This page addresses frequently asked questions about the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s work during the Ukraine crisis. It will be regularly updated with new information and questions.

Geneva, 27 March 2022 - Red Cross volunteers have reached hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine since the conflict began one month ago with life-saving aid, despite the dangers they face and the fact that they are also affected. Maksym Dotsenko, Director General at Ukrainian Red Cross says: “Many of our staff and volunteers are also experiencing the conflict first-hand. They are worried about their families and their safety, and yet they continue to put on the Red Cross vest to deliver critical aid to neighbors and strangers alike. This is the true spirit of the principle of volunteerism upon which the Red Cross is based.” That spirit of wanting to help is being reflected among the general population. Since the conflict started, 6,000 new volunteers, among them teachers and medical professionals, have joined the Ukrainian Red Cross. IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain says: “Volunteers of the Ukrainian Red Cross have been on the ground from day one despite the risks. Many of them have suffered and lost loved ones in this conflict. As the conflict enters its second month, their ongoing support is increasingly critical as needs continue to rise and access remains heavily restricted. We stand by these men and women, offering solidarity and support. We honor their courageous work and commitment to helping others.” The IFRC network has established logistics pipelines from Poland, Hungary, and Romania to allow for the delivery of life-saving aid into Ukraine, supporting the Ukrainian Red Cross Society in areas most saturated with internally displaced persons. In the past month, the Ukrainian Red Cross teams have reached more than 400,000 people in the country with more than 1,600 tons of essential goods distributed. They have supported the evacuation of over 79,000 people from Energodar, Sumy, Kyiv region, Kharkiv and Kherson region. Also, in addition to providing first aid, they are teaching people sheltering underground how to provide it themselves. An estimated 6.5 million people have been displaced within Ukraine, the majority of whom are women and children, people living with disabilities, older people and minority groups, the UNHCR reports. The IFRC is supporting the work of National Red Cross Societies in neighboring countries responding to the needs of the 3.5 million people who have fled Ukraine with cash grants, shelter, basic aid items, health care, psychosocial support and medical supplies. Among these groups, a special focus is on vulnerable people, including unaccompanied minors, single women with children, older people, and people living with disabilities. For related AV materials: https://www.ifrcnewsroom.org Media contacts: In Ukraine: Caroline Haga, +358 50 5980500, [email protected] In Poland: Jenelle Eli, +1 202 603-6803, [email protected] In Budapest: Kathy Mueller, +1 226 376-4013 [email protected] In Geneva: Anna Tuson, +41 79 895 6924, [email protected]

Bucharest, 21 March 2022 - As the world’s largest humanitarian network responds to the unfolding crisis in Europe, its leadership returns from Ukraine with a warning about the coming days and weeks — and reaffirms that the Red Cross will strengthen support inside and outside its borders. Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), connected with some of the 6,000 Ukrainian Red Cross volunteers delivering aid to families experiencing the worst weeks of their lives. “The devastating reality of Ukraine is that the needs are growing every day. Amidst increased violence and a disrupted supply chain, delivering essential goods in many parts of the country is getting harder — not easier. Responding to a crisis of this magnitude takes teamwork, which is why we’re working hand-in-hand with the Ukrainian Red Cross on the ground to let people know that they’re not alone. Not ever,” states Rocca. Since the conflict began, the Ukrainian Red Cross has distributed hundreds of tons of essential goods and team members have supported the evacuation of approximately 57,000 people from Energodar, Sumy, Kviy region, Kharkiv and Kherson region. The Ukrainian Red Cross is not only providing first aid, but also teaching it to people who are taking cover in basements and shelters. No one in Ukraine is left unscathed by the ongoing conflict. An estimated 18 million people — or one-third of the population — will require humanitarian assistance. “Ukrainian Red Cross volunteers have lost homes, communities, and loved ones. Yet, they keep doing the work of delivering aid and comfort to families in need. I am humbled by their resilience and their commitment to humanitarianism in the midst of conflict.” Speaking from the Romanian border in Siret, Mr. Rocca stressed the altruistic nature of community members around Europe welcoming the more than 3 million people who have fled Ukraine. After Poland, Romania has received the second highest number of people crossing its borders in search of safety: more than 500,000 according to the UN Refugee Agency. Romanian Red Cross teams have been working 24/7 at border crossings since day one, providing items such as food, water, diapers, feminine hygiene products, warm gloves, and other necessities. The Romanian Red Cross is offering SIM cards and mobile charging stations — to help people who have been separated from their loved ones in Ukraine to reconnect. Many who have crossed the border simply ask for a cup of coffee or tea. Seemingly simple aid like this can offer families peace of mind in an otherwise hopeless moment. “We have provided more than 400 tons of aid to those affected by the conflict, but a hot drink and a warm welcome is what many of those fleeing say they appreciate most,” says Rocca. Media contacts: In Romania and Ukraine: Tommaso Della Longa, +41 797 084 367, [email protected] In Romania: Jenelle Eli, +1 202 603 6803, [email protected] In Budapest: Kathy Mueller, +1 226 376 4013, [email protected] In Geneva: Benoit Matsha-Carpentier, +41 79 213 24 13, [email protected]

Budapest/Geneva, 10 March 2022 – As the conflict continues in Ukraine and a cold front descends, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns of the dire health - including the spread of COVID-19 - and mental health consequences for millions of people both inside and outside of the country. The fighting in Ukraine has continued for two weeks and no one has been left unscathed. An estimated 18 million people – a third of the country’s population – will need humanitarian assistance, and more than 2.3 million people have fled to neighbouring countries. As the lives of millions are being upended, there is a real concern of diseases spreading, pre-existing health conditions worsening and mental health concerns increasing. “Many of the people affected were already vulnerable before the conflict and now face an even harsher situation as they are losing their homes and their livelihoods, being forced to seek shelter wherever they can or fleeing their country in search of safety. They urgently need food, water and shelter, but also emergency medical care, protective measures and psychosocial support to avert an even greater humanitarian catastrophe,” said Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen, IFRC Regional Director for Europe. At the Przemyśl railway station in Poland, a woman was crying and being comforted by a volunteer from the Polish Red Cross. When asked what had happened, she answered that she had spent the whole night and day waiting for the train from Ukraine that would bring her daughter to safety. The train had finally arrived, but her daughter had not. People fleeing conflict often experience highly distressing situations, loss and trauma, which may impact their mental health and ability to cope. Psychosocial support will be needed in the days, weeks, and months to come. In conflict settings, public health measures to prevent diseases from spreading become extremely challenging. People are forced to shelter in crowded spaces with limited sanitary conditions or access to basic health services, which increases the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, such as tuberculosis and diarrheal diseases. The spread of COVID-19 is a particular concern as the vaccination rate in Ukraine is among the lowest in Europe with only one-third of the population having received the first dose. Ukraine also has one of the highest rates of multidrug resistant tuberculosis in the world. Adding to what is already a desperate situation, temperatures are dropping below freezing. There is an urgent need for warm clothing and adequate shelter to shield people in temporary locations and those who are queuing at the borders from the elements, the majority of whom are women, children and older people. “Our Red Cross and Red Crescent teams in Ukraine and neighbouring countries are doing their utmost to support anyone in need, in particular those who are most at-risk including unaccompanied minors, single parent households, older people, and people with disabilities. They have the full support of IFRC and our global network, but more funding is desperately needed as millions of lives are at stake. Even if the armed conflict was to end tomorrow, the humanitarian consequences will be felt for years to come,” said Bischoff Ebbesen. Notes to editors In Ukraine, Red Cross teams are providing first aid and first aid training, helping in reception centres and to transport people to safety, and distributing relief items, including warm clothes. Despite the mortal danger they themselves are under, 3,000 new local volunteers have stepped up to support their neighbours. In Hungary, Red Cross teams are operating three health service points at the border. They are also running reception and collection centres where they are welcoming people crossing from Ukraine and distributing relief goods. In Poland, where 60 per cent (more than a million) of people from Ukraine are fleeing, the Polish Red Cross has activated more than 20 rescue teams, including approximately 450 medics, who are providing round-the-clock health care and psychosocial support at five of the eight border points as well as in major cities. In Moldova, volunteers and staff from Moldova Red Cross have provided support to approximately 200,000 people who have crossed over from Ukraine. They are at all border crossing points offering hot tea, warm food, diapers, and personal protective equipment including face masks and sanitizer. Volunteers are also helping at reception centres, assisting with food preparation and playing with children. In Russia, Red Cross teams have delivered 187 tonnes of aid including clothing, hygiene kits, baby products and household items. They are providing psychosocial support, have opened a mental health support hotline and, to date, have provided 756 consultations. More than 160 calls have come in to the restoring family links hotline. In Romania, volunteers and staff from the local Red Cross are at various border crossings distributing food items, water, basic necessities, hygiene products, and thousands of SIM cards to people in need. The Red Cross is helping local authorities in equipping reception centres with tents, bedding, food and hygiene and baby items. Volunteers are also visiting placement centres, playing with children and helping local staff to prepare food and other necessary support. In Slovakia the Red Cross is at all three of the country’s border crossings, where teams are providing services such as warming shelters, referrals to essential services, and first aid. As people are quickly moving on from the border area, the Red Cross is quickly scaling up support along the routes. This support includes psychosocial support and providing child-friendly spaces; social services, particularly referrals for services such as education, healthcare and registration for legal status; providing first aid, health assessments, referrals to clinical care and COVID-19 testing. For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: In Budapest: Kathy Mueller, [email protected], +1 226 376 4013 In Budapest: Nora Peter, [email protected], +36 70 953 7709 In Geneva: Caroline Haga, +358 50 598 0500, [email protected] Read more about the IFRC's emergency appeal for Ukraine and impacted countries. Photos and videos: Ukraine - Romania - Hungary - Croatia - Poland - Slovakia - Russia - Moldova - IFRC Newsroom

Two years since the escalation of international armed conflict in Ukraine, the devastation continues to affect every aspect of people's lives. Many of the millions who fled are unable to return, and those who remain face dire conditions, with limited access to water, heat, health care and other essential services. The impacts on people's mental health, inside or outside of Ukraine, continue to grow. A recent study, commissioned by the IFRCfound that more than half of people affected still have urgent unmet needs that force many to assume debt or to accept underpaid, marginalized or dangerous employment. This Emergency Appeal helps the IFRC support the Ukrainian Red Cross and other National Societies in the region who are standing side-by-side with communities, providing crucial and long-term humanitarian aid to meet a wide range of needs, from cash supportto mental health services.

Geneva, 1 March 2022 - With the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and neighbouring countries deteriorating rapidly, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) fear that millions of people face extreme hardship and suffering without improved access and a rapid increase in humanitarian assistance. To respond to this sudden, massive need, the two organizations together are appealing for 250 million Swiss francs ($272 million). The ICRC is appealing for 150 million Swiss francs ($163 million) for its 2022 operations in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. ICRC Director General Robert Mardini said: “The escalating conflict in Ukraine is taking a devastating toll. Casualty figures keep rising while health facilities struggle to cope. We already see long-term disruptions in regular water and electricity supplies. People calling our hotline in Ukraine are desperately in need of food and shelter. To respond to this massive emergency, our teams must be able to operate safely to access those in need.” In the coming weeks, the ICRC will increase its work reuniting separated families, providing food and other household items to the internally displaced, increasing awareness about areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance, and carrying out its work to ensure that dead bodies are treated with dignity and that family members of the deceased can grieve and find closure. Water trucking and other emergency water delivery is now needed. Support to health facilities will be increased, with a focus on providing supplies and equipment to care for people wounded by weapons. The IFRC is appealing for 100 million Swiss francs ($109 million) to support National Red Cross Societies to assist an initial two million people in need due to intensified hostilities in Ukraine Among these groups, a special focus will be on vulnerable people, including unaccompanied minors, single women with children, elderly, and people with disabilities. Investment will be significantly increased in capacity building of Red Cross teams in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to bolster locally led humanitarian action. They have already mobilized thousands of volunteers and staff and are providing life-saving assistance such as shelter, basic aid items, medical supplies, mental health and psychosocial support and multi-purpose cash assistance to as many people as possible. IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain said: "In the middle of so much suffering, it is heart-warming to see the level of global solidarity. The needs of the people affected by the conflict are increasing by the hour. The situation is very desperate for many. A rapid response is needed to save lives. Our member National Societies are uniquely positioned to respond, and, in some contexts, they are the only actor that can deliver humanitarian assistance at scale, but they need support to make it happen. I call for global solidarity to ramp up the assistance to people suffering because of this conflict.” For more information or to arrange interviews: In Geneva: Anna Tuson, +41 79 895 6924, [email protected] In Budapest: Corinne Ambler, +36 704 306 506, [email protected] In Geneva: Florian Seriex, +41 79 574 06 36, [email protected] In Geneva: Jason Straziuso, +41 79 949 3512, [email protected]

Damascus/Beirut, 27 January 2022–Extreme winter conditions are putting communities already overwhelmed by overlapping crises in immediate danger, resulting in the highest level of acute humanitarian needs ever in Syria, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns. In many areas, this winter has been one of the coldest in the past decade, with snowstorms and sub-zero temperatures. IFRC is deeply concerned about the situation in the country as the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has reached the highest since the start of the crisis. According to the UN, a total of 14.6 million people needs support, 1.2 million more than in 2021. 6.9 million people are internally displaced. Mads Brinch Hansen, Head of the IFRC Delegation in Syria, said: “Exceptionally cold weather is making the lives of many people all around Syria even more difficult, especially the displaced communities living in temporary shelters who don’t have appropriate clothing or heating for sub-zero temperatures. “The situation in Syria is worse than ever. The price of basic commodities such as food and fuel has skyrocketed making them unaffordable for the majority of people, escalations of violence are intensifying, and COVID-19 continues to put an extra burden on communities. At the same time, funding for humanitarian actors is shrinking.” Eng. Khaled Hboubati, President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), said: “Daily, our volunteers in Hassakeh and everywhere in Syria see more people who are asking for support, more children who are without winter clothes in the middle of the storm. The situation is getting worse amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic sanctions that complicate our humanitarian response. “We will continue doing our best to alleviate the suffering of millions of people and preserve their dignity. We need the support from partners and donors to restore the livelihoods of people and ensure sustainable solutions to accelerate the recovery.” Hassakeh, where up to 45,000 people have been displaced by recent violence at Sina'a Prison, is one of the hardest-hit regions with sub-zero temperatures making the winter one of the coldest in recent history. Snow has also covered the Al-Hol camp, which hosts more than 60,000 displaced people. SARC continues to be the main humanitarian actor in the country with thousands of volunteers responding to the acute needs caused by the conflict, economic crisis, and COVID-19 as well as the cold wave. In Hassakeh, SARC has a key role in evacuating as well as providing medical services and drinking water for the newly displaced and the communities hosting them. Almost 11 years since the start of the conflict, Syria continues to be one of the biggest and most complex humanitarian crises globally. Homes and whole cities have been utterly destroyed, forcing mass displacement. According to the UN, 90 percent of the population in Syria lives below the poverty line and 70 percent are facing acute food shortages – figures that have not seen improvement in recent years due to the economic downturn, instability and disasters driven by climate change. In 2021, Syria faced the worst drought in more than 50 years. To scale up the Syrian Arab Red Crescent's humanitarian response and meet the growing needs, IFRC calls for partners and donors to continue showing their solidarity towards the people in Syria. Funding is more urgent than ever to ensure Syrian people can cover their basic needs and maintain a life of dignity. For more information: In Beirut: Jani Savolainen, IFRC, [email protected], +961 70372812 In Damascus: Rahaf Aboud, Syrian Arab Red Crescent, [email protected], +963 959999853 Read more: IFRC Syria Country Plan For the editors: About the Syrian Arab Red Crescent: The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) is the main humanitarian actor in Syria. It has more than 13,500 staff members and volunteers in 14 branches and 97 sub-branches nationwide. Annually SARC reaches 5.6 million people with humanitarian assistance. About the IFRC: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives and promote dignity around the world. With a permanent delegation in Syria since 2007, IFRC has played a pivotal role in providing humanitarian services and supporting the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) in their organisational and strategic development and in strengthening SARC’s operational capacity.

Damascus, 3 December 2021 – In response to the severe water crisis and drought in Syria, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has released 748,000 CHF (709,000 EUR) from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund. The European Union is providing CHF 158.000 (150,000 EUR) in humanitarian funding to assist the most affected people. The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The funds released to the IFRC will help the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) cater to the humanitarian needs of 15,000 people with food and health interventions over six months in Al Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor, which are some of the most affected localities. Since January 2021, Syria has been witnessing extreme drought conditions coupled with unprecedented low water levels of the Euphrates River leading to poor agricultural production and loss of livelihoods. Millions of people are now experiencing worsening food insecurity and increasing malnutrition rates. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteers and community health promoters will distribute food parcels and engage in hygiene promotion and disease prevention through awareness-raising about waterborne diseases and COVID-19. Background Through the European Commission's Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs. The European Union is signatory to a €3 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal. The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF.For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and EU humanitarian aid enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €3 million. For more information, please contact: Rana Sidani Cassou, Head of Communications – IFRC MENA: Mobile +41766715751 / +33675945515 [email protected] Anouk Delafortrie, Regional Information Officer – European Humanitarian Aid MENA: Mobile +962 777 57 0203 [email protected]

Lebanon has been facing an evolving complex humanitarian crisis since late 2019, generating widespread and growing needs for assistance and protection. Two powerful explosions occurred at the Port of Beirut on 4 August 2020, leaving devastating impacts while the country grapples with overlapping economic and financial crises, political volatility and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is also hosting the highest refugee population per capita in the world.

West Bank / Gaza / Geneva 12 November 2021 – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is extremely concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation in Palestine. Palestinians are facing a multitude of crises, including persistent escalations of violence, a socio-economic breakdown and the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of a protracted conflict and occupation. Critical infrastructure, including the power and water supply, is eroding in many areas. Millions of people are unable to cover their most basic needs because of serious shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicines, among other essential supplies, especially in Gaza, as a result of the continued blockade. According to OCHA, more than 2.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Speaking at the end of his visit to the Gaza strip and the West Bank, IFRC President Francesco Rocca said: “I am deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Palestine: too many overlapping crises are pushing local communities to their limits. I am always impressed by the critical work done by the Palestine Red Crescent teams: from the emergency medical services to social and inclusion activities, they are a key humanitarian actor. I was particularly inspired by the visit to their centres for children with disabilities both in Gaza Strip and West Bank. These centres embody the real meaning of humanity: without PRCS these children would be left behind. The world has a moral duty to strengthen humanitarian support in Palestine and invest in local actors like the Palestine Red Crescent.” Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) continues to be the leading provider of emergency medical services in Palestine, operating five hospitals and providing ambulance and first aid services. For decades, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has supported the Palestine Red Crescent Society to respond to the immense needs of the most vulnerable people. During the visit, President Rocca signed the IFRC legal status agreement with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Palestine: a standard procedure when the IFRC establishes an office with international staff to strengthen the operations of a national Red Cross or Red Crescent Society. IFRC President Rocca said: “Signing of the status agreement is verification for our long-term commitment to support PRCS and the people in Palestine. As per our humanitarian principles, we continue providing humanitarian relief to the people based on their vulnerabilities and needs, without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions.” Dr. Younis al-Khatib, PRCS President, said: “The signing of the legal status agreement is a manifestation of the long-standing support and solidarity of IFRC with PRCS. The staff and volunteers of PRCS are always happy to meet with President Rocca and be inspired by his unwavering support and praise for the volunteers of our Movement.” IFRC is committed to supporting the PRCS in its humanitarian mandate to deal with the acute and protracted consequences of occupation, violence, disasters, and crises. IFRC together with the other Red Cross and Red Crescent partners continue to enhance the preparedness and response capacities of PRCS’ medical services, scale up their COVID-19 response activities, provide medical items, medicines and personal protective equipment, and replace old and out-of-service ambulances. To request an interview or for more information, please contact: In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa, IFRC, +41 79 708 43 67, [email protected] In Beirut: Jani Savolainen, IFRC, +961 70372812, [email protected] In Ramallah: Mamoun Abbasi, PRCS, +970 595606096, [email protected]

