Error message

Notice: Undefined offset: 1 in drupal_settings_initialize() (line 802 of /backup/agenda/public_html/includes/bootstrap.inc).

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.

Expand All

  • 1A
    Demonstrate timely, coherent and decisive political leadership

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    Canada promotes compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law as a matter of priority in the UN General Assembly and ECOSOC resolutions on humanitarian issues, several of which Canada customarily co-sponsors. In 2018, Canada focused its efforts on promoting women as agents of change, protecting language on sexual and reproductive health and rights, introducing new language on non-communicable diseases in emergency situations, and bolstering references to full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. Canada also advocated for the inclusion of strong language on the protection from sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian UN resolutions in 2018.

    During its 2018 G7 Presidency, Canada successfully championed a G7 Foreign Ministers commitment on Promoting Implementation of International Humanitarian Law.

    Canada successfully advocated for the inclusion of age, gender, and diversity considerations in the recently endorsed Global Compact on Refugees in order to better protect and empower vulnerable refugees, affirm international legal obligations, and increase international cooperation to better enable comprehensive refugee responses.

    Canada actively participated, at the ambassadorial level, in the May 2018 Security Council open debates on the Protection of Civilians and on Upholding International Law, and reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to lead efforts to enhance the protection of civilians and the rules-based international order. Canada also called on the UNSC to clearly condemn direct and indiscriminate attacks against civilians, and demand that parties to armed conflict comply with their IHL obligations and the Council’s resolutions.

    In June 2018, at the Charlevoix G7 Leaders' Summit, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with other donors, announced an investment of close to $3.8 billion CAD towards improving access for women and girls and reducing barriers to quality education around the world. This commitment represented the single largest investment in education for women and girls in crisis and conflict situations. 

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

    Accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law remains a significant challenge for the international community. Canada will continue to call for the full, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access, and speak out against violations of international law.

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

    The United Nations and its Member States should continue to explore how to move from a culture of reacting to conflict to one of conflict prevention and sustaining peace, particularly on the ground.

    Keywords

    Education, Gender

  • 1B
    Act early

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    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.

    In August 2016, Canada launched a $450 million commitment over three years for its Peace and Stabalization Operations Program (PSOPs), which leads stabilization and fragile states policy; coordinates whole-of-government responses to conflicts and crises around the world; and supports targeted stabilization programming in, and deployments to, fragile and conflict-affected states. PSOPs works to strengthen the UN system in collaboration with key government partners. For example, from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019, through PSOPs, Canada provided CAD $83.75M million to support early warning/conflict prevention, peacebuilding and mediation activities in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Canada committed to provide $15M to the UN Peacebuilding Fund which provides critical programming in the immediate aftermath of conflict as well as to support conflict prevention measures in 31 fragile and conflict affected states. To ensure rapid mediation capabilities are available to mitigate conflict and/or support emerging peace processes, Canada is also supporting both the UN Department of Political Affairs and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue’s surge capacities.

    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.
    • Other: Conflict prevention requires a multi-pronged approach and international coordinated leadership.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The increasingly complex nature of crises poses significant challenges to undertaking early warning and conflict prevention initiatives. International, coordinated leadership is needed to act early to stop potential conflicts from deterioration.

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

    Interventions in preventing, managing, or resolving violent conflict should be integrated to the extent possible. While it is important to address immediate causes and drivers of conflict, deeper factors contributing to conflict must also be considered.

  • 1C
    Remain engaged and invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    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.

    Throughout 2018, Canada worked toward delivering on pledges made during the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial (UNPKDM) that Canada hosted in Vancouver as a means of promoting effectiveness in UN peacekeeping operations. This work included:

    • Advancing the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peacekeeping Operations, including laying the groundwork for a dedicated multilateral funding mechanism to support the work;
    • Broadening the Member State endorsement base for the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers, as well as drafting Implementation Guidance for the Vancouver Principles – a strategic level document designed to assist endorsing Member States to implement the principles in their national systems;
    • Funding training activities to meet systemic UN needs;
    • Contributing police, military and civilian personnel for UN missions, notably in Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Haiti; and
    • Providing strategic capabilities to UN peacekeeping, such as the deployment of the Aviation Task Force Canada to Mali and Tactical Airlift Support being negotiated with the UN.

    Canada also demonstrated political leadership in addressing the root causes of conflict in several country contexts. In South Sudan, Canada supported the Fortifying Equality and Economic Diversity project in 2018, which aimed to reduce the risk of conflict by giving families the inputs and training support they need to feed themselves, thus reducing the risk of resource conflicts.

    In Colombia, Canada supported several initiatives to empower women and girls and help women succeed in the marketplace and increase their skills, which will be particularly important for peace stabilization. In particular, one of these initiatives supported the creation of a women's collective in the department of Tolima, in an effort to rebuild the social fabric in the department.

    In Syria, Canada empowers local Syrian voices by strengthening grassroots civil society networks, wih a focus on women community leaders.

    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.
    • Other: The increasingly complex nature of crises poses significant challenges to undertaking investments in stability to drive peace initiatives.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Canada recognizes that crises are becoming increasingly complex. Increased investments in stability need to be accompanied by political will and leadership to drive peace initiatives forward. This is especially true in inherently multilateral endeavours, such as the Elsie Initiative and the Vancouver Principles.

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

    Interventions in preventing, managing, or resolving violent conflict should be integrated to the extent possible. While it is important to address immediate causes and drivers of conflict, deeper factors contributing to conflict must also be considered.

    Keywords

    Gender

  • 1D
    Develop solutions with and for people

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Canada will renew its National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.


    • Policy
    • 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.

    In 2018, Canada continued to develop an implementation plan for its Policy for Civil Society Partnerships for International Assistance. Through this policy, Canada recognizes the importance of and aims to work with civil society organizations (CSOs) to achieve gender transformative change, and empower the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized people and communities, especially women and girls.

    Canada also continued to work with CSOs to advance gender-responsive humanitarian action. In 2018, Canada maintained regular dialogue with humanitarian CSO partners through the inclusion of CSO representatives on Canadian Delegations (e.g. during UNHCR's Executive Committee). Canada also played an active role in the UNHCR-led consultation process to develop the Global Compact on Refugees that included states and other stakeholders.

