Support to NGO Fora & members

ICVA

Period of implementation : March 2023 / August 2025

Total budget : 330.000 GBP

Project summary : The ICVA project aims at supporting a more efficient, effective, and equitable delivery of principled humanitarian response to the most vulnerable in the region through improved coordination, knowledge/experience sharing and advocacy of the NGO community (NGO Fora and members) towards key stakeholders, facilitated by the reinforced presence of ICVA in Dakar.   

In line with Sahel Regional Fund strategy and commitments, ICVA intends to play a key role on improving knowledge, coordination, and advocacy, at all levels, on these topics, especially considering its own institutional focus – Humanitarian coordination, Humanitarian Financing and Forced displacement – and current mainstreaming themes – Climate change adaptation, Gender and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), Localisation –. It will directly participate, facilitate and/or support any common initiatives - research, training, etc. – on those issues.   

Based on the identification of needs performed with the NGO fora and their members, ICVA will work to enhance the partnership providing relevant services.  The overall idea is to enhance the capacity of the NGO Fora and their members, both at an internal level (within the members) and externally towards their various audience such as policy makers, government officials, UN and donors.  

 The program thus, is structured in two main pillars:   

1. NGO Fora and members have increased their capacity to promote principled and effective humanitarian action in the targeted area.   
2. NGO Fora and members have enhanced their ability to influence humanitarian policy dialogue at all national, regional, and global - levels.  

These two outcomes will be achieved through specific outputs and an array of activities which span across the following :   

• Participation of ICVA members and fora to learning opportunities through trainings sessions, peer to peer exchanges and workshops, to enhance NGO Fora and members’ competencies, with a specific focus on L/NNGOs, both on humanitarian key topics – mainly International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Humanitarian principles, Access, Architecture and Coordination – and on transversal issues – mainly Climate change adaptation, Gender, PSEA and localization –;  
• Improved Coordination between NGO Fora and their members within the countries through
  • regular exchanges and experience sharing on challenges met  
  • establishment of a community of practice 
  • organisation and animation of regional events   
  • coordination and support on joint advocacy efforts and work on common positions papers to improve global practices on humanitarian key issues both at regional and country levels;  

• Direct support and mentoring of L/NNGO Fora;  
• Active participation and contribution at regional coordination exchanges and platforms or working groups, such as the Regional Inter-Agency Standing Committee or the regional task force on access and humanitarian principles;  
• Participation in global and regional policy dialogue on key issues, such as Humanitarian Development Peace Nexus, localization etc.  
• Exchanges with government officials on values, principles and modus operandi of humanitarian action;  
• Participation to high level venues such as UNOWAS, CEDEAO and UA events and contribution on NGO actions and principles.  

 These outcomes are related activities to ICVA global focus and are directly in line with the SRF strategy.