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Self Report 2017

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 Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Today’s crises, either natural or man-made, cannot be solved by humanitarian means alone. Estonia finds it important to respond to basic needs arising after a catastrophe immediately and operatively, given that there are relevant capabilities and resources, and it is possible to act in the manner that is currently needed and for which there are appropriate means.

  • Achievements at a glance

    Estonia contributes to international crisis management as part of the international community's burden-sharing and common security building. Estonia has deployed civilian experts (currently 7) to various EU civilian missions, i.e to support the reform of police services in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine), and to help manage conflict in Georgia (EUMM Georgia).
    Estonia contributed with 8 people to the EU Training Mission to Mali, aimed at supporting the Mali armed forces and assisting them with maintaining control over their national territory, and with 1 person to the EU military operation EUNAVFOR Med Sophia, aimed at preventing human trafficking in the middle part of the Mediterranean Sea.



  • How is your organization assessing progress

    WHS called for a transformative change and decisive action by all stakeholders. It is too early in the process to assess the real progress, but we welcome different initiatives to make the humanitarian aid eco-system more fit for purpose, find innovative ways to work together and address the need of those who need it the most.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    The challenge is to tackle the root-causes as well as long-term measures for conflicts and humanitarian crisis. While working closer together with other actors, it is of utmost importance to emphasize that humanitarian activities should remain exclusively humanitarian in nature.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Emphasise more the need and means for early warning and early action by mobilising the full array of early warning and preparedness, from conflict prevention and mediation, crisis response and management, to early recovery, stabilisation and peace-building.

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

    Humanitarian action cannot be a substitute for political solutions.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Accountability to affected people

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑1A - Demonstrate timely, coherent and decisive political leadership

1C
Remain engaged and invest in stability

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Without a substantially higher political commitment to address the underlying causes of the humanitarian crises, the durable solution would not be possible.
    Estonia supports a strong and united EU common foreign and security policy and EU's pro-active approach towards regional and global challenges.

  • Achievements at a glance

    H.E. Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia noted in his speech at the General Assembly of the United Nations General Debate of the 71st Session that if the world did not act on ongoing conflicts, those conflicts would breed terrorism without boundaries.
    Estonia contributes to international crisis management as part of the international community's burden-sharing and common security building. Estonia has deployed civilian experts (currently 7) to various EU civilian missions, i.e to support the reform of police services in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine), and to help manage conflict in Georgia (EUMM Georgia). Estonia contributed with 8 people to the EU Training Mission to Mali, aimed at supporting the Mali armed forces and assisting them with maintaining control over their national territory, and with 1 person to the EU military operation EUNAVFOR Med Sophia, aimed at preventing human trafficking in the middle part of the Mediterranean Sea.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Estonia has stressed the need to work closer together to ensure better linkages with development, disaster risk reduction, climate change agendas.
    Estonia has emphasised the need for a more comprehensive approach in its foreign policy frameworks and humanitarian advocacy messages in the international humanitarian aid meetings.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Focus even more on the resilience of states and societies.
    Engage earlier with development cooperation actors in humanitarian crisis.

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

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • Estonia recommits to promoting/advocating humanitarian access and engaging with third parties to that end.
  • Advocacy
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • Estonia recommits to providing assistance according to the humanitarian principles.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Estonia, among the international community, has been committed to the universality of the humanitarian principles and calls everyone to respect the norms that safeguard our humanity. Estonia shares the grave concern about the ongoing violations of international humanitarian law, impunity, diminishing humanitarian space and access.

  • Achievements at a glance

    In humanitarian aid policy, Estonia builds on the principles of providing humanitarian aid – humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality – as provided for in the articles of association of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent and resolution 46/182 of the General Assembly of the United Nations as well as international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions and the underlying document “European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid” of the European humanitarian aid policy.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    We are gravely concerned about the ongoing violations of the international humanitarian law, which has let impunity to deepen, humanitarian space and access to all those in need to diminish.
    Estonia strongly condemned the unprecedented attacks against the humanitarian aid convoys and hospitals in Aleppo, Syria.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Nothing can justify these unacceptable tactics targeting civilian humanitarian and medical missions, cutting people from the access to water and food, leaving wounded dying from lack of care. The challenge is to hold the ones responsible of the attacks accountable.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Estonia will continue to advocate strongly and consistently for the respect of international law, especially respect for the Geneva Conventions.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Accountability to affected people ☑ Humanitarian principles

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑1A - Demonstrate timely, coherent and decisive political leadership ☑ 2B - Ensure full access to and protection of the humanitarian and medical missions ☑ 2C - Speak out on violations ☑ 2D - Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability ☑ 2E - Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity

2C
Speak out on violations

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Estonia as a state party to the Geneva Conventions (and to their Protocols) has committed to respect and to ensure respect for the treaties. Thus, by recognising the competence of The International Humanitarian Fact-finding Commission (IHFFC), Estonia stands for the implementation of international humanitarian law and consequently for the protection of victims of armed conflicts.

