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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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  • 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
    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 Netherlands continued to spend in 2017 an annual budget of € 240 million of official development assistance (ODA) to improve human security, the rule of law, conflict resolution and peace- and statebuilding in twentysome fragile and conflict-affected states. For more detailed info, see IATI and https://www.dutchdevelopmentresults.nl/theme/srol.
    • The Netherlands has formally joined the Pathfinders for SDG16+ movement, a truly action-oriented game changing, diverse alliance of United Nations Member States and civil society organisations to push for implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 and related goals (hence the description: “SDG16+”). It has assumed the co-chairmanship of its Justice Task Force, which addresses four questions: What’s the justice gap? What’s the case for action and investment? What works to provide access to justice for all? How can we build a platform for local, national, regional and international commitments?

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

    Mostly through:

    • discussions with local authorities and implementers;
    • the use by implementers of perception (result) indicators at short term - and medium term outcome level, to sound the opinion of programmes’ beneficiaries.

    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?

    As studied by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), funding for peacebuilding is an incredibly small % of total ODA. Political incentives to prevent violent conflict remain low. The volatile context in fragile and conflict affected settings is challenging the achievement of sustainable results.

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

    The Netherlands supports implementation by the United Nations (UN), the World Bank (WB) and/or Dutch government of recommendations / proposals of:

    • landmark UN/WB study on more effective conflict prevention Pathways for Peace
    • UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) proposals in his report to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on implementation of twin resolutions on Sustaining Peace

    Following the WB and UN, the Netherlands has made conflict prevention an overarching goal in its new government’s brand new integrated foreign security strategy and in its upcoming aid & trade strategy.

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

    A wider group of UN Member States should endorse and help implement with statements and actions the UNSG’s proposals in his report to the UNGA on the implementation of the twin resolutions on Sustaining Peace.

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

    The Pathfinders for SDG16+ movement, of which the Netherlands is a member: a truly action-oriented game changing, diverse alliance to push for implementation of SDG16 and related goals, hence SDG16+.

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The Netherlands implements commitments made in the United Kingdom led PSVI "Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict".


    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Partners: United Kingdom

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Netherlands commit to undertaking GBV prevention and mitigation interventions throughout all stages of humanitarian action within and across 100% of its areas of operation by 2018.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The Netherlands commits to developing and implementing strategies for the engagement of men and boys as part of the solution to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in crisis settings by 2018.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The Netherlands has signed and is committed to the Call to Action on Protection from GBV in Emergencies and its corresponding roadmap.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • The Netherlands will continue and tailor to crisis settings the support to the implementation of the targets for the 2030 Agenda on maternal, newborn and adolescent health to ensure safe delivery, emergency obstetric, ante-natal and post-natal services in crisis settings, improved access to information, voluntary family planning, and basic items for safe delivery and sanitary supplies, necessary medical and psychological services for SGBV survivors as well as improved capacity of health systems and workers with immediate effect. In addition, the Netherlands commits to a better provision of comprehensive sexuality education, increased access to safe-abortion facilities and measures and post-abortion care during humanitarian crises.


    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind

    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

    Activities are linked with those reported under 3D.

    • The Netherlands (NL) has launched in 2017 the “she decides” initiative to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, including abortion. This initiative was launched after the decision by the United States government to stop funding of organizations involved in SRHR services that include the right to abortion. Over 60 countries support the “she decides” initiative with over € 400 million. The NL has contributed € 29 million and this contribution is e.a. used for SRHR services in humanitarian crises;
    • The NLs continued to support (financially and by staff secondment) the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for their role in delivering SRHR supplies in crises;
    • The NL decided to support a program of the World Health Organization (WHO) (€ 5 million) for SRHR service deliveries in e.a. the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)  and Bangladesh and strengthen SRHR capacities of implementing partners. This program will start in 2018.    
    • NL participates in moving the Call to Action forward through information sharing and consultations with others.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    By critically assessing Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs), reports of implementing agencies and progress reports of e.a. the Call to Action to end gender-based violence (GBV) and addressing these issues in governing boards.

