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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.

    The UK has doubled its funding to the UN Peacebuilding Fund for 2018 and 2019 (from £8m p.a. to £16m p.a.). Together with the existing support to the Department for Political Affairs and the UNDP-DPA Joint Programme, the UK is supporting action when conflict risks increase (e.g. Burkina Faso and Sahel more widely), strengthening mediation, supporting the deployment of conflict expertise and strengthening the capacity of UN Country Teams (UNCT). The UK has played a vocal role in endorsing the Secretary-General's proposals for UN reform and a more coherent and effective approach to Sustain Peace.

    In 2018, the UK launched an innovative peacebuilding programme, aiming to contribute to violence reduction and sustainable peace in Myanmar, Central African Republic and Nigeria. The programme is implemented by a specialist global consortium and is worth £12m over 4 years. The Jo Cox Memorial Grants will fund civil society organisations in fragile and conflict-affected countries and strengthen their capacity for early prediction of identity-based violence, including mass atrocities.

    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
    • Funding amounts
    • Other: Political will to act on early warning signs
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Early action is not possible without investment in preventive work at the upstream level. As a result, the UK observed a lack of collective action and inability to prevent crises. Where data is available, action is constrained by a lack of sense of urgency and limited political will to act for prevention.

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

    Greater willingness of all actors – national, regional, global – to invest in prevention and act before a crisis emerges. This includes better information that is shared more widely, commitment to collective action and a shift from an emphasis on response to prevention.

  • 1C
    Remain engaged and invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to increase funding for the UK's Conflict Stability and Security Fund from £1.033 billion in 2015/16 to over £1.3 billion by 2019/20. This will increase capacity to prevent threats and build stability, as well as respond to crises more quickly and effectively.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Invest in Humanity

    • The UK commits to invest at least 50% of the Department for International Development'€™s budget in fragile states and regions in every year from 2016 to 2020. This is a major investment in global stability.


    • 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.

    The UK continues to fulfill its commitment to increase funding for the UK's Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, from £1.033 billion in 2015/16 to over £1.3 billion by 2019/20. This will increase capacity to prevent threats and build stability, as well as respond to crises more quickly and effectively. The UK has also continued to meet its commitments to invest at least 50% of the The UK's Department for International Development's (DFID) budget in fragile states and regions in every year from 2016 to 2020. Our Building Stability Framework provides guidance on how we do this.  This is a major investment in global stability over the long-term, demonstrating that the UK remain engaged.

    A number of DFID Country Offices are taking Whole-of-Portfolio approaches to building stability and demonstrating innovative programming approaches to addressing the causes of conflict and fragility. For example, in Somalia, DFID has supported a range of programmes aimed at resolving conflict between communities and political actors, building the capacity and legitimacy of Federal Member State institutions, and ensuring that women are represented in political decision-making. DFID’s work has also helped to reduce tensions between Jordanian host communities and Syrian refugees through supporting community level conflict resolution mechanisms.

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

    Investing in stability unilaterally is difficult when there is not ubiquitous consensus among donors that it is the right thing to do. Additionally, data which accurately measures the contribution of stability is hard to perfect. National political will for strengthening national systems is sometimes absent.

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

    The international donor community, led by local partners, should work together more effectively to tackle the underlying drivers of instability, rather than focus on the symptoms. The case for greater investment in stability and conflict prevention is both economically and ethically sound. The recent UN-World Bank joint study, 'Pathways for Peace' and SDG16 should be used as a tool to get donors to coordinate and work towards a shared agenda.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Gender

  • 1D
    Develop solutions with and for people

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to invest in building local and national capacity for crisis prevention and response, increasing its support to local and national NGOs through the START Network and DEPP, as well as through the Humanitarian Leadership Academy.


    • Capacity
    • 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.

    The UK Department for International Development continues to invest in building local and national capacity for crisis prevention and response, and to support initiatives to channel funds to local and national actors. Specific examples in 2018 include:

    1. Committing an additional £37.5m to the Start Fund: a global multi-donor humanitarian response fund managed by a consortia of NGOs. The Start Fund’s operating model supports local and national actors by shifting decision making on specific projects to member NGOs in the affected country as well as disbursing high proportions of funds through local organizations. The new business case will, in part, support the fund to create a decentralized network of hubs around the world and to develop a tiered due diligence framework aimed at supporting local and national organizations to access funds and build capacity.
    2. Developing, in partnership with Germany and the World Bank, a new Global Risk Financing Facility. This Facility helps build national capacity and resilience by subsidizing the costs of risk-financing instruments such as insurance, and providing grant funding to strengthen national disaster response systems or develop preparedness plans.
    3. Continuing to demonstrate commitment to local capabilities through core funding to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (£9m for 18/19), which builds the capacity of National Societies.
    4. Contributing US$250.8m to the UN’s Country-Based Pooled Funds.

     

    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.
    • Buy-in
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Measuring the impact and ensuring the sustainability of national and local capacity development programmes is challenging.

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

    The Grand Bargain localization work stream has a role to play in taking forward this agenda.

    Keywords

    Local action, Preparedness

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The UK commits to playing its part to protect civilian and civilians objects such as schools and hospitals through promoting compliance with IHL.
    • 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, the United Kingdom undertook a scoping study to test the appetite of key stakeholders, including Member States, for the development of some 'principles' for improving humanitarian access. The study concluded there was no appetite for global principles but that the issue of bureaucratic impediments to humanitarian access remains a challenge that requires an innovative solution.

