ARCHIVED

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  The 2015 UK Strategic Defence & Security Review makes clear the central role of development assistance in addressing the great challenges of our time, including mass migration, modern slavery, disease and terrorism. The achievement of development results alone is insufficient to reduce instability and violence and in addition, we need to make choices to help countries and communities to manage change peacefully. The UK has adopted an integrated approach to tackling instability, increasing well-targeted development assistance in fragile states and regions, and pushing for more effective performance of the UN and World Bank in these contexts.

• Achievements at a glance

  The UK has committed to an increase of funding for the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) from £1.033 billion in 2015/16 to over £1.3 billion by 2019/20, and are on track to reach this target. The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund works to strengthen peace and resilience in countries at risk of conflict and instability. It is intended to deliver a whole-of-government approach to conflict prevention, stabilisation and crisis response.
  
  In addition, the UK is implementing its Building Stability Framework which includes ensuring development programming address root causes of conflict. This means working in the right places, putting politics first, thinking and acting beyond the state, seeing stability through the whole portfolio and managing risk and return flexibly. This is complemented by the UK commitment to invest 50% of DFID's budget in fragile states and regions - which remains on track.
  

• How is your organization assessing progress

  The UK closely monitors CSSF spending and systems are in place to assess the amount of resources spent in fragile states and regions. We have so far met the annual milestones and are on track to achieve the target.
  
  Additionally, CSSF and DFID programming are subject to regular scrutiny, assessing progress against objectives of building stability. An example of this work is the mentoring and training of over 11,000 Lebanese soldiers in urban counter-terrorism by 2019. Teams are required to outline in their business plans how their overall portfolio will contribute to building stability more widely. This is assessed annually.
  

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Addressing the root causes of conflict requires significant behavioral and resource shifts. An unclear evidence base lends itself to trial and error. Additional resources in more complex environments require greater safeguards, increased expertise and often higher management time.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  While implementation is ongoing within UK systems, we need to invest in developing the right capabilities and continue to build up the evidence of what works, including through case studies of our own programming. Simultaneously, the UK has a key role to play in influencing partners to consider their own approaches and work closely with multilateral partners to improve their effectiveness in fragile states and regions.

• If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Remain engaged and invest in stability', what would it be

  The biggest constraints on successful conflict prevention are fundamentally political and cannot be completely solved through institutional reforms or more money. To achieve lasting solutions and prevent crises in the future, bilateral and multilateral actors must seize opportunities to tackle underlying causes of conflict.

• Specific initiatives

  ☑Commitment to Action: Transcending the humanitarian - development divide ☑ The Peace Promise

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑1C - Remain engaged and invest in stability

Individual Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  Protecting civilians is at the core of the UK’s policies to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts around the world. The UK is the 'lead' nation in the Security Council on the protection of civilians agenda. With UK leadership and support, the UN Security Council has increased its commitment to this agenda in recent years.

• Achievements at a glance

  The UK has supported or led on a number of thematic Security Council resolutions on protection issues, such as the Protection of Medical Facilities in 2016. We commissioned research and facilitated dialogue between states [by Chatham House] on the scope for strengthened, principled engagement with non-state armed groups for humanitarian purposes.

• How is your organization assessing progress

  Using our permanent seat in the UN Security Council, the UK advocates for the protection of people in crises, including medical personnel and facilities and humanitarian personnel and assets.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Encouraging states to respect International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, to consider new initiatives for strengthening accountability, and to cooperate with international bodies such as International Criminal Court (ICC) in holding alleged perpetrators to account. It is also important that the international community as a whole ensures that adequate resources are available to the ICC and tribunals whilst also encouraging greater efficiency and effectiveness of the courts and tribunals.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Humanitarian principles

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

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

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  The UK is committed to a rules-based international order and to ending impunity for the most serious crimes of international concern by holding perpetrators to account and achieving justice for victims.

• Achievements at a glance

  In 2016, the UK contributed more than £11 million to international criminal tribunals, including the International Criminal Court and tribunals covering former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Lebanon, Cambodia and Sierra Leone. In September 2016 at the UN General Assembly, the UK launched a global campaign to Bring Daesh to Justice. In December 2016 the UK co-sponsored an UN General Assembly resolution establishing an International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist the investigation and prosecution of atrocity crimes in Syria. The UK also contributed to consultations with states on the ICRC/Swiss initiative to strengthening compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In December 2016, the UK candidate Dr. Robin McNeill Love was elected to the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission.

