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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 (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Iceland commits to encourage the Secretary-General to use his prerogative under Article 99 of the Charter to brief the Security Council proactively on emerging issues.
    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • Iceland will support the United Nations in convening a World Prevention Forum by 2020 to identify how Member States, the UN Secretariat, the Security Council and regional organizations can work more effectively together on conflict prevention and resolution.


    • Policy
    • 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.

    Iceland continues to advocate for Secretary-General (SG) use of Article 99 and diplomacy through i.a. Nordic statements, e.g. Joint Nordic statement in Security Council (SC) 21 February 2017 on Conflicts in Europe, Icelandic statement in SC debate on the Middle East 25 July.

    21 November 2017 Nordic statement in SC meeting on human trafficking in conflict situations.

    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
    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    Keywords

    Protection

  • 1C
    Remain engaged and invest in stability

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to improve prevention and peaceful resolution capacities at the national, regional and international level improving the ability to work on multiple crises simultaneously.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to sustain political leadership and engagement through all stages of a crisis to prevent the emergence or relapse into conflict.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to address root causes of conflict and work to reduce fragility by investing in the development of inclusive, peaceful societies.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    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
    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response

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

    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.

    20 April 2017 in Icelandic Statement in Security Council (SC) debate on Middle East.

    25 May 2017 in Nordic statement in open SC debate on the Protection of Civilians and Healthcare in Armed Conflict.

    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
    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability, Protection

  • 2C
    Speak out on violations

    Core Commitments (1)

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

    Iceland played an active part as co-sponsor of General Assembly (GA) resolution of 9 December 2016 on the situation in Syria, which included the wording "expressing outrage at the escalation of violence."  Iceland continues to speak out and in 2017 used i.a. the following occasions:

    • 14 March 2017 in Nordic statement at Security Council (SC) debate on human trafficking and slavery.
    • 20 April 2017 in statement to the SC debate on Middle East „The perpetrators of this act [chemical weapons attacks on civilians] and of other acts which violate international law must be brought to justice.”
    • 25 May 2017 in Nordic statement in open SC debate on the Protection of Civilians and Healthcare in Armed Conflict
    • 21 November 2017 Nordic statement in SC meeting on human trafficking in conflict situations.

    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
    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    Keywords

    Protection

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Iceland commits to develop a toolkit for the engagement of men and boys as part of the solution to prevent and respond to gender based violence by 2018.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Iceland declares its support for the Code of Conduct on mass atrocities and the political statement on the suspension of the veto in case of mass atrocities.
    • Policy
    • 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.

    Gender-based violence prevention and response

    Iceland co-sponsored the Security Council (SC) resolution of 21 September 2017 on Daesh accountability.

    21 November 2017 Nordic statement in SC meeting on human trafficking in conflict situations. “Parties to conflicts must behave responsibly by taking concrete action to protect and address such violations and abuses. These actions must be in conformity with applicable international law, including human rights law and rule of law principles.”

    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
    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    Keywords

    Gender, IHL compliance and accountability, Protection

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Iceland will help efforts to mobilize States, civil society and global leaders to enhance respect for international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

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

    Iceland makes an effort to speak out in support for respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law, where applicable.

    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
    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    Keywords

    Humanitarian principles, IHL compliance and accountability

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Iceland commits to ensure that its financial support for any humanitarian program designed for the entire population can demonstrate how they meet women and girls needs, equally with those of men and boys, by 2020.
    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Iceland commits to maintaining its current level of 25% of ODA/humanitarian support for gender equality and women and girls empowerment programming in humanitarian settings, in line with the peace and security commitment.
    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Iceland commits to request the Secretary General to mandate that all Secretary General Reports and any briefings to the Council from a UN or non-governmental agency include sex and age disaggregated data and take into account findings and recommendations on women'™s rights and gender equality by human rights bodies and mechanisms.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Iceland commits to working for at least 30% women in formal leadership roles, including in UN support teams, where they can meaningfully participate in all peace processes, including mediations.
    • Policy
    • 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.

    Gender equality is a cross-cutting theme throughout Iceland's development cooperation strategy and Iceland places high importance on promoting gender equality and women´s empowerment in developing countries and post-conflict societies through all of it's work in development cooperation and humanitarian assistance. Regarding education, Iceland will continue to be a leader on this front.

    More than 80% of Iceland's bilateral aid is reported as targeting gender equality and women’s empowerment. Framework agreements with both United Nations (UN) humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organizations
    (NGOs) for financial support require a specific clause on gender and how assistance must meet women and girls needs, equally with those of men and boys.

    Iceland also supported work within the World Food Programme (WFP) to implement it's gender strategy, both through gender experts in the field and developing training for WFP's staff. Whenever possible, Icelandic authorities address the issue of women’s participation and women’s leadership roles. This includes both official statements in International fora and bilateral dialogue with other states. Iceland has done this on many occasions during the reporting period.

    In terms of advocacy on women in leadership roles please see the following: Statement by Foreign Minister at 71 General Assembly and joint Nordic statements on many occasions.

