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Joint statementNobody seems to know how many muscles it takes to smile. Some sources say 17; others argue that it’s around 12. But within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, rumor has it that it’s over 7 billion. Or, the hard-working minds and muscles of more than 12 million staff and volunteers.Every day, they work with people facing the worst moments of their lives - crises, war and disaster. They are the first responders and frontline ambassadors of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The growing strength and reach of our global network is because of people like them: around the world, in dangerous and unstable places, neutral, independent and impartial humanitarian action has the best chance to reach those most in need. If we can ever claim to be everywhere for everyone, it will also be because of people like them.On World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, we want to voice our gratitude for their work, and our indebtedness to their service.Doing what they do isn’t easy. Today, humanitarians are subject to more threats and attacks than ever before. Every year, tragically, we lose Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers. Every year, we are haunted by the empty spaces they leave behind, and the words of gratitude that they will never get to hear.Still, our staff and volunteers keep going. They work in increasingly protracted crises, with extremely complex dynamics. They know that the people they serve are no longer in tough situations for a couple of months, but for years. And still, they accompany them. From urgent, life-saving assistance, to recovery and resilience programmes, they are there.They are in Zimbabwe, training farmers on keyhole farming – an agricultural system that allows crops to withstand harsh conditions like droughts or floods. They are in Bangladesh, providing women and girls with solar torches, culturally sensitive clothes, and hygiene items to prevent isolation, including during menstruation. They are in Costa Rica, training dogs to rescue people from collapsed structures or landslides. They are in Syria, where after multiple attempts, 46 truck convoys, bearing thousands of food parcels and medical supplies, finally made their way civilians in Eastern Ghouta. They are in Gaza, offsetting power outages by providing people with portable batteries to charge their phones and emergency lights.These stories are full of innovation and originality. They also show how much the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is working to put people at the centre of humanitarian action. Our staff and volunteers are supporting communities to become agents of their own recovery and resilience. They put their expertise at the community’s disposal so that the community itself can become stronger for the long-term.In many ways, they’re trying to work themselves out of a job – and it is that kind of selflessness that we treasure; that shared passion, across so diverse a crowd that makes our Movement so unique. To those who say that humanity is dead: we’ve got 12 million examples of why you’re wrong.And that’s definitely something worth smiling about.Thank you.Francesco Rocca,President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent SocietiesPeter Maurer,President of the International Committee of the Red Cross
Geneva/New York, 11 January 2018 – The following can be attributed to Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC):
“We welcome the report launched today by UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and his Special Representative for International Migration, Louise Arbour. We thank Mr Guterres and Ms Arbour for their leadership.
“The violence, abuse and death that people face when migrating are preventable. The Red Cross and Red Crescent does not engage in debates about whether there should be more migration or less migration. We care about the safety and dignity of people, wherever they are. Migrants have the same human rights as everyone else. All people migrating should have unfettered access to essential services and humanitarian aid, as well as special protections for those most at risk, especially unaccompanied children.
“World leaders must act to stop death, despair and abuse along migration trails.
“We are happy to see that the safety and dignity of all migrants – of all people –are prominent in the report. It is our hope now that governments will adopt a Global Compact on Migration that delivers tangible, time-bound and compassionate outcomes for all migrants, regardless of their status.”
Antalya, 6 November 2017 – Italian lawyer and humanitarian, Francesco Rocca, was today elected the new President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Mr Rocca was elected by his peers from 178 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that were present at the IFRC General Assembly in Antalya, Turkey.
He paid tribute to the courage and dedication of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers around the world, and vowed to focus on ensuring they have greater support.
“We owe it to them to change and to strengthen our capacity,” he said. “One of the first things I will focus on is addressing any integrity issues within our network. We owe it to our volunteers who risk their lives every day. We owe it to the communities who look to us for support, when no one else can help. And we owe it to the people around the world who look to the Red Cross and Red Crescent as signs of hope.”
Mr Rocca’s election comes at a critical juncture for the IFRC and the wider humanitarian community. Aid organizations are responding to a range of complex and global challenges, and are struggling to respond to rising needs while balancing increasingly constrained budgets. The new President will play an important role in ensuring that Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies can continue to support the most vulnerable and isolated.
Mr Rocca joined the Italian Red Cross in 2008, taking over as National President in 2013. He has built the Italian Red Cross into the country’s pre-eminent humanitarian organization, with Red Cross volunteers and staff playing leading roles in response to earthquakes and the ongoing arrival of vulnerable migrants.
He has been a strong advocate on behalf of vulnerable migrants, calling consistently on political leaders to put the safety and dignity of people at the centre of their migration policies.
A lawyer by training, Rocca started his professional career fighting organized crime. He then moved into health administration. In 2013, he was elected Vice President for Europe of IFRC.
Mr Rocca will take over from Tadateru Konoé who is completing his second term.
