CORE COMMITMENTS

FOR CHILDREN IN
HUMANITARIAN
ACTION

Factsheet

© UNI231370/Rose
What are the CCCs?

The Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) are the core UNICEF policy and framework for
humanitarian action. They set commitments and benchmarks against which UNICEF holds itself accountable for the coverage,
quality and equity of its humanitarian action and advocacy.

The CCCs:

• Are guided by international humanitarian and human rights (CHS), the Inter-Agency Network for Education in
law, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child Emergencies (INEE) Minimum Standards, Minimum
(CRC) and its Optional Protocols Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action
(CPMS); and reflect UNICEF’s Inter-Agency Standing
• Apply in all countries and territories, in all contexts, and to Committee (IASC) commitments
all children, based on rights and needs
• Contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Provide a menu of minimum commitments, activities, and include explicit strategies to link humanitarian and
benchmarks and standards that UNICEF commits to development action, strengthen local capacity and systems
achieve with its partners
• Contribute to social cohesion and peace, whenever
• Are grounded in the Sphere standards, including the Core relevant and feasible
Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability

THEY ARE PUBLISHED WITH THE FOLLOWING COMPANIONS

• The References comprise links to the international legal framework, norms and standards ( See Chapter 1) and to
UNICEF and interagency guidance and handbooks on Programmes ( See Chapter 2) and Operations ( See Chapter 3).

• The CCCs Indicator Guidance aligns UNICEF Programme Commitments ( See Chapter 2) with UNICEF planning,
monitoring, evaluation and reporting systems through a compendium of indicators.

• The CCCs Monitoring Framework for Operational Commitments provides the means and accountabilities for monitoring
all UNICEF Operational Commitments ( See Chapter 3).

Factsheet 01
 © UN0326766
WHO CAN USE THE CCCs?

The CCCs can be used by:

• UNICEF personnel to understand UNICEF’s mandate and implement the CCCs;

• Governments to bear their primary responsibility for responding to a crisis and promoting the realization
of children’s rights;

• All UNICEF partners (i.e. governments, UN system, civil society organizations, private sector, donors), as well
as media and academia to understand UNICEF’s mandate and advocate for children’s rights;

• Affected populations, to hold UNICEF accountable.

HOW TO USE THE CCCs?

The CCCs can be used as:

• A mandatory policy for all UNICEF personnel

• A communication and advocacy instrument to engage with all stakeholders

• A fundraising tool to explain UNICEF mandate and raise funds

• A reference framework for planning, monitoring and reporting for every UNICEF Country Office (CO)

• A partnership tool for UNICEF and its partners to discuss mutual accountabilities

• A one-stop shop on the most up-to-date humanitarian policies handbooks and guidance

INTENDED USE TARGETED AUDIENCE

Mandatory policy

Reference framework for planning, monitoring and reporting

One-stop shop on the most up-to-date policies and guidance

Programming reference to designprogrammes and partnership agreements

Partnership tool for UNICEF and its partners to discuss mutual accountabilities

Communication and advocacy instrument

Key: Targeted audience

All UNICEF UNICEF partners: All stakeholders, including

personnel and Governments governments, UN, CSOs, UNICEF partners, media Affected population
Offices private sector, donors and academia

Factsheet 02
What's new?
FUNCTION WHAT IS NEW?

UNICEF core Policy • The CCCs are to be used by every UNICEF Country Office as a framework to monitor
and Framework for the situation of women and children and take preparedness and response measures. They
Humanitarian Action
describe UNICEF commitments to the most disadvantaged children and their families,
regardless of the kind of crisis, and irrespective of the income level of the country.

Planning Reference • The CCC commitments and benchmarks are aligned with and supported by
for every UNICEF existing Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation systems. Tools are provided to help
Country Office  
the Country Offices to embed the CCCs in the design their Annual Workplans (AWP),
Country Programme Documents (CPD), Emergency Response Plans, Humanitarian
appeals (HAC) and Partnerships.

Mandatory policy for • Organizational and Managerial Commitments are established for all UNICEF
all UNICEF personnel personnel and managers, and the performance of every office and staff member
can be assessed against them. The CCCs describe the role and responsibilities of
CO/RO/HQ and NatComs (organizational commitments) and the obligations of all staff
to deliver on the CCCs (managerial commitments). Tools are provided to facilitate the
inclusion of the CCCs in the work plans and PERs of team members.

Accountability to results • Operational commitments are strengthened with the establishment of measurable
benchmarks, aligned with Emergency Procedures and monitored in the UNICEF
internal monitoring system (VISION), allowing to track UNICEF performance.

Tool for UNICEF partners   • The CCCs describe UNICEF accountabilities to its operational partners. The rollout will
and for the design of proactively target UNICEF operational partners to ensure they know and use the CCCs
partnership agreements
to discuss mutual accountabilities with UNICEF at country level. The rollout will target
governments, CSOs and all partners. A new website corecommitments.unicef.org will be
launched and accessible to all, with resources and tools for the implementation of the CCCs.

