VOICES OF
AMERICA
#1 JULY 2016
Content p2. An overview of the Americas • p5. Facts and figures. Emergency Operations • p7. Ecuador Earthquake Operation • p9. Regional Humanitarian Response Meeting • p12. Peer-to-peer, a sustainable path towards National Society development • p13. International Fundraising Skillshare 2016 • p13. Software donation • p14. Communication
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #1 // July 2016
The capacity to change, transform and grow for our own sake and the sake of our region is in our hands. An overview of the Americas The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is starting a transformation process from our office for the Americas that includes the renovation of the communication structures and channels we use to communicate with all the thematic and operational networks that integrate the National Societies of the region. As part of this process, we are launching a new version of our newsletter “Voices of America”. It will be an interesting, enjoyable and relevant newsletter to describe humanitarian activity in the region. At this new stage, we will start with an overview of our most urgent and priority subjects. The Americas region has very complex and varied realities. Its total population is about one tenth of the world’s population. In 2014, the region reported 140,000 violent deaths associated with general violence, gang related or organized crime, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Most of the victims were innocent civilians1. According to the Annual Disaster Statistical Review 2014 published by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) of the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium, in 2014, the total number of victims from natural disasters (32.2 million) was multiplied by more than 3 compared to its 2004-2013 annual average and this increase was essentially due to the drought which affected 27 million people in Brazil in the first months of the year2. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in 2014, 77% of deaths were due to ChronicNon Communicable Diseases, having cardiovascular diseases as responsible for the larger proportion of noncommunicable disease deaths with 40% of deaths, followed by malignant neoplasms (25%), chronic respiratory diseases (8%), diabetes (6%), digestives diseases (6%) and 15% of deaths by other noncommunicable diseases3. In 2014, the unemployment rate was 5.2% in the whole region, and even though it is an improvement according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL, by its Spanish acronym), the inequality
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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #1 // July 2016
gap in the work market and the sharp divide between population groups – in terms of equal rights and access to opportunities and provision of services – pose a major obstacle to overcome poverty and inequality in the region4. The countries most affected by this multi-threat process were Haiti, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Brazil and Paraguay. On the one hand, regional complicated issues continue to deteriorate at a slow pace, which produces an acceptance and habit-forming effect. In this sense, problems are accepted as inevitable, as part of an unmodifiable reality which is considered to be normal. On the other hand, available resources – which are not precisely scarce – are fragmented and not integrated into multisectoral and programme planning. This adds to the serious corruption and political polarization issues which complicate the development of an inclusive social agenda that helps us to become a peaceful, environmentally and economically sustainable region. We need more and more accurate action in the Americas. We need to propose urgent solutions through initiatives such as the “One Billion Coalition for Resilience”5, the strengthening of local practices, our voluntary and social networks of mutual support, and a wider humanitarian agenda that includes the difficult issues that are familiar to all of us. We need to break the silence and our conspiratorial acceptance. We should not conform to this reality. Our silence and lack of unity are an affront to the most vulnerable and excluded people. Many leaders in our region consider themselves to be successful as individuals, but their collective responsibility to use their prestige, wealth and power to defend peace, development and inclusion is far from being fulfilled. We believe that our hope, now more than ever, should lie in those who aim to do good and do their job properly. This is what makes a good leader. We need to define our priorities according to the Strategy 2020, the Inter-American Framework for Action and the Houston Commitment, as well as with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Agenda for Sustainable Development and the humanitarian agenda developed by the World Humanitarian Summit. And in order to do so, these guidelines should be adjusted to the real needs of the Americas in each country and subregion context. These issues will be addressed in the next editorial. We need to be able to do more with less resources and yet to ensure quality and quantity. It is therefore necessary to foster a cost–benefit analysis culture regarding our actions as Secretariat and National Societies. We should use the resources we already have, working with people that are efficient, developing simple products that can be expanded to ensure the wellbeing of communities. We should promote corporate social responsibility, healthy lifestyles, and alliances focused on humanity, beyond political and economic interests. The capacity to change, transform and grow for our own sake and the sake of our region is in our hands. Let’s break the circle of indifference and start walking together. Walter Cotte
1. https://www.unodc.org/ 2. http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/ADSR_2014.pdf 3. http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5542&Itemid=2391 4. http://www.cepal.org/es/publicaciones/tipo/panorama-social-de-america-latina 5. By 2025, at least one billion people around the world will have taken active steps towards strengthening their resilience. This is our vision for the One Billion Coalition – a world where all people are safer, healthier and more prosperous, even in the face of adversity. A Coalition of Coalitions that provides individuals and communities worldwide with the commitment, resources and confidence to understand their risks and take action to reduce their vulnerability. The One Billion Coalition is based on the belief that, given the right support, vulnerable groups everywhere will work together and care for their own and for others. Ours is a conviction that what is needed to initiate change is a wider supportive network of committed volunteers and organizations, Governments, businesses, civil society groups and others.
