Two children on a cotton transport truck
Cotton production is an important sector of Kyrgyzstan’s economy and one of its key value chains. © SDC

Conflict, violence and human rights violations: these are among the main challenges to combating poverty and fragility in the wider sense. The fragility of a state is characterised by the government’s inability to ensure the security of the population and provide basic public services, alongside its failure to establish mutually constructive relations with the country’s citizens.

More than 40 countries around the globe, home to some 1.5 billion people, are affected by fragile situations or exposed to violence or conflict. By 2030, more than 80% of the world’s poorest could be living in fragile contexts unless more concerted action is taken now.

Fragility poses a major threat to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Addressing fragility will require greater acceptance of all its nuances by tailoring differentiated approaches to specific contexts and working across the full spectrum of issues, some of which are inherently difficult and sensitive.

Engagement in fragile contexts

Switzerland is stepping up its efforts to prevent and manage the consequences of crises, disasters and fragility. It intends to allocate 50% of its bilateral aid to conflict-affected or fragile contexts.

The SDC’s action in fragile contexts

Switzerland is committed to promoting peaceful, just and inclusive societies. It works directly to ensure that no one is left behind.

Characteristics of fragile contexts

Fragile states and regions are characterised by weak institutions, high rates of poverty, violence, corruption and general arbitrariness. Fragility manifests itself in both development and transition contexts as well as humanitarian crises.

Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies

Focus on SDG 16+ to promote peaceful, equitable and inclusive societies for a sustainable development and to combat conflict.

Preventing conflict and all forms of violence

In preventing violent conflict, the aim is to stop previous conflicts from flaring up again and new conflicts from forming. The task is not simply to prevent crises but also to address the root causes.

Documents

Current projects

Object 97 – 108 of 302

TUR CONCERN Capacity Strengthening of local NGOs for Effective Refugee Response in Turkey

01.12.2016 - 31.01.2018

Civil Society (CS) in Turkey only recently has developed a humanitarian focus. INGOs, donors and the UN rely on a few natinal NGOs to compleent the governmental refugee respone, which is increasingly strained as the Sate is undergoing a severe crisis. Humanitarian CS initiatives have also emerged at local and provincial level, but there institutional and operational capacities are still weak. This project will stregthen the capacities of 10 local NGOs to conduct refugee assistance. 


Project completed

Clearing for Result (CfR III): Mine Action for Human Development (2016-2019)

01.11.2016 - 31.12.2019

Although over the past 20 years Cambodia has cleared nationwide 1,412km2 of land from mines, an area of 1,640km2 still remains contaminated. Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) will clear over 27km² of heavily contaminated land ensuring safe access to productive land and improving poor rural communities’ livelihoods. SDC’s support to Cambodia’s mine action aligns with the Maputo Declaration 15+ commitment to declare Cambodia mine-free by 2025 and with the Swiss Humanitarian Mine Action Strategy (2016 – 2019).


Project completed

South Sudan, ADCORD: Scaling up SGBV response in Juba

01.10.2016 - 31.12.2016

The escalation of violence in July 2016 and the unimpeded commitment of rapes by armed men during and directly after the outbreak of fighting have created the urgent need for additional services to strengthen and scale up SGBV response to SGBV survivors and conduct prevention awareness.


Project completed

United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine

01.09.2016 - 31.12.2018

The conflict in the eastern part of the country has aggravated the human rights situation in Ukraine which requires a comprehensive international monitoring and engagement with relevant actors. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission is well placed to help identifying human rights gaps and concerns in Ukraine, and to formulate specific recommendations for shaping policies and assistance programs.


Project completed
Project completed

OXFAM: Programme de protection communautaire à Masisi, Nord Kivu

01.09.2016 - 28.02.2017

La présence de nombreux acteurs aux conflits dans le territoire de Masisi ainsi qu’un problème endémique de gouvernance de la part des autorités militaires et civiles sont les causes principales des violations dont sont victimes les populations civiles. Ce projet vise à renforcer la protection des civils à travers le soutien à des mécanismes de protection communautaire.


Project completed

RCA: DRC Protection Ouham 2016-2017

15.08.2016 - 30.04.2017

Par son appui financier au projet de DRC dans la préfecture de l’Ouham, la DDC participe à l’amélioration des conditions de protection des populations civiles dans les zones affectées par les conflits en RCA, avec une attention particulière sur les enfants et les femmes. Elle permet également d’étendre et renforcer les réponses holistiques aux problématiques de protection générées par les conflits, grâce à une offre de soutien psychosocial et d’assistances spécialisées au sein des communautés identifiés par le monitoring de protection.


Project completed

Darfur Community Peace and Stability Fund (DCPSF)

01.08.2016 - 31.12.2017

The Darfur Community Peace and Stability Fund (DCPSF) is a UNDP managed trust fund for Darfur. The latter exists since 2007. It supports community-level peacebuilding activities and fosters social cohesion. Results show that conflicts are reduced and livelihoods as well as access to basic services are enhanced. It synergizes the undertakings with other multilateral humanitarian funding tools and operations of other partners. Last but not least the DCPSF accelerates transition from relief to recovery.


Renforcement d’IDEA phase Unique (RIDEAU)

01.08.2016 - 31.12.2018

Le programme d’IDEA en Haïti vise le renforcement des institutions (p. ex. Parlement) et des acteurs politiques (p. ex. partis), piliers institutionnels de  l’état de droit. Ce faisant IDEA contribue à bâtir une gouvernance nationale respectueuse de la participation citoyenne et paritaire entre les femmes et les hommes. La DDC apporte une contribution générale à IDEA avec un suivi particulier sur la participation politiques des femmes et sur les pratiques de reddition des comptes. 


Project completed

UNDP SDG 16 delivery: Peaceful Societies, Justice, and Strong Institutions

01.07.2016 - 30.03.2020

Switzerland supports the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its effort to contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16). With this strategic contribution, Switzerland strengthens the capacity of UNDP to prevent and mitigate armed conflict and violence, to promote inclusive and accountable governance, including the rule of law, and to respond rapidly to crises. This builds on a long-standing successful partnership with UNDP on crisis prevention and response.


Project completed

Strengthening the Colombian Mine Action Authority

01.07.2016 - 30.06.2017

According to DAICMA, Colombia registered 11,390 landmine victims from 1990 to December 2015 - of which approximately 61 percent are members of the Colombian Public Forces and 39 percent are civilians. Moreover and the country is the 2nd country with greatest production of new victims. There is an urgent need to organize and increase capacity for demining, improve national coordination and deployment of expert civilian organizations capable of designing responses for populations at risk while supporting key government objectives. Colombia acceded to the Ottawa Treaty in 2000, committing to the clearance of all mines by 2021 - after an extension was granted in 2010.


Project completed

HI Protection et éducation Lac Tchad

20.06.2016 - 31.05.2017

Par son appui financier au projet d’Handicap International (HI) en partenariat avec Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI), la DDC souhaite contribuer à assurer la protection et améliorer l’accès des enfants touchés par la crise du Lac Tchad à une éducation de qualité inclusive dans un environnement sécurisé, plus particulièrement dans les sous-préfectures de Bol et Baga-Sola. Cette contribution permet de participer à la réponse aux besoins identifiés, souffrant particulièrement d’un déficit de prise en compte, comme la protection.

Object 97 – 108 of 302