Excellencies, Distinguished Representatives, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is an honour to address you on behalf of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and our member National Society, the Afghan Red Crescent. I give this in complementarity to ICRC’s President, Peter Maurer’s earlier statement. As current events in Afghanistan unfold, the Afghan Red Crescent continues to carry out critical humanitarian work through its network of 34 provincial branches, 2,000 staff and more than 30,000 trained volunteers. The Afghan Red Crescent and the IFRC’s staff have been there through it all and are always there to fulfil our humanitarian mandate. We had no option to leave. We continue to deliver. The IFRC has been in Afghanistan for more than 30 years uninterrupted. We have worked with the Afghan Red Crescent throughout this time in their institutional development, in bringing much needed humanitarian supplies, in bringing the community voices to the global stage and in providing leadership in coordination. We will remain by their side, for as long as we are needed. Last week we launched a revised Emergency Appeal for 36 million Swiss Francs to ramp up support to the work of the Afghan Red Crescent in meeting the needs of those affected by one of the country’s worst ever droughts, acute food shortages, a fractured health system, displacement as well as the devastating impact of COVID-19. We have also provided support to the neighbouring countries’ National Red Crescent Societies, and we will need an additional 15 million Swiss francs to continue to do so. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have three messages for you to consider, and act upon: We must work together to ensure that humanitarian corridors are kept open. This may include making exceptions to sanctions, which allow for medical and urgent humanitarian supply chains. Now is the time to ensure that there are no bureaucratic obstacles to committing humanitarian aid. In return, we will ensure that support is provided to the most vulnerable, to enable locally managed and delivered aid, in line with our fundamental principles. Now is the time to support local action, empower strong local organizations and make good on your localization commitments in the Grand Bargain. The Afghan Red Crescent has unique access to people in need - recognized for its neutrality, impartiality and independence. Its’ Afghan staff and volunteers work every day in every province of Afghanistan, with direct access to support communities with ongoing relief and health services. Now is not the time to ignore Afghanistan; it is vital that we look to the future and support the people of Afghanistan as they work hard to heal and recover. I thank you.

Afghanistan is experiencing the compounding effects of decades of conflict, severe drought, food insecurity, climate-related disasters, earthquakes, floods, displacement and gaps in health services. This revised Emergency Appeal seeks 90 million Swiss francs, increased from an initial 36 million Swiss francs in August 2021, to further scale up the Afghan Red Crescent Society's (ARCS) humanitarian response to multiple humanitarian crises in Afghanistan. Funds raised enable the IFRC to support the ARCS to deliver assistance and support to 1,000,000 people in all 34 provinces.

Kuala Lumpur, Kabul, Geneva, 7 September 2021 – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is calling for urgent action as millions of Afghans face colossal humanitarian needs wrought by a combination of crises: one of the country’s worst ever droughts, acute food shortages, a fractured health system and the devastation of COVID-19. Some 18 million Afghans – half the population – are in need of humanitarian assistance as severe drought compounds hardships caused by years of conflict and the pandemic. Without food or income, tens-of-thousands of families have left their homes, seeking food and shelter in urban areas where some are staying in relief camps. Dr Mohammad Nabi Burhan, Acting Secretary General of Afghan Red Crescent, said: “After living through decades of hardships, Afghans now face the ravages of a climate crisis, a global pandemic and internal displacement. Urgent international action is needed to support millions of people with the necessities of life through the coming months and Afghanistan’s harsh winter.” “Red Crescent teams are ramping up efforts across the country, providing emergency relief, cash grants and basic health care, but we know that more support is needed to enable families to plant crops, re-establish livelihoods and build a brighter future.” Afghan Red Crescent is providing support in some of the hardest hit provinces, including relief supplies to families suffering food shortages and loss of income. Red Crescent is also providing families who have lost their livelihoods due to the drought with cash grants to buy food supplies, to plant drought-resistant food crops and protect their livestock. Health clinics, including mobile health teams, operating across rural Afghanistan, are providing critical healthcare. As part of this ongoing support, the IFRC is scaling up its appeal to more than 36 million Swiss francs to support the Afghan Red Crescent to deliver emergency relief and recovery assistance to 560,000 people in 16 provinces worst affected by drought and compounding conflict-induced displacement. Necephor Mghendi, IFRC’s Head of Delegation for Afghanistan, said: “Severe drought, food insecurity, and a fragile health system struggling to stay afloat with devastating waves of COVID-19 have all been compounded by recent events and require urgent international action more than ever.” “It’s vital we look to the future and support the people of Afghanistan as they work hard to heal and recover after 40 years of conflict." “IFRC appeal funds will be used to help with sustainable water supplies, revitalising drought-resistant crops and diminished livestock, while supporting income generation for those most at risk, including women and the elderly.” For more information or to arrange an interview, contact: In Kuala Lumpur: Antony Balmain, +60 12 230 8451, [email protected] In Melbourne: Joe Cropp, +61 (0) 491 743 089, [email protected] In Geneva: Ann Vaessen, +41 79 405 77 50, [email protected]

Joint statement from the Presidents of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) ahead of the Brussels V Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region” Geneva, 29 March 2021 - As we mark the tragic milestone of a decade of conflict in Syria, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement calls upon the international community to translate words in action and ensure critical funding for one of the most brutal and far-reaching crises of our time. Now, more than ever, Syrians need our solidarity and support. Ten years after the start of the crisis, the people of Syria are faced with a multitude of challenges: continuous hostilities, economic breakdown and the COVID-19 pandemic which has only exacerbated the immense humanitarian needs in the country. At present at least 13 million people need urgent assistance and are more dependent on aid than ever before. The needs in Syria are enormous and humanitarian services remain a lifeline. Despite the security challenges and political blockages, we must continue to find ways to repair critical infrastructure and make sure people have access to basic services such as clean water, electricity and functioning health services. “Our infrastructure is ruined. Our people are unable to cover their most basic needs because of serious shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicines,” said Khaled Hboubati, President of SARC, whose teams of staff and volunteers are working on the frontlines of the crisis, delivering more than 60 per cent of humanitarian assistance. “For a decade now, people in Syria have been living in agony. The world cannot abandon them,” added Mr Hboubati. The Red Cross Red Crescent 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 currently assist around 4.5 million 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 respect and ensure international humanitarian law in their operations. Support is also desperately needed to help Syrians living outside of their homeland. Out of the 16.7 million people affected by the Syrian crisis, more than a third are currently hosted in neighbouring countries where National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are helping support millions of people, including through large-scale cash assistance in places like Turkey. In parallel, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies across Europe and elsewhere 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. “Over the past decade, there has been tremendous generosity and solidarity in the form of aid funding for Syria and neighbouring countries,” said IFRC President Francesco Rocca. “Unfortunately, today we see that donations are declining, whereas the humanitarian crisis worsens every day. Funding is needed more than ever to ensure Syrians can cover their basic needs and maintain a life in dignity.” Yet aid and funding alone will not resolve the crisis. “Humanitarians are here to help but the ultimate responsibility lies with parties to the conflict,” said ICRC President Peter Maurer, recently returned from a visit to Syria. “Collective and convergent leadership across the political divide is urgently needed. Otherwise, there will be Brussels conferences 6, 7 and more. Ongoing financial support and anegotiated political solution will create the conditions for a brighter future for the Syrian people. Syrians cannot afford to endure another year in these desperate conditions, let alone another decade.”

