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ACT Alliance and Caritas Internationalis statement on Sudan to UNGA high level side event

“The cries of our children will echo for generations if the world does not act now.”

This is what ACT Alliance and Caritas Internationalis were told by a local faith leader in Sudan in advance of the UN General Assembly, taking place in New York this week. The crisis in Sudan is growing ever more alarming and the numbers of people affected by the conflict and impending famine are staggering, with over 10 million now displaced.

ACT and Caritas prepared a joint statement for a UNGA high level side event entitled “The Cost of Inaction: Urgent and Collective Support to Scale Up the Humanitarian Response in Sudan and the Region.” In the statement, ACT and Caritas raise three points:

A commitment to a partnership-based approach to support local first responders in Sudan,
A call for unimpeded humanitarian access from all parties to the conflict to enable the provision of aid, and
Raising voices of people and communities impacted by the conflict.

The statement calls on “Governments at UNGA to take every diplomatic action possible to end this catastrophe, and to unlock support to the local first responders.”

Read the full statement here.

Read the joint ACT/Caritas appeal for humanitarian relief in Sudan here.

Annual Report 2023 now available

“For ACT Alliance, 2023 was marked by significant achievements, partnerships, and collaborative efforts that underscored our commitment to building a more sustainable and just future for all,” says ACT General Secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria. “Faced with increasing social and political polarization and shifting narratives, ACT’s commitment to human rights, inclusion and justice remained unwavering.”

The 2023 issue of the ACT Alliance Annual Report features a spotlight on West Africa, highlighting an innovative Gender Justice and member collaboration called Transforming Masculinity. There are also updates on ACT’s Climate Justice, Migration and Displacement, and Emergency Preparedness and Humanitarian Response programmes, as well as news on the work of Forums, the audited reports and the growing list of ACT members around the world.

We hope you enjoy this celebration of the work of the alliance.

The 2023 Annual Report can be downloaded in English, French or Spanish at the links below.

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Implementing the Pact of the Future will need a focus on key values

The passage on September 22, 2024 of the Pact for the Future at the United Nations was a moment for celebration as the world looks to address global crises, new and emerging issues, accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and reinvigorate multilateralism.

Once the applause died down, the question on many people’s minds became “Now what? How do we implement this Pact in the world of 2024 and beyond?”

This will be the challenge. The world now is very different than it was when the SDGs were adopted as a political framework. Rising fundamentalisms, polarization, and the erosion of values of inclusion and justice in favour of individualism and discrimination have left the world with seemingly much less appetite for ambition.

“When they were adopted, the SDGs had broad-based support within countries, in civil society, and allowed many countries to advance the agendas of the goals. In contrast, many of the underlying values that should underpin the implementation of the Pact for the Future- climate justice, gender justice, inclusion- are being eroded around the world, even within many faith institutions,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, general secretary of ACT Alliance.

Faith actors should be leaders in the moral aspects of the Pact, but too many faith actors espouse inclusion but exclude others based on their gender or sexual orientation, or their national origins.

“Now is the time for faith leaders to stand up for the key values that will enable us to live into the Pact for the Future. Solidarity and justice should be what we live as well as what we say,” said de Faria.

The Pact for the Future may lack the vision or accountability mechanisms the world hoped for, but the door is now open for increased ambition as the appetite for the values and results of the Pact increase in nations and the public. There is a big opportunity for the world to move forward, when it is ready.

“I call for the full moral engagement of governments, faith actors, civil society, and the whole of society to advance the Pact for the Future, rooted in compassion, solidarity, justice, inclusion and justice. Together we can bring about a better world, a better future,” de Faria concluded.

Blog: World Leaders Must Step Up Climate Finance at UN General Assembly

As world leaders converge on New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly, the spotlight should be on a critical aspect of the climate crisis: finance. While the talks in New York are not a formal climate summit, the discussions taking place this week are pivotal for our planet’s future.

This year’s climate debate centres on funding, a departure from previous negotiations that focused on emission reduction, adaptation efforts, and addressing climate-related loss and damage. The shift recognizes a fundamental truth: without adequate financial backing, even the most ambitious climate decisions will remain mere words on paper.

Ministers attending the UN General Assembly are engaging in high-level discussions, both formal and informal, as parties push their positions forward in anticipation of COP29 in November. These meetings present a crucial opportunity to increase climate ambition and commit to mobilizing larger amounts of climate finance.

The urgency of scaling up climate finance cannot be overstated. It is the key that unlocks effective climate action across all fronts. From enabling developing countries to transition to clean energy to funding crucial adaptation measures in vulnerable communities, finance is the lifeblood of global climate efforts.