The General Assembly also elected four Vice-Presidents: Mr Abdoul Azize Diallo (Senegal), Mr Miguel Angel Villarroel Sierraalta (Venezuela), Mr Chen Zhu (China) and Dr Kerem Kinik (Turkey).
Dubai, UAE – As negotiations enter their critical final stage, climate change policy experts from the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are warning that a lack of agreement on an adaptation ‘Global Goal’ and a lack of progress on adaptation to a changed climate could cost hundreds of thousands lives.
Last week, leaders at the COP28 meeting in Dubai acknowledged the “significant” gap in funding for country-wide adaptations to climate change. A recent report said finance for adaptation needs to reach US$194 billion to US$366 billion peryear. Yet the most recent evidence shows that adaptation funding went down 15 per cent in 2021 from the previous year, to US$24.6 billion.
Mary Friel, the IFRC’s Climate Policy lead said:
“As we enter week two of COP, adaptation - essential to saving lives - falls behind. Limited progress on a new Global Goal and slow action to deliver on the doubling of adaptation finance, as agreed in Glasgow two years ago, is deeply worrying. It puts the success of this COP in doubt.
“The historic progress on Loss and Damage which began this COP was a notable success. But not moving forward on adaptation would be a major failure.”
Kirsten Hagon, IFRC Head of Global Policy and Diplomacy said:
“Extreme weather and climate related events don’t have to lead to disasters, but they will if we fail to invest in adaptation. The urgency felt by communities facing rising sea levels, droughts, floods or heatwaves is missing in the negotiation rooms on the adaptation agenda. It’s time to set aside disagreements and focus on positive action desperately needed for people and communities to protect their livelihoods, save lives and prevent loss and damage.”
Both Mary Friel and Kirsten Hagon are available, from Dubai, to talk about progress, and the lack of progress, of negotiations.
For interviews: please contact: [email protected] or, in Geneva, Andrew Thomas on +41763676587
Geneva/Budapest/Yerevan, 29 September 2023: In the wake of escalating hostilities affecting vulnerable communities, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) announces an emergency appeal for 20 million Swiss Francs. This initiative aims to provide immediate relief and long-term support to tens of thousands of people who have recently crossed into Armenia via the Lachin corridor.
The IFRC, working in collaboration with the Armenian Red Cross Society, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and other Red Cross Red Crescent movement partners, has activated contingency plans and mobilized hundreds of staff and volunteers. They are providing urgent support in the form of food, water, first aid, non-food items, mental health services, safe spaces for children and support with restoring contact with missing family members (RFL).
“The situation on the ground is dire. We are witnessing families with children so weak they have fainted in their parents' arms. These are circumstances that require immediate and significant emotional support,” said Hicham Diab, Operations Manager of IFRC in Armenia.
“As we confront the growing humanitarian needs, we must also look ahead,” said Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen, Regional Director of IFRC Europe. “For many people who are now displaced, the next steps are daunting. They will need further support as they navigate the many questions of settling somewhere new. At IFRC, we're already planning for the future, aligning our resources for an extended response to offer more sustained support for communities. Therefore, we urge governments, international organizations, and media outlets to help us put a spotlight on this situation and mobilize the resources required.”
Local communities have shown immense solidarity by assembling tents, offering food, and even relocating grocery stock for free distribution next to registration points. However, despite these efforts, humanitarian needs continue to grow. Critical services like hospitals are stretched thin, and with the onset of colder weather, shelter has become an increasingly pressing need.
Funds raised from this appeal will facilitate the Armenian Red Cross Society and IFRC in offering sustained support for communities, including essential household items, mental health and psychosocial support, and more permanent shelter solutions.
More information
Your contribution can make an immediate difference. To fund the emergency appeal and support people in their time of dire need, visit the donation pagefor more information.
To request an interview, please contact: [email protected]
IFRC - Europe
Anastasia Sharkova: +7 916 040 19 72
IFRC - Global
Tommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67
Mrinalini Santhanam: +41 76 381 50 06
Marseille, Friday, 22 September -Almost ten years after a devastating shipwreck off Lampedusa claimed the lives of more than 360 men, women and children on 3 October 2013, the central Mediterranean is as deadly as ever. During his current visit to Marseille, Pope Francis will once again alert the global public to the humanitarian crisis unfolding at Europe’s southern border by commemorating those missing at sea.
In a press conference onboard civil rescue ship Ocean Viking this morning, SOS MEDITERRANEE and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) attested to the heartbreaking situation for people trying to cross the Mediterranean in search of safety.
Jérôme, Deputy Search and Rescue Coordinator onboard Ocean Viking said:
“Last month, we witnessed firsthand the lack of resources to save lives in the central Mediterranean. We conducted the largest ever rescue operation on the Ocean Viking. In 36 hours of nonstop operations, we rescued 623 people. It was clear that there were more people at risk of losing their lives than we could assist. The work we do is vital, but we cannot do it alone.”
