Wars, the climate crisis and growing tensions are shaking confidence in a secure future and in a just and stable global order. Under the motto “Standing together in uncertain times”, more than 40 Swiss NGOs are joining forces to show that their work is more important now than ever. Anyone who wants to safeguard security and social cohesion in Switzerland must also act where crises emerge and intensify. International cooperation is a central element of a comprehensive security policy. Together, we strengthen communities, develop concrete solutions and show that many small contributions can make a big difference. A just and liveable world is not created from the top down – it is built from the bottom up by many people working together. This creates stability – and with it the foundation for a peaceful and secure future for us all.

For more information: www.swiss-ngo.ch

KoGe is launching a new self-assessment tool! Simple and practical, it helps project teams see how their projects contribute to gender equality, identify areas for improvement and take their work a step further. The aim is not only to involve women and men equally, but also to address the root causes of inequality and contribute to lasting change. The tool is part of KoGe’s Learning Journey on transformative programming and helps project teams further develop their work.

KoGe Gender Equality Project Mapping Tool (PDF)

In the 1960s, “experts” and cows were still being sent to Rwanda. Today, however, being geared towards local needs is part of the self-concept of international cooperation (IC). We firmly believe that local actors must take the lead in IC to ensure that actions are just, effective, and sustainable. Yet many stumbling blocks remain. Together, more than 40 Swiss NGOs have therefore drawn up a manifesto. It is a call to joint action in pursuit of equitable partnerships. The manifesto is at the same time also a response to the growing power of authoritarian forces that are deliberately undermining human rights, restricting the room for manoeuvre of civil society and weakening the foundations of multilateralism. This makes it all the more important for today’s international cooperation to centre on the world’s most vulnerable.

Manifesto for Locally Led Action (PDF)

2024 marked the conclusion of an intensive programme phase during which KoGe’s nine member organisations and their partners engaged in 43 countries to promote peaceful, just and inclusive societies. Over 1 million people were reached in the final year alone – through programmes on violence prevention, access to health care and education, and the economic and political inclusion of marginalised groups. The annual report highlights key achievements and lessons learned from four years of implementing KoGe’s SDG 16+ programme. At the same time, it outlines what is needed going forward: flexible partnerships, long-term commitment and a consistently transformative focus to enable structural change.

KoGe Annual Report 2024 (PDF)

The KoGe learning structure supports its members and worldwide partners in integrating cross-cutting topics such as Leave No One Behind (LNOB), conflict-sensitive programme management (CSPM), and the engagement of men in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence into their work. A capitalisation process led to the development of our learning briefs on these three areas.

Learning Brief #1 LNOB (PDF)
Learning Brief #2 CSPM (PDF)
Learning Brief #3 Men Engagement (PDF)

KoGe looks back on a year full of commitment to promoting peaceful, just and inclusive societies. Our partners have reached more than 800,000 people in 43 countries, successfully improving access to basic health and education services, reducing violence and contributing to the economic, social and political empowerment of marginalised people. The KoGe Annual Report 2023 puts a spotlight on leave no one behind (LNOB). Read what works in education and health and how we can become more LNOB-transformative in our programming.

KoGe Annual Report 2023 (PDF)

On many aspects of human development, the gaps between different groups of people continue to widen. Leave no one behind (LNOB) is a commitment made by United Nations Member States to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities, and end discrimination by tackling their root causes. LNOB also stands at the center of KoGe’s Programme on Peace, Justice, and Inclusion. Underneath questions of injustice and inequality lies the question of power. In our Learning Journey on LNOB we explored the dynamics of power, inclusion, and exclusion. The result are two learning documents that we hereby make publicly available.

Learning Paper on LNOB: Expand your understanding of power and intersectionality and KoGe Learning Brief #1, April 2023: LNOB (PDF)

On the occasion of its first Virtual Workshop on Peace, Justice and Inclusion on 26 October 2021, more than 70 participants from 16 countries and three continents shared their experiences in working towards more peaceful, just and inclusive societies. This conference was organized according to the Open Space Technology-method, which reflects the concern of the Community of Cooperation (KoGe) to engage with its worldwide partners as actors on an equal footing.

Our external counselling service offers advice on issues related to sexual harassment in the workplace. This confidential service is free of charge for the employees of our member organisations. We fight against sexual exploitation and abuse, we run programmes against sexual and gender-based violence and we are committed to breaking the taboo of sexual harassment.

Working for peaceful, just and inclusive societies in fragile contexts makes security an important issue for the Community of Cooperation and its members. In 2020, our learning group on good governance developed a checklist of recommended minimum security standards. The KoGe security checklist serves as a self-assessment tool at organisational level.

KoGe Security Checklist (PDF)