Geneva/New York (ICRC/IFRC) – The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement welcomes the entry into force today of the first instrument of international humanitarian law to include provisions to help address the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of using and testing nuclear weapons.The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) explicitly and unequivocally prohibits the use, threat of use, development, production, testing and stockpiling of nuclear weapons, and it obliges all States Parties to not assist, encourage or induce anyone in any way to engage in any activity prohibited by the Treaty.“Today is a victory for humanity. This Treaty – the result of more than 75 years of work – sends a clear signal that nuclear weapons are unacceptable from a moral, humanitarian, and now a legal point of view.  It sets in motion even higher legal barriers and an even greater stigmatization of nuclear warheads than already exists. It allows us to imagine a world free from these inhumane weapons as an achievable goal,” said Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders celebrate the entry into force of the TPNW and salute all 51 states[1] whose backing of the Treaty makes clear their refusal to accept nuclear weapons as an inevitable part of the international security architecture. They invite other world leaders, including those of nuclear-armed states, to follow suit and join the path toward a world free of nuclear weapons, in line with long-standing international obligations, notably those under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “The entry into force of this instrument of international humanitarian law comes as a welcome and powerful reminder that despite current global tensions, we can overcome even our biggest and most entrenched challenges, in the true spirit of multilateralism. This capacity to effectively unite and coordinate our action should be called upon as we grapple with other global, deadly challenges.”The Treaty obliges states to provide assistance, including medical care, rehabilitation and psychological support, to victims under their jurisdiction without discrimination, and ensure their socio-economic inclusion. It also requires states to clear areas contaminated by nuclear use or testing.“The Treaty is a ground-breaking step to address the legacy of destruction caused by these weapons. The compelling evidence of the suffering and devastation caused by nuclear weapons, and the threat their use may pose to humanity’s survival, makes attempts to justify their use or mere existence increasingly indefensible. It is extremely doubtful that these weapons could ever be used in line with international humanitarian law,” Mr. Maurer said.The Treaty enters into force as the world witnesses what happens when a public health system is overwhelmed by patients. The needs created by a nuclear detonation would render any meaningful health response impossible. No health system, no government, and no aid organization is capable of adequately responding to the health and other assistance needs that a nuclear blast would bring.The adoption by nuclear-armed states of more aggressive nuclear weapons policies and the continued modernization of nuclear weapons all worryingly point towards an increasing risk of use of nuclear weapons. That’s why it is imperative that we act now to prevent a nuclear detonation from happening in the first place, by removing any use and testing of nuclear weapons from the realm of possibility.States Parties, which will have their first meeting in the course of 2021, must now ensure that the Treaty's provisions are faithfully implemented and promote its adherence.“The Treaty presents each of us with a really simple question: Do we want nuclear weapons to be banned or not? We are ready, together with our Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, to intensify our efforts to achieve the broadest possible adherence to the Treaty and insist on its vision of collective security. The entry into force of the Nuclear Ban Treaty is the beginning, not the end, of our efforts,” Francesco Rocca said.[1] Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Gambia, Guyana, Holy See, Honduras, Ireland, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, South Africa, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam.

NEW YORK/ GENEVA, 12 JANUARY 2021: The four leading international health and humanitarian organizations announced today the establishment of a global Ebola vaccine stockpile to ensure outbreak response. The effort to establish the stockpile was led by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision, which includes the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), with financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The stockpile will allow countries, with the support of humanitarian organizations, to contain future Ebola epidemics by ensuring timely access to vaccines for populations at risk during outbreaks. The injectable single-dose Ebola vaccine (rVSV∆G-ZEBOV-GP, live) is manufactured by Merck, Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Corp. and developed with financial support from the US government. The European Medicines Agency licensed the Ebola vaccine in November 2019, and the vaccine is now prequalified by WHO, and licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration as well as in eight African countries. Before achieving licensure, the vaccine was administered to more than 350,000 people in Guinea and in the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a protocol for “compassionate use”. The vaccine, which is recommended by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization for use in Ebola outbreaks as part of a broader set of Ebola outbreak response tools, protects against the Zaire ebolavirus species which is most commonly known to cause outbreaks. “The COVID-19 pandemic is reminding us of the incredible power of vaccines to save lives from deadly viruses,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Ebola vaccines have made one of the most feared diseases on earth preventable. This new stockpile is an excellent example of solidarity, science and cooperation between international organizations and the private sector to save lives.” UNICEF manages the stockpile on behalf of the ICG which, as with stockpiles of cholera, meningitis and yellow fever vaccines, will be the decision-making body for its allocation and release. The stockpile is stored in Switzerland and ready to be shipped to countries for emergency response. The decision to allocate the vaccine will be made within 48 hours of receiving a request from a country; vaccines will be made available together with ultra-cold chain packaging by the manufacturer for shipment to countries within 48 hours of the decision. The targeted overall delivery time from the stockpile to countries is seven days. “We are proud to be part of this unprecedented effort to help bring potential Ebola outbreaks quickly under control,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “We know that when it comes to disease outbreaks, preparedness is key. This Ebola vaccine stockpile is a remarkable achievement - one that will allow us to deliver vaccines to those who need them the most as quickly as possible.” As Ebola outbreaks are relatively rare and unpredictable, there is no natural market for the vaccine. Vaccines are only secured through the establishment of the stockpile and are available in limited quantities. The Ebola vaccine is reserved for outbreak response to protect people at the highest risk of contracting Ebola – including healthcare and frontline workers. “This is an important milestone. Over the past decade alone we have seen Ebola devastate communities in West and Central Africa, always hitting the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest,” said IFRC Secretary General, Jagan Chapagain. “Through each outbreak, our volunteers have risked their lives to save lives. With this stockpile, it is my hope that the impact of this terrible disease will be dramatically reduced.” “The creation of an Ebola vaccine stockpile under the ICG is a positive step”, said Dr Natalie Roberts, Programme Manager, MSF Foundation. “Vaccination is one of the most effective measures to respond to outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases, and Ebola is no exception. An Ebola vaccine stockpile can increase transparency in the management of existing global stocks and the timely deployment of the vaccine where it’s most needed, something MSF has called for during recent outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo.” An initial 6,890 doses are now available for outbreak response with further quantities to be delivered into the stockpile this month and throughout 2021 and beyond. Depending on the rate of vaccine deployment, it could take 2 to 3 years to reach the SAGE-recommended level of 500,000 doses for the emergency stockpile of Ebola vaccines. WHO, UNICEF, Gavi and vaccine manufacturers are continuously assessing options to increase vaccine supply should global demand increase. Related links Ebola virus disease Ebola vaccines FAQ Video b-roll - Ebola vaccination in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, June 2019:https://who.canto.global/b/HBP7C Photo gallery:https://whohqphotos.lightrocketmedia.com/galleries/675/ebola-vaccine-stockpile Note - for media to access and download images from this gallery: 1. Fill out theWHO Permissions Request Formmentioning the internal ID number of the image(s), coma separated 2. Send an email [email protected] the ID number of the request. Within a few minutes you will be sent a download link Photos

Geneva, 11 January 2021 – With COVID-19 vaccines rolling out across many countries, the world’s largest humanitarian network is once again warning that vaccines alone will not end the pandemic. People need to remain vigilant and continue to adhere to basic preventative measures that include physical distancing, wearing masks and handwashing.Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said:“The humbling reality is this pandemic is only gaining momentum, a stark reminder that vaccines alone will not end this fight. We all need to make sure that, in our optimism about vaccines, we do not forget the dangers of this virus or the actions we all need to take to protect ourselves and each other. “COVID-19 is still killing thousands of people every single day. We each have a responsibility to stay vigilant and to practice the preventative measures that will curb the spread. “All people, even those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine, must continue to physically distance, stay home as much as possible, wear a mask to protect themselves and their communities and thoroughly wash their hands. Patience is key, and commitment is essential. The ability to keep each other safe and healthy is literally in our hands.”A second variant, 501Y.V2, which was recently discovered in South Africa, has been detected in at least six additional countries, and comes at a time when the African continent is in the grips of its worst-ever COVID-19 period. Over the past four weeks, Africa has experienced a continuous increase in new cases and deaths.The IFRC is also bracing for a further surge in cases following the holiday period, which saw millions of people around the world travel and gather with relatives and friends. A proven, consistent driver of the pandemic has been the gathering of people indoors from different households without face coverings or masks. The IFRC warns that countries should be prepared to see a possible increase in infections soon.Emanuele Capobianco, IFRC’s Director of Health, said:“We are very concerned about this convergence of a potential false sense of security due to the rollout of vaccines, the emergence of new variants, and the impact of holiday-season travel. Our first line of defence against the virus remains our individual behaviour. Beyond this, the ability of Governments to take swift actions based on scientific evidence is also key to slowing down the pandemic.“Vaccines will help, but unless we all remain vigilant, and unless their deployment is accelerated across the world in a fair and equitable manner, the entire world remains at risk.”