The humanitarian needs in the central Mediterranean have been exacerbated by the growing food insecurity in Africa, the conflicts and recent disasters that have struck Libya and other Northern African countries in recent weeks. With no alternative to seek safety, there is no reason to believe that people will stop attempting to cross the Mediterranean.
The main objective of search and rescue efforts is to bring people to safe places where they can access their rights. SOS MEDITERRANEE and the IFRC urge all States to prioritize sea rescue and to uphold maritime law and human rights along Europe’s southern sea border.
Xavier Castellanos, IFRC Under Secretary General for National Society Development and Operations Coordination said:
“IFRC cannot turn a blind eye. Across the globe, people on the move face significant risks to their lives, dignity, and rights. This is a humanitarian imperative that we all have an obligation to address and is why IFRC is responding both on land and at sea. Our humanitarian work aboard the Ocean Viking is a vital part of our mission of protection and alleviating human suffering.”
Sophie Beau, co-founder of SOS MEDITERRANEE and General Director of SOS MEDITERRANEE France said:
“The unfathomable death toll in the Mediterranean this year could have been prevented if the political will was there. Migration deterrence policies and obstruction of civil sea rescue have only led to more human suffering. As a prominent moral and global figure as well as European Head of State, Pope Francis will use his visit to Marseille to recall the moral imperative underlying the laws and conventions that apply at sea: no one in distress should be left to drown.Ten years after the shipwreck off Lampedusa, we urgently call for global sea rescue missions and for the recognition of the valuable support of humanitarian Search and Rescue organisations.”
Note to the editor
As of 2021, the IFRC has partnered with SOS MEDITERRANEE onboard the Ocean Viking. This partnership builds on the strength of both organizations: SOS MEDITERRANEE’s sea rescue expertise and IFRC’s longstanding experience in providing relief, protection and health-related assistance to people in need. Find out more here.
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
SOS MEDITERANEE
Press contact: Méryl Sotty
Media Manager – +33 6 11 74 10 11 [email protected]
IFRC
Press contact: Edgar Zuniga
Europe Communications Delegate – +36 20 337 7221 [email protected]
Geneva, 12 September 2023 - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an emergency appeal for 100 million Swiss Francs to further scale up relief efforts of the Moroccan Red Crescent.
More than three days after the earthquake hit Morocco, aid is reaching more remote locations, but conditions are challenging. Since the disaster hit on Friday night, Moroccan Red Crescent teams have been working with Moroccan authorities. They are supporting search and rescue operations, providing first aid and psychosocial support, helping transport the injured to hospitals and evacuating people from damaged buildings, and providing food and water.
Within 24 hours of the earthquake, we approved one million Swiss Francs from our Disaster Response Emergency Fund (the DREF) to support the Moroccan Red Crescent in their actions to provide immediate locally sourced relief.
The emergency appeal we launch today will support the Moroccan Red Crescent work on both the most pressing needs and the medium-term temporary solutions. These include health, clean water, sanitation and hygiene, shelter, relief items and basic needs (food, household essentials), livelihoods, protection and community engagement.
The IFRC Secretary General, Jagan Chapagain, said
“The IFRC is launching this appeal to harness the goodwill shown by so many towards the people of Morocco. The needs on the ground are great and will only grow over coming days and weeks.
We ask partners and donors to continue to show solidarity with the people of Morocco and to help scale up our collective support to those communities hit by the earthquake. This emergency response is a marathon, not a sprint: people affected by the earthquake will need support for weeks and months to come. We will need to support them not only now, but in the future. Such a vast-scale earthquake needs long-lasting and sustainable support.”
More information
On the IFRC website, you can find a regularly updated webpage on the emergency response.
Photos are available here.
To request an interview, please contact: [email protected]
In Geneva:
Tommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67
Andrew Thomas: +41 76 367 65 87
In Beirut:
Mey Alsayegh: +961 3 229 352
Khartoum/Nairobi/Geneva, 16 May 2023: A new batch of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) humanitarian supplies, weighing 17 tons, arrived in Port Sudan today from Dubai. Transportation of these supplies was made possible through a European Union humanitarian air bridge flight. The IFRC is hopeful that this air bridge will be maintained to ensure further aid is provided in the coming weeks.
Among the household items delivered were blankets, jerricans, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats and tarpaulins for 500 families. This dispatch will be followed in the coming days by a second batch of medical supplies including Interagency Emergency Health Kits (IEHK) to increase access to much needed healthcare services for thousands of people affected by the conflict. Upon arrival, they will be handed over to the Sudanese Red Crescent Society.
Mohammed Mukhier, IFRC Regional Director for Africa said:
“Most of our aid supplies were already distributed to people in need, despite some being looted in Khartoum and Darfur. So, this international humanitarian shipment comes at a crucial time as it will help the Sudanese Red Crescent Society to assist people caught between the conflict and the next flooding, which is typical in the country.”
Since conflict escalated, thousands of families have been cut off from basic services, including health services, food, water, and shelter and are in desperate need of help. Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers have been working tirelessly, right from the start, to provide lifesaving assistance to affected people, despite the dangers they face and the fact that they are also affected.
They are running a broad range of humanitarian services, including first aid, psychosocial support, family reunification for people who have been separated from their loved ones, food and water distribution, shelter provision, and safe and dignified burials for those who lost their lives. On May 4, the IFRC launched an Emergency Appeal to support the Sudanese Red Crescent Society to deliver assistance to 200,000 people affected by the conflict.
“Our volunteers will deliver the relief items wherever access and security allow. For that purpose, we renew our call for safe and unhindered access and passage to allow humanitarian help to reach those in need,” said Mr Mukhier.
While supporting the Sudanese Red Crescent Society in assisting people in Sudan, IFRC is also scaling up its response to meet the urgent needs of those fleeing the conflict and crossing into neighbouring countries: Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
[email protected]
In Nairobi: Rita Nyaga, +254 722 527553, [email protected]
In Geneva:
Anna Tuson, +41 79 895 6924
Tommaso Della Longa, +41 79 708 4367
In Dakar:
Moustapha Diallo, +221 77 450 10 04, [email protected]
New York/Geneva, 21 March 2023 -The United Nations and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies areaccelerating action to ensure that everyone on Earth is protected by early warnings by 2027. A recentrecord-breaking tropical cyclone in Southeast Africa once again shows the paramount importance of these services to save lives and livelihoods from increasingly extremeweather and climate events.
To aid this work, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has convenedan Advisory Panel of leaders of UN agencies, multilateraldevelopment banks, humanitarian organizations, civil societyand IT companies on 21 March. The aim is to inject more political, technologicaland financial cloutto ensure that Early Warnings for Allbecomes a reality for everyone, everywhere.
The months ahead will see stepped up coordinated action,initially in 30 particularly at-risk countries, including Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries. Additionalcountries are expected to be added as this vital work with partners gathers pace, scaleand resourcing.
At the same time, the UN’s existing actions and initiatives to save lives and livelihoods,andbuild resilience across a wide range of other countries will continue and be reinforced, ensuring the Early Warnings for All campaign turns its pledges into life-saving reality on the ground for millions of the most vulnerable people. The aim is not to re-invent the wheel, but rather promote collaboration and synergies and to harness the power of mobile phones and mass communications.
“Now it is time for us to deliver results. Millions of lives are hanging in the balance.It is unacceptable that the countries and peoples that have contributed the least to creating the crisis are paying the heaviest prices,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“People in Africa, South Asia, South and Central America, and small island states are 15 times more likely to die from climate disasters.These deaths are preventable. The evidence is clear: early warning systems are one of the most effective risk reductionand climate adaptation measures to reduce disaster mortality and economic losses,” said MrGuterres.
The need is urgent.
In the past 50 years, the number of recorded disasters has increased by a factor of five, driven in part by human-induced climate change which is super-charging our weather. This trend is expected to continue.
If no action is taken, the number of medium- or large-scale disaster events is projected to reach 560 a year – or 1.5 each day – by 2030.
The occurrence of severe weather and the effects of climate change will increase the difficulty, uncertainty, and complexity of emergency response efforts worldwide.
Preventable deaths
Half of countriesglobally do not have adequate early warning systems and even fewer have regulatory frameworks to link early warnings to emergency plans.
“The unprecedented flooding in Mozambique, Malawi and Madagascar from Tropical Cyclone Freddy highlights once again that our weather and precipitation is becoming more extreme and that water-related hazards are on the rise,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas. “The worst affected areas have received months’ worth of rainfall in a matter of days and the socio-economic impacts are catastrophic.”
“Accurate early warnings combined with coordinated disaster management on the ground prevented the casualty toll from rising even higher. But we can do even better and that is why the Early Warnings for All initiative is the top priority for WMO. Besidesavoiding damagesthe weather, climate and hydrological services are economically beneficial for agriculture, air, marine and ground transportation, energy, health, tourismand various businesses,” he said.
WMO and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) are spearheading the Early Warnings for All initiative, along with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
“The operationalization of this initiative is a clear example of how the UN System and partners can work together to save lives and protect livelihoods from disasters. Inclusive and multi-hazard early warning systems that close the ‘last mile’ areamong the best risk reduction methods in the face of climate-related hazards and geophysical hazards such as tsunamis. Achieving this is not only a clear target in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction but a moral imperative as well,” said Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR.
Climate Change Adaptation
Early warning systems are widely regarded as the “low-hanging fruit” for climate change adaptation because they are a relatively cheapand effective way of protecting people and assets from hazards, including storms, floods, heatwavesand tsunamis to name a few.
Early Warning Systems providemore than a tenfold return on investment
Just 24 hours’ notice of an impending hazardous event can cut the ensuing damage by 30 per cent.
The Global Commission on Adaptation found that spending just US$800 million on such systems in developing countries would avoid losses of $3 to 16 billion per year.
“When disaster strikes, people and communities can turn to technology as a lifeline,” said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “By leading the work of the UN Early Warnings for All initiative on ‘Warning Dissemination and Communication,’ ITU is helping ensure that those at risk can act in time to our increasingly climate-vulnerable world.”
Alerts can be sent via radio and television channels, by social media, and with sirens. ITU recommends an inclusive, people-centered approach using the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), a standardized data format for public warnings, to keep messages coherent across different channels.
“Early warnings that translate into preparedness and response save lives. As climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent, more intense and more deadly, they are essential for everyone, but one in three people globally are still not covered. Early warning systems are the most effective and dignified way to prevent an extreme weather eventfrom creating a humanitarian crisis - especially for the most vulnerable and remote communities who bear the brunt of it. No lives should be lost in a predictable disaster,” said IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain.
Advisory Panel
The Early Warnings for All initiative callsfor initialnew targeted investments between 2023 and 2027 of US$ 3.1 billion – a sum which would be dwarfed by the benefits. This is a small fraction (about 6 per cent) of the requested US$ 50 billion in adaptation financing. It would cover strengthening disaster risk knowledge, observations and forecasting, preparedness and response, and communication of early warnings.
A range of new and pre-existing innovative financing solutions are requiredto implement the plan to protect every person on Earth. These include a scaling up of the Climate Risk Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative, theSystematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), and accelerated investment programmesof climate funds, such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund, and key Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), as well as other innovative new financial instruments across all stakeholders of the early warning value chain.
TheAdvisory Panel meeting will consider advancing thefour key Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) pillars:
Disaster risk knowledge and management (US$374 million): aims to collect data and undertake risk assessments to increase knowledge on hazards and vulnerabilitiesand trends. Led by UNDRR with support from WMO.
Detection, observations, monitoring, analysisand forecasting of hazards(US$1.18 billion). Develop hazard monitoring and early warning services. Led by WMO, with support from UN Development Programme(UNDP), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UN Environment Programme(UNEP).
Dissemination and communication (US$550 million). Communicate risk information so it reaches all those who need it, andis understandable and usable. Led by ITU, with support from IFRC, UNDP, and WMO.
Preparedness and response ($US1 billion): Build national and community response capabilities. Led by IFRC, with support from Risk Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and World Food Programme(WFP).
Notes for Editors :
Background to the initiative
The Early Warnings ForAll Initiative (EW4All) was formally launched by the UN Secretary-General in November 2022 at the COP27 meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh.
The Initiative calls for the whole worldto be covered by an early warning system by the end of 2027.
Early Warnings for All is co-led by WMO and UNDRR and supported by pillar leads ITU and IFRC. Implementing partners are:FAO, OCHA, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, REAP, and WFP.
The Advisory Panel will monitorand report on the progress against the achievement of the goal to the UN Secretary-General, and has the following objectives:
Assess progress of the Early Warnings for All initiative against its goals and targets
Build political and overall momentum and support for the Early Warnings for All initiative
Provide overall recommendations for the mobilization of resources, and
Monitor scientific and technical development related to early warning systems
Membership of Advisory Panel
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General
Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition
Petteri Taalas, WMO Secretary-General
Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction
Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary-General
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary-General
Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator
Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director
SimaBahous, UN Women Executive Director
Rabab Fatima, USG, Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS
Oscar Fernández-Taranco, ASG Development Coordination Office (UNDCO)
Martin Griffiths, USG/OCHA
Yannick Glemarec, GCF Executive Director
Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft
Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA
Michel Lies, Chair of the Insurance Development Forum
MsTasneem Essop, Executive Director of Climate Action Network ,Climate Action Network
JoyeNajm Mendez, Youth Representative, SG’s Youth Advisory Group
Prof. Anthony Nyong, Director, Climate Change and Green Growth, African Development Bank
H.E Sameh Shoukry COP 27 President
H.E. DrSultanAl Jaber, COP 28 Presidentdesignate
Media contacts:
In Geneva:Anna Tuson, +41 79 895 6924, [email protected]
In Washington: Marie Claudet, +1 202 999 8689, [email protected]
Geneva/Ankara/Damascus, 03 March 2023 – Nearly one month since two devastating earthquakes struck Türkiye and Syria, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns of the urgent need of a sustainable short- and long-term response to the health and mental health and psychosocial needs to prevent a “second disaster”.
Since day one, the Turkish Red Crescent and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent with the IFRC support, have been meeting the immediate humanitarian needs in the hardest hit areas, including the distribution of food, clean water, hygiene items, winter clothing, blankets and the provision of first aid, health care and sanitation services. But one month into the response, scaling up mental health services is crucial.
The demand for mental health and psychosocial support and health care is immense, and in some areas where access is difficult, it can put the most affected at even higher risk of developing medium- and long-term mental health challenges that can hinder recovery and resilience.
The earthquakes have rocked survivors to their very core. Entire communities are suffering after losing everything from their loved ones to homes, jobs and many sentimental belongings they own. Moreover, many caregivers and first responders are struggling to cope with what they’ve seen in addition to the exhausting workload and secondary trauma.
In Türkiye, Red Crescent teams have set up safe spaces offering mental health and psychosocial support for children to play, supporting over 42,000 people, including first responders and health workers. They also provide psychological first aid and offer referrals to local health facilities.
“Responding from the local level, with both mobile and fixed units, is what allows the Turkish Red Crescent and IFRC to respond immediately to the physical and mental health needs of those most affected. A localised and early health and mental health response is and will continue to be essential to prevent negative long-term and even permanent effects on people's lives”, said Lauren Clarke, IFRC health coordinator for the humanitarian response in Türkiye.
In Syria, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent teams have supported over 30,000 people with psychological first aid, especially children and continue to provide healthcare and medicines through mobile health units, and physical rehabilitation programs and clinics. The earthquake comes after nearly 12 years of conflict that has already displaced millions and traumatised many communities.
“Many of the damages caused by the earthquake are not visible. People have suffered more than a decade of conflict which has already affected their mental health and wellbeing. This earthquake adds another layer to that. We also have seen that psychological wounds won’t always appear right away. That is why we need to provide continuous support, not only right now but for years to come. Hopefully, there will not be another disaster that would complicate the situation even further”, said Gwendolen Eamer, IFRC Health Coordinator in Syria.
The IFRC Emergency Appeals for 650 million Swiss francs will support the Turkish Red Crescent and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to continue scaling up their humanitarian response and recovery efforts over the next two years in what is one of the most challenging earthquake responses recently faced by the global Red Cross Red Crescent network.
For more information or to coordinate an interview, please contact:
[email protected] or +41 79 708 4367
Note to editors
In Syria, Syrian Arab Red Crescent teams have also distributed more than 1.2 million relief items, such as winter clothes, food, clean water, hygiene articles, and they have provided sanitation services, as these are key to prevent outbreaks such as diarrhea, respiratory and skin infections, COVID-19 and other viral diseases.
In parallel, the Palestine Red Crescent in Syria together with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent continue to deliver aid, including food distribution, ambulances and medical services, focusing mainly on the Palestinian camps in Aleppo and Latakia.
In close coordination with the health authorities, the Turkish Red Crescent is also providing health care through seven mobile clinics in hard-hit rural areas and temporary shelters. Where markets are functioning, they have distributed more than 140,000 cash vouchers, helping to empower survivors by restoring their agency, and giving them the freedom and control to meet their needs in the way they prefer. Turkish Red Crescent volunteers have also distributed over 94 million hot meals.
Suva, 23 February 2023 – The escalating impact from climate hazards will destroy decades of development progress in the Pacific if there is not a major shift from disaster response to anticipatory action, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) concluded during this week’s Red Cross Pacific Leaders Meeting in Suva, Fiji.
Pacific island states make up the majority of countries that suffer the highest relative losses – between 1 percent and 9 percent of their GDP – from the impact of natural hazards.
Katie Greenwood, IFRC’s Pacific Head of Delegation, said:
“We have a lot of humanitarian challenges in the Pacific which we need to address together as a region and not only as the Red Cross in each country.
Climate change and disasters are all constantly affecting our region in some shape or form. We need to ensure resources, financing, and knowledge to address the challenges of climate change are available to be able to better anticipate how we can prepare and respond.
To effectively manage the risks of disasters, we need to focus on investing in disaster response as well as resilience building actions ahead of disasters which also supports risk-informed development. As a result, we can minimise the human and economic losses that can set back a country’s development progress."
Climate change is exacerbating underlying vulnerabilities which will continue to degrade livelihoods and resilience as the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as cyclones and floods are set to increase in the coming decades.
Further compounded with longer term, severe events such as droughts, sea level rise, king tides and saltwater intrusion, the Red Cross must lead, with their communities across the Pacific, on anticipation and preparedness for the changing nature of disaster impact.
“More must be done in terms of anticipatory action, adaptation, and preparedness, to save lives and livelihoods.”
The Red Cross in the Pacific are Australian Red Cross, Cook Islands Red Cross, Fiji Red Cross, Kiribati Red Cross, Marshall Islands Red Cross, Micronesia Red Cross, New Zealand Red Cross, Palau Red Cross, Papua New Guinea Red Cross, Samoa Red Cross, Solomon Islands Red Cross, Tonga Red Cross, Tuvalu Red Cross and Vanuatu Red Cross.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
In Suva: Soneel Ram, +679 9983 688, [email protected]
Malawi, 25 January 2023—Malawi is currently facing its worst cholera outbreak in two decades, with over 29,000 cases reported and more than 900 people dead. The Malawi Red Cross, in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and in-country partners—Danish Red Cross-led consortium and Swiss Red Cross—is scaling up its cholera response to assist over two million people.
Since the first recorded case in February 2022, cases have continued to spread, with all 29 districts affected. Cholera is now putting over 10 million people at risk, including more than five million children.
“Malawi Red Cross Society is committed to continue supporting the Government of Malawi in responding to the cholera outbreak and other health emergencies. We are grateful to the IFRC and other Movement partners for continued finance and technical assistance to the MRCS Cholera response plan,” said McBain Kanongodza, Secretary General for the Malawi Red Cross Society.
According to the Malawi Ministry of Health’s cholera update on 22 January 2023, over 29,364 cases and 960 fatalities were reported, leaving the fatality rate at 3.27 per cent, which is considerably higher than the acceptable rate of less than 1 per cent set by WHO.
The Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) is already providing lifesaving treatment at the community level by administering Oral Rehydration Therapy. Volunteers ensure that water supplies are safe and that sanitation facilities are working. They also go door-to-door to raise awareness on preventing the disease from spreading. With the rainy season underway, it is crucial that people take precautions to protect themselves and their families.
“We have been monitoring the developments on the ground since the first cases, and we are deeply concerned that this outbreak has taken a foothold in every corner of Malawi. We need to support the joint efforts of the MOH and Malawi Red Cross in their response to this devastating situation. As the outbreak worsens, partnerships are crucial to ensure lives are saved,” said John Roche, Head of IFRC’s Delegation for Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The IFRC and its membership are launching an Emergency Appeal seeking 5.2 million Swiss francs, which will help the Malawi Red Cross reach a further 1,385,391 people in need of assistance. Malawi Red Cross and its partners with the IFRC aim to target 15 affected districts, with the core objectives being to prevent and control the spread of the outbreak, reduce morbidity and mortality due to cholera and improve the availability of safe water and sanitation facilities, through continued support to communities and district health offices.
For more information, please contact:
In Lilongwe: Felix Washon, +265 999 95 57 21, [email protected]
In Harare: Ella Mcsharry, +263 78 689 3350, [email protected]
In Nairobi: Euloge Ishimwe, +254 731 688 613, [email protected]
In Geneva: Marie Claudet, +1 202 999 8689, [email protected]
Geneva, 9 December 2022– The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) welcomes the UN Security Council’s landmark resolution protecting humanitarian action in countries where UN sanctions apply.
This resolution will facilitate the timely delivery of life-saving and timely support to people living in the most fragile and vulnerable environments.
“This landmark resolution is critical in that it helps to reduce the needs of millions of people impacted by the multiple ongoing crises around the world. It will facilitate the work of the IFRC and its network of 192-member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to deliver timely humanitarian assistance to communities who need it the most,” said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the IFRC.
The legally binding decision is unprecedented for National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and will help them to continue providing aid to the communities they serve and save lives. However, it is only a first step.
“States must now give effect to this exemption in their domestic systems so that humanitarian actors can scale up support to communities where needs are and in particular in situations where UN sanctions apply,” remarked Mr. Chapagain.
To request an interview or for more information, please contact:
In Washington: Marie Claudet, +1 202 999 8689, [email protected]
In response to the Sharm El-Sheikh Implementation Plan, a statement by President Francesco Rocca and Secretary General Jagan Chapagain of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC):
While leaders have been meeting at COP27 for the past two weeks, families are dealing with the very real impacts of extreme weather—unable to wait for promises to transform into action.
Over the past two weeks, the IFRC’s risk watch system put out alerts for some 14 floods in Africa, 18 in the Americas, 35 in Asia Pacific, five in the European Union and two in the MENA region. During this period, four named tropical storms threatened destruction. Wildfires have ripped through communities in ten countries, affecting more than 10,000 hectares. And on Friday, at least three people died as the result of floods in Kigali, Rwanda and 11 in Venezuela. In Ethiopia 185,000 people were displaced. Communities in Africa and Afghanistan continue to grapple with food insecurity, which are alarming compounding crises.
Loss and Damage landed on the COP agenda for the first time, and today world leaders have agreed to the establishment of new funding arrangements assisting developing nations, especially those most at-risk of the adverse effects of climate change. We welcome the finance pledges which have been made on Loss and Damage, which are historically important conversations and positive steps forward. These need to be complemented by new and additional finance that reaches the people and communities most at risk – and to be predictable, adequate, and flexible in order to address climate related crisis.
