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Self Report 2019

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

    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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Throughout 2018, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) used its global “High Alert List for Emergency Preparedness” (HALEP) and associated diagnostic tool to capture and provide an overview of levels of country operations’ preparedness and capacity to respond to potential population displacement, as well as to prioritize Headquarters’ preparedness support. In 2018, HALEP listed 63 countries at medium/high risk of emergency. UNHCR issued 29 HALEP updates to alert on emerging refugee and internal displacement situations. Two Level 1 “proactive preparedness” emergencies were active for the operations in Venezuela and Zambia in 2018 to ensure that operations took proactive approach to preparedness in line with UNHCR’s Policy on Emergency Preparedness and Response. The declarations resulted in advanced preparedness missions, dedicated staffing support and additional financial resources for the two operations. Additional preparedness and contingency planning missions were fielded to countries in need of additional support, such as Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania, and remote support on contingency planning was maintained.

    To support State-led efforts to plan and implement a multi-stakeholder approach in early warning and preparedness in line with the Global Compact on Refugees, UNHCR initiated a revision of its preparedness guidance to integrate development and other non-traditional partnerships and approaches. Through its participation in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee's (IASC) Reference Group on Risk, Early Warning and Preparedness, the Office contributed to an analysis on early warning, early action and readiness and participated in the “horizon scanning” sessions of the IASC Emergency Directors’ Group to identify early actions around risks of very high concern.

    UNHCR also designed and implemented 18 workshops on emergency preparedness and response to train staff, as well as government officials and other partners.

    2. 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?

     

     

    Keywords

    Displacement, Preparedness

  • 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    The reinvigorated global momentum and interest in resolutely pursuing solutions for refugees, internally displaced and stateless people was evidenced in 2018 through the practical application of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) in 15 countries (Afghanistan, Belize, Chad, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Mexico, Panama, Rwanda, Somalia, Uganda, Zambia) and the consultations leading to the development of the Global Compact on Refugees, which was affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018.

    Globally, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continued to engage in the policy and strategic reflections on humanitarian-development cooperation within the United Nations Development Group, OECD and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee(IASC), and in coalitions such as the Global Alliance on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, as well as the United Nations Global Focal Point for Police, Justice and Corrections. UNHCR has enhanced practical partnerships with key development actors including the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO), International Labour Organization (ILO), the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, the Korea International Cooperation Agency, UNDP, and the World Bank.

    Based on a UNHCR-UNDP review of their cooperation, the two organizations coordinated their efforts at country-level, especially around the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the commitment to leave no-one behind; the inclusion of forced-displacement and statelessness considerations in national and local plans; extending public planning, administration and justice to the forcibly displaced; targeted early-recovery and livelihoods programming; and early warning and preparedness.

    UNHCR also continued to work with States, refugees and with other national and international actors to facilitate and support voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity.  In Chad and Sudan, voluntary repatriation tripartite agreements were signed, providing a framework within which to plan for voluntary repatriation.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Centre for Humanitarian Data
    • New Way of Working
    2. 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
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    These affect the engagement from humanitarian, development and peacebuilding partners to support States and communities to strengthen national systems so that they can include and protect the multi-dimensional rights of refugees, IDPs, stateless persons, returnees and others of concern.

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

    A stronger focus on prevention and on the entire spectrum of forced displacement and statelessness.  Pursuing this approach requires a strong engagement from humanitarian, development and peacebuilding partners and more equitable and predictable global responsibility-sharing approach for refugee situations.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Humanitarian-development nexus, Strengthening local systems

  • 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Through its protection work for refugees and internally displaced persons, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continued in 2018 its efforts to ensure that civilians who are fleeing armed conflict, persecution and serious human rights violations can gain access to safety and protection, either within their own country or by seeking refuge in other countries.

    In the context of armed conflict, UNHCR, in particular, works to maintain the civilian and humanitarian character of camps, sites and settlements hosting displaced populations, so as to minimize the risk of military attacks against such locations, and to protect displaced persons from recruitment, harassment and violence caused by the presence of, or proximity to, armed groups. Such efforts are conducted in close cooperation with States, non-State actors, UN peace operations, development actors, and regional and international forces.

    To further enhance this work, UNHCR in 2018 embarked on an operational review of current practices in refugee and IDP camps and settlements in five operations, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Iraq and South Sudan. As an outcome to this review, an Aide Mémoire on the Civilian and Humanitarian Character of Sites and Settlements was issued jointly by UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in July 2018. The Aide Mémoire reiterates the civilian character of camps and settlements hosting displaced populations, and their protection under international humanitarian law, but also provides practical and operational guidance on how this can be ensured in practice.

    UNHCR continued to advocate for the protection of displaced populations and other civilians in the context of ongoing armed conflict, in line with its mandate, operational presence and resources, including through relevant inter-agency fora. This included engaging with parties to the conflict on the conduct of hostilities, in particular when such conduct is seen as a contributing factor to forced displacement.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Disregard for international humanitarian law and human rights law puts the lives and safety of millions of civilians at risk, and is a driver of forced displacement. It also poses operational challenges for the provision of assistance and protection to displaced populations, and the safety of personnel.

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

    Greater engagement on the part of all relevant stakeholders to promote and ensure respect for international humanitarian law during armed conflict, including to prevent forced displacement and to ensure protection and assistance for displaced populations

    Keywords

    Displacement, Humanitarian principles, IHL compliance and accountability, Protection

  • 2B
    Ensure full access to and protection of the humanitarian and medical missions

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR commits to drive inter-agency efforts to place protection at the centre of humanitarian action and ensure that the needs and capacities of people in crisis guide collective actions to enhance protection and find solutions.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to ensure all populations in need receive rapid and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Commit to promote and enhance efforts to respect and protect medical personnel, transports and facilities, as well as humanitarian relief personnel and assets against attacks, threats or other violent acts.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    In 2018, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continued to raise concerns about humanitarian access to populations displaced by armed conflict, including in the context of Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan and the besieged and hard-to-reach areas within Syria. It also specifically called for the need for protection of humanitarian personnel and relief items in the context of hostilities in Al Hudaydah, Yemen.

    UNHCR's engagement in situations of internal displacement has become more predictable through the implementation of new guidelines agreed in 2016 on UNHCR's engagement in internal displacement. In 2018, 90 per cent of UNHCR's operational interventions were aligned with the "IDP Footprint" set out in the guidelines.

