47 Amendments of Nirj DEVA related to 2015/2051(INI)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989 and its Optional Protocol on the involvement of Children in Armed Conflict of 25 May 2000; and the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict (updated 2008);
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas urbanization, population growth, demographic changes, environmental degradation, climate change, conflict and resource scarcity are adding to the consequences of poverty, inequality and fragility; whereas as consequently the need for humanitarian response throughout the globe has significantly increased;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas all parties in a conflict, including state and non-state armed parties, must grant humanitarian actors the necessary access to serveassist vulnerable, conflict- affected civilian populations;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the consolidated humanitarian appeal for 2015 reached a record high in UN history at close to EUR 19 billion; whereas, despite record contributions by donors, only a quarter of the global appeal was funded, and the EU has struggled to fund global humanitarian appeals and DG ECHO supported operations; therefore reinforcing the need for globally coordinated, timely, predictable and flexible funding tailored to different contexts and sustained by a new public- private partnership for innovative preparedness and by delivery methods; whereas the EU has struggled to fund global humanitarian appeals and ECHO operations;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas there is a need to develop greater trust and further cooperation between private sector actors , NGOs, international organizations and Governments; whereas business resources, expertise, supply chains , research and development capabilities, and logistics can serve for more effective preparedness and humanitarian action;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)
Recital H b (new)
Hb. whereas the EU humanitarian aid chapter, EUR 909 million in 2015, represents less than 1% of the total EU budget; whereas an improved linkage between relief and long-term assistance constitutes one element in order to reduce the current discrepancy between the extraordinary humanitarian needs and means available;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the humanitarian response and the tools used should rely on jointly assessed needs and should depend on varying contexts; whereas significantit is essential that all efforts should bare made to ensure that respect for human rights and the specific needs of women, children, the elderly, persons withe disabledilities and other vulnerable groups are integrated into humanitarian response efforts;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the first World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) to be held in Istanbul from 23 to 24 May 2016 should result in reshaping the humanitarian architecture to make it more inclusive, effective, transparent and truly global, in order to respond to anticipated increases in humanitarian needs linked to current and future challenges, such as food security, population growth, climate change, fragility, aid workers’' safety, forced displacement and socioeconomic development;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the WHS will follow a number of intergovernmental negotiations on disaster risk reduction, financing for development, the post-2015 sustainable development agenda and climate change that will shape the development and humanitarian landscapes for years to come, and will thus be a unique and critical opportunity to align objectives, principles and actions, and for the world to address the needs, and build the resilience, of the most vulnerable in a more coherent manner;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the UN Secretary-General’'s decision to call for the first multi- stakeholder World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) and the willingness of Turkey to host it.; calls on the EU Member States to support the WHS and to reach firm Council conclusions with specific commitments and priority areas for action, while pursuing operational efficiency, common quality standards, better coordination and partnerships with emerging donors, based on politically non- biased aid as well as on a common understanding and appliance of humanitarian principles and respect for obligations under international humanitarian law;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the UN Secretary-General’s decision to call for the first multi- stakeholder World Humanitarian Summit (WHS); calls on the EU Member States to support the WHS and to reach firm Council conclusions, while pursuing operational efficiency, common quality standards, better coordination and partnerships with emerging donors, based on politically non- biased aid as well as on a common understanding and appliance of humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence and respect for obligations under international humanitarian law;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that today’'s enormous humanitarian challenges require a more inclusive, diverse and truly global humanitarian system to be built at the WHS; calls on the EU to promote a Global Consensus on Humanitarian Action that reaffirms the principles of humanitarian aid and promotesthe obligations and entitlements under International Humanitarian law ( IHL), while ensuring people-centred protection responses, and also holds governments accountable for their roles and responsibilities in protecting people;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises that, in order to be meaningful, the WHS outcome document should include a five-year roadmap for the development and operationalisation of the political commitments undertaken, including an intergovernmental monitoring and accountability framework with full participation of other stakeholders;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls for the WHS to commit to a systematic results based and participatory approach by establishing specific indicators and work methodology, to be reinforced and shared by donors and implementing agencies, for affected people to take part in the whole cycle of humanitarian action; and to work towards the institutionalisation, better monitoring and evaluation of the UN Accountability to Affected Populations framework;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Underlines that the WHS is also an opportunity for all stakeholders to reflect on the vital need for UN reform towards an inclusive, transparent and effective coordination system, with a more inclusive and operative IASC, better engagement with partners to enhance complementarity and the full operationalization of the Transformative Agenda, and to strengthen the multilateral humanitarian architecture for all crisis by establishing a reliable system of needs assessments serving as a basis for joint appeals, ensuring comprehensive financial tracking, a system of cost comparison between agencies and a monitoring and evaluation mechanism;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the EU to place protection at the heart of humanitarian action by creating a compliance system and by mainstreaming it into programming; stresses the need for the institutionalisation of the role of protection officers and for the development of strategic and integrated approaches with sufficient funds for protection activities in the first phase of emergencies; urges the EUand to commit more strongly to a human rights- based approach in humanitarian action to ensure that both the needs and rights of specific vulnerable groups are respected;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the EU to place protection at the heart of humanitarian action within a needs based response by creating a compliance system and by mainstreaming it into programming; stresses the need for the institutionalisation of the role of protection officers and for the development of strategic and integrated approaches with sufficient funds for protection activities also in the first phase of emergencies; urges the EU to commit more strongly to a human rights-based approach in humanitarian action to ensure that bothdignity and the needs and rights of specific vulnerable groups are respected;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the EU to promote at the WHS a comprehensive agreement on practical ways to reinforce the respect and compliance of the IHL, Human Rights Law( IHRL) and the Refugee Law, such as dissemination of the rules of IHL among the regional and national administrations, security forces, local authorities and community leaders; and to support the International Criminal Court role to end impunity for violation of IHL and IHRL;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Stresses the need to expand the Refugee Convention and the Kampala Convention to protect and assist displaced people around the world as well as the population affected by other forms of violence, such as human trafficking since they may have a well-founded fear of persecution or be at risk of serious harm;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the EU and its Member States to work towards a global shared understanding and operationalization of humanitarian principles in preparation for the WHS, with the promotion of aand to jointly develop a wide participatory code of conduct among current and new donors in order to share best practices, facilitate access to people in need and to enhance existing commitments for good donor practices such as the Good Humanitarian Donorship principles;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the EU to advocate the inclusion of transparency and accountability as guiding principles in the WHS declaration, by using specific markers and disaggregated data (i.e.: gender, age, children specific) as the basis for programme design and evaluation and by promoting an international humanitarian aid transparency standard initiative with the aim of ensuring a global accountability results framework for measuring progress;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses the need to include child protection as an integral part of humanitarian response in order to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence against children; emphasizes that children are the main derivers of change, therefore the importance of creating child-friendly spaces as part of the humanitarian response;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Highlights the central role that women play in conflict and post-conflict situations since they are the first responders in crises, holding their families and communities together; Calls on Donors and Governments to mainstream gender equality in humanitarian programming and to support the empowerment of women and girls;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Urges for a global commitment to ensure that women and girls are safe from the start of every emergency or crisis by addressing the increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence in humanitarian situations and their physical and psychological consequences, by assuring the prosecution of their perpetrators and by ensuring victim´s health rights, as an essential contribution to the peace and state-building process in conflict-affected area;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on governments to live up to their primary responsibilities to protect and assist civilians and to put in place legal and policy frameworks to facilitate humanitarian access in accordance with IHL and aid delivery in order to ensure that professional and quality assistance reaches those who need it, even in remote areas; suggests that these frameworks include humanitarian tax exemptions, cuts of transaction cost of the remittances flows and simplified customs procedures;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Stresses the need for a continued dialogue on the complementary roles and mandates of the different humanitarian actors; underlines that better coordination is key for an efficient, effective and appropriate humanitarian response; Stresses the need for better analysis on local operational capacities and for better needs assessments and accountability of the humanitarian action;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Highlights the important role that the EU Aid Volunteers scheme can play in putting into practice the decisions taken at the future WHS and a revised EU Humanitarian Consensus; stresses that their experience, alongside other humanitarian activists can play a vital role in establishing best practices and implementation tools;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Stresses that to better preserve and guarantee life and dignity of the affected population local NGOs must have access to direct financing; Urges EU Member States and Donors to substantially increase direct funding for local humanitarian actors that have the capacity, expertise and capabilities to act in the field while ensuring accountability;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Calls for EU Member States and other donors to strengthen and develop national legal frameworks for humanitarian action and disaster risk reductions with specific means for implementation;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Underlines the needs for the international financial institutions to fully engage and remodel their soft lending window focus, mainly by redefining their concessional fund eligibility criteria, , to enable a more flexible institutional response to fragile situations and to reflect more closely on national capacity to raise domestic resource;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 d (new)
Paragraph 13 d (new)
13d. Urges Governments, Donors and their enabling environments to simplify administrative requirements for implementing partners by streamlining procedures and mapping administrative, contracting and reporting best practices while ensuring accountability; and to support initiatives that are designed to continuously help to strengthen the capacity and monitoring of local actors and to reinforce national coordination structures;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 e (new)
Paragraph 13 e (new)
