Local volunteers and new energy sources power the Cuban Red Cross’s response to Hurricane Melissa six months after the storm 

Six months after Hurricane Melissa, locally led recovery will determine how communities withstand future shocks

Kingston, Panama City, Geneva 21, April 2026 — Six months after Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica is entering a critical phase where recovery efforts must continue to be a priority or risk deepening long-term vulnerability, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Jamaica Red Cross stated today, as they presented the country’s recovery strategy during the Hurricane Melissa Recovery Conference held in Kingston.The Category 5 hurricane affected 1.6 million people — more than half the country’s population — causing an estimated USD 8.8 billion in damages — equivalent to 56 per cent of Jamaica’s GDP — placing significant pressure on public finances, slowing economic recovery, and leaving lasting impacts on livelihoods, housing and essential services. Losses in key sectors such as tourism and agriculture continue to affect income and stability, particularly in rural and coastal communities.At the same time, rising global costs — including fuel and agricultural inputs — are increasing the burden on recovery, making it more expensive for families to rebuild and for systems to recoverWhile emergency response efforts helped stabilize the immediate aftermath, thousands of families remain displaced or living in damaged homes, with limited means to rebuild.“Six months after a disaster, recovery becomes decisive. If we get this moment right, we can reduce future risks. If we don’t, vulnerabilities deepen,” said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the IFRC. “Recovery is about strengthening the capacity of communities, systems and institutions to withstand the next shock. That means investing early, working in coordination with national authorities, and trusting local actors to lead — particularly National Societies like the Jamaica Red Cross, whose auxiliary role positions them to support and strengthen national recovery efforts.”With a new hurricane season approaching and humanitarian needs still acute, the Jamaica Red Cross has developed a recovery strategy focused on five critical areas: shelter, livelihoods, health — including mental health — hygiene, and community resilience. The strategy is grounded in community engagement, data-driven assessments, and close coordination with national authorities, ensuring that recovery efforts are aligned with national priorities and shaped by the needs of affected people.“This strategy is aligned with the national recovery framework and builds on what has already been achieved in the response, while supporting communities to recover safely and sustainably,” said Allasandra Chung, President of the Jamaica Red Cross. “It recognises that every family and every community recovers at a different pace and requires solutions tailored to their specific needs. Grounded in dialogue with affected people and national authorities, and drawing on our experience in recovery from Hurricane Beryl and other crises, it goes beyond rebuilding what was lost — helping communities rebuild futures that are safer, more resilient and better prepared for what lies ahead.”The Jamaica Red Cross, supported by the IFRC network, has been central to the response and continues to support communities as recovery progresses. To date, more than 45,000 people have received humanitarian assistance, including shelter materials, hygiene items, food and cash support. Over 6,000 households have received cash assistance to help meet urgent needs and begin rebuilding, while mental health and psychosocial support has reached more than 2,100 people.The Jamaica Red Cross recovery approach places local leadership at its core, strengthening community capacities and ensuring that people are active participants in shaping their own recovery. Through training, outreach and engagement, communities are being supported to rebuild safer homes, restore livelihoods and reduce future risks.The recovery strategy forms part of the IFRC Emergency Appeal for 19 million Swiss francs to support 180,000 people over 24 months. However, the appeal is currently only 56 per cent funded, limiting the ability to scale up recovery efforts at the pace required.AV assets available here.Download the recovery strategy here.For more information and to arrange interviews contact: [email protected] JamaicaEsther Pinnock +1 (876) 836-5049In PanamaSusana Arroyo +507 69993199In GenevaTommaso Della Longa +41 79 708 4367Paolo Cravero +41 79 894 83 96

Where art meets education, resilience grows

In the face of heatwaves and flooding, the Mexican Red Cross and the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance are promoting local solutions to measure and strengthen community resilience

