, to attend the WFP Board Meeting in 2017 to advocate for disability-inclusive disaster response.

    The Australian Government believes that human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and that all people are entitled to respect, dignity and legal protection regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. While the human rights of LGBTI persons is one of the most divisive issues in international human rights today, it goes to the heart of our shared belief in equal rights and protections for all. The lived reality for many LGBTI persons is not one of equal rights and treatment. Vulnerabilities are exacerbated in humanitarian crises, however this community also present unique capacities.Through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership Agreement, DFAT supported the landmark report 'Down by the River: Addressing the rights, needs and strengths of Fijian Sexual and Gender Minorities in Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Response.'

     

     

    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).
    • By applying processes/indicators developed to measure WHS commitments specifically.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Through evidence-based analysis conducted by humanitarian actors and academics.

    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
    • Data and analysis
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    There is insufficient data on marginalised groups to judge how our humanitarian investments are performing and to make the necessary adjustments.  A lack of access by trusted partners can jeopardise the principle of 'do no harm'.

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

    Over 2018 we will be formally evaluating our efforts in this area.

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

    The Global Compacts on Refugees and Migration will be useful tools for making collective progress.  Reinforcing links between the 'leave no one behind' goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will also be helpful. 

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

    The Charter for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action, and the supporting global guidelines under development.

    Keywords

    Disability

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

    Individual Commitments (6)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    • Australia commits 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.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Australia commits to ensure regional and global humanitarian assistance for disasters complements national and local efforts.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Australia commits to increase investment in building community resilience as a critical first line of response, with the full and effective participation of women.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Australia commits to reinforce national and local leadership and capacities in managing disaster and climate-related risks through strengthened preparedness and predictable response and recovery arrangements.


    • Capacity
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Australia commits to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible.
    • Policy
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    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.

    Strengthening national/local leadership and systems

    Australia recognises national government leadership and decision-making for disaster preparedness, response and recovery wherever possible to meet the needs of affected populations. Examples during 2017 include:

    • Pre-positioning Australian civilian specialists in disaster management agencies in Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga, with a Pacific regional specialist in the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC);
    • Strengthening preparedness and response capacity of NGOs and government and build resilience of Indo-Pacific countries by funding the Australian Red Cross (AUD36.5 million 2015-19) and Australian Humanitarian Partnership NGOs (AUD50 million 2017-22);
    • Demonstrated support for national leadership of disaster coordination and response through support to national and local actors more strongly informed by national and local requests and capacities, according to the ‘as local as possible, as international as necessary’ principle, including in the recent humanitarian response to the Ambae volcano event in Vanuatu.
    • Direct funding of BRAC (AUD3 million in 2017) to support humanitarian activities in Cox's Bazaar. 

    Building community resilience

    Australia supports community resilience and community participatory approaches in disaster- and crisis-affected countries through emergency activations and the Disaster READY program under the Australian Humanitarian Partnerships program, delivered by coalitions of Australian and local and national NGOs based on consultative in-country design processes. The Australian Humanitarian Partnership is AUD50 million 2017-22.

    People-centered approaches (feedback mechanisms, community engagement, etc)

    Australia supports community resilience and community participatory approaches in disaster- and crisis-affected countries through emergency activations and the Disaster READY program under the Australian Humanitarian Partnerships program, delivered by coalitions of Australian and local and national NGOs based on consultative in-country design processes. The Australian Humanitarian Partnership is AUD50 million 2017-22.