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

    Respect from all actors for International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rigths Law (IHRL) and humanitarian principles is important, but respect for and action in line with IHL and IHRL is dwindling down and access and lack of security for humanitarian agencies to provide aid and protection is difficult. Combined with underfunding this means that many vulnerable people don’t get assistance.

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

    During our membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) the NL emphasizes respect for IHL. In March 2018, NL organized a special session of the UNSC on Conflict and Hunger. In its humanitarian advocacy, NL will continue to lobby for respect for IHL, access, protection of the vulnerable and the fight against GBV. In its funding allocations, the NLs will ask partners how the Gender & Age Marker is used and applied in programs.

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

    Both a systemic implementation of approved and accepted guidelines (such as Gender Equility Marker, Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) guidelines on GBV, Implementation of the Call to Action to end GBV Roadmap, implementation of the Minimal Initial Service Package in Sexual and Reproductive Health) and sufficient funding. 

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

    The “She decides” initiative is a good example of an initiative of a number of countries to move forward the agreed commitments on sexual and reproductive rights and choices.  

    Keywords

    Gender

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

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The Netherlands pledges to continue to promote universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It will continue to promote compliance and adherence, and to reinforce the norms being established by the Convention. It will uphold its commitment to foster the humanitarian standards set by the Convention and to work for a world without cluster munitions. The Netherlands remains gravely concerned about the continued use of cluster munitions and will continue to condemn any use by any actor.


    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Partners: State Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions

    Core Commitments (1)

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

    In the context of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), all States Parties have worked towards implementing the commitments. During the Meeting of States Parties (MSP) of the CCM (Geneva, 4-6 September 2017) the Netherlands (NL) promoted universalisation of, as well as compliance with and adherence to the Convention. By doing so, the norm against cluster munitions (and in favour of respect for International Humanitarian Law, (IHL)) was strengthened.

    Moreover, as co-coordinator for clearance under the CCM, the Netherlands together with Norway organised a workshop on cluster munitions clearance in the Western Balkan region in Sarajevo in November 2017. In this way, relevant regional parties were brought together to discuss best practices and to work towards a world free from cluster munitions.

    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?

    Progress is monitored through reporting by all CCM States Parties. Moreover, universalisation efforts are assessed by the number of CCM States Parties, and efforts to strengthen the norm of non-use of cluster munitions are assessed by the number of incidents with the use of cluster munitions.

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

    Inaccurate initial estimates of contamination by cluster munitions has in some countries led to the need to re-assess the extent to which its territory is contaminated. Moreover, the fact that some countries still consider cluster munitions to be an essential weapon for defense of their territory hampers universalisation efforts.

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

    The Netherlands is, together with Lao PDR, co-coordinator for clearance, and will in that capacity continue to contribute to clearance efforts. The Netherlands particularly stresses the need for accurate estimations of cluster munition contamination and the value of both technical and non-technical surveys in determining said contamination.

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

    Further universalisation and adherence to the norm of non-use of cluster munitions are needed.

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

    As President of the 2016 Meeting of States Parties (MSP), the Netherlands Presidency 1) drafted a Political Declaration that condemned any use of cluster munitions by any actor (which was adopted unanimously) and 2) encouraged, together with the Implementation Support Unit, more reporting by setting up a reporting booth.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The Netherlands commits to continue funding sustainable solutions to crises, as is done in the context of Syria. In addition the Netherlands commits to fund national and local development plans that focus on inclusion of refugees to increase resilience and ensure development opportunities (linked to education and employability).


    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity

    • The Netherlands commits to ensure that all policy and legal responses to displaced populations recognize the gender-specific needs of displaced women and girls at different stages of the displacement cycle - during flight, settlement and return - and do not discriminate different groups (including women with disabilities, older women, women with HIV/AIDS, women belonging to ethnic, national, sexual or religious minorities).


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The Netherlands commits to find innovative ways to lessen the burden on countries plagued by spillover of conflict, for example by successfully arguing to allow middle-income countries to apply for World Bank loans. In the case of Jordan and Lebanon this makes a real difference as their economies suffer from dramatic influx of refugees.


