How Switzerland comes to the aid of people forced to flee their homes

Article, 20.05.2016

What action can be taken to address the ever-increasing number and duration of humanitarian crises? The SDC’s Humanitarian Aid takes measures to make the most efficient use possible of the funds at its disposal. In addition to providing emergency aid it gives priority to enabling population groups forcibly displaced by conflicts or other disasters to take their lives in their own hands in the long term. Switzerland will contribute the results of several successful experiences it has had in this field to the discussions at the World Humanitarian Summit on 23-24 May 2016 in Istanbul.

A family in a refugee camp
When crises cannot be avoided, the SDC’s Humanitarian Aid does all it can to launch projects that enable vulnerable population groups to rebuild their everyday life in the long term. © UNHCR

From the perspective of humanitarian aid for the victims of conflicts and natural disasters, these are frightening times. Humanitarian needs for 2015 alone amounted to almost CHF 20 billion (five times more than ten years ago), of which only half was raised. 

The main crises today are characterised by their durations of many years as can be seen with the Syrian crisis, the persistent emergency situation in the Central African Republic and the ongoing acts of violence committed by the Boko Haram group against civilians. It is estimated that the number of forcibly displaced people in the world currently stands at 60 million. 

Faced with this reality, the donor countries, international organisations and NGOs are obliged to set priorities and deal with the most urgent needs – this meaning that hundreds of millions of other people around the world see their basic needs (subsistence, education, health) remain unmet.

Long-term rehabilitation 

In parallel, Switzerland, like others, is doing all it can to adapt its intervention strategies. For many years the SDC and the FDFA's Human Security Division have been actively involved in preventing conflicts and disasters by means of concrete initiatives carried out in the regions concerned. 

When crises cannot be avoided, however, the SDC's Humanitarian Aid endeavours to launch projects that aim to contribute to the rehabilitation of vulnerable population in the long term. By means of support Switzerland helps beneficiaries to develop their own 'resilience', meaning their ability to confront difficulties and rebuild their everyday life – in many cases far from home. 

At the World Humanitarian Summit, the Swiss delegation, headed by Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, will have the opportunity to present a number of successes Switzerland has had in this field (see below). Furthermore, Switzerland will appeal for greater respect for the values and principles of international humanitarian law.

Syria: employment aid, food vouchers and durable accommodation

Helping displaced Syrians to feel useful and earn a livelihood while contributing to the reconstruction of their country – this is the aim of a project launched by the United Nations Development Programme and co-funded by the SDC. In view of this protracted crisis, Syrians are unwilling to remain inactive for much longer.

«Recommencer à vivre dans un pays à feu et à sang», (Starting life again in a country torn apart by war), article to appear in the 2/2016 edition of the 'Un seul monde' magazine (special dossier 'Refugees and migrants') (PDF, Page 1, 2.4 MB, French)

The resilience of the victims of the Syrian conflict also involves developing new ways of providing food aid. In the cities of Homs and Latakia, the World Food Programme distributes vouchers to pregnant women and mothers with newborns, with which they are able to buy the kinds of food that best meet their needs. A member of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit is coordinating the project.

Interview with Stefan Bumbacher, specialist working for the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit

The financial and technical support that Switzerland is providing the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Syria is crucial. The two years that building expert Henri Stalder spent in Damascus has enabled the UNHCR to draw up standards for 'solid' buildings in the midst of the ruins. Only when displaced Syrians have a proper roof over their heads will they be able to look to the future.

UNHCR-project in Syria: Rebuilding beyond the crisis

In general, Switzerland's involvement in the Middle East aims to complement the emergency aid delivered to Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon with a long-term vision of development for the populations concerned.

Switzerland’s Middle East cooperation strategy: ensuring the long-term security of civilian populations

Darfur: producing honey against all odds

Almost three million Sudanese were forced to flee their land during the war in Darfur. Since 2010, the SDC has funded a programme to relaunch local beekeeping to enable displaced communities to become as financially autonomous as possible. It has paid off: to date, more than 3,300 family beekeeping operations are marketing their honey, which in some cases is generating up to CHF 2,900 a year.