This is an adaptation of the original article written by Brenda Ávila Flores, Francisco Gabriel Reyes Gil, Jessica Rosales, Karla Hernandez, and Daniela Aguilar, published on December 15, 2025.Mexico is vulnerable to a variety of climate-related risks. These include droughts in the northern desert region, frosts in the north-west and north-east, heavy rainfall in the south, and tropical cyclones along the coast.According to Mexico’s National Centre for Disaster Prevention, approximately 80 per cent of disaster-related costs in Mexico between 2000 and 2022 were associated with water-related events. Flooding in the country has consistently caused damage to infrastructure, loss of life, displacement of communities and economic losses.Heat waves are also common in Mexico during the summer; however, the National Water Commission reports that most of the country has experienced above-average temperatures due to climate change.Two contrasting locations are Mexicali and Veracruz (Sotavento). These locations differ widely in terms of their geography, the threats they face, their vulnerabilities and their capacities.Mexicali is an urban centre on the northern border where people work in agriculture, industry and services, but face extreme heat, scarce rainfall and limited cooling options.In contrast, peri-urban and rural communities in the Sotavento region depend on agriculture, experience abundant rainfall and have access to river systems. However, they are constantly exposed to flooding and tropical cyclones.Climate Resilience Measurement for CommunitiesIn recent months, the Mexican Red Cross has used the Climate Resilience Measurement for Communities (CRMC) framework to guide a holistic and participatory process. The CRMC is a data-driven process that help communities evaluate and measure their resilience to climate hazards. And then, using the results, they can identify and implement resilience-building interventions and run additional measurements to track improvements.This measurement process included people's concerns about flooding in Veracruz communities, as well as the health implications of heat-related vector-borne diseases in Mexicali. The framework enables context-specific information on climate resilience to be obtained. By linking local knowledge with regional action, the Mexican Red Cross and its partners are addressing the immediate risks of extreme heat and flooding while also shaping systemic solutions for Mexico's future.The programme works with local populations to strengthen flood resilience at household and community levels by implementing interventions such as forming community brigades, developing family emergency plans and raising risk awareness through community resilience fairs.In both rural and urban areas, the Mexican Red Cross facilitates collaboration and integration with various sectors, including health, education, universities, and civil protection. This knowledge and experience is shared with communities, professionals, and political leaders, and is used to promote better laws, policies, and plans.Heat wavesIn recent years, Mexicali has experienced record temperatures in summer and an increasing number of heat waves. In 2024 alone, 47 deaths were directly attributed to extreme heat, marking a notable rise compared to previous years. This trend highlights the urgent need to address extreme heat as a critical public health issue.In Mexicali, families and workers depend on improved infrastructure and protective equipment, such as air conditioning, thermally insulated buildings and public cooling centres. This is not only to safeguard their health, but also to maintain their livelihoods and economic activities.However, air conditioning is not accessible to all, and marginalised communities often experience power outages, which increases their vulnerability. This highlights the need to explore affordable, accessible alternative cooling solutions to ensure heat protection for the most vulnerable. The assessment conducted through the CRMC identified opportunities to improve understanding of, and implementation of, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), which protect, manage and restore ecosystems in order to address climate challenges.“There is no single approach to increasing climate resilience”.Mexican Red Cross Resilience Programme TeamHurricanes and stormsThe municipalities of the Sotavento region in Veracruz are regularly affected by hurricanes and tropical cyclones. These events bring heavy rainfall, which causes flooding in the basin and in low-lying areas. A key factor in the region's resilience is the presence of community brigades: local groups trained in disaster preparedness and response. The CRMC analysis identified an opportunity to strengthen these brigades by providing them with training and coordination, and by linking them to Early Warning Systems (EWS), which currently have limited reach at the local level. This will ensure that the most vulnerable groups receive timely information that will prompt life-saving actions and reduce losses and damage. “While each community has its own particular circumstances, the CRMC's research in multiple communities reveals trends in the impact of floods and extreme heat on social and economic structures”.Mexican Red Cross Resilience Programme TeamA collaborative approachThe CRMC process generates localised, up-to-date information that provides valuable insight into both gaps and opportunities.The Mexican Red Cross uses these findings to design and implement resilience actions that address real needs while strengthening existing capacities. Guided by the programme's objectives, the Mexican Red Cross works to integrate climate resilience with disaster risk management and expand access to SAT for floods and heat among the most vulnerable populations. These findings emphasise the importance of promoting context-specific resilience measures and influencing local and regional stakeholders to address shared challenges.In implementing the CRMC, the Mexican Red Cross adopted an innovative approach to data collection, adapted to urban contexts and designed to protect staff and volunteers in complex environments. Rather than conducting door-to-door surveys, resilience fairs were organised in Mexicali and Veracruz. These events brought community members together to participate actively in measuring the CRMC and in interactive activities designed to raise awareness of the risks in their territories. Additionally, data was collected through focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders. These included community leaders and government authorities from various civil protection organisations.This timely engagement enabled critical stakeholders and potential partners to become involved from the outset, thereby building trust and credibility. This engagement continues today as the Mexican Red Cross communicates the main results of the CRMC to decision-makers and communities, strengthening shared responsibility, empowering local actors to lead resilience efforts and ensuring that actions are appropriated by those most affected.To complement the actions of the Mexican Red Cross at a local level, the IFRC will work to ensure that the lessons learned from this initiative are recognised, adopted and replicated internationally in various strategic areas.