We are pleased to see the agreement to operationalize the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage to provide crucial technical assistance to reduce and respond to the impacts communities are already facing. However, we must raise our ambition to reduce emissions and this COP did not deliver on that front. Every increment of global warming matters to save lives and livelihoods, and is therefore critical to keep global temperatures below the 1.5C degrees warming limit.
We welcome the focus on Early Warning Systems in the Sharm El-Sheikh Implementation Plan, which reflects realities at the frontlines of the climate crisis that the IFRC has been bringing to the fore for over two decades. Reducing risk and saving lives, especially in last mile communities, is what our teams around the globe do every single day and it is heartening to see this work being expanded. To be most effective, early warnings must be followed by early action and these systems must be rooted in the communities—including those hardest to reach and families stuck in protracted crises.
As the humanitarian impacts of climate change keep growing, so too should the finance for adaptation, ensuring it reaches the most affected and most at-risk. As the legacy of the “implementation COP,” global investment needs to reach the local level.
It is time to turn words and commitments into action at the national level, to bring the agreement to life and make a real difference in the lives of people and communities most impacted by the climate crisis.
As the IFRC network, we are committed to scaling up local action to respond to the climate crisis, working with communities to build preparedness and resilience in face of rising risks and impacts.
Climate and environmental crises are a threat to humanity and we all have a role to play. Now we must look forward with focused determination and hope.
Our collective actions can inspire ambition we need to see in the world.
Media contacts:
In Geneva: Jenelle Eli, +1 202 603 6803,[email protected]
Geneva, 1 November 2022 – No region in the world is spared from the devastating impacts of the climate crisis, but the communities most vulnerable to its effects are getting the least help.
New data from the world’s largest humanitarian network shows that none of the globe's 30 most vulnerable countries are among the 30 highest recipients of adaptation funding per capita.
At COP27, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will call on world leaders to cut greenhouse gas emissions and significantly scale up funding to enable the most vulnerable communities to adapt and cope with the catastrophic impacts they are already facing.
Francesco Rocca, IFRC President said:
“Our planet is in crisis and climate change is killing the most at-risk. COP27 will fail if world leaders do not support communities who are on the frontlines of climate change. Families who are losing loved ones, homes or livelihoods cannot afford to wait for vague promises or weak commitments.”
“To save lives now and in the future, we need political action and concrete changes that prioritize the communities most at risk and help them become more resilient. The climate crisis is here now, and we need to protect those worst affected.”
Science is now alarmingly clear on the humanitarian impacts of climate change. IFRC data shows that in the last 10 years, 86% of all disasters triggered by natural hazards were caused by weather and climate-related events, killing at least 410,000 people and affecting a further 1.7 billion. The 2022 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report showed for the first time that climate change is already contributing to humanitarian crises, with an estimated 3.3-3.6 billion people living in contexts vulnerable to climate change.
Caroline Holt, Director of Disaster, Climate, and Crises at the IFRC remarked:
“Increasing adaptation funding is critical to help countries address climate change’s impacts and prepare for the future, but the new IFRC analysis demonstrates that the funding isn’t getting to places and communities who need it most. Climate adaptation funding per person averages less than 1 CHF per person in countries where vulnerability is highest.”
Somalia – where extreme droughts have brought the country to the brink of famine – was ranked highest for climate vulnerability but ranked only 64th for adaptation funding in 2020*. Somalia received less than a dollar per person in climate change adaptation each year, while the Central African Republic received less than two cents.
According to Maarten Van Aalst, Director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, when communities are given the tools to prepare for and anticipate climate risks, they can prevent extreme weather events from becoming disasters. Van Aalst points out that the world must also step up efforts to tackle the losses and damages already experienced by people on the frontline of the climate crisis.
Notes to editors:
View photos and videos with proper credit on IFRC ShaRED.
National Red Cross Red Crescent Societies not only respond to disasters when they occur, but also play a critical role in preventing hazards such as floods and heatwaves from becoming disasters. Working at the front lines in communities before, during and after disasters, they know what is needed to respond to climate crises and help communities prevent and adapt to the rising risks of climate change. The IFRC aims to support member National Societies to reach 250 million people each year with climate adaptation and mitigation services to reduce suffering and vulnerability.
* Climate Vulnerability is determined based on a combination of ND-GAIN and INFORM Index analysis of long term and short-term climate vulnerability. ND-GAIN quantifies national vulnerability to climate disruptions, while also assessing a country’s readiness to leverage investment for adaptive actions. Vulnerability is calculated as a combination of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity, while readiness incorporates economic, governance and social components. The INFORM index quantifies national disaster risk based on historical exposure to hazards, vulnerability and coping capacity.
For more information or to arrange an interview:
In Washington: Marie Claudet, +1 202 999 8689, [email protected]
In Geneva: Jenelle Eli, +1 202 603 6803, [email protected]