    Cash-based programming

    • Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) launched DFAT Humanitarian Strategy Guidance Note – Cash Transfers (December 2017).
    • DFAT is funding the Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP) to increase the scale and quality of cash transfer programming (CTP). Progress to date includes support for research and reporting of global progress in meeting commitments and innovation, and developing common markers and definitions for organisations to track and report CTP.
    • DFAT continues to participate in the Asia Regional Cash Working Group (ARCWG) and the Pacific Regional Cash Working Group (PRCWG).
    • DFAT supported a cash expert secondee to the PRCWG (April – June 2017). This contributed to local capacity strengthening efforts and assisted to deliver DFAT’s CTP training.
    • CTP training was delivered on behalf of DFAT by CaLP for staff and partners in Australia and the Pacific (June 2017). In total, 90 participants received training on ‘Core CTP Skills for Strategic Planning and Decision-making’ or ‘The Fundamentals of CTP’.

    Adherence to quality and accountability standards (e.g. CHS, SPHERE)

    Australia has strengthened quality, accountability and people management through support for the application of the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS), which places communities and people affected by crisis at the centre of humanitarian action. Australia supports the CHS Alliance (2016- 2018), including a May 2017 CHS Pacific Islands workshop held in Auckland. All Australian NGOs that receive Australian humanitarian funding are signed up to the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) Code of Conduct, which is aligned to the CHS.

    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).
    • Other: Localisation integrated in DFAT humanitarian monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    DFAT has not yet developed an approach to this.

    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Other: Donor governance trends of aggregated activities and universal due diligence requirements
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Limited staffing to rethink or implement changes to internal barriers. Complex M&E systems with limited room to add more detailed localisation measurement. Reduced staffing and pressure to aggregate activities limits partnering with local/ national actors.

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

    Building on significant strengths to date, next steps are currently being considered by DFAT based on review of progress and will be shared as a follow-up to this report. A possible priority area is identifying, and acting to reduce, internal DFAT barriers to partnering with national and local actors.

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

    1) Recognition that localisation should be prioritised by country context, occurs in multiple formats and dimensions and is not binary; 2) Pooling of national and local actor capacity building rather than attempting in a fragmented way; 3) Focus on national and local leadership and decision-making; 4) Integration of accountability to affected people (AAP); 5) Joint cash platforms harmonised by need not divided by mandate.

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

    Recognition that localisation should be prioritised to the country context, occurs in multiple formats and dimensions and is not binary, is important to Australia's approach. See attached Grand Bargain report for more good practices.

    Keywords

    Cash, Community resilience, Local action, People-centred approach, Quality and accountability standards

  • 4B
    Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

    Individual Commitments (10)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    • Along with our MIKTA colleagues - Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea and Turkey - Australia commits to a program of action and advocacy to support accelerated implementation of the Sendai Framework within its regions.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Australia commits 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.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Australia commits 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.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Australia commits 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.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Australia commits to invest in risk management, preparedness and crisis prevention capacity to build the resilience of vulnerable and affected people.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Australia commits to reinforce national and local leadership and capacities in managing disaster and climate-related risks through strengthened preparedness and predictable response and recovery arrangements.


    • Capacity
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Australia commits, with its Pacific partners, to developing Pacific protocols to better align regional and international offers of assistance with national government responses following a disaster.


    • Policy
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Australia offers its in-principle support for the UN's Connecting Business Initiative.


    • Policy
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Australia's support will help establish a Pacific business network for disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, response and recovery, in collaboration with local government, the UN and communities.


    • Partnership
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    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.

    Australia invests in a number of initiatives that support better anticipation of crises to reduce their financial and human impact, with a particular focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Australia is in partnership with the UNISDR to support the implementation of the Sendai Framework, with an emphasis on the Indo-Pacific region. Australia is also supporting the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Risk Reduction (GFDRR), again with a focus on the Indo-Pacific, to support our work around resilient recovery and reconstruction. Other strategies include taking a multi-hazard approach to disaster risk reduction in the Pacific and Australia has invested considerably in climate change and resilience activities in Pacific Island countries. 

    Through our humanitarian partnerships with the Australian Red Cross and Australian NGOs in the Pacific, Australia is strengthening the capacity of national actors, local communities and organisations to prepare for and reduce the risk of impacts from disasters/crises. In 2017, Australia also led an event with Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, and Turkey (MIKTA) partners at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction focused on accelerating implementation of the Sendai Framework in their respective regions.