• The CCCs provide a one-stop shop on the most up-to-date humanitarian policies and
guidance on programmes and operations – through hyperlinks that will be regularly
updated. Standards and results frameworks can be used by UNICEF personnel and
partners to design Programme Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and associated Programme
Documents signed at country level.

Quality of UNICEF • New commitments focus on the quality of the programmes and reflect UNICEF
humanitarian response engagement on key issues like linking humanitarian and development, national systems’
strengthening, community engagement, and accountability to affected populations. Multi
and cross- sectoral programme commitments are established with benchmarks applicable
to all Country Offices, and reflect:

• The progress made in the last decade: on preparedness, coordination, humanitarian

cash transfers;

• The focus on the quality of the response: inclusion of gender, disabilities and
considerations for early childhood development and adolescents, community
engagement, accountability to affected populations, localization;

• The evolution of UNICEF scope of action: in public health emergencies, and in the
response to large movements of refugees, migrants, internally displaced people;

• The new challenges: Protection from sexual abuse & exploitation (PSEA), humanitarian
access, climate change and environment.

• Policies are updated and aligned with new global humanitarian standards (including
Sphere, Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies Minimum Standards,
Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action), Accountability to
Affected Populations (AAP), Child Safeguarding, Protection from Sexual Exploitation and
Abuse (PSEA), Data Protection. Guidance is provided on the application of humanitarian
principles in UNICEF operations, engagement with Non-State Actors etc.

Factsheet 03
What are UNICEF Programme Commitments?
• Programme commitments describe the scope of • They are drawn from global humanitarian standards,
activities and advocacy undertaken by UNICEF and its including Sphere Standards, the Core Humanitarian
partners in humanitarian settings. They form UNICEF’s Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS), the Inter-
contribution to a collective response and are designed to Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)
support interagency coordination and response. Minimum Standards and the Minimum Standards for Child
Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS).
• They apply in all contexts at all times. UNICEF’s role in
realizing the commitments varies by context. Benchmarks • They are all supported by specific and measurable
describe the performance levels expected against the benchmarks monitored by Country Offices.
commitments. They set expected standards of programme
coverage, quality and equity.

PROGRAMME COMMITMENTS

Coordination Monitoring
Needs
assessment, & Evaluation
Planning
Gender Equality

Public Health
Emergencies

System Health HIV/AIDS Nutrition

Strengthening Disabilities
(Linking
Humanitarian
Development)
Child Education Large movements of
Protection Adolescent Development refugees, migrants,
internally displaced
people

Community
Engagement WASH Social
for Behaviour & Protection Early Childhood Development
Social Change

Factsheet 04
Overarching Programme commitments reflect:

• The progress made in the last decade: on preparedness, coordination, humanitarian cash transfers;
• The focus on the quality of the response: inclusion of gender, disabilities and considerations for early childhood development and
adolescents, community engagement, accountability to affected populations, localization;
• The evolution of UNICEF scope of action: in public health emergencies, and in the response to large movements of refugees,
migrants, internally displaced people;
• The new challenges: Protection from sexual abuse & exploitation (PSEA), humanitarian access, climate change and environment.

UNICEF thus commits to:

• Invest in preparedness with a focus on enabling effective and timely response, reducing costs and reaching the most vulnerable
• Ensure that sectors/clusters under its leadership are adequately staffed and skilled
• Ensure the timely delivery and distribution of supplies and essential household items to affected populations,
partners and/or point-of-use
• Establish and maintain humanitarian access including by seeking engagement with all parties to conflict,
and other stakeholders
• Ensure that affected children and families participate in the decisions that affect their lives
• Deliver on PSEA
• Design and implement results-based humanitarian responses that are informed by humanitarian principles and human
rights, meet global norms and standards, and contribute to strengthening local capacity and systems
• Foster multisectoral/integrated programming and geographic convergence at all phases of the programme cycle
• Target and reach the most disadvantaged children and their communities with humanitarian assistance, protection
and services
• Build and strengthen national and local capacities and systems from the start of humanitarian action to reduce needs,
vulnerabilities of and risks to affected populations; and contribute to social cohesion and peace, where relevant and feasible
• Invest in strengthening institutional and technical capacity of local actors to deliver principled humanitarian response
• Design humanitarian programmes that integrate environmental and climate risk, prioritize approaches that minimize
harm to the environment and contribute to building resilience, whenever relevant and feasible
• Implement community engagement for behavior and social change in collaboration with national and local actors
• Promote the use of humanitarian cash transfers whenever relevant and feasible

OVERARCHING PROGRAMME COMMITMENTS

NEW Overarching Commitments NEW Programme Approaches

Preparedness Supply and Accountability Quality of Multi-sectoral Equity Linking

logistics to affected programmes integrated humanitarian
populations programming and development

Humanitarian
Access
Coordination
Protection from
sexual abuse
and exploitation
Environmental Localization Community Humanitarian
sustainability and engagement for cash
climate change behavior and transfers
social change

Factsheet 05
What are UNICEF Operational Commitments?
Operational commitments describe the actions and standards UNICEF commits to, to enable programme implementation
through effective use of resources and adequate operational support.

