In line with SDC’s cooperation strategy for Afghanistan 2012-2014, Switzerland’s Humanitarian Aid Program in 2012 will mainly focus on two multilateral contributions namely the ICRC and the UNHCR and the possible increase in the assistance for some viable bilateral contributions along with the small grants for emergency assistance. These contributions are mainly allocated to support the needs of returning families and for protection of people at risk. The overall budget Humanitarian Aid for 2012 is 3.4 million Swiss francs (3.77 million USD). It is very likely that humanitarian needs will increase because of the raising probability of conflict related or natural disasters.  The issue of internally and externally displaced people (IDP) will remain a huge topic with currently around 0.5 million people accounted for as internally displaced. The support to multilateral organizations and in particular ICRC remains a cornerstone of the Swiss support to Afghanistan. In order to optimize synergies with the development work and to maintain a rapid reaction capacity with a clear Swiss visibility, increased resources will be reserved for bilateral humanitarian assistance. The main focus of such projects is early recovery and disaster risk reduction in the geographical zones defined for the SDC livelihood programme.

UNHCR assists vulnerable returnees, women at risk (unaccompanied women need protection while returning home), provides legal aid in collaboration with NRC through Information and Legal Aid Centres (ILAC) and conducts human rights monitoring and follow-up. Since the beginning of the return process in 2002, UNHCR and its partners have assisted more than 4.6 million returnees (3.6 million from Pakistan and 892’621 from Iran).

ICRC provides support to IDPs and detainees, safeguards the compliance with the Geneva Convention, and monitors the respect of human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by persons bearing arms. Both partners have a good presence throughout the country even in the very fragile parts like the South and East of Afghanistan.

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Switzerland's Humanitarian Aid Program had its peak in 2002 with a budget of CHF 17 million. In 2005 the contribution was still at CHF 12 million. Besides the programme lines mentioned above, Switzerland at that time actively supported the rehabilitation of the primary health care system through contributions to several NGOs,  the integration of handicapped people (through the NGO Handicap International) and of returnees (legal aid by the Norwegian Refugee Council), as well as the provision of water and sanitation in drought affected areas in South. Moreover, activities of WFP were supported by SDC’s multilateral program.

For the years 2009 to 2011, SDC’s Humanitarian Aid Program concentrated on contributions to ICRC and UNHCR and the annual budget was 2 million Swiss francs.