    As the Global Protection Cluster (GPC) lead agency, UNHCR in 2018 led 24 of the 26 activated, country-level protection clusters and other inter-agency protection coordination mechanisms worldwide. UNHCR further supported the elaboration of Humanitarian Country Teams' (HCT) protection strategies, in line with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Protection Policy. At the end of 2018, 70 per cent of HCTs had adopted a protection strategy.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Adherence to and respect for international law, including in ensuring humanitarian access, remains a challenge.

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

    The reflection and design of collective outcomes need to have a strong protection focus. The HCT can also take the lead in ensuring that all relevant actors and stakeholders are included in the strategic and operational aspects of protection. Having an inclusive approach has proven to be an important part of increasing understanding, awareness of and involvement in protection.

    Keywords

    Displacement, 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    In line with its responsibility for supervising the implementation of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) maintained in 2018 its critical role in developing and promoting respect for international law and standards in the area of forced displacement.

    UNHCR also continued to highlight violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. In 2018, for example, UNHCR expressed concerns about militia activities, unrest and violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and called for all parties to the conflict to protect and respect civilians in affected areas. In Yemen, UNHCR repeatedly called for the enhanced protection of civilians fleeing Al Hudaydah, and appealed for the cessation of hostilities.

    Moreover, UNHCR in 2018 made 33 country submissions to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), as well as 117 to the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies and 7 to UN Special Rapporteurs, and provided 28 oral briefings to these bodies. The UN human rights machinery continued to recognise a broad range of forced displacement and stateless issues as falling within the human rights framework.

    UNHCR also intervened in numerous cases before domestic and regional courts in order to challenge decisions and practice contrary to legal standards, including human rights obligations.

    2. 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
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Disregard for international humanitarian law and human rights law continued to be a major driver of forced displacement. A growing focus on border control, together with damaging narratives around people on the move and the widespread use of detention, have had a negative effect on refugees.

     

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

    Greater engagement on the part of all relevant stakeholders to promote and ensure respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international refugee law. 

    Keywords

    Displacement, Humanitarian principles, IHL compliance and accountability, Protection

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR commits to fully implementing the IASC GBV Guidelines by 2018.

    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • UNHCR commits to providing capacity building and/or other support to 10 civil society and/or Member State partners to accelerate their ability to sign on to the Call to Action by 2017.

    • Capacity
    • 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continued to work in 2018 to promote respect for and compliance with refugee law, pursuant to its mandate under its Statute, the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its1967 Protocol, as well as regional and national refugee law instruments.

    Promoting respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law is an integral part of its work to protect the rights of people of concern, including refugees as well as returnees, stateless persons, internally displaced persons in relevant context, and others. These have been pursued through input to States’ legislative processes to ensure that national law reflects international legal standards, advocacy with respect to State practice, and enforcement of international and national standards in these areas, including through court interventions, collaboration with and input to international and national human rights mechanisms and other legal channels. UNHCR continued in 2018 to collaborate closely with States, as well as international and national entities responsible for and working on the promotion of these legal areas.

    Gender-based violence prevention and response

    As part of the “Safe from the start” initiative, UNHCR deployed protection and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) experts and strengthened partnerships to prevent, mitigate risk and respond to SGBV in 10 countries at the onset of declared emergencies. This helped establish an effective response system and services for survivors and those at risk of SGBV, including measures for its prevention. This was done in collaboration with partners, government authorities, refugees and other key front-line responders.

    UNHCR rolled out the IASC gender-based violence guidelines with two regional and seven country workshops in Ethiopia, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.

    38 UNHCR staff completed the SGBV training of trainers learning programme in addition to 417 completing an e-Learning on prevention, risk mitigation and response to SGBV.

    UNHCR strengthened partnerships with women's rights stakeholders, including UN Women, to bolster action on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls and to strengthen the commitments to gender equality and SGBV prevention and response in the Global Compact on Refugees. 

    For the 20th anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, UNHCR undertook a research project which addressed barriers to IDP women's leadership and participation in national level policies in Niger and South Sudan and strengthened the linkages between gender equality and internal displacement.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Grand Bargain
    • The Inclusion Charter
    2. 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
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    • Achieving transformation in the area of gender equality requires interlinked and comprehensive approaches, which address the barriers to women's participation, inclusion, leadership and empowerment.
    • Integrating SGBV risk mitigation measures across humanitarian action requires the investment of each and every sector.

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

    • There is a need for dedicated resourcing as well as prioritization of gender equality issues to make collective progress on gender equality. Furthermore, there is a need to strengthen partnerships with women's rights organizations (including person of concern led organizations) in humanitarian action.
    • Each sector in humanitarian programming needs to be held accountable for implementing risk mitigation measures in their respective programming.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Gender, IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2E
    Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continued to work in 2018 to promote respect for and compliance with refugee law, pursuant to its mandate under its Statute, the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, as well as regional and national refugee law instruments.

    Promoting respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) is an integral part of UNHCR's work to protect the rights of persons of its concern, including refugees as well as returnees, stateless persons, internally displaced persons in relevant context, and others.

    These have been pursued through input to States’ legislative processes to ensure that national law reflects international legal standards, advocacy with respect to State practice, and enforcement of international and national standards in these areas, including through court interventions, collaboration with and input to international and national human rights mechanisms and other legal channels. The 20th anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (GP20) has been used as a platform to advance national law and policy for internally displaced persons.

    UNHCR also enhanced its protection work in armed conflict settings, including through increasing the capacity of its staff and partners to effectively use IHL in protection analysis, advocacy and engagement with military actors. In 2018, this included specific training initiatives and the development of internal guidance for situations of armed conflict. 

    2. 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
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    UNHCR faces challenges in seeking to ensure respect for international law in relation to displaced populations, including varying degrees of national law and policy, as well as effectiveness in implementation, compliance and accountability.  

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

    Greater engagement on the part of all relevant stakeholders to promote and ensure respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international refugee law.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability, Protection

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Individual Commitments (10)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR commits to a predictable engagement in situations of internal displacement, subject to resources being made available by the international community.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to a sustained partnership with entities that wish to work collaboratively in situations of forced displacement based on the Wilton Park Principles: working through national and local systems; supporting host communities and building social cohesion; enabling economic participation and growth; providing impactful and innovative financing and improving the data and evidence base.
    • Partnership
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to continue to fulfil its core task of ensuring international protection and assistance and seeking permanent solutions for refugees and other persons of its concern, working in close cooperation with States, relevant organizations and other actors.