    To support Pacific preparedness and decision-making, Australia, with the Governments of New Zealand and France is compiling a register of disaster response options for Pacific governments to better target requests for assistance.  Australia also works with key humanitarian agencies to support reforms to their operating models to improve performance and better meet the needs of a changing region.

    For further detail see 4C, 5B, and Connecting Business Initiative Report  and Australia's Grand Bargain Progress Report 2018 (Workstreams 2 and 10).

     

     

    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.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • By applying processes/indicators developed to measure WHS commitments specifically.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Through our own regular reporting, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

    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
    • Funding amounts
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    In the context of competing priorities and limited resources, maintaining global focus on preparedness, disaster risk reduction and resilience remains a challenge, including in the Pacific.

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

    Australia will continue to support the Australian Humanitarian Partnership Agreement (AUD 50 million, 2017-2022). Australia is reviewing opportunities for multi-year investments with UNISDR and commencing the Australia Pacific Regional Climate Change Action Program (APCCAP) which will increase the effectiveness of Australia's support for climate change action and resilience in the Pacific.

    See also 5B.

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

    Stronger understanding and appreciation of the benefits of investing in preparedness, risk and resilience programming is needed. For example, to build this understanding internally Australia has developed a working group that covers the humanitarian/peace/development nexus. Australia is also enriching our investments in the Pacific to ensure they are better designed to respond to the Pacific’s growing exposure to disaster risk and not only centred on disaster response.

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

    Through Australian Red Cross and the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, Australia is focused on strengthening DRR, preparedness and emergency response capacity of governments and organisations to enable effective disaster response and resilience in our region.

    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction, Humanitarian-development nexus

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

    Individual Commitments (6)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia announced its intention to join the GAHI and commit $450,000 to the initiative over three years to 2019.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    • Australia commits 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.


    • Policy
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Australia commits 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.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Australia commits to enable coherent financing that avoids fragmentation by supporting collective outcomes over multiple years, supporting those with demonstrated comparative advantage to deliver in context.


    • Financial
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Australia commits to 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.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    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

    Australia is increasing the use of multi-year programming in protracted crises to ensure that long-term predictable support is available to work across the humanitarian-development spectrum. In 2017 Australia commenced a AUD 220 million three-year program responding to the Syria crisis. This program includes support for immediate lifesaving assistance and longer-term livelihood and education support. Australia will also roll out a AUD100 million three year humanitarian and stabilisation package in response to the Iraq crisis in 2018, which includes flexible funding to allow partners to respond to changing needs and context.

    The Australia Assists program, launched in 2017, deploys Australian specialists to work within governments, multilateral agencies and communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters and conflict. The program supports prevention efforts by using deployments to mitigate the risks and impact of disasters and conflict.

    See Australia's Grand Bargain Report (Workstream 10) for further details

    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?

    Addition of a specific question on connectedness within Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Humanitarian Aid Quality Checks allows for holistic measurement across DFAT's humanitarian investments. In 2017, DFAT undertook humanitarian program evaluations in both Myanmar and Australia’s response to Cyclone Winston. Both evaluations reviewed the support provided for humanitarian recovery, resilience and long-term development activities.

    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 modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Australian support to international humanitarian efforts is often a component of a larger global response, limiting our ability to effect transformational change directly. Transformation requires concerted coordinated efforts by Australia and other donors to continue to improve collective efforts to meet our World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) commitments.

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

    Australia’s multi-year commitments in Syria and Iraq will contribute to addressing both immediate humanitarian needs, while also addressing longer-term needs such as education, livelihoods and stabilisation. DFAT will collect lessons learned drawn from our multi-year commitments while advancing our WHS agenda through engagement with key humanitarian partners. Australia will continue to undertake humanitarian evaluations that review connectedness between humanitarian and development initiatives.

