Humanitarian funding review recommendations: Scottish Government response

Context for the Scottish Government’s humanitarian funding

The Scottish Government is clear that support to those affected by humanitarian crises is, alongside our international development work, a key part of our commitment to Scotland’s responsibility as a good global citizen.

While other countries are at this time choosing to reduce their commitment to international development and international humanitarian assistance, as set out in the 2026-2027 Scottish Budget, the Scottish Government will increase its IDF by a quarter to £16 million including £1 million for humanitarian crises. Equally important is that our humanitarian funding is delivered in line with and in furtherance of the principles that guide our international work. The Scottish Government’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) including our humanitarian work is guided by the Scottish Government’s commitment to equalising or “shifting” power and amplifying global south voices, our Feminist Approach to International Relations (FAIR) and the broader Scottish Government’s International Development Principles, which are focused on commitments to a human rights-based approach, reducing inequality and being transformative and progressive.

The Scottish Government’s approach to humanitarian funding also takes account of current discourse within the humanitarian sector in relation to localisation, equalising power and effectiveness. We take account of the Grand Bargain (2016 - revised in 2021 and 2023): an agreement between humanitarian donors and aid organisations to get more means into the hands of people in need. Similarly, the Charter for Change emphasises partnership, equality, capacity strengthening, the removal of barriers to participation and the promotion of transparency and accountability. The mismatch between funding reductions and the scale of humanitarian need are also being considered as part of the ‘Humanitarian Reset’ which also emphasises the importance of local and national-led crisis response including more direct funding of local actors.

In this wider context, the Scottish Government commissioned its “Review of Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Funding - our future response to global humanitarian crises” (the Review). The Review was carried out by a specialist external team who undertook a comprehensive analysis of the way in which the Scottish Government delivers its commitment to supporting international responses to humanitarian crises. It built on an earlier independent review from 2019 and carefully considered the Scottish context, engaging with key stakeholders both inside and outside of Scotland. The review team carried out detailed research on international approaches to humanitarian funding, including mechanisms used by other sub-national governments and smaller donors. The Review was grounded in broader Scottish Government aims and commitments including to equalising power, FAIR and the Scottish Government’s International Development Principles.

This Review is a timely opportunity to consider our approach to humanitarian funding. The existing model has ensured that Scottish Government funding has reached some of the most significant global humanitarian crises in a way that is transparent and aligns with our broader objectives. However, the past nine years have seen an evolution in both discourse and practice about the delivery of humanitarian assistance and it is right that we review whether our approach to humanitarian funding is the appropriate one for the future.

The Review made a number of key findings and recommendations in relation to the future of the Scottish Government’s humanitarian funding. We have carefully reflected on these and set out our perspective on them below. The Scottish Government accepts - either in part or in full - the recommendations of the Review but some will take longer than others to implement and require more detailed consideration, as explained under each recommendation. The detailed implementation of our approach to humanitarian funding will be taken forward by a future Scottish Government following the May 2026 Scottish Parliament election.