VOICES OF
AMERICA
#2 AUGUST 2016
p2. Strengthening Regional Capacity • p5. Facts and figures. Emergency Operations • p6. Effects of El Niño phenomemon in the Americas • p12. Paraguay Floods Operation • p14. Ecuador Earthquake Operation • p15. Virtual seminar: development of volunteering in America • p16. Capacity Building for Emergency Response in the Americas (June - August) • p21. Argentina Red Cross: Red Cross embraces the Congress • p22. Haiti Red Cross: Simulations to prepare for 2016 hurricane season • p22. Saint Lucia Red Cross: Volunteers trained in radio communications • p23. Costa Rican Red Cross and CREEC: Internal Communication Campaign #PrevenirEsVivir
Argentina Red Cross
Content
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
Strengthening Regional Capacity In our last bulletin we introduced the transformation process we started at our Regional Office for the Americas. We want to share with you more details about this process and the progress we have made so far. We initiated an internal revision of our organizational structure, functions, organization chart, description of positions and other related subjects from the last quarter of 2015. We counted on the direct and active participation of every member of the Secretariat team, and with the support and guidance of the Human Resources team, the Deputy Director and the Regional Director, with the aim of ensuring the efficiency, speed and dynamism of this process. As a result of this collective effort, we produced a Decision Paper on the organizational structure of the IFRC Regional Office for the Americas, which was submitted to the Secretary General for approval last July, and it has been well received. This Decision Paper on the organizational structure gives us a concrete framework to produce the appropriate changes involved in this transformation process. It also gives us a baseline to complete the Instrument we have been working on: the “Guide for Joint Work and Good Management”. This guide aims to be a live and active collection of our tasks and purposes to guide the work of the Secretariat with its partners and towards the National Societies, and ensure high quality standards in our work. In order to contribute to our management approach, the Guide has a special chapter on the matrix organization structure, which enables more agile, proactive, multilevel and inter-sectoral decision-making. We know that this approach will improve our capacity to take on the challenges we have as organization and will improve the quality of the services we offer to the region’s National Societies, providing more inclusion and shared subjects. The matrix organization structure will allow to integrate different approaches on planning, decision-making and implementation, and to ensure a wider vision for finding solutions and designing strategies aimed at fulfilling the objectives established in the Inter-American Framework and the Houston Commitment. The third element of this Guide will be the IFRC “Regional Portfolio”. This tool will help us to develop a more organized and effective resource and funds management which, in its turn, will help us to position ourselves as the humanitarian organization with the highest community management capacity in the Americas region and in the world, providing humanitarian knowledge and diplomacy. The fourth element is the IMII/Integrated Information System. We are designing scorecards in order to monitor the management of our projects and programs, emergency operations, development of proposals, budget, and relevant data for the region, among other subjects. We will continue developing this instrument and in the future we want to integrate National Societies into this process so that they are able to monitor their operations, and accountability becomes an easy task for them. Another set goal in which every National Society plays a fundamental role is to achieve greater visibility by making use of bulletins and social media to highlight our efficient humanitarian sense and the work of the Red Cross in the Americas. This bulletin is part of the collective and individual efforts of the National Societies and their Federation. We have also created other platforms such as the Voices of the Americas radio program. We invite you to send us your suggestions and comments on this program, which will continue to expand through the region and reach more audiences outside our network. Our social media channels (ifrc_es in Twitter and Instagram) are at the service of the National Societies. We invite you to follow us and share to help us boost these channels.
2
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
As you can see, we have been very active, and much of our work is starting to show significant results beyond our office walls. Your suggestions and comments will be essential to us. The work we do at the Secretariat is for and with the National Societies, and your feedback will allow us to improve it and implement innovative ways of serving you better. Finally, we want to share with you some phrases by Mahatma Gandhi that in our opinion reflect our daily work as a humanitarian organization and how we should be perceived as an organization.
Walter Cotte
“Clients are the most important visitors of our shop. They do not depend on us. We depend on them.” RED CROSS Victims and vulnerable people are the centre of our work and the reason for our existence. They do not depend on us, we are a means to recognize them and serve them.
“They are not an interruption of our work. They are the purpose of our work.” RED CROSS They are the main reason for our actions, which are aimed at them, for them and with them.