World leaders must recognize that the climate crisis demands more than just promises – it requires concrete financial commitments. The discussions in New York should pave the way for substantial increases in climate funding, setting the stage for meaningful progress at COP29.

As these leaders return home from the General Assembly, it is imperative that their words translate into action. The commitments made in New York must be reflected in national policies, budget allocations, and international cooperation efforts.

The clock is ticking on climate change, and the world cannot afford further delays. It’s time for world leaders to find their wallets and provide the funding needed to tackle this global crisis head-on. The future of our planet depends on the decisions and commitments made today.

Mattias Söderberg is co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group and Chief Advocacy Advisor for DanChurchAid.

Affirming our unique role as development & humanitarian NGOs: interview with ACT EU member CEOs

This article was written by Stefano Filipuzzi and previously published on ACT Alliance EU website

Following ACT Alliance EU’s General Assembly, we interviewed three of the CEOs of our member organisations – DCA Secretary General Jonas Vejsager Nøddekær, Diakonia Czech Republic Executive Director Kinga Komorowska, and NCA Secretary General Dagfinn Høybråten—to hear their perspectives on the alarming trends in national development and humanitarian agendas and learn more about the steps being taken to navigate and influence the evolving global landscape.

CEOs of our member organisations recently met in Brussels during ACT Alliance EU’s General Assembly. This year, with EU elections looming and alarming trends in national development and humanitarian agendas, talks centred on reaffirming the role of civil society at this crucial juncture.

We interviewed three of the CEOs of our member organisations – DCA Secretary General Jonas Vejsager Nøddekær, Diakonia Czech Republic Executive Director Kinga Komorowska, and NCA Secretary General Dagfinn Høybråten—to hear their perspectives on these trends and learn more about the steps being taken to navigate and influence the evolving global landscape.

They bring a combination of vast operational experience globally, politically and in NGO leadership. We asked their perspectives on challenges currently affecting the development and humanitarian sector and the main priorities for change. We also asked them about the contributions ACT Alliance EU, its members & supporter bases, and the sector at large must make to address these global challenges.

Priorities and challenges in the development and humanitarian sector

When asked about the key priorities for change in humanitarian aid and development, our interviewees emphasised several critical issues.

Decolonisation and localisation of aid

One overarching concern is the slow progress in decolonising and localising aid efforts. “In 2016, the world’s largest donors and development organisations committed to ensuring that at least 25% of aid funds would be administered by local responders,” explains DCA Secretary General Nøddekær. “However, today, only 1.2% goes to local actors. This is not good enough, and the relief and development sector need to do some soul-searching.”

Dagfinn Høybråten of NCA echoed these sentiments, stressing that while localisation is essential for effective and sustainable responses, the dominance of large Western organisations within the international aid system continues to hinder progress. This situation affects the quality of efforts and perpetuates the false narrative that local partners are less capable of managing humanitarian crises compared to large international NGOs and the UN. A narrative that should be relegated to history, according to Nøddekær.

Diakonia CR’s Kinga Komorowska provided a stark example from Czechia, where governmental restrictions on fund transfers to third parties threaten to undermine collaboration between international and local NGOs. “While all major donors encourage or even require international NGOs to collaborate with local ones, this option may no longer be viable for those (co-)funded by the Czech government,” she laments.

Growing funding gap

Another pressing issue highlighted by Høybråten is the growing funding gap, which poses a severe challenge to effective humanitarian action. “Last year, only 40% of humanitarian funding needs were met, compared to 60% the year before,” he notes. “Meanwhile, budgets for development aid are falling even faster than humanitarian allocations.”

This growing discrepancy, DCA’s Nøddekær adds, leads to greater human suffering and prolonged recovery times. Consequently, “local teams and partners must shift some focus to meet the most basic needs of communities in crisis as early as possible,” as waiting for external aid may no longer be viable. At the same time, however, he stresses the importance of resisting the temptation to allocate dwindling resources solely to crisis response.

Politicisation of aid

The politicisation of aid emerged as a significant theme in the discussions, with NCA’s Secretary General emphasising that geopolitical interests increasingly influence aid distribution. “The long tradition of providing foreign aid in solidarity with those in need globally is under serious threat across Europe as governments increasingly frame aid as a tool to advance national geopolitical interests,” he observes.

This troubling trend undermines universal humanitarian principles. As DCA’s General Secretary explains, “aid is not primarily directed by need but by political agenda.” As a result, “humanitarian crises in regions of less strategic importance are frequently overlooked, leading to severe underfunding and inadequate support for those most in need.”

