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Self Report 2018

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

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  • 1B
    Act early

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to strengthen its organisational capacity to systematically conduct and share conflict analyses when addressing the root causes of conflict and displacement.
    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    Core Commitments (2)

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

    The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has formulated a strategic project “Conflict Analysis” in order to map current practice and quality of analysis, support more and better analysis, and develop standards and process guidelines, to ensure best practice. This underpins a corporate priority to strengthen programme quality.

    Conflict analysis will be made mandatory and resources allocated to select programme types depending on size, locations and if aim is to address root causes to conflict and displacement. 2017 activities did not take fully account of this, due to unclear mandate and limited resourcing, however six robust conflict analyses have been completed in 2017 (2 x Syria, 2 x Tanzania, Ruhkona (South Sudan), Dadaab),and one conflict sensitivity study and training has been conducted. Currently, DRC are investing 2.5 person years in systematic conflict analysis.

    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?

    Two ways of assessing progress: (1) The use of conflict analysis to inform strategic planning. (2) Prior to larger proposals and mandatory for all interventions striving to Address Root Causes (ARC), a comprehensive conflict analysis must be made. Both are monitored by the Platform lead of ARC.

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

    2017 activities were not delivered in full, due to unclear mandate and limited resourcing.

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

    Work in 2018 will include the following activities: 1) Scoping: create overview of DRC's engagement in conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity analysis, assess quality of past conflict analyses and implementation/training needs. 2) Develop process descriptions, workplans, budget formats, ToRs for researchers when implementing conflict analyses etc. 3) Develop and deliver basic training sessions. 4) Provide quality assurance and other technical support. 5) Develop conflict analysis survey data collection tools.

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

    Increase understanding of the importance and value of integrating conflict analysis into programme design and advocacy processes

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

    DRC has initiated a Danish Network of Conflict Prevention and Peace with other civil society organizations, in order to improve the capacity of participating organizations to integrate conflict prevention and peace building in projects. This has led to an innovative pilot on using online software in sharing and developing conflict analysis.

     

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Danish Refugee Council, through its Humanitarian Mine Action and Armed Violence Reduction Unit, the Danish Demining Group, commits to intensify its direct engagement in preventing loss of life and injury to civilians from explosive weapons in populated areas and to strengthening its work to find community-based solutions to prevent armed violence.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.
    • 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.

    Over the 2017 period, the number of beneficiaries are as follows:

    • 351,741 individuals benefited from the Danish Demining Group's (DDG) mine and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) clearance activities, constituting a 7,5% decrease compared to 2016.
    • as per end 2017, 1,195,381 individuals benefited from DDGs Risk Education activities, constituting a 38,8% increase compared to 2016
    • as per end 2017, 15,805 individuals benefited from DDGs community-based armed violence reduction activities, constituting a 8,6% decrease compared to 2016

    A modest decrease, resulting from a slight decrease in fundraising achievement in 2017. The decrease may also reflect variation in beneficiary numbers that occurs from task to task.

    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?

    Through ongoing strategic reviews.

    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
    • Other: Our most significant challenge is developing adequate tools to address the proliferation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) now seen in combat areas.
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    We will be restructuring our technical capacity, such that we can deal effectively with improvised explosive devices. 

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

    Continued collaboration within already existing collaboration initiatives across the sector

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to proactively engage in coordinated efforts to promote and mobilize states' and armed non-state actors' compliance with and respect for international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law. Specifically, it commits to support joint advocacy efforts to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (3)

    • 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
    • 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.

    Other-2D

    In 2017, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has had a major focus on global advocacy on refugee protection, upholding refugee rights, human rights for people on the move, particularly the right to seek and enjoy asylum and non-refoulement, as well as states' responsibility sharing in refugee response.

    Much of the global advocacy has therefore been centered around contributing to and seeking influence in the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) process at global level and in the pilot countries, the Programme of Action for the Global Compact for Refugees and the Global Compact on Migration (see below on advocacy on solutions and the Refugee Compact).

    Further, DRC started engagement with and joined the collaborative efforts of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of internally displaced people (IDPs), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
    (OCHA), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) etc. in 2017 leading up to the 2018 20th anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement which will encompass a series of advocacy efforts for the Reduction of displacement - through a Joint Strategy for Advancing Protection, Prevention and solutions for IDPs.

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

    For each of the global strategic advocacy and policy influencing priorities, e.g. 'CRRF & Global Compact for Refugees' and 'Externalisation', DRC develops a strategic and comprehensive Engagement Plan, accompanied by a detailed work plan which greatly facilitates the implementation as well as monitoring and assessment of the strategic advocacy efforts.