    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to enabling equitable and sustainable access to adequate health services for refugees by advocating for the removal of mandatory disease screening and testing due to status, including HIV testing for refugees and asylum-seekers; working in a multi-sectoral fashion with partners during the contingency and response phases to ensure an integrated response to the provision of assistance to refugees so as to reduce dependency and improve sustainability, as well as to improve the capacity of national health systems; advocating with other UN agencies and other organizations for the creation of a health travel passport that allows for continuity of care for refugees and other displaced persons, whenever feasible, while always ensuring medical confidentiality and protection concerns.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to ensure respect for international refugee law and protection principles through its supervisory responsibility in relation to relevant international instruments, including through leading and contributing to the progressive development of international, regional and national refugee law and to more effective implementation of legal standards in practice.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to expand the use of biometrics for refugee registration to a total of 75 country operations in order to enhance the protection of refugees by maintaining their key identity features and to strengthen the integrity of aid delivery.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to further developing its dialogue and cooperation with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to facilitate their active engagement in situations of forced displacement where their technical and financial comparative advantages can contribute to improved socio-economic outcomes for refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and affected host communities.
    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to reinforcing the Solutions Alliance as a central platform for collaborative action in support of solutions to conflict-induced displacement and to do so by engaging in relevant national groups.

    • Partnership
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to support efforts that enable economic participation of forcibly displaced persons and access to finance, in collaboration with partners, thereby contributing to their self-reliance, preparedness for solutions and also to poverty reduction and economic growth.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to working with development organizations, research institutions, and other partners to leverage their expertise in strengthening existing data collection efforts and to build the evidence base of the economic impact of refugees on host economies through active engagement in new studies.
    • Partnership
    • 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Refugees

    Guided by its mandate and by its 2017–2021 Strategic Directions, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continued in 2018 to seek to shape the global response to forced displacement. The Office did so by supporting States to address protection challenges and develop national protection systems; placing people of concern at the centre of its work; and working across the entire spectrum of displacement. 

    Building on the process of consultations with States and key stakeholders, the High Commissioner for Refugees officially proposed the Global Compact on Refugees in his 2018 annual report to the United Nations General Assembly, which affirmed it in a Resolution adopted on 17 December 2018.

    The Compact presents a new set of opportunities to translate the principle of responsibility-sharing into concrete action, building on a growing number of positive examples of the application of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF). It is an opportunity to broaden the base of support for refugees and make it more predictable, to accelerate the shift away from outdated camp-based response model; to drive refugee inclusion in local communities; to mobilize development resources, civil society and the private sector; and to refocus attention on solutions.

    For more details, see the attached report.

    IDPs (due to conflict, violence, and disaster)

    As the global lead or co-lead for three clusters - protection, shelter, and camp coordination and camp management (CCCM) - UNHCR plays a significant role in responding to internal displacement. In line with the 2030 Agenda, including its commitment to “leave no one behind”, the Office promoted and supported national, regional and global action towards reducing displacement and empowering IDPs to achieve solutions. In 2018, UNHCR took a range of measures to engage across the displacement continuum. Integrated programming was promoted to remove internal barriers to achieving protection outcomes for all people of concern. As an example, refugees and IDPs in Sudan benefitted equally from community-based projects.

    Together with OCHA and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of IDPs, UNHCR led the development and implementation of a global multi-stakeholder Plan of Action and related events for the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (GP20) in 2018. The Plan of Action aims to reduce and address internal displacement - regardless of the cause - in line with the Guiding Principles, the Agenda for Humanity and Sustainable Development Goals through more joined-up and strategic collaboration on IDP participation; law and policy; data and analysis; and protracted displacement / durable solutions.

    For more details, see the attached report.

    Cross-border, disaster and climate related displacement

    In 2018, UNHCR responded to climate change, disasters and displacement by advancing legal, policy and practical solutions to protect people displaced by the effects of climate change and disasters, in line with its Strategic Directions. The inclusion of key references to climate change and disaster displacement in the final texts of both Global Compacts reflects States’ concerns.

    UNHCR also conducted research and analysis on the applicability of refugee law frameworks for people displaced across borders in the context of conflict or violence, disaster or climate change. UNHCR participated actively in the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), amplifying the message that people fleeing the effects of climate change and disasters must be adequately protected.

    Contributions were also made to “Words into Action”, guidelines on disaster displacement of the 2015-2030 Sendai Framework which will help to reduce risk, address impacts and strengthen the resilience of affected populations, mainstreaming human mobility challenges in disaster risk reduction strategies.

    UNHCR played an instrumental role in the Task Force on Displacement under the leadership of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), contributing to recommendations on integrated approaches to avert, minimize and address displacement related to the adverse impacts of climate change, endorsed at the COP 24 meeting in December 2018.

    For more details, see the attached report.

    2. 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
    • Funding amounts
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    For more details, see the attached report.

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

    Support to full implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees will help ensure that the rights of refugees will be respected more effectively. The GP20 Plan of Action will require further humanitarian-development planning and funding.

    For more details, see the attached report.

    Keywords

    Climate Change, Displacement, Protection

  • 3C
    End statelessness in the next decade

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • UNHCR commits to championing an end to statelessness by 2024 (the #IBelong Campaign).


    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • UNHCR commits to supporting States in their efforts to end statelessness, including by providing technical advice and assistance to facilitate accession to the statelessness conventions and the reform of nationality laws to ensure consistency with international standards designed to prevent and reduce statelessness.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continued in 2018 to champion an end to statelessness by 2024 through its dedicated #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness and its accompanying Global Action Plan to End Statelessness by 2024. A reported 56,400 people who were formerly stateless or of undetermined nationality acquired nationality or had their nationality confirmed in 2018. 

    With technical support from UNHCR, 11 States reformed their nationality laws, policies and procedures to close gaps that may lead to statelessness. This included the introduction of safeguards to prevent statelessness of children born abroad, the adoption of provisions to allow for facilitated naturalization of stateless persons, and the removal of barriers to birth registration. UNHCR continued supporting States in establishing and improving statelessness determination procedures, with five additional States implementing such procedures.

    UNHCR's efforts have also supported the adoption of the Arab Declaration on Belonging and Legal Identity by the League of Arab States, as well as the N'Djamena Initiative on the Eradication of Statelessness, which was adopted by Member States of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa.

    UNHCR supported Chile and Haiti to accede to both the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, and Spain to accede to the 1954 Convention.