“They are not foreign to our business. They are part of our business.” RED CROSS Victims and vulnerable people are not foreign to the Red Cross. They are the very foundation of our organization.
“We are not doing them a favour by serving them. They are doing us a favour allowing us to serve them.” RED CROSS We are not doing them a favour by fulfilling our humanitarian duty. We build resilience, collective well-being, and help them to become masters of their own destiny. They give us the opportunity to serve them and they inspire our reason for being.
- Mahatma Gandhi
3
OPERATIONS
Vladimir Rodas / Ecuadorian Red Cross
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 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 $448,933 $642,202 $8,478,961 $2,084,871
Coverage 42% 13% 12% 54% 36% 26% 45%
Closing date Apr 22, 2017 Jan 04, 2017 Feb 28, 2017 Jan 31, 2017 Dec 18, 2016 Mar 03, 2017 Oct 24, 2016
APPEAL COVERAGE
7 APPEALS
34%
People affected: 2,434,380 People assisted: 674,932 Budget: 34,300,808 CHF
66%
11,832,359 CHF FUNDING GAP
22,468,449 CHF
DREF OPERATIONS Country Cuba Belize Peru Total
Emergency Drought Hurricane Earthquake
Percentage of emergency operations by type
Pop. Affected 500,000 12,000 11,115 523,115
Pop. Assisted 10,000 2,200 5,000 17,200
10% 10%
30%
10%
20%
20%
Budget $195,508 $143,828 $246,893 $586,229
Closing date Sep 02, 2016 Nov 07, 2016 Nov 24, 2016
Drought Earthquake Floods Hurricane Pop. Movement Zika Outbreak
10 OPERATIONS 5
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
Drought, a recurring and silent disaster Effects of El Niño phenomenon in the Americas Sixty million people around the world have seen their food security and nutritional status affected by droughts, floodings and extreme temperatures caused by the 2015-2016 El Niño phenomenon. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 3.5 million people were affected by drought in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras; 2.8 of these are still in need of immediate food and health assistance, and need support to recover their livelihoods. This crisis has highlighted the vulnerability of subsistence farmers and low-income families exposed to uneven rains, which translate into crop losses and the worsening of food and nutritional security. Countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and areas of Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Paraguay and Puerto Rico are in a similar situation.
Honduran Red Cross
Honduras From July 2014, below-average rainfall caused crop losses and affected the food security of thousands of families. In 2015, the government declared that 146 municipalities - approximately 161,403 families - were in a state of emergency. On 8 December 2014, the Honduran Red Cross launched an Emergency Appeal to raise 500,543 Swiss francs (511,507 US dollars, according to the exchange rate at that date) to provide assistance to 3,500 families during 11 months in food and nutrition, livelihoods, water and sanitation and hygiene promotion. Families received 500 pounds of food for 30 days, two 10-litre jerry cans per family and farming packages to restore the farmer’s livelihoods. In October 2015, there were 253,000 people in need of emergency food aid, and 15 per cent of the Honduran population was affected by moderate to severe food insecurity. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the affected families needed emergency support until the 2016 harvest in August.
6
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
The population of the Dry Corridor of Central America consists of low-income families with limited access to land, basic health care and education. They usually have difficulties to obtain the basic food basket. In Honduras, this territory is home to small-scale farmers, farmers without land who work as day labourers and women heads of households (25.5 per cent of households are women-headed). The average income of small-scale grain farmers is about 72 US dollars. Contributions from other members of the families (remittances and incomes earned by house cleaning and clothes washing and ironing) may increase this figure to 122 US dollars a month. The severe 2014-2015 drought led to crop losses, especially among subsistence farmers. Many families had to reduce their daily food intake and lacked access to drinking water due to the hydrological drought. For this reason, many families moved to the cities to find work, and many others had to adopt survival strategies such as selling of goods, bartering, and eating poultry and pigs. The drought also led to the reduction of food availability, and basic food prices soared, causing a fast deterioration of food security among extreme-poor households. According to the Technical Inter-agency Risk Management Committee, 114,342 families in 64 municipalities in ten departments were affected by poor agricultural production, due to corn, legume and sorghum crop losses. Honduran food insecurity increased even more due to a rust outbreak, a fungus that affected crops and coffee production. More than 28,000 acres of coffee plantations were ruined, which had a direct and indirect impact on people’s livelihoods. Coffee production accounts for five per cent of GDP, and it is of the utmost importance in social terms not only for its negative effects on direct and indirect employment, but also because 95 per cent of coffee plantations are owned by small-scale farmers.