    A planned evaluation of gender in Iceland's development cooperation will help understand the impacts of mainstreaming activities to date and how best to target future efforts. 

    The toolkit on how to engage men and boys in gender equality work was launched in March 2017 in New York and is now available on the UN Women HeForShe website: www.heforshe.org/barbershop

    Continue work within the UN on the advancement of gender equality and implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325.

    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.
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    Keywords

    Gender

  • 4B
    Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

    Core Commitments (3)

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

    Climate change and efforts to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate related risks, need to be a top priority for the international community. As a signatory to the international agreements such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Iceland has a responsibility to take actions accordingly.

    Iceland will commit a total of US$ 1 million to the Green Climate Fund for the period of 2016-2020. In 2016 Iceland also signed a three-year agreement for US$ 200,000 funding for SE4ALL. Iceland continues to work in cooperation with the World Bank (ESMAP) and the Nordic Development Fund in the field of harnessing geothermal energy in Eastern Africa. Iceland is also working on capacity building through the United Nations University (UNU) programs (UNU-Geothermal and UNU-Land restoration programs).The UNU programmes offer six months post-graduate training for practicing professionals from developing countries.

    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
    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction

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

    Core Commitments (1)

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

    Other-4C

    Iceland is ready and willing to take concrete actions in order to work towards reforming the international humanitarian system and creating better alignment in its own work towards that end. With a new development cooperation strategy being formulated, this is the right time to act.

    In Iceland's Development Strategy for 2017-2021 the emphasis is on strengthening alignment between bilateral and multilateral aid policy while also improving co-ordination between development co-operation and humanitarian assistance. Iceland is also helping build the resilience of vulnerable populations through support to social sectors at district level.

    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
    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    Keywords

    Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Iceland will make greater use of funding tools, such as UN-led country-based pooled funds (CBPFs), within its total humanitarian assistance budget.


    • 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.

    Country-based pooled funds

    Iceland’s humanitarian strategy is driven by international humanitarian law (IHL) and the Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) principles. Iceland also emphasizes the importance of following the evolution of global humanitarian policy and as such be an effective donor in the UN-led humanitarian architecture. Following best practice, and given that actions speak louder than words, Iceland seeks to increase its support to humanitarian pooled funds, to add to its predictable core or lightly earmarked funding to its multilateral partners.

    During the reporting period Iceland has contributed to country-based pooled funds as a part of its funding for the Syria crises, as well as made increased funding available for CERF.

    The importance of visibility of such funding must be underlined, as well as information on the results, increased efficiency and accountability of humanitarian aid for affected populations. Country-based pooled funds must prove their effectiveness in bringing funding to local NGOs.

    Iceland plans to increase funding further in 2018 for country-based pooled funds.

    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
    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    Keywords

    Country-based pooled funds, Local action

  • 5B
    Invest according to risk

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as other relevant strategies and programs of action, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to invest in risk management, preparedness and crisis prevention capacity to build the resilience of vulnerable and affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    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
    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response

  • 5C
    Invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Iceland commits funding to support the UN's conflict prevention capacities, in particular conflict analysis and the good offices function and will advocate for the use of regular budget funds for conflict prevention.


    • Financial
    • 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.

    Preventive diplomacy should take much more prominent place in the activities of the United Nations (UN) system. Iceland believes it is important to strengthen conflict prevention capacities of UN.

    Framework agreement on allocation to UN's Department of Political Affairs in 2018.

    Iceland is monitoring developments on this front within the UN system and contributing to the discussion as appropriate.

    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
    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Iceland will increase its contribution to the CERF to help ensure its expansion to 1 billion USD by 2018.




    • 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.

    Unprecedented human suffering and the dire need for increased global humanitarian funding to meet the ever-increasing scale and intensity of emergencies and life-saving assistance, call for concerted measures, increased efficiency, transparency and a more coherent humanitarian response.

    Iceland is a strong believer in the importance of CERF's mandated role in this regard and supports the call for a stronger CERF. As a good humanitarian donor, Iceland aims to promote and to commit to increase more predictable, multi-year, unearmarked humanitarian funding.

    Iceland signed a framework agreement for the period 2017-2021 with the World Food Program in the last quarter of 2016 for ISK 50 million for each year in unearmarked funding. Iceland also tripled it's funding to CERF in 2016.

    Framework agreement signed with CERF for the period 2017-2019 for ISK 50 million for each year, which is an increase of over 400% since 2015. Multi-year agreements for the same time period also signed with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with significant increases in predictable funding.

    Significant challenge

    The biggest challenge, aside from limited resources, to increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked funding to humanitarian organizations is to secure political will for such funding. The importance of visibility of such funding must be underlined, as well as information on the results, increased efficiency and accountability of humanitarian aid for 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
    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
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The biggest challenge, aside from limited resources, to increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked funding to humanitarian organizations is to secure political will for such funding. The importance of visibility of such funding must be underlined, as well as information on the results, increased efficiency and accountability of humanitarian aid for affected populations.