    Canada tabled its first Progress report under its renewed National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) for the period of 2017-2022. One of the Plan's main goals is to meet the needs of women and girls in humanitarian settings, including upholding their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). From April 1, 2017 to March 31 2018, Canada’s funding support for gender equality increased by 111%. In the same time period, Canada’s funding support for SRHR in fragile and conflict-affected states and humanitarian settings also increased by 129%. The concrete target to integrate gender equality into at least 80% of Canada’s humanitarian assistance was surpassed during the first year of the Plan (at 93%).

    Canada’s International Humanitarian Assistance Funding Application Guidelines for NGOs was also updated to require partners to align with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) 8 Minimum Operating Standards on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), in addition to having a code of conduct that is consistent with the 6 core principles of the IASC Plan for Action and Core Principles of Codes of Conduct on PSEA in Humanitarian Crises.

    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.
    • Other: Accountability for violations of international humanitarian law remains a significant challenge for the international community.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Humanitarian and development actors must make increased and concerted efforts to ensure that the needs of those affected by crises, including women and girls, are fully represented during all stages of program design and implementation.

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

    Canada’s National WPS Action Plan provides a framework for a cohesive whole-of-government approach and ensures that our activities in fragile and conflict-affected states align with our broader commitments such as gender equality, empowerment of women and girls, respect for women’s and girls’ human rights, and respect for diversity.

    Keywords

    Gender, PSEA

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

    Individual Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Canada commits to contributing to the collection of military best practice and policy to enhance the protection of civilians.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Canada is committed to enhancing child protection and has provided CAD $1 million in support to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict.
    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Canada is committed to enhancing child protection and has provided CAD $1 million to support the Child Protection Working Group.
    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Canada will adhere to and promote the Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians in the context of peacekeeping operations.
    • Advocacy
    • 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, Canada continued to support measures to tangibly enhance the protection of civilians, including through the financial commitments noted above, as well as through its work on the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations where Canada continues to strive to emphasize the importance of protection of civilians in UN Peacekeeping Operations.

    Since endorsing the Kigali Principles in May 2016, Canada continued to participate in high-level meetings of parties to expand endorsement and improve implementation of the Kigali Principles.

    Canada also contributed to staff planning, technical expertise, and lessons learned in support of UN bodies and NATO committees to develop military best practice and policy to enhance the protection of civilians.

    In 2018, Canada advanced the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers as a complement to existing instruments in the child protection domain. The Vancouver Principles, which has been endorsed by over 80 Member States, is a complement to both the Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians, and the Paris Principles and Commitments on Children and Armed Conflict. Canada also shepherded an international consultation process on advancing Implementation Guidance for the Vancouver Principles in order to assist member states to operationalize the principles in their respective national circumstances.

    During its G7 Presidency (2018), Canada successfully championed a G7 Foreign Ministers commitment on Promoting Implementation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). G7 Foreign Ministers committed to practical measures aimed at promoting partners' effective implementation of IHL. Specifically, the G7 will, as appropriate seek commitments from partners to enhance respect for IHL; continue to help increase the capacity of state and non-state partners to implement IHL; and assist partners in ensuring that their disciplinary and/or judicial structures are capable of effectively addressing their own IHL violations, should they occur.

    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.
    • Other: The protection of civilians is a whole of mission task requiring an integrated approach among military, police and civilian components.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    New mission mandates should be clear and include robust provisions concerning the protection of civilians where appropriate. They must be matched with the resources to carry them out effectively, recognizing that this is a whole of mission task that requires an integrated approach among military, police and civilians.

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

    The protection of civilians is key to most UN peacekeeping operations mandates. Contributing States should be upfront about any limitations on their personnel's ability to carry out mandates, as directed by the UN Security Council and under the leadership of Force and Policy Commanders, as this will assist the mission to adapt operations as the security environment changes.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

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

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Canada co-sponsored and supported UN Security Council resolution 2286 on Healthcare in Armed Conflict and will continue to advocate on this issue.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Canada is committed to promoting principled humanitarian action. It convenes dialogues with humanitarian civil society organizations on a regular basis and encourages concerted efforts to speak out and address the challenges faced by humanitarians in complex environments.
    • Partnership
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Canada is committed to providing timely and effective humanitarian assistance that respects the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.
    • Operational
    • 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.

    Since cosponsoring UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2286 in May 2016 on the protection of medical personnel and facilities in armed conflict, Canada has undertaken a number of measures to advance its implementation. Canada continues to co-lead, with Switzerland, an Informal Group on UNSCR 2286 based in Geneva. This group brings States together to mobilize international leadership for protecting medical missions. In 2018, Canada continued to prioritize high level advocacy events to raise awareness of the protection of medical missions in multilateral fora (United Nations General Assembly, ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment, World Health Assembly) whenever possible, including as an issue of concern for the health sector. Canada’s Minister of Health co-authored a letter, published in The Lancet on April 2018, to advocate for UNSCR 2286, which was followed by social media campaigns to promote support for UNSCR 2286 and to raise awareness of the importance of protecting medical personnel and facilities in 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.
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    • Other: Accountability for attacks against medical and humanitarian personnel remains a serious challenge for the international community.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Lack of accountability for violations of international humanitarian law is a significant barrier to consistent and even implementation of UNSCR 2286.

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

    Parties to armed conflict must acknowledge and take responsibility to act on their legal obligations. Countries should act upon the UN Secretary General's recommendations on UNSCR 2286. Other countries could also make similar undertakings to the 2018 G7's Foreign Ministers' IHL commitment.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2C
    Speak out on violations

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    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.

    As a supporter of the international human rights system, Canada works diligently to contribute to its effectiveness. Canada was proud to be among the top ten donors of the OHCHR in 2018, through the provision of CAD $15 million over three years in voluntary contributions.

    Canada also supports projects aimed at ensuring accountability for violations of international criminal and humanitarian law. In the context of Syria and Iraq, Canada is funding evidence collection, analysis and documentation efforts to support the future prosecution of Daesh.

    Canada continued to engage with the Syrian Commission of Inquiry, specifically on gender-based violence and regularly co-sponsored Syria focused human rights side-events on the margins of the Human Rights Council meetings. Canada also continued to engage and fund the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to support accountability for the use of chemical weapons.

    Canada worked to promote accountability for Daesh crimes in Iraq, and continued to support Coalition efforts to provide training on international humanitarian law to the Iraqi Security Forces. Canada also maintained a regular dialogue with Iraqi human rights defenders and with bodies such as the Iraqi Human Rights Commission in order to learn about cases of human rights violations.

    In 2018, on several occasions, Canada raised awareness of the worsening conditions in Yemen and the impact on civilians, publicly called for rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, and strongly urged all parties to the conflict to fully comply with international humanitarian law.