Promotion and implementation of a less siloed approach

Moreover, while the aid system grapples with becoming more locally led, it also struggles to adopt a less siloed approach across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding sectors. “NCA, like many ACT Alliance members, works across the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding pillars,” Høybråten explains. “For our country teams, this means that the HDP Nexus is not just about coordination and financing but also about programmatic approaches. How can we achieve better results by strengthening the connections between our interventions? Even more importantly, how can we learn from our partners?”. To underscore this perspective, Høybråten cites an upcoming study by NCA and two partners, which highlights that the distinctions of the international system hold little relevance for local actors who seamlessly cross these lines to meet the needs of their communities.

The call to action for civil society

Faced with these daunting and complex challenges and ambitions, what scope do development and humanitarian agencies have to shape change?

First and foremost, in the minds of the Secretaries General is to reaffirm our role as civil society organisations. “We must remind our own supporters as well as those in power that we exist to translate the commitment of our constituencies to justice and solidarity, and their faith, into action,” asserts Høybråten. Building on existing and potential connections with parishes, churches, associations and schools presents opportunities to engage supporters, especially youth: “The future is in the hands of the next generations, and we need to invest our time in helping them to shape a better world” (Kinga Komorowska, Diakonia CR).

For Komorowska and Høybråten, this involves explaining what we do, to be aware of global suffering and the ways of alleviating it, and to know the impact of national policies and their power as citizens to hold government to account on issues as pernicious as the politicisation of aid. “This threat is one that speaks to our strengths as ACT Alliance. We can speak directly to the public in the language of fairness, morality, solidarity, and justice. We can speak to our constituencies in the language of our shared faith.”

Nøddekær further underscores the multiple constituencies and partnerships of influence in the work of DCA and ACT EU organisations: “We work with both large and small companies and offer various support and co-operation opportunities in both Denmark and the countries we work in internationally. All our advocacy efforts will need to be informed by and closely linked and anchored in the work and analysis of our civil society partners in the countries where we work.“

A collective voice to inspire political change

In this period of elections globally, resulting in many cases in alarming consequences for support to those in crisis globally, our collective voice and advocacy is crucial: “In the upcoming year, Denmark will join the UN Security Council and assume the presidency of the European Council, providing two crucial platforms for multilateral and supranational advocacy” highlights Nøddekær. And Komorowska argues that the juncture also challenges over-reliance of civil society agencies on the government funding, “we all have to diversify our donor portfolios at a time when needs are outstripping donor funding commitments, and where donors’ “strategic priorities” which may not be in line with our core values and objectives.”

Leadership in today’s landscape

And finally, what does it take today to be a visionary development and humanitarian leader?

With combined vast experience in leadership in operations, political advocacy and civil society engagement, we asked what core skills development and humanitarian leaders need to make change in today’s landscape:

Leaders must deliver a clear, courageous and values-based vision. This calls for bold leaders who are willing to challenge the growing trend of inward-looking, self-interested political agendas prevalent in many European countries. More than ever, the world needs leaders who can inspire hope during times of crisis. (Dagfinn Høybråten)
They must sharpen their listening skills: As support for populist right-wing parties surges across Europe, leaders must engage with politicians as well as citizens holding diverse views on aid and development. This is crucial to avoid exacerbating polarization while steadfastly upholding principles such as human rights and the rule of law. (Jonas Nøddekær)
They need brave authentic communication: leaders must find how to navigate the ratio challenge of upholding humanitarian principles, protecting the dignity of individuals and also to be brave enough to break the taboo of not showing suffering. We have created a false picture of the situation in the places where we provide aid. Yes, we do change lives (temporarily?) for some people, but the needs are massive and we are not able to help all. (Kinga Komorowska)

Daily Abuses and a Poisoned Political Atmosphere: Local NGOs Denounce During Digital Solidarity Visit

ACT Alliance General Secretary Joins Digital Talks with Ecumenical Partners on Holy Land Situation

The leadership of ACT Alliance, the World Council of Churches and Caritas Internationalis had planned a solidarity visit to Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza from 5-9 of August to witness the humanitarian, psychological and social impact of the ongoing war. However, recent events in the region have forced the organisations to postpone their travels.

The visit aimed to document the impact of the hostilities on civilians, express solidarity to the churches and organisations that are working to bring solace to the men, women and children that face the consequences of the conflict and, advocate for unhindered humanitarian access and a full ceasefire.