    To advance the United Kingdom's contribution to improved humanitarian access, the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) is looking at how denial of access mapping and severity of needs mapping can be combined for optimum understanding of where the most in need are found and if and how their needs are being met.

    In April 2018, the United Kingdom endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration which recognises the impact of armed conflict on education.

     

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Centre for Humanitarian Data
    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Challenges remain the same as the United Kingdom reported in 2017. Continued disrespect for IHL in 2018 has seen access to the most vulnerable further constrained, and continued targeting of hospitals and schools.

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

    Further progress needs to be made in accurate mapping of unlawful denial of humanitarian access against where those most in need are located, to produce severity of need mapping. Collective efforts for better compliance should then be targeted at these areas.

    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

    • The UK commits to the €˜'Centrality of Protection€™' for civilians in conflict in its humanitarian programming.


    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The UK demands that all parties to armed conflicts facilitate safe and unimpeded passage for medical personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, their equipment, transport and supplies, including surgical items, to all people in need, consistent with international humanitarian law.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The UK will continue to promote and uphold the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • The UK will support full implementation of Security Council resolution 2175 on the protection of humanitarian workers, resolution 2286 on the protection of medical personnel and humanitarian personnel and resolution 2272 on sexual exploitation and abuse.


    • 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 line with the UK’s commitment to UNSCR 2286, 2018 saw the development of a key project: Researching the Impacts of Attacks on Healthcare. This project is a consortia effort led by the University of Manchester, starting in January 2019.

    The project aims to deliver against the UK’s commitment to show leadership in support of UNSCR 2286 and the corresponding call to improve data collection on attacks on healthcare in armed conflict. This call urged the UN to reinvigorate a global campaign to take practical steps to minimize civilian harm, including a more systematic collection of data on attacks on healthcare in order to better assess impact, improve accountability and advocate for change.

    The project will;

    1. Provide critical analysis of existing data and data collection methods, and collation of existing data on instances of attacks on healthcare in conflict.
    2. Agree criteria for new data collection on the instances of attacks and new impact analysis methodologies.
    3. Implement and analyse revised data collection criteria to collect new data on instances of attacks
    4. Implement and analyse new and collated data to assess the long-term and wider impacts of attacks on healthcare.
    5. Target communication of outputs to practice, policy, academic communities, and IHL duty-bearers.

    The project will run over four years and the consortia includes Johns Hopkins University, University of California, Berkeley, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, WHO, ICRC, MSF and Chatham House

    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
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Lack of respect for International Humanitarian Law compounds this issue. In order to fully understand why illegal targeting occurs we need to be aware of the extent of the problem . 

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

    Innovative solutions to encouraging compliance with International Humanitarian Law are needed. Collectively we should be supporting initiatives such as those of the ICRC, to document where IHL is complied with, and the work of the Geneva Call to help persuade non-state armed groups of the benefits of compliance.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 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.

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the world’s first permanent independent international criminal court with jurisdiction over the most serious crimes of international concern including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The UK government believes that the ICC plays an important role in pursuing accountability when national authorities are either unable or unwilling to do so. The United Kingdom provided both practical and financial support to the Court, contributing £9.7 million in 2018 . 

    In June, the ICC’s trust fund for victims launched an assistance programme in Central African Republic. This will provide physical and psychological rehabilitation, as well as material support, for victims and their families in Central African Republic.  The United Kingdom contributed to the work of the trust fund for victims in Mali.

    The United Kingdom supported the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia and the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom has been at the forefront of international efforts to gather and analyse evidence of atrocities committed in the Middle East.  The United Kingdom contributed £250,000 to the UN International Impartial and Independent Mechanism to support the preparation of legal cases for serious crimes committed in Syria. 

    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: Political will to speak out and hold violators to account.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    There would be less need to speak out on violations if less violations occurred.

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

    Solutions are political and need states to recognise a collective effort is needed to maintain the rules based international order.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (12)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The UK commits not to vote against credible draft resolutions before the UN Security Council on timely and decisive action to end the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, or to prevent such crimes.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The UK commits to build momentum around addressing violence against women and girls in emergencies through support to Sweden as the leader of the Call to Action on the Protection from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies and their efforts to expand its membership.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • The UK commits to drive accountability for gender responsive humanitarian action, including offering support to the US and its partners of the Real Time Accountability Partnership (RTAP) on its efforts to promote system-wide accountability for the prevention and response of gender-based violence in emergencies, supporting real-time evaluations of humanitarian responses to ensure that they are responsive to the needs of women and girls, and make the use of Interagency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action mandatory in DFID humanitarian programming.


    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind
    • The UK commits to encouraging endorsement of the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The UK commits to provide further training on the international protocol on the documentation and investigation of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict affected States to assist those working to improve accountability.
    • Capacity
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • The UK commits to tackling survivor stigma in a conflict and post-conflict countries through a new programme under the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI).