Project in Sudan «Farmers displaced by the conflict acquire a business perspective»

Somalia: humanitarian aid to strengthen basic services

In 2016, the SDC has allocated CHF 4 million to support the ICRC's efforts in Somalia to raise awareness among various local actors about respect for international humanitarian law. The SDC is also improving the health systems, the drinking water networks and agricultural production in several parts of the country.

Somalia: the challenges of operating in a protracted crisis

Nansen Initiative: a long-term vision for displaced people 

In October 2015, Switzerland and Norway presented the 'Agenda for the protection of cross-border displaced persons in the context of disasters and climate change', which was the product of the Nansen Initiative developed by Bernese professor Walter Kälin.

Preventive measures to help people displaced by natural disasters or the effects of climate change

Links

Current projects

Object 961 – 972 of 1042

Programme for improved water services in provincial cities of Peru

01.04.2018 - 30.06.2022

The programme for improved water services in provincial cities of Peru aims to improve water supply for more than one million citizens of Trujillo and Huanuco. It will support the establishment of critical infrastructure combined with corporate development measures to improve quality of service delivery.


Swiss Sustainable Tourism and Competitiveness Project

01.04.2018 - 31.03.2022

In order to foster sustainable and inclusive growth in the tourism sector, SECO supports Vietnam with this Project at the micro, meso and macro level to strengthen international competitiveness, skills development and preparing favourable framework conditions.


Global Program for Intellectual Property Rights

01.03.2018 - 31.12.2024

Intellectual Property (IP) regimes are central to promoting innovation and the development of new goods, services and production methods. IP provides the incentive necessary to pursue further research and development, and creative works. Insofar, it is part of a sound foundation for a prosperous private sector and today's world trade system.


Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa

01.03.2018 - 31.12.2022

The Programme supports the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa, the objective of which is to join public and private forces and promote sustainability in the cocoa value chain. Launched in 2017, the multistakeholder initiative is driven by chocolate manufacturers, traders, retailers, NGOs, research and the federal government represented by SECO.


Partnership for Action on Green Economy, Phase II

01.01.2018 - 31.12.2021

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is a multi-year programme to support countries interested in pursuing green economy policies. It will deploy the joint expertise of four UN agencies, ILO, UNEP, UNIDO, and UNITAR, to assist a total of 20 countries in their efforts to embark on green economy pathways.


Skills for Competitiveness

01.01.2018 - 31.12.2021

S4C aims at strengthening the vocational education and training (VET) system in Indonesia, by linking selected Polytechnics with the private sector, thus tackling the lack of skilled workers (skills gap) in selected sectors of the indonesian economy.


Global Trade Helpdesk

01.01.2018 - 31.12.2021

Access to trade and market intelligence is critical to export success. Most of small and medium enterprises (SME) often lack the resources and skills to acquire and process trade-related information such as market requirements and trade procedures which places them at a disadvantage and prevent them from using trade opportunities.


IDB Aquafund - Multidonor Trustfund MTF

01.01.2018 - 31.12.2021

The multi-donor AquaFund of the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) provides Latin American and Carribean countries (LAC) non-reimbursable technical cooperation and pilot investment grants for the preparation of water and sanitation investment projects, institutional strengthening activities, knowledge products and innovative pilot projects.


Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme

01.01.2018 - 31.12.2023

While it is uncontested that Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) methods are an important ingredient for a more sustainable and climate friendly way of production, their broad deployment and effective use has yet to happen.



Urban Water Security Project

01.01.2018 - 30.06.2022

The project seeks to increase climate resilience of urban water supply and to improve wastewater management with a special emphasis on skills development. It will focus on improving cooperation and establishing partnerships locally, regionally as well as between Peru and Switzerland/Germany. The project is implemented by the German GIZ.


Flood Risk Management in the Polog Region, Macedonia

01.01.2018 - 31.12.2023

SECO?s contribution to the UNDP "Resilience to Floods in the Polog Region" program aims at improving the resilience to floods of the Polog region of Macedonia through institutional strengthening, flood mitigation infrastructure and Swiss knowledge transfer.

Object 961 – 972 of 1042