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Self Report 2019

The self-report on WHS Commitments below is organized according to the 24 transformations of the Agenda for Humanity. It is based on commitments pledged at the time of report submission. Click on the 'Expand' symbol to expand each section and read the reporting inputs by transformation.

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  • 1B
    Act early

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to act early upon potential conflict situations based on early warning findings and shared conflict analysis, in accordance with international law.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to make successful conflict prevention visible by capturing, consolidating and sharing good practices and lessons learnt.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Norway has continued to support and further develop important UN preventive diplomacy tools, including through the following concrete actions in 2018:

    • UNDP/DPPA joint fund: NOK 7 million to support UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams to strengthen national and local capacities for conflict prevention through the deployment of Peace and Development Advisers (DPAs).
    • DPPA: NOK 37 million to support the DPPA Multi-Year Appeal to promote the search for political solutions, and assist countries in reaching them, as the key to preventing conflicts and acts of political violence. This funding includes NOK 11 million earmarked for the UN Standby Team on Mediation.
    • UN Peacebuilding Fund: NOK 75 million to the UN Peacebuilding Fund.
    • International Peace Institute (IPI): NOK 4.5 million to support IPI’s work to strengthen the UN’s role in conflict prevention and sustaining peace.
    • Center on International Cooperation (CIC): NOK 4 million to CIC’s work on practical prevention and strengthening UN reform.
    • Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum (CPPF): NOK 2.5 million in support to CPPF’s efforts to strengthen the UN’s work on conflict-related issues and specific country situations.
    • Norway has argued for increased and reliable funding for Department of Political Affairs in the UN General Assembly’s fifth committee.
    • Norway has supported the Secretary-General’s vision for UN reform, including the aim of strengthening the UN’s ability to prevent 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.
    • Data and analysis
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    There is room for improvement in terms of data and information sharing among various actors at the country or regional level. The regional character of some of the ongoing crises, like the crisis in the Sahel, requires regional planning and increased cross-border responses.

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

    Closer coordination among UN agencies is key. UN reforms need to be implemented at the country and regional level. Increased use of pool funding like the Peacebuilding Fund could decrease donor fragmentation and reduce the effects of politicised conflicts. We also need to lay the groundwork for greater involvement of, and more partnerships with, regional organisations, national governments, civil society and the private sector.

     

  • 1C
    Remain engaged and invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Norway will commit NOK 45 million over three years to enhance the capacity of the African Union Commission and its collaborative partners, as appropriate, to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts and promote stability in Africa through the Training for Peace programme.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Invest in Humanity
    • Norway commits to invest in analysis and mediation capacity in local, regional and international organizations and to support direct capacity building on a national, regional and global level (e.g. support UNITAR's mediation courses).
    • Capacity
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Norway commits to maintain a dedicated division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for mediation and conflict resolution.
    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • Norway will continue to support and further develop important UN preventive diplomacy tools, such as the UNDP-DPA Joint Programme on Conflict Prevention, and DPAs Standby Team of Mediators and will advocate for the use of increased and reliable funds for conflict prevention.


    • Financial
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts 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.

    Norway has continued to support a wide range of organisations working on analysis and capacity building within the field of mediation and conflict resolution. This has included support for building capacity in the African Union on preventing, managing and resolving conflicts and promoting stability in Africa through the Training for Peace programme. Norway continued to support and further develop important UN preventive diplomacy tools, including support to the UNDP-DPA Joint Programme on Conflict Prevention, support to the UN standby Team on Mediation and through the UN Peacebuilding Fund. Norway has also been a major contributor to the UNITAR-IPI Fellowship Programme. Developing and strengthening women’s participation in peace processes and mediation has been a key priority in Norway’s capacity-building efforts.

    In 2016 - 2018, Norway contributed NOK 45 million to enhance the capacity of the African Union Commission (AUC) and its  partners in their efforts to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts and promote stability in Africa. This funding was channelled through the Training for Peace programme (TfP). The TfP is designed and implemented in close cooperation and consultation with relevant parts of the African Union Commission. Norway’s funding has contributed to enhanced learning and a stronger evidence base for the AU Commission in the execution of its peace and security mandate.The generation of empirical data and support for policy development and knowledge production have contributed to the creation of norms and standards, increased knowledge and skills and changed behaviour, and have strengthened the AUC’s preparedness with regard to security challenges on the African continent.

    Through the Section for Peace and Reconciliation in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway continues to collect and systematise experiences gained from peace processes. The Section has played a key role in enhancing and consolidating Norway's capacity, institutional continuity and coordination in the field of mediation and conflict resolution. 

    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.
    • Human resources/capacity
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Other: Changed priorities
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Peace and reconciliation work requires a long-term perspective and willingness to take political risks. 

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

    Optimally, the Training for Peace implementing partners will make their support available to the African Union Commission beyond what was originally conceived in the programming, as a means of responding to the personnel constraints faced by the AUC, and the effect this can have on implementation.

