Top Geneva global development NGOs: A primer

As Geneva rebrands itself as a green, international hub, nongovernmental organizations are showing themselves to be more important to the region than just hangers-on to the United Nations community. Though in many ways the U.N., which employs more than 9,500 people, does dominate life in the area, aid implementers and NGOs are equally important to the way Geneva functions. And although there are those who talk about moving operations to more economical places (some have taken the plunge, such as the Secretariat of the U.N. Green Climate Fund which has been awarded to South Korea), the advantages of working in Geneva continue to outweigh the costs — and the local government keeps a close watch on that balance. “No other place hosts a more concentrated network of international and non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions and world-class academic institutions,” said Anne Monnerat at the Presidential Department of the Republic and State of Geneva. “All fields of international cooperation are covered: environment, trade, human rights, health, humanitarian affairs, security, etc. This situation creates unique opportunities for interdisciplinary cooperation and synergies among the close to 30,000 people working for IOs, NGOs and permanent missions in Geneva. This is definitely Geneva’s main asset, and it is here to last.” According to Corinne Momal, director of the U.N. Information Service in Geneva, it would actually be quite difficult for other locations to draw organizations away from Geneva. Besides the sheer concentration of actors coalesced around the westernmost corner of Lake Léman, Geneva offers a quality of infrastructure and reliable support from the host government that are difficult to equal anywhere else. “There are two factors that could affect Geneva’s position: one is the cost of living; and secondly, the fact that many emerging powers claim very legitimately their part of the pie,” said Momal. “However, the last 10 years do not show at all a trend towards the decrease of U.N. presence in Geneva. On the contrary, things have continued to increase in numbers and Geneva has so many factors going in its favour ... The fact that the telephone lines work, that the Internet is fast, that the airport is in town, all of these things matter for a multinational hub ... And another factor, which is important, is that we are very close to many of our field operations in Africa and in the Middle East. Geneva is more or less in the same time zone as most of Africa, which makes it a good place to direct operations from.” To make sure people continue to see the value of Geneva’s role, the Perception Change project was launched just over a year ago. It aims to show the member states and the capitals, the wider public, and colleagues in New York understand that Geneva has a direct impact on people’s lives. “There is huge normative work that happens in Geneva that is not very well known but that is fundamental to the world being an orderly and efficient place where people can live in a seamless way across borders,” said Momal. “All this happens in Geneva. We really want the member states, the contributing countries, and the wider public and the media as well to understand that.” There are of course a number of U.N. organizations participating in the Perception Change project; however, some of the biggest NGOs like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the International Committee of The Red Cross, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as other organizations like the International Trade Center and the European Organization for Nuclear Research are already on board. So which are the organizations headquartered in Geneva that make this place the hub that it is? Aga Khan Development Network Founded: Agencies established from 1967 onwards Executive director: His Highness the Aga Khan Average annual budget: $600 million for nonprofit development activities Staff: 84 in Geneva, 80,000 worldwide Activities: rural development, health, education, civil society, microfinance, the promotion of private sector enterprise, natural and built environments, food security, access to financial services and economic opportunity, the cultural areas of traditional music, architecture and art Aga Khan Development Network brings together 11 institutions that work primarily in the poorest parts of Asia and Africa, in 30 countries around the world. Several AKDN agencies, including the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance, Aga Khan Foundation and Aga Khan Trust for Culture, maintain headquarters in Geneva. Though each of the AKDN institutions pursues its own mandate, their common goal is to help the poor achieve a level of self-reliance that allows them to plan their own livelihoods and help those even more needy than themselves. Association for the Prevention of Torture Founded: 1977 Secretary General: Mark Thomson Average annual budget: $3.5 million Staff: 22 Activities: prevention of torture, development of legal instruments, advocacy for preventive mechanisms, strengthening capacities, and production of practical tools Association for the Prevention of Torture promotes transparency and respect for the rule of law in all places of detention. APT has developed a unique global overview and expertise in all aspects of the prevention of torture. Working worldwide to support governments, justice systems, human rights institutions and civil society, APT takes effective actions to prevent torture, through direct contact, open dialogue and close partnerships with local actors by providing: legal advice for preventive bodies and legislators; training and capacity strengthening; research and analysis on causes of ill-treatment; exchanges between torture prevention actors; and practical tools and resources. Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition Founded: 2002 Executive director: Marc Van Ameringen Average annual budget: $49 million in 2014 Staff: 175 worldwide Activities: malnutrition, children, girls, women, sustainability, and poverty Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition is driven by the vision of a world without malnutrition. Acting as a catalyst, by building alliances between governments, business and civil society, to find and deliver solutions to malnutrition and reaching over a billion people with improved nutrition. GAIN focuses its efforts on children, girls and women, because helping them is crucial to ending the cycle of malnutrition and poverty. GAIN has helped to fortify staple foods and condiments with essential micronutrients, which reaches more than 30 countries worldwide. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Founded: 2000 Chief Executive Officer: Seth Berkley Average annual budget: $1.5 billion, average annual budget for 2016-2020 will be $1.8-1.9 billion Staff: 220 Activities: access to new and underused vaccines for children Gavi brings together public and private sectors with the shared goal of creating equal access to vaccines for children, wherever they live. Gavi was created to bring together the key U.N. agencies, governments, the vaccine industry, private sector and civil society to improve childhood immunisation coverage in poor countries and to accelerate access to new vaccines. This model was designed to make vaccines more affordable, more available and their provision more sustainable, by working towards a point where developing countries can pay for them themselves. Geneva Call Founded: 2000 Executive director: Elisabeth Decrey Warner Annual budget: $3.8 million in 2013 Staff: 22 Activities: protecting civilians in armed conflict, banning the use of anti-personnel mines, protecting children from the effects of armed conflict, prohibiting sexual violence in armed conflict and working towards the elimination of gender discrimination Geneva Call is an impartial NGO dedicated to promoting respect by armed non-State actors for international humanitarian norms in armed conflict and other situations of violence, in particular those related to the protection of civilians. Geneva Call also responds to requests from ANSAs to help build their knowledge of, and capacities to implement international humanitarian norms. Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces — DCAF Founded: 2000 Director: Ambassador Theodor H. Winkler Average annual budget: 35 million swiss francs ($37.64 million, 2014) Staff: 150 worldwide Activities: security sector governance and reform Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces — DCAF is one of the world’s leading institutions in the areas of security sector reform and security sector governance. DCAF’s services include legal and policy advice on the development and implementation of SSR/SSG policies; assessment, design, monitoring and evaluation of SSR/SSG programs; training and capacity-development; development of knowledge products and services for policy makers and SSR practitioners. DCAF’s core areas of thematic expertise include parliamentary oversight over the security sector; reform of executive bodies dealing with security; support to rule of law structures; oversight over — and the reform of — intelligence agencies; development of ombuds offices for the security sector; private security governance; cyber security and internet governance; gender mainstreaming in SSR/SSG; and integrity building. Geneva Center for Security Policy Founded: 1995 Director: Ambassador Christian Dussey Average annual budget: $13 million Staff: 51 Activities: promote peace, security and stability through executive education and training, applied policy research, and dialogue Geneva Center for Security Policy is an international foundation supported by the Swiss government, with 45 member states as well as the Canton of Geneva, to train government officials, diplomats, military officers, international civil servants and NGO staff in pertinent fields of international peace and security. Through research and publications, workshops and conferences, the GCSP also provides an internationally recognised forum for dialogue on key security and peace policy issues in the interest of effective security policy decision-making. Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Founded: 2002 Executive director: Mark Dybul Average annual budget: $4 billion Staff: 600 Activities: funding mechanisms, combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, health, health systems, public-private partnerships The Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by the diseases it seeks to combat. The Global Fund supports programs run by local experts in more than 140 countries. It acts as a financing organization that contributes additional resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as the world's largest financier of programs for these diseases. International Committee of the Red Cross Founded: 1863 President: Peter Maurer Average annual budget: $1.68 billion in 2015 Staff: 800 in Geneva, 13,000 worldwide Activities: protection and assistance for victims of armed conflict and violence; emergency response and preparedness; promotion of international humanitarian law The International