the people

We are living through a time of complex interconnected challenges that are putting an unprecedented strain on people and planet. Our current system of development and co-operation is simply not meeting the scale of this challenge. Now is the time to build on solid foundations and evolve to meet the challenges of today and deliver a fairer international system which engages all countries and people equally for tomorrow. There is this rare window of opportunity for change.

This PB’s objective is to leverage development cooperation to build from developing strength, commit to long term and locally led development, and tackle systemic issues such as racism and the legacies of a colonial past. The conversations on this PB help break down complex challenges into manageable areas for action and identify where the current practices and policies are lacking. It also lays the groundwork for the stakeholders to share information and advice, learn from each other’s successes and ensure development policy contributes real solutions to today’s pressing challenges.

We are committed to dismantling the chains of poverty, recognising it as a root cause of many global challenges. We work diligently to create economic opportunities, empower communities, and ensure that all individuals have the chance to escape poverty's grip. Education is the cornerstone of progress and the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. WHF is dedicated to ensuring that every child, youth, and adult has access to quality education, regardless of their background. At WHF, we believe that education is a powerful tool for personal empowerment and societal development.

We need to achieve a fundamental shift in how education is seen and treated including in relation to the purpose of education; the learning environment; the teaching profession; harnessing digital transformation; investing in education; and multilateral support for quality education for all.

BREAKDOWN OR BREAKTHROUGH?Climate change, food insecurity, inequality, poverty, the threat of pandemics: all require significant funding that goes far beyond what aid and governments alone can provide. Through new partnerships and the development of creative financing solutions, WHF searches for innovative ways that could catalyse private capital at scale to bridge funding gaps and address the world’s biggest challenges as well as the new models of philanthropy giving.

We need a reform on the international financial architecture to ensure financial systems deliver more effectively and fairly for everyone and particularly the Global South, including through objectives that are aligned with the SDGs, debt sustainability, a global financial safety net, and more. Investment in capital needs to be complemented with investment in people, to maximise productivity and promote well-being and inclusiveness.

Humanitarian system needs a change, starting from the re-definition of what “humanitarian” means. From Grand Bargain to Leaving No One Behind, we need to ensure the right steps and mechanisms for the delivery of aid.

We need to be in a position to respond to global shocks better and put in place a stronger international response playbook for complex global shocks.

Covid-19 has globally impacted health infrastructure and our efforts to combat other health issues from women’s reproductive rights to the delivery of medical aid in the field. Our Medical and Health PB assists WHF in analysing key trends and addressing the challenges we face today.

We are all in this together!

Building partnerships and alliances are one of the key drivers at WHF. So far, our impact has reached to £9b and this PB is taking the lead to establish further mechanisms with different stakeholders across all programming areas of WHF in order to contribute to the acceleration of SDGs.

Building Partnerships is about revitalizing the global mechanism for sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda is universal and calls for action by all countries – developed and developing – to ensure no one is left behind. It requires partnerships between governments, the private sector, and civil society; hence WHF is taking a strong lead on bringing together parties and allies for a mission - to share the future for a better tomorrow.

The climate crisis is reshaping our world, as the Earth’s climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilisation. Policy and programming efforts made today and in coming years will impact estimates of people moving due to climate related factors. Tens of millions of people, however, are likely to be displaced over the next two to three decades due in large measure to climate change impacts.

Migration in response to climate impacts may range from mobility as a proactive adaptation strategy to forced displacement in the face of life-threatening risks. This mobility may occur within or across international borders. Specifically, one model forecasts that climate change may lead to nearly three percent of the population (totalling more than 143 million people) in three regions - Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America - to move within their country of origin by 2050. Therefore, at WHF, we focus on the impact of climate on humanity.

Supply chains are key in the delivery of aid. Ranging from topics such as transparency, localisation and green supply chains, this PB is composed of experts from international institutions and INGOs; who assist WHF in leading the conversations in the sector as well as transforming them into actionable outcomes.

The impact of technology cannot be understated. WHF’s Tech4Good PB enables us to critically evaluate the impact of technology while understanding the key challenges to enabling these for humanity. We need to update our understanding of all forms and domains of threats and adapt our toolbox to prevent and manage hostilities in space, cyberspace and online.

We need to agree on a vision of digital technology as a motor for human progress that can deliver full benefits while minimising potential harm and commit to integrity in public information to achieve an online information ecosystem that is inclusive and safe for all, via a code of conduct.

Women and Girls are critical actors in all efforts to achieve sustainable international peace and security. at WHF, we promote a gendered perspective and women’s equal and meaningful participation in peace processes, peacebuilding and security. This PB advances key discussions and takes the mission forward.