Core Contribution to Fondation Terre des hommes, Lausanne 2027-2028

Over recent years, the international environment has undergone rapid normative and geopolitical shifts, seeing funding for international cooperation (IC) increasingly deprioritised. At the same time, IC faces numerous multiplec rises: Ongoing wars in Ukraine and Iran, armed conflicts and protracted crises in the Middle East, the Sahel, Sudan, DRC and Myanmar, as well as a growing food insecurity, the energy crisis or the impact of climate change continue to have severe consequences for the world’s population. These crises particularly affect the most vulnerable, including girls and boys and result in increasing humanitarian needs. Particular challenges include a shrinking civic space and hampered humanitarian access, the erosion of rule of law, including violations of child rights, international migration and forced displacement, and persisting gender inequalities. Since Swiss NGO receiving SDC core funding have designed their 2025-28 international programme, the world has become more unstable and unpredictable.T hus, organisations continuously need to adapt their structures and approaches, as well as diversify their funding while demonstrating their added value for the implementation of the Swiss IC 2025-2028.

The above challenges characterise the majority of the contexts Tdh is engaged in. Tdh is committed to continue to supporting children and their communities through contextualised health, migration and access to justice interventionsa, s well as emergency responses, thereby strengthening children's resilience and empowerment along the humanitarian-development-peacen exus. To ensure longterm sustainable solutions, Tdh will prioritise effective locally led cooperation and innovative solutions, including digitalisation. Gender, diversity and climate justice will underpin Tdh’s endeavours.

In 2025, Tdh and its partners supported over 6.2 million people in 26 countries both in development and humanitarian settings, including in armed conflict situations. A selection of results achieved include:

Outcome 1: More than 3.9 million children under 5 accessed quality essential health care, including through digital health tools. Tdh's digital health application (IeDA) wich supports clinical decision-making was adopted by local health authorities nationwide in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Afghanistan.

Outcome 2: More than 750'000 children and youth accessed tailored interventions including on addressing protection risks, access to services, including mental health and psychosocial support, education and employability. Adapted and quality information and services resulted in 86% of suveyed stakeholders reporting improved understanding of migration contexts and the rights and needs of children on the move. Nearly 42'000 children and youth accessed education.

Outcome 3: In addition to caring around 10'000 children in contact with the law and training 2'900 justice and multisectoral professionals, Tdh organised the 5th World Congress on Justice with Children. It convened nearly 6'000 participants from 145 countries, including a delegation from the Swiss Federal Office of Justice. The Congress consolidated Tdh's leadership in justice for children and contributed to strengthening State commitment. With Tdh's support, Ukraine established its first national framework on reintegration for children in contact with the justice system.

Outcome 4: More than 220'000 children accessed mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) and 80% of them reported an improvement in their wellbeing. 76% of caregivers benefitting from MHPSS felt more confident about protecting their children.

Outcome 5: Tdh supported through lifesaving and protective services more than 1,2 million people, mostly women and children, affected b armed conflicts and crisis in 15 countries, including in Gaza, Syria, Mali, Burkina Faso and Afghanistan. One million people accessed water, hygiene and sanitation services and 200'000 people, mostly women, received cash and non-food-items. 89% of them reported being able to meet the basic needs of their household.

1. Health: Newborns, children under 5, and pregnant and breastfeeding women have increased access to improved quality primary health and nutrition services, through innovation, participatory approaches, and digital tools.

2. Migration: Children and youth affected by migration and displacement and their families evolve in a protective environment, are treated with equity and dignity, and are empowered to seize opportunities.

3. Justice: Children and youth in contact with the law access rights-based, innovative, safe, restorative, inclusive, and contextually relevant justice systems which contribute to social cohesion, good governance, and peace.

4. Empowerment and protection: Children and youth (at risk of or affected by violence, affected by migration or in contact with the law) are empowered to claim their rights and are protected by inclusive and effective global, regional, and local child protection systems.

5. Humanitarian crises: Children, youth and their families, especially the most vulnerable or exposed to humanitarian crisis, have access to basic services and information to improve their living conditions and stregthen their capacity to face crises and climate change.

The visibility of the value added by the Swiss NGO to the implementation of the Swiss IC Strategy 2025-28 shall be strengthened and highlighted through:

a. sharpening the narrative for the rationale of the core contribution;

b. an inclusive policy dialogue between SDC and the NGO;

c. implementation of locally-led cooperation;

d. relevant adaptations of programmes and approaches; and

e. evidence-based programming of quality funding.

Phase 14 01.01.2027 - 31.12.2028   (Active)