Committee of the Red Cross is a humanitarian institution with a mandate to protect victims of international and internal armed conflicts and other situations of violence. ICRC operates worldwide helping people affected by conflict and armed violence and promoting respect for the laws that protect victims of war. It is an independent and neutral organization, its mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It takes action in response to emergencies and promotes respect for international humanitarian law and its implementation in national law. International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Founded: 1919 Secretary General: Elhadj As Sy Average annual budget: $32 billion Staff: 289 Geneva, 1,464 worldwide Activities: assistance, promoting humanitarian values, disaster response, disaster preparedness, and health, promoting social inclusion, peace, health, food security, water and sanitation, and community care The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is the world's largest humanitarian organization, providing assistance without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. The IFRC looks to inspire, encourage, facilitate and promote all forms of humanitarian activities. It carries out relief operations to assist victims of disasters, and combines this with development work to strengthen the capacities of its member National Societies. The IFRC's work focuses on four core areas: promoting humanitarian values, disaster response, disaster preparedness, and health and community care. International Union Against Cancer Founded: 1933 Chief Executive Officer: Dr. Cary Adams Average annual budget: $10.5 million (50 percent restricted, 50 percent unrestricted) Staff: 25 Activities: global health and the fight against cancer With over 830 members across 155 countries, the International Union Against Cancer is the largest cancer-fighting organisation worldwide and acts as the leading voice for cancer control. UICC’s activities focus on three priority areas: Convening, by uniting the cancer community and providing exceptional platforms to join forces and drive change; capacity building, by promoting greater equity through high-impact capacity-building initiatives to support cancer control commitments at local, regional and global levels; and advocacy, by integrating cancer control in the global health and development agenda. Kofi Annan Foundation Founded: 2007 Executive Director: Alan Doss Average annual budget: $2.6 million Staff: 14 Activities: mediation, conflict resolution, rule of law and human rights, sustainable development The Kofi Annan Foundation believes that fair and peaceful societies rest on three pillars: Peace and security, sustainable development and human rights & the rule of law. Its mission is to mobilize the leadership and the political resolve needed to tackle threats to these pillars, ranging from violent conflict to flawed elections and climate change. Its aim is to achieve a fairer, more peaceful world. Through mediation, political mentoring, advocacy and advice, Kofi Annan and the foundation press for peaceful and equitable solutions to critical global issues. The unique experience and reach of Kofi Annan enables the foundation to mobilize support from across the worlds of diplomacy, business, politics and civil society. Lutheran World Federation Founded: 1947 General Secretary: Rev. Martin Junge Average annual budget: $100 million Staff: 73 Activities: interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, and human rights LWF is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. LWF now has 144 member church bodies in 79 countries representing over 72 million Lutherans. LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission and development work. Médecins Sans Frontières International Founded: 1971 International President: Dr. Joanne Liu Expenditure: $1.16 billion in 2014 (pending closure of accounts), $1.02 billion in 2013. Staff: 200 (includes MSF Switzerland and MSF International/MSF Access Campaign) in 2013, with 35,032 staff in 85 countries. Activities: access to essential medicine, medical aid to victims of armed conflict, chagas disease, cholera, cutaneous leishmaniasis, HIV/AIDS, kala azar (visceral leishmaniasis), lead poisoning, leishmaniasis, malaria, malnutrition, maternal health, measles, meningitis, mental health, mobile clinic, natural disaster, epidemics, neglected diseases, refugee/IDP, relief items distribution, reproductive health care, care to victims of sexual violence, sleeping sickness, tuberculosis, vaccination, viral hemorrhagic fever, water and sanitation Médecins Sans Frontières International brings humanitarian medical assistance to victims of conflict, natural disasters, epidemics or healthcare exclusion. MSF is a private international association. The association is made up mainly of doctors and health sector workers and is also open to all other professions which might help in achieving its aims. MSF provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict. Terre Des Hommes Founded: 1960 Chair: Raffaele K. Salinari Average annual budget: $170 million ($173 million in 2013) Staff: 2,031 with 347 paid employees at the different headquarters, 1,684 people (not including partners) in the field, 2,109 members and supporters, and more than 5,472 volunteers Activities: child rights, protecting children from exploitation and violence, health, education, child development, and children in emergencies Terre Des Hommes is a network of 10 national organizations working for the rights of children and to promote equitable development. TDHIF