Core Contribution to HEKS/EPER 2025-28

The international environment is characterised by numerous multipIe crises. The consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the escalation in the Middle East, food insecurity, debt burden and inflation, climate change and the energy crisis are all having a direct impact on the world's population. They particularly affect the most vulnerable, mostly women and children and result in increasing humanitarian needs.

Accelerated change is accompanied by increased uncertainty: The world is becoming more fragmented, unstable and unpredictable. Whilst the vision to reach the Sustainable Development Goals remains, challenges including the accelerating global food and nutrition crigis, shrinking civic and humanitarian space, the erosion of rule of law, intensifying armed conflicts, more frequent climate-related disasters, international migration and internal displacement, exacerbated demographics and an important gender gap hamper progress in reaching them and pose a main challenge for all actors engaged in Switzerland’s International Cooperation.

HEKS/EPER notes growing inequalities in its focus countries. As 15 countries where HEKS/EPER is active experience a shrinking civic space, and as good governance deteriorates, empowering civil actors and locally-led programming, human rights and policy dialogue become key. Fragility, protracted crises and forced displacement challenge HEKS/EPER’s activities in countries where the organisation is active, such as Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Gaza, South Sudan, DRC, Myanmar, and Venezuela. 

• In 2023, HEKS/EPER reached nearly 3.4 mio. people directly and over 1 mio. people indirectlyw ith 89 humanitarian projects in 21 countries. It increased its humanitarian outreach to people in need as well as its geographic scope, with expenditures for HumanitarianA id (HA) triplings ince 2021 to 44.88 mio. CHF. Ukraine, DRC, Venezuela, Halti, Syria, Bangladesh and Uganda remained HA focus countries; emerging crises in Armenia, Gaza, and Myanmar added to the growth of HEKS/EPER’s HA component.
• Development Cooperation (DC) also increased its reach, such as in Niger, Kosovo and CambodËa. HEKS/EPER spent 28.09 mio. CHF in 2023 on DC, ameliorating the life of nearly 3.7 mio. people directly and over 7.7 mio. indirectly. It implemented 98 development projects in 20 countries focusing on right and access to land and resources, fostering sustainable agricultural production, climate mitigationa nd adaptation, peaceful societies, and socio-economic inclusion.
• HEKS/EPER enabled access to over 88’000 ha of land for 186’000 individuals. 49 group claims related to land and resource governance were facilitated, out of which duty-bearers accepted 44 in a legally binding manner. In total, 2’648’000 peopIe benefitted in 2023 from land and resources claims by groups. With HEKS/EPER’s support, over 28’000 individualsb enefitted from access to safe drinking water and structures to maintain it. 20 HA projects in six countries contributed to safe drinking water, reaching another 200’000. In 2023, 37’000 people participated in 20 projects in 13 countries to enable people to enter the local, national, or even international market and generate income, and 55% achieved a medium or massive increase in income.
• HEKS/EPER enabled access to basic services for 61 1 ’000 peopIe, nearly 519'000 of them in Venezuela, getting access to water and sanitation (69% girls or women) and facilitated 793 training and sensitisation events with 336’000 participants in fields such as community-led recovery or dialogues with local authorities. Over 40’000 people participated in 500 learning events addressing the human-rights-based approach, conflict sensitivity, and conflict transformation. 196 initiatives addressed gender equality topics with over 26’000 participants.

1. Basic needs in crises are covered: 
   HEKS/EPER, with local actors, intervenes, embracing cash assistance and nexus, where dutybearers don't meet people’s needs in emergencies and protracted crises with needs-based and conflict-sensitive programming.
2. Social, political, economic inclusion is achieved and discrimination are overcome:
   Ensuring equal rights, opportunities and participation in society and economy for all; improving access to markets and services, and countering discrimination.
3. Rights and access to land and food are secured:
   People and communities have secured rights to land and natural resources. They can control, manage and use them ecosystembased in the long term, ensuring food security and sustainable food systems.
4. Climate justice and adaptation is enhanced:
   Advocacy for the rightt o a safe, clean, healthy environment, sustainable  livelihood and wellbeing; enhancing adaptability and resilience of the most affected and the marginalised.

The role of Swiss NGOs in the implementation of the Swiss IC Strategy 2025-28 shall be strengthened through:

• sharpening the narrative on the importance of the core contribution.
• an inclusive policy dialogue,
• locally led development
• potential adaptations of programmes and approaches (reforms in the larger sense).