    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The UK commits to take a leading role in pressing for strengthened accountability whenever sexual exploitation and abuse occurs. The UK also commits to continued support for SGBV prevention and is intent to do more on challenging social stigma affecting survivors.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • The UK suggests proxy IHL compliance indicators to be regularly reported at the UN Security Council to promote accountability. These might monitor global numbers of health facilities/staff attacked, children newly displaced and/or estimated levels of sexual violence (existing information capture mechanisms to be used for trend analysis).


    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The UK will continue to promote accountability for violations of IHL by promoting the universality and complementarity of the Rome Statute. It will continue to seek ways to support ICC and other tribunals to increase their efficiency and effectiveness.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • The UK will continue to support the UN Secretary General'€™s zero tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse.


    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • The UK will lead by example and call for accountability for proven violations of international humanitarian law.


    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • The UK will support full implementation of Security Council resolution 2175 on the protection of humanitarian workers, resolution 2286 on the protection of medical personnel and humanitarian personnel and resolution 2272 on sexual exploitation and abuse.


    • Operational
    • 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

    2018 saw the United Kingdom appointed as co-Chair for the States and Donors Working Group of the Call to Action on Protection from Gender Based Violence (GBV)  in Emergencies.  The aim is to use this role to re-invigorate and expand membership and drive forward GBV prevention, response and share best practice across all global processes and initiatives.

    Also in 2018, the United Kingdom joined the Global Steering Committee for the Real Time Accountability Partnership (RTAP) for action on protection from GBV in emergencies. Support has been provided for the transition of RTAP into the Call to Action to Protect Women and Girls in Emergencies, including the roll-out of the Accountability Framework tool in 2019.

    GBV coordination mechanisms at field level have also been supported through the secondment of standby partner staff to interagency coordination roles. These include:  GBV Coordinator in Sana’a, Yemen; GBV Sub-cluster Field Coordinator in Bentiu, South Sudan and GBV Coordinator in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh.

    £500,000 of funding supported at least 10 deployments from the  Preventing Sexual Violence Initiatives' (PSVI) roster. The experts will provide advice on implementation of the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict and also train peacekeepers.

    Other

    In November 2018, the United Kingdom hosted an international Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative Film Festival. This brought together governments, international organisations, civil society, survivors, parliamentarians and the public to raise awareness of sexual violence in conflict, fight stigma and encourage commitments to further action. It also provided a capacity building opportunity for young female and male filmmakers from conflict-affected and Commonwealth countries so that they could take forward the fight against impunity and stigma. 

    2018 also saw the launch of United Kingdom-funded research on supporting children born of sexual violence and a roundtable event at the UN General Assembly's high-level week on preventing sexual violence in conflict (co-hosted by United Kingdom's Lord Ahmad and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict).

    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.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    National and local systems need to be augmented to prevent, respond and mitigate Gender Based Violence.

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

    Compliance with international law and accountability for violations of those laws in armed conflict are perceived to be declining. Effective international monitoring of compliance and of accountability is required.

    Keywords

    Gender, IHL compliance and accountability

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

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The UK will continue to encourage other States to ratify IHL instruments not yet ratified.
    • Advocacy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The UK will continue to support the intergovernmental process resulting from Resolution 2 of the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in 2015.
    • Partnership
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • The UK will ratify the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols by 2017.
    • Policy
    • 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.

    The United Kingdom  remained committed to strengthening respect for IHL throughout 2018,  ith evidence. For example, in statements at the UN Security Council and the creation of the web page 'UK and International Law 2018'. This site sets out the sources of IHL, the relevant treaties, basic IHL principles and a list of relevant institutions. The website hosts links to IHL related document such as the Joint Service Manual of the Law of Armed Conflict.

    In 2018, The United Kingdom's Foreign and Common Wealth Office hosted an IHL expert level series of lectures, bringing together leading UK practitioners and global experts. 

    In 2018, the United Kingdom also focused on drafting a voluntary report on the implementation of IHL at a domestic level. The report will focus on several aspects of IHL implementation, including dissemination, training and legal advice. This publication is intended to help to improve understanding of IHL, and encourage and inform dialogue on IHL issues both at home and overseas. The report is due to be published in early 2019.

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

    Lack of compliance with International Humanitarian Law and lack of respect for the humanitarian principles are impacting achieving this transformation

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

    Progress requires renewed political commitment and innovative solutions.

    Keywords

    IHL compliance and accountability

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to work with the United States and other partners to build on lessons from Syria and establish international compacts on protracted refugee crises to provide jobs, education and services to refugees and the communities that host them, using a wide range of financial, aid, and trade instruments.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    Partners: United States, others

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The UK commits to increasingly align its funding for large refugee populations to partners who can demonstrate that they are using funds to accelerate sustainable solutions where possible to deliver better outcomes for displaced populations and the communities that host them.
    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The UK will continue to increase the overall amount and predictability of finance including by providing multi-year funding and by working for reform of the multilateral development banks so they can better support countries hosting large numbers of refugees.


    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity

    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

    The UK continues to provide both immediate life-saving and long-term support in Ethiopia, including driving forward the 'Jobs Compact' to create new jobs for 70,000 Ethiopians and 30,000 refugees. In Uganda, a new £165m multi-year programme (BRAER) will help build self-reliance of refugee and host communities, stimulate local trade and bring in the private sector. And in Kenya a new five-year, £84m Integrated Refugee and Host Community Support Programme is placing greater emphasis on livelihoods and economic opportunities for refugees and host communities alike. 