    UNHCR produced a number of new tools and publications designed to support States' efforts, including a joint publication with the Inter-Parliamentary Union on Good Practices in Nationality Law for the Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness.

    UNICEF and UNHCR established joint strategies to address childhood statelessness in more than 15 countries as part of the "Coalition on every child's right to a nationality". The creation of a new inter-agency working group on statelessness involving IOM, OHCHR, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Women, the World Bank, and others has enhanced inter-agency partnership in addressing statelessness.

    2. 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
    • Data and analysis
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Data on statelessness remains poor, which constitutes a key challenge to effectively address statelessness situations. Discriminatory laws, policies and practices also need to be addressed to effectively prevent and reduce cases of statelessness.

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

    States need to resolve large protracted situations of statelessness by granting nationality to those who only have links with that State. Law reforms to remove gender discrimination from nationality laws and to introduce safeguards in nationality laws to prevent childhood statelessness are also needed. Other actions are set out in the Global Action Plan to End Statelessness.

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR commits to continue and tailor to crisis settings its 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.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR commits to ensuring equal (50 per cent) and meaningful participation of women and adolescent girls in all decision-making processes and structures in forced displacement contexts by 2020.

    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • UNHCR commits to implementing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services as soon as possible after an emergency, by 2017.


    • Operational
    • 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Empowerment of women and girls

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched its updated 2018 Policy on Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) in March. The updated policy renews UNHCR’s existing commitments to Accountability to Affected People and Commitments to Women and Girls, and it includes five core actions on advancing gender equality, the first of which is on increasing women's participation and leadership in decision-making structures. Self-assessment tools were developed to support the operationalization of the policy, and five countries in three regions were selected for further analysis and further capacity development in implementing the policy, including on gender equality. UNHCR supported the revision of the IASC Gender Handbook in Humanitarian Action. UNHCR also strengthened partnerships with women's rights stakeholders to advance gender equality across the humanitarian-development-peacebuilding nexus and to strengthen gender commitments in the Global Compact on Refugees.

    UNHCR completed a gender equality toolkit and a second cohort of the gender equality learning programme. UNHCR also supported inter-agency efforts and the development and roll out of the Gender with Marker, as well as the deployment of gender equality surge capacity through the GenCap project.

    Gender equality programming

    Addressing the unique risks faced by women and girls in situations of displacement required a community-based and multi-sectoral approach, working with the livelihoods, WASH and energy sectors to enhance innovation in programming. UNHCR launched 8 innovative projects in 7 countries to address risks in accessing livelihood opportunities, safe access to energy for cooking, access to technology, and community lighting. In North Kivu, the DRC, UNHCR and partners designed and implemented a project together with the community to improve the availability of acceptable menstrual hygiene products and increase the self-reliance and economic empowerment of IDP women and girls. UNHCR made progress in providing SGBV survivors with tailored support through cash-based interventions (CBI). The Office finalized a study on the successful impact of CBIs on protection outcomes in Ecuador, Lebanon and Morocco. 

    Finally, in situations of emergency, the Office strengthened its emergency response through capacity-building interventions, with a particular focus on protection, through the inclusion of refugees in the design and implementation of WASH programmes. This resulted, for instance, in specific design modifications to toilets and positioning of water points in safe locations to enable access for people with disabilities and reduce the risk of SGBV. The Office provided technical support to operations, strengthened the linkages between gender equality and SGBV, IDP, programme, and WASH through trainings.

    Sexual and reproductive health

    UNHCR continued to advocate for the implementation of comprehensive public health services which include sexual and reproductive services. For example, in collaboration with UNAIDS, UNHCR supported reproductive health and HIV activities in five Congolese refugee camps.  Activities focused on HIV prevention and care and support to people living with HIV (PLHIV).  For HIV prevention 180 youth peer educators were trained, 150,000 male condoms were distributed on a quarterly basis, and a variety of awareness activities were conducted, such as monthly mobilization campaigns targeting women and their partners, as well as youth forums on reproductive health and HIV for out-of-school youth. This built on the work started with the pilot of the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Toolkit in 2017.

    Other

    In 2018, with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNHCR started new innovative activities, aiming to reinforce and improve maternal and newborn care in refugee operations including in Cameroon, Chad and Niger. A focus on essential low-cost, high-impact (LDHI) newborn healthcare practices -including proper cord care, thermal care, initiation of breathing and resuscitation, early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding, kangaroo mother care and eye care- could prevent an additional 10 per cent of newborn deaths. The creation and use of social network groups in Cameroon and Niger, had very positive impact reinforcing adherence, continuous motivation and learning and internal dissemination among health providers. Technical support towards integration of mental health, psychological and social support in care systems continued. For example, UNHCR organized in Sudan an eight-day mental health training of trainers for 26 staff working with NGOs, the Ministry of Health and UNHCR in East Darfur, South Kordofan and White Nile (the three states with the largest South Sudanese refugee camps). The training will enable them to provide basic mental health services to refugees and to give training to others such as community health workers and other staff.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Education Cannot Wait
    • Grand Bargain
    • The Inclusion Charter
    2. 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
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    • Human resources/capacity
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    There are challenges relating to dedicated resources and technical capacity to ensure mainstreaming of gender equality.

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

    • There is a need for greater engagement on the part of all stakeholders to further the prioritization of gender equality issues and the allocation of dedicated resources at both the global and field levels to sustainably address gender inequality in a systematic and more comprehensive manner.
    • Establish structured opportunities for active participation of persons of concern in all phases of operations management and ensure their input and feedback inform planning and adjustments to program implementation.

    Keywords

    Cash, Gender, People-centred approach

  • 3E
    Eliminate gaps in education for children, adolescents and young people

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • UNHCR will continue to support Education Cannot Wait - A Fund for Education in Emergencies and the Global Partnership for Education to support sustainable and inclusive education programmes in long-standing forced displacement crises, which face significant funding constraints after the initial emergency phase.


    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR will emphasize the goals of the 2030 Agenda and specifically SDG4 to achieve the inclusion of forcibly displaced persons in national education systems and plans, with a focus on leveraging partnerships and resources for inclusive, equitable and quality education.
    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    The Global Compact on Refugees and its integrated global programme of action provided an opportunity to enhance the quality and inclusiveness of national education systems, facilitating access to education for children and youth from refugees and host community alike. In line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 (inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all), and as a member of the SDG education 2030 Steering Committee, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) advocated for the inclusion of forcibly displaced people into the agenda of all regional SDG 4 meetings in 2018. This resulted in regional and global commitments for the inclusion of refugees, IDPs, asylum-seekers and stateless children and youth in education systems.

