Disaster preparedness

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IFRC at COP29: Everyone deserves ample warning before disasters strike

Baku, Azerbaijan (13 November 2024) – With unprecedented flooding, storms and heatwaves taking an ever-greater toll on communities around the world, the IFRC has joined key UN climate agenciesin sounding the alarm about a critical, but too often overlooked, front-line defence against the climate crisis: early warning and early action.The call came during a high-level event at COP29 that aimed to take stock of the progress made so far byEarly Warnings for All(EW4All), an initiative spearheaded by the United Nations. The initiative aims to scale up early warning and early action in countries most impacted by climate-related emergencies.As the global lead for Pillar 4 of the initiative — “Preparedness to respond to warnings” — the IFRC is working with the UN and a wide range of other EW4All partners to ensure that everyone on earth is protected by early warning systems by 2027.The high-level meeting convened the four pillar co-leads, including theWorld Meteorological Organization (WMO), theUN Office on Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), theInternational Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the IFRC, as well as government representatives, humanitarian and environmental organizations, private-financing groups, and other key partners and supporters.Addressing the gathering, IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain said the world must not only increase funding for early warning, but also ensure investment reaches the local level, ensuring that communities most effected by the climate crises get the support they need."From satellites to sandbags, we’re building a seamless line of defence against climate risks,” Chapagain told the gathering. “Technology brings us early warnings from above, but it's the communities on the ground — filling sandbags and building resilience — who truly make these systems work.”The organizations represented at the meeting noted that the campaign is making progress, but they agreed that governments and finance organizations gathered at COP29 must deliver new climate finance goals to ensure the countries and communities most vulnerable to climate are adequately supported.UN Secretary General, António Guterres,who convened the event, noted that while the climate crisis impacts everyone, many countries suffer disproportionate consequences. One example is the increasing intensity of heatwaves.“This is on track to be the hottest year in the history books,” Guterres noted. “It has scorched countries and communities with temperatures that push the limits of human endurance. And around the world, we’ve seen record rains and hurricanes, historic fires, and deadly droughts.”“In this era of climate catastrophe, early warning systems and protection from extreme heat are not luxuries. They are necessities.”Beyond that, he noted, they are a sound investment, providing an almost ten-fold return, with standard occupational safety measures responding to extreme heat saving a potential US$360 billion a year. This sentiment was echoed by COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev, who cited estimates that investment in early warnings could avert losses of up to US $16 billion per year.Global Status of Multi-Hazard Early Warning SystemsThe good news is that, according to this year’s report on theGlobal Status of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS), the world is at its highest levels of reported early warning coverage since 2015.Conversely, there continues to be a disproportionate impact of disasters on different countries. The report shows that countries with less comprehensive MHEWS have a disaster-related mortality ratio that is nearly six times higher than that of countries with ‘substantial’ to ‘comprehensive’ coverage, and nearly four times more disaster-affected people.“Progress remains uneven. Half of the countries in Africa and only 40 per cent of countries in the Americas and the Caribbean have reported the existence of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems,” the report found. “But even among countries with such systems, many still have gaps in one or more of the four pillars: risk knowledge, forecasting and detection, warning dissemination, and early action.”Thirty countries were initially prioritized for fast-track action by the EW4ALL, but this has now been expanded. At the same time, new partners, including the private sector, are being brought on board to ensure broader reach and impact.The need is urgent. Modelled estimates show that between 2000 and 2019, approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths occurred each year, with 45 per cent of these in Asia and 36 per cent in Europe. Worldwide, the official diagnosis and reporting of heat-related illness, injuries and deaths are recognized to be under-reported.The WHO and WMO estimate that the global scale-up of heat health-warning systems for 57 countries alone has the potential to save an estimated 98,314 lives per year.IFRC: invest in communities most impactedWhat does that investment in prevention look like on the ground? For the IFRC, which is leading on the preparedness pillar of the initiative, the key to success lies in matching investments in early warning with the capacity of local organizations to act on those warnings. This means making investments in building up local systems, capacities and community preparedness to expand coverage of early and anticipatory action.Addressing this need for investment, Chapagain also gave an overview of IFRC’s 5-year ambition for extreme heat through theGlobal Climate Resilience Platform, aiming to reach 100 million people in 100 cities, mobilizing 500 million CHF.The IFRC is also calling for greater investment in multi-sector local action for cities and communities to reduce heat risk. This includes heat action plans, shock-responsive social protection systems and nature-based solutions that help communities better adapt and reduce risks. All relevant partners also need to work together to define triggers, update regulations, and raise awareness.The IFRC and its network of 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are well placed to play a key role in the EW4ALL.“Our mission with Early Warnings for All is to connect global resources with local action,” Chapagain concluded, “so that every community, no matter how remote, is prepared for what lies ahead."

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Press release

Early warning systems only way to begin tackling unprecedented number of Philippines typhoons

Manila/ Kuala Lumpur/ Geneva, 18 November:Six tropical typhoons have hit the Philippines in a month in an unprecedented pattern of extreme weather, not seen since records in the Pacific basin began in 1951. While the overall impact caused by the latest Super Typhoon Man-Yi (local name Pepito) is still being assessed, the previous five typhoons - Trami (Kristine), Kong-Rey (Leon), Yin-Xing (Marce), Toraji (Nika) and Usagi (Ofel) - have already caused extensive destruction across the region, bringing torrential rains, landslides, widespread flooding and damage to infrastructure and livelihoods, stretching local resources to their maximum. Over 1.4 million displaced people have faced limited access to water, sanitation, nutrition and health care. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is urgently appealing for more aid, increasing its initialEmergency Appeal for 7.5 million Swiss Francs, launched for Typhoon Trami, to 9 million Swiss Francs with the aim of enabling the Philippine Red Cross to widen its scope of assistance to over 86,000 people in the 12 most impacted provinces by allsix typhoons.Dr. Gwendolyn Pang, Secretary General of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), said: “While providing lifesaving support, we have initiated early actions to help at-risk communities to reduce damage. But no one can be well prepared for such an unprecedented number of storms in this short span of time. We need help to reduce the humanitarian impacts of these typhoons.” She also pointed out that the PRC has been responding to disasters from the beginning, alongside local authorities, to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable communities.Gopal Mukherjee, Programme Coordinator and IFRC Acting Head of Delegation for the Philippines highlighted the urgent need for more aid as local resources are stretched thin, including that of the Philippine Red Cross:“Already the recovery of impacted communities is interrupted by these typhoons and their compounding effects. The humanitarian situation is worsening as Super Typhoon Man-Yi is making its impact,” he added.For more information or to request an interview, please contact: [email protected] In Kuala Lumpur: Lili Chin: +60 162340872In Geneva: Hannah Copeland, +41 76 236 91 09

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Season of floods: Youth in Fiji help their communities prevent the damage caused by climate change

“Strange,” Seru says tersely.“The weather that we are supposed to be experiencing at this time of the year should be dry and sunny instead it is wet and cold.”Seru Ramakita, 61, was born and raised in the village of Navuevu – a two-hour drive from Suva, the capital city of Fiji.“As a result of the continuous rain, we are now experiencing flooding. This is the first time in 50 years that the village has experienced flooding.”Home to over 300 hundred people, Navuevu village is grappling with one of the many challenges of life with climate change.As Seru looks out over the water, the midday sun is blanketed by dark clouds as a slight ray of sunshines peeks through a cleft in the clouds. The rustle of the coconut leaves brings back memories, some familiar, some new.“Even during past cyclones, we did not experience flooding,” he says. “The flooding has affected our root crops.”The crops ended up getting submerged in water hence affected their growth. “Now we have no choice but to move our farm to higher ground”, Seru says“As a result of the saltwater inundation due to the flooding, our root crops such as cassava are not able to grow properly, and all our hard work has gone to waste.”In this series, we explore how communities are working to reduce the risks of weather-related crises even even as they are busy helping people recover from the last devastating disaster.Robin Kaiwalu, 33, is a Fiji Red Cross youth volunteer who also resides in Navuevu village, has been affected by the recent floods.“The flooding reached up to my knee and my whole plantation was under water.”“All my crops are damaged including plantain, cassava, taro. Not only do we depend on this for food, but we also sell it as a source of income."Before joining the Y-Adapt program, Robin was an unemployed youth who focused on his family and hobbies like rugby. When he joined the Y-Adapt program, he realized there was a lot to learn through the Fiji Red Cross programs, which motivated him to become a volunteer. He has been volunteering for five months now.WHAT IS Y-ADAPTY-Adapt is a youth-based training program designed to educate, engage and inspire young people to take action and become climate change leaders in their communities. It also builds climate resilience through increased technical understanding and planning skills to take climate action.Over 60 youths have participated in the Y-Adapt program. About 70 per cent of them were unemployed or had dropped out of school. However, some are now pursuing vocational studies, while others have found employment in hotels or are seeking jobs.Through collective action and collaboration, the youth can leverage their diverse ideas, skills, and perspectives to tackle climate change challenges effectively.Fiji Red Cross Society, with support from Japanese Red Cross and IFRC, has been able to train the youth volunteers in Navuevu and equip them with knowledge, skills and resources to address the issue of flooding in the village.In the village, any activity must be approved at a village meeting before proceeding. The youths consulted the village headman to help present their action plan at the meeting, where it was subsequently approved.To ensure active participation, the youths organized a garbage drive along their coastal area and within the village. The drive saw a good turnout, including stakeholders like hotels, the police, the Provincial Council, Disability Associations, and villagers, resulting in the collection of over 150 kg of rubbish.Since most youths were unemployed and needed bus fare and funding for necessary documentation, the village collectively agreed to cover these expenses to support the youth group's initiatives.The village was pleased to see the youths working together to achieve their goals.“After consultations with the village head and the elders, we decided that we came to the conclusion that we needed to construct rubbish bins to help with proper disposal of rubbish,” says Robin.Buying a large bin to accommodate the village's population is very expensive for the youths and involves a lengthy process through the Town Council and Provincial Office before it can be installed in the village. The youths were encouraged to keep their activities low-cost, achievable, and within a set timeframe, so they decided to construct their own bin.“This way the rubbish would not block the drains and the next time it rains; the water will not overflow into the village,” says Robin.“We are very grateful and appreciative to Fiji Red Cross for implementing this program in our village,” says Seru.The tremendous support of the community members, particularly the families of the youth participants, has been instrumental in driving the success of the Y Adapt program in Navuevu.The encouragement and backing received from within the village highlight the value placed on youth-led initiatives that aim to address local environmental challenges and contribute to community well-being.“It is very heartening to see our youths, the future leaders of tomorrow, taking the lead in helping their very own communities with such initiatives," says Seru.“The Y-Adapt Program stands as a beacon of hope and progress in the fight against climate change, demonstrating the power of youth empowerment and collective action in creating sustainable and resilient communities,” says Robin.“For now, we will continue to plant our crops on higher grounds and another goal is to set up an evacuation centre for the village so that when it floods the next time, families are able to seek shelter at this centre.”Text bySoneel Ram (IFRC) with editing by Rachel Punitha (IFRC) | Photos: Kurt Petersen (Petersen Fotography) and Fiji Red Cross Society.

