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 133 – 144 of 302

Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF)

01.11.2015 - 31.10.2024

Millions of Afghan women, men and children gained access to services and improved their income since the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund’s initiation (ARTF) in 2002. It also significantly contributed to the Afghan state’s capacity and legitimacy. ARTF constitutes a coordinated financing mechanism for the state's budget (Recurrent Cost Window) and for its priority national investment projects (Investment Window) in the areas of agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, education, health and governance.


Project completed

LEB- UNDP -Improving Living Conditions in Palestinian Gatherings

01.10.2015 - 30.09.2018

In Lebanon, 455'000 Palestine refugees are officially registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Some 250'000 of them live in 12 official camps; others live in and around cities and towns, often in areas called gatherings. There are 42 such gatherings in Lebanon where over 140'000 Palestine refugees live (as well as poor Lebanese and Palestine refugees from Syria). Through this project, SDC aims at contributing to improved living conditions in these gatherings by providing basic urban services.


Project completed

Support for Victims of Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) – Single Phase

15.09.2015 - 31.10.2018

Women and girls in Afghanistan who experienced gender based violence (GBV) are confronted with inadequate health services and insufficiently trained health staff to receive appropriate treatment and care. The project is designed to improve quality of care for women and girls affected by GBV by training health care staff in a trauma-sensitive approach (TSA). Results from monitoring and evaluation will be used for policy dialogue in the field of basic health, to document lessons learned and for advocacy.


Project completed

Radio Ergo: Humanitarian Information for Somali Speaking Regions

01.09.2015 - 31.08.2017

The project contributes to amplifying the voices of Somali men and women across the Somali speaking regions of the Horn of Africa, providing them with credible humanitarian and public service information (on forthcoming droughts; animal epidemics; the danger associated with migration etc.), and catalyzing positive discussions on issues of concern between Somali populations and the international community, while at the same time building local radios’ capacities to produce quality and balanced information.


Project completed
Project completed

COOPI, Soutien psychosocial aux populations de Diffa affectées par le conflit au Nord-est du Nigeria

01.08.2015 - 30.09.2016

Le conflit au nord-est du Nigeria a causé la mort de plus de 15'000 personnes depuis 2009, provoquant le déplacement forcé de 1.5 million d’IDPs et de apx. 300’000 personnes vers les pays limitrophes. Ces personnes ont assisté ou même subi des évènements très violents. Au Niger, la région déjà pauvre de Diffa accueille plus de 150'000 réfugiés et retournés. Le présent projet permettra d’assurer le suivi et l’accompagnement psychosocial des personnes moralement affectées.


Project completed

Strengthening of civil-political-economic rights and social auditing

Committee for Free Expression

01.07.2015 - 30.08.2020

In Honduras, strengthening Human Rights (HR), transparency, and the fight against impunity are central to breaking out of the spiral of violence. The role of civil society constitutes an opportunity and at the same time a means to contribute to the construction of Rule of Law. The program supports five civil society organizations (CSO) and the UNDP, with presence in the southern region and Muskitia, so they can work together to promote social audits and protection of Human Rights.


Project completed

Land Governance in the Urban-Rural Nexus (single phase)

01.07.2015 - 31.12.2017

Responsible land governance is a central element in the current process of rural transformation and urbanization in developing countries, but its complex relations to food security and fragility have not received sufficient attention. SDC will support the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), facilitated by UN-Habitat, in addressing these challenges through preparing pro-poor and gender-sensitive land tools to improve tenure security for urban and rural poor with a conflict-sensitive approach.


Project completed

Programme d’Appui à la Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina (ARTB)

01.07.2015 - 31.12.2017

La Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina (RTB) est le seul média aujourd’hui qui couvre toutes les régions du pays. Elle participe à l’information et à l’éducation des populations. Cependant, les installations de la RTB Ouaga, centre de production et de diffusion de l’information nationale ont été pris pour cible par les manifestants de l’insurrection populaire des 30 et 31 octobre 2014. En réponse à une demande du gouvernement de la transition, la Suisse s’engage à appuyer la RTB afin qu’elle tienne son rôle durant la transition et soit à terme un Service Public qui travaille pour tous les Burkinabè.


Project completed

Beitrag an den Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund

01.07.2015 - 31.12.2019

Der gewaltsame Extremismus wird als globale Bedrohung wahrgenommen. Die Schweiz leistet zusammen mit anderen Ländern einen Beitrag an den «Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund». Es ist eine von zahlreichen Massnahmen, um die globale Strategie der UNO umzusetzen. Der Fonds soll in Ländern, die von gewaltsamem Extremismus heimgesucht werden, lokale Initiativen von Organisationen unterstützen, um die Resilienz gegen Radikalisierung zu stärken. 


Project completed

Support to IDPS CSO Activities – Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding

05.06.2015 - 30.06.2018

By supporting the activities of the Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding, SDC commits to the inclusiveness of policy processes concerned with conflict and fragility with a long-term perspective. The Platform’s purpose is to strengthen the participation of civil society organisations in processes under the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States. Fostering civil society participation in conflict affected and fragile contexts is an important element of Switzerland’s commitment as co-chair of the OECD’s International Network for Conflict & Fragility.


Sustainable water and pasture management to alleviate the plight of Ethiopian pastoralists

A group of Ethiopian men and women beside a half dried-up pool of water, using picks and shovels to dig new basins.

01.06.2015 - 31.12.2021

Drought, fodder scarcity and conflicts over natural resources make life difficult for pastoralists in southern Ethiopia. The SDC has taken various measures to improve their food security and their resilience to crisis situations, ranging from the rehabilitation of pastureland and water points to the introduction of land use plans and the diversification of income sources for women.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Ethiopia
Agriculture & food security
Conflict & fragility
Climate change and environment

Agricultural land resources
Household food security
Conflict prevention
Disaster risk reduction DRR

01.06.2015 - 31.12.2021


CHF 8'653'920


Object 133 – 144 of 302