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OPERATIONS
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #1 // July 2016
FACTS AND FIGURES
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS EMERGENCY APPEAL Country Ecuador Guatemala El Salvador Argentina Costa Rica/Panama Regional Paraguay
Emergency Earthquake Drought Drought Floods Pop. Movement Zika Outbreak Floods
Pop. Affected 1,200,000 400,000 500,000 50,930 10,000 137,000 136,450
Pop. Assisted 100,000 12,000 9,020 23,002 6,350 500,000 24,560
Budget $18,350,836 $2,037,059 $2,257,946 $1,006,132 $642,202 $8,478,961 $2,084,871
Coverage 42% 13% 12% 24% 36% 26% 45%
Closing date Apr 22, 2017 Jan 04, 2017 Feb 28, 2017 Jan 31, 2017 Dec 18, 2016 Nov 30, 2016 Oct 24, 2016
APPEAL COVERAGE
7 APPEALS
34%
People affected: 2,434,380 People assisted: 674,932 Budget: 34,858,007 CHF
11,832,359 CHF FUNDING GAP
66%
23,025,648 CHF
DREF OPERATIONS Country Cuba Belize Total
Emergency Drought Hurricane
Percentage of emergency operations by type
Pop. Affected 500,000 12,000 512,000
Pop. Assisted 10,000 2,200 12,200
11% 11%
33%
11% 11%
22%
Budget 195,508 143,828 339,336
Closing date Sep 02, 2016 Nov 07, 2016
Drought Floods Earthquake Hurricane Pop. Movement Zika Outbreak
9 OPERATIONS 5
OPERATION
ecuador EARTHQUAKE On April 16, 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the northern coast of Ecuador, mainly affecting the provinces of Esmeraldas and Manabi. Almost four months after the earthquake, in which 668 people perished and that caused damages of approximately US$ 3.344 billion, there have been more than 2,243 aftershocks, which continue to complicate the recovery of people in the affected areas. The Ecuadorian Red Cross continues with its distributions of humanitarian aid; working on the following lines of intervention: Shelter, Water and Sanitation, Livelihoods, Health (Health Promotion and Psychosocial support), thereby ensuring that the affected population receives the proper care.
Summary of Activities: Lines of Intervention Humanitarian care
20,872 families assisted Pre-hospital care
6.481
patients attended
322
transports
Restoration of family links
733
cases closed
263
open cases
Water and sanitation
284.422 litres of water (purification) 2.207.475 litres of water (chlorination) 17.410 people benefited with healthy habits Health promotion and prevention
4.808 cases
Primary health care
(health bus, medical emergency unit)
23.801 cases
Psychosocial support
21.399 cases
Cash delivery (cash transfer)
333 families assisted
Volunteers mobilized to the field
4.772 people
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #1 // July 2016
“We have to keep fighting” IFRC Appeal
18,350,836 Swiss francs Timeframe
12 months To support
100,000 people Despite the widespread destruction, coverage of the IFRC Emergency Appeal is currently only 42 percent.
42% Nature is unpredictable, unrelenting. The most vulnerable, the humble people, those who have their needs least catered to are particularly vulnerable in these situations. What happened last April 16 in the Central Coast of Ecuador is an example of that, kids, disabled and elderly people were also victims of the earthquake. These vulnerable groups, despite what happened, direct their efforts to succeed, forget what happened and deal with adversity. Angela Balderrama tells her story. Her life was affected after the earthquake, she lived some very hard times, however she prefers to focus on the future and see the positive side of what happened in her humble home. Angela is 65 years old, and has lived alone for the past couple of years, she doesn’t have a partner and her children migrated to other cities. “With effort one comes out ahead and we cannot allow ourselves to decay” she comments with determination. San Miguel de Tiquigua, located in Canton San Vicente, in the province of Manabí, has been her home since she was little. The possibility of moving to another place doesn’t even cross her mind, even though the area was destroyed by the earthquake. “We are going through a difficult time, but thank God there are helping hands and it is very nice because they have been helping” Angela comments, specially thanking the Ecuadorian Red Cross for the repeated help she has received.
