This report covers the period 1/6/07 to 31/10/07 of the 2006 -2007 Appeal
In a world of global challenges, continued poverty, inequity, and increasing vulnerability to disasters and disease, the International Federation with its global network, works to accomplish its Global Agenda, partnering with local community and civil society to prevent and alleviate human suffering from disasters, diseases and public health emergencies.
In brief
Programme Summary:
The second half of 2007 has been a particularly challenging period for the Asia Pacific Service Centre (APSC). In July, the zone office for the Asia Pacific region was officially set up in Kuala Lumpur and the APSC was absorbed into the zone structure. With a new Head of Zone and a Deputy Head of Zone installed, the period since the inception of the zone office and structure has focused on discussions concerning administrative issues and operational procedures within the new structure. The period was also marked by continuing questions on the 2008-09 plans and appeals, requiring much time and energy from all concerned to produce the final documents. It was also a period when natural disasters hit the region at an unrelenting rate, particularly in South, South-east and East Asia. In August alone, the zone office supported the Asia Pacific Disaster Management Unit in 11 emergency relief operations for people affected by floods which devastated parts of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and Viet Nam. These were soon followed in October by typhoon Lekima in Vietnam, and in November by Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh and Cyclone Guba in PNG.
Despite the challenges arising from the establishment of the new zone structure and the multiple disasters in the region, units within the APSC kept to their tasks, working mostly according to the old mode (while the new zone structure and operating procedures are being confirmed and established), and provided comprehensive support to regional and country delegations for mostly capacity-building initiatives in the region.
Needs: Total 2006-2007 budget: CHF 2.78 million (USD 2.3 million or EUR 1.7 million) out of which 50 % was covered. Click here to go directly to the attached interim financial report.
No. of people we help: 37 national societies (NSs)
Our Partners: 37 NSs; government ministries; UNAIDS; partner national societies (PNSs); ICRC Cooperation counterparts in Geneva, the zone, regional and country delegations
Progress towards objectives
Objective
To ensure a coherent and coordinated Federation organisational development (OD) support strategy so that all RC/RC Movement OD, volunteering and capacity building (CB) counterparts have access to shared knowledge in order to maximize the use of local and regional resources, regional peer to peer support mechanisms, expert volunteers, and specialized consultants to improve services to vulnerable people.
Achievements
Efforts to develop a clear, comprehensive and unifying Federation and RC/RC Movement approach to national society OD, capacity building and volunteering development have focussed on:
- increasing the recipients of the quarterly Asia Pacific OD email update from 214 to 287 OD and capacity building counterparts in all NSs, PNSs, Federation and ICRC delegations across the region;
- planning for the AP forum on "Harmonised approaches to OD and CB across the RC/RC Movement" in early 2008;
- supporting harmonised OD planning in multi-stakeholder Movement partner contexts in Tibet, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives; and
- establishing a work plan with the newly-appointed Asia Pacific ICRC Cooperation counterpart based in Kuala Lumpur to further harmonise strategic and practical OD support to the 37 NSs in the region. An assessment is being made of how many measurable national society OD targets were met between 2004- 2007 through a refreshed mapping process, and in order to set in place new NS generated baselines and targets for 2008 and 2009.
How we work
All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) in Disaster Relief and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.
The Federation's Global Agenda
The International Federation's activities are aligned with under a Global Agenda, which sets out four broad goals to meet the Federation's mission to "improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity".
Global Agenda Goals:
- Reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters.
- Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies.
- Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability.
- Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion and promote respect for diversity and human dignity.
Contact information
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
In Malaysia: Ole Johan Hauge, Head of Asia Pacific Service Centre; email: olejohan.hauge@ifrc.org; Phone: +60.3.2161.0892 ext 600; Fax: +60.3.2161.1210
In Malaysia: Jagan Chapagain, Deputy Head of Zone, email; jagan.chapagain@ifrc.org; phone +60 3 2161 0892, fax + 60 3 2161 1210, mobile + 60 12 215 3765.