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Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  Our country programmes and national and local partners frequently demand action in this vein.

• Achievements at a glance

  CA is gradually strengthening more timely advocacy response to disasters eg advocating to ECHO for aid and a more timely response to forced displacement from Pakistan to Afghanistan; preparing a joint ACT Alliance Call for Haiti before the typhoon made landfall.
  These required new and timely approaches to internal dialogue about advocacy during preparedness and in discussions for Alert Notes and use of Code 2 funds, not only in exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The incorporation of advocacy protection is under discussion for Nigeria, while significant preparations are underway for the Oslo donors conference in February.
  

• How is your organization assessing progress

  We have appointed a focal point to be responsible for reporting back progress on each WHS commitment.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Because our ACT Alliance urgent advocacy mechanism was a new tool, there were teething problems the first time we tried to activate it in Haiti, with some parts of the ACT system being slow to respond owing to lack of familiarity.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  Systematic amplification requires a collective ACT Alliance approach. We piloted the ACT Alliance Urgent Advocacy Call for the Haiti response with clarity of calls and enthusiasm from the ACT Haiti Forum. ACT Alliance roles will need to be further ironed out.

• 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

  We need to change the narrative amongst media, politicians and public through more robust and focused advocacy, analysis and communications.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Accountability to affected people ☑ IDPs ☑ Refugees

• Specific initiatives

  ☑Risk and Vulnerability Data Platform

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

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

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  CA produced its first Gender Justice Strategy two years prior to the WHS because we believe that gender discrimination is a fundamental driver and cause of poverty. Commitments also fall under its Strategic Framework as well as externally under the Call to Action and The Inclusion Charter. The 2015 regional review of the Gender Justice Strategy and the 2016 annual summary review on gender noted, that despite increased knowledge and support on gender sensitive programming, application organisationally and at field level was still not systematic; there were gaps in data disaggregation, analysis and application.

• Achievements at a glance

   TVBP Strategy released in November 2016 with all programmatic outcomes promoting gender equality, one of three programme impact outcomes focusing on reduction of GBV and with an emphasis on resilience.
   The Gender Strategy was refreshed and launched on 10 January 2017 with a more inclusive definition of gender and with GBV secured as an ongoing objective.
   Inclusion Guidance note, Practice Paper, checklists and scoring tools released on inclusive programming approach.
   129 CA staff and partners trained on inclusive programming since June 2016.Training materials piloted in x2 regional programming workshops with gender focal points in Asia and Africa and a programme inception workshop in Ireland.
   Continued input into Call to Action initiative with increased number of commitments and participation at annual conference in Geneva, March 2017.
   E-Induction modules on gender sensitivity and inclusive programming ready to be launched.
   Regional Gender and Inclusion Advisory .

• How is your organization assessing progress

  Global summaries are produced annually on the strategic change objectives. The “Equality for All” Strategic Change Objective (SCO) pulls together country reporting –resulting in a summary highlighting gender and inclusion. The annual humanitarian progress report feeds into this. A gender scoring tool, adapted from the Gender and Age Marker has been used with the Programme Funding Team to assess level of gender sensitivity but this has not been systematic. The scoring tool has now been adapted to score for inclusive programming and discussions are underway to systematise application and monitoring.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Despite corporate priorities on gender and inequality, internal funds have been reduced for the next annual year. The DFID Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA) provided the bulk of flexible funding last year to kick start the inclusive programming roll out which has now come to an end, with no replacement in sight. Corporate gender and inclusion technical staff are largely on fixed term contracts with no clear agenda for 2018 and beyond leading to inevitable short term planning arrangements for gender strategy. Staff restructuring due to reduced financial climate may have an ongoing impact.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

   Building strong Gender and Power analysis into all programme design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning through updated and simplified tools/guidance.
   Strengthening links with power, resilience and CHS internally through joint visits, programme tools and training.
   Tailored training on assessment tools to programme funding team and systematic application of the inclusion scoring tool.
   Tackling Violence and Building Peace (TVBP) programming framework (including GBV) completed by September 2017
   Research on best practice in GBV in states affected by violence and fragility finalised by September 2017.
   Inclusive Programming Approach final regional pilot completed by April 2017 (LAC)
  

• If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Empower and protect women and girls', what would it be

  Improvements in gender equality and reduction in GBV depend on translating international policy, processes, and guidance into field implementation. Inclusion of CSOs and local NGOs in coordination mechanisms and funding streams is vital.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Disability ☑ Gender

• Specific initiatives

  ☑Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action ☑ The Inclusion Charter

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

  ☑2D - Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  Evidence across a range of resilience-building initiatives demonstrate a loss reducing cost-benefit of $4-7 for every $1 spent for those directly affected by a shock or hazard, and $5-10 saved in reduced humanitarian emergency costs (WB). The Humanitarian Trends and Trajectories to 2030 say that by 2030, up to 325 million extremely poor people will be living in the 49 most hazard-prone countries . For rapid and slow-onset events, there are minimal investments on early action to avoid disasters.