Despite the inability to hold in-person meetings, the leadership of ACT Alliance, the WCC and Caritas Internationalis will hold a two-day digital meeting on August 7-8 with key actors, churches and families to express their support to the populations facing hardships and deliver a strong message of peace.

Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of ACT Alliance, expressed regret at not being able to travel to the Holy Land and called on all ACT members to continue their advocacy for a ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, and respect of international humanitarian law.

“Postponing our solidarity visit due to ongoing violence doesn’t diminish our resolve. Gaza’s urgent need for peace and humanitarian support remains a top priority. Let’s unite for justice and access to aid for those suffering,”de Faria said.

Read ACT Alliance Palestine Forum’s statement on the situation in Gaza

IMPACT REPORT: UKRAINE – The ACT Appeal in a nutshell

ACT Alliance has conducted an external evaluation of the Ukraine appeal that has made a difference in the lives of over 400, 000 Ukrainians across 6 countries with a budget of almost 47 million USD.

We have produced an Impact Report that showcases figures, charts, stories, and photos to illustrate our community-based multisectoral life-saving emergency support.

We are truly Hope in Action!

UKR 221 appeal information
Should you need assistance please contact:
klara.jiricna@actalliance.org, Communications Officer
dragana.levicanin@actalliance.org, Humanitarian Officer Europe

Interview with Andrij Waskowycz: Being the Convener of the ACT Alliance Ukraine Forum in Turbulent Times

At the beginning of July, Andrij Waskowycz assumed the role of convener of the ACT Alliance Ukraine Forum, which unites 13 member organizations providing humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Andrij, who has been in Ukraine since 1991, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. This interview delves into his perspectives on recent events, the Forum’s priorities, and his outlook on humanitarian aid and the recovery process in Ukraine.

Q: Andrij, you’ve recently taken on the role of convener of the ACT Alliance Ukraine Forum. Can you tell us about your background and what led you to this function?
Andrij Waskowycz: Since Ukraine’s independence in 1991, I have made the country my home, residing in Kyiv for the past 33 years. Born in Munich to Ukrainian parents, my roots naturally drew me to Ukraine. I have been involved with humanitarian organizations since 2001, and in June 2023, I assumed the role of Head of Mission for Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe in Ukraine. Mark Mullan, the previous convener of the ACT Alliance Ukraine Forum, invited me to take on this role. I accepted because I believe the Forum is a vital platform for member organizations to exchange ideas and collaborate.

Q: Just days after you took over as convener, Kyiv experienced a devastating missile attack. Can you describe that day and its impact on the city?
Andrij Waskowycz: On July 8th, Kyiv endured one of the most tragic days since the full-scale invasion, as a missile attack struck the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital, another hospital, and several apartment buildings. Thirty-three people, including many children, lost their lives, and over 100 were injured that day. The Okhmatdyt Hospital, known for treating children with cardiac diseases and cancer, was severely damaged. The shock and devastation were immense, with people rushing to offer assistance. Even our office felt the tension; we heard the air sirens and explosions, knowing this attack was different and more destructive.

Q: How do such events affect the daily lives of people in Kyiv and the humanitarian efforts of your organization?
Andrij Waskowycz: The constant threat of missile attacks creates a pervasive sense of tension. People try to lead normal lives, but war is always present in their subconscious. For humanitarian organizations, these attacks also pose significant challenges, putting sometimes the lives of aid workers at risk. They underscore the urgency of our work and the need for coordination and preparedness.¨

Q: What do you consider to be the main priorities for the ACT Alliance Ukraine Forum?
Andrij Waskowycz: Our primary focus is enhancing cooperation, coordination, and exchange among member organizations. We’re working on joint advocacy efforts, such as ensuring humanitarian workers can be exempted from military enlistment to prevent the loss of qualified personnel. Additionally, we’re exploring ways to foster closer collaboration through the establishment of different Working Groups, for example in the field of HSS (Health Security and Safety), which are of common interest to all our member organizations. We are also considering establishing a Working Group on Mental Health and Psycho-Social Assistance. Many Forum members are active in this field, and a broader exchange of ideas regarding support for people with mental health issues could benefit various projects. Mental health is a significant issue in Ukrainian society, with estimates indicating that over ten million people in Ukraine need psycho-social assistance due to trauma from shelling, violence, and loss.