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Press release

IFRC calls for local level investment to scale up early warning systems in disaster response

Manila, Philippines – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, disaster risk reduction practitioners, governments, civil society and other international organisations met in Manila last week at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024. The event brought together these key stakeholders to share knowledge and accelerate action towards a resilient global future.This year’s theme, ‘Eyes on 2030: Enhancing Ambition in Asia-Pacific to Accelerate Disaster Risk Reduction’, strongly aligns with IFRC’s long-standing commitment to improving disaster preparedness and community resilience across the region.In collaboration with the IFRC, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) also aims to showcase the power of locally-led action and anticipatory approaches, emphasising the importance of inclusive and sustainable solutions to reduce disaster risks. As the Asia-Pacific area remains one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world, the participation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement at APMCDRR is crucial to driving forward local initiatives that build safer, more resilient communities.The IFRC, which serves as a global leader in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response, supports PRC and 37 other National Societies in Asia Pacific in promoting community resilience, disaster law, early warning systems, and gender-responsive disaster governance. The IFRC will advocate for stronger policies that integrate DRR into national and local development plans and sustainable financing mechanisms ensuring that women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities are at the heart of these efforts.During the event, the Secretary General of Maldivian Red Crescent, Fathimath Himya, was announced as one of the finalists for the Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN DRR) Excellence Award. Nominees are celebrated for their exceptional professional success in disaster risk reduction, representing the expertise and experiences needed to find solutions to understanding, preventing, and reducing the increasing disaster risk in the most disaster-prone region of the world. Throughout the conference, under the fourth pillar of the Early Warning For All initiative by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the IFRC co-leads discussions and shares best practice in DRR, focusing on anticipatory action together with the World Meteorological Organisation and International Telecommunication Union.In addition to its contribution to DRR policy discussions, the IFRC leverages the APMCDRR as an opportunity to reinforce partnerships with governments, donors and other stakeholders, with the goal of increasing funding for locally-led disaster resilience programmes. The IFRC also co-hosted a series of side events focusing on anticipatory action and the role of women in leadership in disaster risk reduction.Looking Ahead: APMCDRR and the Road to GenevaThe outcomes of APMCDRR 2024 will feed into broader global efforts to enhance disaster risk reduction. The commitments made in Manila will be vital in shaping discussions at the upcoming Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will take place in Geneva in June 2025. The Geneva conference will build on the outcomes of regional platforms like APMCDRR, further aligning them with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Juja Kim, Deputy Regional Director for the IFRC who was also in Manila, said:"The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather and climate events poses severe humanitarian challenges that are already affecting millions of lives and livelihoods around the world. What we achieve at APMCDRR will resonate globally, including at the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva at the end of October, where we, together with States, are set to pass important resolutions regarding locally-led action, disaster law, and anticipatory action addressing extreme climate and weather events. Anticipatory action saves lives and livelihoods and massively reduces the need for post-disaster reaction. Some estimates suggest that 95% of people who might otherwise need post-disaster humanitarian aid would not need it if the right anticipatory action is taken in advance. So together, we must ensure that disaster risk reduction is fully integrated into every level of policy and planning.”About APMCDRR 2024Hosted by the Government of the Philippines in partnership with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) is the region’s largest gathering on disaster risk reduction. The event aims to review DRR efforts, share innovative solutions, and commit to accelerated action toward reducing disaster risk in the world’s most disaster-prone region.For media inquiries please contact: [email protected] Manila/Kuala Lumpur: Afrhill Frances, IFRC Regional Communications Manager, +60 19 271 3641

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IFRC and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center strengthen partnership to boost disaster resilience across Asia

Manila, Philippines, October 2024 – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) have reaffirmed their long-standing commitment to enhancing disaster resilience across Asia by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).This partnership marks a significant milestone, building on over four decades of collaboration to safeguard vulnerable communities from the increasing threat of disasters in the region.The MoU was signed during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024, underscoring the urgency of addressing complex and frequent disasters that continue to impact the region.The renewed partnership aims to strengthen disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts, with a particular focus on capacity building, community-based disaster risk management, and advancing innovative solutions for early warning systems.Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Hans Guttman, Executive Director of ADPC, expressed his gratitude to IFRC for their unwavering support. “Together, we can harness our resources, expertise, and passion to create a more prepared and resilient future. This partnership will empower us to enhance our response capabilities, share best practices, and ultimately save lives,” Guttman emphasized.The IFRC’s longstanding tradition of volunteerism has played a critical role in disaster preparedness and response efforts, mobilizing thousands of volunteers across Asia to provide lifesaving assistance in times of crisis. The new MoU reinforces this tradition by promoting community resilience and empowering local actors to take the lead in safeguarding their communities.“This partnership with ADPC is a continuation of our shared mission to support local and national disaster preparedness capacities. By working together,we can ensure that communities are better equipped to face new climate risks,” said Juja Kim, IFRC’s Deputy Regional Director for Asia Pacific, at the ceremony.The collaboration between IFRC and ADPC has a rich history, dating back to the late 1980s. Over the years, the two organizations have worked hand-in-hand to support National Societies and governments across South and Southeast Asia. Their efforts have contributed to the development of technical tools for community-based disaster risk management, multi-hazard early warning systems, and collaborative initiatives to reduce the impact of disasters on vulnerable populations.As part of their continued partnership, IFRC and ADPC will focus on several key areas, including the strengthening of disaster management networks, enhancing research and knowledge-sharing, and supporting the institutional capacities of national disaster management organizations (NDMOs) and Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The MoU also aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, ensuring that the partnership contributes to global goals of reducing disaster risk and building resilience.The signing of this MoU represents a pivotal step toward a safer and more resilient Asia. As the region continues to face the escalating risks of natural hazards, the collaboration between IFRC and ADPC will serve as a crucial foundation for enhancing preparedness and protecting communities at risk.

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Behind the scenes: ‘The new normal’ means the job of getting ready for disaster never ends

Central Europe is experiencing its biggest floods in decades. But that is only the latest round ofclimate-related phenomena — from heat and cold waves, to storms, wildfires and landslides — that have pushed many communities to the breaking point.As some worry this is becoming ‘the new normal’, those whose job it is to protect people from these emergencies say preparing for multiple, overlapping crisis will become more important than ever.“As Europe is warming much faster than the rest of the world, floods are occurring more frequently and with more unpredictability,”says Andreas von Weissenberg, the IFRC’s Head of Health, Disasters, Climate and Crises in Europe. “Scaling up climate adaptation action and strengthening preparedness is a must.”But what does that mean in a region already dealing with an international conflict, mass migration, an increase in communicable diseases, continuedrisk of earthquakes,as well as human-induced disasters such as industrial and transportation accidents?For Red Cross and RedCrescent National Societies, it means continuing to play a key role in helping people and communities prepare for future crisis, even while responding to ongoing emergencies.“Europe and Central Asia is a large and complex region that is facing an unprecedented escalation in several types of hazards, in addition to the risk of recurrent and severe flooding,” saysMegan Krolik, IFRC’s National Society Preparedness Coordinator for Europe.Even as communities struggle to recover from floods, wildfires or earthquakes, they must also be thinking about — and getting ready for — whatever comes next. As part of these affected communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies must address these challenges head on.“It is more important than ever to ensure that we have the necessary skills, resources, and capacities to effectively manage domestic disaster responses, as well as the larger, cross-border humanitarian crises, both of which are becoming more and more frequent,” Krolik says.‘Sustainable preparedness’National Societies impacted by the Ukraine conflict have seen first-hand the need to scale up their own institutional preparedness.“In the past year of the emergency response operation in Ukraine and the impacted countries, the operational preparedness of National Societies has become a clear priority,”says Krolik, adding that the lessons learned from this experience are being turned into operational analyses that enable National Societies to make a high level of preparedness sustainable over the long term.In addition, operational reviews required as part of IFRC’s funding mechanisms help the IFRC and National Societies analyze hazards and challenges, as well as the capacity of each National Society, and then develop the best possible preparedness strategies.The IFRC has also been working with National Societies on a range of preparedness efforts across Europe and Central Asia:• The creation of 11 new Emergency Operation Centres to help coordinate regional responses.• The launch of a new platform, called X-Stock, by five National Societies in southeastern Europe, for managing warehouse space and relief supplies in real time.• The participations of more National Societies in regional and national emergency simulations.• Scaling up of disaster response team training on many aspects of emergency response.The Slovak Red Cross is one of the National Societies going through this preparedness transformation.“Over the past two and a half years, we have witnessed an influx of displaced people from Ukraine,” saysKatarína Rakická, Operations Manager at the Slovak Red Cross (SRC). “The SRC has been engaged in the provision of support and services for the displaced population that was transiting through the country, as well as for those who have decided to stay and settle down.” Due to the complex situation, there is a renewed commitment to National Society strengthening.“We have prioritized disaster preparedness and have developed a work plan to strengthen our response capacity, with a particular emphasis on migration,” Katarína states.The Slovak Red Cross is not the only National Society in the region putting its response capacity to the test.The Lithuanian Red Cross has a highly skilled staff and a willingness to further develop its disaster management team. But prior to the Ukraine conflict, it had never been involved in such a large-scale emergency response.“The arrival of migrants and refugees from Ukraine has provided the Lithuanian Red Cross with significant experience in handling emergencies," notes Eray Atay, IFRC’s Senior Preparedness Officer in Europe. "This situation has helped them develop their operations, expand their teams, and enhance their response capacities.”A shared concernNow the Lithuanian Red Cross, along with other European National Societies, is going even further by developing contingency planning for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) events. This is particularly relevant due to the proximity of a nuclear power plant to the Lithuanian border.“This concern is shared by other National Societies in the Baltic region and in Central Europe,” Eray says. “This is due to the presence of numerous nuclear and chemical plants, and the potential for accidents or conflict-related incidents.”CBRN preparedness is a key topic in the Preparedness for Effective Response (PER) workshops which the IFRC is rolling out across the region.“Developing contingency plans tailored to each National Society's mandate and capacities is crucial,”Eray adds.“These plans help National Societies in the region to define their roles and responsibilities, ensuring they can effectively respond to various disaster scenarios that may impact their countries.” Sharing regional stockpilesThe COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted the need for regional preparedness, and in particular, cross-border stockpiling and transportation strategies, according to Nebojsa Medojevic, IFRC Disaster and Crisis Preparedness Delegate in Europe.This is one reason that five National Societies in the southeast European region created the X-Stock Platform for managing warehouse space on a regional basis.This helps them enhance cross-border emergency management through shared real-time management of emergency stock.“The X-STOCK platform was created as a virtual warehouse to improve regional preparedness, enabling real-time stock management and facilitating emergency relief”, he says.The fact that 11 European National Societies have establishedEmergency Operations Centers (EOCs) will also helpNational Societies strengthen crisis management, internal communication and data analysis, he adds.“EOCs have played a crucial role in monitoring and responding to emergencies,”according to Nebojsa. “Many National Societies have extended the concept to their field branches, based on exposure and vulnerability to potential future disasters.”

