Disaster risk reduction, emergency relief, reconstruction and protection

 People being provided with water from a tank in South Sudan
In South Sudan, Swiss Humanitarian Aid has built several water supply points to provide local communities with drinking water. © SDC

Disaster risk reduction, emergency relief, reconstruction are three fields of activity of the Humanitarian Aid of SDC. This corresponds to the work that needs to be done before, during and after a crisis, armed conflict or disaster.

Prevention refers to all of the measures taken in terms of protection of the population and infrastructure.  Hazard prevention and vulnerability reduction are part of sustainable development and are promoted in all SDC projects and programmes. The main goal of emergency relief is to save lives and alleviate the worst suffering caused by a crisis. Two-thirds of the Humanitarian Aid’s funds are earmarked for emergency relief measures. Reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts can begin after an emergency when the situation has stabilised. In situations of protracted conflict, activities in all three fields may be carried out at the same time. 

On the other hand, protection of civilians is one of the four thematic priorities of the Humanitarian Aid of SDC beside disaster risk reduction, water/sanitation/hygiene, and gender-based sexual violence.

Disaster risk reduction

While natural disasters strike both rich and poor countries, the consequences differ greatly depending on the level of a country’s development.

Rapid Response and Emergency Relief

Swiss emergency relief operates through its experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) in crises, conflicts and disasters worldwide.

Reconstruction and rehabilitation

Generally speaking, reconstruction and rehabilitation is chiefly concerned with restoring the living conditions of the stricken community.

Protection

Survivors of armed conflict and natural disasters are exposed to the risk of physical and mental violence.

Current projects

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Renforcement de la protection des populations vulnérables dans les régions de l’Ouest et Nord-Ouest du Cameroun

01.03.2023 - 31.12.2025

Le conflit armé dans le Nord-Ouest et le Sud-Ouest (NOSO) a déjà fait plus de 4'000 morts et a déplacé plus de 715'000 personnes. La population civile est victime de violations graves et répétées du droit international humanitaire et des droits humains. Ce projet vise à réduire la violence et améliorer l’accès aux services de prise en charge des victimes.


Enhancing Protection and Justice for Vulnerable Children and Youth in Jordan

01.02.2023 - 31.12.2025

Children are among the most affected by multiple crisis in Jordan. The holistic child protection intervention proposed by Terre des hommes (Tdh) addresses and responds to the complex and intertwined protection needs of the most vulnerable children and youth in Jordan. It links quality of services with institutionalcapacity building and advocacy, thereby fostering a right-based and more sustainable child protection system and addressing hindering social norms in a comprehensive way.


Program Contribution for Fondation Terre des hommes 2023-2024

01.01.2023 - 31.12.2024

The program of the Terre des hommes Foundation (TdhF) aims to sustainably reduce child mortality and morbidity and to secure access to health, sanitation and clean water for mothers and children (0-18 years) in severe poverty. Children in contexts of migration, conflict and disasters, and child victims of violence are better protected. International standards in child-friendly justice are promoted. Humanitarian interventions in fragile contexts, combined with poverty reduction and sustainable development are promoted through innovative work with children and youths.


SPHERE Humanitarian Accountability Project 2023

01.01.2023 - 31.12.2023

Sphere is a diverse global community that brings together frontline practitioners, humanitarian agencies, community organisations, trainers, donors, policy makers, government agencies and affected communities around a common goal – to improve the resilience of, and outcomes for, people affected by disaster and crisis. The Sphere Handbook is one of the most widely known and internationally recognised sets of common principles and universal minimum standards in humanitarian response.


Contribution to UNRWA's Programme Budget 2023-2024

01.01.2023 - 31.12.2024

UNRWA is one of Switzerland’s key multilateral partners in the Middle East, due to its important contributions towards stability and peace in the region and its role in providing services and humanitarian assistance to people in need. Under its Programme Budget, UNRWA ensures universal access to quality primary health care and to basic education to 5.8 million registered Palestine refugees. It also provides targeted relief and social services to vulnerable refugees.


JOR Medair: Social protection program towards improving resilience of refugees and vulnerable Jordanians

01.01.2023 - 31.12.2025

The project initiates a third phase during which Medair Jordan will continue to reach new households in Amman, Irbid and Mafraq with case management and cash for protection, including emergency cash assistance, while focusing on livelihoods solutions to improve the resilience of refugees and vulnerable Jordanians. The project will also build and strengthen the institutional capacities of local actors to provide social protection services through coordination and experience and knowledge exchange.


Allocation of SDC Funding (SubSaharan Africa Division) in 2023 to ICRC Operations in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria

01.01.2023 - 31.12.2023

SDC funding to International Committee of the Red Cross operations allows the ICRC to respond proactively and to provide immediate protection and assistance for people affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence. In line with the Good Humanitarian Donorship principles, Switzerland recognizes the necessity of predictable and flexible funding to respond to changing needs in humanitarian crises.


2023 Annual Allocation to WFP Country Strategic Plans

01.01.2023 - 31.12.2023

Against historic levels of food security due to conflicts, climate change and COVID-19, Switzerland supports annually in 28 SDC priority countries operations of the World Food Programme (WFP) to provide humanitarian and development assistance. It funds indistinctively Country Strategic Plans, incorporating all WFP programmes or projects, based on affected population needs and potential synergies with other local partners, especially national governments and civil society.


WFP, Hurrican Ian Response, Cuba

01.12.2022 - 31.05.2024

Hurricane Ian has caused significant losses in the agricultural and fishing sector limiting the availability and access to food and affecting the livelihoods of the population in the provinces Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Mayabeque and Isla de la Juventud. With its contribution to the World Food Programme through the United Nations Plan of Action, SDC helps providing food assistance and restore food production and livelihoods to meet the needs of 798’000 severely affected people in those provinces.


DRC: Building resilience of Yemeni communities through integrated water resource management and provision of water supply, sanitation and hygiene services

01.12.2022 - 30.11.2025

Through the proposed intervention, the climate and conflict resilience of displacement-affected Yemeni in targeted locations will be reinforced through sustainable and community-led integrated water resource management (IWRM), sustainable water and sanitation systems, provision of multipurpose cash assistance (MPCA) and improved technical and institutional capacity of local partners. 


Strengthening Access to Services for Ukrainian Refugees through Legal Aid

15.11.2022 - 14.11.2023

As a right and a precondition for the enjoyment of all human rights, legal aid promotes peaceful and inclusive societies. The project enhances the access to legal services for Ukrainian refugees through a regional approach building local capacities and enhancing cross-border collaboration. The project opens an avenue for Switzerland to contribute to durable solutions and to channel advocacy messages at national and regional level on the protection of the rights of forcibly displaced populations. 


Appui aux ménages en situation d’ultra-pauvreté à Belle-Anse, Sud-Est Haiti

15.11.2022 - 31.05.2024

Près de 10% de la population haïtienne vit en ultra-pauvreté. Avec sa contribution au programme Chemen lavi Miyò (CLM), la Suisse répond aux besoins humanitaires et de relèvement en appuyant 200 ménages dans le Sud-Est pour les faire sortir de l’ultra-pauvreté. L’approche capitalise sur l’expérience de la Suisse et ses partenaires en Haïti et vise à réduire les inégalités, l’insécurité alimentaire et la vulnérabilité aux catastrophes naturelles.

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