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

    Governments must continue to work with key stakeholders to share field experience and lessons learned that contribute to an improved understanding of how to address needs while reducing vulnerability in complex emergencies. Multi-year planning should be encouraged within the humanitarian community as well as coordination between humanitarian and development actors at a country level to ensure alignment with collective outcomes.

    Keywords

    Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Australia commits 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.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    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

    Australia has demonstrated support for national leadership of disaster coordination and response through more strongly targeted support to national and local actors according to the ‘as local as possible, as international as necessary’ principle, including in the recent humanitarian response to the Ambae volcano event in Vanuatu.

    Addressing blockages/challenges to direct investments at the national/local level

    Australia has made most progress in working flexibly in humanitarian response in Pacific Island countries to directly support leadership and decision-making by national and local actors.

    Country-based pooled funds

    Australia has sustained new and multi-year funding for humanitarian pooled funds, allowing direct (country-based pooled funds) and indirect (CERF) access by local and national actors, and which are indicating increasing – as yet not systemically reported – funding to local and national actors. In 2016-17, Australia provided AUD 32 million through pooled funds. So far in 2017-18, Australia has provided AUD 22 million through pooled funds. Due to the time lag in reporting from humanitarian pooled funds, information from pooled funds partners is not yet available to report the proportion of 2017 funding provided to local and national actors.

    Other-5A

    Australia is (a) strengthening preparedness and response capacity of NGOs and government and build resilience of Indo-Pacific countries by funding the Australian Red Cross (AUD36.5 million 2015-19) and Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AUD50 million 2017-22); (b) building the capacity of national governments to integrate sexual and reproductive health into disaster management policies, and building the capacity of local NGOs as first responders, by funding the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) to manage the SPRINT initiative; (c) pre-positioning Australian civilian specialists in disaster management agencies in Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga, with a Pacific regional specialist in the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC); and (d) demonstrating support for national leadership of disaster coordination and response through more strongly targeted support to national and local actors according to the ‘as local as possible, as international as necessary’ principle, including in the recent humanitarian response to the Ambae volcano event in Vanuatu.

    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).
    • Other: Localisation integrated in DFAT humanitarian M&E systems.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has not yet developed an approach to this.

    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    DFAT staffing limitations, trends to aggregating aid activities and universal due diligence requirements are all barriers to expanded direct partnering with national and local actors.

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

    Building on significant strengths to date, next steps are currently being considered by DFAT based on review of progress and will be shared as a follow-up to this report. A possible priority area is identifying, and acting to reduce, internal DFAT barriers to partnering with national and local actors.

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

    1) Recognition that localisation should be prioritised by country context, occurs in multiple formats and dimensions and is not binary; 2) Pooling of national and local actor capacity building rather than attempting in a fragmented way; 3) Focus on national and local leadership and decision-making; 4) Integration of AAP

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

    Recognition that localisation should be prioritised country context, occurs in multiple formats and dimensions and is not binary, is important to Australia's approach. See attached Grand Bargain report for fuller good practices.

    Keywords

    Country-based pooled funds, Gender, Local action

  • 5B
    Invest according to risk

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    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.

    Australia has developed an internal strategy to guide our humanitarian investments in the Pacific. The strategy focuses on prevention and disaster risk reduction, particularly in the Pacific where the threat of natural hazards and climate change is high. Initiatives include building resilience by strengthening national and regional disaster risk management through our Pacific climate change and disaster resilience investments, Green Climate Fund Investments and in the broader Pacific development program (particularly through linking our humanitarian support with our development programs).  Australia’s funding to UNISDR supports national government disaster risk reduction efforts and we are building resilience at the community level through Australian NGOs, the Australian Red Cross and their local partners.

     

    We have commenced work assessing our capacity to support disaster insurance (both sovereign and household) as an approach to reducing the economic impact of natural disasters, particularly in the Pacific. This work is in its infancy.

     

    Our support to better integrate recovery into our humanitarian response efforts has strengthened Australia’s ability to link humanitarian action with development and strengthen our investments in risk reduction. Australia is currently developing a number of tools to support our recovery efforts that include establishing a social infrastructure panel, partnerships with utility bodies and better and more regularly build recovery activities into our response efforts.

    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.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    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
    • Preparedness
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Some internal risk aversion to test new concepts, such as insurance has delayed possible implementation. Recipient country buy-in is also a challenge, particularly around the importance of preparedness.

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

    Stronger emphasis on the Pacific region, particularly with national disaster management offices, to strengthen agencies involved in disaster preparedness and response. Increase our understanding of the response capacity in the Pacific and review opportunities for interventions.

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

    Stronger understanding and receptiveness to the concept of resilience. Broader understanding of the benefits of investing in preparedness and risk to encourage investment.

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

    The Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) has a large proportion of funding dedicated to the Disaster READY initiative which strengthens disaster preparedness and managements across the Pacific. It has a particular focus on supporting localisation.

    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 5C
    Invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    Australia is an active member of the Stabilisation Leaders Forum (SLF), a network of governments with experience leading civilian stabilisation responses. The forum brings together leadership and working level-staff from countries with civilian stabilisation operations experience to share data and best practice. In 2017, for example, Australia contributed heavily to the US Stabilisation Assistance Review.

    In 2017, Australia also finalised the design of a new AUD100 million three-year program responding to the Iraq crisis, which included a funding allocation for stabilisation activities. This  program will commence implementation in 2018.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Other: In 2017, Australia developed indicators on stabilisation as part of our Australia Assists program.
    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.
    • Other: Understanding the root causes of conflict and promoting early diplomatic engagement activities
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Coordination between host governments, donors and multilaterals needs to continue to improve to ensure transformational change. Joint planning is a key aspect required to support structured stabilisation programing and inform coordinated diplomatic engagement.

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

    Under Australia's multi-year program in Iraq we will provide AUD 18 million over three years (AUD 6 million in 2018) to support UNDP’s Financing Facility for Stabilisation, the primary actor in the stabilisation space in Iraq. This program will also support non-government organisations to identify and address causes of community tension and promote social cohesion.

    In May 2018 Australia will host the Stabilisation Leaders Forum in Amman, Jordan.

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

    Coordination between donors and key stabilisation actors remains critical to create structural transformation. Ensuring there is an inter-connected network where actors including state and non-state actors are able to interact is important to mitigate violence.

    Similarly, coordinated program interventions that provide tangible activities such as employment and rehabilitation of basic services, reconciliation are key to assist the peace process.
     

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

    The Stabilisation Leaders Forum is one way that Australia cooperates with others to advance this transformation.

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    • Australia commits to enable coherent financing that avoids fragmentation by supporting collective outcomes over multiple years, supporting those with demonstrated comparative advantage to deliver in context.


    • Financial
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Australia commits to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to enable coherent financing that avoids fragmentation by supporting collective outcomes over multiple years, supporting those with demonstrated comparative advantage to deliver in context.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    • 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.

    Australia continued implementation of its multi-year approach to funding and planning of humanitarian partners in crisis contexts, aligned to Australia's Aid Policy (specifically the focus on 'building resilience: humanitarian assistance, disaster risk reduction and social protection'). Australia has commenced implementation of an AUD 220 million, multi-year humanitarian program for the Syria crisis, including multi-year funding agreements with UN and other humanitarian organisations responding to the crisis within Syria and Syrian refugee and host community needs in Jordan and Lebanon. In December 2017,  Australia finalised Investment Design for a AUD 100 million multi-year humanitarian and stabilisation program for Iraq. In 2017, Australia also developed a multi-year, AUD 60 million, Afghanistan and Pakistan Regional Humanitarian Strategy. Under the strategy Australia is making flexible multi-year commitments to WFP, OCHA and UNFPA.


