COVID-19 Vaccine and Humanitarian Buffer

As many members and NGOs are interested in the ongoing discussion around COVID vaccine roll out for vulnerable populations and humanitarian workers ICVA held a global briefing on Monday the 25^th of January. Key points from the discussion including letter sent to the ERC Mark Lowcock by the Principals of the 3 NGO consortia, highlighting key advocacy points, NGO concerns and opportunities for strengthened collaboration. 

In addition, other advocacy efforts from ICVA side include:

• Next week, we will meet with the COVAX Humanitarian Buffer Working Group and the Global Health Cluster to discuss how to strengthen NGO engagement in the relevant ongoing processes.
• ICVA will hold a Member States dialogue on 25 February, including discussion on the topic of supporting inclusive access to vaccines.

ICVA continue to seek updates from NGOs country level so they can stay informed of developments in terms of government policies and how engagement with the UN system at country level is progressing.

Survey on the UN Partner Portal (UNPP)

Please find above a link to complete a survey on the current and future usage of the UN Partner Portal (UNPP) before 28 February 2021. If you are registered on the UNPP, your organization should have received the link. The purpose of the survey is to identify what’s currently working well to determine what could be further improved in the portal moving forward.

Development of the UNPP continues to be a priority topic for the ICVA humanitarian financing working group in 2021. The more information that is captured in the survey, the better able we will be to have a constructive dialogue with our UN partners on how to develop the UNPP in a way that further simplifies and harmonizes UN-NGO partnerships.

Opportunities

UNHCR’s Nansen Refugee Award 2021: Each year, UNHCR searches for extraordinary persons who go beyond the call of duty in supporting refugees, internally displaced and stateless people. Nominate are open until February 28^th if you know of an inspiration individual or group making a difference.

USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance: The USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance is reinvigorating their teams, and efforts on gender, protection, and inclusion, with various mechanisms that are available to NGOs to apply for funding. See BHA Application Guidelines for more details on the application cycle and how to apply, or contact Melissa Horn Albuja Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Training

Pacific Perspectives and Practices on Climate Change and Disaster Displacement

On February 11^th from 07:00 to 09:00 Geneva time (13:00-15:00 BKK)

The UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement, together with the Pacific Resilience Partnership, invites UN member states, UN representatives, and NGOs to join an online event on Pacific Perspectives and Practices on Climate Change and Disaster Displacement. Participants can REGISTER HERE to listen in to the event. The event will be an opportunity to hear from states and civil society in the Pacific region about best practices and support needs in addressing climate change and disaster-induced displacement.

Global Compact for Migration - Round table on migration and child rights

Save the Children, UNICEF and the International Detention Coalition are arranging a roundtable on migration and child rights in Asia on Thursday 25 February at 14:00 Bangkok time. The event is timed to coincide with the Asia Regional Review for the Global Compact for Migration is taking place in Bangkok on 10-12 March (https://www.unescap.org/intergovernmental-meetings/asia-pacific-regional-review-implementation-global-compact-safe-orderly). If your organization is interested in joining the roundtable - either as co-organisers or participants - please reach out to Olof Blomqvist at Save the Children This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

With Us and For Us: IASC Guidelines on Working with and for Young People in Humanitarian Emergencies and Protracted Crises”

On the 16^th of February at 9-10:30pm (BKK time) there will be the launch of the IASC Guidelines on Working with and for Young People in Humanitarian Emergencies and Protracted Crises.  The guidelines are result of a two-year process in collaboration with many of you as well as hundreds of practitioners and young people in more than 20 countries. See flyer attached for more information.

Online launch event - Coordination guide for local responders

On Monday, February 8, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CET (7pm-8pm Bkk) time join Soul for Development Yemen, Translators without Borders, Save the Children, the Global Education Cluster, and Child Protection Area of Responsibility for the launch of a new guide designed to help local responders understand and engage in the humanitarian cluster system. The event will be an interactive panel discussion and moderated Q&A Click the link above to join or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The guide will be available in 10 languages in both PDF and editable format that can be adapted to different humanitarian responses. A full package is currently being developed, but in the meantime please find the PDF in English attached and on the Global Education Cluster website HERE. 

 Reports/Resources

The ICRC’s new Religion and Humanitarian Principles website

The site has now been launched to promote interaction and debate between religious and humanitarian actors, and explore how they can work together to reduce suffering during armed conflict and other complex emergencies.

They are looking for articles, blog and video contributions related to the interface between religion, IHL and humanitarian principles so please feel free to contact then at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Re-imagining the drought response

The Asia Displacement Solutions Platform (ADSP) has released recent research which analyses the 2018 drought response in Afghanistan, and how alternate responses may have been able to mitigate long-term displacement. The research contains two separate elements i.e. the full report (available at https://adsp.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Re-Imagining-the-Drought-Response.pdf ) and a Lessons Learned and Recommendationsdocument (available at https://adsp.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LessonsLearned.pdf) 

As a follow-up to this research, the anticipate organising some in-country learning events in the near future, and, will follow-up with further details in due course.  

The Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2020: Maternal and Child Diets at the Heart of Improving Nutrition

A collection of UN agencies have recently’ release this report which raises the need for urgent attention to be given to the economic impact of COVID-19 on nearly two billion people in Asia and the Pacific region who were already unable to afford healthy diets prior to the pandemic. 

Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination in Emergencies: Towards a Predictable Model, 2020 edition. 

This publication is an initiative of the Regional Consultative Group (RCG) on Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination for Asia and the Pacific. The RCG on Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination for Asia and the Pacific is a multi-stakeholder, regional forum that brings together humanitarian, civilian and military actors involved in disaster planning, preparedness and response. This is the second edition, an update of the original document published in 2017; it enables a common understanding of civil-military coordination (CMCoord) mechanisms and their functions in disaster response in the current context. It focuses on the five countries the RCG prioritises as highly vulnerable to large-scale natural disasters: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and the Philippines.