Honduran Red Cross
7
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
EL SALVADOR According to FAO, eleven per cent of the population in El Salvador (around 70,000 people) is affected by moderate to severe food insecurity. OCHA estimates that in October 2015, 192,000 people were in need of immediate food aid, and two per cent of Children under five years of age suffered from acute malnutrition. In August 2015, the Salvadorean Red Cross received financial support from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). This support consisted of 290,386 Swiss francs (300,311 US dollars, according to the exchange rate at that time) to provide 5,000 people with water, food and hygiene promotion. In February 2016, the IFRC launched an Emergency Appeal to raise 2,257,946 Swiss francs (2,205,870 US dollars, according to the exchange rate at that time) aimed at emergency preparedness and early warning systems, and to help 9,020 people to recover and/or diversify their livelihoods. The government of El Salvador has distributed corn and bean seeds, as well as farming equipment to the farmers affected by the drought. It has also authorized the import of 14,000 tons of corn and 550 tons of beans exempt from custom duties to control the increase in prices during the drought season. In 2016, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of El Salvador and its Central American counterparts declared that El NiĂąo would have a dramatic impact on agricultural activities. This will have a significant effect on the most vulnerable families and the farmers living in the eastern part of the country who will need resources and international support to cope with this difficult situation. Eastern regions have limited access to drinking water systems and many communities collect their drinking water from rainfall. In other communities people have no choice but to buy bottled water, which worsens the economic situation of families who have lost their crops.
Salvadorean Red Cross
8
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
PANAMÁ El Niño has been affecting the region of the Dry Arch in Panama, causing a long drought and affecting the agricultural sector. The Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA, by its Spanish acronym) presented a contingency plan to offer support to the agricultural sector and invested 5.1 million US dollars to mitigate the harmful effects of this long drought by covering food supply, animal health and infrastructures, and providing support to at least 7,679 agricultural producers, specifically in Los Santos area. In July 2015, the Las Tablas committee of the Panamanian Red Cross worked with the MIDA, the Water Supply and Sewerage Institute and the local council to carry out emergency response activities.
GUATEMALA
Guatemala Red Cross
In the Middle of 2015, acute malnutrition reached alarming levels in Guatemala, with 3.3 per cent in the Polochic area and 5.7 per cent in the Dry Corridor area. Around forty municipalities and 145,000 families were in need of food aid, according to OCHA. FAO estimates that the lack of rain has led to the loss of 50 to 100 per cent of corn crops (30.8 million US dollars) and bean crops (102.3 million US dollars) in the affected areas. At the beginning of 2016, ten per cent of Guatemalan population was affected by moderate to severe food insecurity. On 4 November 2015, the IFRC DREF allocated 245,273 Swiss francs (248,056 US dollars, according to the exchange rate at that date) to support emergency operations. The following day, on 5 November, the IFRC launched an Emergency Appeal to raise 2,037,059 Swiss francs (248,056 US dollars, according to the exchange rate at that date) to reach 12,000 people affected by the drought.
9
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
The objectives of this Emergency Appeal are to protect the livelihoods of 2,000 families, provide safe water systems to 100 households and restore the nutritional status of children under two years of age who live in the affected areas. This Appeal also aims to provide food to vulnerable families during the process of soil preparation, planting seeds and harvesting, and protect water sources. Another aim is to provide systems for crop irrigation and promote the planting of home vegetable gardens. The Guatemalan Red Cross is working with the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare to restore the nutritional status of children under two years of age in the selected communities.
HAITÍ The National Coordinator for Food Security (CNSA by its French acronym) affirms that 3.6 million people are being affected by food insecurity in Haiti, and 1.5 million live in severe food insecurity. In 2015, around 197,000 families living throughout the country depended on farming. They were dramatically affected by drought, the lack of seeds due to crop losses, and the increase in food prices. This situation will have devastating effects during the next sowing season.
