The Grand Bargain Bimonthly updates - March 2021

Published Date

1 April 2021

The Grand Bargain Bimonthly Updates

Latest news from the Grand Bargain | March 2021

Dear Grand Bargain Signatories,

As we enter spring in Geneva, we are inspired by your latest annual self-reports, demonstrating commitment and tangible achievements over the last five years. This work is set to become even more focused and result-oriented in 2021, as we pave the way for the Grand Bargain 2.0. By strategically elevating the process to the political level we hope to make further progress for better humanitarian outcomes for affected populations through enhanced efficiency, effectiveness and greater accountability, in the spirit of quid pro quo as relevant to all constituencies. We are grateful for the immense efforts by the workstream Co-convenors in the last five years, and most recently for their work in assessing the workstream's progress and proposing an evolution strategy - you can read more about this under the Facilitation Group updates.

In addition to clarifying some of the next steps in the process of determining the strategy for the Grand Bargain 2.0, this newsletter also includes an update on the number of Signatories using the harmonised and simplified narrative reporting template, and an interesting Grand Bargain in Practice story from ICRC.

We wish you pleasant reading and best regards,
The Grand Bargain Secretariat

Future of the Grand Bargain

On 1 February 2021, the Grand Bargain Eminent Person met with the Principals and Ministers of the Facilitation Group (UK, EU, OCHA, WFP, IFRC, SCHR/Oxfam) to discuss the status of the Grand Bargain, how it contributes to a more efficient and effective humanitarian response, and the way forward for the Grand Bargain leading to the June 2021 Annual Meeting and beyond. The meeting built on consultations at Grand Bargain constituency level, Facilitation Group Sherpa-level discussions, and individual inputs from the relevant workstreams.

The Eminent Person and the Facilitation Group Ministers and Principals endorsed a general direction for the future of the Grand Bargain after June 2021. Please find the details in the endorsed proposal here.

Update from the Facilitation Group

Based on the new Grand Bargain 2.0 strategic objective and enabling priorities, quality funding and localisation/participation revolution (captured in the proposal here), the Facilitation Group invited the workstreams in mid-March 2021 to take stock of the results achieved and the pending work as relevant to support the reviewed enabling priorities. The Facilitation Group Sherpas met on 26 March 2021 to discuss the evolution strategies that the workstreams submitted and the next steps, including the Grand Bargain Annual Meeting, coming up on 15-17 June 2021. As a team with vast institutional expertise, ODI provided their views and suggestions as independent advisors to the Facilitation Group, based on the strategies submitted by the workstreams.

As a next step, the Facilitation Group members will work together with the Co-convenors to ensure that the synergies and linkages are reflected in strategic outcomes, likely in an approach that attempts at breaking down the existing workstreams/constituencies silos, and will culminate in a meeting between the FG and the the Co-convenors in the second half of April 2021.

At the beginning of April 2021, IFRC is taking over from WFP as the Facilitation Group Chair. This period will be focused on the finalisation of the agreement on the future of the Grand Bargain among the constituencies and Signatories, and on taking stock of the progress based on the draft outcomes of the Annual Independent Report 2021.

2021 Grand Bargain self-reports

Self-reports 2020 available

This year, 97% Signatories reported by the deadline for 2020 (61 out of 63 Signatories), which importantly demonstrates your commitment and engagement. The analysis of the findings from the self-reports will be published in the Annual Independent Report (authored by ODI and funded by Norway and NORCAP). In the meantime, please find the links to the self-reports here.

Latest from the workstreams

Workstream 9 (Harmonise and simplify reporting requirements)

The Grand Bargain in Practice

ICRC support to Niger Red Cross - Engaging with communities to ensure safe access for volunteers in COVID-19 response

In its efforts to ensure that people and communities affected by crises influence humanitarian responses, ICRC has been supporting National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to prepare for and respond safely and effectively to humanitarian needs in sensitive and insecure contexts. In this way they are able to earn the trust and acceptance of people and communities in need. >> Click here to read the full story

Latest from the Signatories

A4EP statement - Future course for a Grander Bargain 2.0 - Time to walk side by side

This paper has been developed to articulate the perspectives of A4EP members on the future direction of the Grand Bargain v2.0. The target audience of the paper is the Eminent person, the Facilitation Group, Ministers, Principles and signatories who endorsed the future direction of the Grand Bargain. The paper highlights the key areas that need to be included and addressed by the future Grand Bargain. >> Click here to read the full statement