    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.
    • Information management/tools
    • Other: Measurement of advocacy outcomes and impact
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The challenges outlined are not so much impacting the achievement but to measure the impact of the varied initiatives taking place in the DRC entities across the regions.

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

    The development of DRC's Global engagement and advocacy plan (GAEP) was started in 2017 and will be finalised in 2018. The GAEP sets common priorities, the advocacy infrastructure and establishes a M&E framework that will allow for more coherent tracking of advocacy outputs and outcomes.

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

    Continued engagement around CRRF process, the Programme of Action for the Global Compact for Refugees and the Global Compact on Migration. Advocacy messages and policy papers must explicitly address States and parties to the conflict on their obligations and responsibility to respect and protect the rights of conflict- and displacement affected people

    Keywords

    Displacement, Migrants, Protection

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Individual Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to a new approach to addressing forced displacement by recognising displacement as both a humanitarian and a development challenge and thinking of solutions from the onset of a crisis. It commits to addressing the risks and vulnerabilities of forcibly displaced persons and to working to strengthen their protection, resilience and self-reliance with the view to securing transitional and durable solutions.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to actively support the development and implementation of a new Global Compact on responsibility sharing for refugees centred on predictability and fairness, and which addresses the needs and concerns of the large group of rejected asylum seekers and migrants not protected and covered by international refugee instruments.It commits to advocate that states who are not doing their fair share strengthen their engagement in resettlement efforts and increase the number of legal pathways for admission of refugees.
    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to being a strong advocate for acknowledging the role and efforts of countries hosting large numbers of refugees and to push for more resources to be directed to displacement affected countries.
    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to retain solutions to displacement as a corporate priority and to systematically identify, understand and work to dismantle barriers to solutions. It will ensure its programming is aimed at promoting transitional and durable solutions and centred on both strengthening resilience and upholding the rights of the displaced. Further, the Danish Refugee Council commits to advocate for the political will required to advance the search for solutions and to be an active supporter of the Solutions Alliance.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to support and advance the core principles of non-refoulement, the right to seek and enjoy asylum and the compliance with and implementation of international and regional laws and policy frameworks that ensure and improve the protection of refugees and IDPs.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new approach to addressing forced displacement that not only meets immediate humanitarian needs but reduces vulnerability and improves the resilience, self-reliance and protection of refugees and IDPs. Commit to implementing this new approach through coherent international, regional and national efforts that recognize both the humanitarian and development challenges of displacement. Commit to take the necessary political, policy, legal and financial steps required to address these challenges for the specific context.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to promote and support safe, dignified and durable solutions for internally displaced persons and refugees. Commit to do so in a coherent and measurable manner through international, regional and national programs and by taking the necessary policy, legal and financial steps required for the specific contexts and in order to work towards a target of 50 percent reduction in internal displacement by 2030.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Acknowledge the global public good provided by countries and communities which are hosting large numbers of refugees. Commit to providing communities with large numbers of displaced population or receiving large numbers of returnees with the necessary political, policy and financial, support to address the humanitarian and socio-economic impact. To this end, commit to strengthen multilateral financing instruments. Commit to foster host communities' self-reliance and resilience, as part of the comprehensive and integrated approach outlined in core commitment 1.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to collectively work towards a Global Compact on responsibility-sharing for refugees to safeguard the rights of refugees, while also effectively and predictably supporting States affected by such movements.
    • 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

    The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) introduced a new global response framework consisting of three distinct platforms intended to provide DRC with a programmatic framework that allows DRC to pursue within one and the same overall programme strategy, short term humanitarian goals, whilst at the same time addressing longer term needs and enhancing local capacities, and in that, contribute to transcending the humanitarian and development divide in responses to forced displacement.

    At the same time DRC has made the global refugee compact process one of the priorities of its global engagement efforts, focusing on strengthening the accountability element in the Plan of Action and the need to affirm commitment to proper involvement of displacement communities themselves in policy and and programme processes.

    Finally DRC is increasingly focusing on developing comprehensive operational responses to displacement axis, within one and the same strategy covering local, national, regional and global responses.

    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?

    DRC has introduced 10 global outcome indicators. These provide an overarching organizational measure of achievement within each of the three core platforms, and across. The first consolidated reporting will take place a tthe end of 2018, and provide a balanced overview of DRC's programmatic priorities globally and against specific displacement axis’.

    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
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Progress is slowed due to lack of buy-in towards the transformation, however DRC is trying to ensure more buy-in and responsibility sharing around migrants, by establishing a Mixed Migration Centre in Geneva.

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

    DRC has a comprehensive organizational engagement plan outlining its activities and focus at both global and national level in support of the refugee compact process. The overarching focus is to contribute the strengthen the accountability framework around the compact, at global level, in the field and in regards to refugees themselves.