    2) Australia continues to be  a supporter of humanitarian pooled funds, including a multi-year commitment to CERF (AUD44 million over 2017-2020), and calls for strengthened results reporting from pooled funds to support donor resource mobilisation and accountability to affected populations.

     

    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.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • 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?

    The Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) seeks evidence from partners on the benefits of multi-year funding. It will be critical for partners receiving multi-year funding to demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness gains to donors providing this form of funding.

    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.
    • Other: Evidence from partners on results and benefits of multi-year funding and of humanitarian pooled funds.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    See question 5.

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

    In 2018, DFAT plans to enter into multi-year funding agreements under the Iraq program. Australia will continue to (a) explore opportunities to develop multi-year planning and funding mechanisms in protracted crises; (b) engage with donors to encourage multi-year funding agreements promoting efficiencies; and (c) monitor multi-year commitments, with a meta-evaluation of impact planned in 2018.

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

    To achieve desired results, the multi-year funding commitments to primary partners need to be matched by multi-year planning processes and multi-year forward commitments to secondary partners.  Initial reflections are that neither will occur unless a critical threshold of funding from all sources is received by primary partners as multi-year. Both donors and agencies need to reduce institutional separation of humanitarian and development funding.

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

    Australia's multi-year packages for protracted crises (first Syria, then Iraq, with more planned) have helped better articulate Australia's longer-term priorities and areas of focus, be more strategic in partner selection and invest more in monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

    Keywords

    Humanitarian-development nexus

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Australia commits to the 'Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit'.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Australia commits 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.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity
    • Australia commits to the Grand Bargain.
    • Policy
    • Invest in Humanity

    Core Commitments (2)

    • 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
    • Commit to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for 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.

    Globally, Australia is approximately the 15th largest bilateral donor of humanitarian assistance. Australia is a generous contributor to protracted crises in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Since June 2014, Australia has provided over AUD 470 million in assistance to protracted crises, nearly 70 percent of total Australian humanitarian response funding. Over the past three years Australia has provided AUD 340 million to WFP, the ICRC, UNHCR, UN CERF and UNOCHA allowing these partners to respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs globally.

    As part of guidance under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Humanitarian Strategy (2016), DFAT launched a Guidance Note on Cash Transfers in December 2017. DFAT has funded the Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP) to increase the scale and quality of cash transfer programming (CTP). Progress to date includes support for research and reporting of global progress in meeting commitments and innovation; and developing common markers and definitions for organisations to track and report CTP.  DFAT continues to participate in the Asia Regional Cash Working Group and the Pacific Regional Cash Working Group (PRCWG). DFAT supported a cash expert secondee to the PRCWG (April – June 2017). This contributed to local capacity strengthening efforts and assisted to deliver DFAT’s CTP training. Australia has continued to expand national pre-positioned supplies in Pacific Island countries with partners including WFP. Commitments and progress against 10 Grand Bargain workstreams is included in the attached Grand Bargain annual progress report.

    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.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • 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?

    Australia's ability to quantify the increase in cash programming across the humanitarian program is constrained by inadequate reporting by some partners on allocations of our core, unearmarked funding.

    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
    • Human resources/capacity
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Budget allocations constrain substantial increases of support to humanitarian assistance. Staff constraints prevent deeper analysis of humanitarian financing issues and opportunities.

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

    DFAT is planning a stocktake of humanitarian financing issues and priorities for action relevant to advancing this commitment.

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

    A more strategic and central role for OCHA in humanitarian financing and resource mobilisation, leadership in developing and expanding innovative financing options, coherent 'quid pro quo' progress in Grand Bargain commitments to improve cost efficiency

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

    Shock-responsive social protection system transfers post-disaster in Pacific Island Countries (Fiji and Tonga).

    Keywords

    Cash

Attachments