    The UK has committed to resettle 20,000 refugees into the UK by 2020 through the Syria Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. The UK is over half-way to this target having already resettled almost 15,000 refugees, and remains on track to meet the commitment.

    The UK also remain at the forefront of new responses, including £129 million to the Rohingya crisis (since August 2017) to provide vaccinations, strengthen shelters and deliver food and clean water.  

    In 2018, the UK provided $99mn to UNHCR to help meet the needs of IDPs and refugees.

     

    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
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Both the Global Compact for Refugees (GCR) and country-specific Compacts aim to bolster longer-term development that increases refugee self-reliance alongside immediate humanitarian aid, delivered in a way that also benefits hosts, including systems. But it needs proper funding, the right mix of actors, and engagement across host governments.

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

    Adoption of the Global Compact on Refugees in December is a welcome step in the right direction and regular Global Refugee Forums - the first planned for December 2019 - will be important in driving forward the ambition of the GCR and securing the support (financial and otherwise) needed to deliver its aims. Broadening the support base and the number of countries and other actors actively engaged in this work will be key.

    Keywords

    Displacement

  • 3C
    End statelessness in the next decade

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to work with the United States and other partners to build on lessons from Syria and establish international compacts on protracted refugee crises to provide jobs, education and services to refugees and the communities that host them, using a wide range of financial, aid, and trade instruments.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    Partners: United States, others

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

    The UK supports compliance with the international norms which prevent people being made stateless.

    The UK is one of the leading donors to UNHCR, supporting its efforts to provide protection and assistance to some of the most vulnerable refugees in some of the most complex and challenging environments on the planet. In 2018, the UK provided $99mn to UNHCR to help meet the needs of IDPs and refugees.

    The UK was also the third largest provider of core unearmarked funding, providing £35mn a year as part of a multiyear financial commitment to UNHCR. This funding is used by UNHCR as necessary. It provides UNHCR with the flexibility to disburse funds rapidly, to surge in immediately when a crisis hits and to support operations where additional funding is needed. UNHCR have launched a campaign called #IBelong to end statelessness by 2024, and have also developed a Global Action Plan to End Statelessness.

    The UK’s stateless leave policy (introduced in 2013, with the support of UNHCR) reflects our obligations under the UN Conventions of 1954 and 1961 on stateless persons. The UK’s policy enables people currently present in the UK, who do not need asylum or humanitarian protection, but who are unable to return to their country of former habitual residence because they are stateless and no longer have (and are not able to obtain) a right of residence there, and who are not admissible to any other country, to obtain leave to remain in the UK. This leave to remain entitles them to access basic human rights such as education, healthcare and freedom of movement. Information on stateless applications and decisions made are regularly shared with UNHCR.

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

    Statelessness is partly a political problem that requires buy in, alongside joined up humanitarian/development analysis and inclusion of vulnerable and excluded groups.

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

    Fundamentally, a greater focus on addressing the issues that lead to statelessness in the first place.

    Keywords

    Displacement

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK endorses the UNFPA-led Joint Statement on Sexual and Reproductive Health in Emergencies: Accelerating Efforts to Save Lives, Protect Rights, and Dignity and Leave No one Behind.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    Partners: UNFPA

    Individual Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to drive accountability for gender responsive humanitarian action, including offering support to the US and its partners of the Real Time Accountability Partnership (RTAP) on its efforts to promote system-wide accountability for the prevention and response of gender-based violence in emergencies, supporting real-time evaluations of humanitarian responses to ensure that they are responsive to the needs of women and girls, and make the use of Interagency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action mandatory in DFID humanitarian programming.


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

    • The UK commits to driving improved accountability for gender equality with its humanitarian partners to demonstrate compliance with the UK's International Development (Gender Equality) Act 2014.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The UK commits to ensure that its early warning and joint conflict analysis and assessment tools are fully gender-sensitive by September 2016.
    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • The UK commits to scale up support for women and girls in crises, including through expanded programmes to address VAWG and sexual and reproductive health and rights in protracted contexts such as South Sudan and Syria.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • The UK commits to supporting women's civil society organizations to further support women's participation in formal and informal decision-making fora, including through dedicated financing instruments such as the new Global Acceleration Instrument on Women, Peace and Security.


    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Empower Women and Girls as change agents and leaders, including by increasing support for local women's groups to participate meaningfully in humanitarian action.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the Outcome documents of their review conferences for all women and adolescent girls in crisis settings.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Ensure that humanitarian programming is gender responsive.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's rights.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Empowerment of women and girls

    The UK considers promoting gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment to be integral to ensuring the humanitarian system is as effective, efficient and accountable as possible. In 2018, the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) launched its new Strategic Vision for Gender Equality, which includes a commitment to step up our work to protect and empower women and girls in humanitarian and protracted crises. The UK worked closely with Canada in developing the Whistler Declaration for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls in Crises and will continue to work together to pilot best practice approaches to implementation. The UK has also worked to strengthen coverage of gender equality across the Grand Bargain process. As members of both the informal Friends of Gender group and Facilitation Group, the UK were able to push for the introduction of voluntary reporting on gender in the Grand Bargain annual report, which ensured gender-related actions featured much more prominently in the 2018 self-reports. Going forward, the UK will ensure that gender is mainstreamed across UK priority Grand Bargain workstreams. This includes the UK-led cash workstream, where a sub-group on gender and cash was introduced in 2018.