• How is your organization assessing progress

  The UK demonstrates vocal and concrete support for a rules-based international system, including support for international criminal tribunals and compliance with international humanitarian law.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Encouraging states to respect International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, to consider new initiatives for strengthening accountability, and to cooperate with international bodies such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) in holding alleged perpetrators to account. It is also important that the international community as a whole ensures that adequate resources are available to the ICC and tribunals whilst also encouraging greater efficiency and effectiveness of the courts and tribunals.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  Continued support for tribunals, including new mechanisms such as the Syria International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) and Bringing Daesh to Justice campaign. Ongoing consultations on strengthening respect for IHL.

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑2C - Speak out on violations

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  The UK remains committed to strengthening respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) - Resolution 2 of the 32nd International Conference of the ICRC is essential to ensure IHL remains relevant and is dealt with in appropriate international fora.
  
  Ratification of the 1954 Hague Convention and Protocols has been a long-term commitment of successive governments. The destruction of cultural property that the world has witnessed in recent years was further motivation. The UK's ratification and accession to the Convention and Protocols sends a strong message of the UK's commitment to protecting the world's cultural property.
  

• Achievements at a glance

  Resolution 2 - UK has actively supported the state-led, ICRC and Government of Switzerland-facilitated, process to strengthen respect for, and enhance the implementation of, IHL.
  
  The Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Act received Royal Assent on 23 February 2017. The Act will enable the UK to meet its obligations under the Convention and Protocols. The Second Protocol is being laid before Parliament as required by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (2010). Once completed, we can progress procedures for depositing instruments of ratification and accession.
  

• How is your organization assessing progress

  In order to assess and monitor progress made on Resolution 2 of the 32nd International Conference of the ICRC - two formal meetings will be held in 2017, two in 2018 and one in 2019.
  
  The UK have been utilizing a number of project management tools to measure progress towards ratification/accession of the 1954 Hague Convention. The main success to date has been the successful and timely passage of the Bill. Ultimate success will be measured when ratification and accession takes place.
  

• Challenges faced in implementation

  There have been continued difficulties in reaching consensus amongst states on Resolution 2.
  
  Hague Convention - Timeline for introducing the Bill was particularly compressed, but other than that, no major challenges. Our military already adhere to the principles of the Convention and Protocols.
  

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  The next formal meeting of states on Resolution 2 takes place on 10-12 April 2017. These three days will be dedicated to examining a paper on existing IHL mechanisms and the functions and features of a potential forum of States to strengthen respect for IHL.
  
  In addition the UK will be looking to finalise the categories of UK's cultural property eligible for general protection and refine policy on use of cultural emblem and the administration of authorising use.
  

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Humanitarian principles

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

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

Joint Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  This commitment strongly aligns with UK priorities. DFID’s 2016 Bilateral Development Review calls for a new approach to protracted conflict and refugee crises. At the London Syria Conference, the UK showed commitment to this through the Jordan and Lebanon Compacts, which provide opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and access to essential services for displaced people and host communities. The Wilton Park Forum helped secure consensus on the need for a new approach to protracted forced displacement, and agreed principles for delivering better outcomes for refugees and host communities.

• Achievements at a glance

  Building on the Jordan and Lebanon Compacts, in 2016 the UK pledged £80 million support for the Ethiopia jobs compact supporting economic development by creating 100,000 new jobs for both Ethiopians and refugees. The UK played a leading role in securing an additional $2 billion to support low income refugee hosting countries through the World Bank International Development Association (IDA)-18 replenishment. The UK is the largest donor to the Education Cannot Wait fund, pledging £30 million to help over 4.5 million children receive a better education over the next two years. DFID is actively supporting UNHCR to pilot the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF).

• How is your organization assessing progress

  DFID is monitoring progress on the Jordan, Lebanon and Ethiopia compacts. IDA-18’s implementation will be monitored by a Result Measurement System and a Mid-Term Review, which we expect to include an assessment on the refugee sub-window. DFID’s Secretary of State sits on the High Level Steering Group for the Education Cannot Wait fund, which agrees the overarching results framework and approach to independent evaluation. Under Grand Bargain reporting DFID will track our own multi-year funding and how these commitments are being passed onto implementing partners.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  No major obstacles encountered. Improved humanitarian/development linkages, including the refugee compacts, requires a change of behaviour to facilitate greater coordination between donors, host governments, humanitarian and development actors, and 'new' stakeholders including the private sector.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  Lessons learnt on the refugee compacts will be shared widely within DFID. DFID will continue to proactively engage with UNHCR and other stakeholders to support successful implementation of the CRRF. On the IDA-18, DFID is working closely with the World Bank to support their field missions, which will inform effective use of the sub-window, going live in July 2017. Education Cannot Wait is tracking results and gathering lessons to improve its next cycle of programming for refugees and IDPs. The Lebanon cash programme is planned to start in April 2017.

