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 85 – 96 of 302

SCOPE - Sustaining a Culture of Peace

01.03.2017 - 31.12.2025

Increasing tensions based on political, religious, socio-economic and natural resource-based conflicts indicate that Tanzania’s culture of peace needs strengthening. SDC will therefore promote the use of peaceful means to prevent and deal with conflicts. It will support the Government to establish a conflict early warning and response system, and state and non-state actors to increase public space to address conflictual topics, in particular for women and marginalized.



Project completed

Protection of children and youth affected by armed violence and/or natural disasters, in the municipalities of Tierralta and Puerto Libertador (Córdoba)

15.02.2017 - 14.02.2020

The history of Colombia has been strongly affected by the omnipresence of armed conflict and violence. Even with the implementation of the peace agreement with the FARC, armed violence is expected to persist due to the presence of other non-state armed actors, especially in peripheral regions and poor urban areas. Several regions will remain affected by violence and human rights violations (i.e. social control by armed groups, limitation on mobility and access, use and recruitment of minors, sexual gender-based violence, threats, extortions), which requires protection and preventive actions for the affected populations. In addition, in rural and urban areas of Córdoba, the access to safe water and sanitation services is limited due to absence of state actors, which increase the vulnerability of the population.


Project completed

Terre des Hommes Schweiz (TdH Schweiz)

01.01.2017 - 31.12.2018

Social participation of youth is an objective and at the same time a condition for sustainable development. Young people are often marginalized and lack economic and social perspectives. Youth unemployment worldwide has dramatically risen in the last years and youth, especially girls, are far more exposed to violence and HIV-Aids than adults. terre des hommes schweiz program empowers young people to identify and use opportunities of participation and to advocate within communities for their rights and interests.


Project completed

Trans-Border Dialogue for Peace in the Great Lakes Region

01.01.2017 - 30.06.2021

Jointly with the Swedish Embassy, Switzerland supports a trans-border dialogue for peace in the Great Lakes region, a program run by Interpeace with 6 local NGOs. This second phase will continue using research and dialogue to address stereotypes and lack of trust behind recurrent conflicts in the Great Lakes region. Research and dialogue constitute the basis to engage decision makers, to promote good governance and concrete consensus-based solutions taking into account local populations’ concerns and recommendations.


Project completed

Financial Support to the Programme of Work and Budget of the OECD Development Assistance Committee for the years 2017 - 2018

01.01.2017 - 31.12.2018

OECD DAC helps member states and their partners maximise the impact of their development co-operation. DAC focuses on reporting, analysis and promotion of financing for development; the review of development co-operation programmes, policies and practices; and the provision of good development practice to enhance the quality and effectiveness of co-operation. SDC wants to continue supporting, including financially, these important activities and reflections for the Swiss international co-operation, especially in order to implement the SDGs.


Project completed

Victim Assistance: Access to Rehabilitation and Linking Mine Action to Development – Contribution to MoveAbility (ex-SFD) Appeal 2017

01.01.2017 - 31.12.2017

Switzerland supports activities aimed at banning anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions as well as to alleviating the humanitarian suffering and socio-economic consequences caused by mines and all types of explosive remnants of war. Mine action is of direct relevance to fulfill the goals of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which serves as an important reference point for Switzerland.


Diakonia International Humanitarian Law Resource Center (IHLRC) “Closing the Compliance Gap”

01.01.2017 - 30.11.2021

The Swiss contribution supports Diakonia’s International Humanitarian Law Resource Centre (IHLRC) to respond to the demand for accurate and principled legal analysis on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law in the oPt, and to make it accessible to States and relevant organizations to ensure that their policies and international aid are not in contradiction with international law. This intervention is in line with the Swiss Foreign Policy in the Region and SDC Cooperation Strategy 2015-2018 that aims to promote respect for International Law, to ensure protection by all duty-bearers of the rights of the Palestinian population.


Project completed

Access to Justice in Tajikistan

A lawyer sits at her desk and discusses with a woman.

01.12.2016 - 31.03.2021

Through this project, Switzerland will accompany the Government in realizing a state system providing free legal aid, which will allow the vulnerable (poor) individuals in Tajikistan to better protect their rights and in particular to claim various benefits (e.g. pensions, child allowances). This system will replace the current NGO provided legal aid services. A space for dialogue between civil society and state authorities will also be preserved and will contribute to addressing further legal challenges faced by the population.


Project completed

Palestinian Population, Housing, and Establishment Census 2017

01.12.2016 - 31.12.2018

SDC will support the realisation of the third Palestinian Population, Housing, and Establishment Census in 2017 through a targeted contribution to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). This project is co-financed by the Palestinian Authority and by a range of donors which acknowledge thereby the need to conduct a national census on a regular basis (every ten years) to produce reliable development data and statistics that support the design and implementation of effective policies conducive to reaching the goals of Agenda 2030 (Sustainable Development Goals). Such data are even more important in fragile contexts, such as the oPt.


Project completed

Contribution to UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women

01.12.2016 - 30.12.2019

Switzerland is renewing its contribution to the system-wide United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UNTF). As the only global multilateral grant-making mechanism exclusively devoted to supporting local and national efforts to ending violence against women and girls (EVAW/G), including in fragile and conflict contexts, the UNTF has the advantage to possess a global overview of the legal provisions and practices, methods of prevention and types of support services needed. Dissemination of good practice will be strengthened to inform policy and programming.


Project completed

Safeguarding children’s rights in East Jerusalem

Safeguarding children’s rights in East Jerusalem, occupied Palestinian territory

01.12.2016 - 31.12.2020

By supporting a comprehensive child protection programme in occupied East Jerusalem, Switzerland aims to ensure that vulnerable children at risk of being in conflict with the law or directly affected by the conflict, together with their families, have access to appropriate preventive and protection programmes. The intervention, implemented by UNICEF and its partners, is in line with Switzerland's engagement for the respect of human rights and international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Palestinian Authority
Governance
Conflict & fragility
Human rights
Conflict prevention and transformation
Legal and judicial development
Conflict prevention
Human rights (incl. Women's rights)

01.12.2016 - 31.12.2020


CHF 2'250'000


Object 85 – 96 of 302