CUBA A long drought combined with unseasonal heavy rainfall attributed to El Niño, climate change and the increase of earthquakes indicate that Cuba will face difficult times. Recent times have seen how rainfall levels have dropped during the dry and rainy seasons, which has led to decrease in groundwater resources. Streams and water reservoirs are drying out. After twelve months of poor rainfall, most water reservoirs are only 38 per cent full; 98 of them are below 25 per cent of their capacity and 26 are completely dry. The National Institute of Water Resources declared that the situation is getting more complex and critical due to the long draught and that water reservoir levels are going down. The driest groundwater basins are located in the Eastern region of the country, especially in the Santiago de Cuba province, which has a population of 1,057,404 million; of these, 71 per cent live in urban areas and 28.9 per cent live in rural areas. With major reservoirs with less than 30 per cent of the historic average, this region is facing one of the most severe droughts in the history of the country. As a result, about 3.6 million of people are living in food insecurity, according to FAO. The Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (CENC by its Spanish acronym) affirms that at least 25 per cent of the territory experienced lack of rainfall from May 2015 to April 2016. Water scarcity has cost millions of dollars due to crop losses, and families have no choice but to drink unsafe water. On 27 May, the IFRC DREF allocated 198,508 Swiss francs (200,469 US dollars, according to the exchange rate at that date) to the Cuban Red Cross in order to provide humanitarian assistance through water and sanitation activities aimed at 12,000 people (2,000 families) in the Santiago province.
NICARAGUA El Niño brought below-average rainfall, and households are still recovering from its effects. Agricultural producers lost up to 100 per cent of corn crops. The government implemented a National Action Plan to combat drought, distributing goods to 27,000 households, including agricultural packages with seeds for planting; however, the previous unsuitable conditions for planting have weakened livelihoods, and the situation is difficult.
10
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
PARAGUAY About 15,000 families in 246 communities were severely affected by the drought in the Chaco region from the beginning of May 2013. This situation had a serious impact on people’s water consumption and livelihoods. The Paraguayan Red Cross worked hard with the government of Paraguay to implement food security and livelihood protection activities and meet water and sanitation needs in 16 communities: one located in the Mariscal municipality and 15 in the Filadelfia municipality, in the Boquerón province. In October 2013, the IFRC launched an Appeal to raise 930,108 Swiss francs (1,028,100 US dollars, according to the exchange rate at that time) to meet the needs of 12,000 people during nine months. Since the beginning of the emergency and until funds started to arrive, the Paraguayan government provided food and seeds to families affected by the drought with the support of international organizations working in the Chaco region. By the end of August 2014, 349 families (1,396 people) in six communities had improved their livelihoods through the renovation or building of new water collection systems carried out by the Paraguayan Red Cross. These families were able to secure their water supply for farming and cattle raising, which are the main livelihoods of this area. The Paraguayan Red Cross also worked in the restoration of 186 water collection systems (reaching 396 families), provided training on water collection system maintenance and carried out a hygiene awareness campaign reaching 567 people through training workshops and radio shows in 15 communities. Finally, the rainy season began in the whole region; however, forecasts indicate that rainfall will not be sufficient to restore reservoir water levels and allow the normalization of agricultural activities, especially in the Dry Corridor of Central America.
11
the other side of “EL NIÑO”
PARAGUAY FLOODS In late December 2015, Paraguay was hit by intense storms and substantial rainfall, linked to the El Niño phenomenon Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The heavy precipitation, especially in the northern and eastern regions of the country, affected the hydrometric levels of major river basins. River water levels rose significantly and led to flooding. According to data consolidated by the Paraguayan Red Cross (PRC) in December, 27,290 families (136,450 people) were affected in 10 of the country’s 27 departments. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) figures, released on 28 December 2015, reported at least 130,000 people across the country were evacuated due to flooding caused by the heavy precipitation. On 23 December 2015, a state of emergency was declared through Act 5561 for municipalities in the departments of Concepción, San Pedro, Misiones, Ñeembucú, Amambay, Presidente Hayes and Central. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies launched Emergency Appeal operation (MDRPY018) on 27 January 2016, which was an extension of the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) operation launched on 28 December 2015; the appeal operation focuses on the departments of San Pedro, Asunción and Ñeembucú.