Geneva, 4 March 2021 – The daily suffering of Syrians is worse now than it has been at nearly any point throughout the decade-long conflict that has ravaged the country. This is the sobering message delivered today by three senior Red Cross and Red Crescent officials as Syria enters the second decade of a relentless crisis. Khaled Hboubati, the President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, said: “Continuing hostilities, a downward economic spiral, a refugee crisis that has reverberated around the world and the COVID-19 pandemic have conspired to push Syrian people to unacceptable extremes. For a decade now, people in Syria have been living in agony. As we speak, more than 13 million people need at least one type of assistance and about 8 million people are unable to respond to their basic needs.” With the price of basic commodities more than doubling in the last year alone, food insecurity has worsened for the Syrian people. Around 12.4 million people - 60 per cent of the Syrian population - do not have regular access to enough safe and nutritious food, and more than 90 per cent of the population is estimated to live under the poverty line. Speaking ahead of his visit to Syria, Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said: “The people of Syria cannot afford to endure another year like this, let alone another ten. We need a political solution to end the conflict, ongoing financial support for the recovery - and a future for those who have lost so much.” The immense humanitarian needs across Syria have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): “For most Syrians, worrying about the virus is a luxury they cannot afford. They cannot afford to protect themselves. They cannot isolate themselves at home or else no food would be on the table. And even if they do get contaminated by the virus, the health system has been battered so severely that access to treatment and care is limited.” The Syrian Arab Red Crescent have been responding to the needs of people in Syria since the first days of the conflict. With the support of the ICRC and the IFRC, backed by dozens of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world, Red Crescent volunteers are delivering more than 60 per cent of aid across Syria. Without them, this humanitarian catastrophe would have been much worse. Since the beginning of the conflict, 65 volunteers of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and eight volunteers of the Palestine Red Crescent branch in Syria have lost their lives in the line of duty. “We ask that States and all parties to the conflict respect and ensure international humanitarian law is respected in their operations,” added ICRC’s Maurer. “Humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, and humane treatment of detainees are not in the category of ‘nice to have’, they are both a moral and legal obligation.” In the neighbouring countries of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, where an estimated 5.3 million Syrians have found refuge, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement also plays an essential role in supporting vulnerable refugees and local communities. IFRC’s Rocca said: “Now, more than ever, Syrians need our solidarity and support. Over the past decade there has been tremendous generosity and solidarity. Unfortunately, today, we see that donations are declining despite the worsening humanitarian situation. We have a moral duty to support the sustainability of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, an organization that is so integral to the delivery of the international community’s support. Without the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, millions more would go hungry every month.”

Addis Ababa/Nairobi/Geneva, 10 February 2021 – The President of the world’s largest humanitarian network has ended a visit to Ethiopia’s Mekele city in Tigray region with a plea for increased humanitarian response to better meet the needs of people affected by recent fighting. Speaking at the end of his five day visit to Ethiopia, Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “I am very concerned about the conditions that I saw during my visit, including people internally displaced by the fighting, especially children, their mothers and the elderly. It was clear to me that people in Tigray need much more support than they are currently receiving. “While there have been positive announcements by a small number of aid organizations in recent days in this regard, it is my hope that more aid can begin to arrive consistently. We need to scale up humanitarian operations. We need to do much more to bring help to those who desperately need it.” In particular, President Rocca raised concerns about the impact of the fighting on medical services, noting that hospitals he visited were lacking even basic medical supplies. He also shared serious concerns relayed by local health officials about rising levels of serious malnutrition. An assessment by the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, found that more than 2.6 million people in Tigray and the adjacent regions of Amhara, Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz and SNNPR need humanitarian assistance. According to the Ethiopian Red Cross, primary needs among affected people in Tigray include food and basic relief items, water and sanitation, medical supplies and technical assistance for mobile clinics. Mr Rocca also spoke of the compounding impact that the Tigray crisis has had on other vulnerabilities in Ethiopia, as well as in neighbouring countries. By the end of January 2021, an estimated 200,000 people had been internally displaced in Ethiopia alongside 60,000 people who have fled into Sudan. In addition, there are at least 230 Ethiopian refugees in Djibouti. Mr Rocca further mentioned the heavy humanitarian caseload that was already confronting Ethiopia and surrounding countries, and the subsequent need for coordinated and comprehensive action by aid organizations: “The Horn of Africa is facing chronic multiple crises, including widespread and severe food insecurity, and massive locust swarms that have contributed to further crop losses. “The region is also grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic which, among other impacts, has led to the closure of schools. More than 6.4 million children are now without school meals and this has worsened malnutrition considerably.” In response to the situation in Ethiopia and surrounding countries, the IFRC, the Ethiopian Red Cross, the Sudanese Red Crescent and the Red Crescent Society of Djibouti are jointly appealing for 27 million Swiss francs. This funding will allow Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and staff to assist 660,000 people, including the Ethiopians who are internally displaced and those who have fled into Sudan and Djibouti. The operation will focus on supporting families to maintain their livelihoods and meet basic needs, the provision of clean water and improved sanitation facilities, the delivery of health and psychosocial support services, and efforts to strengthen local Red Cross and Red Crescent capacities to prepare for and respond to future emergencies.

By Radostina Karageorgieva, IFRC The IFRC is providing support to the Armenian Red Cross Society and Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society, in coordination with International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners, to assist those affected by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In many regions in Azerbaijan, houses, shops, and public buildings show the devastating impact of a 30-year-old war. After the escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on 27 September, cities, towns and other populated areas in the country were shelled, leaving behind destruction and loss. What was once a quiet residential area is now scattered pieces of debris that families are rummaging through to recover some of their old possessions. Residents of the houses share their stories of being awoken in the middle of the night by explosions and rushing to save their loved ones. "My granddaughter screamed at the sound of the explosion", one resident recalls as he points to the place where his bedroom once stood. "All I could do was grab her and get out as soon as I could. I passed her through the window to my wife." The escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in September has resulted in many injuries and deaths of civilians including women, children and elderly people. According to public authorities, during that time, a total of 93 Azerbaijani citizens were killed, 407 injured, and more than 40,000 households had their homes and livelihoods affected. Many of them had to leave their houses and stayed at temporary shelters such as schools, civic halls, kindergarten buildings, unheated basements or the homes of relatives or friends. Fighting also had an impact on peoples’ income and ability to earn. Farmers had difficulty reaching their fields. What’s more, this escalation had taken a heavy toll on the mental health of the population, who have already lived with the impact of this conflict for almost 30 years. Then the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic only brought additional physical and mental health impacts. With people left without shelter and basic necessities as the winter conditions worsen, the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society has been working with Movement partners to provide humanitarian assistance to people in need. Together, they deployed relief items to assist vulnerable households affected by the conflict. Since October, over 125,000 people in the country have received aid items, including winter clothing, bedding, kitchen sets, hygiene items, and personal protection equipment. With an agreement to end the conflict signed on 10 November 2020, many are hoping that they can start healing and rebuilding what they have lost as a result of the conflict. "We've all been through so much stress. Thank God that the war is over. Now we are getting treatment."

