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The Platform for Action, Commitments and Transformation (PACT) is a dynamic advocacy tool and central hub for all stakeholders to advance the Agenda for Humanity. The PACT reflects commitments received in writing. Those stakeholders that want to register their commitments should click on the blue button below to complete the online form. If you do not intend to register commitments, please do not complete this registration form. If you have any questions, please send an email to pact@un.org.
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1A
Demonstrate timely, coherent and decisive political leadership
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
Finland will strengthen conflict prevention, mediation and peaceful resolution efforts by promoting the participation and engagement of all relevant actors in the peace process and through the application of an inclusive approach, in particular ensuring the active and meaningful participation of women. In order to empower different actors and enhance cooperation and coordination amongst them, Finland will host the third Conference on National Dialogue and Mediation Processes in 2017.
- Policy
- Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
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Achievements at a glance
Finland has continued to co-chair the Group of Friends of Mediation in New York. Finland co-facilitated the fourth UN General Assembly resolution on mediation, which among other things points out the importance of conflict prevention, mediation, and mediation support capacities. Also the WHS Summit is referred to in the resolution. Finland and Turkey co-hosted a Ministerial level meeting of the Group of Friends of Mediation during the UN General Assembly high level week, which also discussed the relation between humanitarian crises and mediation. The latest resolution on mediation strives to enhance inclusivity, women's participation, and the integration of the gender perspective in mediation. Finland has continued to support UN seminars on gender and inclusive mediation.Together with other Nordic countries, Finland organized a side-event on Women and Mediation during the PGA's high-level thematic debate on peace and security in May 2016 – presenting also the Nordic Women Mediators Network.
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Next step to advance implementation in 2017
Finland organizes the third conference on National Dialogues in Helsinki on 5-6 April 2017.
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Cross cutting issues
☑Gender
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Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations
☑1C - Remain engaged and invest in stability
1B
Act early
Joint Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland, as Co-Chair with Turkey of the UN Group of Friends on Mediation, commits to enhance the visibility of mediation efforts and to bring mediation to the core of UN peace work. Through the work of the Group, Finland will strive to strengthen the normative basis of mediation and enhance the UN mediation support capacities. Finland will also capture, consolidate and disseminate good practices and lessons learnt on conflict prevention.
- Advocacy
- Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
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
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Achievements at a glance
Finland and Turkey co-hosted a Ministerial level meeting of the Group of Friends of Mediation during the UN General Assembly high level week, which also discussed the relation between humanitarian crises and mediation.Finland has continued to support UN seminars on gender and inclusive mediation.
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Cross cutting issues
☑Gender
1C
Remain engaged and invest in stability
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland commits to address the root causes of conflict and to work to reduce fragility. Finland encourages its international development partners, including the international financing institutions, to continue working on root causes of conflict and enhancing their work in fragile and conflict affected countries.
- Advocacy
- Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
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
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What led your organization to make the commitment?
Finland has been an active supporter of the New Deal for Fragile States. Finland was co-chair of the International Dialogue for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding in 2014-2015. In 2014 Finland also adopted Guidelines for Development Policy and Development Cooperation in Fragile States – Guidelines for Strengthening Implementation of Development Cooperation.
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Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations
☑4C - Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides
1D
Develop solutions with and for people
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland will take forward the joint Nordic initiative of Nordic Women Mediator's Network and link the Nordic Women Mediators with women mediators from other countries and regions. Finland will continue to sponsor the series of UN High-level Seminars on Gender and Inclusive Mediation.
- Policy
- Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
As women have a central role in achieving sustainable peace, Finland is committed to actively promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The implementation of Resolution 1325 is a priority for the Finnish Government. Finland will update its national Action Plan on 1325 and increase financial support to work on Action Plans in other countries and regional organizations.
- Advocacy
- Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Leave No One Behind
Finland will promote gender-responsive approaches to natural resource-management in the context of peacebuilding and provide support to a pilot project on the topic. The project aims at identifying and supporting natural resource management practices that can empower women and contribute to peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery processes. The results of the country level pilots will be collected into a toolkit to serve UN country teams, international organizations and national actors.
- Policy
- Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Leave No One Behind
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Achievements at a glance
Finland is committed to actively promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The implementation of Resolution 1325 is a priority for the Finnish Government. Finland is currently drafting a new national Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and has increased financial support to work on Action Plans in other countries and regional organizations.
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Cross cutting issues
☑Gender
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Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations
☑3D - Empower and protect women and girls
2A
Respect and protect civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of hostilities
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland commits to support humanitarian mine action programs aimed at clearing explosive remnants of war (ERW) through the provision of information and technical, financial and material assistance to locate, remove, destroy and otherwise render ineffective any type of explosive hazard.