    UNHCR leveraged a variety of partnerships including Education Cannot Wait and the Global Partnership for Education to advocate and support refugee-inclusive multi-year national education planning processes. For example, national action plans were developed in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda and Zambia together with experts from ministries of education and civil society partners to improve collaboration across humanitarian and development planning processes for improved quality and access to education for refugee and host community children and youth. In East Africa, a second directors of planning meeting of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Ministries of Education worked with UNHCR, the European Union and other partners to develop plans to support the systematic inclusion of refugees into national services across the region by 2020.

    Since the last reporting period, the number of school-age refugee children increased by 1 million worldwide. By the end of 2018, targeted programmes resulted in the enrolment of an additional 200,000 children (almost 50 per cent girls) into primary education across twelve countries. Strengthened collaboration and partnerships with ministries of education has been central to this endeavour.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Education Cannot Wait
    2. 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
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    • Some 4 million refugee children remained out of school in 2018.
    • Refugee girls at secondary level were only half as likely to enroll in school as their male peers, even though girls make up 50 per cent of the school-age refugee population.

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

    • National and local systems must be strengthened for refugee inclusion, with all actors investing in systems rather than setting up separate programmes. 
    • Education financing/coordination needs greater coherence in addressing forced displacement.
    • Enabling refugee girls to get access to quality education requires action right across the board – from national education ministries and teacher training institutions, to communities and classrooms.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Education, Strengthening local systems

  • 3G
    Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR will contribute to the development and implementation of global guidelines on inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action.
    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • UNHCR will strengthen partnership with organizations of persons with disabilities.
    • Partnership
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was the sponsor of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Task Team on inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action and actively contributed to the drafting of global guidelines on the topic, including as a member of the 'core team' for guidelines development.

    UNHCR engaged with the International Disability Alliance (IDA) in developing the Global Compact on Refugees, which contributed to mainstreaming the rights of persons with disabilities through the Compact. In order to facilitate engagement by diverse groups of persons with disabilities in the process of developing the Global Compact on Refugees, UNHCR produced an 'easy-to-read' version of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants.

    UNHCR finalized an e-learning on working with persons with disabilities in forced displacement, which includes substantial content on promoting participation by persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in all areas of programming.

    UNHCR also welcomed the participation of representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities in the 2018 NGO Consultations and High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges.

     

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
    2. 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
    • Human resources/capacity
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Limited technical capacity on disability inclusion within the humanitarian sector is affecting on mainstreaming efforts. While guidance exists and is being further developed, implementation requires dedicated resourcing and practical support to humanitarian actors.  

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

    Dedicated resourcing, including technical capacity, is needed to advance on disability inclusion in humanitarian action. Further, there is a need to strengthen links between humanitarian organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities (DPOs) and to build the capacity of DPOs to meaningfully engage in humanitarian action.

    Keywords

    Disability, Displacement

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

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR commits to facilitating faster, more efficient and accountable emergency response that is founded upon collaborative analysis and supports local and national actors and communities, through the prioritization of emergency preparedness actions.



    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • UNHCR commits to scale up cash assistance where appropriate, with the aim to double the amount of funds programmed for cash-based interventions in aid delivery by the end of 2020. UNHCR has developed and will continue to enhance its internal capacity and evidence base to identify the best delivery models with maximum costs effectiveness and impact, while mitigating the risks and ensuring coordination with other actors.
    • Financial
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (6)

    • 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 reinforce national and local leadership and capacities in managing disaster and climate-related risks through strengthened preparedness and predictable response and recovery arrangements.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to increase investment in building community resilience as a critical first line of response, with the full and effective participation of women.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to ensure regional and global humanitarian assistance for natural disasters complements national and local efforts.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance aimed to address the differentiated needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises in fragile situations and complex emergencies, including increasing cash-based programming in situations where relevant.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Strengthening national/local leadership and systems

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) disbursed USD 1.194 billion to NGO partners in 2018, including USD 554.7 million to 666 national NGOs. UNHCR systematically conducted preparedness and contingency planning in partnership with local partners. UNHCR's participatory approach to emergency preparedness ensures that local partners, authorities, communities and persons of concern are actively included in emergency preparedness activities. These include capacity building and reinforcing of their emergency response capacities. In 2018, UNHCR undertook four preparedness missions to Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia and facilitated four situational emergency trainings in Burundi, Iran, Libya, Iran and Tajikistan with the participation of local governments and NGO partners.

    To support State-led efforts to plan and implement a multi-stakeholder approach in early warning and preparedness in line with the Global Compact on Refugees, UNHCR initiated a revision of its preparedness guidance to integrate development and other non-traditional partnerships and approaches.

    Last, the number of UNHCR's partners in emergency responses globally increased from 246 in 2017 to 278 in 2018.

    Cash-based programming

    In 2018, UNHCR continued to make strategic use of cash assistance to allow people of concern to meet essential needs at all phases of displacement. The amount of cash assistance increased in 2018, including in emergencies contexts, and was used across different sectors, such as education, shelter and livelihoods. UNHCR expanded its use of cash-based interventions, mainly in the form of multi-purpose cash grants. In 2018, the Office delivered USD 568 million in cash assistance to some of the most vulnerable people of concern in 100 operations, representing an overall increase of 13 per cent from 2017, resulting in a wider impact on increasing self-reliance of beneficiaries while contributing to the local economy in host communities. The Office therefore remains on track to meet its commitment made at the Summit to double the amount of funds programmed for cash-based interventions in aid delivery by end of 2020 (USD 325 million in 2015 vs. USD 568 million in 2018).

    Working in partnership enhanced the cost-efficiency and effectiveness of cash delivery, eliminating the duplication of assessments, targeting and monitoring. In this light, UNHCR, along with OCHA, UNICEF and WFP committed in 2018 to a common cash system to deliver assistance.

    People-centered approaches (feedback mechanisms, community engagement, etc)

    UNHCR applies an age, gender and diversity (AGD) approach in all its work. The AGD approach allows for the inclusion and equal enjoyment of rights by all people of concern with diverse age, gender, disability, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and other characteristics.

    In March 2018, UNHCR updated its AGD Policy, which aims to ensure that the voices, perspectives and priorities of people of concern are at the centre of decisions that affect their lives. The Policy outlines 10 core actions, strengthens accountability to affected people (AAP), and advances gender equality. It also includes enhanced monitoring and reporting mechanisms and assigns clear responsibilities from the highest levels of management through to field operations.

