A
year after its postponement because of the war in Iraq, the
Fourth Conference of the Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies
in the Middle East and North Africa region, held in Bahrain
from 14 to 17 March, came to a triumphant end, amid cheers and
applause from participants and guests, as the Manama Declaration
was read out by Dr Taher Sheniti, president of the Tunisian
Red Crescent.
"The participants in the Conference are determined to bring
assistance and support to all victims of conflict, violence,
intolerance and discrimination, natural disasters, disease,
uphold the rights and human dignity of each and every human
being, and build the capacity of our own National Societies,"
the declaration stated.
"The real impact of our decisions will depend on staying
engaged with our communities, governments, organizations and
institutions that share our concerns and seeking partnerships
with the private sector and civil society."
The bi-annual conference, which was held under the theme New
Humanitarian Challenges and Partnerships with the Private Sector,
identified five key areas on which National Societies should
focus in the coming two years: accessibility, new sources of
vulnerability, partnership with the private sector, resource
mobilization and youth.
Access to the victims of disaster or conflict was identified
as the first priority. Noting the importance of adhering to
the Movement’s Fundamental Principles and the needs of
vulnerable people, the conference outlined actions to be implemented
by National Societies and the International Federation in the
two next years.
These included the establishment of national disaster management
plans in all countries of the region, the identification of
clear roles of National Societies and the inclusion of accessibility
in times of disaster in their management plans, with increased
technical support from the International Federation.
“In order to achieve the necessary flexibility for access
to victims and fulfilling the humanitarian objectives of the
National Societies," the declaration emphasized, "interventions
should be based on International Humanitarian Law" in addition
to developing and using "international law as the legal
basis for interventions in natural disaster situations."
Another practical action was identified in the field of resource
mobilization and the creation of partnerships with the private
sector. Working groups highlighted the need for the Red Cross
and Red Crescent to diversify funding sources to avoid dependence
on "a few funding sources, especially governments and institutional
donors". The declaration called for the development of
a multi-country approach and opportunities for private corporate
support.
National Societies pledged to "identify opportunities to
improve communications in the region, including the development
of the Arabic Federation website and the FedNet extranet,"
said the declaration, adding that this should be done through
"best use of expertise that exists in the region."
Perhaps the most innovative recommendations were those related
to youth participation in National Societies. The Manama Declaration
stated that National Societies will ensure that their “leaders
are informed about youth, volunteering and gender policies approved
by the General Assembly of the Federation,” and called
on them to use them “as policy that can guide the work
of National societies to manage volunteers”.
It called for the creation of “space to let young people
participate in the decision making process”, establishing
systems for rewarding youth and volunteers and exploring opportunities
to establish a regional youth network.
"We are passing through an extremely sensitive period of
competition as globalization dominates our world," said
Sadeq Al-Shahabi, secretary general of the Bahraini Red Crescent
during the closing ceremony. "Hence, there is an urgent
need to raise awareness of investors and businesses in this
region, and increase, their involvement in our humanitarian
work."
Dr. Ali Said Ali, head of the Federation’s Middle East
and North Africa department told participants that the importance
of the conference stemmed from the fact that it was able to
succeed in making communication between generations a reality,
coming up with practical actions for implementation, and focusing
on the use of regional expertise and capacities as a vital area
of cooperation among National Societies and the Federation.
The four-day conference was attended by nearly 30 National Societies,
including 16 from the region, as well as representatives from
the International Federation, the International Committee of
the Red Cross, UN agencies, civil society organizations, government
ministries and over 100 other participants, including, for the
first time, youth representatives.
The Iraqi Red Crescent Society did not attend due to the present
situation in the country.
On the sidelines of the conference, a meeting of the Organisation
of Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross was held with a view to outlining
a new working strategy.
“We are seeking to revitalise this organisation,”
said its general secretary, Dr Abdullah Al-hazaa. “There
is a need for Arab National Societies to come together and devise
the best ways of dealing with new challenges.”
He said the meeting looked at how relations with the Federation
could be improved and how Arab National Societies and the federation
could better support each other.
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Aneesa
Al-Houaihi from the Bahrain Red Crescent Society (p11349)
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For
the first time, youth representatives attended the conference
to express their views and actively participate in discussions
(p11348)
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Young
people participating in an exercise during the youth group
meeting (p11347)
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With
youth much in evidence, schoolchildren brought to life
the seven fundamental principles at the opening ceremony
(p11334)
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The
Federation's president Juan Manuel Suarez del Toro, addessed
the Bahrain conference (p11345)
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