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Technology, education and trust: three keys to building community resilience today and tomorrow

Paraguay is a country known for its heat. In the summer, temperatures can reach up to 45 Cº, but with the climate crisis, thermometers can reach unimaginable levels.In the last 40 years, heat waves in the country have increased threefold and in communities such as Santa Ana and Barcelona II in the city of Asunción. This means more droughts and fires that threaten the wellbeing of the inhabitants.In addition to the extremes of summer, there are the extremes of winter. During the rainy season these same communities are often submerged by flooding, forcing many families to move temporarily to other neighbourhoods or areas of the country."We live on the banks of the Paraguay River and, at certain times, there is a lot of flooding and my community and others nearby are completely under water", says Domingo, a resident of Santa Ana. “In addition, there are many people who fill the land with rubbish and layers of soil that can easily become a source of fire.”.Even in the midst of adversity, these communities dream of a future in which climate resilience is not just a goal, but a way of understanding development and organising the lives of neighbourhoods, communities and entire countries.This dream, although it seems ambitious, could be possible thanks to initiatives such as the one that Paraguayan Red Cross, IFRC and Irish Aid are promoting in Paraguay. Expanding Early Warning and Early Action is a project that seeks to strengthen the capacities of communities to prepare for and respond to disasters, promoting long-term climate resilience.But what would Santa Ana and Barcelona II look like if they were 100 per cent climate-resilient communities?In the ideal future, people in these two places would not be exempt from the effects of disasters, but they would have the tools to anticipate them, act quickly and save their lives, the lives of their loved ones and their assets needed to continue their activities in the aftermath of a disaster."The early warning system will significantly modify the capacities of communities to respond to different disasters: floods, droughts, storms, or epidemics; and this is fundamental to generate interaction links in the different communities", says Hector Guex, Director of Programmes and Operations for the Paraguayan Red Cross.The road to that resilient future is already underway. According to Guex, the strategy proposed by the Paraguayan Red Cross is based on three components: the incorporation of technology; education; and the generation of trust through community participation mechanisms.Technology and Education: Pillars of preparednessIn a resilient community, the use of accessible technological tools would allow the whole community to receive information in real time, through the channels of their choice."To build the early warning system we have identified which communication channels people use, and from which sources they receive or could receive information about weather-related disasters that could affect the whole community", explains Jorge Olmedo, a Paraguayan Red Cross volunteer."For example, in the Divino Niño neighbourhood there is a community radio station that functions as the official channel to alert the community in case of a disaster".Education also plays a central role in the path to climate resilience. In the future we dream of, training in first aid and fire prevention would transform the population into agents of their own safety.Trust and community engagementTo reach this resilient future, collaboration between the Red Cross and communities is key to building trust and shared responsibility.“With the Red Cross volunteers, the first task we did was to assess the whole area, the families, the infrastructure and also a meeting with the entire community about what are the most frequent concerns and threats”, recalls Domingo, a neighbour and community leader in Santa Ana.After gathering this information, the community is organizing itself into committees that the Red Cross is advising on how to be alerted and prepared to respond to the arrival of a potential disaster.This cohesion not only improves early action, it also promotes collaboration and general well-being."Every time it rains we tell each other everything in the group chat because there are many houses where the roofs are blown off and then we go to help the family with the storm. When it rains we are already in alert", says Ruth, a resident of the Barcelona II community.Making health care and future dreams possibleIn resilient communities, health care would be a priority even in emergency situations, to ensure that, in the face of a flood, the community would have access to health care even if they have to mobilise to shelters."Our main action would be to get a mobile clinic to provide health care where the community is, so that they don't have to move, as that is the biggest difficulty in emergency situations", says Jorge Olmedo, a volunteer in the Asunción branch.Turning the resilient futures envisioned by the people of Santa Ana and Barcelona II into reality is a task that no community, no organization and no country can carry out on its own.Aware of this, the Paraguayan Red Cross and several public institutions co-organize a national platform for multi-sectoral dialogue on early warning and early action, integrated by representatives from civil society, the humanitarian sector, academia and the scientific community; and other organizations working in disaster risk management at the local or national level.This space promotes disaster risk awareness, detection, observation, monitoring, analysis and forecasting; dissemination and communication of warnings and the strengthening of emergency preparedness and response capacities."The climate crisis is leaving its mark on our lives and is a challenge that transcends generations", concludes Director of Programmes and Operations Hector Guex. "We need to set our sights and efforts on creating better conditions for future generations".Learn more about IFRC's Early Warning and Early Action initiatives:Early Warning, Early ActionEarly Warning for AllGlobal Climate Resilience ProgrammeAnticipation Hub

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Disaster Risk Reduction Day: Preparing for the future, today

As conflict in the Middle East escalates, Lebanon has been at the top of the news as the latest humanitarian crisis to unfold in an already complex region. The Lebanese Red Cross has been at the forefront of emergency response.For those whose job is to save lives during crisis, however, it’s also critical to keep an eye on what might be coming next. With winter coming, that means that there may be additional layers of suffering to address as temperatures drop and people — some displaced by the escalation in hostilities— face cold snaps and even snowstorms.This is why proactive approaches such as “anticipatory action” — beginning with response efforts based on forecasts, before weather events unfold — can be so critical. It not only helps to save lives, but it also helps emergency responders efficiently allocate resources among a range of dire humanitarian needs.It begins with monitoring the warning signs, such as weather forecasts or signs of disease outbreaks, to identify when a crisis might occur.Once the signs are detected, National Societies create detailed plans that outline what actions to take when the crisis does occur.“In Lebanon, anticipatory action has proven effective, especially during winter storms,” saysKassem Chaalan, Disaster Risk Reduction Director at the Lebanese Red Cross. “Ahead of a severe winter season with expected heavy snowfall in early 2024, the Lebanese Red Cross and partners took proactive measures.”“We used weather forecasts to alert communities allowing for early warnings to be issued to vulnerable communities,”he adds. “Moreover, we sent information and guidance to local communities on how to prepare for the storm, including advice on safeguarding their homes and ensuring personal safety.”This early action significantly reduced the negative impact of winter storms, saving lives and minimizing economic losses. The Lebanese Red Cross employed a similar approach during times of extreme heat as well.“This was also done during the hot summer season; actionable messages were disseminated during heat waves events in urban settings,”Chaalan says.Acting before floods occur in YemenIn Yemen, floods have been a regular occurrence during the past few years, devastating lives and livelihoods, and compounding an already dire situation.To reduce flood risks and protect lives, the Yemen Red Crescent Society is piloting an anticipatory action programme in Sana’a and Hadramout governorates, in coordination with meteorological and civil defence authorities, as well as relevant humanitarian organizations at both national and regional levels.The programme involves aSimplified Early Action Protocol (SEAP), which is the first to be developed in the IFRC’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In Yemen, SEAP is activated when heavy rainfall is forecast. The protocol includes simplified plans that allow the Yemen Red Crescent Society to act immediately and effectivelybefore floods occur, therefore preparing communities for worst-case scenarios.Anticipatory Action across the Middle East and North AfricaLebanon and Yemen are two of many countries in the MENA region that have unique vulnerabilities and challenges; these countries face a variety of crises, including natural disasters, climate change effects like wildfires, heatwaves and droughts, and ongoing geopolitical conflicts.These factors contribute to high levels of humanitarian needs, with many communities experiencing displacement and instability. This is where Anticipatory Action proves useful.For that reason, National Societies in the MENA region came together recently in Dubai during what was called the 1st MENA Dialogue Platform to establish a roadmap for Anticipatory Action in the region.“The MENA Dialogue Platform has been influential in enhancing our networking and collaboration,”adds Chaalan. “It allowed us at the Lebanese Red Cross to increase valuable connections with other humanitarian organizations, government agencies, and international partners, fostering essential collaborative efforts and information exchange for more effective crisis responses.“We gained crucial insights into best practices and innovative approaches from across the MENA region. Also, we advocated for and created linkages between different communities of practice, enhancing complementarity and increasing our collective impact. Given the rising frequency of hazards, this platform has underscored the importance of continuous learnings"By addressing vulnerabilities in advance, anticipatory action enhances the overall safety and well-being of communities, making it an essential strategy for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction.Learn more about anticipatory action in the IFRC network:Early warning, early actionDisaster and Crisis PreparednessAnticipatory Pillar of the IFRC's Disaster Response Emergency Fund

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‘We are ready’: For hospital workers in Southern Lebanon, years of training face another test as conflict arrives at their doorstep

The ongoing crisis in the Middle East, sparked by the Israel-Gaza conflict, has sent shockwaves throughout the region, affecting neighboring countries and communities far beyond the initial conflict zone.In the city of Sidon in Lebanon’s South Governorate, staff and volunteers at the Palestine Red Crescent Society’s Al-Hamshari hospital have been preparing for worst-case scenarios, as bombings occur regularly right on their doorstep and Lebanon’s southern region becomes increasingly affected by the escalation of hostilities.Al-Hamshari is one of two Palestine Red Crescent hospitals in south Lebanon, serving Palestinian refugees and people of all nationalities. It’s also the largest of all five PRCS hospitals in Lebanon, meaning it is a crucial healthcare facility, especially in times of conflict, when its services are needed the most.This volatile environment has compelled the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Lebanon to brace for a surge in need, mobilizing resources and being on full alert to respond to the unfolding crisis.“We have more than 300 volunteers and staff members who have been receiving trainings as part of our emergency plan,”says Dr. Ziad El Ainen, Director of Emergency and Ambulance service in the Palestine Red Crescent’s Lebanon branch.A significant part of that training has been done with the Lebanese Red Cross, which also has significant experience responding to mass casualty events. “[Hospital personnel] have been well trained by the Lebanese Red Cross to respond effectively in times of conflict,” El Ainen says.To bolster its capacity to respond effectively to the escalating conflict, PRCS’s Al-Hamshari hospital initiated a comprehensive training program, which encompassed a range of essential skills, including basic life support, advanced cardiac life support, emergency echocardiography, mass casualty triage, and advanced first aid techniques. These trainings equipped the hospital's personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to mitigate the impact of conflict-related injuries and ensure timely and appropriate medical intervention.One person who has benefited from these trainings and is geared up to serve his people, especially during this conflict, is 58-year-old Hossam Sabha, a first responder who has been with the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Lebanon for almost 40 years.“As the Emergency Medical Services unit in the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Lebanon, we have taken all necessary precautions and steps to respond to any emergency,” Hossam says.“We’ve completed our trainings, and we are ready to mobilize at any time. We have an emergency plan in place for the South and Beirut, and all our teams are on stand-by. We are not afraid."It’s not just Hossam who’s driven by a sense of humanity. His own daughter, Saja, has inherited her father’s fearlessness. The conflict will not stop her from delivering life-saving services, she says.“I’m not afraid at all. I come to the hospital every day because I want to help other people, including my colleagues,” says 22-year-old Saja, who volunteers at Al-Hamshari hospital and is studying to become a nurse. Volunteering, she reckons, is unlike anything she’s experienced.“When you volunteer, you’re exposed to so many people, you get to see what’s happening in the real world. There’s nothing quite like the look of gratitude and relief on a person’s face after you have provided them with the help that they need.”There is no shame in feeling afraid, however, and hospital volunteers and staff are also trained to support each other in coping with their emotional reactions to the events unfolding around them. Saja works closely with 20-year-old Nagham Chanaa – the youngest intern in Al-Hamshari hospital – who's pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor.Despite the stressful nature of her job and the country’s turbulent situation, Nagham somehow manages to smile through it all.“I’m someone who’s very anxious, actually,”she says. “I felt very afraid when I heard an explosion a few days ago — which turned out to be fake air raids — but everyone at the hospital came to me and tried to comfort me. I get a lot of mental support from my colleagues here. We support each other, and we convey that support to our patients as well.”While medical professionals like Nagham and Saja are essential in providing emergency care, anyone can contribute to their community during times of need. All it takes is a caring heart and a willingness to volunteer.19-year-old Ahmad Marwan El Issa, who’s pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree, is a prime example of that. He volunteers for the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Lebanon as an Emergency Medical Technician, and he does so knowing the risks involved.“The situation is scary because of its unpredictability,” he says. “We don’t know when an airstrike will hit and where it will hit, but we are ready to serve those in need, no matter what.”