Benchmarks describe the performance levels expected against the commitments. They are drawn from global humanitarian
standards, including Sphere Standards and the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS).

They are aligned with UNICEF’s Emergency Procedures and monitored in VISION and through the CCCs Operational
Monitoring Framework.

OVERARCHING COMMITMENT:

All UNICEF offices are fit for purpose and personnel know and contribute to the application of the minimum preparedness
standards and emergency procedures, to enable the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance by UNICEF and its partners.

OPERATIONAL COMMITMENTS

Administration and finance Partnerships

with governments and
CSOs for programme
OVERARCHING implementation
COMMITMENTS
Human resources All UNICEF offices are fit for Resource mobilization
purpose and personnel know
and apply minimum
preparedness standards +
emergency procedures to
enable the timely delivery of
Communication and Advocacy humanitarian assistance by Supply and logistics
UNICEF and its partners

Information and Security management

Communication technology

© UNICEF/UNI217274/Kokic

Factsheet 06
Example of Programme Commitment: WASH
STRATEGIC RESULT

Children and their communities have equitable access to, and use, safe water and sanitation services, and
adopt hygiene practices

COMMITMENTS BENCHMARKS 

1. Leadership and coordination • Programme Sectoral Benchmarks describe the performance levels expected
against the commitments. They set expected standards to be applied across all
Programme Sectoral
programming in that sector
Commitments describe the scope
of activities undertaken by UNICEF • WASH sector/cluster coordination and leadership functions are adequately
and its partners in their humanitarian staffed and skilled at national and sub-national levels
action and advocacy in a
• Core leadership and coordination accountabilities are delivered
particular sector

See 2.1.2 Coordination

2. Water supply • Quantity of water meets an initial minimum survival level of 7.5 litres, to at least
15 litres per person per day (Sphere)
Affected populations have safe
and equitable access to, and use • Drinking water supply services meet at least “basic” level, as per Joint
a sufficient quantity and quality of Monitoring Programme (JMP) standards
water to meet their drinking and
• Quality of water meets WHO or national standards
domestic needs

3. Sanitation • No-one is practicing open defecation

Affected populations have safe • A maximum ratio of 20 people per functioning shared toilet, separated for men
access to, and use appropriate and women, with locks, child-friendly features and hand washing facilities, is
sanitation facilities; and excreta is ensured76 and adapted to people with disabilities
safely managed
• Sanitation service meets at least “limited” level, as per JMP standards

• Excreta is safely contained, collected, transported, treated and disposed of in a

way that safeguards public health

4. WASH in health care facilities • Health care and nutrition treatment facilities meet at least “basic” JMP
and learning environments service levels for water, sanitation and hygiene services

Affected populations have safe • Learning facilities/schools for children, child-friendly spaces and protection-
access to, and use, appropriate transit centres have at least “basic” JMP service levels for water, sanitation
WASH services in health care and hygiene services
and learning facilities for children
• Affected populations benefit from hygiene awareness-raising activities and
have access to hygiene and menstrual health information

5. WASH system strengthening • Periodic risk assessments are conducted and inform sector policies and
preparedness plans
WASH national and local systems
are equipped to assess, prevent and • Capacity development and technical support are provided to all stakeholders
address risks and hazards at service at national and sub-national levels on linking humanitarian, development and
delivery and user level peacebuilding

See 2.2.4 Linking Humanitarian

and Development

Factsheet 07
6. Hygiene promotion and • Children, their caregivers and communities are aware of available WASH
community engagement for services and how and where to access them
behaviour and social change
• Children, their caregivers and communities are engaged through participatory
At-risk and affected populations behaviour change interventions
have timely access to culturally
• Affected people receive key hygiene communication in a timely manner
appropriate, gender- and age-
sensitive information, services • At least 70% of target population is aware of key public health risks related to
and interventions related to water, sanitation and hygiene and can adopt measures to reduce them
hygiene promotion, and adopt • Handwashing facilities are available as per the SPHERE standards
safe hygiene practices
• Affected populations have access to necessary hygiene items to adequately
See 2.2.7 Community undertake essential daily personal and household hygiene activities
engagement for behaviour • Affected populations benefit from hygiene awareness- raising activities and
and social change have access to hygiene and menstrual health information. Women and girls
have access to menstrual supplies and facilities in the community

