SEP Talks x International Geneva: HEKS-EPER Karolina Frischkopf

Posted on April 29 2025

On April 10 2025, Karolina Frischkopf from HEKS-EPER tested our audience on the following numbers:

What do you think these numbers represent?

↳ 110 is the number of active armed conflicts going on in 2025 as monitored by Geneva Academy’s «Rule of Law in Armed Conflict Online Portal” (RULAC). Today, there are more countries with ongoing armed conflicts than living in peace.

↳ According to the UNHCR's Mid-Year Trends report, as of June 2024, an estimated 122.6 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events seriously disturbing public order. This is 14 times the whole population of Switzerland.

↳ As of end May 2024, the reported GHO funding amounts to $7.85 billion or 20 per cent less than the year before ($9.8 billion) at the same time. The gap between the financial requirements and the resources currently stands at $40.8 billion (source: Global Humanitarian Overview, OCHA, Snapshot from May 2024).

↳ $80bn is the amount that the USA is about to cut in 2025 for USAID and the multilateral system. For context, the total ODA from DAC countries reached the ever highest level of $186 billion, in 2021; in 2020 it was as high as $161 billion. 5 years later, the USA is cutting half of it. A cut that is reaching states, INGOs, local NGOs, and the multilateral system.

What about the other Countries' contributions?

France plans to cut its development budget by $2.2 billion in 2025—a drop of 11%.
Germany is reducing its aid by $1.8 billion (8%) while amending its constitution to allow higher defense spending.
The Netherlands will phase out funding over three years—$326 million in 2025, $543 million in 2026, and $2.6 billion in 2027.
Finland and Belgium have both announced 25% reductions in aid over the next five years.
The United Kingdom has lowered its contribution from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income.
Switzerland is cutting by 110 million Swiss francs, with further cuts of 321 million planned for 2026–2028.
Italy reduced its aid budget from $6.6 billion to $6 billion in 2023, then restored it in 2024. Still, it remains well below the UN-recommended target of 0.7% of gross national income.

↳ HEKS-EPER was founded in 1946 in the aftermath of the Second World War by the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (FSPC) as the aid agency of the Swiss Protestant Churches. HEKS-EPER became a non-profit foundation in 2004. For HEKS-EPER, the dignity of every human being is at the centre its commitment. All human beings should be able to lead a life that is socially, economically and politically secure.

↳ HEKS-EPER supports long-term development and provides humanitarian aid in over 30 countries, the vast majority of which are conflict-affected or fragile contexts. HEKS-EPER works with over 100 local partner organisations to ensure people have access to food and water, have sources of incomes to sustain their families, eg, through farming, and provides humanitarian assistance, such as food assistance, shelter and critical infrastructure repairs and access to safe drinking water for people affected by conflict or disasters.

↳ Each and every one of us has a role to play and power to make a difference. We are all agents of change. As voters, as citizens, as customers, as donors we shape our world we want to see, the world they would like their kids to live in. We have the privilege to live in a country where we can freely express our opinion, standing for our values, not stepping back. We can each and every day defend what we find important. e.g. Diversity, equity, and inclusion.

↳ Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential criteria to fulfil the principle of “leaving no one behind.” For HEKS-EPER, these values remain fundamental. They do not provide aid for specific groups: "our assistance goes to people in need, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion. Or climate justice, or rules-based societies…"

↳ The public in the US has launched the “Hands Off”, movement in April 2025. They are taking to the streets, to express what matters. Thousands of protesters marched in Portland, Oregon, again President Trump’s administration. It is important to stand up for what is right and not to give anything for granted.