    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity
    • The Netherlands has a leading role in the Regional Development and Protection Programme (RDPP) of the EU that aims to improve the situation of refugees and guest communities in the Horn of Africa and will pay specific attention to the needs of women and girls with a focus on combating gender based violence and early and forced child marriages. From this month onwards, a regional RDPP project of UNHCR and its partners will run in Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan with a specific focus on child protection and prevention of violence against women and girls.

    • 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 Netherlands (NL) has, in close consultation and coordination with national and international partners, continued to address issues around forced displacement in 2017. With regard to improving prospects for refugees and host communities, the Netherlands has continued supporting a variety of initiatives to enhance protection and improve possibilities for education and employment.

    These initiatives were developed in line with the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) and also included political and financial support for the CRRF process and pilots. The main geographic focus here was on the Horn of Africa and the Syria region. In addition to ongoing activities, the Netherlands committed around € 80 million new funding in 2017 for improving prospects for refugees and host communities.

    IDPs (due to conflict, violence, and disaster)

    NL continued to assist internally displaced people (IDPs) and host communities in affected countries based on Humanitarian Response Plans through funding for humanitarian organisations in specific countries, Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Country-Based Pooled Funds contributions, and through core-funding for humanitarian organisations.

    Through its embassy network, the NL seeks complementarity with support to more resilience and development focused initiatives in specific 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
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    • Other: IATI and FTS and Devlopment Initiative
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Besides M&E, NL is involved in initiatives to assess progress ranging from the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) to the Joint Valletta Action Plan monitoring. NL also contracted a consortium to conduct innovative M&E for a regional European Union program, led by the Netherlands, in the Horn of Africa. Besides impact evaluations, this consortium will also draw lessons from case studies.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    A development approach to forced displacement requires a paradigm shift in behavior and work methods for both international and national partners. One important additional challenge concerns how to involve the private sector to ensure durability.

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

    NL is currently finalizing its new foreign policy. An important element of this policy is addressing forced displacement and supporting host communities.

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

    It requires continued efforts from national and local authorities hosting refugees or displaced people as well as the international community. New, innovative and durable solutions call for policy changes coupled with support for projects and investments. It may also require international organisations to rethink their respective role and it will require the involvement of new actors such as those from the private sector. 

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

    Project in Ethiopia with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) aimed at strengthening protection, improving data collection/maintenance, ensuring access to national civil registration system, and improving demographic and socio-economic data.

     

    NL contracted a consortium for innovative, ‘real-time’ M&E for a regional EU-program, led by the Netherlands, in the Horn of Africa.

    Keywords

    Community resilience, Displacement, Education, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Netherlands commits to reduce the gap between the need of women and girls for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and the services provided in humanitarian and conflict by: (i) Jointly with UNFPA, the Netherlands will ensure that the need for adequate funding, integration and operational prioritization of SRH in humanitarian appeals is high on the international agenda, on the interagency agenda both within and outside the UN. Therefore, the Netherlands commits to seconds a staff member to UNFPA in support of this work. (ii) Jointly with the International AIDS Society, the Netherlands ensures that the integration of HIV/AIDS prevention and care in humanitarian interventions is on the agenda of the HIV/AIDS conferences in Durban (2016) and Amsterdam (2018), for development of operational recommendations. (iii) The Netherlands commits to work with UNFPA on repositioning of UNFPA Supplies, a facility providing governments and humanitarian actors with fast and cost-effective access to an adequate range of quality SRH commodities. (iv) The Netherlands and the Inter Agency Working Group (IAWG) for Reproductive Health in Crises will work on updating adequate training modules for humanitarian staff and to focus on SRHR related aspects. In addition, the Netherlands and the Inter Agency Working Group contribute to the revision of the Minimal Initial Service Package (MISP). (v) The Netherlands commits to cooperates with IPAS on training related to safe abortion and post-abortion care in humanitarian crises.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    Partners: UNFPA, International AIDS Society, Inter-Agency Working Group, IPAS

    Individual Commitments (17)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The Netherlands commits to allocate funding (including pooled funding) only to humanitarian actions that explicitly include a gender analysis with sex and age disaggregated data, and which can demonstrate how they meet women and girls needs equally with men and boys, by 2018.
    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The Netherlands commits to comply with and submit to monitoring to ensure women and girls are equally protected under international humanitarian law and receive medical care without adverse distinction as the "wounded or sick", by 2018.