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

    Translating the commitment into practical and concrete contribution is essential to DRC at this point as the credibility of the positive commitment stands or falls with whether states and organization are able to support with resources and concrete actions.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to further enhance its technical and operational expertise on gender sensitive humanitarian and longer term response in line with international standards and frameworks. Further, it commits to continue to prioritise and address gender-based violence in its programming and response.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (3)

    • 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 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.

    According to the Danish Refugee Council's (DRC) Protection Survey conducted during DRC’s annual Protection Network Event in 2017, 28% of countries had an updated protection analysis, 45% had an updated protection strategy and 50% of operations mainstreamed protection often or comprehensively.

    In 2017, DRC developed and rolled out global guidance on protection analysis and strategy which takes into consideration gender related risks including vulnerabilities, threats and coping strategies, while protection mainstreaming efforts ensure equal access to assistance according to age, gender and diversity.

    To strengthen monitoring and support to protection analysis and strategy development at the country and regional level, as well as mainstreaming of protection, DRC has developed the Protection Minimum Operating Procedures (P-MOPs) as a tool to report on and identify protection support needs. In addition, DRC developed the 'DRC Child Safeguarding Policy' in 2017 with the aim to safeguard and protect children (across gender, age and diversity).

    DRC's continued commitment to enhance the capacity and expertise on gender-sensitive programming and response is in line with DRC's Age, Gender and Diversity Policy and Minimum Standards from 2010. While DRC is not an agency specialized in women's or children's rights, it remains important for DRC to build and maintain staff and organizational capacity to do gender-sensitive programming and to deliver high quality protection responses to violations primarily targeting women and children, such as GBV. The commitment reaffirms DRC's determination to keep building internal capacity in gender-sensitivity and GBV 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.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Assessed by Global Protection Specialists in HQ who reviews impact/progress on an ongoing basis, and adjusts strategy according to learning.

    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
    • Other: GBV work requires holistic programming and comprehensive, multi-faceted response, which is a challenge in conflict and displacement contexts
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Less achievement due to some facets of the comprehensive response (medical, legal, assistance) not being available in conflict and displacement contexts. 

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

    The DRC Global Protection Specialists have GBV on their work plan for 2018, when it comes to developing DRC-specific guidelines for quality GBV response, building upon inter-agency (incl. the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the Gender-based Violence Area of Responsibility (GBV AoR)) state-of-the-art standards and guidance.

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

    Recognition of the need to prevent and respond to GBV issues across sectors and across the different phases of displacement; from sudden onset emergency, protracted displacement and to solutions to displacement contexts. 

    Keywords

    Gender, Protection

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to being a leading international actor on the advancement of cash based programming at the conceptual, strategic and operational level in displacement contexts around the globe, and to using cash interventions as a modality for efficient delivery and ensuring targeted populations have dignified access to aid.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to make the reduction of conflict and displacement a corporate priority by promoting peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies. It commits to continuously develop comprehensive bottom-up programmes to strengthen social cohesion within and between communities by strengthening the rule of law and access to justice, and supporting inclusive local governance and the delivery of basic services.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • The Danish Refugee Council, as an international front line responder, commits to further engage with local and national partners in a spirit of genuine partnership at all stages of strategic, programmatic and operational engagement, driven by the principle of providing the best possible solutions to displaced 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 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.

    Cash-based programming

    The Danish Refugee Council's (DRC's) motivation was to mainstream cash transfer programming as a key assistance modality throughout its programming and operational processes, in order to better respond to needs. This was part of DRC's overall commitment to the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) and the subsequent Grand Bargain (GB), as well as its involvement in global cash debates and policies (Cash Learning Partnership, ECHO funded Enhanced Response Capacity project on increasing the uptake of multipurpose cash, State of the World's Cash Report, etc.)

    In 2017 approximately 100 DRC field staff were trained in cash transfer programming.

    Strengthening national/local leadership and systems

    DRC implemented an average of 6.1% of its international turnover on international projects through partners between 2013 and 2016. Implementing through partners in 2017 was 7.9% of the international turnover. Turnover aside, DRC had 707 projects running during 2017. A total of 86 local/national partners have been registered as tied to these projects. Of these, 69 are registered as "instrumental" partnerships in nature, whereas 17 are "transformational". The rational of local/national partners to projects running in 2017 is approximately 1/8, or 12.2%. There were, however, 64 projects running during 2017 with local/national partners. The rational of projects with local/national partners to projects running in 2017 is approximately 1/11, or 9%. The increase of partners does not necessarily reflect actual increase in engagement (the full scope is likely still not captured), but rather that staff are increasingly aware of the need to register such partners on projects in the database

    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?