    Sexual and reproductive health

    The UK is working with partners to ensure that there is greater accountability for commitments on gender equality, including sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) chairs the SRHR in Crises Donor Group and is working with the Partnership for Maternal and Newborn Health to conduct a global consultation on improved coordination for the full continuum of women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health in humanitarian crises. The UK is also funding WHO to develop a global monitoring framework for SRHR in crises to improve the quality of data and drive global accountability. The UK is continuing to expand programming on SRHR for women and girls affected by crises, including via support to UNFPA in the Rohingya refugee response and Syria humanitarian crisis. The UK have also launched new development programmes that incorporate fragile contexts and crisis-affected populations, e.g. the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health Programme. The UK is testing innovative approaches for improving SRH service delivery in crisis contexts via the Amplify innovation programme and UK Aid Connect, and working with the Guttmacher Institute on research into safe abortion care in crisis affected populations.

    Gender equality programming

    In 2018, the UK launched the new shared UK Government approach to gender in Syria, which puts women and girls at the heart of our efforts to bring an end to conflict and build peace that includes everyone. A set of gender minimum standards guide gender sensitive humanitarian programming. Gender is a key priority of the UK’s advocacy for humanitarian reform in DRC. This includes advocating for resources to support broader capacity for gender analysis and integration through a dedicated Gender Standby Capacity Project (GenCap) and strategic funding streams. The UK has pushed to secure commitment from DRC’s Humanitarian Fund to support a Humanity and Inclusion cell to strengthen inclusive programming. The UK has contributed £18.5m in 2018/2019 to the UNOCHA-Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF). In the last reporting year, 69% of AHF’s total beneficiaries were women and children who received needs-based assistance including food security, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), shelter and non-food items. The UK is one of the largest donors to the UN Iraq Humanitarian Fund (£74m in 2018). The UK's support for cash programming offers the most vulnerable Iraqis, including female headed households, the opportunity to purchase items to address their most urgent needs.  

    Other

    Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls: The UK is working with partners to drive system level accountability on GBV, including our new role as co-Chair for the States and Donors Working Group of the Call to Action on Protection from GBV in Emergencies and joining the Global Steering Committee for the Real Time Accountability Partnership (RTAP) for action on protection from GBV in emergencies. The UK aim to use these roles to reinvigorate membership, share best practice across global processes and initiatives, and support the roll out of an Accountability Framework tool in 2019. The UK has supported GBV coordination mechanisms at field level through the secondment of standby partner staff to interagency coordination roles, in 2018 this included positions in Sana’a, Yemen; Bentiu, South Sudan and Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh. The UK have continued to expand programming, reaching 14,800 people through GBV services in Syria and supporting survivors of GBV through long term programming in South Sudan with medical and psychosocial support, training for police on handling GBV cases, and working with men and community groups. UK funded research is demonstrating that violence is preventable across a range of fragile contexts. Findings will be shared at high profile events and exchanges across 2019 to drive action on GBV.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • A Global Undertaking on Health in Crisis Settings
    • 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
    • Human resources/capacity
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    There is a need for stronger accountability on gender equality within the humanitarian system, moving beyond voluntary reporting. The gap in available expertise on gender equality remains a challenge and protection remains underfunded.   

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

    The humanitarian system needs to be able to track performance against commitments on gender equality, and the UK will consider how to do so moving forward. There is the need to ensure that gender expertise is available at the outset of every crisis (within 72 hours) and a 'no regrets' approach to responding to GBV and providing sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The UK is building capacity on gender equality in humanitarian crises, including launching "Cheat Sheet" guidance.

    Keywords

    Gender, Innovation

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The UK commits to invest in and support the new joint Education Cannot Wait Platform with £30m of funding over two years in order to mitigate the inter-generational effects of forced displacement and support equal access by girls to education in emergency and protracted crises affected countries.
    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    The UK disbursed £12.1million to Education Cannot Wait (ECW) in 2018 and continued to provide technical support centrally with the ECW Secretariat and at a country level. For example the UK played a key role with ECW and others to develop the Education Refugee Response Plan for refugees and their host communities in Uganda.

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

    These challenges impact on how education programmes deliver on quality, protection and equity.

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

    All agencies commit to building capacity within their organizations to address gaps and to better sharing and use of data to drive stronger, more targeted programmes that improve children's education and reach the most vulnerable. Strong joined-up action across humanitarian, development and peace-building for the best value for money from investments that are able to respond to needs, manage risks and set the way for transition out of crisis response.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Education

  • 3G
    Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The UK endorses the Charter on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.
    • 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.

    The UK Government has committed to setting up the first donor group on mental health and psychosocial support.  This was announced by Minister Baldwin in the margins of the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit (led by the Department of Health & Social Care) held on 8-9 October.  This is in partnership with the Government of the Netherlands.

    DFID supports multiple programmes which address mental health and psychosocial support for children affected by conflict, including those who have been displaced. For example, we provide £65m to the No Lost Generation Initiative in Lebanon in response to the growing refugee crisis.  Our contribution helps to finance the delivery of education and child protection for the most vulnerable children aged 3-18, including psychosocial support.

