CBPF 2021-2022

The synthesis report describes a few overarching priorities in 2022. One example of these priorities is localisation. A second example one is the pursuit to complement Central Emergency Refiel Fund (CERF) allocations with CBPF funding. And a third is the utilisation of the pooled funds to promote anticipatory action.  Out of the achievements in 2022, a few are highlighted below: • With $1.3 billion, donor support surpassed the previous record from 2021. The 19 active humanitarian funds could thereby provide life-saving assistance and protection to 47 million people around the world. • In 2022, the revised global guidelines were finalised. While a more thorough assessment of these guidelines has been made elsewhere, it should nonetheless be mentioned here as an achievement of 2022. • The CBPFs have continuously aimed to reach the most vulnerable persons. The synthesis report highlights that out of all people who were reached, 4 million were people with disabilities.  • The CBPFs have also supported women and girls. Not only does the report state that 24 million people reached with support were women and girls, but also that $58 million were allocated to projects addressing gender-based violence. Moreover, $55 million were also provided to women-led/women's rights organisations. • Efforts to promote localisation have sustained and, although only marginally, direct funding to local organisations continued to increase. In 2022, $345, or 28% of the total amount allocated, were channeled to local organisations.  • Lastly, the funds' use of cash and voucher assistance saw a significant increase in 2022. A total of $188 million were allocated for different forms of cash assistance, which represented 16% of all allocated funding. Examples of results per fund   Democratic Republic of the Congo Humanitarian Fund (DRC HF) In 2022, the DRC HF assisted around 1 million people, of which 56% were women and girls, with a total amount of $46.4 million. The fund's allocations were in line with priorities in the Humanitarian Response Plan and focused on geographically relevant areas. Moreover, a substantial amount, 53 per cent of the allocated funding, was channeled through local organisations. The fund has overall performed rather well according to the fund performance indicators. However, in areas such as allocation timeliness and use of cash modalities, the fund did not meet the target. A highlight from the fund's allocations has been the assistance to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and prevention of GBV. For example, the report describes that the DRC HF directly funded $3.5 million to support GBV core projects. This dedicated funding has enabled partners to provide medical referrals, psychosocial support referrals, psychosocial support and legal support to 4000 girls, 2700 boys and 420 men.  Occupied Palestinian Territories Humanitarian Fund (oPt HF) There was a decrease in total allocations in 2022 compared with 2021, from $27.8 million to $21 million. The report nonetheless demonstrates that the oPt Humanitarian Fund (oPt HF) continues to be a relevant and strategic humanitarian fund, delivering good results, CBPF funding is prioritised in line with the HRP and continues to be both a strategic instrument through the standard allocations and a rapid response mechanism through its reserve allocation. The geographical focus of the fund is relevant as well as balanced between areas of concern. For example, during the allocation process, further escalation in Gaza in August 2022 triggered a top-up of $0.8 million to rehabilitate 400 partially damaged homes. In 2022, 28 per cent of funding was channeled directly through national partners. An extra 12 per cent of funding was indirectly channeled to national partners as sub-implementers. Important, local partners are also empowered at the strategic and technical levels, for example by being equally represented among implementing organisations in the Advisory Board. Syria cross-border Humanitarian Fund (SCHF) The SCHF allocated a total of $140.7 million that assisted 2.9 million people in 2022. The fund has continued to focus on supporting the most vulnerable people. For example, out of all the people reached with support, one million were people with disabilities and 1.6 million were internally displaced persons.  National organisations directly received 51 per cent of all allocations. The fund also continued to promote affected populations' possibility to be involved in all project phases and completed an inclusion project that focuses on ten cross-cutting priorities. Some of these are language, participation, funding, validation of needs and plans, and inclusion. These priorities jointly aim to promote active listening  and responding effectively to the needs and concerns of affected people, to ensure that their voices are included in all planning and advocacy.  

The United Nations Humanitarian Reform initiative (2005) and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Transformative Agenda (2012) put increased emphasis on humanitarian financing as a critical component towards resourcing principled humanitarian action in a predictable and consistent manner. More specifically, the IASC Transformative Agenda focuses on improving the timeliness and effectiveness of the collective humanitarian response through stronger leadership, more effective coordination structures, and improved accountability. In this context, CBPFs provide a link between the pillars of the Transformative Agenda and humanitarian activities on the ground by supporting humanitarian response planning, mobilizing resources, promoting accountability and serving as a vehicle for setting strategic funding priorities for coordinated humanitarian action. The CBPFs are instrumental in delivering OCHAs mandate to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. CBPFs are guided by the fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. CBPFs are also in line with recognized international standards as determined by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and humanitarian financing principles as codified under the Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) Initiative. The CBPFs allocate funding based on identified humanitarian needs and priorities at the country level in line with the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC). Allocations go to UN agencies, national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Red Cross/Red Crescent organizations. To avoid duplication and ensure a complementary use of available CBPF funding, allocations are made taking into account other funding sources, including bilateral contributions. In addition to the fundamental humanitarian principles that guide CBPFs and all humanitarian action, CBPFs are grounded in four specific principles that underpin their functioning: 1) Inclusiveness: A broad range of humanitarian partner organizations (UN agencies and NGOs) participates in CBPF processes and receive funding to implement projects addressing identified priority needs. 2) Flexibility: The programmatic focus and funding priorities of CBPFs are set at the country level and may shift rapidly, especially in volatile humanitarian contexts. CBPFs are able to adapt rapidly to changing priorities and allow humanitarian partners to identify appropriate solutions to address humanitarian needs in the most effective way. 3) Timeliness: CBPFs allocate funds and save lives as humanitarian needs emerge or escalate. 4) Efficiency: Management of all processes related to CBPFs enables timely and strategic responses to identified humanitarian needs. CBPFs seek to employ effective disbursement mechanisms, minimizing transaction costs while operating in a transparent and accountable manner. Together with these principles, CBPFs have three expected outcomes: 1) Improve effectiveness of the humanitarian response by directing funding towards priority humanitarian needs. Priority needs are identified through an inclusive and participatory process, which includes national actors (e.g. NGOs). 2) Strengthen the leadership of the HC, while leveraging his/her humanitarian coordination role. 3) Mobilize resources and support coordination in support of the humanitarian planning framework (HRP/HPC). These outcomes lead to the overall operational impact of CBPFs, i.e., the provision of timely, coordinated, principled assistance to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity.