5 May 2021
The Evaluation Service is planning to prepare an evidence synthesis of UNHCR’s adaptation and response to the COVID-19 pandemic by March 2022. This will synthesize evidence on COVID-19 by building questions into ongoing and new evaluations during 2021, thus generating evidence without placing additional operational pressures on the organization and in recognition of the logistical challenges of travel and data collection during this period. This work is accompanied by two separate evaluations; one on protecting refugee rights during COVID19 which UNHCR is leading with a collation of states and agencies; and the other, an Inter-agency Humanitarian Evaluation on the COVID-19 response, which will evaluate the Global Humanitarian Response Plan and related IASC scale-up. Both evaluations are currently scheduled to be completed in Q4 of 2021. Evidence from these evaluations will be drawn upon in this synthesis as it becomes available.
Increased flexible funding from Belgium enables FAO to better respond to food crises
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At a time of unprecedented humanitarian needs, the Government of Belgium has increased its contribution to FAO’s Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA) to grant FAO the necessary flexibility to determine how funds are allocated in the context of an emergency.
Belgium has provided USD 12 million for the period 2021-2022. Of this amount, over USD 4.2 million are for the Agricultural Inputs Response Capacity (AIRC) window and 1.8 million for the Anticipatory Action (AA) window, for each of the two years. This generous grant represents Belgium’s largest contribution to SFERA, adding to a total of over USD 62 million (20 percent of the total funding received) allocated since this Special Fund was established in 2004. For the first time, the contribution also extends the duration of support covering programming for a two-year period instead of one year as for previou
Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ramesh Rajasingham lecture to Columbia School of International and Public Affairs on the United Nations role in the humanitarian system
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Thanks very much indeed.
It is a pleasure to be with you today and among such an impressive and diverse group of students and the likely future humanitarian practitioners, policy and decision makers, influencers and global citizens.
Columbia University and its School of International and Public Affairs need no introduction. But I still had a quick look at your website when I was invited to speak. And what really struck a chord with me is that SIPA takes pride in educating professionals who work in public, private and nonprofit organizations with the goal that we all want of making a difference in the world.
Millions remain at risk as funding to stop violence against women fails to match need
Covid-19 has led to a shadow pandemic but governments have prioritised other issues, charity warns
8 March 2021 • 5:00am
Women take to the streets in Istanbul, ahead of International Women s Day
Credit: Murad Sezer/Reuters
Funding to stop gender-based violence is set to drop in some countries and fall far short of what is needed in many others this year, according to new analysis, despite global recognition of the issue as a “shadow pandemic”.
According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), “old patterns” are being repeated, as awareness of the increased risk of gender-based violence (GBV) during the Covid-19 crisis has not translated into funding.
How improved data could boost humanitarian investment
(Credit: Unsplash)
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum.
Author: Katherine Garrett-Cox, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf International Bank (UK) Ltd and Chair, Clean Air Fund & Helen Alderson Reat Noch, Director, Financial Resources and Logistics, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
The number of people in need of humanitarian aid has jumped by 40% to 235 million in 2021, according to UN.
The private sector has crucial role to play in plugging the humanitarian aid funding gap of over $20 billion.
A recent report published by the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with GIB Asset Management, shows that unlocking this finance requires stakeholder collaboration to improve quality of data and metrics.