     

    Keywords

    Gender

  • 1D
    Develop solutions with and for people

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Norway commits to develop and strengthen the newly established Nordic women's network of peace mediators. It will strengthen cooperation with South Africa in this regard and establish cooperation with similar regional networks. Norway further commits to increasing the number of Norwegian women mediators. It commits to cooperate with and support local organizations and support mechanisms that ensure inclusive peace processes (e.g. gender commissions).
    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Norway commits to engage with parties to conflict and encourage participation in dialogues with the aim to reduce violence and manage and solve conflicts.
    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • Norway commits to implement the Norwegian National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security, which commits Norway to preventing and combating sexual violence and to promoting women's participation and the integration of a gender perspective in all peace processes and negotiations, international peace operations, peace building and stabilisation efforts, and humanitarian response where Norway is involved.


    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • Norway commits to supporting the development of a new Global Women, Peace and Security Index, an early warning index with a gender perspective. It also commits to deepening its support to women's and youth's participation in the prevention of violent extremism, and is engaging in policy dialogue with these partners to ensure that its policy development is informed by their voices.


    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts 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.

    Norway has made human and financial resources available for peace and reconciliation efforts, and also has flexible funding mechanisms for these efforts. This, together with Norway’s significant development budget, has made it possible for Norway to support peace negotiations and help to secure sustainable peace settlements by contributing to monitoring mechanisms and peacebuilding efforts. Norway has continued to support the Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution (NOREF) and other relevant mediation and conflict resolution partners.

    Norway has participated in exchanges and meetings with the Nordic network of women mediators. The Norwegian network now includes more than 50 women with expertise and experience in this field. They met regularly in 2018 and took part in various events and training activities. Norway has worked closely with other regional networks of women mediators, and initiated a process to establish a global alliance of these networks. A first meeting was held in Oslo in March 2018. 

    Norway supports civil society participation in all processes where Norway has a role, as well as in a wide range of other countries. In 2018, Norway entered into new three-year partnerships with civil society organizations working on the inclusion of women in peace and reconciliation efforts in Norway's priority countries for women, peace and security.

    With regard to the implementation of Norway's action plan for women, peace and security, the preliminary results for 2018 show compliance with policies and steady progress on activities and initiatives. Norway’s most recent action plan was launched in January 2019. This emphasises the importance of including women's participation and rights in peace and reconciliation right from early dialogue initiatives all the way to the implementation of peace agreements.

    Norway has requested all its humanitarian partners to report on the inclusion of affected women in decision-making and planning in connection with humanitarian response, and on gender capacity in the organisation. 

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    Keywords

    Gender

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • As one of the top donors to mine action, Norway will continue to support humanitarian mine action programmes, with a particular focus on the clearance and victim assistance obligations under the Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Norway commits to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations. This means that it will work to increase the protection of education from attack during armed conflict, inter alia by sparing, as far as possible, schools and educational facilities from military use in situations of armed conflict. In this context, Norway commits to intensifying its efforts to support implementation and universalize the Safe Schools Declaration, which contains a number of important preventive measures aimed at increasing the protection of education in armed conflict. Norway will also promote and participate in follow-up initiatives to the Oslo Conference on Safe Schools.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Norway is committed to protection as a central component of humanitarian action and will promote the integration of protection concerns and measures throughout the humanitarian response cycle.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Protection of civilians is a priority area in Norway's new Humanitarian Strategy, which was launched in August 2018. Norway is placing particular emphasis on combating sexual and gender based violence, the protection of children and young people and the protection of civilians against landmines and other explosives.

    Norway continued to be among the top five donors to global mine action in 2018. Norway took over the Presidency of the Mine Ban Convention on 30 November 2018 and will host the Fourth Review Conference in Oslo in November 2019. Norway aims to use the Presidency to bring renewed political attention to the Mine Ban Convention. The Maputo Review Conference goal of a mine-free world by 2025 remains its objective. Norway provided support for survey and clearance activities in 19 countries in direct partnership with the humanitarian operators the Mines Advisory Group, the Halo Trust and Norwegian People’s Aid. In addition, Norway contributed financially to the work programme of the Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit, which provides technical support for states parties. Financial support for survivors/victims of unexploded ordnance was provided through the International Committee of the Red Cross (mine appeal) and Humanity & Inclusion, and directly to local NGOs in Colombia and Lao People's Democratic Republic.

    Norway has continued to promote the Safe Schools declaration, which sets out a number of important preventive measures aimed at increasing the protection of education in armed conflicts.  Norway has funded implementation efforts at the country level through partnerships with the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack and Save the Children. 

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • A Global Undertaking on Health in Crisis Settings
    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 amounts
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Currently a small number of countries account for more than 70% of all funding for global mine action. Mine action needs the support of a larger number of States to reach common goals in this area. 