• If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'End statelessness in the next decade', what would it be

  In situations of protracted displacement, new approaches need to combine humanitarian, development, and peace-building expertise to both meet immediate needs, as well as reduce over time the needs of chronically extreme vulnerable populations, including refugees, IDPs and the communities that host them.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑IDPs ☑ Refugees

• Specific initiatives

  ☑Education Cannot Wait

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑3A - Reduce and address displacement ☑ 3C - End statelessness in the next decade

Individual Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  Two main factors drove our engagement in Education Cannot Wait (ECW): evidence of a severe shortfall of funding for education in emergencies and the lack of a single coordinated mechanism to bring partners together to deliver quality education in crises. We wanted to be a key actor in establishing a Fund for Education in Emergencies, investing in it and galvanising advocacy and action.

• Achievements at a glance

  The UK has committed £30 million to ECW, with initial investments aiming to deliver education programming to children in Chad, Yemen and Syria, as well as Ethiopia. Education Cannot Wait has built solid foundations, with the UK and other partners supporting the Fund to develop from scratch a full results framework, operational design and governance structure.

• How is your organization assessing progress

  The UK is fully engaged in the design of the Fund, which includes a full Results Framework for ECW's investments. Since the WHS, an operational framework, setting out details of ECW's funding mechanisms, has been developed. Governance arrangements have been designed and circa. $48 million have already been received into the ECW account. Initial investments have been decided as Chad, Yemen, Syria and possibly Ethiopia. Once these investments are operational, ECW will use the Results Framework to monitor outputs.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  The biggest challenge is also one of ECW's biggest sucesses - it is creating something new and untested, and this requires a considerable amount of resource. Given that ECW is working across humanitarian and development actors, it also requires a huge amount of coordination and a balance of views to achieve something that works for all stakeholders, not least the beneficiaries.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  - Ensure that operational capacity is increased and that initial investments are begun as soon as possible in order to deliver education to children without delay.
  - Mobilizing more resources, including from non-traditional donors.
  - Prioritising measuring of quality education, including ensuring schools are safe places where children are protected.
  - Begin building a better evidence base.

• If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Eliminate gaps in education for children, adolescents and young people', what would it be

  Energy, patience, commitment, and collaboration, whilst always bearing in mind the end goal of reaching more children with education: something asked for by children and parents living through humanitarian crises, and yet so often overlooked.

• Specific initiatives

  ☑Education Cannot Wait

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

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

Individual Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  An estimated 800 million people in developing countries have a disability. We cannot end poverty without reaching people with disabilities; and therefore the UK is looking to become the global leader in this neglected and under-prioritised area. The UK is committed to reaching the poorest and most excluded people; creating jobs, strengthening global peace and security and promoting global prosperity. Therefore, we will ensure people with disabilities are consistently included in, and benefit from, international aid and humanitarian assistance, can access a quality education and productive employment and no longer face stigma and discrimination.

• Achievements at a glance

  The UK reaffirms our determination to make humanitarian action inclusive of persons with disabilities. We are doing strong work and we will build on this:
  - The Girls Education Challenge supports over 34,000 girls with disabilities to access an education in Kenya and Uganda.
  - Through UK Aid Direct, Motivation UK provides emergency wheelchairs to injured and disabled people in humanitarian crises.
  - We are providing up to 300 small grants over the next three years to support disabled peoples organisations across the world.
  - We support the control of neglected diseases, vaccination and strengthening health systems, which help to prevent or reduce the impact of disabilities.
  - DFID spends approximately £30m over five years on disability inclusion through centrally managed programmes.
  

• How is your organization assessing progress

  We are amending DFID’s internal systems, and working with the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) so that in the future we and the international community can better track and monitor disability spending.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  By May 2017, the UK will launch a new disability inclusion programme to build critical evidence to deliver jobs, support people living with psycho-social disabilities, tackle stigma and discrimination and provide support in conflict and humanitarian settings.
  
  We will significantly increase the number, and ambition, of disability inclusive programming across DFID. We will deliver improved and targeted programming that supports people with disabilities to have a voice, access a quality education and gain productive employment.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Disability

• Specific initiatives

  ☑Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑3G - Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  Effective risk management and preparedness contributes directly to the success of UK priorities: strengthening resilience and response to crises as well as to tackle extreme poverty and help the world’s most vulnerable. Climate change is a global challenge that requires a global response. It is one of the biggest threats to our national and economic security and we need to act now in order to avoid more detrimental and costly effects in the future.

• Achievements at a glance

  The UK provides up to £500,000 over three years for an international, multi-stakeholder index for risk management (InfoRM). We use the index to support early warning and resource allocation processes. The two largest humanitarian donors, US and ECHO, are using INFORM to support the allocation of their budgets, meaning INFORM is influencing over £6.81 billion of humanitarian funding.
  
