Annual Report
2020
Reducing risk from explosive ordnance
Making communities safe
FOREWORD
In 2020, the GICHD continued providing its services to national and international partners, with the ultimate goal of reducing risk from explosive ordnance and making communities safe. Faced with the challenges and limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre put much effort into adapting to the new context and ensuring the delivery of its services through remote means. This process paid off to a significant extent and proved the Centre’s flexibility and adaptability, whilst also generating lessons that are still being evaluated and that will influence its future way of operating.
Meanwhile, the GICHD reached the mid-term of its strategy 2019-2022, consolidating its traditional areas of work, but also developing new programmes. For example, the need for the GICHD to support affected states in developing strategic plans to address mine-action challenges has grown exponentially. Thus, in 2020, the GICHD decided to strengthen its strategic planning programme and reinforce the team. Also, the Centre worked towards enabling a more coherent approach to the delivery of projects at country level, ensuring in particular the correct timing and sequencing between the development and adoption of national standards and the operational follow-up, such as training.
In 2020, particular attention and efforts have been devoted to the roll-out of the GICHD Ammunition Management Advisory Team in response to requests for technical assistance to states in the safe and secure management of ammunition, to the integration of gender and diversity dimensions throughout all activities of the Centre and to the further study of linkages between mine action and sustainable development. Mine action is a precondition and a catalyst for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, such as those related to poverty reduction, food security, education, health and gender equality. It is therefore essential for national authorities to integrate mine action into their broader national efforts related to humanitarian action, peace building and development.
Mine action is needed more than ever. At the GICHD, we are convinced that through the combination of political will, international solidarity and the implementation of good practices, a world in which societies can thrive free from explosive ordnance is possible and within reach.
Dr Barbara Haering
President of the Council of Foundation
Ambassador Stefano Toscano
GICHD Director
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staff members
47
women
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staff members
32
Men
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from
26
different countries
looking back at 2020
Responding effectively to the COVID-19 crisis
In its efforts to evolve its delivery methods, the GICHD considered the delivery of services online, via a hybrid method (partly online and partly in-person) and in-person (where possible).
Much of our work needed to migrate to remote delivery to enable us to maintain operational continuity. Building on the successful work done to develop and launch the online e-learning course on Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in 2019, the GICHD relied on similar tools and platforms to migrate other areas of its work. Over the course of 2020, some of our traditional training courses such as Technical Survey and Quality Management migrated fully or partially online. These courses were then delivered remotely to our partners. The feedback received was generally very positive.
With the evolution of our working modalities, it was important that the in-house capabilities and infrastructure evolved, too. Equally important was the recognition that both the quantity and the quality of our work had to go through a period of adjustment due to new delivery methods. On the whole the new methods have proven to work satisfactorily and have allowed the GICHD to deliver on most of its 2020 objectives. Still, not all of our work with external partners lent itself to be executed remotely. As a result, the GICHD staff travelled to several places in 2020, where this was safe and possible to do so.
Beneficiary countries & territories
In 2020, the GICHD supported national authorities, international and regional organisations, and NGOs in 49 countries and territories. The GICHD adapted to the COVID-19 crisis by increasing its remote support. However, when in-person contact was deemed essential and destinations were accessible, GICHD staff travelled to provide on-site support, liaise with partners and donors, and organise workshops and training courses.
Disclaimer: This map is for illustrative purposes and does not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the GICHD concerning the legal status of any country or territory, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries