The Nansen Initiative

• The Nansen Initiative is a state-led, bottom-up consultative process intended to build consensus on the development of a protection agenda addressing the needs of people displaced across international borders in the context of disasters and the effects of climate change.
• The overall goal of the Nansen Initiative is to build consensus among States on key principles and elements to protect people displaced across borders in the context of disasters caused by natural hazards, including those linked to climate change.
• It aims to set in place back-stopping measures that address the needs of people and communities who are displaced from the impacts of natural hazards and the adverse effects of climate change within, and across borders.
• To reach this goal technical assistance and capacity building can provide the basis to increase the required awareness from the community to the political level and complement and strengthen the national adaptation policy.
• In the event that displacement occurs, the government will have institutionalised safeguard measures that protect people who are displaced and the receiving community, in addition to the realities of limiting the emotional and financial burden on redevelopment and economic growth.
• The planned outcome of this process is a protection agenda based on three pillars:

1. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION and solidarity;
2. STANDARDS FOR THE TREATMENT of affected people regarding admission, stay, status; and
3. OPERATIONAL RESPONSES, including funding mechanisms and responsibilities of international humanitarian and development actors.

• The Nansen Initiative is primarily funded by the governments of Norway and Switzerland and also benefits from generous funding from the European Commission, Germany, and the MacArthur Foundation.
• The Steering Group is composed of national governments that initiate, host, oversee and steer the Nansen Initiative process and is co-chaired by the Governments of Norway and Switzerland.
• Member states of the group include Australia, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Germany, Kenya, Mexico, and the Philippines in addition to the co-chair countries, Norway and Switzerland.
• The Secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
• This is not to be confused with Nansen Refugee Award given by UNHCR.

The Group of Friends

• Group of Friends consists of countries and regional organisations interested in active partnerships with the Nansen Initiative within the area of disaster-induced cross-border displacement.
• It is an open group to countries and regional organisations that: -

1. Have a proactive interest in the issue of external displacement due to natural hazards and/or climate change,
2. Are supportive of the Nansen Initiative,
3. Would like to follow the Initiative's work closely, and
4. Would like to make comments, proposals, and contributions to the work of the Initiative.

• The Group of Friends is autonomous in nature with an internally selected coordinator. The coordinator is supported by the Nansen Initiative Secretariat.