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‘We will be there for them’: In communities most vulnerable to storms, volunteers rise to the challenge

In the Cox’s Bazar camps of Bangladesh, where cyclones pose a perpetual threat, a remarkable group of individuals emerges as the unsung heroes of disaster preparedness and response.Numbering around 3,300, these Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers serve as the bedrock of community readiness and emergency response within the camp settlement.Dil Mohammed, aged 46, is one of them. "People know we will be there for them if they need us during any disaster," he says.Trained and prepared by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Dil Mohammed and his fellow volunteers play a pivotal role in disseminating cyclone early warning information and facilitating anticipatory actions to reduce the unprecedented loss and damage that cyclones can bring.The cyclone seasons in Bangladesh, spanning from April to May and October to November, are periods of heightened alertness. Since 2018, the volunteers have received training on disaster preparedness and the camp’s early warning system, as well as safety gear and early warning equipment.As cyclone Mocha approached in May 2023, for example, these volunteers sprang into action. Dil Mohammed recalls their swift response: "When cyclone signal 1 was announced, we immediately got the news and started verbal messaging among the people living in my camp. After receiving the cyclone signal 4 announcement, we hoisted 1 cyclone signal flag and disseminated signal information through megaphones across the camp."While male volunteers focused on informing the broader community, their female counterparts played a vital role in raising awareness among the female members of the camp community."We reached out door-to-door, making a tremendous impact in our community, where 52 per cent of the population is female," says Dil Kayas, a female volunteer from camp 8W.Another woman volunteer in Camp 7, Minara sais "the learnings enabled me to support my own community people during their need".Along with other volunteers, Minara helps facilitate block-level awareness sessions, ensuring that even those who were unable to attend large-scale events receive vital cyclone preparedness information.Minara also used her first-aid training to provide immediate assistance to her injured nephew, showcasing the real-world impact of capacity enhancement initiatives within the camps.As the cyclone threat escalated, the volunteers doubled their efforts. Dil Mohammed explains, "When we heard that signal 8 was announced, we hoisted 3 signal flags and started using sirens, megaphones, mosque microphones, and every available communication tool to ensure that every camp resident knew about the impending danger."Recognizing that women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities are the most vulnerable during disasters, the volunteers devised a plan to ensure their safety. They maintained a list of households with “extremely vulnerbale individuals” and once the first flag was hoisted, they visited every such household, offering reassurance and readiness to help.In one instance, a pregnant woman approached the volunteers, expressing concern about her fragile shelter's ability to withstand the cyclone. The volunteers, in coordination with site management, arranged her relocation to a nearby family's shelter, prioritizing her safety and well-being.Dil Kayas and Dil Mohammed continued their efforts, using megaphones to disseminate signal information. They advised community members to secure their shelters and protect important documents in plastic bags.They also highlighted the availability of communal shelters for emergency use. As a result of their messages, the community actively participated in securing their shelters, with women playing a proactive role.After the cyclone's passag, they swiftly transitioned to post-cyclone responsibilities, conducting assessments to measure the extent of the damage in their respective camps and identifying those in need of emergency assistance. They also engaged in the demanding task of clearing roads and paths, ensuring access and communication within the camps.“After the landfall of cyclone Mocha, we started cleaning the roads in the camp blocks,” says Mahabu Alam, a young volunteer from camp 1W. “Trees were uprooted, debris scattered, hindering accessibility."Similar stories unfolding in other settlementsCox’s Bazar is not the only place where people displaced from Myanmar are making a difference in their own communities.In some cases, the volunteers include people whose families came to Bangladesh from Mryanmar in earlier years.Inthe Basan Char settlement, Bangladesh Red Crescent volunteerJafor Alamwheels a bicycle full of tools used for cleaning debris from water canals. If these canals get blocks during heavy rains, the result can be sudden flooding.Volunteers like Nur Hossain, meanwhile, play an important role in ensuring the maintenance and functionality of essential shelter infrastructure. An experienced foreman, Hossain has worked in various places in Chittagong, one the country’s largest cities.In addition to maintaining shelters, to ensure their strength and safety, he organizes awareness sessions, and resolves issues that arise at the community level under the guidance of the BDRCS team.Many also have considerable expertise in their fields.Abdul Hamid, who lives with his wife and children in Bhasan Char,joined the BDRCS Bhasan Char Operation as a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) volunteer in 2021.Due to his technical expertise and his experience with biogas initiatives, he became site-management support volunteer responsible for maintaining biogas services in Bhasan Char.In this way, Abdul Hamid plays an important role in ensuring the maintenance and functionality of essential biogas infrastructure, contributing significantly to his community's sustainability efforts.Through their actions, all these volunteers not only protect their fellow residents but also empower their communities to face cyclones and associated hazards with resilience and readiness.Story by Farhan Arafin KarimPhotos: Humayra TasnimWith editing by Al-Shahriar Rupam and Rachel Punitha

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IFRC-DREF Pledging Conference

Leading donors from around the world gather each year at the IFRC secretariate in Geneva, Switzerland to pledge new or renewed funding to the IFRC's Disaster Response Emergency Fund, moving the fund a significant step closer to its strategicambition of growing IFRC-DREF to 100 million Swiss Francs by 2025. 

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Flooding in Nigeria: ‘When the floods come again, we will be better prepared.’

In the Ivrogbo-iri community in Nigeria’s Delta State, Blessing Emeldi lived happily with her children, farming and selling cassava, yams and bananas. That was until devastating floods in 2022 washed away her farm and all her precious crops.“It was a shock, and I felt helpless,” says Blessing, recounting how the floods robbed her of her only source of livelihood. “I struggled to pay my children’s school fees.”Many parts of Delta Stateare prone to seasonal flooding, butthe floods in 2022 were particularly bad and caused widespread devastation. With IFRC support through an anticipatory allocation from the IFRC-DREF fund, followed by an emergency appeal, theNigerian Red Cross Society and its partners provided a wide range of assistance, including multi-purpose cash grants.People such as Blessing could use those cash grants to meet a variety of needs."The cash helped me buy food and basic needs, and I was able to start a firewood business to pay my children’s school fees. Things have gotten better."The cash grants were just a part of the Nigerian Red Cross response. They also provided help with shelter, health services, protection of people in vulnerable situations, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene support. The goal is to both address urgent needs and promote resilience among those most impacted by the inundations.Accessible Clean WaterThe Nigerian Red Cross also helped establish new water points so people in the communities could access clean, safe water. This enabled girls, who are usually responsible for collecting water for their families, to focus on their school.Juliet and Constance Elorghor are 14 and 9-year-old sisters recount the difficulties they faced before the water points were built."Before, we carried basins for very long distances to the river or fetched water from a communal well,” Juliet recalls, as her sister, Constance, nods in agreement.“It was hard, and I often went to school late or missed school, because water was scarce, and the queues were long. We also often fell sick because the water was dirty."“It was worse during the floods because our well was filled with dirty water and our river too. We faced water scarcity, and it was a hard time,” she continues."Now, with the water points close to my house, we don't go to school late anymore, and we don't fall sick because the water is clean. The Red Cross even gave us jerry cans and buckets with lids that make fetching and storing water better."Rebuilding strongerThe Nigerian Red Cross also restored homes destroyed by the floods, which helped families recover and prepare them for the future.In Araya community, Gladys Ajiri, a mother of six whose home was destroyed by the floods, spoke about how hard it was for them to be displaced."My previous house was made of mud and was easily washed away by the floods. We had nowhere to go and suffered greatly, living on the good will from neighbors," Gladys recalls. "The Red Cross helped build this beautiful concrete house for us. My children are safe now, and I am grateful for this kindness."Josephine Onogomohor and Miriam Abide are widows whose homes were also destroyed by the floods and rebuilt by the Nigerian Red Cross. Also receiving multi-purpose cash assistance, Miriam, who lost all her shop items to the floods, used it to restart her business in front of her newly rebuilt home."I was given money in this card, and my destroyed house was rebuilt. Now I have started selling my small provisions again to keep me going. This kind of help, I have never seen before. There was no one to help me, but the Red Cross came to my aid. I am forever grateful," Miriam said. "When the floods come again, we are better prepared."

