Bogdana Peijic (72) fled Bosnia in 1995 with other Serb villagers and was the first to come back. She has lived alone in the hamlet of Vagon for four years.

Socio-economic disasters

The effects of socio-economic crises on people's livelihoods are long lasting and must be addressed even though new disasters arise and become the focus of media attention. In 2002, socio-economic crises represented 30 per cent of the appeals sought by the Federation.

Red Cross Red Crescent speaks out on migration
At the European Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference in Berlin in April, delegates from 50 National Societies adopted the Berlin Charter, which identified the "absolute urgency" of dealing with vulnerabilities caused by international migration, and by the denial of health services to an increasing number of migrants.

The Asia Pacific Conference in Manila in November also committed National Societies to increase advocacy efforts to ensure that all those affected by population movements and displacement have access to basic human rights.

Continued hardship in the Caucasus
The dramatic economic decline in the early years of transition from a command to a market economy has not yet been reversed in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Vulnerable groups remain marginalized as crippling poverty, high unemployment, rising prices and the collapse of health and social services dominate the scene. The Federation and the National Societies of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia responded with food distributions to the most vulnerable people, managing social service centres and assisting women's committees.

Starting over
The population of the former state of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has experienced a succession of conflicts and natural disasters over the last decade. The disintegration of the country, combined with years of industrial and agricultural slowdown, sanctions, war and international isolation have multiplied the hardship of vulnerable people.

Europe's largest population of refugees and internally displaced people continues to seek durable solutions, and while some have returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina and to Croatia, the majority need support for local integration.

In 2002, the Federation continued assisting the Yugoslav Red Cross in its transition from relief distribution to development programming, while bulk food and soup kitchen programmes continued to serve the exceptionally vulnerable.

In 2002, the Chinese province of Hunan was hit by repeated severe floods, necessitating a major Red Cross response.

A unique health service
Afghans have faced severe hardship for more than 20 years, with war, drought, freezing winters, instability and displacement an everyday reality.

The Afghan Red Crescent Society, the only indigenous, volunteer and commu-nity-based humanitarian organization working throughout the country, has been providing humanitarian assistance to millions of vulnerable people for decades.

During 2002, the National Society provided more than 2 million health consultations to people in need through its network of 54 clinics, including six mobile ones, staffed by 11,000 volunteers.

Iraq focuses on preparedness
Years of war followed by sanctions have contributed to serious humanitarian suffering in Iraq. In 2002, the Middle East was dominated by international political developments with Iraq in sharp focus.

The Iraqi Red Crescent Society continued its daily humanitarian work in support of vulnerable people whilst upscaling its disaster preparedness programmes.

The Federation/Iraqi Red Crescent Society joint plan of action for 2002 included a special relief project, providing 8,500 families with blankets, kerosene heaters and safe drinking water.

Surviving through ruin
In 2002, the Federation launched its first appeal for Argentina in ten years in response to unprecedented levels of poverty and economic ruin.

By the end of the year, official data in-dicated that almost 60 per cent of the population - some 23 million people - was living below the poverty line.

The Argentine Red Cross assisted 23,300 beneficiaries, mainly through soup kitchens in Buenos Aires and the northern provinces. In December, the operation was extended to reach 11 provinces and 120,000 vulnerable people.