Strengthening DDR Operations New Funding Instruments. This collaborative project with the World Bank Group underscores our commitment to enhancing global peace efforts and supports the complex processes of reintegrating armed groups by promoting sustainable development and human rights initiatives.

Facing severe challenges like demographic growth and escalating conflicts, the Sahel region benefits from a partnership initiated in September 2022 between the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel (UNISS) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). This collaboration focuses on transformative, governance-centred growth aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, promoting climate-smart development and resilience in the Sahel through strategic, inclusive initiatives.

West and Central Africa face significant challenges that hinder sustainable development, exacerbated by rapid population growth and acute food insecurity affecting millions. Conflicts in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central Sahel deepen vulnerabilities, while economic stagnation persists due to lack of diversification and infrastructural deficiencies. A UNDP report analyses interventions in the region from 2017 to 2021, aiming to refine strategies and promote regional integration to effectively address these challenges and enhance community resilience.

Land degradation in the Sahel significantly affects over 80% of the population reliant on agriculture, compounded by unsustainable farming, rapid population growth, economic constraints, and climate change. The Greater Sahel Investment Portfolio (GSIP) addresses these issues by promoting sustainable land management and green economic growth through innovative financing solutions. GSIP leverages partnerships and diverse financing instruments to catalyse transformative changes towards land degradation neutrality (LDN).

Optimising Social Impact Monitoring Through Strategic SDG Alignment. This initiative highlights our commitment to enhancing the effectiveness of social impact monitoring and SDG compliance through innovative, collaborative tools. By facilitating better measurement and reporting practices, we support organisations in achieving greater impact efficacy, transparency, and strategic alignment with global developmental goals. This refines organisations’ reporting practices and improves their overall strategic impact on development.

The increasing needs of children affected by armed conflict highlight the urgent need for diversified and innovative funding solutions. Since the establishment of the UN's Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) mandate in 1996, frameworks for child soldier protection have evolved, but current funding falls short, exacerbated by climate change impacts. A recent report reveals a 75% funding shortfall, despite increases in child protection funding. It advocates integrating child reintegration into broader frameworks and leveraging new financing avenues, including philanthropy and repurposed funds, to ensure long-term, sustainable support and address the systemic issues of child recruitment and re-recruitment.

This Vision Paper proposes a transformative approach to tackle conflict, poverty, and displacement in the Sahel by shifting from reactive measures to proactive, systematic risk management and redefined collaboration. It emphasises recognising the Sahel's potential and treating its people as partners rather than aid recipients. Advocating for inclusive development practices, the paper urges the UN and its partners to focus on neglected demographics and adopt low-carbon, long-term strategies. It aims to position the Sahel as a model for climate adaptation and mitigation, leveraging its demographic dividend to address poverty and inequality effectively.

The Danish CCDMP initiative channels DKK 800 million into combating climate change, conflict, and migration in the Sahel. In response to the escalating conflict, forced displacement, and climate change impacts in the Sahel, the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) has initiated the “Sahel Climate Change, Conflict, Displacement and Irregular Migration Programme (CCDMP).” Supported by OAM Consult and COWI, this programme, funded with DKK 800 million from 2021-2024, aims to enhance regional resilience by strengthening capacities to tackle the root causes of regional fragility. It integrates climate resilience into development efforts, aiming to mitigate risks and enhance regional cooperation to better support the Sahel’s vulnerable populations.

This rapid assessment report reviews UN, donor, and FDI investments from 2016 to 2020 in the Sahel, conducted between January and May 2021. It evaluates the effectiveness of funding across the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus in ten UNISS-targeted countries, based on an analysis of over 400 UN and partner projects and discussions with over 150 stakeholders from the UN, donors, CSOs, and academia. The findings highlight the complexities of project prioritisation and emphasise the need for the UN to act as a convenor and knowledge broker, fostering social cohesion and developing new partnerships for effective prevention strategies.

Optimising SDG Outcomes Through Advanced Monitoring Tool. With its comprehensive approach to SDG tracking and emphasis on practical outputs, the monitoring tool is set to improve how organisations interact with sustainable development goals, fostering more effective partnerships and broader societal impacts.

Enhancing International Understanding Through Dialogues. This project serves to bridge informational gaps and solidify partnerships through enhanced dialogue and shared insights, nurturing informed global citizenry and setting a foundation for sustained international cooperation.

Advancing Reintegration Strategies for Children in Conflict Zones. Through this research, we aim to enhance understanding and action around the reintegration of children from conflict zones, promoting strategic, locally-attuned strategies intended to foster sustainable development and peace.

Tailoring Resource Mobilisation Strategies for Sustainable Development in Middle-Income Countries. This resource mobilisation strategy is designed not just to gather funds but to strategically use them in a way that promotes sustainable development through innovative regional hubs. Our approach ensures that investments are not only fruitful but also sustainable and aligned with the global development agenda.

One of the key challenges is that a management scheme capable of measuring human rights work is hard to design. Through this initiative, we have refined the process of results-based monitoring and showcased its critical role in improving the strategic impact of human rights organisations. Through development and implementation of this framework, we help these organisations leverage RBM to achieve enhanced, measurable results that substantiate their efforts in promoting human rights globally.

Enhancing DDR Capabilities in High-Risk Conflict Zones. This collaborative project with World Bank Group underscores our commitment to enhancing global peace efforts and supports the complex processes of reintegrating armed groups by promoting sustainable development and human rights initiatives.