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Uganda Ebola outbreak 2022: The importance of safe and dignified burials

In countries around the world, burial rituals—whether cultural, traditional, or religious—are an important way of honouring the dead and helping people grieve. For many communities, special burial practices enable them to bid farewell to their loved ones in a respectful and meaningful way.Losing someone is never easy. But what if someone you love passes away, and you’re told that the burial traditions your community holds dear may put you all in danger?This is what happened to people in Mubende, Uganda, in September 2022 when the country declared its first outbreak of Ebola in more than a decade. The government barred communities from burying their loved ones due to the risks involved, declaring that burials should be managed by trained safe and dignified burial teams.Ebola is a cruel disease. Deadly when left untreated, and highly contagious, it’s transmitted from person to person through direct contact and bodily fluids. When someone is infected, their families and friends are unable to provide hands-on care. And when someone dies from Ebola, their body continues to be highly contagious for up to seven days, meaning that safe and dignified burial measures must be followed to prevent further infection.Kuteesa Samuel from Mubende knows this all too well. He lost his wife of 20 years, Monica, to Ebola during the 2022 outbreak. Monica was seven months pregnant at the time, meaning Samuel also lost his unborn child.In Samuel’s culture, it’s customary to wash and wrap the body of the deceased. And if a pregnant woman dies in the community, tradition dictates that the foetus is buried in a separate grave. But during Ebola, these practices would have posed a deadly threat to people’s health.Knowing this, the Uganda Red Cross Society were poised to step in.Local, known, trustedUganda Red Cross staff and volunteers are part of the fabric of society in Uganda. They come from the communities they serve, follow the same local customs, and have a deep understanding of people’s needs and sensitivities when disaster strikes.They therefore understood why Samuel’s community felt scared, confused, and reluctant to abandon their traditions.But following sensitive, patient, and repeated engagement from local Red Cross volunteers—who worked hand-in-hand with local health authorities and community leaders—Samuel’s community agreed to a compromise. Monica’s body was left intact and safely buried by trained Red Cross teams following strict health and safety protocols. While a banana flower was symbolically buried in a separate grave to mark the loss of Samuel’s unborn child. “After the health workers engaged and explained everything to us, we came to an understanding. […] If it wasn’t for Uganda Red Cross, we would not even know where the deceased would be buried. They helped us to bury the deceased to ensure we don’t get infected. So, we greatly appreciate the Red Cross,” explains Samuel.Preparedness saves livesSince the last Ebola outbreak in 2012, the Uganda Red Cross Society had worked hard to improve its preparedness for future health emergencies and strengthen its auxiliary role supporting the Ministry of Health during disease outbreaks.With support from the IFRC through the USAID-funded Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), as well as through an Ebola preparedness emergency appeal (2018-2021) and a Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF) operation (2018-2020), they undertook lots of different preparedness activities across different parts of the country.Emergency preparedness involves planning for the worst, so one of those activities was developing a pool of qualified safe and dignified burials trainers and teams across the country. These teams were ready to be deployed immediately to support communities like Samuel’s when the 2022 Ebola outbreak began.“CP3 was so instrumental to this response. We were only able to respond on time because we had done preparations. We already had prepared teams, and this enabled us to swiftly respond,” explains Dr Joseph Kasumba, Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Officer with the Uganda Red Cross who led the response.Humanity in the darkest of momentsDuring the 2022 Ebola outbreak, Uganda Red Cross teams conducted a total of 512 safe and dignified burials. These efforts contributed to the outbreak being declared over in a record four months.What’s harder to quantify is the emotional support and meaningful care that Red Cross teams provided to communities in perhaps the worst moments of their lives. For that, here’s some powerful testimony from those affected by Ebola, or involved in the response:“When it comes to Ebola Virus Disease, communities always need someone they can trust, people they can identify with. And the fact that the Red Cross is always part of the community... we know what cultural practices are done. We know what the community wants us to do and they feel confident identifying with us, even in that time of grief and sorrow.” - Dr Joseph Kasumba“We really thank the health workers because they taught us how to protect ourselves. We are still grateful for what they did. It was a miracle for us.” - Janet, Mubende resident“Since Ebola started in Mubende, it is the Red Cross that has walked with us. Every community knows Red Cross here. We appreciate you for the work you’ve done. The people of Mubende appreciate you for offering your lives to stand in the gap and save lives.” - Rosemary Byabashaija – Resident District Commissioner in MubendeIf you found this story interesting and would like to learn more:Visit the Uganda Red Cross Society websiteClick here to learn more about the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3). Funded by USAID, CP3 supports communities, National Societies, and other partners in seven countries to prepare for, prevent, detect, and respond to disease threats.Sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.

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Untold stories: Behind the headlines, hoping for the best while preparing for the worst

Since the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Palestine in October 2023, the Egyptian Red Crescent has delivered nearly 18,000 truck loads of medical supplies, food, and other goods into Gaza. ThePalestine Red Crescent Society, meanwhile, continues to provide emergency health services and coordinate the receipt and delivery of the aid.The process has not always been smooth.Aid deliveries were often blocked or delayed. But ultimately, thousands of shipments were able to get through. The Egyptian Red Crescent’s ability to scale up rapidly and respond effectively is largely due to its experience with supporting thousands of people who fled violence in neighboring Sudan.“In the case of the Egyptian Red Crescent, there were many learnings taken from the response to the population movement from Sudan last April,”saysDr. Hosam Faysal, regional head of the IFRC’s Health, Disasters, Climate and Crises (HDCC) Unit in the MENA region. “The learnings were about what the logistics system requires in each case, and how to build it quickly and scale it according to the needs of the response”.But the crisis today in the Middle East is also posing many new challenges, according to Lotfy S. Gheith, head of operations of the Egyptian Red Crescent Society.“We are facing a very different crisis from previous ones,”Gheith says. “We are used to working in Gaza, but now the situation is unpredictable, and we do not know how situations can escalate from one moment to the next, as has been happening.“This operation is a challenge, because we are sending trucks with humanitarian aid, which we have increased significantly. But it is not enough for the great, urgent needs of the population.”The making of an emergency responseThis is one side of the humanitarian equation that is often not told. It’s the story of what is done behind the scenes, before a crisis, to ensure the response is effective because it fits the local situation, culture and dynamics.The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, renowned for its intricate geopolitical dynamics, vast and diverse areas and cultures, is also a region grappling with some of the world's most daunting humanitarian challenges.MENA National Societies operate within this complex and ever-evolving context, navigating a wide range of challenges that span from civil unrest and violence to extreme weather — such as heatwaves, droughts and flooding — as well as technological hazards like the massive explosion that rocked Beirut in 2020.Getting readyNone of this would be possible without prior preparation by the National Societies. In order to provide an effective response, National Societies need to work on their response mechanisms.This means training staff and volunteers, going through simulations, building the capacity around contingency planning, as well as looking into learnings that can be gathered from other emergencies.The Lebanese Red Cross, for example, has several overlapping crises to deal with: the consequences of the August 4, 2020 explosion, the internal economic crisis, the Syrian refugee crisis, and now the conflict in Gaza.About this latest crisis, the National Society already had the mandate from the authorities to provide emergency medical services. The National Society could then improve its readiness by prepositioning stocks, increasing the alert level within their own Emergency Medical Services stations, and mobilizing more staff and volunteers to be ready for deployment.“We saw how it paid off when the escalation started in the south and the Lebanese Red Cross was immediately ready to respond and provide support to the affected and displaced population,”says Faysal.“[The Lebanese Red Cross] was indeed the only trusted entity to access the south to evacuate the wounded,”he adds. “All this has been possible through contingency planning, coordination, and the availability of resources”.In the case of Syria, the National Society is developing different scenarios in the event of an escalation of the conflict. As the context in Syria is one of protracted crises, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society mainly envisions the work it will have to undertake in case there is a need to increase the evacuation of wounded or affected populations.Its contingency plan includes protective measures for staff and volunteers when accessing risk areas, preparing to have more ambulances ready for evacuations, and carrying out more maintenance work to ensure the availability of these ambulances.TheJordan Red Crescent , meanwhile, is aiming to prepare for the potential evacuation of wounded people from the West Bank to Jordan for medical treatment. The Jordan Red Crescent has its own hospital, so its aim is to enhance medical services in order to receive and accommodate those in need for treatment.A need for more investmentThe MENA region has also been hit recently by several disasters, such as the earthquakes in Syria and Morocco, which left thousands of people dead and wreaked devastation in both countries.In the case of Morocco, the National Society had been working for several years on preparedness activities, updating its contingency plans and conducting simulation exercises with local authorities, as well as having a very clear and defined contingency plan at the national level.“The National Society has a well-defined and comprehensive contingency plan, and that's not something we see very often,” says Faysal. “It is very impressive. It includes coordination with other authorities and how to activate [the plan] at the national level”.Nevertheless, it is still necessary to develop and maintain sustainable actions and resources to ensure that National Societies respond adequately to crises and disasters.“In general, unfortunately, we see that in most cases resources only will be available when the emergency is in media headlines,”, Faysal adds.In response to this concern, the IFRC developed a multi-year programme on earthquake preparedness for eight countries in the region, using a multi-hazard approach. But, says Faysal, they received no support from partners and donors.“So, when the earthquake hit, we were in the same situation as we were in Syria [following the earthquake there in February 2023], with no considerations for us to be better prepared”, he says. “This is not about putting pressure on partners, because it's not just about resources, but also about availability and technical engagement.”This is why it’s critical to continually highlight the need for preparation, behind the scenes, before disaster strikes. Krystell Santamaria,Disaster Risk Management Coordinator forIFRCMENA Region, puts it this way: “We must continue to invest in preparedness, to ensure that resources are sustainable: Preparedness efforts must be updated cyclically and maintained over time, to guarantee that National Societies can respond effectively to the growing crises in the Mena region. This is the challenge”.By Olivia Acosta

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Tajikistan: From landslides to landmines, partnership helps keep people safe and healthy

Three kilometres from the Changal village school in Tajikistan lies a minefield.As the summer holidays approach, chemistry teacher Saida Meliboeva and other Tajikistan Red Crescent volunteers warn children to stay away from the danger zone in the border area between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.However, cattle are moving into the minefield and children and herding animals are in danger.No one knows exactly where the mines are, as they are not marked on the map. Frequent mudslides and floods move the mines to unpredictable locations.Information shared by the Tajikistan Red Crescent has helped keep children safe and it has been 15 years without any mine accidents.This is just one of the many critical activities supported by a three-yearpartnership between IFRC and the EU issupporting local communities in Tajikistan to effectively anticipate, respond, and recover from the impact of multiple shocks and hazards.Schoolchildren also learn how to act during an earthquake and other disasters and everyday accidents. In a preparedness exercise organised by the Tajikistan Red Crescent, students learned how to leave classrooms quickly and give first aid to the injured."Our teacher told us what to do in case of a mudslide or an earthquake, or what to do if someone breaks a bone or you need to give first aid," says Manija, a student from Panjakent in Tajikistan."If there is an earthquake, we find a place where there are no houses and sit there. We have to staybrave and calm and go out without rushing."Tajikistan Red Crescent volunteer Azambek Dusyorov still remembers what the mudslide approaching his home in Panjakent, looked like. Spotting the mass of earth falling from the mountains, Azambek told his friends and family of the danger and ran for safety up the hill. Fortunately, the house remained standing.Since then, Azambek and other Red Crescent volunteers have planted trees in the yard, the roots of which help keep the earth masses in place. A wide track has been cut into the hillside, allowing the mudslides to descend into the valley without destroying homes and crops.When clashes intensified along the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgystan, Red Crescent volunteerAbdurahmon Sultanbegan visiting homes in the region to make sure people know how to take care of themselves and their neighbors in case of an injury.One of the homes he visited was that ofMashkhura Hamroboeva, in Khistevarz jamoat at Khujand.Since then, meetings have continued, and discussions have revolved around everyday topics."We meet 2–3 times a month. We talk about everything from how to prevent frostbite in winter to how to avoid infectious diseases," says 17-year-old Abdurahmon.It didn’t take long for Abdurahmon's advice to come in handy. When Mashkhura's three-year-old son accidentally spilled a hot cup of tea on himself, Mashkhura remembered what Abdurahmon had told her.Traditionally, a burn had been treated with a cut potato, but this time Mashkhura dipped the child'shand in cool water.There are just some of the Tajikistan Red Crescent actions (supported by the Programmatic Partnership) that help people and communities prevent future catastrophies and take care of themselves during crises they weren’t able to prevent.TheProgrammatic Partnership between the IFRC network and the European Union, provides strategic, flexible, long-term and predictable funding, so that National Societies can act before an emergency occurs. It is being implemented in 24 countries around the world.