Alliance for the Amazon: IFRC and TNC present a 10-year commitment to strengthen community resilience and climate adaptation

Belém do Pará/Panama City/Geneva, 15 November -The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) unveiled the Alliance for the Amazon’s ten-year program (2025–2035), focused on disaster risk reduction and climate resilience through the deployment of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) across the Amazon rainforest.During a joint event at COP30 in Brazil, the two organizations issued a call to raise the first 10 million Swiss francs (approximately 12 million USD) to launch the initial phase of this program, which aims to strengthen the resilience of Amazonian communities threatened by wildfires, droughts, floods, extreme temperatures, socioeconomic complexities, and displacement—combining humanitarian action and environmental science to protect both people and nature.Created nearly a year ago, the Alliance for the Amazon is a long-term, collective effort that brings together communities, Indigenous Peoples, governments, and organizations committed to safeguarding the Amazon. Convened by the IFRC as a network rooted in local presence and regional leadership, the Alliance unites knowledge, resources, and partnerships to build a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive Amazon, especially fostering partnerships between humanitarian, environmental, and development sectorsOver the past year, the IFRC has led a series of Amazonian Knowledge System Dialogues in Bolivia and Colombia, gathering hundreds of community leaders, scientists, and Red Cross teams to co-design locally led solutions. These dialogues, along with joint analyses carried out with expert organizations, such as TNC, have informed a new regional program framework and pilot projects focused on ecosystem restoration, climate-smart agriculture, and community health.“The Alliance for the Amazon embodies the Red Cross spirit of humanity, trust and localization,” said Loyce Pace, IFRC Regional Director for the Americas. “Together with partners, we are mobilizing to protect communities facing wildfires, droughts, floods, and climate displacement. Our goal is not only to anticipate and respond to disasters and health crises—but to help people thrive amid a changing climate.”The Alliance for the Amazon is structured around three strategic pillars that guide its long-term action and embed Locally Led Adaptation. The first focuses on risk management and anticipatory climate action, emphasizing local preparedness, inclusive local governance, and effective early warning systems. The second centers on sustainable and resilient livelihoods, supporting nature-based solutions, green economies, and food sovereignty. The third pillar promotes integral health and community well-being, connecting physical, mental, and spiritual health with environmental stewardship.“This partnership brings the best of humanitarian and developmental action together with environmental science to support those who safeguard the Amazon every day,” said Clare Shakya, TNC's Global Climate Managing Director at The Nature Conservancy (TNC). “By restoring ecosystems, strengthening community leadership, investing in nature-based solutions, and addressing structural inequities in adaptation finance systems, the Alliance can support Amazon communities adapt and thrive, while protecting its biodiversity, and the climate systems we all depend on.” Organizations, governments, corporations, and Indigenous Peoples and communities interested in contributing to this initiative are invited to join the Alliance and collaborate in advancing climate resilience and humanitarian and developmental action across the Amazon.With the active participation of National Red Cross Societies across the nine Amazonian countries, in partnership with TNC and other actors working in key areas of the basin, the Alliance seeks to reach 4 million people over the next decade. Its approach centers on local leadership, intercultural dialogue, and long-term partnerships—key ingredients for addressing one of the most complex humanitarian and environmental challenges of our time.For more information and to set up an interview, please contact: [email protected] Panama: María Victoria Langman, +507 6550 1090In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa, +41 79 708 4367