  • Achievements at a glance

    H.E. Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia emphasised the importance of the IHL, Estonia's support of the International Criminal Court, and the critical importance of countering impunity in his speech at the General Assembly of the United Nations General Debate of the 71st Session.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Estonia has advocated consistently for the respect of international law, including international humanitarian law among Estonian civil society, humanitarian organisations and with partners abroad.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    We will continue to advocate strongly and consistently for the respect of international law, especially respect for the Geneva Conventions.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Speak out on violations', what would it be

    The fight against impunity is one of the priorities of Estonia’s foreign policy in the field of human rights.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Accountability to affected people

2D
Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • Estonia commits to advocate strongly and consistently for the respect of international law, including international humanitarian law among Estonian civil society, humanitarian organisations and with partners abroad.
  • Advocacy
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • Estonia commits to continue training in international humanitarian law, in particular to Estonian military and civilian personnel, involved in crisis management operations
  • Training
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

  • Estonia commits to fighting impunity for IHL violations, supporting work of ICC, continuing to promote the universality and preserving the integrity of the Rome Statute.


  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Estonia as a state party to the Geneva Conventions (and to their Protocols) has committed to stand for the implementation of international humanitarian law and consequently for the protection of victims of armed conflicts.
    Estonia has repeatedly called on countries to join the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court and for the member states of the court to join the Kampala amendments.

  • Achievements at a glance

    As part of the annual training to Estonian military, international humanitarian law is covered.
    H.E. Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia emphasised the importance of IHL, Estonia's support of the International Criminal Court, and the critical importance of countering impunity in his speech at the General Assembly of the United Nations General Debate of the 71st Session (https://gadebate.un.org/en/71/estonia).
    Estonia has made and continues to make donations to the ICC Trust Fund for Victims as well as NGOs that are fighting for more universal principles of the ICC and the capacity building of the State Parties’ law enforcement authorities (Coalition for the ICC, Parliamentarians for Global Action etc.)

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Estonia also stresses the importance of following the principles of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). This means that the states are obliged to prevent and hinder genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity within their population. The ICC has an important role in punishing the perpetrators of such crimes. Since 2011 Estonia has also had a representative in the Assembly of States Parties Committee on Budget and Finance.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    The fight against impunity is one of the priorities of Estonia’s foreign policy in the field of human rights.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Accountability to affected people

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

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility

  • Estonia commits to fighting impunity for IHL violations, supporting work of ICC, continuing to promote the universality and preserving the integrity of the Rome Statute.


  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Estonia strongly believes in the universality of the humanitarian principles and calls everyone to respect the norms that safeguard our humanity. We share the grave concern about the ongoing violations of international humanitarian law, impunity, diminishing humanitarian space and access.

  • Achievements at a glance

    Estonia has made and continues to make donations to the ICC Trust Fund for Victims as well as NGOs that are fighting for more universal principles of the ICC and the capacity building of the State Parties’ law enforcement authorities (Coalition for the ICC, Parliamentarians for Global Action etc.)

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Estonia has repeatedly called on countries to join the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court and for the member states of the court to join the Kampala amendments.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    We will continue to advocate strongly and consistently for the respect of international law, especially respect for the Geneva Conventions.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity', what would it be

    The fight against impunity is one of the priorities of Estonia’s foreign policy in the field of human rights.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Accountability to affected people

3A
Reduce and address displacement

Core Commitment

  • 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 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Estonia believes that the recently and universally adopted Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) is a good framework to develop peaceful societies, tackle the global poverty and promote sustainable development. The commitment to 'leave no one behind' has been a key feature of all the discussions on the post- 2015 agenda and the SDGs. Estonia supports the process-related steps to address the needs of the most vulnerable groups in the humanitarian crisis and has emphasised that in the Estonian Strategy for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid 2016-2020. Making the same commitment at WHS was a logical follow-up.