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Total contributions, cash and in-kinf 7,651,951 CHF (soft pledges y hard pledges)
Existing gap
10,698,885 CHF HOW TO Support our response Promote our online campaign https://www.ammado.com/community/ecuadorearthquake For in kind goods donation and logistic: stephany.murillo@ifrc.org For financial or other mechanisms of support please contact: alejandra.vanhensbergen@ifrc.org
SUGGESTED LINKS Photo Gallery Web stories The first 24 hours Ecuadorian Red Cross website
Regional Humanitarian Response Meeting barbados | 5-7 julY, 2016
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #1 // July 2016
The Caribbean region is exposed to a variety of potentially destructive events, whether natural or socio-natural such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, tropical storms, hurricanes, landslides, volcanic eruptions and drought; of a biological nature such as dengue, chikungunya, zika and cholera epidemics; as well as those of anthropic origin. As a result, the IFRC Americas Regional Office, through its Disaster and Crisis Prevention, Response and Recovery department, develops its activities by reflecting the conceptual framework that defines disaster management as understood from a humanitarian continuum perspective, its contribution to generating resilience, as well as from its nexus to risk reduction and sustainable development. The overall objective of this meeting was to engage in a strategic and technical dialogue and foster a common understanding on best strategies to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, promote community resilience and strengthen disaster response at national and regional level.
specific objectives • • •
Review the direction of disaster response for the Red Cross within the context of the Regional Response Mechanism. Review and agree on next steps in the development of the Red Cross Caribbean Community Resilience Framework. Share tools and experiences in disaster preparedness for response.
5 Civil Protection
Systems
5 OBS + french rc External partners: ECHO, DFID, UNISDR, PNUD, TNC, ADRA, CIMH, CEDEMA
13 National Societies FROM THE CARIBBEAN
IFRC - representatives: CPDRR, Logistics, Communication, Livelihood Center, AND CADRIM
Main General Achievements of the process • • • • • • • •
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Joint working agenda between the CDEMA and IFRC. Integral work from the technical team to achieve the objectives. Identification of actions for the coming years. Strategic thinking space to define the priorities of the Caribbean. More active participation from partners and donors that support the Red Cross Movement. Widespread agreement that we need to strengthen community and institutional preparedness and response capacities in the Caribbean. Need to articulate the processes of organizational development with the thematic components. Initiate discussions on issues such as livelihoods, communication for resilience, logistics and disaster law.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #1 // July 2016
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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #1 // July 2016
Peer-to-Peer
a sustainable path towards National Society Development On the 20th and 21st of June, a workshop was organized in Lima (Peru) between top managers from the National Societies of the Andean Cluster. Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile participated. On the first day, participants described the situation of their respective National Society with their strengths and challenges in the following three topics: programs, projects and services (1), accountability, organizational and financial management (2), and financial sustainability, resource mobilization and revenue generation (3).On the second day, a peer-to-peer matrix about National Society management and development was built based on the respective strengths and needs. Using the presence of ICRC and few Partner National Societies, a roadmap for co-development was detailed. The first follow-up meeting will take place virtually in August and will be facilitated by the Chilean Red Cross. The Cluster Office of the Secretariat will accompany the process. We wish them success in this innovative initiative and we hope that other Cluster will enter into a similar dynamic. The reflexion of a formal cooperation agreement for peer-to-peer support within the Cluster was launched!
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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #1 // July 2016
International Fundraising Skillshare 2016 Each year, Skillshare gathers an average of 200 delegates from over 50 National Societies, the ICRC and the IFRC, with the intention of sharing knowledge, skills and techniques regarding fundraising with colleagues from around the world, whose work is directly linked to Resource Mobilization, Fundraising and / or Marketing. This year colleagues of Ecuadorian Red Cross, Mexican Red Cross, Brazilian Red Cross, Argentina Red Cross, Dominican Republic Red Cross, Honduran Red Cross, Jamaican Red Cross and Haitian Red Cross will participate in the event. The event will take place from the 7th to the 9th of September, 2016 in the Radisson Blue Hotel, located in the Stansted Airport – United Kingdom.
Software Donations Good news! Microsoft Products and other company’s software are now available for more National Societies in Americas through non-profit organization Techsoup. TechSoup and its worldwide network of partner organizations help Microsoft distribute its product donations. TechSoup helps our National Societies access the technology resources and knowledge they need to leverage the donated or discounted products for maximum impact. Sign up and register your Red Cross today in http://www.techsoup.org/ and start requesting products. Some popular products you can request are: • Office 365 • Microsoft OS for servers and clients • Bitdefender security software For more information please contact support.servicedeskamericas@ifrc.org
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communication SUGGESTED LINKS www.ifrc.org cruzroja-zika.org @ifrc_es @ifrc_es IFRC IFRC
RADIO
VOICES OF AMERICA Thursday 2:00 PM (spanish)
http://www.amcross.org/radio.html
Campaign The campaign with the slogan “For the mosquitoes you are the main attraction” is taking place at different venues in Rio de Janeiro and through social media. The idea is to continue to promote self-protection measures against the spread of the virus Zika. [Read More]
Contact information
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Americas Regional Office Diana Medina, Communications Manager | diana.medina@ifrc.org Diana Arroyo, Senior Communications Officer | diana.arroyo@ifrc.org