    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind

    • The Netherlands commits to ensure national accountability mechanisms to monitor the extent to which gender equality and women's empowerment is implemented in crisis settings.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The Netherlands commits to ensure that all humanitarian response plans and programmes include gender responsive and gender inclusive financial monitoring tools that can be applied throughout the humanitarian programme cycle.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The Netherlands commits to ensure that all policy and legal responses to displaced populations recognize the gender-specific needs of displaced women and girls at different stages of the displacement cycle - during flight, settlement and return - and do not discriminate different groups (including women with disabilities, older women, women with HIV/AIDS, women belonging to ethnic, national, sexual or religious minorities).


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Netherlands commits to ensuring the meaningful and equitable participation of women and adolescent girls (including women with disabilities, older women, women with HIV/AIDS, women belonging to ethnic, national, sexual or religious minorities) in the leadership of humanitarian preparedness, response, protection and recovery programmes, and the formulation of humanitarian policy. In particular, the Netherlands commits to ensuring meaningful participation of women and adolescent girls in all formal and informal decision-making from refugee camp committees to peace processes, reaching parity with men and adolescent boys by 2030. It commits to striving towards a minimum of 30% representation and meaningful participation of women in all local, national and international peace negotiations and conflict transformation processes. Further, the Netherlands encourages all actors to advance women's participation in humanitarian action, and actively support the use of social accountability tools and processes to bring women's voices into needs assessments, design, monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian programming as well as disaster risk reduction and preparedness efforts.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The Netherlands commits to prioritize the empowerment and engagement of local and national organizations that promote women's rights and gender equality. In particular, it commits to strengthen partnerships with a diverse range of local and national women's rights organisations on both policy decision-making and practice; it commits to ensuring that women can equally access cash assistance programmes, sustainable and dignified livelihoods, vocational and skills training opportunities throughout the humanitarian programme cycle by 2020; and it commits to support INGOs, including international women's organizations, to play their role in strengthening the capacity of local and national women's right organizations, sharing knowledge and expertise and creating meaningful partnerships, with the aim to increase the absorption capacity of local and national organizations.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The Netherlands funds programmes and commits to advocate for better inclusion of the voices of the most marginalised groups, especially women and girls, in all stages of the humanitarian programming process.


    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • The Netherlands has joined the Secretary General's Every Woman Every Child Everywhere initiative and commits to its corresponding roadmap, by 2017, to work to end all preventable deaths of women and adolescent girls in crisis settings.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Netherlands supports increased funding for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services in humanitarian response by holding structural political dialogues with Emergency Directors and staff working in humanitarian agencies and NGOs that it funds, stressing the importance of SRHR in humanitarian aid and applying a comprehensive internationally accepted gender marker that is SRHR sensitive.
    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Netherlands will apply the IASC, ECHO or other gender and age marker to 100% of its humanitarian funding allocations by 2018, in order to extend the monitoring of gender-equality measures across the full cycle of humanitarian programming, and promote more rigorous accountability.
    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The Netherlands will continue and tailor to crisis settings the support to the implementation of the targets for the 2030 Agenda on maternal, newborn and adolescent health to ensure safe delivery, emergency obstetric, ante-natal and post-natal services in crisis settings, improved access to information, voluntary family planning, and basic items for safe delivery and sanitary supplies, necessary medical and psychological services for SGBV survivors as well as improved capacity of health systems and workers with immediate effect. In addition, the Netherlands commits to a better provision of comprehensive sexuality education, increased access to safe-abortion facilities and measures and post-abortion care during humanitarian crises.