  • Achievements at a glance

    Estonia supports the resilience approach in the development cooperation and humanitarian activities that would strengthen the self-reliance of both refugees and internally displaced people. Estonia has supported the UN Humanitarian agencies annually through voluntary contributions.
    Our NGO partners (NGO Mondo, NGO Estonian Refugee Council) are implementing bi-lateral projects in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey to address the improvisation of the lives of the civilian Syrians fleeing the conflict, and in Ukraine to address the need of the internally displaced persons in the aftermath of East-Ukraine conflict.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    The recently adopted New York Declaration on large movements of refugees and migrants emphasizes the need to strengthen multilateral systems. It confirms the need for consensus and cooperation on global governance of migration and refugees.
    Estonia stays committed to support the Secretary-General’s ambitious Agenda for Humanity and the Core Commitments endorsed at the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) in Istanbul - among those the commitment to leave no one behind.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Access to the people in need. Security of the humanitarian workers delivering the aid. Host-country interpretation of the tax on humanitarian items.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    The incoming Estonian Presidency for the European Council will ensure that reducing and addressing displacement will remain high on the agenda of the Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid Working Party COHAFA. Estonia supports the resilience approach in the development cooperation and humanitarian activities that would strengthen the self-reliance of both refugees and internally displaced people.

    Estonia reaffirms its engagement in upcoming discussions on Global Compacts to achieve a more equitable sharing of the burden and responsibility for hosting and supporting the world’s refugees and migrants.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑IDPs ☑ Refugees

3D
Empower and protect women and girls

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Empowerment and protection of women and girls has been a cross-cutting theme in the Estonian Strategy for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid.
    We support the active role of women in more inclusive societies. As one of the vulnerable groups in crisis situation, women have to have a voice in peace talks, aid needs assessment, community planning.

  • Achievements at a glance

    Estonia actively promotes women participation in civilian crisis management, including in UN peacekeeping operations by raising awareness of different possibilities in civilian missions and our commitment to the Resolution 1325 during our annual trainings of civilian experts and potential civilian experts.
    From the military side we have had no special programs intended to increase the number of women participating in UN peacekeeping missions in 2013-2015.
    Internally: Estonia’s first National Action Plans (NAP) on Women was adopted 21 Oct 2010 for years 2010-2014. Estonia’s second NAP was adopted 10 Dec 2015 for years 2015-2019.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    The cooperation and outcome of the joint initiatives and programmes has been very good.
    In its humanitarian aid projects Estonia has provided separate attention to helping the most vulnerable groups of the society – women, children, victims of sexual violence, internally displaced persons and refugees – by taking into account their gender, age and state of health.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Measuring the success of the implementation has proven to be challenging foremost for the following reasons:
    a) only financial allocations for development and humanitarian aid are clearly measurable;
    b) it is difficult to establish a term for the implementation of qualitative measures and ensure budgetary resources for the implementation of the set objectives;
    c) it is difficult to assess the success of informing the public.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Estonia reconfirms its commitment to UNSC Resolution 1325 and its follow-up resolutions, and to implement the EU's second Gender Action Plan for the period 2016-2020. Estonia, among the EU and its Member States is committed to ensure that the full and equal participation and representation of women and girls can play a leading role in disaster risk reduction (DRR), conflict prevention and resolution, post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation, and in all phases of the humanitarian assistance.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Accountability to affected people ☑ Gender

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑3A - Reduce and address displacement ☑ 3D - Empower and protect women and girls

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

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Estonia considers important the leading role of local governments and partners in preventing crises and ensuring readiness for responding to catastrophes.
    Preventing crises and strengthening the security and resilience of the population has become more and more important in addition to reacting to catastrophes. It can only be done by reinforcing the local capacities.