    Keywords

    Education, Gender, Protection

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

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Norway commits to actively promote the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence in humanitarian action and to integrate these in relevant humanitarian policy frameworks.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Norway commits to support national and international stakeholders in their efforts to protect access to and the delivery of impartial health care and to actively promote and support implementation of Resolution 4 (Health Care in Danger: Continuing to Protect the Delivery of Health Care Together) adopted at the 32nd Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and UNSC Resolution 2286 (2016) aimed at strengthening the protection of health care in conflict situations.
    • 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.

    In 2018, Norway held consultations with a wide range of stakeholders with a view to developing a new guidance note on the humanitarian principles. The guidance note, which will be published in 2019, will offer practical guidance on how partners can strengthen the integration of, and reporting on, humanitarian principles in their response.

    Protection of health is priority area for Norway. Norway has established a strong partnership with the World Health Organization on documentation of attacks on healthcare, and it continues its advocacy in multilateral forums, including participation in the group of friends for UN Security Council resolution 2286 on the protection of medical missions. Norway also cooperate closely with the Red Cross movement, in particular with the national Red Cross/Red Crescent societies on the implementation of ICRC's Heath Care in Danger initiative. Norway has supported the implementation of best practice identified through the ICRC Health Care in Danger project in cooperation with the ICRC and NorCross. 

    Persons with disabilities are one of the groups defined as having increased vulnerability in conflicts and emergencies, and must be prioritised in humanitarian assistance and protection. The Ministry works for the inclusion of persons with disabilities through the governing bodies of partner organisations and in donor support groups,  in order to ensure that humanitarian partners prioritise both dedicated measures and inclusion ("mainstreaming") in their core activities. Victims' assistance is an important part of Norway's work on global mine action and cluster munitions. Norway contributes to ICRC, UNHCR, UNICEF,  WHO and some international NGOs that have dedicated programs for persons with disabilities, based on needs and vulnerability assessments. These include ICRC's Moveability and Humanity & Inclusion (formerly Handicap International).

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • A Global Undertaking on Health in Crisis Settings
    • Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    Keywords

    Disability, Humanitarian principles

  • 2C
    Speak out on violations

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to speak out and systematically condemn serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of international human rights law and to take concrete steps to ensure accountability of perpetrators when these acts amount to crimes under international law.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Norway is working actively to promote compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL) and to counter attempts to weaken IHL obligations. Norway supports the important work of ICRC, Geneva Call and others in this regard

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    In order to ensure safe and unimpeded access to people affected by humanitarian crisis, it is important to engage in dialogue with parties to a conflict on their obligation to comply with international humanitarian law and on the specific challenges associated with ensuring humanitarian access to the civilian population. 

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Norway commits to further develop tracking mechanisms for funding for sexual- and gender-based violence (SGBV) programming in humanitarian response and increase dialogue with humanitarian partners on how to improve mandatory reporting on how a gender perspective is integrated in all aspects of operations.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • Norway commits to implement the Norwegian National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security, which commits Norway to preventing and combating sexual violence and to promoting women's participation and the integration of a gender perspective in all peace processes and negotiations, international peace operations, peace building and stabilisation efforts, and humanitarian response where Norway is involved.


    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Norway commits to prevent and fight sexual- and gender-based violence through training of police officers in several countries. Among others, Norway will continue to contribute to the Norwegian-Canadian police team that has been engaged in this effort since 2010 in Haiti and as part of the UN mission (MINUSTAH). A continued support will be given to the Haiti national plan to fight SGBV and the capacity building for all its police districts on these issues.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Norway commits to support development of methodology by Norwegian Church Aid for the reduction of gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict settings based on experiences from DRC. This is to be tested in pilot projects in neighbouring countries. Experience from the field will inform advocacy work on a national and international level to prevent and protect from gender-based violence.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • Norway commits to support the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) activities to prevent and respond to sexual violence through contribution to the special appeal: strengthening the response to sexual violence 2016.


    • 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.

    Gender-based violence prevention and response

    Norway’s Humanitarian Strategy, launched in August 2018, makes clear that special priority is to be given to women’s rights and participation. The gender perspective is integrated into all of Norway’s humanitarian efforts. Throughout 2018, Norway has strengthened its efforts to promote better protection in humanitarian crisis, with a particular emphasis on combating sexual and gender-based violence and safeguarding women’s rights. Norway is a consistent contributor to the Gender Standby Capacity Project (GenCap), which aims to strengthen the gender perspective in humanitarian operations.  In 2019, Norway will host an international conference on combatting sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). In this context, Norway is working to develop tracking mechanisms for funding to SGBV.

    The new humanitarian strategy and the new national action plan for women, peace and security have strengthened Norway's focus on women's participation in humanitarian response, and emphasise the need to pay special attention to women refugees, human trafficking, harmful practices, sexual violence against both women and men, children born of war, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

    Norway has developed an all-of-mission handbook with and for the UN on the prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence, for use in all UN operations. This will be launched in New York in 2019.

    Protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA)

    The Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of International Development wrote to all recipients of Norwegian humanitarian and development funding about the need to put in place good systems for preventing and responding to sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse. They also launched an e-learning programme for the whole Foreign Service on this issue, and urged members of staff to follow this up. 

