Attachments
Message from the General Secretary
2019 was the first year of implementation of ACT’s new Global Strategy, Hope in Action: Putting People First.
Throughout the year, ACT continued to live into this theme through our work in humanitarian response, development and advocacy.
ACT’s work on Gender Justice gained significant momentum with the launch of the Gender Justice Program, and its engagement in several external processes such as the ICPD+25 conference and the Beijing+25 review process. I had the privilege of being the first faith actor ever to be invited to be on the expert panel during the 52nd Commission on Population and Development at the UN.
The implementation of global frameworks, such as the Paris Agreement, the 2030 Agenda, the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees were the central motives of the programmes on climate justice as well as migration and displacement, both in our advocacy and programmatically.
In addition to the major humanitarian response of Cyclone Idai in Southern Africa, the area of Emergency Preparedness and Humanitarian Response continued to deliver on two central elements for enhancing the effectiveness of the Alliance’s Humanitarian Mechanism: the finalisation of Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans (EPRPs) and a revision of the Humanitarian Mechanism.
We have witnessed increased relevance of the Alliance in various thematic and programmatic areas, and cooperation with external partners throughout 2019. ACT has been invited to engage in high-level spaces, for example as a co-chair of the newly formed UN Multi-Faith Advisory Council, in the Partnership for Religion and Development, at the World Economic Forum, in the consultations of various UN organisations, and in the central global policy processes which are of relevance to ACT’s Global Strategy.
I am also happy to report a renewed energy, increased cohesion, and improved collaboration in various ACT forums since the Assembly. We are confident that these improvements will help to strengthen the overall impact of the Alliance.
I thank you for your continued support and commitment to the Alliance.