    The Secretary of State also announced that the UK government will match up to £500,000 raised by War Child for a new UK Aid Match appeal which runs until January 2019.  Funds will provide targeted psycho-social support to 400 children with generalised support reaching a total of 3,000 children traumatised by war in the Central African Republic.

    Education Cannot Wait (£30m, 2016-2018) is a global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. It typically funds safe learning spaces, teaching and learning materials and psychosocial support, as well as investments to improve planning for short to medium term need.

    In Jordan the ‘Humanitarian protection for vulnerable refugees and host communities in Jordan’ programme (£6.1m, 2018-2020) provides mental health case management for 2,304 patients, and psychosocial services for 4980 patients.  2,400 children will receive child protection case management. Children will receive mental health treatment and psychosocial support. Cash for protection will be provided to 300 families identified as extremely vulnerable – with their identification via the child protection case management caseload.

         

    Keywords

    Displacement, Education

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The UK commits to more than double its use of cash-based approaches in crisis situations from current levels.
    • Financial
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (6)

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

    Strengthening national/local leadership and systems

    The UK invested in development support to strengthen systems and local capacity to manage crises and crisis risks. For instance, the UK International Health Regulation programme helped provide technical assistance to partner health institutions to strengthen systems in areas such as emergency preparedness, planning and response; surveillance and early action; and public health workforce needs assessments and planning.

    The UK continues to advocate for approaches to cash which local and national systems can be utilised and/ or strengthened. In 2018, the UK, with UNICEF and IFRC, launched the GB Cash Worksteam sub-working group on social protection and humanitarian cash.

    Building community resilience

    In 2018, the UK provided over £12m to Education Cannot Wait (ECW - as part of a larger 2016-2019 £30m programme) to invest in education in emergencies and protracted crises. The majority of ECW’s funding support multi-year education programmes in protracted crises, supporting the transition towards longer-term education interventions and systems strengthening. For example in Uganda DFID worked closely with ECW to develop the Education Refugee Response Plan. 

    The UK supports the use of social protection in crises be it through the support to shock-responsive social protection systems or through the use of social protection approaches in crises, across its bilateral country programme operations. A new DFID centrally managed programme, Better Assistance in Crises (BASIC) started in 2018 to help poor and vulnerable people to cope better with crises and meet their basic needs through more effective social assistance in contexts of recurrent shocks, protracted conflict and forced displacement. DFID invested in a three year multi-country research to better understand how social protection systems can be used to respond to shocks in low-income countries. The OPM-led Shock-Responsive Social Protection Research programme  was published in 2018 ('Shock-Responsive Social Protection Systems research: Synthesis report').

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

    In 2017, the UK and the World Bank announced the creation of the London Centre for Disaster Protection. The Centre offers impartial advice, data and analytics, global public goods (such as risk modeling), training and capacity building and innovation (for example, incentivising resilient infrastructure or applying disaster risk financing principles to refugee responses). The Centre is already working in several African countries on the financing for shock responsive social protection, and has received expressions of interest from other countries in Africa and Asia in particular. The Centre is funded by the Prosperity Fund (£30m) and Commonwealth Summit (2018-2020) Fund (£3m, specifically for technical assistance to the Caribbean).

    Cash-based programming

    In 2017/2018, the UK delivered just over one fifth of its humanitarian aid in cash transfers ensuring that more aid supports local markets and systems. This is an increase of nearly 60% against its baseline in 2015/16. The UK is focused on maximising impact through strengthening active participation of recipients in delivery and design of cash. For example, in 2018 the UK published research focused on improving accountability to affected populations in Iraq and Kenya.

    Keywords

    Cash, Community resilience, Local action, People-centred approach, Strengthening local systems

  • 4B
    Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to invest £5.8 billion over the next 5 years to tackle climate change; of this, £2.9 billion to help the poorest, most often women and girls, adapt to the effects of climate change, building resilience, preparedness and reducing the impact of shocks relating to extreme weather-related events.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • 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)

    During 2018, the UK-led Centre for Disaster Protection has become fully operational, providing technical assistance, advice and analytics to developing countries through the World Bank’s Disaster Protection Programme and the Centre team in London.   The Centre brings developing countries together with partners including the UK Government, the World Bank, civil society and the private sector with the shared goal of enhancing resilience to climate and disasters and protecting the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable people through quicker, more efficient and effective responses.

    Preparedness

    Further funding and support to Start Fund to increase the use of its anticipation window funding, resulting in earlier interventions ahead of crises. Investment in DFID preparedness and early warning capabilities, through strengthened partnerships with agencies such as the Met Office, and greater coordination between country offices and the centre on early 'no regrets' responses.

    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness

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

    Joint Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to work with the United States on the design of new crisis review mechanism.


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

    Partners: United States

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to join the Global Alliance for Humanitarian Innovation.


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

    • The UK commits to join the Global Alliance for Urban Crises and signs up to the Urban Crises Charter.


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

    • The UK commits to pursue a 'whole of aid' approach to preventing and responding to humanitarian crises.


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

    Core Commitments (1)

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

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

    In 2018-19, the UK refreshed tools to guide UK country diagnostics. Working across interdisciplinary sector teams, The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) produced a new template to enable joint UK analysis of the current state of development, barriers to further progress and tractable opportunities to create change. This tool, called the Country Development Diagnostics, was piloted then rolled out across most countries and regions where we work. Better understanding of country context will help DFID country teams engage with joint analyses implemented by the international community, and guide internal UK planning processes.

