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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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  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation commits to adopt the IASC statement on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse at the individual agency level.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • 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

    Following the same intentional trajectory of better accountability and transparency measures within the organization, Tzu Chi has, since 2017, begun progressing with compliance and accountability measures in programming and implementation, mainly through internal advocacy of the Sphere guidelines and the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS). At the end of 2017, the organization’s board set out to develop mechanisms for Knowledge Management and documenting organizational “Know-How.”

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Buy-in
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Because the organization has been operating with its own accountability and compliance, in addition to operating within a different culture while using a different main language, complete buy-in will take time and is progressing gradually.     

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

    In 2018, Tzu Chi has created an internal working group to develop guiding principles and mechanisms for implementing accountability and mechanisms. The outcomes of this will subsequently be brought into country and regional headquarters for review and, if necessary, adaptation.

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

    Needed steps would include effective internal advocacy of accountability and compliance mechanisms, including advocacy by multiple stakeholders, internal and external.

    Keywords

    Quality and accountability standards, Transparency / IATI

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • 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
    • 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
    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

    Although Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (BTCF), or Tzu Chi, address displacement in numerous countries in which the organization operates in, the following data is from Thailand, Turkey, Jordan, and Malaysia, there BTCF’s most sophisticated programs in relation to the high number of refugees and their needs are.

    In Malaysia, BTCF implements three sub-projects with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):

    1. Static and mobile primary health care clinic,
    2. Education for primary and secondary aged students, and
    3. Cash-based intervention.

    In total, these projects, in 2017, served and benefited 23,541 refugees. In Thailand, 4,000 urban refugees and 4,000 asylum-seekers living in Bangkok received medical services and health education.

    In Turkey, in 2017, 36,456 school-aged students received attend BTCF’s school, 93,881 received medical services through BTCF’s medical clinic in Istanbul.

    In Jordan, 110 refugees received education and 330 received medical services through mobile health clinics.

    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
    • Other: Through funders' reporting mechanisms
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    One of the four major missions of Tzu Chi is Education; it is the organizational belief that long-term investment lies in education. Innumerable United Nations (UN) reports and evaluations show that cultures and societies with strong and equitable educational institutions for all, especially women and girls, have long-term success.

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

    Jordan, Thailand, and Malaysia, which are not signatories of the 1951 Convention on Refugees, do not grant nor have policies guaranteeing protection refugee status protection; and as such, when implementing programs, such as the mobile clinics, served refugees have insecurity due to fear of authorities.        

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

    There will be further program emphasis on education, formal and informal, for both adults and school-aged children. In Thailand, BTCF will enhance mental and psychosocial care and implement vocational training for adults as well as English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for school-aged children. In Malaysia, there are program enhancement plans to take the same program to other locations. In Jordan, where services are relatively less, there is current development to increase those services.

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

    In Thailand, BTCF is part of a strong network of organizations that work closely, meeting at a monthly scheduled date, sharing and exchanging resources and knowledge. Taking from lessons learned in Thailand, BTCF is internally developing systems and mechanisms for developing and maintaining strong partnerships. The internal process includes administrative capacity-building and subsequently field capacity-building.

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

    There have been various administrative systems built to develop partnerships, such as new software systems that track collaboration and communication, ensuring proper follow-ups and consistent communication.

    Keywords

    Cash, Education

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Core Commitments (2)

    • 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
    • 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.

    In the education and medical programs for refugees, BTCF have sub-programs that address issues faced by women and girls. In Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey, and Jordan, the majority, averaging 55% to 60% of the served population are women and girls, and there will be women’s health and gynecological services provided.

     

    In addition to these countries, BTCF in other countries and locations such as in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Hualien, BTCF operates schools for girls, formal and informal. In 2017, there were a total of 1420 girls enrolled in the primary and secondary school in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

     

    Moreover, BTCF regularly participates in the UN Women’s Commission on the Status of Women, inviting experts from collaborating organizations to speak to humanitarian actors on themes of women’s issues in development and aid. In the most recent panel, there were more than 100 participants, online and offline, some being academics who showed the panel to their classes.

    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?

    In line with BTCF’s commitments and organization missions, education stands at the forefront of BTCF’s goals for long-term empowerment and self-reliance. By operating schools for girls and implementing education programs for women and girls, this, however long it may take, will lead to real and sustainable change.

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

    National and local systems and community buy-in can create barriers. In one example, vocational and other types of education are offered for women and girls, but a barrier created is by the men in the family and the greater community who block women and girls from accessing opportunities provided.

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

    BTCF will begin to internally develop guiding principles for program development and implementation, working with partners to establish a kind of framework that specifically addressed the issues faced by women and girls in various settings and situations, further implementing specific programming for women and girls during project implementation.

    In the health clinics, BTCF will incorporate mental and psychosocial health for women and girls, in addition to already provided women’s health services.

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

    Buy-in on all sectors, from individual to community and up to national systems, is required. To do this, advocacy must occur from the grassroots level up to the national level, from individual education to cultural education. NGOs such as BTCF have a role in using its strengths and networks for advocacy and education, engaging with populations and leaders that trust or have good relationships the organization.

    Keywords

    Gender