  • Achievements at a glance

    In 2015, Estonia joined the UN voluntary Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction that is aimed at increasing the readiness of countries and regions for preventing natural disaster and dealing with their consequences. Joining the Sendai Framework facilitates international cooperation and development activities in the areas of population and environment protection, development cooperation and humanitarian aid. Since preparing for major accidents and responding to them mostly involves the area of civil protection, the Ministry of Internal Affairs takes the leading role in this area in Estonia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue annual voluntary contributions to the UN humanitarian aid organisations and will contribute financial and human resources to the UNDAC missions. Estonia will also support bilateral projects of its partners in the area of protection of the population and prevention.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Estonia first and foremost considers important the implementation of activities reducing the risk of catastrophes (increasing awareness, cartography of natural disasters, building surveillance, legislation) and the support of developing countries in, for example, developing response plans for emergencies, developing early warning systems and planning mass evacuations.
    We are currently engaged in the bi-lateral support projects to reinforce the local responders.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Estonia will contribute more resources for readiness to catastrophes and to avoid the need for humanitarian aid.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems', what would it be

    Estonia considers important the leading role of local governments and partners in preventing crises and ensuring readiness for responding to catastrophes.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Disaster Risk Reduction

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑4B - Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

4B
Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Estonia first and foremost considers important the implementation of activities reducing the risk of catastrophes (increasing awareness, cartography of natural disasters, building surveillance, legislation) and the support of developing countries in, for example, developing response plans for emergencies, developing early warning systems and planning mass evacuations.

  • Achievements at a glance

    In 2015, Estonia joined the UN voluntary Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction that is aimed at increasing the readiness of countries and regions for preventing natural disaster and dealing with their consequences.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Joining the Sendai Framework facilitates international cooperation and development activities in the areas of population and environment protection, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    More and more the approach from reaction to crisis is moving towards prevention and anticipation. But the the resources are limited.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Given the limited resources, Estonia considers it important to support the work of international agencies in responding to international humanitarian crises. Through 2016-2020 we will continue supporting our current international partners, such as OCHA, UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO, WFP, and ICRC, with voluntary contributions.
    According to the Estonian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Strategy for 2016-2020, Estonia intends to increase the financing for readiness to catastrophes and prevention of humanitarian aid resources from 2% to 5% of the humanitarian aid budget.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Anticipate, do not wait, for crises', what would it be

    The results of responding to humanitarian crises depend on the initial readiness and capability of the country involved in the catastrophe in accepting international help.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Disaster Risk Reduction

4C
Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    In Estonia Development and Humanitarian Aid activities are in the same Strategic framework.
    Estonian Strategy for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian aid (2016-2020) states that providing humanitarian aid to countries and populations suffering due to a catastrophe must be connected to the frameworks of catastrophe prevention, civilian-military cooperation, the climate as well as sustainable development.

  • Achievements at a glance

    We support the need to focus on concrete deliverables in protracted crises, including education, health services and livelihoods for displaced people.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Many of the Estonian development cooperation and humanitarian aid activities are complementary, where possible (in the protracted crisis situation, preparedness activities). Revised EU development consensus takes into account also humanitarian needs.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    It is a challenge to move from cooperation to joint planning and financing. The distinct role of humanitarian aid might become less clear.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Taking into account the increase of humanitarian crises and their lengthiness, Estonia will increase the weight of humanitarian aid from its official development assistance to 13% by the year 2020.

5A
Invest in local capacities

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Estonia shares the view that humanitarian aid should be provided as locally as possible and as internationally as necessary, taking into account the full respect of the humanitarian principles. Capacity-building and empowerment of local responders is crucial. Where possible, we will promote ways to enable local actors to better anticipate and mitigate risks, and to prepare and respond to crises, while building on the existing structures.

  • Achievements at a glance

    Estonia is contributing to the local capacities mainly through bi-lateral projects in the Syrian neighbourhood, Moldova and Ukraine.
    - Estonian NGO Mondo, French NGO ADICE and Italian NGO ASPEM are jointly implementing a capacity building project PHASE (financed by European Commission) aimed at raising the capacity of organisations that will in future host EU aid volunteers.
    - In the field of civil protection - the aim of the project is to increase the efficiency of the rescue and civil protection system of the Republic of Moldova through development of the training system, response capacity and prevention activities.
    - In Ukraine -Main goal of the project is to support establishment of the training system in the field of humanitarian demining in Ukraine. During the project, methodology of the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) ) officers training in Ukraine and their training curricula will be developed.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Estonian bi-lateral humanitarian activities have been community based, i.e. also using the knowledge of diaspora where possible. To answer to the community needs, there is also the possibility for fields visits, and needs assessment. Our funding is also flexible to change the activities or throw-out the project, if really needed.
    Estonian NGOs implementing the humanitarian projects for example in Ukraine are using flexible, needs based working methods, that involve local community and local partners. Part of a contribution has also been small grants to individual needs.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Engage more with local actors. We continue monitoring, and conducting field visits and joint discussions with local stake holders to better engage and answer to the most immediate humanitarian needs.

