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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
    • Bulgaria reaffirms conflict prevention as a priority in the national defense strategy.
    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Bulgaria remains committed to efforts at global and regional level in preventing and resolving existing conflicts and creating conditions for averting conflict relapse.
    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • 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.

    In 2016 the Bulgarian government adopted a national defense strategy. The strategy is a result of the 2015 mid-term review of the strategic document which has been in force since 2011. Bulgaria is party to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, Vienna Document 2011 on confidence and security building measures, Open Skies Treaty, Document on confidence and security building measures in the naval field in the Black Sea, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Code of conduct on politico-military aspects of security. Bulgaria actively participates in the work of the UN Group of Friends of Mediation, aimed at crisis management, preventive diplomacy,mediation, peacebuilding, resilience and reconciliation.

    Bulgaria is still committed to tackle the root causes of conflicts, providing humanitarian aid and development assistance and participating in international political forums for conflict resolution. Potential crises and conflicts are defined in the Strategy for the National Security of the Republic of Bulgaria and the National Defense Strategy through the analysis of the security environment. A key priority of the National Defense Strategy is developing modern defense institutions based on an integrated system for effective and transparent defense management, with potential for institutional flexibility, timely planning and effective response. Bulgaria participates in the UN, NATO and EU missions and operations in the Mediterranean, Western Balkans, Africa, and Middle East. Bulgaria supports NATO’s efforts for post-war reconstruction of countries and the process of building local security forces, which creates conditions for averting conflict relapses.

    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?

    The main tasks of the army remain defense, support of international peace and security. Bulgaria continues to act with high vigilance on the topic of export control of defense related products and dual-use goods and technologies in order to prevent unauthorized acquisition and destabilizing actions in conflict zones.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    A full review and re-issue of the national defense strategy is expected to take place in 2020. Bulgaria, led by the principle of building peace in neighboring regions and countries and avoiding conflict resumption, is exploring ways to further increase its participation in the police contingents of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

    Bulgaria is a state party on cluster munitions and is obliged to destroy its stockpiles of cluster munitions by October 2019.

  • 1C
    Remain engaged and invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Bulgaria commits to promoting initiatives for strengthening regional security, stability and sustainable development within the framework of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEEC).
    • Advocacy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    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.

    In January 2018 Bulgaria takes over the rotating EU Council Presidency and for a period of six months is to promote initiatives for strengthening regional security, stability and sustainable development. The promotion of regional cooperation in various areas is a key factor for the establishment of security, wellbeing and stability in South-East Europe.

    Bulgaria views the geopolitical security in the region as an important factor for the national, as well as the European security. Therefore, an important priority of the Bulgarian Presidency in the defense area is the security of the Western Balkans.

    Following the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office (CiO) of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) from June 2015 – July 2016, Bulgaria lends full support to the priorities of the Croatian CiO (July 2016-June 2017) and the Slovenian CiO (July 2017-June 2018), namely economic connectivity, communication, transport and energy infrastructure. We started implementing the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2017 – 2019 and further strengthening the synergy between the SEECP and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC). Bulgaria started the preparation for launching the issues of the Western Balkans (WB) high in the Agenda of the EU during its forthcoming Presidency of the Union from the beginning of 2018. Bulgaria supported the priority to keep high in the agenda of the SEECP the issues connected with the new challenges and new threats to the security and stability of South East Europe.

    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?

    At the SEECP Dubrovnik Summit on 30 June 2017 the leaders of the participating states adopted a declaration which includes commitments to strengthening cooperation in addressing the ever changing challenges and new threats to the security and stability of South East Europe – indivisible from the security and stability of Europe.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Human resources/capacity
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    All stakeholders are committed to continue efforts to implement initiatives and decisions related to maintaining regional security, stability and sustainable development.

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

    The Western Balkans are becoming increasingly important geopolitically in Europe. The Bulgarian EU Presidency will initiate a strategic dialogue on the Western Balkans and will host a Western Balkan Summit in May 2018.

    Bulgaria will try to make the best use of its regional expertise to support EU accession-related reforms in the Western Balkan states and put them high on the EU agenda. These will contribute to strengthening peace, security and stability in the region.

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Bulgaria endorses the UN Member States'€™ Affirmation of the Importance of and Adherence to International Humanitarian Law in Advance of the World Humanitarian Summit.


    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (2)

    • 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
    • Fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's rights.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability

    Bulgaria participates in the formal meetings of the intergovernmental process on enhanced respect for the International Humanitarian Law.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Human resources/capacity
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    In 2018 Bulgaria intends to join the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, as well as the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Bulgaria will continue to promote meaningful participation of women and adolescent girls in all formal and informal decision-making processes.
    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Empower Women and Girls as change agents and leaders, including by increasing support for local women's groups to participate meaningfully in humanitarian action.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's rights.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    In meeting its commitments under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Bulgaria took significant steps towards achieving equality between men and women. Recently, the Gender Equality Act was promulgated, as a powerful and sustainable instrument for gender mainstreaming in all sectoral policies and for the application of special measures, if necessary. It lays down the principles of the government policy for gender equality and establishes the relevant bodies, their powers and the cooperation between them.

    The Government of Bulgaria is tasked with establishing the government policy and approving the main documents in the area. The institutional role of “gender equality coordinator” is introduced, to be performed by an official of the executive, assigned with functions to implement the policy in the respective sector. The Act provides for mechanisms and instruments for the effective implementation of the policy for gender equality, and namely: a system for monitoring the gender equality by means of which the government authorities collect, record and process gender data; and regular reports on gender equality.

    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?

    • The 2017 Global Gender Gap Report ranks Bulgaria 18 among 144 countries (41st in 2016).
    • Bulgaria moved 10 points ahead in the Gender Equality Index 2017 compared to the 2015 Index.
    • Eurostat data - Bulgaria ranks first in EU in terms of share of women and girls in Information and Communication Technologies sector.

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

    For the better fulfillment of the actions at all levels of government, there is need for better coordination for promoting the equal opportunities of men and women in the labour market, education, health care, and political life. A coordination mechanism has been established to facilitate this process.

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

    The strategic planning of the national policy in the new period will focus on the following priority areas:

    • Improving the participation of women in the labour market and ensuring an equal degree of economic independence;
    • Reducing the gender-based differences in payment and income;
    • Promoting equality between men and women in the decision-making process;
    • Combating gender-based violence, and protection and support for the victims;
    • Changing the stereotypes in different spheres of public life.

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

    In 2018 Bulgaria intends to join the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies as well as the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action in April 2018.

    Keywords

    Gender