Geneva, 17 December 2020 – The President of the world’s largest humanitarian organisation warns that inclusive action is urgently needed to safeguard the health and dignity of migrants worldwide, and to ensure they are not left behind as the first COVID-19 vaccines start being distributed. Speaking ahead of International Migrants Day tomorrow, the President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Francesco Rocca, said: “As the first COVID-19 vaccines begin to roll out, migrants – irrespective of their status – must not be left at the back of the queue. The pandemic is having a catastrophic impact on people on the move, who are too often left to fall through the cracks when it comes to accessing essential health services. It is imperative that we address the many barriers to universal health coverage and that migrants are fully included in national vaccination campaigns.” A recent IFRC report “Least Protected, Most Affected: Migrants and refugees facing extraordinary risks during the COVID-19 pandemic” revealed that migrants have been disproportionately exposed to, and affected by, the virus this year due to often limited access to essential health, water, sanitation and hygiene services, as well as poor and unsafe living and working conditions that make it harder to comply with basic preventative measures. It also showed that migrants are being hit hardest by the economic fallout of COVID-19, are widely neglected from formal protection and safeguarding measures, and regularly face stigma and discrimination – sometimes in the form of violence. As countries begin their vaccination campaigns, migrants are at massive risk of being excluded yet again. And the inequitable distribution of vaccines between and within countries not only threatens to leave the most marginalised behind but also risks undermining our shared health if the virus is left to continue unabated within unprotected communities. “For many months now, IFRC has called for a people’s vaccine that is delivered based on our shared humanity and commitment to defeat this pandemic by protecting the most vulnerable in society first. None of us will be safe until we are all safe. When future generations read about this pandemic in the history books, let them be proud that the world treated migrants, refugees and asylum seekers with dignity rather than ashamed that we turned our backs in this hour of greatest need,” added Mr Rocca. Since the start of the pandemic, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide, supported by the IFRC, have stepped up their support to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in response to devastating impacts on lives and livelihoods: In Turkey, household debts among refugees have doubled and more than 80 per cent of respondents to a recent IFRC and Turkish Red Crescent study reported a member of their family becoming unemployed due to the pandemic. Through the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN), funded by the European Union and implemented by the Turkish Red Crescent and IFRC, 1.8 million refugees receive cash assistance every month to help cover their essential needs such as rent, transport, bills, food and medicine. Additional financial support was provided from June to July to help people cope through particularly tough months. In early October, a migrant caravan of over 2,300 people crossed from Honduras into Guatemala. The Guatemalan and Honduran Red Cross Societies provided assistance and care to hundreds of migrants on both sides of the border. For arriving migrants, the Guatemalan Red Cross volunteers provided a range of services including pre-hospital care, water, hygiene items, snacks, face masks, and accessible information on COVID-19 prevention. Since early November, fighting in Northern Ethiopia has caused at least 40,000 people to flee into neighbouring Sudan. Arriving refugees are being accommodated in temporary shelters at transit centres, where the Sudanese Red Crescent Society is working alongside the State Ministry of Health to provide healthcare and emergency assistance. Together they have rehabilitated two clinics and are conducting health and nutrition screenings, medical consultations, and referrals. Red Crescent teams have provided soap, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, blankets and biscuits to those arriving. An additional truckload of non-food emergency items for 500 families has been dispatched. In Greece, following a fire that destroyed Moria camp on Lesvos and prompted almost 11,000 refugees to flee, the Hellenic Red Cross has been providing vital health services, accommodation, essential items, psychosocial support and legal aid to people relocated to the new camp at Kara Tepe. Conditions in Kara Tepe fall short of international humanitarian standards, with sanitation and hygiene the main concern and tented accommodation not yet fully winterised.

Geneva, 11 December 2020 - The World Health Organization and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) today launched a new collaboration to strengthen the delivery of emergency medical and health services during humanitarian crises. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and IFRC Secretary-General Mr Jagan Chapagain signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on implementing the Emergency Medical Team (EMT) initiative. “We thank the IFRC for their support from the onset of the EMT Initiative and we look forward to this continued partnership in improving the quality of care in emergencies,” said Dr Tedros. “With the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant increase in emergencies around the world, this agreement could not come at a better time.” Mr Chapagain said IFRC was committed to working side-by-side with WHO in providing life-saving health services to communities affected by humanitarian emergencies. “This MoU will allow us to standardize our emergency health response work and provide increased support for National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies which play such a crucial role in emergency response,” Mr Chapagain said. “We are very committed to working together with WHO to provide quality emergency health services that communities desperately need in times of crisis.” The MoU, also known as the Red Channel Agreement, is the culmination of years of collaboration between IFRC and the WHO Emergency Medical Team Initiative. The new agreement will bring more synergies to health emergency response between the two international organizations, particularly in technical standards, accountability, and coordination. It aligns the IFRC’s system with that of the WHO Emergency Medical Teams global classification system, in doing so recognizing the IFRC’s Emergency Response Units as EMTs and heightens the involvement of IFRC teams and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the capacity building efforts of the EMT network.

