UNICEF, EMOPS Geneva, Core Contribution 2017

UNICEF’s mandate is to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In emergency settings, UNICEF leads or co-leads clusters of Nutrition, WASH, Education and two areas of responsibility (AOR) in child protection and gender based violence.

The Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) with its presence in New York and Geneva is the focal point for emergency assistance, humanitarian policies, staff security and support to UNICEF offices in the field, as well as strategic coordination with external humanitarian partners both within and outside the United Nations system. EMOPS thus leads efforts to ensure that UNICEF’s role in humanitarian crises is clearly defined, that the organisation is properly equipped to fulfill that role, and that all levels of the organization are prepared to deliver UNICEF’s mandate.

In 2016, UNICEF’s budget on Humanitarian Action for Children was USD 2.32 billion against an appeal of USD 3.19 million (about 45% of the total budget).

Protection, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and Water and Sanitation (WASH) are three of the four priority themes of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Department of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (HA/SDC) in the Dispatch on Switzerland’s International Cooperation 2017-2020.

UNICEF is an important partner of Switzerland Humanitarian Aid (HA) in humanitarian actions and coordination, and is one of the main partners for the implementation of the operational concepts in these above three mentioned priority areas of the SDC/HA.

• EMOPS contributed effectively and efficiently to 89 new and ongoing crises in 70 countries.
• UNICEF’s Global Clusters ensured that humanitarian action was supported and well-coordinated with partners at HQ level and in countries affected by humanitarian crises.
• UNICEF continued to lead/co-lead 3 global clusters (WASH, Education, Nutrition) and 2 Areas of Responsibility (Child Protection, GBV) and expanded field support activities provided from Geneva.
• UNICEF strengthened and expanded its partnerships with IFRC, UNHCR and IOM.
• 2016: highest number of deployments through Standby Arrangements and Rapid Response Teams (total deployments: 247); number of standby partners grew to 30.

• Humanitarian Aid has become a specific theme during the Executive Boards and UNICEF’s emergency response has become an integral part in the discussion on the forthcoming strategic plan 2018-2021.
  
• Policy and strategic dialogue between SDC/HA and EMOPS have been strengthened on protection and WASH issues in fragile and emergency settings.
• The Swiss presence at UNICEF/EMOPS operational level has been strengthened through secondments (SHA)(18 in 2016)
• The Swiss support has enabled EMOPS to maintain its critical presence in Geneva.
• Interagency cooperation has improved and UNICEF has continued to play a key role in inter-agency processes and working groups in Geneva.

• Policy dialogue on UNICEF’s role in emergencies is strengthened (humanitarian partnership and coordination; child protection; peacebuilding) and interagency collaboration is improved.
• Support is provided for improved results based management in strengthening the rights of children and women in humanitarian and post crisis situations.
• Timely, effective and reliable support is provided to country and regional offices to save lives and protect rights in humanitarian situations and to strengthen resilience;
• UNICEF effectively leads humanitarian clusters under its responsibility and contributes to sectoral coordination in humanitarian action.

• Humanitarian Partnerships are strengthened; UNICEF humanitarian policies and operations are fully informed by inter-agency developments, including the TA.
• Effective support is provided to UNICEF offices in Emergency Risk Informed Programming and DRR approaches.
• Effective and inclusive global coordination mechanisms for the assigned clusters are strengthened.
• Efficiency and effectiveness of the overall management of EMOPS Geneva is ensured.
• The Swiss presence at UNICEF/EMOPS operational level and HQ is strengthened through secondments (SHA).

2016: CH at position 6 among the Gov. donors regarding overall core contribution to UNICEF.

In 2016, EMOPS Geneva expenditures were USD 8.2 million and covered by the following donors: DFID (29%), SDC (19%), 12% by USAID, Australia, CDC, Canada and 6% by Global Humanitarian Thematic as well as 34% by UNICEF.

In 2017, EMOPS Geneva budget is about USD 14.7 million: 48% will be covered by UNICEF; besides SDC other donors will or might be: DFID, USAID,US Dept of State, Denmark, Australia, Australia, ECHO and the Education Cannot Wait platform.

Switzerland is coordinating and pursuing a dialogue with such donors in fora such as the Executive Board, the ODSG and the GHD. Switzerland’s support through this project amounts to around 13.5% of the total project budget.

The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, another SDC/HA co-funded project of the UNICEF, is benefitting in particular from a strong EMOPS in Geneva and in turn of coordinated approaches for child protection at country and regional level.

Phase 7 01.01.2017 - 31.12.2017   (Completed)