  In addition over the last 5 years, UK climate finance investments in developing countries through DFID, BEIS and DEFRA have supported 21 million people to cope with the effects of climate change, improved access to clean energy for 6.6 million people and reduced or avoided 4.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. This includes being a founding donor of several insurance initiatives, including African Risk Capacity, which pools risk regionally to offer lower-cost insurance and provides advice and assistance to governments around insurance and risk finance.
  

• How is your organization assessing progress

  We monitor international climate finance spending on a regular basis.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Disaster Risk Reduction

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑4B - Anticipate, do not wait, for crises ☑ 5B - Invest according to risk

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  The UK's support to local and national NGOs through the START Network, Disasters and Emergencies Preparedness Programme and the Humanitarian Leadership Academy ensures we build local and national capacity and get funds to national and local actors. The UK also demonstrates its commitment to local capabilities through core funding to the IFRC, which builds the capacity of National Societies.

• Achievements at a glance

  The UK is continuing to invest in these consortia that are working with local and national partners:
  I) The START network of national NGOs alongside international NGOs (£30 million, 3 year programme agreed until 2018) provides rapid support to forgotten, or spikes in, humanitarian crises. 42% of START funding in 2015/16 went to local and national partners.
  II) The Disasters Emergency Preparedness Programme (DEPP, £40 million, 3 year programme agreed to 2018) implemented by START Network NGOs and comprises 14 projects investing in the capacity development of national and local NGOs.
  III) The Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA, £20million, 5 year programme agreed to 2020) investing in training and learning for local and national NGOs.
  IIII) Core funding to IFRC (£9 million in 2016/17).
  

• How is your organization assessing progress

  The START fund provides an annual report that includes the amount of funding going directly for implementation by national and local partners. The DEPP partners (14 projects) report quarterly on progress and the overall outputs and outcomes of the programme are recorded and assessed in a logframe and a yearly public annual report. HLA also reports quarterly and annually on progress. IFRC reports annually against its results framework.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Challenges include measuring the effects of, and ensuring the sustainability, of national and local capacity development programmes.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  In 2017 the UK will be focusing on the continued development of the three programmes. The START Fund will continue to record funds being implemented by national and local actors, and the DEPP and HLA will continue to implement capacity development activities of national and local actors. DFID is also developing a new business case to provide continued support to the IFRC.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑People-centred approach

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑5A - Invest in local capacities

Individual Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  The 2015 UK Strategic Defence & Security Review makes clear the central role of development assistance in addressing the great challenges of our time, including mass migration, modern slavery, disease and terrorism. The achievement of development results alone is insufficient to reduce instability and violence and, in addition, we need to make choices to help countries and communities to manage change peacefully. The UK has adopted an integrated approach to tackling instability, increasing well-targeted development assistance in fragile states and regions, and pushing for more effective performance of the UN and World Bank in these contexts.

• Achievements at a glance

  The UK has committed to an increase of funding for the Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) from £1.033 billion in 2015/16 to over £1.3 billion by 2019/20, and are on track to reach this target. The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund works to strengthen peace and resilience in countries at risk of conflict and instability. It is intended to deliver a whole-of-government approach to conflict prevention, stabilisation and crisis response.
  
  In addition, DFID is implementing its Building Stability Framework across the organisation to ensure development programming addresses root causes of conflict. This means working in the right places, putting politics first, thinking and acting beyond the state, seeing stability through the whole portfolio and manage risk and return flexibly. This is complemented by the UK commitment to invest 50% of DFID's budget in fragile states and regions - which remains on track
  

• How is your organization assessing progress

  The UK closely monitors CSSF spending and systems are in place to assess the amount of resources spent in fragile states and regions. We have so far met the annual milestones and are on track to achieve the target.
  
  Additionally, CSSF and DFID programming are subject to regular scrutiny, assessing progress against objectives of building stability. An example of this work is the mentioning and training of over 11,000 Lebanese soldiers in urban counter-terrorism by 2019. Teams are required to outline in their business plans how their overall portfolio will contribute to building stability more widely. This is assessed annually.
  

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Addressing the root causes of conflict requires significant behavioral and resource shifts. An unclear evidence bases lends itself to trial and error. Additional resources in more complex environments require greater safeguards, increased expertise and often higher management time.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  While implementation is ongoing within UK systems, we need to invest in developing the right capabilities and continue to build up the evidence of what works, including through case studies of our own programming. Simultaneously the UK has a key role to play in influencing partners to consider their own approaches and work closely with multilateral partners to improve their effectiveness in fragile states and regions.

• If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Invest in stability', what would it be

  The biggest constraints on successful conflict prevention are fundamentally political and cannot be completely solved through institutional reforms or more money. To achieve lasting solutions and prevent crises in the future, bilateral and multilateral actors must seize opportunities to tackle underlying causes of conflict.

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑1C - Remain engaged and invest in stability ☑ 5C - Invest in stability