Geneva, 2 December 2020 – Hundreds of thousands of new volunteers worldwide have joined their National Red Cross and Red Crescent Society this year, providing vital support to their local communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.Widespread increases have been reported across the Red Cross and Red Crescent network, with some of the highest figures reported by the American Red Cross (78,000 new sign-ups), Italian Red Cross (nearly 60,000 new sign-ups as part of its ‘Time of Kindness’ initiative) the Netherlands Red Cross (48,000 new sign-ups to their Ready2Help citizen aid network) and the Kenyan Red Cross (35,000 new sign-ups).Smaller but significant increases were also reported by the Argentine Red Cross (1,000 new volunteers) and the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan (nearly 2,000 new applications). Even in Tuvalu, a country with no recorded cases of COVID-19, the Tuvalu Red Cross has welcomed over 130 new volunteers.New and long-standing volunteers have dedicated their time to wide-ranging COVID-19 response activities, including: delivering essential food and medical items; transporting patients to health facilities; supporting with testing and contact tracing; providing psychosocial support to vulnerable and quarantined people; distributing personal protective equipment (PPE); and providing trusted and accurate health information to their communities. Collectively, they have reached tens of millions of people in nearly every country of the world, while also responding to hundreds of other disasters.Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said “This year, in response to unprecedented humanitarian need, the IFRC has witnessed equally unprecedented humanity and kindness – with hundreds of thousands of people joining the Red Cross Red Crescent family for the first time, all the while contending with the terrible impacts of COVID-19 on their own lives.”“Though the future can seem bleak and the world divided because of this virus, every individual action of solidarity, of peace, of lending a hand and supporting your community counts. Our millions of volunteers are a true light among the darkness. Ahead of International Volunteers Day, as with every day, we deeply thank them for their immense compassion and courage, and remember those sadly no longer with us,” said Mr Rocca.In the first 6 months of the global COVID-19 response, the IFRC allocated over 120 million Swiss francs from the coronavirus emergency appeal to support 153 National Societies to respond to the health and socio-economic impacts of the pandemic.Volunteers involved in the response are of all ages and backgrounds – teachers, parents, nurses, students, bankers, artists, potentially now unemployed or furloughed, young and old – and motivated by a common desire to serve their communities: Tracy Kyomuhendo, a student in Kampala, joined the Uganda Red Cross in March when COVID-19 hit and a national lockdown halted her studies: “I joined because I wanted to sensitise my community about the virus and help protect them – some people here didn’t even think coronavirus was real. Volunteering has helped me build my skills as a person and also achieve my dream of serving humanity. It’s now part of me! I feel more connected with my community than ever before.” Adda Þóreyjardóttir Smáradóttir, a student from Iceland who received support in an isolation centre run by the Icelandic Red Cross when she herself contracted COVID-19 and who has since become a volunteer, said: “I wanted to give something back because the Red Cross was doing so much for me. I have a purpose. It’s just so good mentally to be around people and being able to help people in the same situation that I was in.” Jason Lucas is a public health specialist and university lecturer from Grenada. He joined the Grenada Red Cross in September, lending his technical skills to help improve public awareness of COVID-19: “The world needs us now more than ever. With my background in public health it is my conviction to help my community and country. I’m honoured to be a part of this global team.” Ludovica Pugi, an IT worker from Florence, started volunteering with the Italian Red Cross in March as a receptionist in a COVID-19 health facility: “The thing that makes your heart break is when a lady over 80 calls you asking about her husband, with whom she cannot speak. After this emergency I will continue my path with the Red Cross for sure. There are other pressing situations every day, even if we don’t realise it.”As encouraging vaccine development news reminds us the home stretch is in sight, the spirit of volunteering is still needed more than ever in the pandemic. IFRC invites anyone considering volunteering to find out more on the IFRC website and to join a 24 hour live online event this Friday 4 December on TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – where volunteers from nearly all 192 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies will share their personal stories about volunteering during the pandemic.

New York/Geneva, 30 November 2020 – The President of the world’s largest humanitarian organization has warned that efforts to roll out a potential COVID-19 vaccine could fail unless equally ambitious efforts to counteract rapidly rising levels of mistrust and misinformation are put in place. Speaking ahead of a United Nations High-Level Special Session on the COVID-19 Pandemic taking place this week in New York, Mr Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “We welcome the news that a viable COVID-19 vaccine may be imminent. However, we caution that a vaccine in-and-of-itself will not be enough to end this pandemic. “To beat COVID-19, we also need to defeat the parallel pandemic of mistrust that has consistently hindered our collective response to this disease, and that could undermine our shared ability to vaccinate against it.” Recent research has documented a worrying decline in how people view vaccines. A study by Johns Hopkins University in 67 countries found that vaccine acceptance had declined significantly between July and October of this year.[1] High levels of mistrust have undermined public health efforts to respond to COVID-19 from the outset and have facilitated the spread of the virus in countries around the world. For example, IFRC research in Africa has consistently documented a belief among some that the virus is a “western issue” while in the Western countries many people refuse to follow basic public health advice. Mr Rocca called on governments to begin putting in place measures to counteract this mistrust and the misinformation that often fuels it. He said: “Building trust requires deliberate and sustained community engagement. The measures needed must be grounded in evidence-based, risk-informed open communications from trusted sources and be able to react effectively to community feedback. While these efforts should target as wide an audience as possible, they should prioritise the most vulnerable, marginalized and at-risk groups.” This kind of painstaking community outreach and engagement has been at the heart of the IFRC global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, with IFRC support, have reached 243 million people through COVID-19-related community engagement activities. Such measures include tracking community perception of the disease and the response; responding to and acting on peoples’ questions, suggestions and capacities; and providing accurate and timely information in local languages through diverse channels. IFRC’s Francesco Rocca said: “We stand ready to support government efforts to roll out a COVID-19 vaccine, including by leading and supporting efforts to counteract misinformation and build trust.” The IFRC has been a vocal support of the importance of equitable access to COVID vaccines and treatments and has warned against the rise of “vaccine nationalism”. “We call again on all the governments who have not joined the COVAX facility to consider doing so and to show leadership at the international level. We also call on governments who have joined the COVAX facility to increase their allocation to this valuable multilateral mechanism to further increase equity in future vaccine distribution. “Working in solidarity is not only our moral imperative, but it also makes the most sense from a public health perspective. The vaccine must go to where it is needed, not just to where it can be afforded,” Mr Rocca said. [1] Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. (2020). KAP COVID Global View. Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, https://ccp.jhu.edu/kap-covid/kap-covid-global-view-2/

Geneva, 17 November 2020 – Global efforts to tackle climate change are currently failing to protect the people who are most at risk, according to new analysis by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). IFRC’s World Disasters Report 2020: Come Heat or High Water shows that the countries most affected by climate-related disasters receive only a fraction of the funding that is available for climate change adaptation and thus struggle to protect people from the aggravating effects of climate change. IFRC's Secretary General Jagan Chapagain said: “Our first responsibility is to protect communities that are most exposed and vulnerable to climate risks. “However, our research demonstrates that the world is collectively failing to do this. There is a clear disconnection between where the climate risk is greatest and where climate adaptation funding goes. This disconnection could very well cost lives.” The failure to protect the people most vulnerable to climate change is especially alarming given the steady increase in the number of climate and weather-related disasters. According to the World Disasters Report, the average number of climate and weather-related disasters per decade has increased nearly 35 per cent since the 1990s. Over the past decade, 83 per cent of all disasters were caused by extreme weather and climate-related events such as floods, storms, and heatwaves. Together, these disasters killed more than 410,000 people and affected a staggering 1.7 billion people. The World Disasters Report also argues that the massive stimulus packages that are currently being developed around the world in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are an opportunity to address and reduce climate vulnerability. A recovery that protects people and the planet would not only help to reduce today’s risks but would also make communities safer and more resilient to future disasters. Smart financing – with a focus on early warning and anticipatory action to reduce risks and prevent disasters before they happen – and risk reduction measures would both play a major role in protecting the most exposed communities. Mr Chapagain said: “Climate adaptation work can’t take a back seat while the world is preoccupied with the pandemic: the two crises have to be tackled together. “These disasters are already on the doorstep in every country around the world. We must significantly scale up investment in climate smart actions that strengthens risk reduction and preparedness, alongside climate-smart laws and policies. “With challenges like these, international solidarity is not only a moral responsibility, but also the smart thing to do. Investing in resilience in the most vulnerable places is more cost-effective than to accept continued increases in the cost of humanitarian response, and contributes to a safer, more prosperous and sustainable world for everyone." The World Disasters Report 2020: Come Heat or High Water can be downloaded at https://www.ifrc.org/document/world-disasters-report-2020

Geneva/New York, 24 October 2020 – The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement welcomes the coming into force of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).Fifty States have now ratified the Treaty, meaning that it will enter into force as an instrument of international humanitarian law in 90 days. The Treaty is the first globally applicable multilateral agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons. It prohibits their use, threat of use, development, production, testing and stockpiling. It also commits States to clearing contaminated areas and helping victims. By providing pathways for the elimination of nuclear weapons, the TPNW is an indispensable building block towards a world free of nuclear weaponsFrancesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said:“Today is an historic day: even a few years ago, the dream of a nuclear ban recognized by the international community seemed unfathomable. This is a victory for every citizen of the world, and it demonstrates the importance of multilateralism. I would like to congratulate all 50 States that have ratified the treaty and to call on all the other world leaders to act with courage and join the right side of history.“The simple reality is that the international community could never hope to deal with the consequences of a nuclear confrontation. No nation is prepared to deal with a nuclear confrontation. What we cannot prepare for, we must prevent”, Mr Rocca said.There are over 14,000 nuclear bombs in the world, thousands of which are ready to be launched in an instant. The power of many of those warheads are tens of times greater than the weapons dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said“Today is a victory for humanity, and a promise of a safer future. Too many times we have seen the dangerous logic of nuclear deterrence drag the world to the brink of destruction. Too many accept nuclear weapons as an inevitable part of the international security architecture. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons allows us to imagine a world free from such inhumane weapons as an achievable goal.”Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders have over the past years advocated with government leaders, parliamentarians, academics and with the public to reflect in depth on the humanitarian consequences of Nuclear weapons and the need to have a legally binding commitment for their prohibition and in the long term for their elimination. They also have urged the Nuclear possessing states to urgently take interim steps to reduce the immediate risks of use of nuclear weapons by intent, miscalculation or accident, and in the long term to sign and ratify the treaty.Prohibiting and eliminating nuclear weapons is a humanitarian imperative, and a promise to future generations that they will never have to live under the threat of nuclear catastrophe as we have experienced the past 75 years.“The use of nuclear weapons is, under any circumstances, unacceptable in humanitarian, moral and legal terms. We are ready, together with our Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, to continue our advocacy to build a world without nuclear weapons: we need to scale-up and intensify our efforts. We must do it for future generations,” concluded Mr Rocca.