    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind
    • The Netherlands will support humanitarian programmes that are inclusive and stimulate access to sexual reproductive health for all, including adolescents and other marginalized groups (not discriminating on the basis of age, gender, location, sexual orientation and/or marital status).
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Netherlands will support initiatives to improve availability of reproductive health commodities, from the beginning of a crisis response until recovery and if necessary beyond. This will include support for supply and distribution systems, in particular for contraceptives and reproductive health lifesaving medicines.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The Netherlands will support strategies for sexual and reproductive health and rights capacity-building by supporting the review of the Minimal Initial Service Package and the application of the IASC Gender Based Violence guidelines.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Netherlands will support the inclusion of more sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) indicators in data collection and analysis, e.g. rapid needs assessments and monitoring & evaluation, and in humanitarian programs coordinated by the protection and health clusters of the humanitarian system.
    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The Netherlands will take a leading role in supporting funding and programming of access to modern (emergency) contraceptives, including access to and training concerning safe abortion, as elementary in the first humanitarian aid package, as well as comprehensive sexuality education for adolescents (both girls and boys), psychosocial support, and the promotion of LGBT rights.
    • Financial
    • 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.

    • The ”She Decides” movement was initiated by the Netherlands’ minister Lilianne Ploumen as a response to reinstatement and expansion of the Global Gag Rule in January 2017.
    • At FP2020 (Family Planning 2020) the Netherlands pledged an additional contribution to the Central Emergency Relief Fund (€ 11.5 million), unearmarked but with focus for protection of women and girls and € 5 million for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in humanitarian settings. 
    • Support of SRHR policy through secondments to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in New York, UN Women's Humanitarian Action and Crisis Response Unit in Geneva and a Junior Professional Officer (JPO) UNFPA Rwanda.
    • Contribution to the revision of the Minimal Initial Service Package for Reproductive Health in Crisis (MISP) and inclusion of safe abortion services.
    • Commitment to the Global Roadmap for Improving Data, Monitoring and Accountability for Family Planning and Sexual and Reproductive Health in Crises. Support of knowledge improvement and data in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and through funding the special edition of Reproductive Health Matters on SRHR in humanitarian crises.
    • Continuation of bilateral SRHR programs in Yemen, Bangladesh, Great Lakes and Lebanon
    • SRHR Partnership Jeune S3 focuses on attention for SRHR among young people and groups denied these rights in the Central African Republic, North and East Cameroon, North and South Kivu Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and North Benin.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    • Other: Gender Marker
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Within the NL results framework, promotion of SRHR in humaitarian settings is assessed through coverage of the Minimal Initial Service Package, including basic obstetric care (BeMOC). The Netherlands will encourage its implementing partners to systematically use the gender marker and increase the level to which their programmes contribute to gender equality.

    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
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Situations are complex, issues sensitive and resources scarce. Bridging the nexus and move from the MISP to comprehensive reproductive health services. Although the importance of empowering women to participate in relief and recovery in displacement and humanitarian settings is acknowledged, the weak capacity of women’s organizations remains a major challenge.

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

    • Support WHO to strengthen capacity of health cluster partners and local health providers to provide SRHR services to women in DRC, Yemen, and Cox Bazar; improve data management systems.
    • Support for Training Partnership Initiative of the Interagency Working Group for Reproductive Health in Crisis to build the capacity of emergency medical and SRHR organizations, disseminate learning globally and institutionalize good quality adolescent SRH interventions in humanitarian settings.
    • Cooperating with Dutch humanitarian partners to implement SRHR in joint proposals.

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

    Netherlands will continue to provide financial support for dedicated humanitarian protection and empowerment programs, strongly advocate in relevant Executive Boards of humanitarian organizations on behalf of the most vulnerable, work with partners towards greater gender equality and protection of women and girls in humanitarian action, building the evidence base of gender-sensitive humanitarian assistance and strengthen the capacity of humanitarian organizations to assess and address the specific humanitarian and SRHR needs of women and girls in crisis situations.

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

    Initiation of the ”She Decides” movement as a response to reinstatement and expansion of the Global Gag Rule in January 2017 with the aim that every girl and woman can fulfil her right to decide about her body, her future and her life everywhere. 