Alliance for the Amazon: For a resilient and sustainable future

IFRC Donor Advisory Group visits Indonesia to spotlight community resilience and Anticipatory Action

JAKARTA, INDONESIA – This week, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Donor Advisory Group (DAG) begins its 2025 field visit to Indonesia, with a focus on locally-led humanitarian action, community resilience, and anticipatory approaches to disaster preparedness. The visit will take place from 13 to 17 October, spanning Jakarta, Banten, and Lombok.The Donor Advisory Group serves as a strategic forum for dialogue between the IFRC Secretariat and its major donor partners, including both governments and National Societies. It plays a critical role in shaping shared priorities, strengthening collaboration, and supporting the IFRC network to respond effectively to local humanitarian needs.This year, the IFRC Donor Advisory Group is co-chaired by the IFRC, the government of Sweden, and the Swedish Red Cross, with a thematic focus on anticipatory action, localisation, and financial sustainability of National Societies. Participating members in this year’s field trip to Indonesia include representatives from the governments and National Societies of Australia, Canada, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.The Chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), Jusuf Kalla, welcomed the delegates at the PMI Headquarters on Monday (13 October).“Welcome to all our humanitarian partners. This visit will further strengthen our partnerships, broaden our shared learning, and open new opportunities for collaboration. Every partnership built with sincerity and a common purpose brings us one step closer to a world where no one is left behind,” said Jusuf Kalla.Nena Stoiljkovic, IFRC Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization, who is also part of the visiting team, added: “Indonesia offers a compelling example of how sustained investment in local institutions leads to long-term impact. The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has, through sustained support by the IFRC, become one of the strongest National Societies in the Asia Pacific, showing how a locally-led model can deliver real resilience at scale.”Indonesia is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, facing regular threats from earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, and climate-driven hazards. Against this backdrop, the Indonesian Red Cross has evolved into a leading actor in disaster response and preparedness, able to respond nationwide within hours, while strengthening community resilience before disasters strike.In 2025, PMI finalized its first Early Action Protocol (EAP) for floods, under the IFRC's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). This milestone marks a significant step forward in shifting from reactive response to anticipatory action, allowing early, targeted support to at-risk communities before disaster hits. During the visit, DAG members will see how this approach is being translated into practice on the ground.Field Visit Highlights:Jakarta: Strategic meetings with the Indonesian Red Cross leadership, government ministries, UN agencies, ASEAN, AHA Centre, and anticipatory action actors.Banten: Visit to PMI’s provincial branch to observe local partnerships, volunteer engagement, and financial sustainability efforts.Lombok: Community level engagement featuring mangrove restoration, early warning systems, and nature based solutions.This year’s visit will not only showcase the power of local leadership and volunteerism but also demonstrate how anticipatory action and strategic partnerships can protect lives and improve long-term outcomes for vulnerable communities.For more information or to request and interview: [email protected] contact PMI:Andreane Tampubolon, Head of Communications and International Relations Unit, Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Email: [email protected]

Red Cross Amazon Alliance aims to safeguard lives and strengthen community resilience