Geneva, 8 October (ICRC/IFRC) – Half of all respondents – 51 percent – in a seven-country survey said that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected their mental health, an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) survey found.In a new report – “The greatest need was to be listened to: The importance of mental health and psychosocial support during COVID-19,” – the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement demonstrates how the pandemic is adding an extraordinary level of stress and suffering on communities around the world. The outbreak is worsening existing mental health conditions, triggering new ones, and making access to mental health services even more scarce. It calls for urgent and increased funding for mental health and psychosocial support within humanitarian responses.“The COVID-19 health crisis has exacerbated the psychological distress of millions of people already living through conflicts and disasters. Lockdown restrictions, a loss of social interaction, and economic pressures are all impacting people’s mental health and access to care,” said Robert Mardini, the ICRC’s director-general. “Mental health is just as important as physical health, especially in crisis situations, when mental health needs are especially critical.”The report also highlights the urgent mental health needs of those who have been on the frontline of the pandemic, from medical staff, to volunteers, community workers, social workers, dead body collectors, community leaders and many others. Nearly three in four respondents to the ICRC survey – 73 percent – said that frontline health workers and first responders have more need for mental health support than the average person. They are often directly exposed to COVID-19, work long hours, and are invariably subject to stressful events and stigma when supporting disaster-affected communities. They need access to support and care to ensure they can continue to care appropriately for others.“Mental health programmes are some of the least expensive interventions in humanitarian response, but they have a lifesaving and priceless impact on the lives of people who need them” said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). “Now more than ever we must invest in mental health and psychosocial support for everyone – communities and carers alike – to help people cope, rebuild their lives and thrive through this crisis.”The Movement’s recommendations for states, policy makers, mental health and psychosocial support advocates and practitioners include: Ensuring early and sustained access to mental health and psychosocial support services for people affected by the pandemic Integrating mental health and psychosocial support in all responses addressing the needs arising because of the pandemic Prioritising protection of the mental health and wellbeing of staff and volunteers responding to the humanitarian needs in the pandemic“COVID-19 is creating an historic opportunity to turn commitments into action. Failure to do so will prolong the crisis – in economic, social, and health terms,” said Mr. Mardini.ENDSNotes to editors:On the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement: The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world's largest humanitarian network, comprised of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and 192 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.On the ICRC survey: A total of 3,500 people responded to the ICRC-commissioned survey from seven countries: Colombia, Lebanon, the Philippines, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. The survey, which was carried out by Ipsos from September 18-22, queried 500 people per country from a nationally representative sample. Individual country results are available upon request.

Geneva, 28 September 2020 – The following is attributable to Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): “Today, we stand in grim solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of families that have lost loved ones. A million deaths represent 1 million individual tragedies and countless heartbreaks. They represent many, many thousands of orphans, of widows, of holes in families and community fabrics that will never be filled. They also represent countless health care workers and frontline responders, including many Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and staff, who have lost their lives. “We know that this is just one more sad milestone in the tragedy that is COVID-19. This is without a doubt one of the largest humanitarian catastrophes in recent times. So today we pause in grief. Yet we continue with our work. “As we have all learned since the start of this pandemic, there is no quick fix. The best advice remains the same as it has been for months: we can lessen and even contain this virus when we adhere to basic public health measures. These include social distancing, the proper use of face masks, good hand hygiene, and robust contact tracing. Where these and other measures are followed, we have seen, and will continue to see, progress. “Equally important is ensuring that at-risk communities are engaged and listened to. Their beliefs, worries and fears need to be understood and acted upon. Trust between communities and authorities will be crucial to ending this pandemic. And of course, as we focus around the clock on responding to the outbreak in every corner of the world, we need to be planning for the support that millions of people will need to rebuild their lives even once this illness is finally defeated.” ENDS Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IFRC and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have reached tens of millions of people in nearly every country around the world with a range of services, including health care, water and sanitation, mental health support and community engagement activities.

New York, Geneva, 23 September 2020 – New analysis published today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre reveals that at least 51.6 million people worldwide have been affected by floods, droughts or storms and COVID-19. The pandemic is increasing the needs of people suffering from climate-related disasters, compounding the vulnerabilities they face and hampering their recovery. At least a further 2.3 million people have been affected by major wildfires and an estimated 437.1 million people in vulnerable groups have been exposed to extreme heat, all while contending with the direct health impacts of COVID-19 or measures implemented to curb its spread. The analysis, which quantifies the overlapping vulnerability of communities, shows that out of 132 identified unique extreme weather events that have occurred so far in 2020, 92 have overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing media at the United Nations headquarters in New York ahead of the High Level Roundtable on Climate Action, IFRC President, Francesco Rocca, said “These new figures confirm what we already knew from our dedicated volunteers on the frontlines: the climate crisis has not stopped for COVID-19, and millions of people have suffered from the two crises colliding. We have had absolutely no choice but to address both crises simultaneously.” Across Asia and Africa, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies have responded to widespread and, in many cases, unprecedented flooding that has inundated communities, swept away houses, wiped out food supplies and disrupted livelihoods. Cruelly, COVID-19 has hampered response efforts, for instance by increasing the burden on already stretched or limited health systems and preventing affected people from seeking treatment for fear of catching the virus. In the Americas, Red Cross volunteers have been on the ground providing food, shelter and relief items to people affected by deadly wildfires across the western United States, as well as preparing communities for, and responding to, ongoing hurricanes and tropical storms in the region. “IFRC is uniquely placed to support people living through climate-related disasters and COVID-19 thanks to our network of almost 14 million local volunteers who have remained steadfast in their communities, even as many international organisations had to retreat. They have worked tirelessly to rise to new challenges – from distributing personal protective equipment to adapting evacuation spaces to support physical distancing. Never have I seen a stronger case for localised humanitarian action,” said President Rocca. Climate Advisor with the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, Julie Arrighi, said: “While not all climate-related disasters have a direct link with climate change, it is unequivocal that due to global warming we are facing a more volatile climate with more weather extremes. COVID-19 has exposed our vulnerabilities like never before and, as our preliminary analysis shows, compounded suffering for millions of people affected by climate-related disasters.” Reflecting on the global response to COVID-19, IFRC President Rocca said: “The massive global investment in recovering from the pandemic proves governments can act decisively and drastically in the face of imminent global threats – we urgently need this same energy on climate, and it is critical that the recovery from COVID-19 is green, resilient, and inclusive if we are to safeguard the world’s most vulnerable communities.” Download the working paper: Climate-related extreme weather events and COVID-19: A first look at the number of people affected by intersecting disasters [1.1 MB]

