About ICVA

The International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), founded in 1962, is a global network that brings together humanitarian and human rights NGOs as an advocacy alliance for humanitarian action. Focusing on humanitarian and refugee policy issues, ICVA draws upon the work of its members at the field level and brings their experiences to international decision-making forums. ICVA provides a means for the collective body of its members to work together to effect change, and also assists members to improve their own work through access to initiatives and tools that help to increase quality and accountability.

The Statutes and Mission Statement set the general framework for ICVA as “a global NGO network that works as a collective body to promote and advocate for human rights and a humanitarian perspective in global debates and responses… Through its cooperative and catalytic nature, it gathers and exchanges information and raises awareness on the most vital matters of humanitarian concern before policy-making bodies.”

ICVA’s Structure

ICVA’s Objectives

The objectives of the network and Secretariat are to:

• Enhance the ability of NGOs to follow and influence current themes and practice in the humanitarian sector;
• Bring field-based perspectives into international policy and decision-making bodies and forums;
• Ensure that international policy and discussions inform field practice through the translation of those discussions into practical relevance;
• Enhance the capacities of members by having them work together; and
• Ensure full transparency and accountability of the functioning of the Secretariat.

Together with the mission statement, these objectives frame the five primary functions through which ICVA adds value to the work of its members:

1. Information-sharing;
2. Advocacy, particularly in terms of putting issues on the international agenda;
3. Strengthening the NGO community;
4. Facilitating relationships with UN agencies and other international organisations; and
5. Enhancing NGO visibility through representation.

ICVA’s Strategic Work Plan is organised by these mutually reinforcing functions, which together support the network’s programmes on information, humanitarian affairs, and refugee policy. ICVA’s Annual Plans further delineate specific activities, which are reported against in ICVA’s Annual Reports.

Information-Sharing

For ICVA to function effectively as a network, the regular exchange of information and analysis is essential. ICVA provides information on the most recent developments, solicits information from members, and presents an analysis of issues through updates via e-mail, the ICVA website and ICVA’s newsletter, Talk Back. ICVA meeting reports provide a reading-between-the-lines analysis in addition to an overview of the proceedings. These reports give members a deeper insight into the meetings and help to point them to areas relevant to their work, in order to enable them to take informed decisions. ICVA also aims to ensure that humanitarian policy is in touch with reality on the ground by bringing information from members to the attention of decision-makers in Geneva and elsewhere.

Advocacy

Advocacy by the network is based on the work and views of members, and takes shape in various forums and through a variety of means. Talk Back provides a provocative vehicle for advocacy. Through articles written based on information gathered from members and partners, the Secretariat is able to draw the attention of NGOs, UN counterparts, and governments (among others) to situations of concern. On a daily basis, through ICVA’s position as part of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC — the main humanitarian coordination body), members’ concerns can be raised with a range of humanitarian actors at a higher level. Refugee policy advocacy takes place via formal meetings of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, but also through more informal targeted meetings on particular issues. Advocacy also occurs on country and thematic issues, such as internally displaced persons (IDPs), in a number of formal, as well as informal forums.

Strengthening the NGO Community

The ICVA membership is committed to improving the way in which NGOs carry out their work. By participating in inter-agency initiatives and structures, such as Sphere, ALNAP, HAP-I, and the Reach Out Refugee Protection Training Project, ICVA members are able to access tools that help to increase their quality and accountability. ICVA also houses the Building Safer Organisations project, which assists humanitarian agencies to develop the capacity to investigate allegations of abuse or exploitation of persons of concern by members of staff. Other issues tackled by ICVA, which help to contribute to the overall ability of the NGO community to better respond to crises, include, among others, the link between human rights and humanitarian action, protection, and broader accountability issues.

Facilitating Relationships

Bringing together NGOs from around the world is seen as ICVA’s strength when advocating to UN agencies, governments, and other organisations. By facilitating relationships between NGOs and these various organisations, ICVA helps to provide a platform that many NGOs on their own would not be able to access.

Enhancing NGO Visibility

Through highlighting the work of members, ICVA is able to ensure that agencies and governments understand the important place that NGOs have in terms of responding to humanitarian crises. At the same time, this advocacy also reflects inwardly to the member organisations to help improve their ability to respond. The global nature of ICVA’s membership allows NGOs that would not normally have access to many international forums to participate through the network. By working collectively, the ICVA family is able to enhance NGO visibility and effect change.

Contact Information

International Council of Voluntary Agencies
26-28 avenue Giuseppe Motta 1202 Geneva
Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0)22 950 9600
Fax: +41 (0)22 950 9609
E-mail: secretariat@icva.ch