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

    Local ownership and leadership are essential.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Humanitarian principles

  • Specific initiatives

    ☑Grand Bargain

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑4A - Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems ☑ 5A - Invest in local capacities

5B
Invest according to risk

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    When providing humanitarian aid, Estonia has based its actions, above all, on specific needs in a given situation and found the quickest and most efficient way of providing aid in the event of each catastrophe.

  • Achievements at a glance

    In terms of assessment of a situation, Estonia mostly relied on the UN, European Commission or Red Cross as well as direct requests for assistance by countries .

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    The Strategy for Estonian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid 2016-2020 underlines the special focus on the most vulnerable population groups – women, children, elderly and people with disabilities – by taking into account their gender, age and state of health. Estonian humanitarian NGOs working in Ukraine with local partners have paid special attention to elderly and people with disabilities while distributing the first aid and food aid items. Also one of the aim of the sustainable development goals is to ensure accessibility to education and suitable conditions for school to everyone (including vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities).

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    We appreciate coordinated, shared context based needs assessment. In humanitarian planning we depend mainly on the international aid organisations needs assessment and appeals. For bi-lateral humanitarian aid projects we use data available from open sources and also from feedback from our embassies and also NGO partners in the field. Where possible, implementing partners later take part in OCHA cluster meetings.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Estonia continues to pay close attention to persons with special needs while planning its humanitarian activities.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Disability ☑ Gender

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑3D - Empower and protect women and girls ☑ 3G - Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings

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

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Estonia, as a EU Member State welcomed the five core responsibility areas of the Secretary-General’s ‘Agenda for Humanity’ and the work of the High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing and Grand Bargain.

  • Achievements at a glance

    Estonia has also joined the Grand Bargain commitment and supports the results-based planning and financing on humanitarian action.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    We find it extremely important that international aid organisations constantly seek solutions to operate more efficiently. The Estonian Development-Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Strategy sets goals for 4 years and it goes hand-in-hand with the results indicators for budget allocation. Estonia makes its yearly non-earmarked transfers at the end of each year, in order to make the planning process more predictable. Estonia is also aligned with the Good Humanitarian Donorship standards. Additional to the annual commitment to the international humanitarian organisations and programs (OCHA, UNCHR, UNICEF, CERF, WHO, WFO, ICRC, UNDAC), Estonia also supports longer-term project based activities.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Estonia continues to support the goals for multi-year planning and funding to make its contribution predictable. We continue to fulfil our strategic cooperation with priority aid organisations.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Finance outcomes, not fragmentation: shift from funding to financing', what would it be

    Predictable budgeting and planning is more transparent and adds certainty to both the aid organization and the communities in need.

  • Specific initiatives

    ☑Grand Bargain

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

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

5E
Diversify the resource base and increase cost-efficiency

Core Commitment

  • 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

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    As a supporter of the Good Humanitarian Donorship principles, Estonia made this commitment to follow-up on good practicies in humanitarian financing.
    Estonia support the increase of flexible and predictable funding and multi-year financing solutions, which will help to make the planning process more predictable.

  • Achievements at a glance

    Estonia has supported common principles for multi-purpose cash-based assistance to respond to the humanitarian needs. Estonian NGO have used this opportunity on a small scale in Ukraine, while finding the most flexible and suitable solution to answer the humanitarian needs of the civilian population affected by the crisis.
    In our bi-lateral projects we follow that the management costs would not overreach 20 %.
    In contribution to the international humanitarian aid organisations we can add our voice on some of the advisory boards for budget planning (head quarter vs field offices/programmes).

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Estonia makes its voluntary contribution to the international humanitarian aid organizations as early as possible, for the next financial years activities.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    We will explore the possibilities to support the use of humanitarian cash transfers and emphasize the importance of private sector partners. With our NGO partners we will continue to find suitable ways to strengthen social protection systems to deliver humanitarian aid, including also cash where needed and appropriate.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Cash ☑ Private sector

Attachments

  • WHS Commitments Attachments
    Transformation - 3A, 3B | Accountability to affected people, Gender | Commitment to Action: Transcending the humanitarian - development divide, Global Partnership for Preparedness