    Keywords

    Gender

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Recent changes in Dutch regulations mean unearmarked support can be provided to foreign NGOs (some Dutch NGOs are already provided core funding).


    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity
    • As a way of channeling more funds to local responders, Netherlands is a strong supporter of country-based pooled funds and will continue to increase its contributions as a proportion of total assistance. Over past years, Netherlands has also been consistently a top 5 donor of CERF.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    • The Netherlands commits to continue funding sustainable solutions to crises, as is done in the context of Syria. In addition the Netherlands commits to fund national and local development plans that focus on inclusion of refugees to increase resilience and ensure development opportunities (linked to education and employability).


    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity
    • The Netherlands has invested in strengthening capacities of number of national societies of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in the past decade as important actors in national disaster preparedness and response. It will continue long-term investments in strengthening the role and capacity of local actors, especially through the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
    • 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

    The Netherlands (NL) sees funding to Country-Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) as a practical and efficient mechanism to fund directly local actors.

    Other-5A

    • 2016 NL approved a 4 years € 7 million program to strengthen humanitarian response capacity of five national Red Cross/Red Crescent organizations.
    • NL also gives unearmarked support to UN organizations like the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The NL is indirectly contributing to strengthening the humanitarian preparedness and response capacities of governments via these organisations. The NL renewed its partnership with the Dutch Relief Alliance (DRA), a coalition of Dutch humanitarian NGO’s. In the new 3 year subsidy agreement DRA members will contribute to the capacity building of national actors.
    • NL in 2017 started to revisit overall humanitarian policy and drafting a new policy framework for the next 5 years. This revision includes a section on preparedness/capacity development of national humanitarian actors and a budget for the coming years (2018-2021).

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Other: UN reports; indicators in NGO projects
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Based on reports from humanitarian organisations, evaluations, and external reports.

    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
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The growing gap between needs and available funding is one reason why insufficient funding is made available to strengthen local capacities.

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

    The Netherlands will continue to monitor progress of ongoing capacity building programs and take stock of achievements of the results of capacity building efforts by humanitarian partners. The NL will – after approval of the revised policy (expected in April 2018 and budget) – start implementing its new preparedness/capacity building program with existing humanitarian preparedness partners.

    Keywords

    Country-based pooled funds, Local action

  • 5C
    Invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The Netherlands announces the setup an Addressing Root Causes Fund (ARC) of EUR 125 million to address the root causes of conflict, instability, and irregular migration.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Invest in Humanity
    • The Netherlands commits to continue funding early warning, stabilization, peacebuilding and other efforts as a way to prevent and mitigate the risk of humanitarian suffering by conflict.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    • The Netherlands commits to maintain budget lines to stabilization, conflict prevention and peacebuilding that do not detract from humanitarian efforts. Within the structure of the MFA, Netherlands ensures close cooperation between these areas.


    • 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.

    The Netherlands (NL) deals with the topic of stability and prevention in an integrated manner. The text of of the report 5C is almost identical to the text for 1C.

    • The Netherlands continued to spend in 2017 an annual budget of € 240 million of official development assistance (ODA) to improve human security, the rule of law, conflict resolution and peace- and statebuilding in twentysome fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS). Around € 25 million of this budget went in 2017 to the implementation of 21 Addressing Root Causes (ARC) programmes of NGO-consortia in 11 FCAS, which try to address at grass roots levels root causes of conflict, instability, and – if relevant - irregular migration. For more detailed info, see IATI and https://www.dutchdevelopmentresults.nl/theme/srol.
    • The Netherlands has formally joined the Pathfinders for SDG16+ movement, a truly action-oriented game changing, diverse alliance of United Nations (UN) Member States and civil society organisations to push for implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 and related goals (hence the description: “SDG16+”). It has assumed the co-chairmanship of its Justice Task Force, which addresses 4 questions: What’s the justice gap? What’s the case for action and investment? What works to provide access to justice for all? How can we build a platform for local, national, regional and international commitments?

    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?

    Mostly through:

    • discussions with local authorities and implementers;
    • the use by implementers of perception (result) indicators at short term - and medium term outcome level, to sound the opinion of programmes’ beneficiairies.