    Other

    Norway continued to deploy both female and male police advisers to international operations, missions and assignments, some of these deployments included training of women police. Some of the training focused on the prevention of and response to sexual violence. Norway continued its engagement in Haiti through the specialised team on sexual and gender-based violence as planned.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding amounts
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    The quality of humanitarian response needs to be further enhanced so that all aspects of SGBV programming are survivor-centered. Measures to prevent and mitigate the risk of SGBV should be integral to each of the humanitarian sectors. Finally, the SGBV response needs to be better financed and capacitated. 

    Keywords

    Gender, PSEA

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Norway commits to engage constructively in the intergovernmental process as set out in Resolution 2 of the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in 2015, "to find agreement on features and functions of a potential forum of States and ways to enhance the implementation of IHL using the potential of the International Conference [of the Red Cross and Red Crescent] and IHL regional forums".
    • Partnership
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and enhance respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law, where applicable.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. 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.

    Norway continues to support efforts to strengthen compliance with IHL through diplomatic efforts and cooperation with, and support to, the field operations of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Geneva Call in particular.

    Norway supports the ICRC’s plans for its upcoming International Conference in 2019 to report on the process and take note of the discussion that took place since the previous conference.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Individual Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • As stated at the Syria and Region Conference 2016, Norway commits to providing a record high NOK 10 billion over a 4 year period as a response to the protracted displacement crisis in Syria and neighboring countries. The funding will go towards humanitarian assistance and long-term development aid. Norway and other co-hosts will continue to work to ensure that pledges and commitments from the conference are delivered and effectively disbursed.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity
    • Norway commits to allocate through the financial mechanism under the European Economic Zone agreement for 2014- 2021 financial means to assist the new members states in the EU to improve their national capacity to receive refugees and migrants and to process applications for asylum according to international standards. Financial support will also be available to NGOs for campaigns and projects to fight xenophobia and racism in the new EU-countries.
    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Norway commits to promote the protection of refugees according to UN convention of 1951 and the 1967 protocol. Regarding IDPs it will commit to increase the protection and assistance in their country of origin.
    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Norway commits to support the new financing initiative to support the Middle East and the North Africa Region jointly developed by the World Bank Group, the UN and the Islamic Development Bank. Through innovative financing this initiative aims to support refugees, host communities, recovery and reconstruction.


    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity
    • Norway commits to working for better burden-sharing in identifying durable solution for refugees and internally displaced. It will actively support efforts to develop a new cooperation on predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing among countries of origin, transit countries and resettlement countries.
    • Partnership
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new approach to addressing forced displacement that not only meets immediate humanitarian needs but reduces vulnerability and improves the resilience, self-reliance and protection of refugees and IDPs. Commit to implementing this new approach through coherent international, regional and national efforts that recognize both the humanitarian and development challenges of displacement. Commit to take the necessary political, policy, legal and financial steps required to address these challenges for the specific context.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to promote and support safe, dignified and durable solutions for internally displaced persons and refugees. Commit to do so in a coherent and measurable manner through international, regional and national programs and by taking the necessary policy, legal and financial steps required for the specific contexts and in order to work towards a target of 50 percent reduction in internal displacement by 2030.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Acknowledge the global public good provided by countries and communities which are hosting large numbers of refugees. Commit to providing communities with large numbers of displaced population or receiving large numbers of returnees with the necessary political, policy and financial, support to address the humanitarian and socio-economic impact. To this end, commit to strengthen multilateral financing instruments. Commit to foster host communities' self-reliance and resilience, as part of the comprehensive and integrated approach outlined in core commitment 1.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to collectively work towards a Global Compact on responsibility-sharing for refugees to safeguard the rights of refugees, while also effectively and predictably supporting States affected by such movements.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to actively work to uphold the institution of asylum and the principle of non-refoulement. Commit to support further accession to and strengthened implementation of national, regional and international laws and policy frameworks that ensure and improve the protection of refugees and IDPs, such as the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol or the AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala convention) or the Guiding Principles on internal displacement.
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Refugees

    Norway has allocated around 40% of its humanitarian aid budget to the Syrian crisis, and has been the fifth largest donor in recent years. By the end of 2018, Norway had disbursed more than NOK 7.5 billion of the NOK 10 billion multi-year pledge made at the Supporting Syria and the Region conference in 2016.  Around 80% of the funds have been allocated from the humanitarian budget. Norway's total pledge will be delivered and effectively disbursed by the end of 2019.

    With a generation of children and young people at risk of losing the most important years of schooling, education has been a priority in Norway’s crisis response. At least 15% of the funds pledged to the Syria crisis are allocated to education. Protection measures are also a key part of Norway’s humanitarian response to this crisis, and focus will be maintained on gender-based violence and documentation issues, for example civil registration, land, housing and property rights etc. 

    In 2017, Norway doubled its contribution to the Global Concessional Financing Facility in support of Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon. The disbursement of NOK 120 million made late in 2017 also covers 2018.

