Strategy for Norwegian humanitarian policy

We will be clear about the values and principles underlying our humanitarian comitment. We will promote a multilateral system in which international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law, are respected. Norway's humanitarian efforts will be based on humanitarian principles and respond to acute needs. The objectives shall be distinctly humanitarian but must also be understood in the context of other aspects of Norwegian foreign and development policy.  

Norway will also be a driving force for locally led humanitarian response, innovation and reform where the gender perspective must be an integral part of the effort, and women's rights and participation must have special priority. 

Areas of special priority  

In order to meet the biggest humanitarian challenges of our time, the government has decided on three main goals in the humanitarian political strategy: 

1. We will continue to prioritise the urgent need to protect civilians from harmful effects caused by the use of military force, and other forms of violence and abuse, that currently characterise conflict-affected countries and regions. We will place particular emphasis on combatting sexual and gender-based violence, the protection of children and young people; the protection of refugees and internally displaced people, the protection of health and educational institutions, as well as the humanitarian consequences of mines and other explosives, and the particular consequences of urban warfare.  

1. We will strengthen our efforts to combat hunger. One of the most disheartening features of today's world is the sheer number of people affected by food shortages and hunger. Unfortunately, this situation has drastically deteriorated over the last five years. At the beginning of 2024, more than 300 million people in 72 countries are affected by food crises. Climate change will make these efforts even more important. 

1. We will contribute to reducing the gap between increased humanitarian needs and available resources. Norway's humanitarian budget must remain at a high level in the years to come. We will continue to be a major humanitarian donor to the UN, the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement and non-governmental humanitarian organisations. We will continue to be a predictable and flexible donor, to enable our partners to respond rapidly to changing humanitarian needs. We will demand quality and results. This includes, among other things, clear expectations about good systems and practices to prevent and respond to sexual abuse. 

• Read more about the Norwegian strategy for humanitarian policy

Partnerships with humanitarian organizations

Norway's humanitarian priorities are translated into concrete measures mainly through the UN, the Red Cross Movement and Norwegian humanitarian organizations. How we support and cooperate with our partners is crucial for the results we achieve in both operational, humanitarian policy and norm-setting work.  
 
To read more about Norway's partnerships with humanitarian organizations, see Chapter 7 in Norway’s Humanitarian Strategy.

Updated information on SPA agreements and cooperation with Norwegian humanitarian organizations can be found on Norads webpages (in Norwegian only): 

• Strategiske partnerskap med norske humanitære organisasjoner | Norad.no