Panama/Geneva, 19 December – In response to escalating threats posed by the climate crisis, increasing disasters and biodiversity loss, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has announced the reactivation of its Amazon Programme, The Red Cross Alliance for the Amazon.This initiative, initially uniting the National Red Cross Societies of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, aims to enhance community resilience and support those affected by climate impacts in the Amazon rainforest. The Red Cross’s local presence and global reach make it a key partner in protecting Amazonian communities and ecosystems. With branches and volunteers embedded in all nine Amazonian countries, the Red Cross combines deep local knowledge with expertise in risk reduction, climate resilience, and humanitarian operations to address the region’s growing needs.The Amazon, home to 10% of all known species and responsible for generating 20% of the world’s oxygen, is nearing a tipping point. Deforestation, wildfires, and extractive activities—compounded by extreme climate events such as floods, fires and prolonged droughts—threaten the lives and the livelihoods of over 40 million people, including 350 groups of Indigenous Peoples.“At the heart of our proposal is the convergence of indigenous knowledge, Red Cross experience, and technological and research developments. This formula, implemented in close coordination with states, indigenous peoples and other stakeholders, will maximise efforts to strengthen community resilience andanticipate and respond to crises affecting Amazonian populations”, said Xavier Castellanos, IFRC Under Secretary General, National Society Development and Operations Coordination.The Red Cross Alliance for the Amazon focuses on disaster risk management and climate resilience, community health, sustainable livelihoods and response to disasters and climate displacement. Harmonising, maximising and streamlining the Red Cross work in these areas will help anticipate and reduce the impact of hazards which could be exacerbated by the climate crisis in the coming years.From January to August this year alone, fires destroyed 62,268 square kilometres of the Amazon, an area twelve times the size of the city of London. Compounded by a historic drought, this devastation has severely affected access to health and food and increased the risk of climate-induced displacement.Faced with such multi-crisis scenarios, the Red Cross is already working in several communities in the Amazon. In Ecuador, volunteers are working with indigenous peoples to implement agricultural techniques that reduce the risk of droughts, contributing to income diversification and ecosystem restoration to improvefood and economic security.In Colombia, the Red Cross provides health care and access to medicines in remote and hard-to-reach areas.The Red Cross Alliance for the Amazon builds upon solid experience. Red Cross Societies in Amazonian countries havecollaborated with over 53 Amazonian communities to promote community health and reduce the risk of disasters. This new effort seeks to scale up these successes while aligning with the IFRC’s global expertise in climate resilience and disaster management. For more information and to set up an interview, please contact: [email protected]   In Panama: Susana Arroyo Barrantes +50769993199 In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa +41797084367  / Hannah Copeland +41762369109 