Geneva, 10 September 2020 – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Croatian Red Cross today signed a new partnership agreement with global messaging app Rakuten Viber to engage new online audiences with trusted COVID-19 information and share humanitarian stories of hope.IFRC first collaborated with Rakuten Viber on a campaign for World Blood Donor Day in June, with a pack of bespoke stickers encouraging people to give blood shared over 800,000 times on the platform. The campaign drove over 160,000 Viber users to join IFRC’s Community where they continue to engage with regular, accurate updates about COVID-19, as well as learn about the vital humanitarian assistance delivered by Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers worldwide.For today’s official launch, IFRC worked with Viber to develop a brand new pack of vibrant and inclusive stickers designed to promote kindness and solidarity among the platform’s users and encourage them to volunteer with the National Society in their country. IFRC has also launched a Russian language Community to engage with the app’s strong user base in Eastern Europe, with an Arabic language Community soon to follow.Anna Znamenskaya, Chief Growth Officer at Rakuten Viber, said: “As a leading messaging app, we play an important role in delivering verified information to our users, and we see it as our responsibility to do so. Through our strategic partnership with the IFRC, we are staying true to our commitment. We can share with pride that we are engaging more and more users in the humanitarian activities of the organisation globally, not only informing users in the IFRC community, but also providing them with tools to spread the word about the campaign.”IFRC Director of Communications, Derk Segaar, said: “In the midst of a coronavirus infodemic, this new partnership with Rakuten Viber will help IFRC continue its vital work spreading facts not fear, and hopefully inspire a generation of new humanitarians.”“IFRC is delighted to formalise our partnership with Rakuten Viber and take our growing Community to the next level. As the world’s largest humanitarian network, we’re always looking for new ways to engage with our millions of volunteers and their communities online – and to do that we need to meet them on their preferred channels,” Mr Segaar said.Executive President of the Croatian Red Cross, Robert Markt, said: “We at the Croatian Red Cross are proud that such a small but creative National Society can contribute globally to the spread of humanity.”

Geneva, 10 September 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has been a disaster for people from all walks of life, but an absolute “catastrophe” for the world’s vulnerable migrants, people seeking asylum and refugees. Already weak social safety nets are eroding, migrants are being stuck, stranded without access to support, in some cases unable to move or return, as well as exposed to increasing risks of unwarranted deportation and detention, and heightening stigma and discrimination. Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Francesco Rocca, the President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “COVID-19 has been cruel for all of us. It has been catastrophic for migrants. They face even more restrictions in terms of accessing basic services in ways that contribute nothing to public health. They are disproportionately impacted by border closures. They face heightened risk of detention and deportation. They are increasingly scapegoated for the pandemic.” National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have seen a sharp increase in the vulnerability of migrants around the world. For example, in Central America, the closing of borders and the hardening of policies have seen thousands of migrants trapped at points along the isthmus, including in Darien Province in Panama, and on the Costa Rica side of the Nicaragua border. In Europe, thousands of migrants remain stranded in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in large part due to COVID-19 restrictions. In Greece, appeals to move vulnerable migrants from inadequate facilities on islands to the mainland have also stalled, in part because of the pandemic. IFRC President Rocca said: “Border closures and lack of political will have trapped tens thousands of migrants in Europe, North Africa and the Americas in an intolerable limbo, often without access to critical support to meet their most basic needs and stay safe.” In terms of economic impact, President Rocca warned that COVID-19 has caused “threadbare social safety nets for migrants and refugees to snap.” In Turkey for example, recent IFRC and Turkish Red Crescent polling has found that nearly seven out of 10 refugee families surveyed have lost employment while a staggering four out of five families have seen their household debts balloon to near intolerable levels. Mr Rocca was speaking at the launch of a new IFRC policy report that looks specifically at the impact of COVID-19 on migrants and refugees. The report – Least protected, most affected: migrants and refugees facing extraordinary risks during the COVID-19 pandemic – documents the rising vulnerabilities of these groups over the past six months, while noting that the existing challenges faced by migrants have been exacerbated and risks to health and safety increased as a result of the pandemic. The report contains a number of recommendations for governments on how COVID-19 responses can best keep everyone safe, including by ensuring the policies introduced to control the pandemic are not used to justify inhumane treatment of migrants and refugees. President Rocca said: “(These measures) must not impact the ability of people to seek asylum or force people to return to situations of danger and harm. In some countries, we have seen the principle of non-refoulement being discounted. Stopping the virus is in everyone's interest: how each country treats and supports the most vulnerable will affect how the virus spreads and how well the country recovers from the pandemic.” Download the report: Least protected, most affected: migrants and refugees facing extraordinary risks during the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF, 5.7 MB)

Geneva,8 September 2020 –Climate:Red, a fully virtual and truly global climate change summit, is bringing youth champions, activists, indigenous leaders, scientists and government ministers together on 9 – 10 September 2020 for 30 hours of innovation, ideas, and action to tackle the climate emergency. The summit has been organised by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to mobilise support for climate action, and encourage the sharing of ideas and experiences. The event will run for 30 consecutive hours to allow people in all time zones to get involved, and is open for everyone to join. IFRC President Francesco Rocca said: “While the world’s attention has been turned to COVID-19, the climate crisis continues to unfold. Climate change is already a humanitarian crisis, and the scale of the suffering it causes will only get worse." “The Red Cross and Red Crescent is committed to massively scaling up our climate action, and this summit will mobilize our global network to meet those commitments. Climate:Red is also an opportunity to engage with and inspire an enormous network of change agents.” Climate:Red has a crowdsourced programme with around 200 sessions and speakers. In addition to leadership, staff and volunteers from the Red Cross and Red Crescent network, the summit will feature leading scientists, government ministers, CEOs, youth champions, climate activists and people in remote communities driving climate change initiatives every day. High-level speakers include His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales; Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland; Honorable Casten N. Nemra, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Republic of the Marshall Islands; Michael Köhler, Deputy Director-General, Directorate-General European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operation (DG ECHO); Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Finland and many others. The vast range of sessions also demonstrate the diverse, cross-cutting and far-reaching nature of Red Cross and Red Crescent climate work. For instance, there will be a roundtable discussion with indigenous leaders from around the world, messages from young Red Cross and Red Crescent climate champions, an ignite talk about the role of art in raising awareness about climate change in Sudan, and a variety of interactive panels, workshops, virtual games and live podcasts. During the event, the shortlisted candidates of the Climate:Red innovation competition will pitch their ideas and new ventures to address climate change in the Innovation Pitch Tent open on Thursday 10 September at 13:30 CEST. The audience can vote for their favourite, and competition winners will receive funding to help implement their ideas. The full schedule with all speakers and sessions is available for registered attendees in climate.red. The summit is open to all members of the public, and all of the main stage sessions at climate.red will be available in English, French, Arabic and Spanish. IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain said: “We always envisaged Climate:Red summit as our first fully virtual global event, and I hope as many people as possible will take the opportunity to join the summit across its 30 hours of ideas and inspiration. “Climate change affects us all, no matter who we are or where we’re living. We need to talk to each other, and support each other, if we are to rise to the many challenges and overcome them. Climate:Red will help us do this by creating a space for learning, sharing, exploring and strategizing on how we can scale up our climate action.” Climate:Red Summit starts on Wednesday 9 September at 12:00 CEST in the Climate:Red platform: https://climate.red

New York/Geneva, 3 June 2020 -The United Nations and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement call for unity to scale up efforts to develop, test, and scale up production of safe, effective, quality, affordable diagnostics, therapeutics, medicines and vaccines. Specifically, we ask governments, the private sector, international organizations and civil society to unite towards “a people’s vaccine”. COVID19 is a global disease affecting all people around the world but with a disproportionate higher impact on most vulnerable groups and individuals. As the race to identify the most effective tools to combat this virus continues with steady pace, the spirit of global solidarity must prevail: no one should be left behind. A people’s vaccine should protect the affluent in cities as the poor in rural communities, the old in care homes as the young in refugee camps. A global social contract for a people’s vaccine against COVID19 is a moral imperative that brings us all together in our shared humanity. The unity and commitment towards a people’s vaccine against COVID19 should be accompanied by equal global collaboration and resolve to sustain immunization against preventable diseases. Due to COVID19 routine childhood immunization services have been severely hit in at least 68 countries; measles campaigns have been suspended in 27 countries and polio campaigns put on hold in 38 countries. As a result, at least 80 million children under one are at risk for diseases like measles, diphtheria and polio. The United Nations and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement call on international and national partners to continue prioritizing delivery of vaccines as a key tool to avert excess mortality, particularly in low income countries and in humanitarian settings. While the world invests in the development of new technologies against COVID19 and in sustaining the provision of immunization services worldwide, we warn that biomedical interventions will only be partially effective without people’s engagement and ownership of the response to the pandemic. We learned the tough consequences of non-prioritizing communities in the early phase of previous epidemics, like Ebola in DRC, and we should not repeat the same mistake. We therefore call for governments and non-government actors to prioritize investments in communities and to ensure all people, without distinctions, are provided with the relevant knowledge, resources and tools to protect themselves from COVID19. Because until a people’s vaccine will become available, the hope to reduce the impact of this pandemic will primarily rest on the people’s knowledge and behaviour and in their ability to withstand the direct and secondary impact of COVID19.