- Financial
- Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
Core Commitment
- Commitment
- Core Responsibility
- Commit to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.
- Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
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What led your organization to make the commitment?
Finland’s support to Humanitarian Mine Action dates back to the 1990s. A new humanitarian mine policy has been adopted in 2016 and is now in operation. Finland’s Humanitarian Mine Action takes into consideration development as well as security perspectives, seeking synergies with other programmes and ensuring sustainable results. However, Humanitarian Mine Action is first and foremost a life-saving activity.
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Achievements at a glance
Finland channeled EUR 12 million during the period of 2016-2020 to Humanitarian Mine Action. Finland’s support concentrates on fragile states and environments and is channeled to programmes in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia and Ukraine. The comprehensive support offered comprises of mine clearance, mine risk education, victim assistance, stockpile destruction, advocacy, as well as local capacity-building.
Finland has actively participated in both the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention Meetings of States Parties as well as in the International Pledging Conferences. In 2017, Finland continued its sustained yearly support of EUR 10,000 directed to the Convention’s Implementation Support Unit. -
How is your organization assessing progress
Implementing partners report regularly on progress to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. In addition, the Ministry will conduct its own rigorous evaluation activities.
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Challenges faced in implementation
The yearly global total number of land mine casualties has started to rise and tackling this worrying trend requires sustained efforts in all of the different areas of Humanitarian Mine Action
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Next step to advance implementation in 2017
The implementation of the Humanitarian Mine Action projects of 2016-2020 will continue in 2017.
2B
Ensure full access to and protection of the humanitarian and medical missions
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland is committed to providing humanitarian assistance solely on the basis of need, not on political, military or economic motivations.
- Policy
- 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
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What led your organization to make the commitment?
Humanitarian Policy Paper 2012, Good Humanitarian Donorship and other principles.
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
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Achievements at a glance
The need to respect international humanitarian law has been systematically emphasized in high level interventions by the Finnish Government. Financial support (EUR 1 million) has been provided to the IIIM mechanism in Syria.
2D
Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland commits to take concrete steps to ensure accountability of perpetrators of the most serious international crimes, though, inter alia, its support to the International Criminal Court and Justice Rapid Response.
- Policy
- Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
- Finland continues to promote universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and adolescent girls and to address sexual and gender-based violence in crisis settings. UN Women and UNFPA continue to be Finland's key strategic partners in this sector.
- Advocacy
- Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
- Finland is committed to the strengthening the respect for the international humanitarian law through awareness raising, training and communication.
- Training
- Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
- Finland remains committed to the promotion of and adherence to international humanitarian law, international human rights law, refugee law, humanitarian space and the protection of civilians.
- Advocacy
- 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
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Achievements at a glance
Finland has continued to support the International Criminal Court and Justice Rapid Response (JRR) network. An international investigations course of JRR was organized in Finland in 2016.Finland has continued its active support of the ICC in New York by participating in various negotiating and support processes related to the ICC, participating to the work of the Group of Friends of the ICC, and organizing an event with the International Justice Project and the Mission of El Salvador to hear the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC and experiences from survivors of the atrocities in Darfur. Finland played an active role in the process leading to the establishment of the IIIM in December 2016. Finland has provided financial support to the mechanism (EUR 1 million).
2E
Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland commits to engage constructively and actively in the intergovernmental process as set out in Resolution 2 of the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross concerning the establishment of an international mechanism to strengthen the compliance with international humanitarian law.
- Partnership
- Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
- Finland is a States Party to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and as one of the Vice-Presidents of the ATT Finland promotes universal adherence to it.
- Policy
- Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
- Finland supports strengthening the international humanitarian law protecting persons deprived of their liberty.
- Policy
- 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
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What led your organization to make the commitment?
Regarding the first commitment, it was made alongside other EU countries because within the implementation of IHL there are deficiencies and we see that there is a need for a dedicated forum for IHL issues.
On the Arms Trade Treaty, Finland was one of the co-authors of the Treaty in 2013 and has ever since been an active promoter of the Treaty. Finland acted as one of the Vice-Presidents of the Arms Trade Treaty in 2015-2016 and was unanimously elected as the Treaty President in August 2016. The Presidency term will continue until September 2017... -
Achievements at a glance
Regarding the first commitment, Finland has continued to support and engage in the process aiming at strengthening compliance with international humanitarian law and is fully committed to strengthening international humanitarian law protecting persons deprived of their liberty.