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Stopping a measles outbreak in its tracks in Sierra Leone

Makuma is a remote coastal village nestled in the north-west corner of Sierra Leone, on the border with Guinea. It’s only accessible by one narrow and bumpy dirt track. Its 2,000 or so inhabitants travel by foot or on motorbikes in the drier months. But when waters rise in the rainy season from May to December, the track becomes unusable—cutting people off from their nearest health centre, some 10km away.Its isolated location, coupled with the high risk of infectious diseases in Sierra Leone, means Makuma could be the perfect breeding ground for an epidemic, if it weren’t for one thing: the presence of the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society.Momoh Saio Kamara is Makuma’s local Red Cross volunteer. He grew up in the village and is much loved and trusted, thanks to his work supporting people through the 2014/15 Ebola outbreak.In 2019, Momoh was trained in epidemic control and community-based surveillance through the USAID-funded Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3)—acquiring the skills and tools needed to detect, alert, and respond to disease outbreaks early.So when, in early 2022, people in Makuma started noticing strange symptoms of a mystery illness they’d never seen before, Momoh knew exactly what to do.“One day I was in the village doing house visits. I visited my friend who said there is someone—the nose is red, the mouth is red, the nose runs and there is a rash. I go and look and I thought straight away, it is measles,” explains Momoh.Without hesitating, Momoh alerted his supervisor, Jobel, using a digital community-based surveillance system set up through the CP3 programme. Jobel arrived shortly afterwards on his motorbike to investigate. Seeing the symptoms for himself, he escalated the alert in the system—notifying district health authorities in an instant.“After the alert, I rang the local nurse and called a community meeting to tell the people it is suspected measles,” adds Momoh.A highly contagious viral infection, measles spreads easily among the unvaccinated. It’s a serious illness that can require hospital admission, cause permanent disability, and even kill if not treated properly.Local nurses swiftly arrived and started tracing and registering suspected cases, while Momoh and Jobel went house-to-house to tell people how to stay safe.The following day, a Rapid Response Team from Kambia district hospital arrived to undertake testing, conduct a ring vaccination of nearly 800 children to minimize further infection, and tend to patients.“The Red Cross and District Health Management Team they come. It did not take long. When they arrived, again we called a meeting, we talked to the community. We told them these people have medicine and it is free,” explains Momoh.For N’Mah, a woman from Makuma whose young son caught measles, having Momoh by her side was a huge relief.“My son Morlai fell sick. I had no idea what the illness was and I felt worried and restless. Momoh held a community meeting to let people know he thought it was measles. He told us what he knew about the disease and asked people to tell him if they noticed anyone with the same symptoms. He told us to keep our environment as clean as possible, wash our hands properly, and isolate anyone who showed signs of the illness. I felt really happy because the health services came really quickly,” explains N’Mah.Momoh is one of 250 volunteers in Kambia district trained through the CP3 programme. Together, they are the eyes and ears in hard-to-reach communities, making sure no suspicious health event goes undetected.A total of 124 measles cases were eventually recorded during the outbreak in Makuma. The number could have been significantly higher had it not been for Momoh’s early action, the trust placed in him by his community, and the rapid response from local health authorities.“The successful response which prevented deaths and disability is a result of the early detection and reporting by theRed Cross volunteers, followed by a swift response from the District Health Management Team. It is no exaggeration to say that these volunteers help greatly towards the health care delivery system in Kambia district, especially in public health surveillance,” explains Ishmael Rogers, Kambia District Surveillance Officer.For Makuma village Councillor, Yusif, who has steered his community through difficult times such as Ebola and COVID-19 in recent years, the relief at having Red Cross support in keeping his people healthy is palpable.“I feel happy that Momoh is here. He’s always available for our community – any day, any time. He’s very patient. When our people are sick, he makes sure they are taken to hospital. I feel my community is safe with Momoh. God forbid there is another outbreak, we know Momoh is here for us.”--The rapid outbreak detection and response reported in this article were made possible thanks to the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the programme supports communities, National Societies, and other partners in seven countries to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats.If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more:Sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness NewsletterFollow the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society on X, Facebook and LinkedInTo learn more about community-based surveillance initiatives within the IFRC please visit cbs.ifrc.org

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Press release

Innovative partnership between IFRC and The Nature Conservancy equips Caribbean communities to combat climate crisis

Geneva/Panama, 21 February 2024: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have successfully prepared over 3,000 people in the Dominican Republic, Grenada, and Jamaica to adapt to the climate crisis. Leveraging coastal habitats to reduce risk, this initiative merges cutting-edge conservation science with disaster preparedness.Central to this success is the Resilient Islands Project, an IFRC-TNC collaboration that redefines community resilience by utilizing nature’s protective power against the climate crisis. This approach is critical in the Caribbean, where the proximity of 70% of the population to the coast underscores their vulnerability .In Grenada, the project has designed a climate-smart fisher facility, featuring twenty-one lockers, rainwater harvesting capabilities, and solar energy for electricity generation. Additional benefits include a jetty for ease of access to and from the fishers’ boats and the planting of coastal vegetation to enhanced near-shore habitat, reduced erosion and filtered runoff. These solutions make small-scale fishing safer and more sustainable.Eddy Silva, The Nature Conservancy Project Manager, underscores the broader implications:"The lessons learned from Resilient Islands will increase awareness of climate resilience and help scale up efforts at the local and national levels in all small island developing states across the Caribbean. At a time when weather-related hazards and rising ocean temperatures are becoming more extreme and destructive, this program has demonstrated that mangroves, coral reefs, and reforestation can save lives and livelihoods.”Protecting, managing, and restoring these ecosystems is key to limit people's exposure and vulnerability to hazards. The IFRC and TNC show that this should be done through laws, policies, and climate-resilient development plans that promote science-based decision making, improve early- warning systems and anticipate climate-related disasters.In Jamaica, the Resilient Islands program has enhanced the existing national vulnerability ranking index by including ecosystems indicators. This allows agencies to monitor and measure not only community vulnerability levels but also the habitats’ capacity to protect people and livelihoods.Local actors have also played a critical role in ensuring that climate change solutions are responsive to local needs, inclusive and sustainable.Martha Keays, IFRC Regional Director for the Americas, highlights the indispensable role of local engagement:“One significant lesson learned by the Resilient Islands program is that there is no resilience without localization. Nature-based solutions are community-based solutions, and local actors, including Red Cross volunteers, should be at the core of its design and implementation. We have also learned that change is more likely when complementary organizations work together. The alliance between IFRC and TNC is a model of the innovation, generosity and vision the world needs to address the climate crisis, arguably the greatest challenge of our time.”Dr. Rob Brumbaugh, The Nature Conservancy Caribbean's Executive Director, reflects on the partnership's unique synergy:“The project is a model approach for bringing together organizations with very different but very complementary capabilities. TNC with expertise in cutting-edge conservation science, data and conservation techniques, and the IFRC, the world’s leader in the disaster planning and response.”The Resilient Islands Project is a five-year initiative collaboratively implemented by the IFRC and TNC with support from the German Government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI). The program officially ended with a closing ceremony and project review in Panama City on February 20, 2024.To request an interview or for more information, please contact IFRC at [email protected] or the Nature Conservancy at [email protected] Geneva:Mrinalini Santhanam +41 76 381 5006In Panama:Susana Arroyo Barrantes +50684161771

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Article

World Radio Day: How radio helps keep communities healthy and safe

Though we’re living in an increasingly digital world, radio remains an important source of information, entertainment, and connection in countries across the globe.This is especially true among rural communities, for whom radio is often the most trusted—or sometimes only—source of news and information for miles around.Imagine you’re living in one of these communities, far from the nearest health centre. You notice people are falling sick and you don’t know why. Seeking answers, you tune into your local radio station.The presenter is talking about the ‘mystery illness’ in a panicked way, saying how gruesome the symptoms are, how many people have died, and how you should avoid infected people at all costs. He’s heard the illness could be some kind of curse, and that apparently drinking salty water can protect you.Hearing this report, and with no other sources to turn to, you’d probably feel scared and unsure of what to do.But imagine you tuned in and heard a totally different show. The presenter calmly offers practical information about the disease—its name, symptoms, how it spreads, and measures you can take to protect yourself. He interviews a local doctor you know and trust who responds to common questions and concerns.You’d feel reassured and have the information you need to keep you and your family safe.In several countries, the IFRC and our National Societies are partnering with local media to do exactly this: provide life-saving information before, during, and after health outbreaks.As part of the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), we’ve been working with the charity BBC Media Action to train journalists and Red Cross Societies from seven countries in Lifeline Programming: special media programming that provides accurate, practical, and timely information in a health or humanitarian crisis.National Societies regularly partner with media outlets to broadcast helpful information that keeps communities healthy and safe from a wide range of diseases. Let’s look at some examples.KenyaIn Bomet and Tharaka Nithi counties, Kenya Red Cross teams up with local radio stations and county health services, reaching hundreds of thousands of people with useful health messages on how to prevent diseases such as anthrax, rabies and cholera.Information is shared in simple language. And listeners can call in to ask questions or suggest health topics for discussion.“At first, media was known for reporting two things, maybe: politics, and bad things that have happened in society. But the Red Cross helped us […] use the media in educating the people about disease,” explains Sylvester Rono, a journalist with Kass FM trained in Lifeline programming.“I am now proud to say that this has really helped our communities. Our people are now appreciating why we should vaccinate our pets, why we should go to the hospital when we have a bite, why we should report any [health] incident, and when you see any sign of diseases, be it rabies, be it anthrax, be it cholera […] the importance of reporting it earlier,” he adds.CameroonIn late 2021, a cholera outbreak threatened the lives of communities in the North region of Cameroon—a rural part of the country where communities are widely dispersed.As part of its response, the Cameroon Red Cross teamed up with local radio stations—launching a series of community radio programmes to share information on how people could protect themselves, what symptoms to look out for, and where to access help if they fell sick.Themes for the programmes were selected in partnership with community leaders. And after the shows broadcast, Red Cross volunteers headed out into their communities to reinforce the messages shared on air through door-to-door visits.“The radio programme is very good, because it has given me practical information. I had a cholera case in my family, but based on the measures I heard on the radio, I was able to save my sister’s child who was sick,” explained Talaga Joseph, a listener who called into FM Bénoué—one of the participating radio stations.Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)In DRC, harmful rumours and misinformation about COVID-19 and other diseases have spread across the country in recent years. For example, some people believed the COVID-19 vaccine was a source of income for the government and had no benefit to society, while others believed the measles vaccine was less effective than traditional remedies involving cassava leaves.To address these rumours, DRC Red Cross volunteers went door-to-door to collect community feedback and record common myths and misconceptions. After analysing the feedback, DRC Red Cross staff took to the airwaves—launching interactive radio shows to directly address and debunk health misinformation and provide trusted advice.For example, in Kongo Central province, the DRC Red Cross partners with Radio Bangu to produce a show called ‘Red Cross School’. Listeners call in to check information on different diseases, ask questions, and discover what support they can access from the Red Cross.“The collaboration with the Red Cross is very good and has enabled listeners to learn more about its activities and how they can prevent different illnesses and epidemics. The Red Cross broadcasts are so popular they have increased our overall number of listeners in the area we cover,” says Rigobert Malalako, Station Manager at Radio Bangu.--The activities with local radio featured in this article are just a few examples of media partnerships developed through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supports communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prevent, detect and respond to disease threats.If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more, sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.You can also access the following resources:BBC Media Action’s Guide for the media on communicating in public health emergencies (available in multiple languages)BBC Media Action’s Lifeline programming websiteIFRC Epidemic Control Toolkit

