Programmatic Partnership

The Programmatic Partnership is an innovative and ambitious three-year partnership between the IFRC, many of our member National Societies, and the European Union. Together, we support communities worldwide to reduce their risks and be better prepared for disasters and health emergencies. 

About the partnership

This partnership between the IFRC network and the European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) is a new model for humanitarian action. 

Our Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world already play an essential role in supporting local communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. This partnership provides them with more strategic, flexible, longer-term and predictable funding, so they can in turn deliver more efficient and effective humanitarian support.

This is important because COVID-19, climate-related disasters and conflict are all leaving vulnerable people worldwide at even greater risk and displacing more people from their homes.

It's not enough to simply respond to these increasing crises. To best protect communities and help them withstand future shocks, we need to invest more in local preparedness—anticipating disasters, reducing people's risks and supporting people before an emergency happens

By doing so, we can best protect people's lives, livelihoods and well-being long into the future.

The IFRC is excited to embark upon this partnership that recognizes our long history of principled, community-driven humanitarian work. Together with the EU, our local humanitarian action will have truly global reach.

Watch: IFRC and EU partnering for good

What does the partnership focus on?

Khammouane Province, Laos, 2015Announcing warnings to the community. A member of the Village Disaster Protection Unit announces evacuation warnings during a Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction sim

Disaster preparedness

Investing in preparedness, reducing people's risks and anticipatory action are crucial to help communities cope before an emergency happens.

A Ugandan Red Cross volunteer teaches his local community how to recognise signs of the ebola virus so they can alert local health authorities to take rapid action

Epidemic and pandemic preparedness

The Programmatic Partnership supports community epidemic and pandemic preparedness efforts—because local volunteers and networks are best-placed to prevent, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks and other health risks.

A Mexican Red Cross volunteer provides health assistance to a young boy travelling as part of a migrant caravan in November 2018

Supporting people on the move

Through the Programmatic Partnership, we work to protect the safety, dignity and rights of people on the move and provide principled humanitarian assistance that meets their complex needs.

A woman receives a cash grant of 15,000 rupees from the Nepal Red Cross, Danish Red Cross and British Red Cross following the earthquake in April 2015

Cash and voucher assistance

People's dignity and choice are at the heart of this partnership. Cash and voucher assistance means the people we support can choose how to best support themselves and their families.

Volunteers from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society consult a group of women affected by flooding in Tangail in 2019 to understand what assistance they need and how best to design programmes to support them

Community engagement and accountability

We treat the people we support through the Programmatic Partnership as partners in our work. We listen to them carefully and act upon their needs and wishes every step of the way.

Which countries does the partnership support?

A volunteer from the Panamanian Red Cross conducts a welfare check on households in Bocas Del Toro that were hit by flooding in July 2021. The Red Cross assisted many at-risk families to evacuate to reception centres before the floods hit, and provided those who stayed with wide-ranging humanitarian assistance.

A volunteer from the Panamanian Red Cross conducts a welfare check on households in Bocas Del Toro that were hit by flooding in July 2021. The Red Cross assisted many at-risk families to evacuate to reception centres before the floods hit, and provided those who stayed with wide-ranging humanitarian assistance.

Photo: Panamanian Red Cross

As part of the Programmatic Partnership, we support humanitarian action in 24 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. 

11 National Societies from the European Union also take part in the partnership: Austrian Red Cross, Belgian Red Cross, Danish Red Cross, French Red Cross, Finnish Red Cross, German Red Cross, Italian Red Cross, Luxembourg Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross and Spanish Red Cross.

Watch: Our partnership in action

  

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This web page covers humanitarian aid activities implemented with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of the European Union, and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.