Geneva/Nairobi, 28 January 2021 – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is appealing to donors for 20 million Swiss francs to urgently expand its response to the acute humanitarian needs created by the Tigray crisis in Ethiopia, while the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is appealing for 27 million Swiss francs to support the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, the Sudanese Red Crescent Society and the Djibouti Red Crescent Society to address other drivers of vulnerability in the region. Many people have been displaced within Tigray, and almost 60,000 sought refuge in Sudan. Refugees and people displaced within the region suffer from a lack of food and essential services, like water and healthcare. Some healthcare facilities in Tigray were abandoned and looted, while others are running short of supplies and are struggling to cope with the growing demand. Thousands have lost contact with their loved ones. "The needs in Tigray are overwhelming. Government responses need to accelerate, and humanitarian organizations urgently need access so people can receive lifesaving assistance before it's too late," said Patrick Youssef, the ICRC’s regional director for Africa. "Humanitarian access outside major towns remains challenging and there is little visibility on the humanitarian situation in rural areas." "The recent developments in Tigray have compounded other existing vulnerabilities in Ethiopia and in neighbouring Sudan and Djibouti. Even before the fighting, the region was dealing with acute food insecurity, an invasion of desert locusts, drought and the COVID-19 pandemic," said Mohammed Mukhier, regional director for Africa at IFRC. The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS), present across the country, including Tigray, has been providing humanitarian assistance since the first day of the fighting, working alongside the ICRC. The ERCS counts on a large network of volunteers who remained active despite being affected by the crisis themselves. The ICRC has been working in Tigray for decades and maintained its operations throughout the fighting that erupted almost three months ago. Supporting hospitals in Mekelle, Axum, Adwa and Shire has been a priority. Following some of its initial assistance missions, which included sending the first humanitarian convoy into Mekelle and helping some 11,300 families reestablish contact, the ICRC is appealing to donors for funds needed to reinforce its operational capacity. It is expanding its presence in Mekelle and re-opening an office in Shire. Besides scaling up its presence in Tigray, the ICRC will continue addressing the alarming humanitarian situation in Benishangul-Gumuz, Western Oromia and Guji, where armed violence episodes have been recurrent. The Sudanese Red Crescent has been distributing food, household items and providing primary health services to refugees and communities hosting them. The IFRC released emergency funds to enable the Sudanese Red Crescent Society to assist 40,000 people. The Djibouti Red Crescent Society maintains a presence in Hol Hol refugee camp and Obock, where it provides water and sanitation services and works to promote hygiene and raise COVID-19 awareness. The IFRC is appealing for funds to enable the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, the Sudanese Red Crescent Society and the Djibouti Red Crescent Society to deliver humanitarian assistance and recovery support to 660,000 people. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world's largest humanitarian network. It consists of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. ICRC action: The town of Mekelle has been struggling with a shortage of water in recent months and the ICRC has been supplying water to 3,700 people a day through water trucking and storage tank installations. It provided medical assistance to 4,500 people wounded by weapons and 10,900 primary healthcare patients. 648 weapon-wounded people received physical rehabilitation services. The organization has distributed 35 metric tons of food received from the Ministry of Health and Catholic Relief Services to four hospitals in Tigray. Almost 9,500 displaced people in Mekelle received essential household items. 11,300 families reestablished contact through the Ethiopian Red Cross, the Sudanese Red Crescent and the ICRC services in Sudan and Ethiopia. IFRC action: In November, the IFRC released funds to the Ethiopian Red Cross Society to target 7,500 affected people in Amhara to improve their access to health, water and sanitation, shelter and livelihood support for four months. The IFRC also released emergency funds to the Sudanese Red Crescent Society to provide emergency services to 40,000 Ethiopian refugees in Sudan. The Sudanese Red Crescent Society works in Hamdayit and Al Lukdi centres and Um-Rakoba settlement to provide shelter, household items, health services, improved water and sanitation, and to carry out gender protection and inclusion activities. In all the three countries, the IFRC continued supporting National Societies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

Geneva, 15 October – The Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) has returned from Sudan, where unprecedented flooding has killed more than 100 people and left over 875,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance – about half of whom are children. On his first overseas mission since taking office in February 2020, Jagan Chapagain met Sudanese communities in the throes of a major and complex humanitarian emergency – as flooding, soaring inflation, a deteriorating health situation and the ongoing risk of COVID-19 threaten to undo the country’s development progress of recent years. Speaking about his visit to Algamayer camp on the outskirts of Khartoum, the Secretary General said: “I was not prepared for what I saw. The conditions are simply appalling. The people I met in the camp are angry and told me they haven’t received anywhere near the kind of support that they need. They told me they need shelter, clean water and access to basic sanitation. These are the kind of conditions that can lead to disease and even worse suffering.” Across Sudan, at least 175,000 houses have been destroyed leaving thousands of families homeless. Food crops and livestock have also been wiped out, and with soaring inflation leading to the cost of food skyrocketing by nearly 200 per cent, communities are facing crisis levels of food insecurity. “These are just numbers. They don’t convey the real human impact of this crisis. What really struck me was the toll the floods have taken on children, women, and other vulnerable groups. In fact, in many ways, this is a children’s emergency. About half of all those affected are children,” continued Mr Chapagain. Red Crescent volunteers are present in all 18 regions of Sudan and have been providing vital humanitarian assistance since the flooding hit. Support includes search and rescue operations, first aid and psychosocial support, distributing food and emergency items and assisting families to move to higher ground. In September, IFRC launched an emergency appeal for 12 million Swiss francs to meaningfully extend this support, which currently sits at only 15% funded. “I met volunteers and frontline staff from the Sudanese Red Crescent who are working tirelessly to support their communities, but they don’t have the cash or the tools to do so. We need to help them, and we need to help the people of Sudan. The consequences of failing the people of Sudan at this juncture could be severe,” Mr Chapagain concluded.

By Georgia Trismpioti, IFRC 22-year-old Nour from Syria was lying under an olive tree in distress. She was nine months pregnant with her fifth child and feeling unwell. That is where I found her, and immediately called for assistance. Two nurses from the Hellenic Red Cross came to examine her health condition and give her comfort. Nour’s family decided to flee to Turkey after their house in Syria was destroyed by a bomb. They attempted to cross the border but were turned back five times before they succeeded. She just couldn’t give up – she wanted to give her children a “better life and a brighter future.” From Turkey, the family crossed the Aegean Sea to Greece only to find themselves in the notorious Moria camp on the island of Lesvos. A year ago, when they had settled down in Moria, Nour realized that she had to fight yet another battle. Her 3-year-old daughter, Tabia (which means good-hearted in Arabic), was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, “a hole in the heart”, which has a mortality rate of 90 per cent before age 10. “I have to save Tabia. She needs to be treated otherwise her life is at risk. We had an appointment at the Tzaneio hospital in Athens for a surgery, but the fires destroyed all my hopes,” said Nour. After devastating fires destroyed Moria camp, Nour and her family were not allowed to leave the island, so they were not able to transfer Tabia to the hospital in Athens for her surgery appointment. “My life is a daily struggle here in Lesvos. There’s dust, noise, lack of water, everything,” said Nour. “It's better than living in the street but still is so bad. I don’t want to give birth here.” Thanks to coordinated actions with IOM and UNHCR, it was quickly decided to transfer Nour and her family to a safer and more appropriate place for her to give birth. Upon hearing the good news, Nour held my hands tightly saying with a sparkling smile, “Thank you so much. Red Cross nurses made me feel that I am respected again because there are people who care about me.” How Tabia’s heart condition is going to be treated is still a concern.