13e. Calls for the WHS to stablish a new deal for engagement with fragile states and protracted crisis with sustainable programmes, implementation plans and predictable financing for development; underlines that the Addis Ababa Action Agenda emphasizes the need for investments in social protection systems and safety nets to more rapidly and effectively scale up the response in fragile contexts;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Emphasises the need to adapt the humanitarian response system to local, national and regional requirements, and the need to empower and engage regularly affected populations, and women and children in particular, by building on their capacitieof all ages , children and persons with disabilities in particular, by ensuring their participation in programming and building on their capacities as well as by being accountable to them and on their needs and rights;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses the need for a new global model forof complementarity between humanitarian/ and development actor´ cooperation starting with joint analysis and programming, the inclusion firstly of entry strategies for development actors in order to build bridges in the field, secondly of crisis modifiers in development programmes and thirdly of exit strategies in humanitarian responses that allow a more flexible approach; including accountable and flexible multiannual funding mechanism to respond to protracted crisis;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Calls on the European Commission to present an initiative to link more systematically humanitarian aid, development cooperation and resilience so as to enable the EU to be more flexible and effective in responding to growing needs, and to also promote a reflection for a better link a the WHS ; Calls on the EU to take advantage at the mid-term review of the current Multiannual Financial Framework to further enhance humanitarian/development linkages;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Stresses the importance of disaster risk reduction for resilience in four priority areas: 1) understanding disaster risks, 2) strengthening risk governance to manage disaster risk, 3) investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience, contingency plans and early warning systems, and 4) enhance disaster preparedness for effective response, and to "build back better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15c. Underlines that disaster preparedness, risk reduction and resilience should be incorporated systematically in the response planes to be provided by local, regional and national actors, supported by sufficient financing and increase innovation on forecasting and risk modelling;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 d (new)
Paragraph 15 d (new)
15d. Emphasises that more work is needed to improve the access, safety and training of humanitarian workers; Calls on donors, host governments and implementing actors to fulfil their responsibilities to better facilitate professional, safe, coordinated and appropriate humanitarian access and response; supports the systematic inclusion of specific clauses strengthening accountability for the protection of humanitarian workers into the humanitarian legislation and plans of donors for all countries as well as a firm systematic monitoring of attacks against aid workers;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses that innovation should draw from multiple sources and in particular from the knowledge of affected people and local communities in the front line of response, but also from the business sector; believes that public-private and cross- sectorial partnerships can be a means to improve the response to growing humanitarian needs; notes that cash-based assistance is an efficient example of innovation in humanitarian assistance;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Emphasises the role of new technologies and innovative digital tools in the organisation and delivery of the humanitarian aid, especially with regards to aid delivery and tracking, disaster surveillance, information sharing, coordination between donors and facilitating relations between aid agencies and local governments, particularly in remote areas and disaster zones; highlights that Africa, and especially Sub- Saharan Africa, is currently undergoing a mobile digital revolution with a surge in mobile subscriptions ( and Internet use on mobile), makings such tools and services crucial for putting in place early warning systems and for providing speedy information on health matters, danger areas and aid contacts;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for the development of ethical standards in line withon the EU to impulse and support a global humanitarian innovation alliance for the development of global shared ethical approaches in line with the UN principles for innovation and technology in development and humanitarian principles andthat guarantees that all investment in humanitarian innovation is designed to improve outcomes for affected populations; calls for the establishment of humanitarian innovation funds at regional and national level;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Calls on the Commission and the EU Member States to support, while respecting humanitarian principles and ethical standards, business involvement, especially of SMEs, by building a business guide for action and promoting local and regional partnership platforms for a structured, coordinated and sustainable engagement of companies in emergencies; encourage EU Member States to better integrated businesses into national emergency response plans and accountability mechanisms;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Calls on the EU to explore and encourage partnership with start-ups, insurance and technology companies, amongst others, to develop tools for preparedness and deployment in emergencies; Underlines the need to support and further develop OCHAs works for a private sector global mapping of available assets and capacities to enhance technical cooperation for disaster response efforts;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)
Paragraph 17 c (new)
17c. Calls on the EU and its humanitarian partners to advocate at the WHS for better engagement of young people in humanitarian preparedness and recovery processes and to promote volunteering schemes;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 d (new)
Paragraph 17 d (new)
17d. Calls on the EU and its Member States to promote at the WHS the important role of humanitarian advocacy as this can be an effective way to strengthen protection and innovation;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 e (new)
Paragraph 17 e (new)
17e. Underlines that the commitments taken in Istanbul must be implemented at the level of the EU and its Member States; therefore calls on the EU and its Member States to jointly design with humanitarian actors, an agenda for the operationalisation of the Summit outcomes after Istanbul; Emphasizes the need to ensure predictable and timely funding for humanitarian aid through the EU budget by ensuring that the EU's humanitarian commitment appropriations are systematically fully funded through an equal amount of payment appropriations;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 f (new)
Paragraph 17 f (new)
17f. Calls for a coherent and solid new Action plan of the European Consensus on humanitarian aid that guarantees an impartial and effective European humanitarian response, tailored to the local context while being age and gender specific and acting without discrimination and in proportion to needs;