    Achieving AGD goals requires a community-based protection approach, working collaboratively with women, girls, men and boys as equal partners to enhance their protection. This approach has proven effective in promoting social cohesion among communities, advancing AAP, enhancing the identification of people and communities at heightened risk, and engaging communities in addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), gender inequality, child protection issues, and the exclusion of marginalized groups. UNHCR issued detailed planning instructions for 2019, which required that programmes are based on a sound AGD analysis.

    Adherence to quality and accountability standards (e.g. CHS, SPHERE)

    UNHCR continued to co-chair the IASC Task Team on Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), including prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA). In this capacity, the Office worked to:

    • Foster a culture of accountability and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse at all levels of the humanitarian system.
    • Encourage institutionalisation of AAP and PSEA within humanitarian organizations, including local and national NGOs, INGOs, Red Cross Red Crescent movement and UN Agencies;
    • Support operationalisation of AAP and PSEA at collective level as well as individual agency level.

    The Task Team notably supported over 50 country operations through its Helpdesk and support function; developed a leadership training module on PSEA, which was piloted in Somalia, and finalized 71 translations of the IASC six core PSEA principles.

    UNHCR was also part of the discussion to develop a localisation marker and endorsed it. Prior to introduction of the marker, UNHCR already had a system in place to track funding allocated to local and national partners.  

     

    Other

    UNHCR has continued to engage in the reflection and implementation of the new way of working. UNHCR is engaged both at global and country levels to contribute to the reflection. The High Commissioner is a member of the Joint Steering Committee to advance humanitarian and development collaboration and the Office actively engaged in the IASC Task Teams on Strengthening the humanitarian-development nexus. At country level, the UN Secretary-General highlighted the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) as one of the most concrete expressions of the new way of working.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Grand Bargain
    • New Way of Working
    2. 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
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    • Human resources/capacity
    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Further advocacy for joint planning and the implementation of complementary assistance programmes is required to ultimately ensure a wider coverage of needs.

    Keywords

    Cash, Gender, Humanitarian-development nexus, Local action, People-centred approach, PSEA, Quality and accountability standards, Strengthening local systems

  • 4B
    Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR commits to strengthening its analytical framework and data collection systems to provide data and information, subject to a robust and effective framework for data privacy, in a standardized, structured manner so that it is actionable by others and by UNHCR, informs protection and programme decisions, measures impact and tracks interventions.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Disaster risk data collection/analysis

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) led or participated in at least 128 joint multi-sectoral assessments throughout 2018. Forty-six per cent of these assessments were led or co-led by UNHCR (up from 32 per cent in the previous reporting period). In 2018, UNHCR signed a Data Sharing agreement with WFP to support responsible, predictable, and reciprocal sharing of data for specific purposes based on strong data protection principles. The Agencies agree not to duplicate data collection to better collaborate in planning and analysing needs assessments, ensuring efficiencies and effective use of resources. 

    In 2018, UNHCR uploaded or updated 1,553 datasets on the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX), all of which can be accessed publicly and used in needs analysis. UNHCR is developing a closer relationship with REACH to provide additional independent capacity to joint needs assessments. UNHCR has partnered with the Joint IDP Profiling Service (JIPS) to deliver joint, statistically representative and transparent profiling of populations' needs. In 2018, the joint UNHCR-REACH Area-Based Approach was piloted in Uganda and the Area Based Approach Toolkit was released.  It innovates joint needs assessment in participatory mapping and social network analysis

    Preparedness

    2018 marked the first full year of implementation of UNHCR’s 2017 Policy on Emergency Preparedness and Response. The revised Policy’s emphasis on proactive, dynamic and operations-driven early warning and preparedness resulted in 63 countries being assessed to be at medium-to-high risk of a refugee and/or IDP emergency in the near future, using UNHCR’s early warning, risk monitoring analysis and preparedness system (HALEP). Concerned countries were placed on a high alert watch list for additional institutional attention and appropriate support to boost preparedness and capacity levels.

    UNHCR actively participated in the IASC Reference Group on Risk, Early Warning and Preparedness and related initiatives, such as the IASC Early Warning Early Action and Readiness analysis published in June and November 2018 informing the IASC Emergency Directors Group's "horizon scanning" exercise, where early actions around risks of very high concern were identified. The Office also participated in the Secretary General’s Regional Monthly Reviews and the INFORM Risk Management and Crisis Severity initiatives.  

    Disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management (including resilience)

    UNHCR seeks to contribute to international processes and discussions aimed at strengthening efforts in relation to disaster risk reduction. As a core member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Task Force on displacement, mandated by the Paris Agreement to develop recommendations on integrated approaches to avert, minimize and address displacement related to climate change, UNHCR contributed in 2018 to the development of practical guidance on disaster displacement and disaster risk reduction (DRR). It also contributed to the "Words into Action" Guide issued to support implementation of the Sendai Framework for DRR and took part in discussions on disaster risk reduction where relevant within the scope of the Platform on Disaster Displacement. UNHCR's operational activity in refugee settlements and communities also assesses environment-related risks and  seeks to reduce them, along with environmental impacts of refugee settlements more broadly.

    Other

    In 2018, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner continued to work on the revision of its results-based management (RBM) system. A May 2018 stock take helped reset the direction of the project with a stronger focus on country-level flexibility, measuring outcomes and impact, and using RBM to advance UNHCR’s commitment to greater evidence-based planning. The RBM project aims to do six things:

    1. Be people centric, by focusing on how UNHCR and others' actions contribute to changing the wellbeing of persons of concern.
    2. Focus on outcomes and impact, including through joint processes and data collection.
    3. Empower the field by providing country offices with the flexibility to develop context-specific indicators.
    4. Improve collaboration and partnership, by investing in multi-year planning with partners and focusing on measuring collective outcomes.
    5. Support organizational changes processes, including the ongoing regionalization, empowerment of the field and process simplification.
    6. Enhance transparency and accountability, including by building in new feedback and data streams.
    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • New Way of Working
    • Platform on Disaster Displacement
    2. 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
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    • Actors need to develop results framework that will allow for greater flexibility to develop context-specific theories of change that align with national priorities and inter-agency frameworks.
    • Further coordination, collaboration and pooling of expertise among states, international and national actors in the area of disaster risk reduction is required, notably as regards to displacement and ways to limit or mitigate its negative effects.