    Financing Collective outcomes

    In 2018 the UK provided over £12m to Education Cannot Wait (ECW - as part of a larger 2016-2019 £30m programme) to invest in education in emergencies and protracted crises. The majority of ECW’s funding support multiyear education programmes in protracted crises, supporting the transition towards longer-term education interventions and systems strengthening. For example, in Uganda, The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) worked closely with ECW to develop the Education Refugee Response Plan.

    Investing in disaster risk reduction

    The UK helped establish the Global Risk Financing Facility (GRIF) with Germany through an £8m investment. The GRIF subsidises the costs of risk financing instruments such as insurance and provides grant funding to strengthen national disaster response systems or develop preparedness plans. The first GRIF project has kicked off in Mozambique and aims to strengthen the capacity of the Government of Mozambique (including the National Disaster Management Institute) to access and manage post-disaster financing.

    In 2017, the UK and the World Bank announced the creation of the London Centre for Disaster Protection. The Centre offers impartial advice, data and analytics, global public goods (such as risk modelling), training and capacity building and innovation (for example, incentivising resilient infrastructure or applying disaster risk financing principles to refugee responses). The Centre is already working in several African countries on the financing for shock responsive social protection and has received expressions of interest from other countries in Africa and Asia in particular.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Education Cannot Wait
    • 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
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    • Preparedness
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Limited coordination across the humanitarian, development and peace architecture is slowing progress towards delivery of collective outcomes. Financing levels across the development, peace and humanitarian architecture are also insufficiently aligned with needs on the ground, hindering innovation.

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

    We need a step change to ensure financing across the development, peace and humanitarian architecture is aligned with needs on the ground, and efforts to coordinate beyond silos.

    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction, Education, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to invest in building local and national capacity for crisis prevention and response, increasing its support to local and national NGOs through the START Network and DEPP, as well as through the Humanitarian Leadership Academy.


    • Capacity
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts 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.

    Direct funding to national/local actors

    The UK Department for International Development has committed an additional £37.5m to the Start Fund: a global multi-donor humanitarian response fund managed by a consortia of NGOs. The Start Fund’s operating model supports local and national actors by shifting decision making on specific projects to member NGOs in the affected country as well as disbursing high proportions of funds through local organisations. The new business case will, in part, support Start to create a decentralised network of hubs around the world and to develop a tiered due diligence framework aimed at supporting local and national organisations to access funds and build capacity.

    Capacity building of national/local actors

    The UK has developed, in partnership with Germany and the World Bank, a new Global Risk Financing Facility. This Facility helps build national capacity and resilience by subsidizing the costs of risk-financing instruments such as insurance, and providing grant funding to strengthen national disaster response systems or develop preparedness plans.

    The UK continues to demonstrate commitment to local capabilities through core funding to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (£9m for 18/19), which builds the capacity of National Societies.

    Country-based pooled funds

    In 2018, the UK contributed US$250.8m to the UN’s Country-Based Pooled Funds. 25% of all CBPF funding last year, including from other donors, went to national and local NGOs.

    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.
    • Buy-in
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Measuring the effects, and sustainability of, national and local capacity development programmes is challenging.

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

    The Grand Bargain localisation workstream has a role to play in taking forward this agenda.

    Keywords

    Country-based pooled funds, Local action

  • 5B
    Invest according to risk

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to invest £5.8 billion over the next 5 years to tackle climate change; of this, £2.9 billion to help the poorest, most often women and girls, adapt to the effects of climate change, building resilience, preparedness and reducing the impact of shocks relating to extreme weather-related events.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • The UK commits to scale up technical assistance support around insurance and risk finance.
    • Financial
    • 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.

    During 2018, the UK-led Centre for Disaster Protection became fully operational, providing technical assistance, advice and analytics to developing countries through the World Bank’s Disaster Protection Programme and the Centre team in London.   The Centre brings developing countries together with partners including the UK Government, the World Bank, civil society and the private sector with the shared goal of enhancing resilience to climate and disasters and protecting the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable people through quicker, more efficient and effective responses.

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

    Accurate disaster risk financing arrangements require high quality data (for example on risks and impact) to enable robust modelling and accurate pricing. New risk financing arrangements must also be paid for - eg insurance premiums. Capacity also needs to be built so that countries are informed customers.

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

    The UK, Germany and the World Bank are developing a Global Risk Finance Facility, which will help countries cover the costs of new and expanded risk financing instruments while they become comfortable with their use. Coordinated, coherent and high quality advice, analytics, data and modelling as public goods will build capacity and quality of instruments themselves. 

    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction

  • 5C
    Invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK commits to increase funding for the UK's Conflict Stability and Security Fund from £1.033 billion in 2015/16 to over £1.3 billion by 2019/20. This will increase capacity to prevent threats and build stability, as well as respond to crises more quickly and effectively.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Invest in Humanity

    • The UK commits to ensure adequate funds are available at short notice to provide comprehensive support to crises through the UK'™s £500 million crisis reserve.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Invest in Humanity

    • The UK commits to invest at least 50% of the Department for International Development'€™s budget in fragile states and regions in every year from 2016 to 2020. This is a major investment in global stability.