    In September 2018, Canada joined Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru in referring the situation in Venezuela to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged commission of crimes against humanity.

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

    Accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law remains a significant challenge for the international community. Strong and consistent efforts are needed to ensure respect for, and compliance with, international humanitarian and human rights law.

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

    State and non-state actors who are parties to armed conflict must acknowledge and take responsibility to act on their legal obligations. The establishment of an effective international mechanism aimed at improving compliance with international humanitarian law would advance this issue.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Joint Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the "UN Member States' Affirmation of the Importance of and Adherence to International Humanitarian Law".


    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Partners: USA, others

    • Canada is committed to becoming a State Party to the Arms Trade Treaty.



    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Partners: USA

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Canada announced renewed funding to support the ICRC's Special Appeal on Strengthening Response to Sexual Violence with a contribution of CAD $3 million (2016).
    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • As part of its revised commitments to the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Emergencies, Canada commits to provide dedicated multi-year funding toward GBV prevention and response in humanitarian contexts from 2017-2020, taking into account its importance at each phase of an emergency, from preparedness and onset through the transition to development. It also commits to strengthen and update existing guidance and tools -internal and external - on gender equality and GBV in humanitarian response. It will advocate for gender equality considerations and prevention and response to gender-based violence in international forum relevant to humanitarian contexts.
    • Financial
    • 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

    Canada supports projects aimed at ensuring accountability for violations of international criminal and humanitarian law. Diplomatically, Canada raised frequent condemnations of ongoing violations of international humanitarian law and major international human rights violations in fora on the Syrian Crisis as well as raising concerns systematically bilaterally with regional partners.

    In 2018, on several occasions, Canada also raised awareness of the worsening conditions in Yemen and the impact on civilians, publicly called for rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, and strongly urged all parties to the conflict to fully comply with international humanitarian law.

    In September 2018, Canada also joined Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru in referring the situation in Venezuela to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged commission of crimes against humanity.

    Canada continues to advance a regular dialogue among States to strengthen respect for international humanitarian law. In 2018, Canada continued to engage with NATO allies to see how the alliance can contribute to the promotion of international humanitarian law.

    During its 2018 G7 Presidency, Canada successfully championed a G7 Foreign Ministers commitment on Promoting Implementation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). As part of this commitment, the G7 will seek commitments from partners to enhance respect for IHL, and continue to help increase the capacity of State and non-state partners to implement IHL. 

    Other

    In 2018, Canada responded to country- specific issues of concern– such as in Syria, Myanmar, Ukraine, Mali, Iraq, Venezuela, Yemen and others—by providing diplomatic leadership, issuing statements calling for compliance with international law, including full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access; condemning incidents where humanitarian personnel and facilities have been attacked; recalling legal and democratic obligations; and demanding accountability for atrocities and gross violations of human rights. For example, Canada was a member of the core group on the Human Rights Council resolution on Yemen which renewed the mandate of the group of eminent experts to allow it to gain access to the territory to conduct its work. Canada continued to support, including financially, accountability efforts, particularly in Syria, Iraq, and Myanmar.

    Canada is taking the final steps to accede to the Arms Trade Treaty and anticipates becoming a member before the end of 2019.

    Gender-based violence prevention and response

    Canada supported advocacy and coordination for strengthened prevention and response of gender-based violence (GBV) in emergencies as co-chair of the States and Donors Working Group of the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in 2018 and became lead of this global multi-stakeholder initiative on January 1, 2019.

    In terms of GBV programming, Canada’s funding to UNFPA in Syria and the region (CAD $32.4M) helped provide reproductive health services to 637,821 women, girls, boys and men in 2018. Approximately 200 sexual and reproductive health mobile and static facilities throughout the region were also supported, providing prevention and response services to those at-risk of GBV.

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

    The under-recognition that the prevention of and response to GBV in emergencies is a life-saving activity and continued violations of international humanitarian and human rights law are ongoing challenges for the international community in achieving this transformation. 

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

    To ensure more accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, states and non-state actors who are parties to armed conflict must acknowledge and take responsibility to act on their legal obligations.

    To achieve system-level change and improve humanitarian outcomes, more efforts need to be taken to prevent and mitigate GBV from the start of humanitarian emergencies.

    Keywords

    Gender, IHL compliance and accountability

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

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • As part of a joint commitment initiated by Austria and Chile, Canada pledges to continue to promote ratification of and accession to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention by States. It remains gravely concerned about the continued use of anti-personnel mines and strongly condemns any such use by any actor. It further pledges to uphold its commitment to meet the humanitarian goal of the Convention - a world free from the use and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines, and to put an end to the suffering caused by anti-personnel mines through their complete eradication.


    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Partners: Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Luxemburg, Germany, Guatemala, Serbia, Slovenia, Thailand, Paraguay, Peru, Sweden, Ukraine and Chile.

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in 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.

    Canada advocates for the universalization of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Convention) at the UN General Assembly and in all Convention multilateral meetings. Canada also continues to actively participate in the Coordinating Committee of the Ottawa Convention to advance the aspirational goal of a mine-free world. Since signing the Treaty, Canada has funded mine action in 60 countries. Over the past decade, Canada has contributed CAD $180 million to mine action, including mine clearance (of anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions, explosive remnants of war & unexploded ordnance), stockpile destruction, advocacy, victims' assistance and mine risk education. In 2017/18 Canada spent CAD $15.7 million on mine action projects in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Colombia, Iraq, Lao PDR, Sri Lanka, Syria and Ukraine, and has committed an additional CAD $19.8 million in the 2018/19 fiscal year for this work. In addition to these funding commitments to mine-affected states, the Weapons Threat Reduction Program has committed more than CAD $3 million over three years (2018-21) for implementation support of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). Additionally, at the 2017 Ottawa Convention Meeting of States Parties, Canada co-hosted a side-event on Women’s Empowerment through Mine Action with the Gender and Mine Action Programme, and joined Australia and Ireland in supporting the Women in Disarmament Youth Leaders Forum. Furthermore, at the National Mine Action Directors Meeting, Canada moderated a plenary panel on gender and mine 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.
    • Other: Canada remains concerned by allegations involving the use of antipersonnel mines by States Parties to the Convention and by non-state actors.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Canada are concerned by the new use of antipersonnel mines by some States not party to the Convention, and by non-State armed groups. Canada condemn any use of anti-personnel mines and call on any States that are using them to cease and to join the Ottawa Convention without delay.

