Humanitarian Strategy of France (2023-2027)
In the space of a few years, crises have multiplied, overlapped, and become chronic. Some have changed in nature, others in scale, to an extent hitherto unknown. The subsequent rise in humanitarian needs demonstrates the impact of these trends on vulnerable populations, whose numbers are increasing every year.
A new French strategy for a world in crisis
The 2023-2027 Humanitarian Strategy of the French Republic is an opportunity to review the terms of humanitarian responses to adapt them to new challenges.
Humanitarian space, described as a “common heritage” by the French President, has been put at risk by violent conflicts, which spare no one, not even those responding to the needs of populations on the ground.
The difficulties of humanitarian access – sometimes brought about through deliberate strategies – are heightened not only by violence against civilian populations and insufficient financing, but also by increased administrative roadblocks and checks affecting the delivery of aid.
Humanitarian aid funding will reach €1 billion per year by 2025
This increase in funding could make France the second-largest European donor and the fourth worldwide. It is an ambitious choice, coming just as the gap between humanitarian financing and humanitarian needs is wider than ever before.
Promotion and enforcement of international humanitarian law remain priorities
The founding principles of aid – humanity, neutrality, independence and impartiality – must continue to be defended, in order to ensure they are spread, understood, applied and complied with by as many actors as possible.
Issues related to gender, children and climate will be even more strongly factored into humanitarian responses
Gender equality and the rights of women and girls remain overarching priorities, with a boosted goal of ensuring 85% of French humanitarian finance address this dimension by 2027 and that 20% is dedicated to it. Child protection is a cross-cutting and systematic priority of French humanitarian aid. The impact of climate and environmental crises on humanitarian needs will be better incorporated into French humanitarian action, while the response to disasters will be strengthened.
The commitments in this new strategy should help confirm France’s place as a leading humanitarian actor at a time when the scale of needs, even greater today than in the past, requires neutral, independent and impartial action to be defended.
The commitments of the 2023-2027 Strategy
Defending the principles of humanitarian action and ensuring respect for international humanitarian law
- Preserving humanitarian space and protecting civilian populations and humanitarian workers.
- Limiting the unintended adverse impacts of international sanctions on humanitarian action.
- Strengthening the protection of international solidarity actors and fighting administrative and financial constraints on humanitarian action.
- Promoting international humanitarian law in the operational practices of the armed forces.
Adapting the humanitarian response to overlapping crises
- Reducing the humanitarian consequences of climate and environmental disasters.
- Pursuing efforts in the area of food security and nutrition.
- Reinforcing actions related to health and continuity of care.
- Establishing the rights of women and girls and gender equality as strategic priorities of humanitarian assistance.
- Protecting children, promoting their rights and advancing education in emergencies.
Increasing resources for French humanitarian aid and transforming how it is delivered to meet growing needs
- Raising France’s humanitarian contribution target to €1 billion per year by 2025.
- Offering flexible funding instruments and investing in humanitarian innovation.
- Developing an appropriate risk control policy and increasing public accountability and information.
Deploying agile and effective humanitarian aid through diversified and renewed partnerships.
- Implementing a common humanitarian policy at European level.
- Improving coordination with other humanitarian aid donors.
- Envisioning new forms of partnership with local government and the private sector.
- Developing interministerial cooperation.
- Strengthening partnerships with local humanitarian stakeholders.