    • 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.

    The UK continues to fulfill its commitment to increase funding for the UK's Conflict Stability and Security Fund from £1.033 billion in 2015/16 to over £1.3 billion by 2019/20. This will increase capacity to prevent threats and build stability, as well as respond to crises more quickly and effectively. The UK has also continued to meet its commitments to invest at least 50% of its Department for International Development's (DFID) budget in fragile states and regions in every year from 2016 to 2020. Our Building Stability Framework guides how we do this.  This is a major investment in global stability over the long-term, demonstrating that we remain engaged.

    A number of DFID Country Offices are taking Whole-of-Portfolio approaches to building stability and demonstrating innovative programming approaches to addressing the causes of conflict and fragility. For example, in Somalia, DFID has supported a range of programmes aimed at resolving conflict between communities and political actors, building the capacity and legitimacy of Federal Member State institutions, and ensuring that women are represented in political decision-making. For example, DFID’s work has helped to reduce tensions between Jordanian host communities and Syrian refugees through supporting community level conflict resolution mechanisms.     

    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
    • Data and analysis
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Investing in stability unilaterally is difficult when there is not ubiquitous consensus among donors that it is the right thing to do. Additionally, data which accurately measures the contribution of stability is hard to perfect. National political will for strengthening national systems is sometimes absent.

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

    The international donor community, led by local partners, should work together more effectively to tackle the underlying drivers of instability, rather than focus on the symptoms. The case for greater investment in stability and conflict prevention is both economically and ethically sound. The recent UN-World Bank joint study, 'Pathways for Peace' and SDG16 should be used as a tool to get donors to coordinate and work towards a shared agenda.

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • The UK will continue to increase the overall amount and predictability of finance including by providing multi-year funding and by working for reform of the multilateral development banks so they can better support countries hosting large numbers of refugees.


    • Financial
    • Leave No One Behind 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.

    Multi-year humanitarian programming is now the default option for the UK, in line with our Grand Bargain commitments. The UK provided 89% of its humanitarian funding in multi-year agreements in 2017 (£1,249 million), and 90% in 2018.

    The UK’s multi-year core funding programmes for the UN humanitarian and development agencies continue, providing significant flexible funding over a four year period. 30% of this funding is performance-based, dependent on the collective delivery of reforms that contribute to a more effective system. Our review of performance in 2018 suggests that PBR is making a difference and agencies are stepping up to deliver better together. For example we saw a big improvement in the number of high-risk countries now prepared to respond better and faster if disasters strike and a 20% increase in the volume of humanitarian assistance delivered as cash or vouchers. The UK is investing in a third party monitoring and evaluation contract to understand how performance-based core funding incentivises the system to deliver better assistance through collaboration.

    The UK made a further £34m available for the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in 2018, to enable more rapid funding to priority humanitarian needs across a range of worsening and underfunded crises.

    The UK also continues to support the implementation of the World Bank's 18th replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA18), including the Regional Sub-Window for Refugees and Host Communities (RSW). As of November 2018, 14 countries in Africa, South Asia, the Middle-East and North Africa have been deemed eligible to access funding under the RSW. Our engagement includes through the World Bank's Advisory board and high-level bilateral meetings, at country level, and through the Bank’s participation in consultations on the Global Compact on Refugees and the links between the RSW and that process. The UK also continues to help build the evidence to support the refugee sub-window through a £10 million research project with the World Bank and UNHCR.

    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
    • Other: Evidence
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Limited evidence of what works and institutional bottlenecks can slow progress.

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

    Sustained investments in learning and evidence is essential to understand what works, and incentivise greater collaboration and financing for collective outcomes.

    Keywords

    Displacement

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

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • The UK commits to align its humanitarian financing with the Grand Bargain agenda for finance and system reform.
    • 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.

    Multi-year humanitarian programming is the UK's Department for International Development's (DFID) default approach to funding to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the UK's humanitarian financing. Seventy-one projects in twenty-six DFID country offices have multi-year humanitarian business cases approved, representing approximately 89% of DFID's £1.4 billion humanitarian expenditure.

    DFID is currently implementing two core funding arrangements to run over four years (2017-2021). These business cases continue to provide the UN Humanitarian system (OCHA, CERF, IOM, WFP, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO) and the Red Cross/ Red Crescent Movement.

    (ICRC, IFRC and the British Red Cross) with flexible un-earmarked core funds and are being monitored through a single results framework for each business cases.

    DFID also continues to explore new financing arrangements to increase and diversify the resource base. This includes investments in the ICRC Humanitarian Impact Bond, and scaling up our investments in Risk Financing to provide faster and more predictable financing for disasters. The UK is currently supporting the anticipatory window of the START fund and, through the Centre for Disaster Protection, will work with the UN central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) on early action. The UK's funding to the World Bank Global Risk Financing Facility is providing support to countries to expand the use of risk financing approaches to better manage disasters.       

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • Grand Bargain
    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding amounts
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The level of humanitarian need continues to outpace available resources. We need to get much better at managing and financing according to risk, and developing development-based financing strategies that address the underlying causes of crisis and vulnerability in protracted crises.

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

    The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) is actively engaging with other donors to shift to multi-year funding models, recognizing the challenge of protracted crises and need to contribute to longer-term development gains in the logic of the SDGs.