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

    Canada are particularly alarmed by the reported third consecutive year of exceptionally high global mine casualties. These facts underline the importance of support for mine action and cooperating where possible. Increased transparency, accountability, and stakeholder coordination can build stronger, longer-term stakeholder relationships in order to support our work towards a mine-free world.

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Over the next three years, Canada commits to provide CAD $1.1 billion to help people affected by conflict in the Middle East and to build capacity in the communities and countries hosting large numbers of refugees, such as Lebanon and Jordan ($840 million and $270 million in humanitarian and development funding, respectively, 2016-2018).



    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Canada commits to resettle more refugees. Its target for 2016 is to resettle 44,800 refugees from around the world. This is triple the number of refugees Canada has settled in recent years.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Noting the progress achieved by the Protection Agenda of the Nansen Initiative, Canada commits to continue to address the protection needs of people displaced across borders in the context of disasters and climate change at relevant levels through our active engagement within the new Platform on Disaster Displacement.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new approach to addressing forced displacement that not only meets immediate humanitarian needs but reduces vulnerability and improves the resilience, self-reliance and protection of refugees and IDPs. Commit to implementing this new approach through coherent international, regional and national efforts that recognize both the humanitarian and development challenges of displacement. Commit to take the necessary political, policy, legal and financial steps required to address these challenges for the specific context.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to promote and support safe, dignified and durable solutions for internally displaced persons and refugees. Commit to do so in a coherent and measurable manner through international, regional and national programs and by taking the necessary policy, legal and financial steps required for the specific contexts and in order to work towards a target of 50 percent reduction in internal displacement by 2030.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Acknowledge the global public good provided by countries and communities which are hosting large numbers of refugees. Commit to providing communities with large numbers of displaced population or receiving large numbers of returnees with the necessary political, policy and financial, support to address the humanitarian and socio-economic impact. To this end, commit to strengthen multilateral financing instruments. Commit to foster host communities' self-reliance and resilience, as part of the comprehensive and integrated approach outlined in core commitment 1.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to collectively work towards a Global Compact on responsibility-sharing for refugees to safeguard the rights of refugees, while also effectively and predictably supporting States affected by such movements.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to actively work to uphold the institution of asylum and the principle of non-refoulement. Commit to support further accession to and strengthened implementation of national, regional and international laws and policy frameworks that ensure and improve the protection of refugees and IDPs, such as the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol or the AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala convention) or the Guiding Principles on internal displacement.
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. 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

    In 2018, Canada continued to make progress in implementing its commitments to address forced displacement. Canada expanded its humanitarian-development nexus programming from the Middle East to other contexts to better meet the needs of refugees and host communities. For example, Canada worked with the World Bank and the Government of Bangladesh to implement an innovative mechanism (de-risking loans) in support of health, nutrition, and basic education services for Rohingya refugees. Canada also works closely with international partners to offer refugee protection to those most in need. Canada provided CAD$ 95.6 million in funding support to UNHCR in 2018 to respond to the urgent needs of refugees and other persons of concern. Canada also led the world in resettlement, resettling a total of 27,796 refugees, including over 8,099 government-assisted refugees and over 18,559 privately-sponsored refugees. Canada also actively engaged in the consultations to develop the Global Compact on Refugees, and strongly supported its adoption in December 2018.

    Canada also continued to contribute to the implementation of the Joint Plan of Action on Promoting International Protection in North America in which Canada is working with UNHCR, United States, and Mexico to strengthen asylum systems across Latin America.

    IDPs (due to conflict, violence, and disaster)

    Canada continues to support a coordinated interagency approach to IDP protection and assistance. This includes working with other donors and humanitarian actors to protect and provide for the basic needs of IDPs. In addition to funding provided to UNHCR as mentioned above, Canada provided CAD$17.4 million in 2018 to support the work of IOM, including responses to internal displacement. Canada also supported many NGO responses to displacement crises. For instance, in 2018, with GAC's support, Save the Children Canada provided immediate lifesaving protection and nutrition services to 92,199 conflict-affected girls and boys and their families in the Kasaï Oriental province, DRC, including significant numbers of IDPs. In 2017, the Government of Canada committed to resettling up to 1,200 internally-displaced survivors of Daesh and their family members. Over 2017 and 2018, Canada has welcomed more than 1,400 survivors of Daesh and their family members, including Yazidi women and children. The majority of those resettled under this initiative were internally displaced persons from Northern Iraq.

    Cross-border, disaster and climate related displacement

    In 2018, the Government of Canada provided over CAD $1.53 million in support of those affected and displaced by natural disasters, through the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF). The CHAF allows Humanitarian Coalition NGO members to respond to smaller-scale, rapid-onset crises where there are unmet humanitarian needs. Over the course of 2018, support was provided to Ethiopia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Somalia, Tonga, and Uganda.

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

    Global forced displacement remains at record levels. Canada engages with its humanitarian and development partners to encourage the implementation of a comprehensive approach to forced displacement, and to increase their use of sex and age disaggregated data to inform responses to forced displacement situations.

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

    Comprehensive refugee responses and the implementation of the GCR are needed to enhance responsibility-sharing to respond to the needs of the forcibly displaced and host communities. States should also support increased refugee resettlement and promote complementary pathways. Canada supported the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative to enhance international responsibility-sharing by expanding global resettlement.

    Keywords

    Displacement

  • 3B
    Address the vulnerabilities of migrants and provide more regular and lawful opportunities for migration

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    In December 2018, Canada, along with other UN member states, adopted the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR)  and the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). Canada was actively engaged in the development of both documents, including by encouraging key principles within the document such as gender equality and human rights. Canada is proud to have taken a leadership role in the negotiation of both compacts.

    Canada is providing CAD $15.2 million from 2016-2020 in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Mexico for the “Prevention of irregular child migration in Central America” project.  Implemented through the Christian Children Fund of Canada (CCFC), the project is targeting the underlying root causes of violence, unemployment and lack of education in deprived urban and rural communities, leading to the dangerous migration of children out of the Americas region.

    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
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Addressing the above mentioned challenges will be a crucial part of the implementation of both Global Compacts. In particular, the GCM could help strengthen evidence base for policy and decision making, coordination between stakeholders and promote comprehensive, planned migration systems.

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

    The implementation of a Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration is an important step in improving how the international community responds to the challenges and opportunities of international migration. This Compact advances collective progress by promoting the value of more comprehensive, planned migration systems, including developing more temporary and permanent regular pathways to provide alternatives to irregular migration.