Dominican Republic: Nature is at the heart of climate and community resilience

The Dominican Republic is a country with a unique biodiversity. Its many terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems are characterized by a high percentage of plant and animal species that are found nowhere else in the world.This biodiversity is essential to the island’s sources of almost everything essential for life: food, clean air, water of sufficient quality and quantity, healthy soils and natural barriers that protect the population from disasters. These resources are vital in a country that is highly vulnerable to the climate-related disasters."The Dominican Republic is one of the countries most affected by climate change," says Angel Ortiz, climate and environment focal point for the Dominican Red Cross. "Its effects are reducing access to clean water, increasing flooding, causing longer droughts, and reducing community income."As ecosystems degrade, biodiversity declines and communities become more vulnerable to climate-related disasters that affect their well-being and threaten their livelihoods."One of the main threats is deforestation and the irrational hunting of fish and flamingos," says Betania Luisa Guevara, a resident of El Cajuil, a village in the Laguna de Oviedo. "Another big problem is the lack of water, the drought. Here, being an arid place, it rains very little and we don't have pipelines to access drinking water." The Dominican Republic has suffered up to a 50-per cent decrease in average rainfall over the past 60 years, according to some estimates. This comes along with a significant reduction in its forests and recurring exposure to hurricanes and storms."When it rains a lot, when the river rises, it overflows and floods the community because there is no drainage for the water to go out," says Ana María Frómeta, a neighbor of the Acapulco community of Río San Juan. "When the sea is not rough, the water comes out immediately. But if the sea is rough, the water stays because the two collide and there is no way out." Despite the threats and risks, these communities dream of a future where communities become stronger by protecting nature. Nature, in turn, is then healthy enough to protect them.Biodiversity, climate change and the Red Cross are linked.As part of their communities, the Red Cross has first-hand knowledge of the relationship between communities and their ecosystems.The Dominican Red Cross, the IFRC and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) , therefore, are working with three communities (El Cajuil, in the province of Pedernales; Hato de Mana, in the province of La Altagracia; and Acapulco, in the province of María Trinidad Sánchez) to identify the opportunities that nature offers to improve their well-being and reduce their vulnerability."In these three locations, we used community diagnostics to listen to the people and identify their concerns and possible solutions to address these issues," said Lilian Ayala, IFRC Senior Climate Action and Community Resilience Officer.In El Cajuil, for example, one of the community's main concerns is the loss of the ecosystem of the Laguna de Oviedo, the area's main tourist attraction, largest fishing reservoir and main source of income. This hypersaline lagoon is threatened by pollution, mangrove destruction and overfishing.The Red Cross is trying to respond to this reality, in part by implementing nature-based solutions (NBS). NBS are measures that help communities reduce disaster risks, adapt to climate change and generate economic resources. At the same time, they protect, restore and sustainably manage ecosystems.In the case of El Cajuil, the restoration and conservation of the mangrove forest, waste management, home gardens and the recovery of species in the lagoon would allow the community to continue to live off the sustainable use of the lagoon and reduce the impact of flooding thanks to the protective barrier created by the mangroves.What would a community that builds resilience by relying on nature-based solutions look like? "My dream community would be one where our relationship with nature would be one of brotherhood, of mutual help,” imagines Betania Luisa Guevara, a neighbor of Cajuil.“We would contribute to the preservation of nature, and nature would give us its shade, its fruits, its fish. It would be a place where all the people would be trained to fight deforestation, to manage garbage well, to rationalize water, and to take care of nature,""It would be a community with sustainable sources of employment; in the tourism sector, we would be 100 percent trained to provide better service. And we would have excellent conditions in education and health," she concludes.For her part, Ana María envisions Acapulco as a clean community, with fully restored mangroves that would act as a natural barrier against the sea. They would also have drainage systems that would prevent the rivers from overflowing.The future we dream of is built togetherThe path to a sustainable and resilient future is clear: only by working together - communities, local authorities, public institutions and local Red Cross teams - can we conserve biodiversity and protect communities and their livelihoods from the challenges of climate change.-This initiative is part of theGlobal Climate Resilience Program. A total of 23 National Societies in the IFRC Americas Region are participating in this project.

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

Global Climate Resilience Platform

Our Global Climate Resilience Platform aims to increase the climate resilience, and build the adaptation skills, of 500 million people in the most climate-vulnerable countries.

Urban resilience

For most of humanity the future involves living in cities. But to do so safely, urban communities need to be prepared for, and resilient to, the increasing and changing shocks they face.

