| Working
partners
The International Federation works through
its National Societies and with the International Committee of the
Red Cross, but it also collaborates with many other organizations
in order to carry out its work more effectively.
Since 1994, the Federation has had Observer status with the United
Nations General Assembly, giving it the opportunity to take part
in international debates at the highest level, and access to negotiations
and deliberations within the structures of almost all international
organisations.
In addition, the Federation has utilised its international legal
personality to build working agreements with a wide range of international
partners, focussing on the priorities set by Strategy 2010: disaster
preparedness and response, health and care in the community, and
the promotion of principles and values.
View current active agreements at
regional and global level
Other areas
- Development - The Federation acts to strengthen
the capacities of National Societies worldwide. It aims to ensure
that this assistance is sustainable and consistent. To enhance
cooperation in this area, the Federation has developed a tripartite
process with 7 donor governments and their National Societies.
- Training - The Federation and its RC/RC National
Societies work together with UNHCR
and its country offices to develop and implement First Aid Training
for UNHCR staff, compatible with local needs, and in accordance
with the agreed guidelines.
- Research - The Federation works in partnership with research
institutions, universities and the private sector to share experiences
and monitor trends in humanitarian assistance including funding,
standards and methodologies. The value of the World
Disaster Report, which published by the Federation annually,
has been recognised by its peer organisations and used as a reference
paper.
- Inter Agency Initiatives - Another dimension
of partnerships is that which comes from the Federation’s
work with a number of different partners in sectoral fields. They
include centres covering:
- Sphere
(hosted by the Federation),
- Reach Out
(hosted by the Federation),
- Climate
Change and Disaster Preparedness (hosted by the Netherlands
Red Cross),
- ProVention
Consortium (disaster preparedness, hosted at the Federation),
- Psychological Support (Danish Red Cross),
- European First Aid Education (French Red Cross),
- Global
Road Safety Partnership (Federation and its EU/RC Office in
Brussels),
- Code of Practice for NGOs working in HIV/AIDS (Federation),
- Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response,
- Inter-Agency
Standing Committee.
At a local and national level,
National Societies build partnerships with community groups, businesses,
government ministries and inter-governmental agencies, to enable
them to integrate their programmes and services in each country
more effectively.
This work is supported at the regional level by the Federation's
representational activity, including with UN regional organisations
and others, such as the League
of Arab States and the Organisation
of American States.
The Movement's International
Conference, held every four years, brings the National Societies,
the Federation and the ICRC together with states party to the Geneva
Conventions to discuss and decide on actions in the humanitarian
field. The 28th International Conference was held in Geneva in December
2003, with the theme of Protecting Human Dignity, and adopted an
Agenda for Humanitarian Action.

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