Q: You recently attended the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin. What were the key takeaways from this event?
Andrij Waskowycz: The conference was highly significant, bringing together over 3,500 participants, including many from civil society for the first time. It served as a crucial platform for networking, discussing Ukraine’s recovery, and forming new partnerships. The presence of high-ranking politicians and the discussions on funding and rebuilding efforts underscored the international community’s commitment. The conference emphasized the need for immediate recovery actions to restore hope and normalcy for those living in devastated areas.
However, I believe that civil society representatives should have been more involved in the official program of the Conference. Civil society plays a crucial role in Ukraine’s reconstruction, especially given the declared focus on the „human dimension“. Reconstruction must extend beyond restoring material infrastructure to include renewing the social fabric, with appropriate social protection systems and effective social services. Much advocacy is still needed to ensure that the “human dimension” and the role of civil society in Ukraine’s reconstruction process receive the attention they deserve, particularly concerning the follow-up Ukraine Recovery Conference to be held in Italy next year.

Q: How important is the role of local organizations in your work, and what lessons can other countries learn from Ukraine’s experience?
Andrij Waskowycz: Local organizations are crucial because they understand the needs of their communities intimately. Ukraine has a very vibrant civil society and therefore very strong local organizations in the humanitarian sphere. Other countries can learn the value of empowering local organizations. These organizations often start from volunteer initiatives, responding quickly to crises, and as they grow, they must balance maintaining their agility with meeting donor requirements. “Localization” is a very important topic in the context of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The ACT Alliance Ukraine Forum could be a good platform to advance the debate around “Localization” within the civil society and the international humanitarian community in Ukraine.

Q: What are the main challenges faced by humanitarian organizations in Ukraine, and how should they address these challenges to improve their effectiveness?
Andrij Waskowycz: The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine has seen a troubling trend where the funding for aid is decreasing even as the demand for assistance continues to rise. The decrease in funding can be attributed to donor fatigue, economic pressures on donor countries, and shifting global priorities. Simultaneously, the demand for aid is rising due to the ongoing war, displacement, and deteriorating living conditions. To address this situation, humanitarian organizations need to diversify their funding sources, increase advocacy efforts to highlight the urgency of the humanitarian crisis, and collaborate more closely with local partners to maximize the efficiency and impact of available resources. These challenges and topics concern all members of the ACT Alliance Ukraine Forum, and it is therefore their joint responsibility to discuss these topics and find proper solutions to these difficult questions. To initiate and facilitate such a discussion among the members is also a task for the convener of the ACT Alliance Ukraine Forum.

Reimagining how to fund cash transfers to communities

This article has been written by the Christian Aid communications team and has been previously published on the Christian Aid webpage .If you are interested in Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), Christian Aid has recently published a new insightful report, Who holds the levers of design?: Insights and ideas for cash locally led response

Christian Aid has long recognised that giving people money rather than things is a fast and effective way to assist those impacted by humanitarian emergencies.

In 2023, an eighth of all our project funding and a fifth of all our humanitarian project funding was used this way. At the same time, Christian Aid is committed to the localisation of aid, putting power and resources in the hands of those affected by crisis. This allows them to make decisions that are right for themselves, their family and their community.

Localising cash assistance

In recent years, there’s been a wide debate about how cash and voucher assistance (CVA) can be localised. We’ve noticed that this debate is often founded on several assumptions:

We need to bring more local actors into the aid system to help with the design and delivery of cash assistance.
The best way to achieve scale and efficiency gains is by harmonising approaches and often this involved linking with existing government social protection schemes.

Neither of these are inherently wrong. In fact, these ideas are doing a great deal to drive positive change in the international aid sector. However, they are not the full picture.

Challenges for local responders

Firstly, not all local responders want to be part of the international system. Many may wish to either fill gaps that the larger system has left, or simply change their existing activities onto a humanitarian footing in response to a crisis.

For example, those working with marginalised groups may now want to continue working with these people, but offering humanitarian aid as well as their existing services.

Secondly, ‘mutual aid’ and other locally led responses, such as local church groups, already do reach a vast scale, but international agencies find this hard to recognise because we don’t have a strong way of measuring and counting it.

Two approaches to localising CVA

In our new discussion paper and briefing note who hold the levers of design – insights and ideas for cash and locally led response, we explore how there is a difference between localising institutional CVA , which focuses on equipping local actors to work within international CVA systems, and enabling CVA as part of locally led response, which focuses on equipping international aid systems to support and strengthen endogenous responses.

Working together for better aid

We hope that this distinction can carve out a space where international donors will develop tools and processes to work with local groups and spontaneous responders on their terms rather than asking them to adapt to international standards.

This is not to say all standards are wrong, but we believe there should be space to redraw the relationship between the institutional aid world and local responders. The aim is to complement wider aid efforts by recognising that affected communities are always the first and the last responders to any crisis, continuing to work towards long term recovery and development years after international agencies have completed their programmes.