• Achievements at a glance

  Continued roll-out of the Refreshed Resilience Framework and support for forecast-based risk reduction across 12 programmes e.g 52% of Climate Resiliency Field School members estimating a productivity increase of 10% or more due to forecasts and a further 36% confirming positive but non-specific yield enhancements despite the El Nino reducing rainfall. In Nicaragua, despite severe El Nino-related drought impacts, farmers directly supported with resilience-based programming receiving early warning 2 months earlier and achieved maize yields only slightly below a “normal” year and 73% higher than those only supported indirectly. Collaboration between scientists, communities and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have been strengthened to push for increased investments in resilience and adaptation and inclusion of vulnerable populations in the resilience work of economies.

• How is your organization assessing progress

  Resilience programming is subject to ongoing outcome-based evaluation and specific research e.g. the Developing Climate Services assessments (which have covered Kenya, India, Nicaragua and the Philippines). Research into resilience to El Nino drought was carried out in Nicaragua and Ethiopia in 2016 and will be reported in 2017. Indicators of achievement for advocacy, i.e. policy reform or formulation, have been developed by the Asia Climate Change Consortium and the advocacy partners like DRRNet and Aksyon Klima to track progress.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  Sudden reduction in resources available for resilience programming (as Programme Partnership Arrangement closes); slowness of progress in changing the emergency-focused system to an early action-based one; loss of focus on the issues of El Nino/La Nina as the Special Envoys step down and a new UN Secretary General takes over. In advocacy, the shrinking political spaces for engagement for many CSOs in Asia; the lack of resources to leverage and weak innovation in the resilience work of some CSOs that shifts the attention of governments to the more organized, well-resourced private sector --- leaving communities and CSOs marginalized.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  Further engagement with the FAO-led Standard Operating Procedures for Early Action to El Nino/La Nina events; publication of research on resilience to El Nino based on programme experience through 2015/16 in Nicaragua and Ethiopia to promote the need for effective early action to slow-onset crises; continued support for forecast-based programming (esp. through BRACED, other resilience and inclusive markets work). CA will continue to invest in enhancing capacities of CSOs across Asia, Africa and LAC to advocate for policies and programs that will help reduce vulnerabilities from multiple hazards and increase coping and adaptive capacities.

• 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

  Approaches to rapid and slow-onset events must give priority to and enhance investments for early action and prevent the breach of vulnerability thresholds.
  

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Disaster Risk Reduction ☑ Food Security

• Specific initiatives

  ☑Commitment to Action: Transcending the humanitarian - development divide

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

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

Joint Commitment

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

• What led your organization to make the commitment?

  This is a longstanding commitment of the Philippines programme, as demonstrated in efforts to enhance partners’ capacity for rapid emergency response and assessment, and in the partner-based Typhoon Yolanda response. We believe that Christian Aid’s call for “locally-led response” is not just an issue of efficiency, but about making the humanitarian system more effective, accountable, and sustainable. In the process, we need to challenge the system’s power base of resources, knowledge and information, and make it more inclusive. Working with national NGOs to strengthen their capacity to lead and undertake humanitarian response and be leaders within the system is key.
  

• Achievements at a glance

  • Facilitating a commitment to establish a joint local fundraising mechanism amongst four NGOs: - Caucus of Development NGOs, Humanitarian Response Consortium, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, and National Secretariat of Social Action of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, who collectively have the influence, experience, and reach to bring about an independent, local and rapid Humanitarian Fund that is NGO-managed and directly accessible by local organisations. Also facilitated the membership of these four NGOs in the country Decision Making Group of the Start Fund. Leading a task team within the Decision Making Group to explore a national NGO window of the Start Fund.
  • In the past year, conducted Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) workshops with 20 NGOs, and supported the translation of the CHS into two Philippine languages (forthcoming).
  • Strengthening humanitarian capacity of local institutions.
  • Conducted emergency response training with 10 NGOs.
  

• How is your organization assessing progress

  Through monitoring how NGO partners respond to emergencies; and wherever appropriate, conducting post-response monitoring visits. In the case of the Transforming Surge Capacity project, progress is measured against the project logframe, Theory of Change and workplan. Quarterly project reports are submitted to the project lead (ActionAid). Process documentation and case studies (on collaboration) are available, with more forthcoming.

• Challenges faced in implementation

  NGO capacity for humanitarian response, as well as the capacity to engage with and be a leader in the humanitarian system cannot be fully manifested unless they have access to or themselves manage resources that will ensure timely decision-making and response. In fact, it can be argued that NGOs in the Philippines do have the capacity, but not the resources to respond.

• Next step to advance implementation in 2017

  • Set up the joint local humanitarian fundraising system
  • Develop a module on humanitarian preparedness for organisations (as opposed to previous training targeting individual staff), and roll this out
  • Surge roster fully operational, two training sessions conducted
  • Humanitarian preparedness training with faith-based organisations
  • Continue supporting the implementation of Financial Enablers project
  

• 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

  Moving from rhetoric to action in terms of strengthening national NGOs means profound changes for international actors, changes that impact on our identity, role, behaviours, and practices. We must embrace these changes, even if the impacts include, ultimately, our reduced role and reduced access to resources.

• Cross cutting issues

  ☑Accountability to affected people

• Specific initiatives

  ☑Charter for Change

• Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

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