    Other

    In financial terms, Norway is one of the main supporters of UNHCR, and provided NOK 786.4 million in 2018. Norway has increased its core contribution to the organisation by 8.5%, to NOK 380 million in 2019. At the national level, Norway upholds its commitments under the Refugee Convention and protocol.

    Norway participated actively in the formal consultations on the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), and in the negotiations on the UNHCR omnibus resolution, in which almost all States expressed support for the GCR. Norway continues to support international refugee response through high level of contributions to UNHCR. Norway has supported the roll-out of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework in the countries that have committed to these principles.

    IDPs (due to conflict, violence, and disaster)

    Norway is working together with other UN Member States to increase awareness about, and improve strategies for addressing, the situation of IDPs. Together with various other states, Norway has taken an initiative to establish a high-level panel to address internal displacement, and is currently in dialogue with the UN about its realisation.

    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
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    Keywords

    Displacement, Education, Gender

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Norway commits to enable the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) to conduct 4 Gender in Humanitarian Action training courses and provide roster management of gender advisors within IASC Gender Standby Capacity Project (GenCap) to be rapidly deployed to UN agencies, at country, regional and global level, including in all L-3 crises.
    • Capacity
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Norway commits to supporting the development of a new Global Women, Peace and Security Index, an early warning index with a gender perspective. It also commits to deepening its support to women's and youth's participation in the prevention of violent extremism, and is engaging in policy dialogue with these partners to ensure that its policy development is informed by their voices.


    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts 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.

    Gender equality programming

    The first Global Index for Women, Peace and Security was developed with Norwegian support in 2017. In 2018, Norway supported the presentation and application of the data in various ways, as well as the work on developing the new index that will be launched in 2019. The index, which collates data on women's inclusion, security and justice, is the first of its kind.

    Empowerment of women and girls

    A high-level conference on the prevention of violent extremism, co-hosted by UNDP, was held in Oslo in 2018. This included discussion of women's and young people's roles in prevention efforts. Norway renewed its partnership with the Women's Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL) in 2018, through a broad multi-year agreement, and maintained close cooperation and dialogue with WASL on gender issues and the situation of women in the face of violent extremism. A report on women’s various roles in this context, Invisible Women, was developed by WASL and UNDP with Norway’s active participation and financial support. It was launched in Oslo in January 2019, in conjunction with the launch of the new national action plan on women, peace and security. The Global Solutions Exchange platform for dialogue on this issue between civils society organizations, the UN and Member States was continued. Norway continued to work with YouthCan, and highlighted the importance of women and young people in its broader work on preventing and countering violent extremism, for example through the New York-based Group of Friends on the Prevention of Violent Extremism.

    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
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    Keywords

    Gender, Youth

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Norway commits to expand its cooperation with UNICEF to a multiyear framework of NOK 300 million over three years to provide education for children and youth affected by the Syrian crisis. This comes in addition to the already agreed multiyear framework with UNHCR of NOK 500 million over three years to the victims of the protracted Syria-crisis.
    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Norway commits to promote quality education for children and young people in emergencies and protracted crises through continued political engagement and increased financial contributions.
    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Norway will make a substantial amount available for «Education Cannot Wait - The Fund for Education in Emergencies» which was launched at the World Humanitarian Summit.


    • Financial
    • 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.

    Norway gives high priority to education in emergencies and protracted crises.  Norway helped to initiate the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) fund, and is one of its major donors. Norway allocated NOK 70 million to the fund in 2018. This was an increase from NOK 50 million the previous year. 

     

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Education Cannot Wait
    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding amounts
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    Keywords

    Education

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

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Norway commits to promote consideration of cash by relevant partners alongside other humanitarian response modalities where appropriate and to work towards an increased use of cash programming beyond current low levels.
    • Policy
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Norway commits to support the UN, Red Cross/Crescent Movement, NGOs and other relevant actors to develop simplified and equitable partnerships to strengthen front-line response.
    • Partnership
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (6)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to reinforce national and local leadership and capacities in managing disaster and climate-related risks through strengthened preparedness and predictable response and recovery arrangements.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to increase investment in building community resilience as a critical first line of response, with the full and effective participation of women.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to ensure regional and global humanitarian assistance for natural disasters complements national and local efforts.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance aimed to address the differentiated needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises in fragile situations and complex emergencies, including increasing cash-based programming in situations where relevant.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Cash-based programming

    Norway has continued to play a key role in furthering the Grand Bargain objectives on cash, in particular when it comes to donor coordination. Norway requires partners to use cash in situations where this is the most effective and efficient way of providing assistance.

    Norway and partners organised a  joint donor mission on cash programming to Jordan and Lebanon in February 2018. Participants agreed on ten key findings and broadly outlined areas for further improvement. Norway and a number of key donors have developed a Common Donor Approach to humanitarian cash programming. The Common Donor Approach statement sets out a shared vision and principles that will guide donors’ support for cash programming.