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Article

IFRC's Global Climate Resilience Platform channels CHF 100 million for locally-led climate action in 33 countries in 2023

The IFRC launched its Global Climate Resilience Platform (GCRP) last year at COP27 with the objective of raising CHF 1 billion in next five years to boost locally-led climate action. In its first year, the Platform has mobilized CHF 100 million, providing programming on three focus areas – anticipatory action and early warning, nature-based solutions and shock- responsive social protection – in 33 of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries. Increased investments in anticipatory action and early warning, nature-based solutions and shock-responsive social protection have the potential for transformational change if coupled with unprecedented levels of investment at the local level. Anticipatory action and early action means taking steps to protect peoplebeforea crisis hits, based on forecasts or predictions, to prevent or reduce potential disaster impacts.These types of actions vary from evacuation plans, cash distribution or reinforcement of homes. Nature-based solutions are actions to protect, sustainably manage or restore ecosystems — such as forests, mangroves, coral reefs or urban green spaces — in ways that addresses societal challenges, such as disaster risk, climate change or food security. The role of shock-responsive social protection or safety nets is to reduce vulnerability to poverty and reliance on negative coping strategies. Such measures include adaptative livelihoods, health and social support and inclusive disaster preparedness and response. “This is exactly the kind of solidarity we need to have with communities and organizations like National Societies that locally rooted, in their efforts to prevent and reduce risks so everyone has the chance to thrive, instead of only working to recover from great losses,” said IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain, who announced additional funding pledge while at COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, UAE today. “Just as we must mobilize on the global level to address the causes of climate change, we must also help communities adapt,” he continued. “The Global Climate Resilience Platform offers a great opportunity to do something very concrete and positive that will save lives, livelihoods and even entire communities from the worsening impacts of the climate crisis.” Approach adapted to local threats While the platforms prioritizes early action, nature-based solutions and shock-responsive social protection, the activities will vary depending on the particular climate risks communities face. In some cases, early action means planned evacuations or reinforcing homes. In others, it may mean distributing health protection kits, or in the case of heatwaves, setting up mobile cooling centres. In the Americas, where climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of extreme weather related events – from tropical storms to mudslides, floods and wildfires – the GCRP helps National Societies develop or improve solutions that address those particular risks. In drought-impacted countries in eastern Africa, the GCRP supports National Societies working to help communities adapt through the development integrated water systems and participate in multi-partner initiatives such as The Water at the Heart of Climate Action programme. Across the globe, in countries including Kenya and Nepal, shock responsive social protection has meant including anticipatory work into the national government’s social protection system. This means more people get access to timely information and support. National Societies that participate will integrate these approaches into their institutional planning, priorities and funding strategies. The GCRP will back up these efforts by reinforcing National Society technical expertise through training and operational support. The countries benefitting from GCRP funding thus far include : Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somali, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda Americas: Colombia, Dominican Republic and Jamaica Asia-Pacific: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines and Vietnam MENA: Iraq, Palestine, Syria and Yemen. With the exception of Rwanda, all the participating countries are considered the 100 most climate vulnerable countries according to ND-GAIN Index, an initiative by the University of Notre Dame, in the United States, aimed at helping people understand ways communities are adapting to climate change. For more information,read our technical explainer. You can also visit ourearly action pageand theAnticipation Hub- our anticipatory action platform hosted by the German Red Cross.

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Article

IFRC at COP 28: The impacts are here, the time to act is now

Whether it’s the increasing power of storms, the proliferation of wildfires, worsening heatwaves and droughts – or the displacement of entire communities due to all the above — the impacts of climate change have been with us for some time. This is why the IFRC is once again heading to the Global Climate Summit, COP28, in the United Arab Emirates, with an urgent message: there’s no more time to waste. The time to act is now and the action must be bold. Just as world leaders must agree to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent even worse humanitarian impacts, they must vastly scale-up adaptation action at the local level in order to reach the most at-risk and impacted people, according to the IFRC. People like Martha Makaniko, a farmer from Chiwalo village in the town Mulanje in Malawi. Earlier this year, Makaniko lost her home and all her crops due to unexpected flash flooding caused by Cyclone Freddy. After that, the normal rainfalls failed to come and now the El Nino phenomenon threatens to make the expected upcoming lean season even leaner. "Year after year, it’s been getting harder to get good yields from farming and get a good earning,” says Makaniko. “We no longer rely on regular weather patterns. I used to get eight bags of maize from my field. Now I would be lucky to get two." This kind of story is increasingly common in communities where the IFRC network is rooted. They are also the reason why the IFRC has been scaling up its own efforts to work with local communities and Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies to alleviate immediate suffering — providing cash, food, water, hygiene and health support — while also preventing and reducing risks in the future. This is also why the IFRC is urging world leaders assembling for the COP 28 Climate Summit to take the following urgent steps: • prioritize local action • increase financing to help communities adapt • scale-up early action and measures that help communities anticipate risks • strengthen climate resilient health systems and to help people avert, minimize and address loss and damage due to climate-related events. Worse before it gets better Much more investment in all these areas is critical to help communities cope as the situation is likely to worsen before it gets better. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms that climate change is already contributing to an increasing number of humanitarian crises (with average global temperature at 1.15°C above 1850-1900 average). And now there is a very real threat that temperatures will rise even further. Under current policies the world is on track for 2.8°C global warming by 2050, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. In the short term, this year’s El Niño phenomenon is expected to compound the impact with human-induced climate change, pushing global temperatures into uncharted territory, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Reasons for hope There are some reasons for hope however. If urgent steps are taken, there is a chance we can slow or stop further temperature increases while also making communities far less susceptible to climate-related shocks. Across the IFRC network, which includes 191 National Societies, there are numerous examples of communities working with the IFRC and others to make themselves more resilient so they can avoid the food insecurity, health risks and economic impacts of climate related disasters. In Jamaica, for example, the Red Cross worked with a school for deaf students on a climate-smart project to reinforce their self-sufficient campus farm with a solar-powered irrigation system. In Somalia, the IFRC and the Somalia Red Crescent worked with the village of Cuun to reestablish small farms with the help of a new borehole for clean water and a pumping system to help them cope with multiple years of drought. “We struggled to access clean water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and livelihood support,” says one of the community leaders, Yasiin Maxamed Jamac. “This had a negative impact on our health and well-being, and it made it difficult for us to grow crops, fruit, vegetables and raise livestock." Now over 100 households have their own small farms — 100 metres by 100 metres — where they cultivate a variety of fruits, vegetables, and crops.

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Podcast

Alexander Matheou: Flipping a common humanitarian narrative about a vast, diverse and dynamic region

In this episode, Alexander Matheou challenges a common humanitarian narrative about the Asia Pacific region being “disaster prone.” Yes, it is particularly vulnerable to climate-related events — and it has more than its share of volcanos and earthquakes — but it’s also leading the way in life-saving prevention, preparedness and humanitarian innovation. As IFRC’s regional director for the Asia Pacific region, Matheou talks about the opportunities and leadership this vast, dynamic and diverse region offers the humanitarian world.

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Article

Panama: Communities are the heart of climate-crisis resilience

In the last fifty years, Panama has experienced an increase in extreme weather events, such as intense and prolonged rains, windstorms, floods, droughts, forest fires, landslides, tropical cyclones and the effects of El Niño and La Niña phenomena.Right now, Panama is facing a major drought. But in recent years there have also been severe storms — such as hurricanes Eta and Iota. Those storms flooded most of Soloy, an area that is part of the Ngäbe indigenous territory, and the Tierras Altas district in Chiriquí.This part of northwestern Panama is also one of the main agricultural areas in the country, and one of the most affected by these hurricanes, which have prompted the community to prepare for possible similar events.Since then, disaster risk management has become a fundamental task, driven by the active participation of indigenous community leaders such as Dalia, Eusebio and Wilfredo from Soloy, and the commitment of neighbours such as Doña María, who lives in Las Nubes, in Tierras Altas. These efforts enjoy the full support of local actors and in particular, the Panamanian Red Cross.At the COP Global Summit on climate change going on this week, the IFRC continues to emphasize that communities must be at the center of disaster and climate crisis preparedness. Here are the three main reasons why:1. It’s going to happen again: Preparing for recurrent disasters"One of the situations that occur during the winter season are the flooding of rivers, because we have a large number of rivers in the community; and also landslides, which leave houses and roads affected", says Eusebio Bejarano, a leader in the community of Soloy.That is why the Panamanian Red Cross worked alongside the community as it prepared an assessment and established Community Response Brigades. In addition, they have begun using something called the Nexus Environmental Assessment Tool, which helps to quickly identify environmental concerns before designing longer-term emergency or recovery interventions."It is an environmental assessment tool that has allowed us to understand the context of the activities carried out by the community and, above all, how we can work to protect the livelihoods of this community, which is rural and depends heavily on subsistence agriculture", explains Daniel González, head of risk management for the Panamanian Red Cross.At the family and individual level, actions can also be taken to protect the homes of people like Doña María, who lives near the river bank and has worked on a family evacuation plan. She is now prepared to act in case of flooding.2. It’s local people who are first to respond: Strengthening community response capacitiesPart of the preparedness process requires communities to strengthen their learning, technical and leadership capacities to better adapt to the crisis situations. This is critical because community organizations are the first to respond when disasters occur and often have access to areas where international actors do not.The presence of these community groups before, during and after crises means they can more readily respond while also fostering long-term preparedness and recovery."We must prepare ourselves in First Aid, the authorities must be trained, the teaching staff and the community,” says Dalia, the leader of the Psychosocial Support Brigade in Soloy. “The Red Cross has brought different types of training, in which young people have participated, but we need more communities and more young people to get involved."The implementation of educational projects, such as blue schools, which incorporate learning about water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), recycling and school gardens, are a sample of the actions that the communities are carrying out with the support of the Panamanian Red Cross."We have trained the Fire Fighting Brigade, the First Aid Brigade; but we have also worked on strengthening resilience in three schools in Alto Bonito, Boca de Remedio and Soloy,” says Daniel González, head of risk management of the Panamanian Red Cross. “In addition, we have provided them with first aid kits and rigid boards, along with training for teachers and the educational community."3. Communities know what’s at stake: Strengthening community resilienceCommunities are the heart of climate-crisis preparedness because they know what’s at stake — their environment and the survival of their way of life. In the face of the climate crisis and increasingly uncertain scenarios, this is why the Red Cross works with communities to strengthen local resilience to climate-related shocks."We have worked hand-in-hand with the Red Cross, organizing and preparing for situations that have been occurring with the climate crisis, focusing a lot on the community, working with leadership, working with authorities and visiting communities", says Eusebio Bejarano.Community resilience enables communities to prepare for disasters and create a safe, healthy and prosperous future. To do this, communities must record information on all relevant hazards and their causes, health threats, hazards, conflict, violence, climate crisis, environmental degradation. Only then will they be able to set priorities together and decide how best to address them.Another leader from Soloy, Wilfredo highlights the importance of promoting empathy and collective care and stresses the importance of caring for nature. He emphasizes that the mountains and rivers are fundamental for community life. The Ngäbe indigenous population has also brought to the table the need to take cultural elements such as language into account when planning preparedness actions.A resilient community is one that is experienced, healthy and able to meet its basic needs. It’s a community that has economic opportunities, well-maintained and accessible infrastructure and services, and can manage its natural assets in harmony with the environment. And it’s a community that can focus on moving forward, and on things that bring joy and meaning, rather than continually recovering from the sudden shocks of the climate crisis.Disaster preparedness and community resilience actions are also being carried out in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Ecuador, thanks to the Programmatic Partnership between the IFRC network and the European Union, which provides strategic, flexible, long-term and predictable funding, so that National Societies can act before an emergency occurs.