ASEAN and the IFRC partner to strengthen community resilience in Southeast Asia

Jakarta, 25 May 2022 -The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have committed to promoting and developing their engagement in disaster management with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ASEAN and the IFRC on the Strengthening of Community Resilience in Southeast Asia. The MOU outlines the scope and areas of cooperation between the IFRC and ASEAN to strengthen community resilience at regional, national, and local levels in the ASEAN region, including in areas such as disaster management, disaster risk reduction, disaster law, health in emergencies, disaster relief and emergency response, gender, youth, and climate change. This agreement also marks a significant milestone in ASEAN’s longstanding cooperation with the IFRC which has supported the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) in the implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) and its work programmes. The MOU was signed by the ASEAN Secretary-General H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi and the IFRC Secretary General, Mr. Jagan Chapagain, at the sidelines of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) in Bali, Indonesia, in the presence of the representatives of the ACDM and the representatives of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. At the Signing Ceremony, the two leaders expressed appreciation over the progress of cooperation between ASEAN and the IFRC. Recognizing ASEAN and IFRC’s mutually beneficial roles in strengthening climate adaptation and disaster resilience in vulnerable communities in Southeast Asia, both ASEAN and the IFRC look forward to the implementation of the MOU through collaborative projects in the AADMER Work Programme 2021-2025. In his remarks, Dato Lim emphasized that “in the face of increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters due to climate change, in one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions, coupled with an increasingly complex humanitarian landscape, we must build strategic partnerships to enhance our resilience as one ASEAN community.” In Mr. Chapagain’s speech reiterated that “through this partnership our common goal is to put communities in Southeast Asia at the centre by building individual and community capacities that help reduce humanitarian needs and avert loss and damage caused by the climate crisis." ASEAN countries are located in one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world, ranging from earthquakes, floods, landslides and typhoons. The wide geographic stretch of incidences and increasing frequency and intensity of disasters due to climate change require ASEAN to enhance the region’s readiness and emergency response capacity. -- For more information, please email [email protected]

Syria remains in crisis – the world, and donors, must not turn away now

With Syria now in its 11th year of unrelenting crisis, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement again calls on the international community to not forget the continuing humanitarian needs in the country. Right now, people in Syria need continued solidarity and committed support in order to cope with ongoing hostilities, economic woes, crippled infrastructure, and immense humanitarian needs in the country. At present at least 14.6 million people need assistance and are more dependent on aid than ever before. Humanitarian actors, including the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, provide a lifeline in response to enormous needs. Despite security challenges and political blockages, we are finding ways to repair critical infrastructure and make sure people have access to basic services such as clean water, electricity, and functioning health services. To be able to meet these humanitarian challenges, we need continued financial support from the international community. The importance of support to continue vitally needed humanitarian action cannot be overstated. While much of the world’s attention has turned towards other crises, such as in Ukraine, millions remain in need in Syria. "The armed conflict in Ukraine is adding another layer of challenge to the situation in Syria," said Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC’s regional director for Near and Middle East. "We’re worried about more food insecurity and ever-increasing prices. Even if the Ukraine conflict ended tomorrow the underlying impact of the climate crisis and the pressure this is putting on water resources and food production would still leave us with many issues to cope with.” Our Movement has been responding to the needs of people in Syria since the first days of the conflict, with volunteers and staff providing vital aid to people in areas that others cannot reach. Without them, this humanitarian catastrophe would have been much worse. Each month, we assist millions of people inside Syria; for this life-saving work to continue, humanitarian workers must have sustained, safe, and non-politically motivated access to all people, families, and communities in need. We ask that States and all parties to the conflict ensure international humanitarian law is respected in their operations. Dr. Hossam Elsharkawi, IFRC Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa said: “We have seen with the Ukraine crisis how reducing restrictive measures on humanitarian activities has enabled our Movement to rapidly reach millions of people who need assistance, desperately. I call on donors, to apply the same flexibility to the Syrian context. Ideally, by extending the same humanitarian exemptions and licenses. This will create better conditions to minimize unnecessary suffering and bring dignity to affected people.” Millions of Syrians living outside their homeland also continue to need support; neighbouring countries currently host the majority of people who have fled from violence in Syria. In Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are providing support to those who have fled, as well as the communities who host them. Countries in Europe have been implementing a wide range of activities to help Syrians integrate into their host communities, from offering psycho-social support programmes, to running reception centres, to facilitating reunification procedures with family members left behind. For further information please contact: ICRC: Jesus Serrano Redondo (Geneva), M +41 79 275 69 93, email:[email protected] IFRC: Rana Sidani Cassou, M: +41 76 671 57 51 / +33 6 75 94 55 15, email:[email protected]

Cash and livelihoods: a winning combination for long-term sustainability and support to refugees