    Keywords

    Migrants, Protection

  • 3C
    End statelessness in the next decade

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    Canada is a signatory to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and complies with its obligation to prevent and reduce future cases of statelessness. In 2018, Canada provided CAD$95.6 million in funding to UNHCR, which includes the eradication of statelessness in its Global Strategic Priorities. Through its engagement with the Agency, Canada also encouraged UNHCR’s work to draw attention to, and resolve, situations of statelessness, including its campaign to end statelessness by 2024. To this end, Canada is a member of the Friends of the #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness, and has participated in the ongoing development of the Global Compact on Refugees, which encourages States to undertake gender-sensitive practices that would prevent or resolve cases of statelessness. Canada was supportive of the focus within this process on efforts to prevent, reduce, and ultimately end statelessness. Canada also provided a number of protections for stateless persons in Canada. Any stateless person in Canada requiring refugee protection has access to the refugee determination system. Individuals not requiring refugee protection can apply to remain on humanitarian and compassionate grounds or through other immigration programs.

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

    Addressing the above mentioned challenges, including gaps in nationality laws and the gendered dimensions of these laws, will be a crucial part of ending statelessness. Government action will required in order to resolve statelessness.

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

    Canada is strongly supportive of international efforts to reform existing legal frameworks and promote nationality laws that are non-discriminatory based on gender or minority status. The international community should promote greater international solidarity and responsibility-sharing to advance this issue, and continue to undertake concrete measures to reduce statelessness, including through the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees.

    Keywords

    Gender

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Canada will improve capacity of Global Affairs Canada and its partners on gender equality mainstreaming and gender based violence (GBV) programming in humanitarian response through strengthened guidance and tools, to ensure all humanitarian programming is gender-responsive, and includes effective gender analysis, and monitoring and reporting on gender equality results.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Canada commits to advocating for the successful implementation of the Global Strategy on Women's, Children's and Adolescent's Health (2016-2030). Canada will particularly encourage the scale up of international efforts to end preventable deaths of women, children and adolescents, including in crisis settings.


    • Advocacy
    • 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

    During the G7 Development Ministerial (June 2018), under Canada’s leadership, the largest humanitarian donors committed to the G7 Whistler declaration on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls in Humanitarian Action. The declaration recognizes the importance of advancing gender equality in all humanitarian responses. In doing so, Canada also recognizes that women and adolescent girls are powerful agents of change. The declaration identifies women and girls as such, and commits the G7 to ensure that women and girls have an equal voice and representation in making decisions that affect them.

    The declaration also seeks to promote system level change and ensure that humanitarian action is principled, evidence-based, and empowering. Among other things, G7 governments, including Canada, committed to strengthening women and girls' access to health care, strengthening prevention and responding to gender-based violence, and increasing accountability to affected populations.

    Sexual and reproductive health

    The G7 Whistler declaration on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls in Humanitarian action, signed by G7 members in June 2018, recognizes the importance of strengthening women and girls' access to health care, including strengthening the prevention and response to gender-based violence.

    Further, in 2018, Canada updated its humanitarian NGO proposal guidelines to require NGO partners to provide specific information as it related to sexual and reproductive health and services. Information included sex and age disaggregated targets, allocation of funding to sexual and reproductive health services, and the key performance indicators (specific to SRH, developed by Canada in 2018) that the project sought to address. In 2018, Canada launched a website highlighting all operational projects against the department's $650 million commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including those related to international humanitarian assistance. The website provides an overview of the geographic scope, activities, and expected results of each project.

    Gender equality programming

    In Canada’s National Action Plan for the Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda for the period 2017-2022, one of five main objectives is to meet the needs of women and girls in humanitarian settings. The Action Plan target to integrate gender equality into at least 80% of Canada’s global humanitarian assistance funding was surpassed in the first year of the Action Plan at 93%. (See the government’s progress report for the implementation of the Action Plan for fiscal year 2017/18.)

    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.
    • Buy-in
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Canada recognizes the need to mobilize and collaborate with others to achieve systematic change. All stakeholders recognize the importance of meeting the needs and priorities of women and girls, but challenges remain in ensuring women and girls are able to participate in the decisions that affect them.

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

    Canada is committed to working with others and sharing lessons learned from its pilot program approach to gender-responsive humanitarian action in the Rohingya response. This pilot includes supporting a UN Women-led Gender Hub that will build the capacity of women leaders and offer technical support and training to humanitarian actors, including local women’s organizations.

    Keywords

    Gender

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

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Canada registered as a supporter of the Education Platform.
    • Policy
    • 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.

    Under Canada’s leadership, G7 leaders came together at the June 2018 G7 Charlevoix Summit, to commit to the historic Charlevoix Declaration on Quality Education for Girls, Adolescent Girls and Women in Developing Countries. Canada and other partners pledged a total of $3.8 billion in June, and another $527 million in September (during the United Nations General Assembly), to improve access to education for women and girls, particularly those living in conflict and crisis situations.Canada’s specific contribution to this commitment is $400 M.

    On December 2, 2018, Prime Minister Trudeau announced a contribution of $50 million to Education Cannot Wait (ECW), to support integrated humanitarian and development efforts to ensure that children, particularly girls and adolescent girls, living in fragile and conflict-affected states can access quality education. This contribution is part of Canada's $400 million commitment to the Charlevoix Declaration on Quality Education for Girls, Adolescent Girls, and Women in Developing Countries.

    Canada advocated for the inclusion of refugee education in the Global Compact on Refugees, as an important aspect of refugee protection.

    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.
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Canada recognizes the need to mobilize and collaborate with others to improve educational outcomes in conflict and crisis settings, and to ensure that the specific needs of girls are addressed within this commitment.

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

    In times of conflict or crisis, as outlined in the Global Compact on Refugees, access to quality education must be prioritized along with meeting other basic needs.

    Keywords

    Education, Gender

  • 3F
    Enable adolescents and young people to be agents of positive transformation

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    In June 2018, under Canada’s leadership, the G7 Development Ministers committed to the G7 Whistler declaration on Unlocking the Power of Adolescent Girls for Sustainable Development. The declaration recognizes gender equality as an objective in and of itself, as well as the importance of adolescence as a critical period of empowerment. In doing so, Canada also recognizes that adolescent girls are powerful agents of change and ensures that they have an equal voice and representation in making decisions that affect them.

    In 2018, Canada has continued to be active in the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children which focuses on addressing the prevention of violence against children facing conflict and crisis, as part as one of its three priority areas.