Geneva, 28 May 2020 –-The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is appealing for 3.1 billion Swiss francs (3.19 billion US dollars) to urgently scale up its global response to curb COVID-19’s rapid spread and assist the world’s most vulnerable people amid the pandemic. This coordinated appeal builds on the previous one launched on 26 March 2020 and aims to increase life-saving services and support to address both the immediate impacts of the pandemic and its long-lasting social and economic repercussions. Five months since it began, the pandemic has threatened every aspect of peoples’ lives, amplifying inequalities, destabilizing communities and reversing development gains made in the past decade. Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General said: “In fragile humanitarian contexts, the COVID-19 pandemic is creating new vulnerabilities for people who are already most at risk. We now face a crisis on top of a crisis with worsening poverty and food insecurity alongside crippling economic conditions and a lack of public health services, safe water, sanitation and hygiene.” “National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ local volunteers and staff are delivering life-saving services and equipment to contain the spread of the pandemic and address the deterioration in vulnerable peoples’ livelihoods and socio-economic situations. Protecting and supporting these communities requires a sustained and coordinated scale-up of Red Cross and Red Crescent local action alongside ongoing global response efforts.” The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement consists of three parts: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Robert Mardini, ICRC’s Director-General, said: “This pandemic is creating crisis-level needs that will endure long into the future, whether for mental health support, conflict zone medical aid or livelihood assistance. The ICRC is working hand in hand with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, at the intersection of the pandemic, armed conflict and violence to ensure that we assist both now and beyond the pandemic’s immediate effects to help families in the long-run.” - The IFRC is appealing for 1.9 billion Swiss francs (1.95 billion US dollars) to support National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in providing health care, water and sanitation, and mitigation against the socio-economic impacts for the most vulnerable people. The funds will also strengthen National Societies’ capacities as key local actors to deliver these critical services and programmes and ensure their volunteers/staff are protected and supported during this crisis. Out of the 1.9 billion Swiss francs, 450 million Swiss francs will be raised through the IFRC Secretariat in support of National Societies. - The ICRC is appealing for 1.2 billion Swiss francs ($1.24 billion US dollars) to respond in places of conflict and violence, to support medical facilities and places of detention, curb the spread among and ensure medical access for displaced people and detainees, and to support National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in their response. This includes 366 million Swiss francs to support its critical and immediate response to COVID-19, and 828 million Swiss francs to support activities to address the broader impact of the pandemic. The ICRC seeks to address the most pressing needs, including ensuring access to clean water and sanitary living conditions; supporting the safe and dignified management of human remains; and enabling communities at risk to have access to life-saving services and information. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Movement has supported National Societies to increase their health care services, community engagement and pandemic preparedness activities for vulnerable populations. National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies across the world have scaled up their response to address the different health and socio-economic needs in their countries. Frontline volunteers are also helping to trace contacts, isolate and treat people with COVID-19. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world’s largest humanitarian network. Its community-based volunteers and staff help the world’s most vulnerable people, including those living in countries with under-resourced health and social welfare systems; people recovering from recent disasters; migrants and displaced people; those in conflict zones and who face ongoing violence; people in urban slums; detainees; and people suffering from the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.

Nairobi/Geneva 01 June 2020 --Facebook and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement are partnering to launch #AfricaTogether – a digital campaign and two-day festival on June 4th and 5th featuring artists from across Africa to encourage continued vigilance against Covid-19. With more than 100,000 Covid-19 cases confirmed on the continent and containment measures easing in many countries, #AfricaTogether combines musical and comedy performances with information from Covid-19 first responders and fact-checkers from across Africa. #AfricaTogether will include a festival with performances by artists such as Aramide, Ayo, Femi Kuti, Ferre Gola, Salatiel, Serge Beynaud, Patoranking, Youssou N’dour amongst many others, as well as a digital awareness campaign with prevention messages developed with Red Cross and Red Crescent health experts and targeting simultaneously Facebook users in 48 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. The event will be streamed on Facebook Live on the 4th June in English and hosted by the Nigerian popular actor and comedian Basketmouth and in French on the 5th June by the renowned media personality Claudy Siar. To watch the live shows, viewers can tune in to the Facebook Africa page and Red Cross and Red Crescent Facebook pages. To register and learn more about the artist lineup and how to tune in, please visit the Facebook event pages in English and in French. Commenting, Mamadou Sow, a long-serving member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement said, “The Covid-19 pandemic is an unprecedented crisis in that it can affect us all, and ignores borders, ethnicities, and religions. African communities so far have responded quickly, but the risk remains very real. If we all do our part, we will beat Covid-19. Music is a powerful uniting force and we hope that the #AfricaTogether festival will bring renewed hope and action against this dangerous disease.” Adding her voice to the initiative, Jocelyne Muhutu-Rémy, Facebook’s Strategic Media Partnerships Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa said: “The spike in the use of online tools during the Covid-19 pandemic shows the social usefulness of digital platforms in difficult times. We are seeing many incredible initiatives from artists bringing their communities together on Facebook Live. The #AfricaTogether campaign will enable people to learn more about fighting Covid-19, while enjoying entertainment from their favourite African performers. We will be spreading joy in a way that doesn’t spread the disease.” This event is one of the many ways that Facebook and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement are both contributing in the fight against Covid-19 across the continent.Facebook continues to work with governments across Sub-Saharan Africa, including partnering with organizations like health agencies and NGOs who are actively using its platforms to share accurate information about the situation and launching Covid-19 Information Centers in more than 40 countries, which provides real-time updates from health authorities and helpful articles, videos and posts about social distancing and preventing the spread of the virus. With a network of more than 1.5 million volunteers and staff across the continent, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is on the frontlines of combating Covid-19 in communities through information campaigns, providing soap and access to clean water, and supporting health care facilities and workers with training, equipment, and supplies. In parts of Africa, Covid-19 is another layer of crisis on top of conflict, violence, or climate disasters.