By Deniz Kacmaz, IFRC Turkey, Livelihood Officer Turkey is hosting the largest refugee population in the world. More than 3.7 million Syrians have sought refuge as well as 330,000 under international protection and those seeking asylum, including Iraqis, Afghans, Iranians, Somalis, among others. With the conflict in Syria now entering its twelfth year with few signs of change, means that we are not just looking at a humanitarian emergency anymore, but on long-term resilience. Since the refugee influx began in Turkey, the Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay) has been taking a leading role in the response. As of April 2020, Turkish Red Crescent through its KIZILAYKART platform and IFRC run the largest humanitarian cash programme in the world, the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN), funded by the EU. This programme has helped more than 1.5 million cover some of their most basic needs, covering their groceries, rent and utilities, medicine and their children's school supplies. But humanitarian emergency cash assistance can only go so far. There is also a need to focus on longer-term resilience. This is why we are working on both the urgent needs of refugees, while also supporting longer-term livelihood opportunities for refugees and host communities. From humanitarian cash to longer-term resilience We are working on both the urgent needs of refugees, while also supporting longer-term livelihood opportunities for refugees and host communities. This means being part of the labour market to meet their own needs and rebuild their life without depending on social assistance, including the ESSN. We must focus on long-term solutions where refugees, supported by the ESSN, gain their power to stand on their feet and become self-reliant again. I have been working at IFRC Turkey Delegation for almost two years helping identify gaps and find opportunities to empower people's socio-economic capacities. This approach helps ensure they are resilient in combating challenges in the future, including the devastating socio-economic impacts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and general obstacles around employment opportunities. We have seen in many contexts when refugees are able to build their resilience and self-sufficiency, they can contribute even more meaningfully to the local economy. When they benefit, we all benefit, including host communities. What are we doing to bring this long-term solution to the lives of refugees? As of April 2021, we have launched referrals that link people receiving cash assistance through ESSN with a plethora of livelihood trainings and opportunities in Turkish Red Crescent community centres. The 19 community centres across Turkey offer support to both refugee and host communities, including work permit support, vocational courses such as sewing; mask producing; various agricultural trainings; and Turkish language courses and skills trainings. These services are critical to breaking barriers in the local markets. The community centres connect skilled individuals to relevant job opportunities by coordinating with public institutions and other livelihood sector representatives. The ESSN cash assistance provides support to refugees in the short term while giving them opportunities to learn new skills, which can lead to income generation in the long term. How do we conduct referrals from the ESSN to livelihoods? There are many sources where families are identified for referrals, some of the most common are: Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay) Service Centre 168 Kızılay Call Centre Direct e-mail address to the TRC referral and outreach team Identified potential individuals among ESSN protection cases Field teams including monitoring and evaluation and referral and outreach teams who are regularly engaging with those benefitting from ESSN In the first months of combining cash assistance with longer-term programmes, we have supported more than 1,000 refugees. Some have been referred to employment supports including consultancy for employment and work permit support, while others are attending language courses, vocational trainings, and skills development courses through public institutions, NGOs, UN agencies and TRC’s community centres. Though we have developed a robust livelihood referral system, collectively, we need to make stronger investments in social economic empowerment in the future. While we continue to work on improving our programming and referral mechanisms, as IFRC, we are also reaching out to agencies, civil society, donors, and authorities tolook at how we can: increase investment in socio-economic empowerment in Turkey, mitigate barriers to employment for refugees, and create greater synergies between humanitarian and development interventions. It is this collective effort that will deliver the longer-term gains necessary for both refugee and local communities in Turkey to thrive. -- The ESSN is the largest humanitarian cash assistance program in the world, and it is funded by the European Union. The ESSN has been implemented nationwide in Turkey in coordination and collaboration with the Turkish Red Crescent and International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies (IFRC). We reach more than 1.5 million refugees in Turkey through the ESSN, and we give cash assistance to the most vulnerable populations to make sure they meet their basic needs and live a dignified life. The Turkish Red Crescent with its 19 community centres throughout Turkey supports millions of refugees as well as host communities. The Centres provide several courses, vocational trainings, social cohesion activities, health, psychosocial support, and protection services, among others.