On the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), during the Finnish Presidency, the Treaty has so far seen four new States-Parties. Also the Working Groups on Treaty Implementation; Transparency and Reporting; as well as Treaty Universalization (co-chaired by the President) have commenced their work. Finland was a guest speaker at an event on ensuring respect for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights in arms transfer decisions under the ATT and together with the ICRC, organized a national training on International Humanitarian Law and weapons in Helsinki in 2016.
On the last commitment, Finland is fully committed to strengthening international humanitarian law protecting persons deprived of their liberty. -
How is your organization assessing progress
Work on the Arms Trade Treaty universalization is concretized in the number of new ratifications or accessions as well as in increased political dialogue related to the Treaty. The Finnish Presidency will culminate in the Third Conference of States-Parties (11-15 September 2017) after which it is possible to assess the achievements as a whole.
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Challenges faced in implementation
- Negotiations take time as there is large number of participants.
- The Arms Trade Treaty is a young Treaty and the level of ratification varies significantly between different regions. Also, the Treaty is implemented at a national level which can be a challenge to a number of states. The Presidency has sought to engage non-States-Parties in constructive dialogue and has facilitated awareness-raising events, such as the Arms Transfer Dialogue meetings held in Geneva. -
Next step to advance implementation in 2017
- Upcoming meeting with the participant states.
- The Presidency is currently preparing for the Third Conference of States-Parties. The intention is to also raise the issue of the humanitarian consequences of the illicit arms transfers in the Conference. The Presidency is also conducting targeted outreach-visits to different countries, discussing national and regional challenges to Treaty ratification and implementation.
3A
Reduce and address displacement
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
Finland continues providing substantial financial support to UN humanitarian agencies, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Finnish non-governmental organizations addressing the needs of the forcibly displaced.
- Financial
- Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity
- Finland continues to actively work to uphold the institution of asylum and the principle of non-refoulement. Finland is committed to supporting 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.
- Policy
- Leave No One Behind
- Finland is committed to working towards a Global Compact on responsibility-sharing for refugees to safeguard the rights of refugees.
- Policy
- Leave No One Behind
- Finland recognizes that forced displacement is a complex political and development challenge and should be addressed comprehensively. Finland commits to improve the resilience, self-reliance and protection of the affected people from the early stages of crises.
- Policy
- Leave No One Behind
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 collectively work towards a Global Compact on responsibility-sharing for refugees to safeguard the rights of refugees, while also effectively and predictably supporting States affected by such movements.
- Leave No One Behind
- Commit to actively work to uphold the institution of asylum and the principle of non-refoulement. Commit to support further accession to and strengthened implementation of national, regional and international laws and policy frameworks that ensure and improve the protection of refugees and IDPs, such as the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol or the AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala convention) or the Guiding Principles on internal displacement.
- Leave No One Behind
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Achievements at a glance
Finland has continued to provide assistance to the humanitarian organizations mentioned in the first commitment above.
Finland is actively and constructively following the process leading to the Global Compact on refugees. -
Cross cutting issues
☑Refugees
3D
Empower and protect women and girls
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
As women have a central role in achieving sustainable peace, Finland is committed to actively promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The implementation of Resolution 1325 is a priority for the Finnish Government. Finland will update its national Action Plan on 1325 and increase financial support to work on Action Plans in other countries and regional organizations.
- Advocacy
- Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Leave No One Behind
- Finland commits to empower women as leaders and agents of change in humanitarian action and supports their meaningful participation in the design, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of all humanitarian action and programs.
- Operational
- Leave No One Behind
- Finland requires that humanitarian organizations supported by Finnish funding will incorporate gender equality and rights of persons with disabilities into their policies and operations and ensure that humanitarian programming is gender and disability responsive.
- Financial
- Leave No One Behind
Finland will actively use its leverage and influence with international organizations to ensure that their programmes are responsive to the rights and needs of women and girls and persons with disabilities.
- Advocacy
- Leave No One Behind
Finland will promote gender-responsive approaches to natural resource-management in the context of peacebuilding and provide support to a pilot project on the topic. The project aims at identifying and supporting natural resource management practices that can empower women and contribute to peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery processes. The results of the country level pilots will be collected into a toolkit to serve UN country teams, international organizations and national actors.
- Policy
- Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Leave No One Behind
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
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Achievements at a glance
Finland is committed to actively promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The implementation of Resolution 1325 is a priority for the Finnish Government. Finland is currently drafting a new national Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and has increased financial support to work on Action Plans in other countries and regional organizations.
