Long-term support to UNRWA’s reform

Projet terminé

This intervention will enable UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestine Refugees in the Near East) to further implement its development mandate by supporting two substantial components of its 2016-21 reform agenda, namely: the Resource Mobilization Strategy and the Protection Framework. These reforms will improve the overall provision of services by increasing and diversifying funding for the Agency and by strengthening the protection mandate and activities of UNRWA.

Pays/région Thème Période Budget
Territoire palestinien occupé
Education
Santé
Aide humanitaire & RRC
Enseignement primaire
Système de santé primaire
Assistance matérielle
01.01.2016 - 31.12.2017
CHF  4’600’000
Contexte

Palestine refugees face a human development and protection crisis: food insecurity and poverty levels are high and rising among refugees, as well as protection threats from armed conflict and denial of basic human rights.

UNRWA has made significant progress in terms of the assistance and protection it provides - as a result of the implementation of its reform process - but funding shortfalls risk jeopardizing the efficiency gains underway. UNRWA is in a chronic financial deficit (the 2016 General Fund gap currently stands at USD 81 Mio). The deficit represents a serious risk to UNRWA as an institution and the environment in which it operates (further destabilization of a very fragile context).

Objectifs

The overall goal is to support UNRWA’s long-term reform process, thus enabling the Agency to provide better quality and more efficient services to Palestine refugees.

Groupes cibles
  • Direct: External Relations and Communications Department and the Protection Unit.
  • Indirect: 30,000 employees and 5 Mio Palestine refugees.
Effets à moyen terme
  • Funding of UNRWA is increased with the implementation of the Resource Mobilization Strategy and allows the organization to fulfill its mandate without cutting basic services nor compromising quality.
  • Refugees’ rights under international law are increasingly protected and promoted
Résultats

Principaux résultats attendus:  

  • Additional funds are attracted from new donors, predictability is increased and UNRWA is able to bridge the 2016-17 General Fund gaps.
  • The Protection Unit is established and effectively coordinates protection intervention Agency-wide ensuring a coherent response across the Agency.


Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

  • The Enterprise Resource Planning System went live in April 2015, strengthening UNRWA decision-making with a state-of-the-art platform that integrates finance, procurement and human resources operations.
  • The Resource Mobilization Strategy enabled UNRWA to bridge the unprecedented 2014-2015 General Fund deficits. Efforts made towards Arab countries (now covering 7.5% of the General Fund, from 3.5% in 2014) and investments in private fundraising (every dollar invested generated 17 in return) were particularly successful.
  • E-health was implemented in all health centers (excluding Syria) by replacing paper medical records with electronic patient files. The new informatics platform generated improvements in terms of quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness.


Direction/office fédéral responsable DDC
Crédit Coopération au développement
Partenaire de projet Partenaire contractuel
Organisme des Nations Unies (ONU)
  • Office de secours et de travaux des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés de Palestine dans le Proche-Orient


Autres partenaires

The 30 members and observers of UNRWA Advisory Commission (donors and host countries; the members of the UNRWA Resource Mobilization Steering Committee (Jordan, MICAD and Gates Foundation), and UN institutions involved in protection.

Coordination avec d'autres projets et acteurs
  • The intervention is complementary to the regular un-earmarked General Fund contribution from the Humanitarian credit line. It constitutes a follow-up to the contribution from the Humanitarian credit line to Strengthening Protection Approach (2014-15).
  • Switzerland seeks and facilitates coordination with like-minded donors and host countries on matters related to the reforms.
Budget Phase en cours Budget de la Suisse CHF    4’600’000 Budget suisse déjà attribué CHF    3’931’532 Projet total depuis la première phase Budget de la Suisse CHF   3’600’000 Budget y compris partenaires de projet CHF   10’000’000
Phases du projet Phase 5 01.07.2021 - 30.06.2023   (Completed) Phase 4 01.01.2018 - 30.06.2021   (Completed)

Phase 3 01.01.2016 - 31.12.2017   (Completed)

Phase 2 01.01.2015 - 31.12.2015   (Completed) Phase 1 01.12.2013 - 31.12.2014   (Completed)