They were perhaps two thousand stranded Syria returnees. Women, children and men sheltering from the unbearable heat and sun, on hill tops, under the scattered olive trees offering no shadow, carrying half empty jerrycans with water and waving at cars asking for help. This is not a scene from a Hollywood movie. This is at the No-Man’s-Land zone between the Syrian Lebanese borders; a stretch of a few kilometresin which people are stuck in the COVID-19 politics or the legal meanders of return. As if the 9 years of an unrelenting conflict, homelessness, and agony in all forms were not enough. Regardless of root causes as to what got people here, it encapsulates the cruelty of war and the pandemic. A few days ago, I traveledto Syria from Lebanon by land, crossing a border closed for citizens but open for humanitarian organizations including the Red Cross and Red Crescent personnel. I saw the same people in the same place under the scorching sun several days later on my way back after visiting Damascus. Some have had their legal entry sorted out. Others are still out there sleeping under the open sky. As I write, my colleagues in Syria are looking for ways to assist those that may still be stranded. Syrians are now hit by another wave of suffering: economic collapse, sanctions, hyperinflation, rising unemployment, businesses that barely survived the conflict are now shutting down, more hunger with families skipping meals, and shortages of medicine. The devaluation of the local currency, the constraints and the blockage of international transfer of money are driving Syrians to extreme poverty. Syrian sons and daughters living abroad are experiencing serious challenges to send the 100 or 200 dollars, to parents who are still living in Syria. The impact is catastrophic. Concretely, what does this mean? It means, your 70-year-old mother, will no longer have a decent meal because she can’t afford it. It means, your 80-year-old father is no longer able to buy the asthma medication he needs for his survival. It means that daughters and sons, naturally tending to their elderly parents needs as part of a safety net that functioned well for centuries, are no longer able to meet their deeply rooted duties. It means that even emotionally and psychologically, Syrians are affected to the very core of their identity and dignity. My message is not a political one, it is purely humanitarian. We at the Red Cross and Red Crescent have a neutral stance about the sanctions. We work as humanitarians to make sure that people are not suffering and dying because of lack of basic needs such as medicines, food or water. Innocent people in Syria are paying the price of failed diplomacy, and unnecessarily suffer daily. During my visit, I heard a common and sad “joke.” Many Syrians told me: Either we die of hunger, of war, or we die of COVID-19. It doesn’t matter.” In between the conversations, people asked: Can you send us coffee? Can you send us Tabascosauce? These things don’t make it to Syria anymore. One might think these items are luxuries. Well, we believe that preserving human dignity matters. In Damascus, I met the dedicated leadership of the Syria Arab Red Crescent (SARC) the volunteers and the staff who joined SARC to help their people. COVID-19 didn’t stop them. The message “Stay Home” does not mean much to them because their job is to be with their communities, in the streets, in the ambulances, in the camps for refugees and the internally displaced. I also visited the SARC Damascus branch; A nine-story building where each floor has a specific function. I started with the Emergency Response Teams on the ninth floor. I met young women team leaders and their volunteer teams who run the emergency calls and the ambulance dispatch. I asked them what was their number one concern? They said the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). They must rationalize the PPEs and reuse them between the different teams. They send the PPEs to sterilization in between missions and sometimes, as a new emergency call kicks in, the PPEs are not sterilized yet. So, some take the risk of wearing utilized PPEs. Some can’t take the risk as they have children and families at home. With some 11,000 SARC volunteers at work across the country our current PPE supplies and resources are being exhausted at high speed. I visited the physical rehabilitation and prostheses center. I saw young children, young woman and men trying to make prosthesis fit. They have been disabled by the war and trying to bounce back. Some smiled to me, some didn’t, and some cried in silence. I visited another floor that hosts the dialyses unit. I met with the young doctors who are running between the fully packed beds with dialysis patients. They talked about the lack of spare parts, lack of filters for the dialysis machine, the maintenance needed, the inability of the patients to access the facility because of the conflict. I was left wondering how many have died lacking access to such lifesaving units? Another floor was being converted to provide ICU capacity as the anticipated COVID-19 waves begin to hit. I salute SARC, its dedicated volunteers, its managers, its doctors, its nurses, and its leaders who are doing their very best to deliver humanitarian aid in one of the most complex crisis that I have ever experienced in my 32 years of humanitarian work. I walked out of the SARC headquarters and paused at the main doors next to a wall displaying the names of the 62 staff and volunteers who lost their lives in line of duty to save others. Thank you! I also managed to meet Syrian officials to discuss and agree on increased access, with UN and ICRC colleagues to better coordinate and expand the work. Serious international diplomacy efforts are needed to halt the suffering and address the challenges that Syrians face every single day including but not limited to COVID-19. Increased humanitarian funding and ceasefires will allow us more access, save more lives, and simply offer more protection to people. We, as humanitarians we will continue doing our part to alleviate the suffering; It will not be enough. An urgent, just, and durable political solution is needed.

Randa El Ozeir: It’s always been about people. When you see your friend dying before your eyes, no words can be big and expressive enough to capture the intensity of shock and sadness that wraps your whole body and mind. That was exactly what happened with Mohammed Tarek Alashraf, previously a paramedic volunteer in the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARC) and currently the Disaster Management Unit Coordinator of the SARC Homs Branch. “At the time my colleague and friend, Hakam Duraq El-Sibaye, was martyred, a wave of sorrow engulfed me. We were exchanging a conversation when we received an emergency call. He was in another paramedic team. The SARC was allowed to move around during night time. Hakam’s team took on the task but got shot while doing their job. I was one of the paramedics to aid him and the others. We had to drive them to the hospital where Hakam passed away. It was really hard, and I still remember every detail of our last conversation, his voice and his smile.” Alashraf and the rest of the volunteers were hesitant and torn between continuing their work or quitting, “Hakam’s parents insisted on us to keep doing our job as would their son have wanted and help the community that needs us,” explained Alashraf, “and so far, we have helped to deliver and oversee the quality and accountability for implementation of relief aids to 129,420 affected families that equal to 594,000 people within Homs Governorate.” The story of Moaz Al Malki, who started as an SARC emotional supporter in 2012 and became a Water Team Coordinator in Damascus Branch, has a personal trauma twist. He said, “After we finished one of our emergency interventions to add chlorine to sterilize the water coming to Damascus city and add diesel oil to operate the water pumping station, I was kidnapped and detained for five long hours. Thanks to the efforts of some local community groups that were aware of the humanitarian organizations’ role and some competent authorities, I had been released with my companions and our machineries, and we left the area.” For Donia Mouin AbdAlla, Leader of first-aid team in the SARC, the main hurdle in her doing the job is the emotional state of the patient’s companions. They usually don’t help in making the decision for the patient, which complicates the paramedic task, especially when the crowd gathers around. “Additionally, the scarcity of financial means restricts the options, for example, when the situation requires using an automated ventilator that is available only in private hospitals,” explained AbdAlla. “I don’t exaggerate if I say that my work is a life or death matter for the person who needs rescuing. Being part of this reduces my frustration towards all human catastrophes and crises, particularly in my country. What motivates and excites me is the fact that, despite our limited capacities, we make a huge difference in the lives and the future of families. We see how our noble purpose lessens many distressed families in our beloved country,” said AbdAlla. She is always driven by the idea of “Saving lives” and isolating the patient from any source of harm or damage to stop the bleeding and enhance the recovery with the few equipment she has. One concrete instance filled AbdAlla with optimism, sweetness, and hope that still linger whenever she has a case to resuscitate. “A child fell from the first floor and was brought to our centre while I was on duty. His heart had stopped beating, and he urgently needed CPR. In less than 15 seconds I started the procedure, and after two full rounds, the child regained his beat following a deep inhale. I didn’t believe it amidst the joking of the paramedic’s team. My hands couldn’t stop doing the CPR and a stupid smile glued on my face and in my heart,” narrated AbdAlla. As the residents of Old Homs City begun returning to their homes, a beneficiary of the Home Repair and Building Project whose eyes welled up with tears thanked Alashraf saying, “Finally, I am at home today outside the shelter centre and can earn my living with dignity. Hadn’t been for the SARC, I wouldn’t have been able to come back home. The volunteers of the SARC are part of my family.” At this moment, Alashraf was over the moon and realized the tangible impact of the SARC’ humanitarian projects. The loveliest turn was in Al Malki’s story. He told us that, “in 2015, a special and great lady joined the SARC as a water engineer. This lady is my wife now, and next month we’re going to celebrate the third birthday of our beautiful son.” After 15 years with the SARC, Alashraf thinks that what kept him doing the same job is the team building, the teamwork spirit, the constant appreciation, the continuing training, improving the leadership skills, and being part of the decision-making. Al Malki said that, “the need in Syria and on the ground is tremendous and exceeds the capacity and power of all the partners and supporters who are trying very hard to help the affected people and the SARC. But my contribution in humanitarian work to better the livelihood of individuals and reserve their dignity gives me the satisfaction without the eternal question ‘what’s in it for me?’”