    A lack of cash coordination leadership, both globally and at the country level, is a key obstacle for the increased use of cash. In March 2018,  Norway and a group of other donors sent a letter to the Chair of the IASC requesting a decision on ‘clear, actionable guidance on cash coordination leadership’. The Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) workstream on cash, co-chaired by Norway and the UK, also proposed a new GHD principle on cash, which was approved at the High Level meeting in June 2018.

    Strengthening national/local leadership and systems

    In line with a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ICRC and NorCross, Norway developed formats for cooperation on thematic issues taking into account the complementary roles of the ICRC and national societies.

    Norway is piloting programme-based support to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)  to increase its ability to respond directly to needs as they emerge and to make direct, rapid allocation decisions without donor consultation, and with increased community participation.

    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.
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    Keywords

    Cash, Local action, Strengthening local systems

  • 4B
    Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Norway will commit to contribute to the achievement of the Sendai Framework target to increase people's access to multi-hazard early warning systems, and disaster risk information and assessments by 2030, including through initiatives such as the Global Framework for Climate Services.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as other relevant strategies and programs of action, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to improve the understanding, anticipation and preparedness for disaster and climate-related risks by investing in data, analysis and early warning, and developing evidence-based decision-making processes that result in early action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Preparedness

    Norway has continued to support the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) Adaptation Programme in Africa, which seeks to enhance climate services in Malawi and Tanzania. The activities have contributed to (i) increasing the capacity of national actors to design, tailor, deliver and evaluate climate services to support adaptation; (ii) ensuring that targeted communities are better able to manage the risks related to climate variability; and (iii) improving understanding of the effectiveness of the GFCS in climate risk management and adaptation. Through expert deployments to the GFCS, facilitated by NRC/NORCAP, capacity development for climate services has been supported in seven countries in Africa.

    Disaster risk data collection/analysis

    Norway has also been supporting the strengthening of climate services in South East Asia through the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Norwegian meteorologists have provided training for meteorologists in Bangladesh, Vietnam and Myanmar, and have provided free-of-charge forecasting software to ensure more precise weather and climate predictions.

    Disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management (including resilience)

    Norwegian support to the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre is helping to build resilience in urban systems and urban communities to climate extremes, disasters and emergencies in deltaic and coastal cities in South East Asia. These efforts include developing improved multi-hazard early warning systems and increasing knowledge about climate extremes, as well as enabling urban governance systems to deal with emerging climate extremes and emergencies.

    Norway is contributing to efforts to strengthen the resilience of poor, rural populations to climate-related risks. This work includes focus on climate-smart agriculture, livelihood diversification and social safety net programmes. For instance, Norway supports the International Fund for Agricultural Development's (IFAD) Family Farming Development Programme, which contributes to sustainable food and nutrition security and enhances resilience in rural households in communities affected by drought and conflict in Niger. The programme specifically targets refugees and internally displaced people, but also includes their host communities. The aim is to ensure sustainable livelihoods for all. In addition, Norway supports the development of climate smart agriculture and sustainable livelihoods in Mali, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi, Nepal and other disaster prone countries.

    Other

    Norwegian support to UNOSAT has helped to strengthen the use of geo-spatial information for disaster risk reduction and capacity development for improved resilience in Asia and Africa. Support through the World Bank's Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery has further contributed to enhanced capacity for disaster risk reduction and management.

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

    It is crucial to have the correct data, the capacity to analyse it and local systems to follow up the results. It is also crucial to ensure efficient coordination between the various initiatives to promote effective use of resources.

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

    Norway encourages collaboration and coordination between stakeholders with different approaches, for example through the Global Framework for Climate Services. Coherence in the follow-up of the Sendai Framework, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement is essential.

    Keywords

    Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness

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

    Core Commitments (1)

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

    Other

    The commitment to strengthen the humanitarian-development nexus has been integrated into a number of white papers to the Storting (Norwegian parliament), strategies and policy frameworks. It is one of the priority areas in Norway’s Humanitarian Strategy, where there are specific commitments to:

    • support humanitarian action aimed at reducing the vulnerability of individuals and local communities;
    • increase flexibility and tolerance of risk in long-term development efforts in states and regions affected by conflict and fragility; and
    • view efforts funded under the humanitarian budget and under other relevant budget items as a coherent whole.

    Financing Collective outcomes

    Norway has contributed to providing better financing across the nexus by providing predictable, flexible and multi-year humanitarian financing.

    Norway has worked to increase cash programming, as cash transfers used in humanitarian crises can provide the basis for social protection systems in the future. The use of cash is beneficial for both individuals and the local economy, thereby paving the way for less aid dependency and more durable solutions.

    Norway has increased its contribution to the humanitarian country-based pooled funds (CBPFs), which are important channels for strengthening local and national capacities.

    Norway has invested in durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced people through a combination of humanitarian and development instruments e.g. core support to UNHCR, support for the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), support for the rollout of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework and contributions to the Global Concessional Financing Facility.