Geneva, 11 May 2020– Nurses and other health care workers on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19 deserve to be recognized and commended for their lifesaving efforts and personal sacrifices amid increased medical risk - and in some places amid ostracization, harassment and attack. The International Council of Nurses and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement are jointly celebrating International Nurses Day this May 12, to laud nurses around the globe, and in particular those managing an unprecedented workload by treating patients with COVID-19 while also maintaining other essential health services. Although many communities have made it a point to thank medical professionals, in other locations there are worrying reports of harassment and violence against nurses and other health care personnel linked to the COVID-19 response, including in public transportation and at health workers’ own homes. “Nurses are the world’s life-savers. They are risking their own health and too often sacrificing time with their family to help those suffering from COVID-19,” said Robert Mardini, the director-general of the International Committee of the Red Cross. “It’s heartening to see many communities praise and thank nurses, but it’s distressing that other nurses face harassment, stigmatization, and even attack.” “The safety of health care workers during this pandemic is crucial for communities to overcome the disease. They not only save people from COVID-19, they also ensure the continuity of life saving health services to protect people from accidents and other illnesses,” said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. “We are concerned that the pandemic is putting pressure on medical staff and health systems to a breaking point, especially in vulnerable and fragile settings.” “Stigmatization and violence against nurses and other health workers in some countries is shocking; the only response is zero-tolerance,” said International Council of Nurses President Annette Kennedy. “The pandemic has seen frontline nurses rightly recognised as heroes, but they are also ordinary mothers and fathers with their own families to protect. They deserve to be able to work free from fear, whether because of a lack of PPE or because of harassment and attack.” Nurses serving vulnerable communities in poorer areas of the world are also particularly at risk due to COVID-19. As it turns out, the World Health Assembly’s designation of 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife was a prescient show of appreciation, Kennedy said. Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is key to protecting the health of medical workers and should be prioritized for them. Additionally, there is an urgent need to ensure that PPE and other medical supplies are available and accessible in low-resource and conflict countries through national measures and intergovernmental cooperation. In the countries hardest hit by the pandemic, where health care systems are functioning reasonably well, around 10 percent of health care workers have been infected with COVID-19, a huge number of people that may well be an underestimation. This percentage could be much higher in places with healthcare systems already strained by conflict or longstanding lack of investment. The Red Cross and Red Crescent and the International Council of Nurses call on governments to commit to ensuring the protection and safety of nurses and other health workers, especially in resource-poor, disaster and conflict settings. It is only by ensuring the health and safety of healthcare workers that we – collectively and globally – can ensure a competent medical response in this time of COVID-19.

Dear Red Cross and Red Crescent colleagues, dear friends, On this World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, we are especially proud to recognize the work of our volunteers and staff who are on the frontline responding to the growing needs of communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They sow kindness and solidarity around the globe and provide hope and dignity in the midst of despair. The incredible spirit of our volunteers all over the world during this crisis is not only a cause for admiration but also a source of inspiration for others to get involved too. World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is an opportunity to show our collective gratitude to our 13 million volunteers for their exemplary dedication to the humanitarian cause and our Fundamental Principles and also to thank them for their kindness, bravery and selflessness. On 8 May this year, we find ourselves physically distant from one another, but we are closer than ever as we walk the path towards humanity. We are truly united in this crisis. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has always been there, close to the people who need us most when times have been the toughest, when hope might seem so far out of reach. During these challenging times, our National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies also demonstrate that we are united in our dedication to help people in distress. The original intent of Henry Davison, one of the founding fathers of our organization founded in the aftermath of 1918 flu pandemic is still our intent of today: ‘‘We get together for the purpose of finding a way of contributing to the world the benefit of our experience with the purpose of co-ordinating the efforts of all of the National Societies of the world in the interest of mankind.’’ This year, we are witnessing an unprecedented time, which is pushing all of us to adapt to new ways of volunteering and working together and with our communities. Although our proximity to vulnerable people and communities is being transformed, we continue to make a difference in people’s lives. And in these times of physical distancing, we have also learnt to comfort and show solidarity from afar, continuing to create social connections and develop a sense of belonging. Our ability to respond to this crisis determines the consequences for vulnerable populations and for all of us globally. We need to address this global pandemic with the approach that “no one is safe until we are all safe”. As never before, the safety and well-being of everyone is critical for the safety and well-being of the entire world. Today’s world is in a state of constant upheaval and permanent crisis, but whatever the problem – a natural hazard, the climate crisis, conflict or migration – Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are visible ambassadors for peace and solidarity and active players in shaping the future of our communities and countries. In these trying times, their commitment and dedication, as first responders and local actors, to alleviating human suffering remains strong and powerful. Today we celebrate our women and men, the young and old, every single person who continues to make the idea of the Red Cross and Red Crescent a reality each day. We celebrate our efforts to reach the most vulnerable and ensure that no one is left behind. We celebrate the support of our families for our dedication to humanity. And we celebrate our Red Cross and Red Crescent Family. We can truly say we are needed now more than ever. To quote our founder Henry Dunant: “Everyone can, in one way or another, each in their sphere and according to their strength, contribute to some extent to this good work.” We thank you all and clap in solidarity with you.Happy Red Cross and Red Crescent Day! We would ask all Red Cross and Red Crescent Presidents and Secretaries General to kindly pass our message on to the staff and volunteers of their National Societies. Sincerely yours, Jagan Chapagain Francesco Rocca Secretary General President

Geneva, London and New York, 5 May 2020: Billion Dollar Boy, the creative agency for the influencer age, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are creating the world’s first global influencer network to tackle the COVID-19 infodemic. Edward East, CEO and Founder at Billion Dollar Boy, said: “Social media should be a very effective tool for reaching a global populace. But with misinformation and fake news so prevalent, that message has to be unified and delivered from trusted sources. Our IFRC network of influencers ticks both these boxes. Instead of being continually vilified, influencers can now put their vast skill-sets to work delivering potentially life-saving approved messaging to millions of people when it is needed the most.” The network will launch with more than 30 influencers from across four continents with a combined reach of more than 2 million followers, with more expected to join every day. Influencers signed up already include Italy’s Antonio Nunziata (230,000+ followers), the UK’s Katie Woods, (190,000) and UAE’s Neda Ghenai (116,000). Every week the IFRC will send the influencers network an approved message that they want to disseminate. The influencer will then take that messaging and create their own content. This will then be vetted by Billion Dollar Boy and officially approved by the IFRC for distribution. There is a landing page here, where influencers can apply to volunteer their time and content to the cause. Nichola Jones, IFRC’s Cross Media Manager, said: “Getting the right information out there when an emergency strikes is as important as healthcare. Making sure people have access to facts and trusted sources in a situation like this saves lives. “Influencers have a crucial role to play in tackling this infodemic and cutting through the noise. They have a level of access to younger people that public authorities or charities don’t have and their relationship with their followers is different. By working together, we can make sure credible content reaches a broader audience and has a positive impact.” Influencers, who are often unfairly portrayed negatively in the media, can now quickly and easily put their expertise, skills and millions of followers to positive effect during an unprecedented crisis. And because their followers engage with them and trust their content, they are perfectly placed to combat the spread of misinformation and show solidarity with approved IFRC messaging. Since lockdown in countries across the world, social media use has skyrocketed, making it an ideal channel for reaching people. Data from global research company Nielsen says 33 per cent of people are spending more time on social media during lockdown while Facebook’s own data shows that 70% more time spent across their apps since the crisis with Instagram Live and Facebook Live views increasing by 50 per cent in March. About Billion Dollar Boy Founded in April 2014, Billion Dollar Boy is the Creative Agency for the influencer age. With offices in New York and London, it is the agency of record for global brands such as PepsiCo, Walgreens Boots Alliance, L’Oreal, Zalando and Primark. Through the creation and implementation of proprietary technology, it creates dynamic, inventive and innovative influencer marketing strategies, that are tracked and continually optimised to deliver exceptional ROI.