    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.
    • Buy-in
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    This transformation cannot be achieved by Canada alone. Rather, it requires a collective effort. As such, it is only through multi-stakeholder processes that transformative change can be assessed.

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

    Enabling adolescents and young people to be agents of positive transformation will support recovery from crises.

    Keywords

    Gender, Youth

  • 3G
    Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind 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.

    Canada supports gender-responsive comprehensive approach to refugee situations, as outlined in the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), including enhanced international cooperation and responsibility-sharing through the expansion of third country solution space globally. As Canada implements the GCR, Canada will continue to demonstrate leadership in shaping global best practices in refugee resettlement, including through our active participation in the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement.

    As part of its multi-year immigration levels plan, in 2018, Canada continued to implement two new regional multi-year commitments to resettle 10,000 refugees out of Africa, and 10,000 out of the Middle East over three years. Canada also continued to advance a previous multi-year commitment to resettle 4,000 Eritrean refugees.

    In 2018, the Government of Canada announced funding of $20.3 million over five years, beginning in 2018-19, to welcome an extra 1,000 vulnerable refugee women and girls from around the world. Canada has now resettled over 250 people under this commitment, and is on track to resettle all 1,000 individuals in Canada by the end of 2019.

    In March 2018, the Government of Canada renewed the cost-sharing agreement with the Rainbow Refugee Society until March 31, 2020. Additional funding of $100,000 was made available to support refugees sponsored under the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Pilot, which encourages the private sponsorship of refugees who are persecuted on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

    Under Canada’s multi-year response to the Syria/Iraq crises, Canada is providing CAD $9 million over 3 years to Humanity & Inclusion (HI) to improve the accessibility of physical rehabilitation, psychosocial support services and community awareness of environmental risks for vulnerable conflict-affected people in Iraq. HI is also working with local and international aid organizations to ensure that services provided to refugees and IDPs living in camps and communities are accessible to people with disabilities.

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

    Canada recognizes the need to mobilize and collaborate with others to achieve this transformation, and to ensure that the specific needs of girls are addressed within this commitment.

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

    To address the needs of vulnerable groups in a meaningful way, including those of minorities, the international community needs to continue supporting inclusive policies and programs that create the conditions that will lead to greater respect for human rights.

    Keywords

    Disability, Displacement, Gender

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    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.

    Cash-based programming

    In 2018, Canada provided $5 million to support the Cash Consortium for Iraq (CCI) to provide emergency cash assistance to vulnerable households. Canada’s support enabled the CCI to reach 2,941 vulnerable households across Iraq with multi-purpose cash assistance to help meet basic needs.    

    Canada supported a volume of collected research papers on Gender and Cash that were the outcome of the Cash and Learning Partnership Gender Symposium held in Nairobi, Kenya on February 21, 2018 and were released September 12, 2018 in English and French. This research represents a critical early step to building our understanding of how to deliver inclusive and effective humanitarian assistance.

    Canada also continued to work with partners and with other donors to support the effective scale-up of cash programming and to advance coordination around cash assessments, delivery, management, monitoring and evaluation. In line with this approach, in 2018, Canada, with other key donors, signed on to the Common Donor Approach on Humanitarian Cash Programming which sets out a shared vision to guide support for cash programming.

    In 2018, Canada also revised its guidance for NGO partners for project proposals to request a clearer rationale for the identified delivery modality (e.g. cash or in-kind).

    Strengthening national/local leadership and systems

    Canada is providing CAD $19.8 million from 2014-2019 in support of two initiatives to strengthen the capacity of targeted Red Cross national societies in the Americas and Africa. These initiatives are owned and led by each national society, with the guidance and support of the Canadian Red Cross and the IFRC. Canada is also continuing to support the IFRC's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF).

    Canada also increased its support to country-based pooled funds to a total of eleven countries in 2018, as part of its efforts to provide support to local humanitarian actors. Canada also committed CAD $125 million (2016-2020) for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank that manages a draw-down fund to provide food assistance. The majority of funding and programming flows to, and is being implemented by, local actors.

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

    In 2018, Canada provided multi-year support to a Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) initiative with the International Organization for Migration that ensures engagement with, and support of, affected populations. This initiative aims to develop creative communication strategies together with partners to facilitate awareness-raising in communities on their rights, the fact that humanitarian assistance is never conditioned on sexual favours, and how to submit complaints. This initiative also aims to carry out community consultations to identify culturally and contextually appropriate entry points for submitting complaints, including SEA allegations, and regularly coordinate with the affected populations, including identified vulnerable groups.

    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.
    • Data and analysis
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Local humanitarian actors continue to face barriers in accessing international support. They would be better served by more flexible funding modalities and increased support for their response capacity. More analysis is also required to understand lessons learned from previous and existing cash-based programming.

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

    UN agencies should continue to be encouraged to maximize the benefits of flexible funding for their implementing partners, which will lead to greater efficiency gains from flexible funding provided to UN agencies.

    All humanitarian actors should continue to work together to strengthen the evidence-base of cash programming.

    Keywords

    Cash, Country-based pooled funds, Local action, People-centred approach, PSEA, Strengthening local systems

  • 4B
    Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    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 reduction and disaster risk management (including resilience)

    Canada is supporting the innovative multi-year Resilience Initiative, providing CAD $50 million over five years (2016-2020). Through a complementary mix of interventions, WFP, FAO and IFAD are meeting immediate food needs through this project while also addressing longer-term challenges to build resilience of vulnerable populations in Somalia, DRC, and Niger.

    Canada provided additional funding for Care Canada in Afghanistan to support the pre-positioning of NFIs and shelter items in order to enable a rapid response to households affected by natural and conflict-induced disasters, in coordination with national disaster authorities.

    Canada also supported a 2-year (2017-2019) Médecins du Monde initiative in Haiti to help reduce the morbidity and mortality related to cholera  through a systemic response at the community-level, in close collaboration with WASH actors. This includes the deployment of resources to ensure the implementation of a “cordon sanitaire”, decontamination, awareness raising, distribution of kits and screening to refer affected individuals to treatment centers.

    Canada is also providing CAD $19.8 million from 2014-2019 in support of two initiatives to strengthen the capacity of targeted Red Cross national societies in the Americas and Africa to respond to disasters at the local level. These initiatives are owned and led by each national society, with the guidance and support of the Canadian Red Cross and the IFRC.