    Global Specialist leads in the relevant sectors monitors progress on an ongoing basis to ensure positive change is achieved in the direction of the transformations.

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

    Difficulties balancing the need to strengthen local capacity, with need to deliver large scale impartial humanitarian response quickly.

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

     At organizational level and as part of DRC Vision 2020 strategy, DRC has embarked on a global development project to look at its civil society strategy and partner approach. The development will help to update DRC civil society strategy and update appropriate and relevant tools in support for the strategy.

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

    Better collective understanding of the need to involve local civil society in policy and planning processes, and consensus of concrete and practical methods for how to do it best and genuinely.

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

    • Mobilisation of Syrian Civil society in consultation around planning for solution for the Syrian Refugee. By DRC Durable Solution Platform in Amman, Jordan.
    • Engagement of Syrian, Afghan and Somalia Diaspora organizations on how to engage or engage better in the humanitarian response by the in these countries, DRC DEMAC project.

    Keywords

    Cash, Local action

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to work towards transcending the humanitarian-development divide and to seek closer links between humanitarian and development programming in displacement contexts. It will support global, regional, national and thematic efforts to narrow the gap between short and long term approaches to supporting people in need, and will act as an advocate for joint efforts towards innovative, contextualised solutions.
    • 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

    The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) introduced a revised Global Response Framework made up of three distinct but interrelated programmatic platforms designed to transcend the humanitarian-development divide. At the same time the Danish Refugee Council embarked on new strategic process – Version 2020 – with the overall aim of developing DRC into an organization that: “…transcend the humanitarian and development divide..”.

    Accordingly DRC invested in a number of internal development process intended to strengthen DRC's overall strategic and programmatic capabilities, to exercise long term thinking from the very outset of emergency programming. These include but are not limited to added effort around partnership, better use of conflict analyses and sensitivity from the outset, increased use of economy recovery thinking from the outset and the introduction of root cause programming as a distinct programme platform.

    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?

    Each development project is made with concrete change objectives in support of the overall aim of Version 2020 which is to transcend the divide. The regular internal monitoring review process is therefore used to check if the basic theory of change remain valid or need adjustment.

    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
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    At times and particular in ongoing zones of conflict there are challenges in how to balance the need to operate in a impartial manner with the need develop local institutional capacity that is part of longer development, where these local institutional capacity are partial in the conflict, which often is the case.

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

    • Ongoing implementation of development project.
    • Consolidated reporting on DRC 10 global outcome indicators.

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

    • A better calibration of the contextual realities and conditions vis-a-vis ambitions to link emergency and development activities and programming.
    • A strong global commitment to the plan of action in support of the Global Compact for refugees, being the most concrete global framework so far for a comprehensive response to refugees in all stages of the refugee process and a such as framework the offer a global recipe on how to transcend the divide.

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

    • Whole of Syria Resilience Consortium in Syria, DRC Amman, Jordan
    • DRC Solution Programming in Somalia, DRC Somalia with partners

    Keywords

    Humanitarian-development nexus

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Danish Refugee Council commits to the principle that donor reporting requirements should be simplified, proportionate and coherent, as indicated in the Grand Bargain, and will remain a collaborative supporter of the on-going dialogue between donors and implementing partners to ensure the successful outcome of initiatives on improved donor reporting, such as "less paper, more aid".
    • Financial
    • 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.

    DRC has in 2017 actively participated in the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) led working group Donor Conditions Task Force dealing, among other things, with the issue of simplified, proportionate and coherent narrative reporting. In 2017 DRC actively engaged in the initiative led by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) on simplifying financial reporting and cost structure. Active engagement in simplified reporting working stream, as outlined in the Grand Bargain is concretely expressed by DRC's participation in pilot project in two (Myanmar and Somalia) out of three pilot countries (Myanmar, Somalia and Iraq), where simplified reporting format is being tested by a group of participating donors and NGOs. 

    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
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Pilot project on narrative reporting, though delayed in start, is progressing as expected, with active engagement from Germany and ICVA, as co-chairs. 

    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: frequency of reporting, as well as informal reporting.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    While progress on using one and jointly agreed format for narrative reporting is significant and welcomed, the remaining challenge DRC is facing and where there is almost no progress is frequency of reporting, as well as informal reporting, which is felt will impact achievement.

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

    • DRC will continue close cooperation and collaboration with NRC on further development of the financial reporting and cost structure initiative that could potentially lead to a pilot project in 2018. 
    • Continued participation in the pilot project on narrative reporting and potential adjustments after mid-term review planned for May 2018.
    • Bilateral dialogue with core donors, i.e. with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), on reporting requirements and demands.

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

    Continued dedication by all involved to the ICVA led working group Donor Conditions Task Force.

    Keywords

    Quality and accountability standards