    Keywords

    Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction, Displacement, Preparedness

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

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR commits to pursuing the institutional changes needed to facilitate multi-year protection and solutions strategies and programming in partnership with humanitarian and development actors, as well as to building a robust capacity to engage effectively with development actors.

    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • UNHCR commits to support the Global Humanitarian Lab (GHL) to promote bottom-up innovation and increase collaboration across the humanitarian sector and partners in order to incubate, make and accelerate innovation to meet and reduce humanitarian needs, in particular those of forcibly displaced persons.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • UNHCR commits to the policy commitments under the Urban Crisis Charter developed by the Global Alliance for Urban Crisis. UNHCR will advocate for the principles outlined in the Charter and aim to transform them into action. UNHCR will also contribute to the Action Plan of the Global Alliance in collaboration with partners.


    • Policy
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • UNHCR supports the Global Alliance for Humanitarian Innovation (GAHI) to accelerate transformative improvements for humanitarian action by enabling and creating a shared space for the development, use, and scaling-up of innovative tools, approaches, and partnerships, for the global community to more effectively meet humanitarian needs.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis and planning towards collective outcomes

    In 2018, UNHCR contributed to field-driven initiatives to identify and work towards collective outcomes, allowing UNHCR and its partners to capitalize on comparative advantages and mandates, transcending longstanding silos, with a positive impact on operations, such as in Chad, Mauritania, the Sahel, Ukraine. A key objective remained for UNHCR to ensure ensure that protection stays central to these efforts, be they from a humanitarian, development or peace angle.

    In 2018, UNHCR conducted a lessons learned exercise to document the experience of the 22 operations where multi-year multi-partner (MYMP) planning was introduced. The outcome of this exercise shows the need for UNHCR to update or change its existing systems. Through strengthened systems, tools and guidance, MYMP approaches will be better monitored and evaluated, including the use of a theory of change and greater focus on outcomes.

    The pursuance of MYMP strategies has been bolstered by the development of the Solutions Capital Initiative, a donor pact launched in November 2018, aiming to catalyse the implementation of MYMP strategies in five specific operations (Costa Rica; Ecuador; Ghana; Kenya, and Malawi).

    Under its mandated responsibilities, UNHCR has been playing a catalytic role on joint analysis and planning towards collective outcomes in refugee situations through comprehensive refugee responses in Afghanistan, Central America, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Uganda, Zambia.

    Other

    The most recent figures show that 63 per cent of refugees worldwide reside outside of camps while 37 per cent reside in camps or camp-like settings. With more than half of the world’s refugees living in urban areas, city or municipal administrations are being recognized as some of the most important stakeholders in the delivery of protection and assistance to people of concern to UNHCR. Recognizing the intrinsic link between urban and out-of-camp responses, on building upon existing infrastructure and ensuring a strong links with host communities, UNHCR tackled challenges on the policy and operational fronts, looking to provide integrated support to national and local governments.

    The High Commissioner’s 2018 Dialogue focused on protection and solutions in urban settings and was organized around the key areas of focus of the Global Compact on Refugees. The Dialogue broadened the focus of discussions to encompass both humanitarian and development perspectives on displacement in urban areas. In the spirit of a “whole-of-society” approach, the Dialogue also provided an opportunity for different segments of society to showcase their unique contributions to comprehensive refugee responses in urban settings. The Dialogue was instrumental in renewing the Office’s commitment to working closely with organizations such as UN-Habitat on urban shelter and settlement guidance in 2019.  

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Global Alliance for Urban Crises
    • Grand Bargain
    • New Way of Working
    2. 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
    • Human resources/capacity
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Preventing and responding to violations and neglect of human rights does not often sufficiently feature in the formulation of collective outcomes.

     

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

    Due importance should be accorded to protection and human rights in the overall formulation of collective outcomes.

    Urban responses call for actors to build upon existing infrastructure and ensure strong linkages with host communities. Integrated support to national and local governments requires predictable and effective leadership/coordination as well as considerable resources to invest in longer term/sustainable infrastructure.

     

    Keywords

    Humanitarian-development nexus, Protection, Urban

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR commits to expand its investment in institutional capacity building of national partners, and to support effective emergency preparedness and response by engaging proactively with first responders at the local level as leaders and equal partners and fostering their participation in the coordination mechanisms.
    • Capacity
    • 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Capacity building of national/local actors

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner's for Refugees' (UNHCR) participatory approach to emergency preparedness ensures that local partners, authorities, communities and persons of concern are actively included in emergency preparedness activities. These include capacity building and reinforcing of their emergency response capacities to be ready to withstand a potential emergency. In 2018, UNHCR undertook four preparedness missions to Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia and facilitated four situational emergency trainings in Burundi, Iran, Libya and Tajikistan with the participation of local government and NGO partners.

    National authorities and local partners also participated in UNHCR-led emergency trainings, such as Situational Emergency Trainings in Benin, Burundi and Tunisia, Regional Emergency Management Training in Dubai, and Emergency Management Training for the Economic Community of West African States in Nigeria.

    Furhtermore, UNHCR's Regional Centre for Emergency Preparedness (“eCentre”) in Bangkok conducted 17 training workshops and simulation exercises in 2018, engaging 574 humanitarian practitioners from 31 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including government officials and local NGO staff.

    Last, the number of UNHCR's partners in emergency responses globally increased from 246 in 2017 to 278 in 2018.  

    Direct funding to national/local actors

    In 2018, UNHCR allocated USD 1.407 billion to 1,077 partners, which included national and international NGOs, governments, and UN Agencies. Of that, some USD 1.194 billion, or 85 per cent, was provided to NGOs, including USD 554.7 million to 666 national NGOs. UNHCR moved closer to its Grand Bargain target of providing 25 per cent of its programme expenditures to local and national responders by 2020. 

    In 2018, the number of UNHCR's local and national partners was the highest ever recorded (865).

    Addressing blockages/challenges to direct investments at the national/local level

    UNHCR continued its efforts to enhance partnership management processes, which have led to an increase in the number of local and national NGOs participating in UNHCR's operations and the funds entrusted to them. UNHCR’s Partner Portal was converted into an inter-agency portal in November 2018. It supports common due diligence processes that reduce the administrative burden on partners and enhance efficiency as they only need to register once to access three of the largest UN Agencies (UNHCR, UNICEF, and WFP). Since the conversion took place, 26 new partners entered into partnership agreements with UNHCR. The Office and UNICEF also harmonized their auditing method for common partners, using a risk-based approach established by UNHCR.