SUMMARY OF THE OPERATION (to July 2016) Health promotion and prevention
7.035 2.814
people attended hygiene kits distributed
First aid
452
people attended in 8 communities
Psychosocial support campaign
6.964
people reached through lectures and distribution of brochures
Water and sanitation
7.955
people reached through lectures
Food security, nutrition and livelihoods
2.053 food kits delivered
Volunteers mobilized to the field
141 volunteers mobilized Recent activity
The Paraguayan Red Cross and the IFRC have decided to issue a revised Emergency Appeal based on the current humanitarian needs in which families are returning to their homes and others, mainly in Asunción, remain in collective centres since water levels have not sufficiently receded. The initial 10-month timeframe will be increased to 12 months. Humanitarian assistance and support will be provided to some 24,560 people with a focus on food security, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion; and health in emergencies (psychosocial support). *In the process of updating activities and budget.
Paraguayan Red Cross
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
OPERATION ecuador EARTHQUAKE IFRC Appeal
18.350.836 Swiss francs Timeframe
12 months
“With the help received from Red Cross I am recovering”
To support
100.000 people Despite the widespread destruction, coverage of the IFRC Emergency Appeal is currently only 42 percent.
Total contributions, cash and in-kinf 7,651,951 CHF 42%
(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 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
14
Ecuadorian Red Cross
She still feels the anguish. She remembers every second of the fateful day that the earthquake struck her home. Maria Lucia Avila, 73 years old, still has scars on her skin from the debris that buried her for several hours. She lost her home, her neighbors were the ones that rescued her; moments that she will never forget but now blend in with the hope of getting ahead. “I was taking a bath and suddenly the earth began to shake and the walls to fall. I managed to get out of the shower, but could not get out because I fell and fell unconscious,” she recalls. The inhabitants of San Ignacio left their homes and observed the damage. Maria’s house was destroyed. Sadly they assumed that she had died under the rubble, however, as they approached the building, they heard her crying for help and immediately sought a way to help her. Maria still gets afraid then when she remembers those hard times lived. However, the hope of recovering all that she lost on the disaster remains. “With the help I get from Red Cross I am recovering, I do not ask for big things because I know that little by little I will get back to normal,” she said. Read full story (Spanish)
Colombian Red Cross
Virtual Seminar: Development of volunteering in America With more than 315 participants from 20 countries and the presence of 18 National Societies of the region, was held the first Virtual Seminar on Development of Volunteering in America (spanish speakers) during the day 10 August 2016. In addition, the participation of more than 40 international organizations, NGOs, private companies, among others. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through the Volunteering and Youth Development Unit of the Americas Regional Office, developed the seminar with the objective to analyze the main challenges and opportunities for the development of volunteering Red Cross in the region; identify themes for future virtual and / or webinars seminars; create regional working groups; and share lessons learned and best practices from experience in the region. The seminar was supported by the Reference Center for Institutional Disaster Preparedness (CREPD) and featured the moderation and participation of the IFRC´s Regional Director, the Regional Coordinator of Volunteering and Youth, and the Directors of Volunteering from National Societies of Honduras and Mexico. As part of the results of the seminar, topics were discussed as the diversification of volunteerism, assessment of current structures, learning opportunities, awards and best practices. We must not forget that while we improve and we modernize our volunteering management models, without having a portfolio of activities, programs and projects to which our volunteers feel identified and involved, recruitment becomes complicated and impossible to hold. This active involvement and motivation of volunteers become essential in the daily actions of the institution if we consider that volunteers are the foundation and most valuable asset we have. To access the recording of the seminar click here. Soon the call will be published in English for a virtual seminar in this language and seminars on other topics related to Volunteering and Youth that were identified during the seminar. We invite you to be attentive through Facebook group. Thanks for the collective construction, was one of the biggest seminars have been conducted in the region and certainly the experience and knowledge of all the participants was the added value. Volunteering and Youth Development Unit Americas Regional Office
Capacity Building for Emergency Response in the Americas | CERA International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES JUNE - AUGUST The “Capacity Building for Emergency Response in the Americas” (CERA) project seeks to strengthen the capacity of National Societies in Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic to better prepare for and respond to the needs of vulnerable populations affected by humanitarian crises and natural disasters. This initiative is co-funded by the Canadian Red Cross and the Government of Canada, and is implemented with technical support from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Budgeting for emergency response With methodological support from the Reference Centre for Institutional Disaster Preparedness (CREPD), as well as from IFRC Finance, Logistics and Resource Mobilization Units, a technical workshop was held in Honduras with participation from representatives of Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Haiti National Societies, to work on the establishment of budgets for emergency operations based on disaster scenarios. The tool resulting from this workshop complements emergency response planning processes used in the region. The budgets developed estimate the funds that would be required to deal with a disaster or crisis situation, and enables National Societies to estimate the financial cost to initiate a response operation while waiting for other funds to be activated. Thanks to this initiative, there is now a guide with steps and criteria for incorporating budgets in Response and Contingency Plans, which will be disseminated to other National Societies in the region through CREPD. The guide will be accompanied by a user-friendly budget format that is in line with that used by IFRC and easy for National Societies to use. It includes a list of the items most likely to be used in emergencies as well as a User’s Handbook. A first draft budget for Contingency Plans of all four participating National Societies were prepared during this workshop.
