Red Cross in
The Caribbean
www.ifrc.org Saving lives, changing minds.
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Len Isidore, volunteer with the Saint Lucia Red Cross loads a boat with relief items that will be distributed to families affected by Hurricane Tomas in Soufrière. Saint Lucia Red Cross Cover photo: Jamaica Red Cross
Belize Red Cross
Red Cross in The Caribbean The Caribbean is home to an estimated population of 43 million persons, with a diversity of languages spoken – English, French, Spanish and Dutch, as well as many dialects. Most Caribbean countries are considered small by conventional standards, both in terms of geographical size and populations. They face similar constraints with regards to development: small size of domestic markets; environmental fragility; limited quantities of natural resources; narrow structure of domestic output, exports and export markets; geographic and economic isolation, high level of imports and high transport and energy costs. Together, these constraints make the region particularly vulnerable to external shocks and natural hazards. Most countries in the Caribbean are categorized as middleincome countries that have successfully advanced social and human development over the past decades. Despite this, poverty
and indigence characterize many communities throughout the region. Over the past decades, the number of displaced persons, unemployed and out of school youth has increased. Fuelled by social inequality and exclusion, violence in all its forms is on the increase, especially in urban contexts. Low economic growth, macroeconomic shocks and inappropriate policy responses, deficiencies in the labour market and deterioration of the quality of the public social services offered all serve to perpetuate poverty. Increasing numbers of undocumented migrants are seeking to migrate to a few Caribbean countries, irrespective of the risks involved. Some are refugees, but most are escaping poverty, social exclusion, environmental crises or political instability.
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Over 119 staff and 144,494 volunteers support humanitarian work within the communities Dominican Red Cross carries out actions in communities as part of its response to the Zika virus in the country. Miguel Domingo GarcĂa / IFRC
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Red Cross in The Caribbean
Disaster Risk Outlook The Caribbean is vulnerable to natural phenomena of increasing scale and intensity – seismic activity, droughts, floods, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions are responsible for repeated loss of lives within recent decades, and have affected the region’s economies. From 1990 to 2014, 182 major disasters occurred in the Caribbean, affecting more than 11.5 million people, causing 241,000 deaths and USD 16.6 billion dollars in damages and losses, with a serious impact on fishery, agriculture, forestry and food security for the countries.1 It is also a region with high vulnerability to climate change, and not just the physical impacts of extreme weather events, ocean acidification, sea level rise and coastal erosion; but also in relation to already existing issues of nutrition, food security, access to safe water and waterborne diseases.
Health Outlook The rate of non-communicable diseases in the Caribbean is elevated, placing a burden on public health systems2. It has the second highest HIV prevalence rate in the world, with sub Saharan Africa being the only region with more recorded cases. Chikungunya and Zika infections continue to be reported in the Caribbean. Cholera, despite a significant reduction of the incidence, continues to pose a threat in Haiti.
Red Cross in the Caribbean The Red Cross has been active in humanitarian work in the Caribbean for over 60 years. A significant advantage of the Red Cross is its presence in every country and overseas territory in the region. Over 119 staff and 144,494 volunteers support humanitarian work within the communities. All 822 Red Cross local branches in the Caribbean are engaged in emergency response, community based disaster management, community-based health and first aid training, tracing or restoring family links. Many National Societies implement HIV/STI projects targeted to prevent infections and reduce the associated stigma. Health work also includes control of epidemics and disease outbreaks, most recently in response to the zika virus, as well as the provision of ambulance services and post-trauma psychosocial support. In response to recent trends, several National Societies have developed programmes to support vulnerable migrants, promote social inclusion, non-discrimination and reduce the impact of violence. These activities are people centred and demand driven; delivered in collaboration with national and local authorities and many civil society partners. The IFRC has a structure to support National Societies in the region. The Country Cluster Office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic support the Red Cross National Societies of Haiti,
Domincan Republic and Cuba. The Country Cluster office in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago supports National Societies of Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, The Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. Both Country Clusters form part of the Americas Regional Office located in Panama. The Barbados Red Cross hosts the Red Cross Caribbean Disaster Management Reference Centre (CADRIM), one of four Red Cross Reference Centres in the Americas specialized in research, systematization, validation and analysis of risk management methodologies for the English and Dutchspeaking Caribbean National Societies.
National Societies in the Caribbean provide programmes and services in:
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Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Disaster management Health Social inclusion Migration Culture of non-violence and peace
1. State of Food Insecurity in the CARICOM Caribbean. FAO 2015 2. Report of the Caribbean Commission on Health and Development. Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM). October 2007
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The services provided by the Red Cross in each Caribbean country is dependent on the strengths and the institutional capacity of each office; built on their respective human, technical, financial, and organizational resources. The Caribbean Country Cluster supports National Society strengthening through
• A network of trained, motivated and committed volunteers in every country in the Caribbean • Community centred programming • Expertise in health, water, sanitation and hygiene • Regional and national partnerships with key institutions • Advocacy and campaigns • Emergency response – community volunteers, resource mobilization, surge capacity
Strategic Partnerships National and regional governments are taking a much greater role in disaster management, enhancing specific disaster risk management regulatory frameworks, and continue to be a key partner both with National Societies (in their roles as auxiliaries to public authorities) and the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). National Disaster Offices of the respective countries continue to be an important partner.
VCA Bourg Mulatresse May 6. Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross 6
Red Cross in The Caribbean
Regional partnerships with agencies such as Eastern Caribbean Development Partners Group, the United Nations Development Programme (PNUD), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), the Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) are key in the areas of disaster and crisis management, health and community resilience. Some National Societies hold agreements with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Haitian Red Cross volunteer calls for families of people who have received Red Cross assistance to come meet them as they exit the distribution area for help carrying their items home. Nicole Robicheau / IFRC
Contact information:
Inés Brill Head, Country Cluster Support team (Cuba, Dominican Republic & Haiti) Ines.Brill@ifrc.org Josephine Shields-Recass Head, Country Cluster Support team (English-speaking Caribbean & Suriname) josephine.shieldsrecass@ifrc.org Julie Hoare Head, Partnerships and Resource Development julie.hoare@ifrc.org
© International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. 2017