    In addition, the Guidance Note on Complementary Capacity Strengthening was revised and provided information on good practices and suggestions on how mutual collaboration can be fostered between international organizations (UNHCR and international NGOs) and national/local partners, to reinforce local capacities.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Grand Bargain
    • New Way of Working
    2. 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)
    Keywords

    Emergency Response, Local action, Preparedness, Transparency / IATI

  • 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
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched the Risk Management 2.0 initiative in late 2017, to strengthen the Office’s approach to managing risk with the aim of further enhancing the integrity and effectiveness of UNHCR's programmes and addressing the root causes of corruption and fraud. This initiative builds on UNHCR’s organizational Risk Management Policy (2014), which formalises top-down and bottom-up risk identification and assessment processes.

    In 2018, UNHCR made considerable progress in strengthening risk management across the Organization. Risk management staffing capacity has been reinforced in both the field and at headquarters.  Risk management network has grown from three risk management positions in 2017 to 23 in 2019. In addition, 280 risk focal points and back-ups in all operations and divisions, constitutes a second, wider risk management network.

    Work also continued in raising awareness, building knowledge through trainings, assessments and by embedding risk management in the Office’s day-to-day activities and processes. Dedicated risk management is integrated into training and learning initiatives, and is a key consideration at all stages of the operations management cycle. In this regard, 220 staff have gone through in-depth, face-to-face risk management trainings organized by the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) unit, and close to 2,000 staff have completed the dedicated ERM e-Learning. 

    A key indicator of success in 2018 was that all UNHCR entities, both in the field and HQ, carried out an annual risk assessment as an integral part of the planning process for the upcoming year. The results of this process enhanced country-level planning and informed the revision of UNHCR’s Strategic Risk Register (SRR) by the High Commissioner and the Senior Executive Team. The SRR, capturing major risk trends stemming from the corporate risk register and global trends, enables UNHCR to manage risks in a proactive and transparent manner in support of the achievement of organizational objectives.

    2. 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
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    • Human resources/capacity
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Building the human resource capacity to bring risk management forward is key.

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

    • Systematically embed risk management into regular processes and programmes (e.g. the planning process, the learning programmes, policy development, etc.);
    • Develop and implement an internal and external communications strategy about risk management;
    • Improve the quality of risk management processes and quality of risk registers;
    • Proactively share lessons learnt and best practices in risk management.

    Keywords

    Transparency / IATI

  • 5D
    Finance outcomes, not fragmentation: shift from funding to financing

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to enable coherent financing that avoids fragmentation by supporting collective outcomes over multiple years, supporting those with demonstrated comparative advantage to deliver in context.
    • 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
    • Commit to broaden and adapt the global instruments and approaches to meet urgent needs, reduce risk and vulnerability and increase resilience, without adverse impact on humanitarian principles and overall action (as also proposed in Round Table on "Changing Lives").
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) relies on early, predictable and unrestricted donor funding to provide uninterrupted protection and assistance to populations of concern. The Office encourages donors to consider the use of un-earmarked funding, which allows UNHCR to respond quickly to emerging challenges and also to invest in innovation.

    In 2018, despite Grand Bargain commitments, the trend remains towards greater earmarking from donors, with 67 per cent, or USD 2.768 billion, of UNHCR’s income earmarked or tightly earmarked. Flexible funding -un-earmarked and softly earmarked funding- came to USD 1.372 billion, but declined to 33 per cent from 35 per cent in 2017. Unearmarked funding, which is contributed without restrictions on its use, came to USD 617.4 million from 81 donors. This was an increase of nearly 5 per cent on the USD 588.7 million received in 2017. 

    Regarding reporting, all weekly funding updates for operations or situations published on Global Focus include information on all donors providing unearmarked funding (information is made available both for UNHCR operations and external audiences). In June 2018, UNHCR published "2017 use of unearmarked funds" report. One donor made a statement at UNHCR Standing Committee that it was due to this publication that they could justify increasing un-earmarked funding.  

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Grand Bargain
    2. 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)
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The trend remains towards greater earmarking.

    Keywords

    Transparency / IATI

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • UNHCR commits to minimize the links in the humanitarian funding chain and transfer at least 25 per cent of its programme expenditures to the national first responders by the end of 2020.  



    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity
    • UNHCR has undergone a decade of reforms to reduce the share of management costs and to maximize the proportion of humanitarian funding for direct assistance to beneficiaries. UNHCR commits to further reduce the costs of procurement and logistics by 10 per cent by the end of 2020 through the use of shared services with partner agencies.
    • Operational
    • Invest in Humanity
    • UNHCR subscribes to the collective commitments under the Grand Bargain, including inter alia:
      - To publish open data allowing traceability of donors' funding throughout the transaction chain;
      - To use technology and innovation, including digital platforms, green technology and biometrics to reduce the costs of delivering assistance;
      - To undertake coordinated joint needs assessment and continue sharing evidence-based needs assessment data;
      - To continue to strengthen the engagement with and accountability to the communities affected by crises;
      - To harmonize and simplify reporting requirements by the end of 2018.
    • Policy
    • 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. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Detailed information on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR) follow-up to its Grand Bargain commitments are available in the separate Grand Bargain report.

    Increasing number of Global Framework Agreements (GFA) are shared amongst different UN agencies to benefit from existing procurement arrangement and to avoid new tender. The Common Procurement Activities Group (CPAG) composed with UN and other international organizations in Geneva promote joint procurement. UNHCR shared 65 of its GFAs with other UN agencies. Out of which, 28 of them were used by other agencies for IT and non-food items procurement. WHO, UNFPA, UNIDO and UN Women used UNHCR's light vehicle fleet contracts. UNHCR used seven GFAs from other UN agencies. Compared to the 2015 baseline, there was an average 7 per cent reduction of UNHCR's main category spend.​ UNHCR's operations in Africa and MENA most utilized joint procurement mechanisms with a volume of USD 20 million using 35 existing framework from other agencies in the areas of staff travel, security services, financial service providers for cash-based interventions and joint medical services. UNHCR Kenya and UN Office in Nairobi used common staff travel and duty free fuel supply.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Grand Bargain
    2. B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    More details are provided in UNHCR's self-report on Grand Bargain commitments.

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

    More details are provided in UNHCR's self-report on Grand Bargain commitments.

    Keywords

    Transparency / IATI

Attachments

  • UNHCR 2018_Additional reporting in 3A
    Transformation - 3A | Displacement