16
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
CERA National Societies continue to make progress in disaster preparedness NIcaragua
Certification of facilitators in three areas: 1. Operation and Funtioning of Emergency Operations Centres 2. Psychosocial support 3. Logistics 15 new facilitators
Honduras
4 National Intervention Team (NIT) courses 4 Courses on Operation and Funtioning of Emergency Operations Centres
Dominican Republic
HAITi
Updating of Emergency Response Plan
Psychosocial Support National Intervention Team (NIT) course
JAMAICA
Updating of Emergency Response Plan
Recertification of accredited general NIT facilitators
All these initiatives have been supported by the Reference Centre for Institutional Disaster Preparedness (CREPD), the Caribbean Disaster Risk Management Reference Centre (CADRIM), and Canadian Red Cross disaster management technical advisors.
Review of cross-cutting issues Between January and July 2016, an external consultant conducted a technical review in all five Red Cross National Societies receiving support from the CERA project, in order to identify progress and challenges regarding gender inclusion, violence prevention, and beneficiary accountability as cross-cutting themes in their activities, focusing especially on Disaster Management programmes. As a result of this review, recommendations will be submitted to both the National Societies and IFRC for the integration or strengthening of these cross-cutting themes at institutional and operational levels. It is expected that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in conjunction with the Canadian Red Cross, will identify recommendations that can be implemented at the regional level, and thus achieve an impact in other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
17
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
New tool to conduct an information management assessment IFRC’s Policy, Strategy and Knowledge Unit piloted the information management diagnostic tool in the Honduras Red Cross from 25 to 29 July. The evaluation is conducted to learn about and assess the current information management situation in the National Society; Including the resources and tools being used, and ultimately identify the areas in need of improvement. Information management was assessed in ten areas within the National Society during this exercise, with a technical team composed of 22 staff members (9 women, 13 men) from various Honduran Red Cross departments and units: blood bank, strategic services management, programs and regional development management, essential services directorate, strategic relations and cooperation, organizational development, human resources, communications and image, PMER, risk management, and training. The National Society will use these results to work on a monitoring plan to address priority areas where the tool found the need to make changes in the way information is managed. The tool is expected to be implemented by other CERA National Societies in the coming months.
The information management diagnostic tool has a similar format to that used in the Organisational Capacity Assessment and Certification (OCAC).
18
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
Preparing legislation for dealing with disasters Honduran Red Cross has undertaken an International Disaster Response Laws, Rules and Principles (IDRL) project with technical support from IFRC’s Disaster Law Programme and in coordination with the Permanent Contingencies Committee (COPECO). To this end, a working group has been formed with representatives from government institutions to analyse Honduras’ legislation dealing with response to major disasters that require international assistance. Using IDRL guidelines, the Honduran Red Cross seeks to provide recommendations to its Government to strengthen legislation that ensures timely and effective disaster response. Three working meetings have been organized with the group, and plans are to hold a national consultation workshop in September. National Societies in the region will be invited to attend, together with their Governments, and share experiences and best practices from IDRL projects.
The Model Act for the Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Recovery Assistance is one of IFRC’s main Disaster Law instruments.
In late June, the Nicaraguan Red Cross conducted a workshop on the Auxiliary Role and Humanitarian Diplomacy to its governing body and to branch Presidents. This two-day workshop was facilitated by the Organizational Development Coordinator and IFRC’s Disaster Law Programme. At the end of the workshop participants developed a plan of action that identified priorities for strengthening the auxiliary role, highlighting the benefits of sharing tools and experiences to continue with humanitarian advocacy efforts.