    Other

    Canada ratified the Paris Agreement in October 2016. To implement the Agreement, Canada committed to deliver CAD $2.65 billion in climate finance to support developing countries to address climate change. Canada’s contribution will support the transition to low-carbon economies that are both sustainable and more resilient. Countries in need will receive support, in particular the poorest and most vulnerable, to respond to climate change and adapt to its impacts. Canada is implementing this commitment in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

    In 2018, Canada followed through on the $100M 5-year commitment for Caribbean reconstruction and resilience-building which was made at the November 2017 UN-CARICOM High-Level Pledging Conference. Pledge initiatives supported by Canada include: paying Dominica’s Caribbean Risk Insurance Facility premium for two years so essential services can continue in the event of a crisis; strengthening the capacity of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA); and creating a Canada-Caribbean Resilience Facility at the World Bank to help a number of Caribbean governments develop their disaster risk management policies and plans and access emergency funding after a disaster.

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

    Enhanced efforts are required to ensure coherence, complementarity, and overarching objectives between humanitarian and development actors, while ensuring that the fundamental principles of humanitarian action are not undermined.

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

    More comprehensive approaches that bring together diplomatic, political, development, peace building, and humanitarian efforts are needed to achieve long-term solutions for people affected by crises.

    Keywords

    Climate Change, Community resilience, Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Canada will contribute CAD $125 million over five years (2016-2020) to the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) in Ethiopia.
    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Canada has provided CAD $331.5 million toward the 2016 humanitarian appeals.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    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

    Canada’s multi-year (2016-2019) response to the Syria and Iraq crises focuses on supporting refugees, IDPs and host communities concurrently. Canada’s humanitarian and development programs have been working closely together to ensure complementarity in planning and delivering on our commitment to provide CAD $840 M in humanitarian assistance, and CAD $270 M in development assistance. Where conditions permit, Canada is exploring opportunities to transition this humanitarian assistance to resilience-building activities and supporting national systems.

    Canada is supporting the innovative multi-year Resilience Initiative, providing CAD $50 million over five years (2016-2020). Through a complementary mix of interventions, WFP, FAO and IFAD are meeting immediate food needs through this project while also addressing longer-term challenges to build resilience of vulnerable populations in Somalia, DRC, and Niger.

    Other

    Canada engaged with its partners to encourage stronger engagement on bridging the humanitarian-development nexus. In 2018, Canada actively engaged in the process to develop the Global Compact on Refugees (adopted in December 2018) and supported the application of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF). For instance, Canada is on track to fulfilling its commitments as a cooperating state in the "MIRPS" process, a regional application of the CRRF.

    In 2018, Canada provided $25M to the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) in Ethiopia to allow food insecure households to resist shocks and become food self-sufficient. As of August 2018, the PSNP provided food or cash transfers to approximately 8 million beneficiaries, helped rehabilitate over 193,596 hectares of degraded lands, and provided livelihoods support to 235,043 beneficiaries.

    In Afghanistan, through a project with the Danish Refugee Council, Canada has launched programming which covers some of the immediate, short term and longer term needs of undocumented Afghan returnees from Pakistan which aids in the transition from humanitarian crisis to longer-term development.

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

    One of the main challenges to achieving this transformation is implementing a contiuum-based approach that ensures more complementarity, in terms of institutional, financial, and bureaucratic structures, between humanitarian and development actors.

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

    Humanitarian assistance is only one element of collective outcomes. More comprehensive approaches that bring together diplomatic, political, development, peace building as well as humanitarian efforts are needed to achieve long term solutions for people affected by crises and ultimately achieve a more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous world.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Included in Canada's CAD $331.5 million commitment, Canada has supported local humanitarian action through country-based pooled funds in Yemen (CAD $5 million), South Sudan (CAD $1 million) and the Central African Republic (CAD $500,000).
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    1. 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.

    Country-based pooled funds

    Recognizing the value of country-based pooled funds as a critical mechanism to support timely, coordinated and principled assistance by the best-placed responders, notably local and national responders, Canada has increased its support for country-based pooled funds (CBPFs). In 2018, Canada contributed to 11 CBPFs (Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen) for a total amount of $19.05 million. Canada’s 2018 contributions represent a 57.4% increase in dollar value from its 2017 contributions.

    Canada has also played an active role in the Pooled Fund Working Group and participated in the Grand Bargain localization working group. Building on its $1M contribution to the Myanmar CBPF, Canada was also an active member of the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund advisory board in 2018.

    Other

    Canada is providing CAD $19.8 million from 2014-2019 in support of two initiatives aimed at strengthening the capacity of targeted Red Cross national societies in the Americas and Africa. These initiatives have been designed to be owned and led by each national society, with the guidance and support of the Canadian Red Cross and the IFRC. Canada is also continuing to support the IFRC's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF).

    Through its engagement in Executive Boards and Donor Support Groups, Canada also continues to encourage its multilateral partners to increase the timeliness and duration of flow-through contracts to local and national responders, and has encouraged them to provide stronger support to strengthen local and national response capacity.

    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 modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Human resources/capacity
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Local humanitarian actors continue to face barriers in  accessing international support. They would be better served by more flexible funding modalities and increased support for their response capacity.

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

    UN agencies should continue to be encouraged to maximize the benefits of flexible funding for their implementing partners, which will lead to greater efficiency gains from flexible funding provided to UN agencies.

    Keywords

    Country-based pooled funds, Local action

  • 5B
    Invest according to risk

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    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.

    Canada ratified the Paris Agreement in October 2016 and continues to work with international public, private sector and multilateral partners to ensure the effective implementation of the Agreement. As part of Canada’s global climate change action, Canada is delivering CAD $2.65 billion in climate finance by 2020/21 to support developing countries to address climate change and its impacts. Canada’s climate finance is closely aligned with its overall development priorities with a focus on the empowerment of women and girls and gender equality. This includes providing blended finance through international financial institutions that leverage private sector investments for climate adaptation for women –e.g.Sri Lankan women farmers that are accessing bank loans to invest in resilience-enhancing innovations through a Canadian-supported International Finance Corporation project.

    In 2018, Canada contributed funds to a number of projects through the Green Climate fund, including US $20 million for strengthening the resilience of three Caribbean islands to climate change-related threats by improving the hurricane resilience of community buildings, homes, and businesses and through flood prevention measures.

    Canada is also supporting the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) pilot Forecast-based Action (FbA) mechanism ($300,000; 2018-2020). The FbA is a flexible financing mechanism which enables funds to be automatically released before a disaster strikes and based on forecast information. The mechanism enables Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies to implement pre-planned activities with partners and communities which reduce risks and enhance disaster preparedness and response.