    Norway has supported education in crises and emergencies, including significant contributions to Education Cannot Wait.

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

    Norway has supported the UN-World Bank Group partnership, by funding analyses and pilot projects on strengthening the nexus and ensuring collective outcomes. In 2018, Norway contributed NOK 18.4 million to the World Bank Group State and Peacebuilding Fund to this end.

    In 2018, Norway supported a review commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme to evaluate progress on the “new way of working”.  The objective is to provide evidence and good practices on how these objectives are being met at an early stage, to provide the basis for more systematic implementation at field level.  The Review, therefore, aims to identify early changes in behavior and approaches at country level; showcase opportunities and good practices; and provide recommendations to overcome actual and potential risks and challenges for the UN system and its partners. The review will be presented in 2019. 

    Investing in disaster risk reduction

    Norway has supported forecast-based financing mechanisms and engaged in discussions about anticipatory humanitarian financing, including through the Crisis Risk Financing Donor Working Group.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Education Cannot Wait
    • 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
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    The UN development system reform and the Joint Steering Committee hold the potential to further improve coordination and coherence across the nexus. The empowered Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator is key in bringing the UN country teams together around common priorities. 

    It is encouraging to see that multi-year humanitarian plans and strategies are in place a number of countries. This will allow for greater alignment of humanitarian and development initiatives.

     

    Keywords

    Cash, Disaster Risk Reduction, Displacement, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • Norway commits to contribute to the development of an international humanitarian financing system that allow front-line responders access to adequate, timely and quality funding, including through the country-based humanitarian pooled funds and by simplifying and harmonizing partner capacity assessments and reporting requirements.
    • 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

    The UN country-based pooled funds (CBPFs) are important channels for Norway’s humanitarian funding, as they help to ensure an effective, well-coordinated response at country level. They are also important channels for strengthening local and national capacity to respond to humanitarian crises. In 2018, Norway increased its contribution to the (CBPFs) from USD 40.9 million in 2017 to USD 45.9 million.

    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.
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    Keywords

    Country-based pooled funds, Local action

  • 5B
    Invest according to risk

    Core Commitments (2)

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

    Norway is supporting a number of efforts to promote preparedness, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation as part of an integrated approach to reducing vulnerabilities and humanitarian needs. For more detail, please see 4B in this report. 

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Preparedness
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction

  • 5C
    Invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Norway will commit NOK 45 million over three years to enhance the capacity of the African Union Commission and its collaborative partners, as appropriate, to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts and promote stability in Africa through the Training for Peace programme.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Invest in Humanity
    • Norway commits to investing in prevention and building resilience. It is developing a holistic strategy for supporting fragile states. The main purpose is to strengthen their capacity to meet their own challenges and to prevent countries from joining the ranks of failed states.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity
    • Norway commits to prioritizing a larger share of its development budget to fragile states and situations with a special focus on education and health.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    • Norway will continue to support and further develop important UN preventive diplomacy tools, such as the UNDP-DPA Joint Programme on Conflict Prevention, and DPAs Standby Team of Mediators and will advocate for the use of increased and reliable funds for conflict prevention.


    • Financial
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts 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.

    Norway is implementing its strategic framework for engagement in conflict prevention, stabilisation and resilience building, which links long-term investments in development with humanitarian action. Norway’s designated budget  for transitional assistance to countries affected by conflict was increased by approximately NOK 325 million in 2019. Among measures that receive support over this budget line are multi-donor trust funds for stabilisation in Iraq, South Sudan, Somalia and Sahel which are, inter alia, tailored to meet the needs and improve the resilience of vulnerable populations and internally displaced people. Significant funds over this budget post are directed to support Lebanon and Jordan address the needs of Syrian refugees in a sustainable and dignified manner.  The Government is also developing country strategies for key partner countries in fragile contexts, including, but not limited to, Afghanistan, Mali, Niger, Somalia and South Sudan. These strategies aim to improve the overall coherence of Norwegian cooperation efforts by ensuring better country level integration.

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

    Investing in prevention and building resilience requires close follow up at both country and headquarters level. A steadily increasing aid budget also increases the need for administrative resources to follow-up these funds. 

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

    The efforts at achieving greater geographic and thematic concentration must be sustained. A key tenet in Norway's strategic framework in conflict prevention, stabilisation and resilience building is the need to set more realistic goals for Norway's efforts in fragile settings. This insight needs to be implemented in country-level strategies for fragile states to achieve this transformation.

    Keywords

    Displacement

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • As stated at the Syria and Region Conference 2016, Norway commits to providing a record high NOK 10 billion over a 4 year period as a response to the protracted displacement crisis in Syria and neighboring countries. The funding will go towards humanitarian assistance and long-term development aid. Norway and other co-hosts will continue to work to ensure that pledges and commitments from the conference are delivered and effectively disbursed.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity

    • Norway commits to support the new financing initiative to support the Middle East and the North Africa Region jointly developed by the World Bank Group, the UN and the Islamic Development Bank. Through innovative financing this initiative aims to support refugees, host communities, recovery and reconstruction.