    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?

    As studied by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), funding for peacebuilding is an incredibly small % of total ODA. Political incentives to prevent violent conflict remain low. The volatile context in fragile and conflict affected settings is challenging the achievement of sustainable results.

     

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

    The Netherlands supports implementation by the United Nations (UN), the World Bank (WB) and/or Dutch government of recommendations / proposals of:

    • landmark UN/WB study on more effective conflict prevention Pathways for Peace
    • UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) proposals in his report to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on implementation of twin resolutions on Sustaining Peace

    Following the WB and UN, the Netherlands has made conflict prevention an overarching goal in its new government’s brand new integrated foreign security strategy and in its upcoming aid & trade strategy.

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

    A wider group of UN Member States should endorse and help implement with statements and actions the UNSG’s proposals in his report to the UNGA on the implementation of the twin resolutions on Sustaining Peace.

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

    The Pathfinders for SDG16+ movement, of which the Netherlands is a member: a truly action-oriented game changing, diverse alliance to push for implementation of SDG16 and related goals, hence SDG16+.

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

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Mapping the investment of affected host communities and systems, the Netherlands will fund the development of a generosity tracker by CIVICUS.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    Partners: CIVICUS

    Individual Commitments (7)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Recognizing the costs associated with donor requirements, the Netherlands is committed to lessen the burden on agencies by harmonizing requirements.


    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    • The Netherlands is a strong supporter of cash assistance. With a 63% share of unearmarked funding (2009-2014), Netherlands allows agencies to make their own decisions as to the most effective, dignified methods of delivering aid.


    • Financial
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • The Netherlands is committed to joint regular functional monitoring and performance reviews and reduce individual assessments, evaluations, verifications, risk management and oversight processes.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity
    • The Netherlands is in the process of launching a help desk for support to Dutch partners in using IATI.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    • The Netherlands supports IATI and will continue to do so.


    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    • The Netherlands will harmonize the open data requirements with other donors, so that the "report once, use often" principle applies to partners using their open data to report to more donors.


    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    • The Netherlands commits to reduce the reporting requirements by accepting progress reporting through IATI (compatible with Dutch guidelines), and is prepared to harmonize reporting guidelines with other donors.


    • 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.

    • The Netherlands (NL) continued to provide unearmarked multi-year core-contributions to its humanitarian partners and supported the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Humanitarian Pooled Funds through softly earmarked contributions in line with its World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) and Grand Bargain (GB)commitments.
    • The NL, together with the World Bank, continued as co-conveners of the Transparency Workstream of the Grand Bargain to work towards greater transparency within the humanitarian sector.
    • The OCHA Centre for Humanitarian Data in The Hague, opened in December 2017, will contribute to more quality data and analysis in the humanitarian sector.  

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    • Other: International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) and Financial Tracking Service (FTS).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    The NL flexible funding practice in line with international commitments continues to be considered a ‘good practice’ by partner organisations. The NL work on transparency within the Grand Bargain workstream supports other humanitarian organisations and donors to become more transparent in sharing data.

    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
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    While flexible funding is considered a good practice, there is a need to better demonstrate results within the humanitarian sector of what this flexible funding actually achieves. Transparency: there is a greater need for a shared vision and appropriate tools around transparency in the humanitarian sector between all actors.

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

    The Netherlands will revise the Dutch humanitarian policy to include WHS and GB commitments, and continue to work on the transparency work stream in the context of the GB. NL will continue with multiyear flexible funding; work towards better demonstration of results; continue co-leading the GB workstream on transparency, including clarifying objectives and instruments. Continue to promote Cash-Transfer Programming in humanitarian assistance without beginning to earmark our own contributions.

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

    Better demonstration of results and impact of flexible funding; more evidence for the positive effects of multi-year funding; more clarity around the objectives of transparency and appropriate instruments.

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

    The NL flexible funding practice is already a ‘good practice’, as is its acceptance of reports through IATI. The new Humanitarian Data Centre has potential to further advance the commitments, identify good practices and stimulate innovation around the commitments. 

    Keywords

    Country-based pooled funds

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