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

• Advocacy
• Coordination & partnerships
• Quality programming and standards
• Linking humanitarian and development

REFERENCES
To the most up to date policies, guidance and handbooks are provided in Annexes

GLOSSARY
Is provided in the Annexes

© UNICEF/UN0304111/Arcos

Factsheet 08
Example of Operational commitment: Partnerships
COMMITMENTS BENCHMARKS

1. Preparedness • An up-to-date mapping of current and prospective government and civil society
partners is maintained at country, regional and global levels
Humanitarian programmes and
partnerships are identified in advance • Contingency planning and partnerships are established with governments
through contingency planning and and CSOs in higher-risk countries, with simple activation protocols for rapid
preparedness measures operationalization

2. Simplified procedures • Humanitarian partnerships undergo fast-track review and approval procedures

Simplified procedures are used • Humanitarian partnerships with CSOs are signed no more than 15 working
to establish timely partnership days after submission of required documents
agreements

3. Timely disbursement of funds • Funds are disbursed to governments and CSOs no more than 10 working days
after request of funds
Disbursement of funds to partners
is timely

4. Technical assistance for quality • Appropriate capacity-building, tools and training are provided to partners
and results-based programming to ensure results-based and quality programming

Technical assistance and See Chapter 2 Programme commitments

capacity‑building are provided to
• Opportunities for knowledge exchange are established to leverage
partners to foster quality programming
the expertise and capacity of partners

5. Monitoring Continuous • Humanitarian partnerships include a monitoring framework, with a special

improvement in programme quality, focus on quality programming See 2.2.1 Quality of programmes
coverage and equity is driven
• Field monitoring missions are conducted to support programme
by partner dialogue, feedback
implementation quality and identify areas for programme and partnership
mechanisms, field monitoring and
improvement in line with the UNICEF Field Monitoring Guidance
corrective actions
See 2.3.1 Needs assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

• Use all available simplifications to reduce bottlenecks in the discussion and signature of partnership agreements
and disbursement of funds.
• Use the CCC-aligned activities, standards and indicators to co-design programmes and partnership agreements
with partners.
• Maintain an open dialogue throughout programme design and implementation, in the spirit of partnership and
mutual accountability for the operationalization of the CCCs.
• Ensure that UNICEF fulfils its partnership responsibilities as described in the Programme Cooperation Agreement.
Ensure that appropriate feedback mechanisms, including pathways for redress, are available to partners locally, at CO and
field office level.
• Partner with organizations and entities committed to the core values of UNICEF and the UN, as well as humanitarian
principles, the Principles of Partnership, and the principles of good governance.
• [….]

Factsheet 09
Resources

UNICEF personnel can find translations of the CCCs in French, Spanish, Arabic and other resources including the CCC Toolkit
on the E-resources on the CCCs. UNICEF personnel can also take the E-learning interactive course on AGORA.

THE CCC TOOLKIT INCLUDES

• Briefing tools: Factsheet, Q&A, Guidance on the CCCs, recorded webinar, Power Point Presentation for UNICEF
personnel, for Governments and for operational partners.

• Training Tools: Power Point Presentations and recorded webinars, Training of Trainers Toolkit

• Guidance to engage with governments and Presentations for Governments and partners

• Monitoring and Evaluation Tools: CCC Indicator Guidance for Programme Commitments, CCCs Monitoring Framework
for Operational Commitments, Results Framework for Humanitarian Response Plans and PCAs

• Management Tools: What the Representatives and their deputies need to know on the CCCs? How to include the
CCCs in teams ‘workplans and PERs?

UNICEF partners (governments, CSOs, donors, media…) can visit corecommitments.unicef.org to find the CCCs, their
translations, and learning resources. The website can be navigated from smartphones as a mobile application.

Websites

• Visit E-resources on the CCCs accessible to all UNICEF personnel

• Visit corecommitments.unicef.org accessible to all partners
• Take the E- Learning course on AGORA, accessible to all UNICEF personnel and partners

© UNICEF/UN0313115/FrankDejongh

Contacts

Humanitarian Policy • Carole Vignaud, Humanitarian Policy Specialist, on the Core Commitments for
Section | EMOPS Children (CCCs), the CCC Toolkit, Webinars, Global launch and Rollout

• Segolene Adam, Chief Humanitarian Policy Section, on Humanitarian Policies

Humanitarian Evidence and • Anthea Moore, Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, on the CCC
Learning Section | EMOPS Indicator Guidance

• Nelly Owano, Learning Specialist, on Humanitarian Learning and Trainings

• Mignonne Fowlis, Learning &Evidence Specialist, on CCC Indicator Guidance
and Learning

• Jan Eijkenaar, Chief Humanitarian Evidence and Learning Section, on Humanitarian

Learning and M&E

Factsheet 10