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Article

Programmatic Partnership to engage even more communities in coming year

A global partnership aimed at strengthening resilience and providing agency to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities will continue into its second year following a decision by Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and the IFRC in early summer 2023. Through the Programmatic Partnership, [ML1]European Union (EU) money will fund a range of innovative projects into 2024 that focus particularly on local action to prepare for and respond to humanitarian and health crises. With climate change, pandemics and population movements all on the rise, these types of partnerships are crucial for enhancing locally-led anticipatory action and, where necessary, disaster response. “The ride to localization involves having local communities in the driver’s seat from the moment of identifying needs aligned with priorities and strategies, to decision making and implementation,” said Marwan Jilani, director general of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society's (PRCS). The partnership has reached over eight million people so far, helping communities reduce risks and react quickly to sudden-onset crises. With a EUR 70 million boost in year two, the partnership sits at over EUR 134 million and will be able to reach far more people than in the first year. All IFRC work is carried out with close cooperation with national Red Cross and Red Cresent societies, local communities and networks of volunteers. “Humanitarian needs are growing and if we want to prepare communities to be more resilient, we need to join forces with our national societies and public institutions,” Nena Stoiljkovic, the IFRC’s Under-Secretary General for Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization.“Only then we can be more effective and efficient. This programme is the best example we have on long-term and multi-country financing and is an inspiration for similar partnerships to come.” The Partnership focuses of five key areas: Disaster preparedness and response: Preparing communities, National Societies and disaster risk management institutions to anticipate effectively, respond and recover from the impact of evolving and multiple shocks and hazards. Epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response: supporting communities to prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks. Supporting people on the move: providing displaced people with their basic humanitarian needs. Cash assistance: often the best way to help people is to give them a cash grant to invest locally, as they choose. Cash assistance gives those in need dignity and agency. Risk communication, community engagement and accountability: the people we support through the Programmatic Partnership are partners in our work. We listen to them carefully and act upon their opinions and needs. A total of 12 EU Red Cross National Societies are involved in implementing the Programmatic Partnership in 24 countries around the world. Here are some examples of Partnership activities: After the fires in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, the world’s largest refugee camp, the Bangladesh Red Crescent and IFRC provided immediate support to families who had lost their houses and provide them with mattresses, blankets and torch lights. They also built 500 shelters in Camp 11. This funding was pooled together with the IFRC-DREF resources to provide a comprehensive response to the fire. More than €300K from the Programmatic Partnership  were allocated and 2,500 people were supported through this emergency intervention.  The Red Cross of Chad responded immediately to the Sudan crisis, providing basic support to those people fleeing the conflict and crossing the border into Eastern Chad. The flexibility of the programme’s funding instrument enabled this timely and critical support.  More than €260K were allocated and 5,883 people were reached through this action.  After Ecuador was struck by several simultaneous disasters — floods, landslides, building collapses, hailstorms and an earthquake – the Ecuadorian Red Cross was able to assist the affected population by providing home, tool, kitchen, hygiene and cleaning kits, as well as mosquito nets, blankets and access to safe water. More than €250k were allocated and 13,020 people were reached in this intervention.  Volunteers across Democratic Republic of the Congo, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Panama have been trained to use the Nexus Environmental Assessment Tool (NEAT+), to better assess risks and post-disaster needs.  In Guatemala, volunteers have been trained on the use of drones for ‘photogrammetry’ – the modern way to get reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images. The training has significantly improved the ability of volunteers to assess risk and prepare accordingly.  

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Speech

'There is an urgent need to integrate climate adaptation in emergency preparedness and response'

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, It is a pleasure to address the 2023 Belt and Road Ministerial Forum for International Cooperation in Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management. I congratulate the Government of China for their leadership on this initiative, which has marked significant achievements and efforts on disaster risk reduction and emergency management over the past ten years. The IFRC welcomes our partnerships, including with the Government of China, that supports our Disaster Response Emergency Fund for the most efficient response to disasters and crises. Friends and colleagues, we have witnessed a year of unprecedented disasters around the world, which have been further compounded by climate change and geopolitical conflicts. Global humanitarian needs are rising at an alarming rate. These needs are vastly outstripping the resources available to address them. The human costs of disasters and crises remains unacceptably high. As the world’s largest global humanitarian network, with a unique global and local reach, the IFRC has been supporting the National Societies in impacted countries to respond to the needs of crisis-affected communities. The Government of China and the Red Cross Society of China have also been providing urgently needed humanitarian assistance to our IFRC network. Still, more needs to be done. Today, I have three important messages I would like to share with you. Firstly, the climate crisis is the biggest multiplier in increasing disaster risks. If humanity fails to act, hundreds of millions of people will put in a highly increased disaster risk because of the humanitarian impacts of the climate crisis. There is an urgent need to integrate climate adaptation in emergency preparedness and response. The IFRC is working with our member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies across the world to strengthen the coordination, preparedness and response to large-scale disasters and crises. Secondly, investing in disaster risk reduction saves lives and livelihoods. Over the last decade, some of the most recent—and often predictable—extreme weather events were the most deadly, costly, and devastating. The IFRC network has been transforming our emergency response mechanisms to integrate early warning approaches that anticipate disasters so that people can act ahead of time to save lives and livelihoods. This helps them recover and build resilience to the next disaster. It is encouraging to see recent efforts in China to reinforce disaster prevention measures and scale up early warning and early action systems. Finally, global solidarity and multi-sectoral collaboration is must to bring the disaster preparedness and emergency response to scale. It will take joining forces to prepare for and effectively respond to the potential mega disasters. No one organization can do this alone. The Belt and Road Initiative on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management offers us a platform and opportunity to work together and confront the challenges of today and in the future. I am especially pleased to see that localization and investment in local actors is included in this years’ Joint Statement. The IFRC welcomes collaboration with the Government of China and other countries along the Belt and Road Initiative to reduce the humanitarian needs. I wish you all a successful Ministerial Forum, and I wish you many positive discussions and outcomes from this important event. Thank you.

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Article

A greater push for multi-hazard, people-centred climate risk reduction across Africa

Over the past 20 years, the number of climate-related events and people affected in Africa has risen dramatically. Successive devastating crises, such as droughts in the Horn of Africa and deadly cyclones and floods in Mozambique and Libya, will likely continue as the frequency and impact of climate extremes continue to intensify. Africa´s population is also projected to double in the next 30 years, meaning more will be impacted in the coming years if nothing is done. We cannot allow lives to be lost in predictable disasters. Early warning systems with early action are the most effective and dignified way to prevent an extreme weather event from causing a humanitarian crisis—especially for the most vulnerable and remote communities. Two weeks ago, the Africa Climate Summit 2023 (ACS23) and the Africa Climate Week 2023 were convened in Nairobi. Leaders from governments, businesses, international organizations, and civil society gathered to explore ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while adapting to the mounting fallout from the climate crisis. Shortly after, the IFRC hosted the 10th Pan African Conference (PAC) bringing together Red Cross and Red Crescent leadership from 54 countries to discuss renewing investment in the continent. The ACS23 had only just concluded when the continent was struck by two major disasters: a massive earthquake in Morocco and Storm Daniel in Libya, both claiming thousands of lives and wiping out years of development. Rapid analysis of Storm Daniel has shown climate change made the catastrophe ‘far more likely’. And while earthquakes are not climate-related, the impact of the Morocco earthquake will linger for years, making affected communities more vulnerable to climate-related risks and hazards. The IFRC network quickly mobilized resources and emergency teams in both countries to support affected people and get urgently needed humanitarian assistance to hard-to-reach areas. But both disasters point to the need to invest in multi-hazard and people-centered risk reduction, adaptation and resilience in communities before disasters strike—a resounding call at the ACS23 and PAC. Africa has a strong network of 54 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the majority of which have signed our Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations which aims to galvanize a collective humanitarian response to the climate and environmental crisis. However, we need to do more to leverage our combined strengths, expertise, and resources to address the complex and diverse humanitarian challenges the continent is facing. While there are success stories to celebrate, fundamentals of National Society Development (NSD), along with risk management, localization, digital transformation, and improved membership coordination remain central to the ambition of African National Societies to deliver the most effective humanitarian, public health, and development services to their communities. These challenges and achievements were reviewed at the 10th PAC, with reflections and lessons turned into a reference framework for new actions and targets for African National Societies over the next four years. At the ACS23, an initiative politically endorsed at COP was launched for the continent: the Early Warnings for All Africa Action Plan. The IFRC, with its long and in-depth experience in disaster management, will lead the preparedness and response pillar of the plan and support the dissemination and communication pillar. The latter involves leveraging digital technology, such as mobile networks, apps, and social media platforms, to reach a wider audience and ensure the delivery of warnings in a timely manner. A huge step in the right direction, the ACS23 also provided space for: African leaders to boldly speak on their climate ambitions, calling for urgent action and showcasing the proactive approach taken by African countries to address the impacts of the changing climate on the most vulnerable.This was clearly summarized in the Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change. Youth and children to reflect on their power as young people to drive meaningful climate action and change in their society. Discussion on ways to boost investments in interventions around women’s empowerment, green growth, and climate action. A call by African leaders for accountability to countries responsible for the highest emissions to honour their commitments to operationalize the loss and damage fund, including the pressure for a shift in the global financing architecture. As we gear up to COP 28 in Dubai, it will be crucial for the African continent to have a joint and common position on key issues related to the climate crisis, especially on prioritizing the most vulnerable communities, unlocking more and flexible financing for adaptation, and calling for further, urgent action around loss and damage commitments made at COP 27. We need to continue dialogue with the most at-risk and vulnerable communities to address the gaps in the Nairobi declaration as we work to mobilize local resources for innovative and tangible solutions to the climate crisis.

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