Finland promoted actively and successfully language on gender and disabilities in the negotiations on the New York Declaration. Finland also successfully pushed forward strong language on the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the ECOSOC humanitarian omnibus resolution of UN General Assembly 70 and in the humanitarian resolutions of UN General Assembly 71, as well as the resolution on disabilities of CSocD55 . -
How is your organization assessing progress
Number of endorsements of the Charter of Inclusion of People with Disabilities and action taken by signatories in implementation. Acceptance of language related to persons with disabilities and the Disability Charter. Inclusion of this theme in international conferences etc.
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Next step to advance implementation in 2017
Raise awareness of the role of women with disabilities in humanitarian action by disseminating results of a study on best practices in refugee situations (CSW side event and possibly CRPD side event, other events). Bring innovative solutions into discussions, promote private sector participation on this.
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Cross cutting issues
☑Disability ☑ Gender ☑ Innovation ☑ Private sector
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Specific initiatives
☑Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
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Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations
☑3G - Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings
3G
Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland endorses the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities into Humanitarian Action and fully commits toward its implementation. Finland will support the development and implementation of the global standards and guidelines on inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action. The guidelines aim at system-wide improvement of addressing the needs and rights of people with disabilities in the context of humanitarian action. Finland stands ready to provide technical expertise and participate in the working/steering group developing the guidelines.Finland will also support the development of advocacy and awareness raising programmes.
- Policy
- Leave No One Behind
Finland will actively use its leverage and influence with international organizations to ensure that their programmes are responsive to the rights and needs of women and girls and persons with disabilities.
- Advocacy
- Leave No One Behind
- Finland will ensure to review and address the possible gaps in terms of inclusion of persons with disabilities when updating its humanitarian policy.
- Policy
- Leave No One Behind
- Finland will support the full and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all phases of humanitarian response. Finland continues to provide financial support to the strengthening of the rights and situation of persons with disabilities. Special attention will be paid to the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities as well as other persons that easily fall victim of multiple discrimination.
- Operational
- Leave No One Behind
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What led your organization to make the commitment?
Persons with special needs are still marginalized in humanitarian action and run a particular risk of being left behind.
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Achievements at a glance
Regarding the Charter, a task team was formed by a decision of the IASC to develop guidelines.The topic has been promoted in numerous side events and awareness has been increased. The Permanent Mission in Geneva has continued to be the champion and support the implementation of the Charter. Activities include for example:
- Leading the dialogue with the IASC, actively participating in and supporting the IASC Task Team work, organizing a side event at the UNHCR ExCom in October 2016.
- Highlighting the role of women and girls as empowerment and participation of PwD at all levels of humanitarian cycle, emphasizing the role of the private sector in finding innovations and solutions for the PwD in humanitarian context.
- Leading the informal states’ group of friends work in Geneva including planning outreach activities, supporting the implementation of the Charter etc.
- Minister of Foreign Affairs has sent a letter to his EU colleagues encouraging them to endorse the Charter. -
How is your organization assessing progress
- Number of signatories to the Charter.
- Task team work in progress.
- Mainstraiming this isue within OCHA and other humanitarian agencies -
Challenges faced in implementation
- Still little awareness, knowledge and lack of guidelines.
- It is still a relatively new issue to OCHA and many other humanitarian agencies. -
Next step to advance implementation in 2017
- Support the work of the IASC Task Team.
- Focal point nominated at OCHA.
- Endorsement of the Charter continues at the same or higher speed. -
Cross cutting issues
☑Disability
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Specific initiatives
☑Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
4B
Anticipate, do not wait, for crises
Joint Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
Finland will support Joint External Evaluations, developed under the leadership of Finland and the United States, including by providing technical and financial assistance. In collaboration with WHO, FAO, OIE, World Bank, interested countries and NGOs, among others, Finland is leading a multistakeholder alliance to support independent external assessments of country capacities worldwide, with the purpose of identifying gaps in countries' preparedness and matching the country needs with interest from donors. Finland underlines the importance of all hazards approach in preparedness capacity building and the need for multisectoral and multistakeholder cooperation in preventing, detecting and responding to health threats. Finland has also volunteered for an external assessment of its own national capacities in this field.
- Operational
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland is committed to the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
- Operational
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
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
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What led your organization to make the commitment?
National knowledge and comparative advantages in this area (DRR) including the Finnish Meterological Institute and meteorological measuring equipment manufacturer Vaisala; our visible and high-level role in the Sendai process of 2014-2015.
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Achievements at a glance
Finland was the chair of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2016 and organized the Regional Plafform in Helsinki in October. The Finnish National Plan for the Sendai Framework is being prepared under the leadership of the Ministry of Interior. Finland provides continuing support to the ISDR Secretariat.
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Next step to advance implementation in 2017
Integrate into bilateral development co-operation abroad.