    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity
    • Norway will continue to provide flexible, unearmarked and multiyear funding when appropriate to ensure effective humanitarian response and better linkages with long-term development assistance in protracted crisis and situations of fragility.
    • Financial
    • 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.
    • Norway signed a four-year agreement with the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), totalling NOK 1.68 billion in September 2018. This was Norway's first multi-year agreement with CERF.
    • Norway announced multi-year core support for OCHA (for the period 2019-2021) in December 2018. This was Norway's first multi-year agreement with OCHA.
    • Norway continues to deliver on its substantial multi-year pledges for Syria and the neighbouring countries (2016-2019) and for the Lake Chad region (2017-2020).
    • Norway increased its contributions to the Country-based Pooled Funds in 2018 (from USD 40.9 million in 2017 to USD 45.9 million in 2018).
    • Norway exceeds the Grand Bargain target of having 30 % of its humanitarian contributions as unearmarked or softly earmarked funding. In 2018, Norway provided approximately 38% of its total humanitarian budget as unearmarked/softly earmarked funding.
    • In 2018, the Storting (Norwegian parliament) approved indicative multi-year commitments for Norway’s core support to UNHCR and WFP for the period 2019-2022.
    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Grand Bargain
    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding amounts
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    Keywords

    Country-based pooled funds

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

    Individual Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • As one of the top donors to the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Norway remains committed to providing substantial contributions to enable effective and timely responses to humanitarian crisis and explore innovative and sustainable financing solutions to reach the new funding target set by the UN Secretary-General.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity
    • Norway commits to stepping up its international engagement in combating corruption to prevent diversion of resources and the undermining of humanitarian and development outcomes.
    • Operational
    • Invest in Humanity
    • Norway commits to work in support of efforts to broaden and diversify the funding base for humanitarian action, including through innovative financing mechanisms involving new donors, civil society and private sector.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity
    • Norway increased ODA to 1.1% of BNI in 2015 and remains committed to a high level of ODA, including a significant proportion for humanitarian assistance.
    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity
    • Norway supports the Grand Bargain between donors and humanitarian organisations to better and more efficiently serve people in need and commits to be a strong advocate for inclusive and accountable follow-up.
    • Policy
    • Invest in Humanity

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance aimed to address the differentiated needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises in fragile situations and complex emergencies, including increasing cash-based programming in situations where relevant.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    In September 2018, Norway signed a four-year agreement with the Central Emergency Responded Fund (CERF), totalling NOK 1.68 billion. This will ensure greater predictability and flexibility for humanitarian partners, and thereby contribute to a more effective humanitarian response, reaching those who are most in need. This is a key priority in Norway’s new humanitarian strategy, which was launched in August 2018. 

    Following up on Grand Bargain commitments  is identified as a priority in Norway's new humanitarian strategy. Norway already complies with the majority of commitments made under the Grand Bargain, but continues to push for change to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian action. Key results and outcomes include enhanced quality of funding (more predictable and flexible funding), cash and humanitarian innovation.

    Norway remains committed to upholding a high level of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) and to allocating a significant proportion to humanitarian assistance. Norway’s development priorities focus on health, education, job creation, climate change and the environment, in addition to humanitarian assistance. Increased attention has been directed to digitalisation and innovation, and a new strategy for digitalisation was developed. 

    In 2018, Norway established a dedicated humanitarian innovation programme (HIP Norway), providing NOK 30 million annually over three years. This programme facilitates the establishment of innovation partnerships between humanitarian organisations and private sector.  

    At the WHS, Norway committed itself to stepping up its international engagement in combating corruption to prevent diversion of resources and the undermining of humanitarian and development outcomes. Norway continues to support the Corruption Hunters Network and the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre. Norway has entered into cooperation agreements with the UN Office on Narcotics and Crime (UNODC), the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) and the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Coalition on strengthening competence and capacity in various countries to enable them to implement the UN Anti-Corruption Convention. Norway supports the work of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). Norway is well on track to fulfilling the Addis Tax Initiative pledge of doubling tax-related development assistance by 2020.

     

     

     

     

     

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

    Corruption undermines growth, development, good governance and security. Anti-corruption progress is assessed through review mechanisms on the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption, the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and SDG 16.5 on reducing corruption and bribery.

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

    Governments, the public and private sectors, multilateral organisations and civil society must take joint action to combat corruption and illicit financial flows. A clear commitment to integrity, inclusion, transparency and accountability in all processes and at all levels, nationally and internationally, is vital for success. Successful anti-corruption depends on having in place the necessary policies, laws, institutions and mechanisms to prevent, detect and deal with cases of corruption and to apply sanctions.

    Keywords

    Cash, Innovation

Attachments

  • Grand Bargain 2018 self-report_Norway
    Transformation - 4A, 4C, 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E | Cash, Humanitarian-development nexus, Strengthening local systems, Transparency / IATI | Grand Bargain