Four years on, the Grand Bargain remains for a number of actors the reference for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the humanitarian action, having a wider impact in terms of fostering a more cohesive and collaborative approach. WFP continues to play a constructive and strategic role in the implementation of the Grand Bargain, in particular through its co-leadership of the cash-based programming workstream which high performance stood out again in 2019.
Building on existing and bespoke research, the findings from three “demonstrator country” missions, and discussions with Grand Bargain signatories and local actors in a series of regional and global conferences in 2018-19, the Grand Bargain Localisation Workstream issued a series of guidance notes on localisation in May 2020. These very brief notes set out priority findings, recommendations and considerations that signatories are encouraged to consider as they implement their commitments.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis, the humanitarian community has been adapting their response to make it more effective and efficient. The Grand Bargain workstream on increasing the use and coordination of cash-based programming has pivoted quickly and flexibly to support the global response to COVID-19, and developed two pa
Charter For Change statement on the revised UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan on Covid19:
On Thursday 7th May, the UN launches its new Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) framing global and country-level funding requests to support the Covid19 crisis response.
The Grand Bargain Friends of Gender Group published new guidance notes on how to promote gender equality through localisation, participation, cash and voucher assistance and humanitarian needs assessments.
UNICEF is committed to the principles of budget flexibility, adaptive programming, meaningful partner interaction, and harmonised UN due diligence. UNICEF also recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic necessitates further flexibility. To this end, and in addition to the standard simplifications, UNICEF has adopted measures such as recognition of eligible costs, postponement of non-critical assurance requirements and allowance of remote modalities, and submission of Programme Documents and FACE forms with a digital and e-mail signature. Read the full document below.
UNFPA’s Humanitarian Action Thematic Fund (HTF) shows that flexible, predictable and multi-year funding reduces transaction costs, and enables a comprehensive response to people in humanitarian settings.
This year, a record 95% Signatories reported by the deadline for 2019 (59 out of 62 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.
Prepared by the workstream 7&8 (Enhanced Quality Funding), the purpose of this Definitions Guidance Summary is to clarify the definitions of multi-year and flexible funding in order to help Grand Bargain signatories with this year’s (2019) annual self-reporting process. To highlight, this Guidance Summary is not modifying the existing definitions of multi-year (OECD definition of multi-year) or flexible funding (Annex I of The Grand Bargain: A Shared Commitment to Better Serve People In Need) adopted by the Grand Bargain.
As highlighted in a letter to their partners, WFP asked their Country Offices to above all use flexibility and simplification to ensure business continuity. "This includes increased flexibility in existing agreements to reprogramme and shift resources into the most affected locations and most urgent activities, and fast-tracked procedures for negotiating and revising agreements.
In a letter to their partners, the High Commissioner for Refugees Mr Filippo Gandi informed them that UNHCR is "working swiftly on easing some of the hurdles resulting from contractual obligations which can prevent flexible responses." According to Mr Grandi, this initiative started before the COVID-19 crisis, and UNHCR is now advancing this process. To accelerate response to the COVID-19 crisis, UNHCR will simplify certain administrative, procurement and other processes, including the ability to quickly engage new partners. See the full letter below.
The Grand Bargain calls for aid organisations and donors to increase multi-year humanitarian planning and funding. However, the extent to which progress is being made remains unclear. Existing data sources – including the Grand Bargain self-reporting process, the Financial Tracking Service (FTS) of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) and independent research – do not currently provide a clear picture of the quantity of multi-year funding passing through the humanitarian system.
On 14 January 2020, the Accelerating Localisation through Partnerships programme (led by Christian Aid) and the Humanitarian Policy Group of ODI hosted a closed-door roundtable under Chatham House Rule to discuss the challenges for large INGOs without a traditional partnership approach to move towards partnerships in humanitarian contexts. This discussion took place within the framework of on-going efforts by the humanitarian system to support more local and locally-led humanitarian action.
The Global Education Cluster (GEC) held a workshop on localisation in Geneva, Switzerland, 17 – 21 February, 2020, with participation from the new members of its Strategic Advisory Group (SAG). The new members of SAG represent local and national NGOs (L/NNGO) from 7 countries with an existing education cluster.
Please see the summary report of the workshop below.
At the Grand Bargain Annual Meeting 2019 in June in Geneva, the Signatories put forward 63 collective and individual action points to advance the Grand Bargain progress.
On 13 December 2019, UN Women and the Grand Bargain Friends of Gender Group (FoGG) organized a global consultation in Geneva to enable dialogue among the Grand Bargain (GB) Facilitation Group, Workstream co-conveners, signatories, and representatives of local women-led and women’s rights organizati