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Cross cutting issues
☑Disaster Risk Reduction
4C
Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
Finland commits to promote coherence and complementarity between humanitarian and development programming and funding. Finland supports joint strategic situation analysis, needs assessments, planning and risk management and common decision-making platforms between humanitarian assistance and development cooperation.
- Advocacy
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
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
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Achievements at a glance
Better awareness of the challenges and needs among various stakeholders at the national level.
5C
Invest in stability
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
Finland will explore options for broadening financing mechanisms for the Finnish private sector and other organizations to carry out activities and establish new partnerships in fragile states, including public-private partnerships.
- Financial
- Invest in Humanity
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What led your organization to make the commitment?
- Need to build new transformative partnership between the private sector from the north and of the south.
- To encourage Finnish companies to look for business opportunities in fragile countries and use the expertise of the private sector in resilience building and disaster risk reduction. -
Achievements at a glance
Finnpartership (www.finnpartnership.fi) has in 2016 adopted a special, tailored finance window to help Finnish companies look for business partners in fragile countries. It can cover expenditure up to 85% while in LDCs the level is 70%. Finland has organized a Nordic Innovation Day and invited Finnish and Scandinavian companies and NGOs to discuss solutions to Syria and elaborate new ways to work together in fragile environments.
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How is your organization assessing progress
- Number of companies using the window to build partnerships
- Outcomes of the Nordic Innovation Day -
Challenges faced in implementation
- Sustainability of business contacts
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Next step to advance implementation in 2017
- Helping companies to forge partnerships with the UN in fragile countries
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Cross cutting issues
☑Innovation ☑ Private sector
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Specific initiatives
☑The Global Alliance for Humanitarian Innovation
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Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations
☑4B - Anticipate, do not wait, for crises
5D
Finance outcomes, not fragmentation: shift from funding to financing
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- As per the recommendation of the High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing Finland will provide at least 30 percent of its overall humanitarian funding as un-earmarked.
- Financial
- Invest in Humanity
Finland commits to promote coherence and complementarity between humanitarian and development programming and funding. Finland supports joint strategic situation analysis, needs assessments, planning and risk management and common decision-making platforms between humanitarian assistance and development cooperation.
- Advocacy
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
Finland continues providing substantial financial support to UN humanitarian agencies, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Finnish non-governmental organizations addressing the needs of the forcibly displaced.
- Financial
- Leave No One Behind Invest in Humanity
Core Commitment
- Commitment
- Core Responsibility
- Commit to enable coherent financing that avoids fragmentation by supporting collective outcomes over multiple years, supporting those with demonstrated comparative advantage to deliver in context.
- Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
- Commit to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people.
- Invest in Humanity
- Commit to broaden and adapt the global instruments and approaches to meet urgent needs, reduce risk and vulnerability and increase resilience, without adverse impact on humanitarian principles and overall action (as also proposed in Round Table on "Changing Lives").
- Invest in Humanity
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Achievements at a glance
Multi-annual core funding financing agreements with key humanitarian partners amounting to approximately 30% of total humanitarian funding.
5E
Diversify the resource base and increase cost-efficiency
Individual Commitment
- Commitment
- Commitment Type
- Core Responsibility
- Finland continues to provide predictable, multi-year, un-earmarked, flexible humanitarian funding in order to ensure greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people. Finland will advocate for harmonized donor reporting requirements.
- Financial
- Invest in Humanity
- Finland continues to provide significant support to the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
- Financial
- Invest in Humanity
- Finland welcomes the Grand Bargain between donors and humanitarian organizations.
- Financial
- Invest in Humanity
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
- Commit to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people.
- Invest in Humanity
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What led your organization to make the commitment?
Our Humanitarian Policy Paper from 2012 outlines the objectives of our humanitarian aid. Finland aims to be a predictable, reliable and transparent donor and it has already committed to multi-year and un-earmarked contributions in all its core funding to ensure agencies focus on live-saving aspects and core functions without fragmentation.
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Achievements at a glance
Finland has endorsed the Grand Bargain during the second half of 2016. Finland has pledged and disbursed EUR 7 million to CERF in 2017. This means that Finland has managed to maintain the level of funding to CERF despite cuts in the national development budget, including humanitarian aid.
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How is your organization assessing progress
We are in the process of starting to update our National Humanitarian Policy Paper.
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Challenges faced in implementation
For a relatively small donor country like Finland multi-year funding can also reduce flexibility, as a bigger share of funds will be allocated and tied at the beginning of the calendar year.
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Cross cutting issues
☑Central Emergency Response Fund
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Specific initiatives
☑Grand Bargain