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

    Closer collaboration between humanitarian and development actors is needed to reduce vulnerability, build resilience, and drive this transformation forward.

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

    The international community must work collectively, and across mandates, to reduce vulnerability effectively and in a sustainable way.

    Keywords

    Climate Change

  • 5C
    Invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Canada has announced its commitment to increase support for UN peace operations and its mediation, conflict-prevention, and post-conflict stabilization efforts.
    • Financial
    • 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.

    At the Vancouver UN peacekeeping conference in November 2017, Prime Minister Trudeau unveiled the main elements of Canada’s new approach to peace support operations. Canada is taking a leadership role by supporting, among other initiatives, the following:

    • The Vancouver Principles – focused on ending the recruitment and use of child soldiers in the context of UN peacekeeping operations. As of December 2018, 71 countries have endorsed the principles.
    • The Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations – a pilot project that aims to test approaches to increase the meaningful participation of uniformed women in UN peace operations. In 2018, Global Affairs Canada hosted an international design workshop in Ottawa; a baseline study was completed that describes the barriers faced by uniformed women in UN peace operations; Canada established bilateral technical assistance and training partnerships with the Ghana Armed Forces and Zambia Police Service; the UN and Canada launched the design process for a global fund to accelerate the pace of change towards increased meaningful participation of uniformed women in UN peace operations; and the UN's Department of Peace Operations and select UN missions received $3 million to support the creation of receptive environments for women peacekeepers.
    • A range of Smart Pledges and military capabilities – aimed at leveraging Canadian expertise, contributing high-end capabilities to UN peace support operations, and supporting broader UN reform efforts.

    In keeping with this approach, on March 19, 2018, the Government of Canada announced the deployment of an Air Task Force to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) for a period of 12 months. The Air Task Force became fully operational on August 15, 2018, as part of Canada’s efforts to help set the conditions for durable peace, development, and prosperity in Mali. The Task Force provides urgently needed aeromedical evacuation, transport, and logistics capacity, as well as armed escort and protection.

    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.
    • Other: The increasing complex nature of crises poses significant challenges to undertaking investments in stability to advance peace initiatives.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Canada recognizes that crises are becoming increasingly complex. Increased investments in stability need to be accompanied by political will and leadership to drive peace initiatives forward. This is especially true in inherently multilateral endeavours such as the Elsie Initiative and the Vancouver Principles.

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

    Interventions in preventing, managing, or resolving violent conflict should be integrated to the extent possible. While it is important to address immediate causes and drivers of conflict, deeper factors contributing to conflict must also be considered.

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

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Canada has provided CAD $331.5 million toward the 2016 humanitarian appeals.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

    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.

    Canada is actively providing coherent financing and promoting collective outcomes. Canada’s integrated response to the Syria and Iraq crises, for example, focuses on supporting refugees, IDPs and host communities concurrently, and Canada’s humanitarian and development programs have been closely aligned to ensure complementarity in planning and delivering on the commitment to provide CAD $840 million in humanitarian assistance, and CAD $270 million in development assistance over three years.

    Canada continues to fulfill its unearmarked, multi-year funding agreements, including: the World Food Programme (CAD $125 M, 2016-2020), the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CAD $125 M, 2016-2020, International Committee of the Red Cross (CAD $16.2M, 2017-2019) and the Central Emergency Response Fund (CAD $147 M, 2016-2020), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (CAD $37.8M, 2017-2019). In addition, Canada’s funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) core Programme Budget is unearmarked (CAD $20M, 2017-2018; CAD $20M, 2018-2019).

    In 2018, Canada provided approximately 55% of its total humanitarian funding through multi-year agreements. Canada also increased its use of draw-down funds to provide financial support to organizations to respond quickly to small and medium-scale humanitarian crises. For instance, there has been an increase in Canada’s financial contribution to the Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund (EDAF), administered by the Canadian Red Cross, from the 2012-2013 to the 2018-19 fiscal years.

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

    To achieve this transformation, a strengthened evidence base and a clear management for results are required to provide the necessary assurances to donors to be able to maintain and increase the proportion of multi-year, flexible funding as humanitarian assistance support.

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

    Current studies indicate that flexible funding has allowed for better quality services; has led to improved assessments; and has enabled organizations to respond more quickly to shifting needs. A better evidence-base and clearer results are needed to maintain momentum on the provision of flexible funding.

    Keywords

    Humanitarian-development nexus

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Canada will provide CAD $147 million for the Central Emergency Response Fund over 5 years (2016-2020).
    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Invest in Humanity

    • Canada aligns itself with the Political Communiqué for the World Humanitarian Summit issued on 21 May 2016.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Canada supports and aligns itself with the Grand Bargain commitments.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance aimed to address the differentiated needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises in fragile situations and complex emergencies, including increasing cash-based programming in situations where relevant.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. 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, Canada, alongside the other co-convenors of the Grand Bargain Workstream 7 (multi-year funding and planning) and Workstream 8 (reduced earmarking) and identified strong overlapping synergies between these two workstreams. After much discussion, Canada agreed to a merger of both workstreams to create the Enhanced Quality Funding Workstream. Canada co-developed the 2018-2019 Priority Action Plan for the newly merged workstream, which includes enhancing the evidence base for flexible and multi-year funding.

    Canada also continues to support the provision of multi-year, predictable humanitarian financing. Canada recognizes that multi-year funding will help to increase the quality of programming outcomes in protracted humanitarian situations. In 2018, Canada maintained the share of its humanitarian funding provided through multi-year agreements. Matching 2017, in 2018, some 55% of Canada’s humanitarian assistance funding (in 29 countries) was multi-year, compared with 32% in 2016 and 14% in 2015.

    More specifically, Canada is in its third year of providing multi-year humanitarian assistance as part of the response to the Syria and Iraq crises. A survey of NGO partners receiving multi-year funding under this commitment confirmed that this approach enabled more capacity building of local partners, robust exit strategies, and time to engage in sensitive issues with communities.

    Furthermore, as part of our multi-year commitment to the CERF, Canada also provided CAD $29.4 million for the CERF in 2018 and continues to be an active member of its advisory group.

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

    To achieve this transformation, a strengthened evidence base and a clear commitment of results are required to provide the necessary assurances to donors to be able to maintain and increase the proportion of multi-year, flexible funding as humanitarian assistance support.

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

    Current studies indicate that flexible funding has allowed for better quality services; has led to improved assessments; and has enabled organizations to respond more quickly to shifting needs. A better evidence-base and clearer results are needed to maintain momentum on the provision of flexible funding.