New York/Geneva, 24 April2020– Following his briefings to UN permanent missions this week, Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), stressed the importance of communities coming together to mitigate the immediate and secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic across the global community. “Covid-19 is a wake-up call to the international community. There is an urgent need for global solidarity to address this pandemic. This crisis connects us all in an unprecedented way. The safety and well-being of each individual are critical for the safety and well-being of the entire world,” said President Rocca. Red Cross and Red Crescent teams are supporting even the most vulnerable communities affected by the crisis. In Syria, Red Crescent volunteers are safely distributing food door-to-door, despite the on-going threat of food insecurity among more than 9 million people. Local personal protective equipment has been purchased, protecting volunteers who are operating ambulances around the clock. In Bangladesh, volunteer teams across Cox’s Bazar have set up water distribution points and are going home-to-home to teach more than 372,000 people hand-washing skills. In Venezuela, teams have worked to provide more than 40 tons of humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and hygiene items, to those most in need. Dedicated Red Cross volunteers and staff are running more than 40 health care sites across the country. The Red Cross and Red Crescent is also scaling up community response efforts, early warning systems and contact tracing across much of Africa. “We are only starting to see glimpses of the impact COVID-19 might have on the African continent. We need to strengthen community response in under-resourced countries to help prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from becoming an even more complex disaster,” Rocca said. There are already signs of hope. In Somaliland, a Red Crescent team that had already been trained to respond to disease outbreaks through community-based surveillance methods detected the first case of COVID-19 early. The proper steps were taken in sharing information, isolating the case, and alerting fellow community members. The secondary impacts of COVID-19, such as poverty and the severe threat of food insecurity to millions around the world, “should give a wake up a call to the international community, Rocca warned. “COVID-19 is changing our communities and we need to plan, together with Institutions, a social response before it is too late,” he said. “The higher price of food now means that an increasing number of families will likely be reducing the number of meals they consume per day. To further slow, and eventually halt the spread of the pandemic, “measures should be guided by health data, and supported by responsible communication to all citizens,” Rocca added. This includes adequate testing, contact tracing and strengthening of health care systems as well as providing psychosocial support for community members. To ensure a proper response is possible, Rocca urged that essential humanitarian aid must be able to flow into countries without added barriers like sanctions. “Procedures for exemptions are often lengthy and costly. We are engaging with the stakeholders concerned to seek exemptions for essential humanitarian items and to meet the urgent needs of the population,” Rocca said. Rocca emphasized that prevention measures including proper hand washing and physical distancing should remain steadily in place, as well as consistent community engagement to ensure that people feel informed and empowered - both key factors to help save millions of lives. A full recording of the press briefing is available here.

Geneva, 26 March 2020 –-The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement on Thursday launched a revised emergency appeal for 800 million Swiss francs (823 million US dollars) to help the world’s most vulnerable communities halt the spread of COVID-19 and recover from its effects. While COVID-19 is already a global pandemic, it is still possible to reduce its spread and the number of lives lost by improving access to critical resources. IFRC President Francesco Rocca said: “This pandemic is putting at risk entire health systems, and the situation will worsen in places where those are weak or inexistent. A strong community response is critical to stop the virus. COVID-19 affects everyone equally, but migrants and displaced people, those who are homeless, and those in disaster-prone areas are among those most exposed to infection, least able to access health care, and most impacted by loss of income. They must not be forgotten. We must strengthen the support to our Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers who are on the frontline of this response.” The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement consists of three parts: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. - The IFRC is appealing for 550 million Swiss francs (566 million US dollars) to support National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in health care, prepositioning of goods, risk communication, lessons learned from global network of local responders, cash grants for families, and mitigating impacts of large outbreaks). Out of the 550 million Swiss francs, 150 million Swiss francs is for IFRC to support National Societies in need, while the remaining 400 million Swiss francs will be raised by National Societies domestically. - The ICRC is appealing for 250 million Swiss francs (256 million US dollars) to respond in places of conflict and violence, to support medical facilities and places of detention, curb the spread among and ensure medical access for displaced people and detainees, and to support National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in their response. ICRC President Peter Maurer said: “The international community must increase support now to the under-resourced communities crippled by conflict, or risk allowing another humanitarian catastrophe to unfold on top of the countless others war-torn communities have endured. Viruses know no borders; this is a global problem that will only be solved by global action.” Work already being carried out by the Movement includes support to National Societies to increase their health care services, community engagement and pandemic preparedness activities for vulnerable populations. This includes the reinforcement of supplies in medical facilities, expanding sanitation and disease prevention programmes including in places of detention, and mitigating the socio-economic impact of the outbreak by ensuring communities maintain access to basic services. Support will also be provided to States to implement WHO guidelines to detect COVID-19 early, isolate and treat cases, and trace contacts. Both organizations warn that stemming the pandemic’s rapid global spread requires a coordinated and society-wide approach, including funding and support across state and national levels. The impacts of COVID-19 will be felt everywhere, but the most vulnerable people are at especially high risk. Governments, individuals, communities, institutions and donors must work together at all levels to mitigate the health crisis’s devastating impacts. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world’s largest humanitarian network. Its community-based volunteers and staff help the world’s most vulnerable people, including those living in countries with under-resourced health and social welfare systems; people recovering from recent disasters; migrants and displaced people; those in conflict zones and who face ongoing violence; people in urban slums; detainees; and people suffering from the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 10 March 2020 – The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) today issued new guidance to help protect children and schools from transmission of the COVID-19 virus. The guidance provides critical considerations and practical checklists to keep schools safe. It also advises national and local authorities on how to adapt and implement emergency plans for educational facilities. In the event of school closures, the guidance includes recommendations to mitigate against the possible negative impacts on children’s learning and wellbeing. This means having solid plans in place to ensure the continuity of learning, including remote learning options such as online education strategies and radio broadcasts of academic content, and access to essential services for all children. These plans should also include necessary steps for the eventual safe reopening of schools. Where schools remain open, and to make sure that children and their families remain protected and informed, the guidance calls for: Providing children with information about how to protect themselves; Promoting best handwashing and hygiene practices and providing hygiene supplies; Cleaning and disinfecting school buildings, especially water and sanitation facilities; and Increasing airflow and ventilation. The guidance, while specific to countries that have already confirmed the transmission of COVID-19, is still relevant in all other contexts. Education can encourage students to become advocates for disease prevention and control at home, in school, and in their community by talking to others about how to prevent the spread of viruses. Maintaining safe school operations or reopening schools after a closure, requires many considerations, but if done well, can promote public health. For example, safe school guidelines implemented in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone during the outbreak of Ebola virus disease from 2014 to 2016 helped prevent school-based transmissions of the virus. UNICEF is urging schools – whether open or helping students through remote learning – to provide students with holistic support. Schools should provide children with vital information on handwashing and other measures to protect themselves and their families; facilitate mental health support; and help to prevent stigma and discrimination by encouraging students to be kind to each other and avoid stereotypes when talking about the virus. The new guidance also offers helpful tips and checklists for parents and caregivers, as well as children and students themselves. These actions include: Monitoring children’s health and keeping them home from school if they are ill; Encouraging children to ask questions and express their concerns; and Coughing or sneezing into a tissue or your elbow and avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth and nose.

Geneva/Kuala Lumpur,11February2020– With the novel coronavirus steadily spreading beyond China and rising death toll, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) isexpanding itsnovel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) response and preparednessprogrammes. A32 million Swiss franc global emergency appeal will support community-based health activities, access to basic services, andthe management of misinformation and stigma– all equally crucialto control the spread ofthe virus.In the past two weeks the IFRC has been on the ground, supporting National Societies in countries where the outbreak is spreading, mainly in the Asia Pacific region. Through this emergency appeal, the IFRC hopes to invest in preparedness activities in other countries, with a focus on those whose health systems are already under pressure. IFRC Secretary General, Jagan Chapagain, said:“We recognize the gravity of the global threat posed by this novel coronavirus. National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are playing an important role in battling this outbreak, and we must now step up our support to them. Right now, millions of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers in 192 countries are connected to their local communities, playing an important role in efforts against this outbreak, or ready to act in case of an outbreak.” Assistancewill be tailored to each country depending on its epidemic preparedness and response, as well as thevulnerability of particular groups of people in the community. IFRC’sDirector of Health and Care, Emanuele Capobianco, said: “Online and offline, volunteersarealready at work,educating the public about this virus,helping prevent misinformationand reducingrumours and panic. We know from past outbreaks that fear and mistrust contribute to the spread of disease and hampers all response efforts. We need solidarity, not stigma, to support communities and people affected by this outbreak.” This most recent coronavirus diseaseis the seventh in the coronavirus family known to infect humans. Illnesses caused by coronaviruses range from less severe illness like the common cold, to serious illnesses like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). As of 11 February, the number of confirmed cases globally is over 43,000, with more than 1,000 deaths, almost all in mainland China.