Goma/Kinshasa/Nairobi/Geneva, 28 November 2019 –Several violent attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) have killed, wounded and displaced many. Those killed included four Ebola responders. The President of DR Congo Red Cross, Grégoire Mateso, said: “We are profoundly saddened by the tragic killings of people, including several Ebola responders in Mangina and Biakatou following violent attacks. We are also extremely worried by the escalating violence in Beni.” The spike in violence in recent days has also forced communities to flee for their safety, making it easier for the virus to spread to neighbouring areas. Mangina and Biakatou are areas where there are the highest rates of Ebola cases at the moment. Red Cross teams in Beni are unable to travel due to the ongoing violence, and insecurity in other areas have put Red Cross Ebola activities on hold. “In the last few months we have made major progress in the Ebola response: Cases are decreasing, there are less deaths in the community and a growing community acceptance and involvement in the Ebola response,”said Jamie LeSueur, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)’s Head of Operations for the Ebola Response. “But violence and insecurity are major factors that set us back and threaten to reverse all the positive gains we have made in this response.” More than 1,100 DRC Red Cross volunteers have been engaging with communities to address fear, suspicion and concerns;conducting safe and dignified burials, and helping improve infection prevention and control in health facilities and prisons.These teams have been critical to preventing thousands of infections and saving the many lives. “Without Red Cross staff and volunteers having access to respond in hot spot areas, the risk of Ebola’s spread is extremely high. We’re worried about what this could mean for our frontline staff and volunteers who are risking their lives every day to engage with affected communities,”said Grégoire Mateso. “We call on all actors to exercise restraint and respect civilians and humanitarian and Ebola responders.”

Beirut/Geneva, 7 November 2019 – A young Albanian boy will be reunited with his family in Italy later today following a successful repatriation effort involving the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and different authorities. The young boy had been living in al-Hol camp in northern Syria. He was taken to Syria by his mother in 2014. His mother was later killed during fighting. Francesco Rocca, IFRC President, accompanied the child from Syria to Lebanon this morning. He said: “I would like to thank all those involved in securing the safe return from al-Hol camp of this boy to his family in Italy. In particular, I want to thank the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, and its President Khaled Hboubati, for the huge efforts that have been made to facilitate this repatriation, and for the tremendous dedication that it has shown and continues to show in its response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria.” According to authorities, more than 100,000 people are living in camps in northern Syria, including 68,000 in al-Hol camp alone. This includes an estimated 28,000 children from more than 60 different countries. Rocca continued: “This news is positive, but it is barely a drop of relief in an ocean of suffering. We call on the national governments of the foreigners in the camp and all concerned parties to take action in a manner that alleviates the suffering of a very vulnerable group of people. Ideally this approach would allow individuals to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. “We appreciate that this situation is complex. There are legitimate concerns that have been raised by governments. But those concerns must be balanced with the need to treat people humanely. Today’s news demonstrates that, with political will, a solution is possible,” said Rocca. Khaled Hboubati, President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, said: “We recognize the importance of our duty to restore family links. We spare no efforts to meet this responsibility today and in the future, in parallel to the other humanitarian responsibilities we shoulder. Our goal is to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable people in Syria, working hand-in-hand with our partners.” IFRC President Rocca urged the media to ensure that the boy and his family are given time and space to recover from their ordeal “I appreciate that there is a lot of interest in this story. But now that he is safe, let’s leave this boy and his family alone to heal.” Italian Red Cross will continue to support the family, including with psychosocial support. About IFRC: IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 190 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives and promote dignity around the world. www.ifrc.org - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube

By Rana Sidani Cassou Iraq Red Crescent Society relief operations to support people affected by recent demonstrations in the country have received a boost from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). More than 150,000 Swiss francs have been released from IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to help the Iraq Red Crescent to continue its humanitarian support. Since the start of the protests on 1 October, more than 200 Iraq Red Crescent volunteers have been mobilized to provide first aid to the injured, give psychosocial support, and medical evacuations. A total of nine branches have been involved in the response. The demonstrations have involved clashes that have resulted in several deaths, and many thousands of people have been injured. The emergency fundswillfurther strengthen IRCS capacity and ensurecontinuity of first aid and pre-hospital care topeople atriskof being affected bypossible unrest in themain cities of the country. Meanwhile, and in the coming three days, millions of people from around the world are expected to arrive at Karbala city, 100 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, to visit the shrines of Imam Hussein and Abbas. Some of the pilgrims make their journey on foot from cities as far asBasra, about 500 kilometers away. “Every year, we mobilize all our volunteers and employees to minimize the risks that might arise during this mass gathering,” said Dr. Yaseen Abbas, President of IRCS. “Some people walk for days including elderly, children and patients suffering from chronic diseases. We provide them with first aid, medical treatment all along their journey.” With the participation of more than 2,000 staff and volunteers, IRCS installed more than 100 emergency health mobile and fixed posts in Karbala and on the roads that leads to it. So far more than 24,000 people have benefited from IRCS first aid, blood pressure measurement, evacuation to hospitals and awareness activities. The location where pilgrims will arrive at the end of their journey is only accessible by foot. For that reason, more than 100 volunteers are there ready with stretches to evacuate people suffering from fatigue to the ambulances parked nearby. Two mobile hospitals have been deployed to the area as well. In addition, more than 50 volunteers have one task: look for missing people, mainly children, who might be separated from their parents because of the huge number of people gathered in the same place.