Working with branches On 2-3 July, the Organizational Development and Resource Mobilization Units delivered a workshop in Nicaragua in order to support development processes in branches and to analyse resource-generating experiences. The workshop was attended by 10 branches from across the country. After this workshop, it is expected that branches will continue making progress with a plan of action to advance new and existing business models. In August, the Dominican Republic’s with support from the IFRC’s OD Coordinator also delivered a workshop to branches in order to train facilitators on the Branch Organizational Capacity Assessment (BOCA) methodology and Integrated Branch Development (with volunteerism and sustainability). The aim is for these facilitators to guide branches through their evaluation and development processes in order to achieve enhanced local response capacity.
For more information on the CERA project, please contact:
Nazira Lacayo Programme and Operations Quality and Accountability Coordinator Disaster and Crisis Prevention, Response and Recovery Department (DCPRR) International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Americas Regional Office Nazira.Lacayo@ifrc.org 19
NEWS
AMERICAS NATIONAL SOCIETIES
Argentina Red Cross
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
argentina red cross
red cross embraces the congress On Friday August 19, Argentina Red Cross, the oldest humanitarian organization, with the greater coverage and social impact and largest number of volunteers in the country, publicly presented a project to update its regulations. “Red Cross has embraced Argentina for over 136 years; Argentina needs now to embrace the Red Cross. We ask the State to pay off a historic debt with our organization, which is to update its regulations.”, said Dr. Diego Tipping, president of the Argentina Red Cross. The project was publicly presented on World Humanitarian Day, Friday August 19 in front of Congress, in a hug involving more than 400 volunteers. For more information visit: http://cruzroja.org.ar/
21
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Voices of America • #2 // August 2016
Haiti Red Cross
Simulations to prepare for hurricane season Within the national campaign for hurricane preparedness in Haiti, a simulation exercise was carried out organized and coordinated by the National Disaster Risk system, the United Nations System and the European Commission, with the support of the Haiti Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The simulation consisted in a two-day response exercise to prepare for the arrival of a category 2 hurricane. The Haitian departments of Sud and Grand’Anse were selected because they are the ones that historically have been more affected by hurricanes. The simulation took place in the Departmental Centres for Emergency Operations (COUD, by its French acronym) in the cities of Jérémie and Les Cayes, in coordination with the National Centre for Emergency Operations (COUN, by its French acronym). These simulations included coordination and mobilization exercises carried out by the involved organizations, in addition to community evacuation exercises carried out in the Sud department. The Haiti Red Cross was involved at all levels (COUD and COUN), the IFRC supported the process as observer in the city of Jérémie, and the Regional Committee of the Haiti Red Cross worked as an active participant. The IFRC took the opportunity to carry out a follow-up visit to the projects that are being developed by the Haiti Red Cross in the Grand’Anse department.
saint lucia red cross
Volunteers trained in Radio Communications Sixteen Red Cross Volunteers of the Saint Lucia Red Cross received training in Radio Communication. These Volunteers were selected from branches across the Island. This two day training was a collaboration between the NEMO (The National Emergency Management Organization), the National Ham Radio Club and the Saint Lucia Red Cross. The Volunteers received instructions not only on Radio language but also to set up a mobile station in the field in the event of a disaster.
22
communication Internal Communication Campaign: #PrevenirEsVivir COSTA RICAN RED CROSS AND REFERENCE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE (CREEC)
121 Auxiliary Committees of Costa Rican Red Cross and the headquarters (Administrative and Operational), will be responsible for initiating a process of disseminating key messages that are part of the reoad culture campaign: #PrevenirEsVivir, which aims to promote drivers from Costa Rican Red Cross to exercise good practices and behaviors that reduce accident indicators in traffic incidents of vehicles and ambulances. The real achievement of this initiative is the sole responsibility of each member of the institution through appropriate use and behavior in their driving of institutional vehicles, but also in the advice, recommendation and improvements that every humanitarian worker from their committee, department, direction, region and community can do to build a true culture of prevention and responsibility in the roads through good interpersonal relationships and motivation.
SUGGESTED LINKS www.ifrc.org cruzroja-zika.org @ifrc_es @ifrc_es IFRC IFRC RADIO SHOW
VOICES OF AMERICA Thursday 2:00 PM (spanish)
http://www.amcross.org/radio.html
ďƒŚ 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