is dedicated to the promotion and implementation of children’s rights around the world while: running 847 development and humanitarian aid projects in 65 countries; delivering protection, care and development opportunities to children; lobbying governments to make necessary changes in legislation and practice; raising general awareness about violations of children’s rights; and providing quality work and being accountable to beneficiaries and stakeholders. TRIAL (Track Impunity Always) Founded: 2002 President: Giorgio Malinverni Average annual budget: $1.1 million Staff: 29 Activities: fight against genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture, enforced disappearances, the crime of aggression, and torture TRIAL brings justice to the victims of the most serious crimes (genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture, enforced disappearances) and fights against impunity by ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice. In the past 12 years TRIAL has defended hundreds of victims and has experienced unprecedented growth over the past decade. From a voluntary association founded in 2002 by lawyers, human rights activists and victims, TRIAL became an international NGO with close to 30 employees worldwide. World Economic Forum Founded: 1971 Executive chairman: Klaus Schwab Annual budget: $208 million in 2013-2014 Staff: Nearly 500 Activities: industry, regional, global issues and community partnerships The World Economic Forum is an international institution committed to improving the state of the world through public-private cooperation. WEF engages political, business, academic and other leaders of society in collaborative efforts to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Together with other stakeholders, it works to define challenges, solutions and actions, always in the spirit of global citizenship. WEF is best known for its annual winter meeting in Davos to discuss the most pressing issues facing the world. Incorporated as a not-for-profit foundation in 1971, the Forum is independent, impartial and not tied to any interests, working in close cooperation with all major international organizations. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Founded: 1915 Secretary General: Madeleine Rees Average annual budget: $2.06 million Staff: 13 Activities: gender equality, peace, and disarmament Women's International League for Peace and Freedom is the longest-standing women’s peace organization in the world. It currently has 30 National Sections on every continent, an International Secretariat in Geneva, and a New York office. WILPF has brought together women from around the world who are united in working for peace by nonviolent means and promoting political, economic and social justice for all. Using existing international legal and political frameworks to achieve fundamental change in the way states conceptualise and address issues of gender, militarism, peace and security. World Business Council for Sustainable Development Founded: 1995 President and CEO: Peter Bakker Average annual budget: N/A Staff: about 60 Activities: sustainable development World Business Council for Sustainable Development is a CEO-led organization of some 200 forward-thinking global companies, is committed to galvanizing the global business community to create a sustainable future for business, society and the environment. Together with its members, the council applies its respected thought leadership and effective advocacy to generate constructive solutions and take shared action. Leveraging its strong relationships with stakeholders as the leading advocate for business, the council helps drive debate and policy change in favour of sustainable development solutions. World Nature Organization Founded: 2010 Secretary General: Count Oliver of Wurmbrand-Stuppach Average annual budget: N/A Staff: 31 Activities: environmental protection, green technologies and sustainability, climate change, energy, water, and forests The World Nature Organization is an intergovernmental organization that promotes global environmental protection. The organization focuses on energy efficiency, climate protection, sustainable development and a sustainable energy supply. As a permanent platform, the WNO tries to build bridges between business interests as well as development and environmental protection while, at the same time, making the economic value of nature apparent. World Young Women's Christian Association Founded: 1855 General Secretary: Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda Average annual budget: $16 million Staff: About 20 Activities: young women’s leadership, sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV, violence against women The World YWCA is a global network of women leading social and economic change in over 120 countries worldwide. The World YWCA advocates for peace, justice, human rights and care for the environment and has been at the forefront of raising the status of women for more than a century. Through advocacy, training and development the World YWCA empowers women, including young women, to lead social change. Did we forget any major international development NGOs headquartered in Geneva? Please let us know by leaving a comment below. See our 2011 list of top global development employers in Geneva. Also check our lists of top aid groups in other global development hubs such as London, New York, Paris and Washington. Looking to make a career move? Visit our career center for expert advice on how to navigate your job search - all you need is a Devex Career Account to get started.