International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Tore Svenning

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

The Federation and Shelter

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Why, and why now?

-Long history and recent experience-National Society involvement-Operational and co-ordination gaps

-Think we can do something useful by sharing our collective and individual experience and expertise

IFRC and Shelter: Where we are coming from

…over time

…geographically

…volume

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

"Destructive" Disasters 1919-2004

Earthquake

Floods and Cyclones

Storms and Fires

Volcanoes

Population Movement

Other

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Geographical 1919-2004

Africa

Americas

Asia and Pacific

Europe

MENA

Multiregional

IFRC and Shelter: Recent

Pakistan

Tsunami

Caribbean Hurricanes

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IFRC and Shelter: Pakistan

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

105 801 families

57 704 Tents

431 728 Blankets

19 708 Sleeping Bags

120 527 Tarpaulins

11 991 Shelter Repair Kits

IFRC and Shelter: Tsunami

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

• Indonesia: planning more than 30 000 permanent housing units

• Sri Lanka: nearly 6 700 houses

• Maldives: 600 houses on Green Island

IFRC and Shelter: Hurricane Ivan (2004)

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

• 10 000 families in Grenada; 7 500 in Jamaica; 1 000 in Cayman Islands and 3000 in Cuba:

• Plastic Sheeting, Tarpaulins, Blankets, galvanized sheets, WatSan…

• Complex multi-country operation, and an opportunity to strengthen disaster preparedness

• Adaptability to local circumstances: National Society the key

IFRC and Shelter: What are we talking about?

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

• 183 members – at least 183 opinions…– Tents and Tarpaulins (many Societies)– Host families– Evacuation shelter – schools, etc (American Red Cross, Cuban Red Cross)– Cyclone Shelters (Bangladesh Red Crescent, Indian Red Cross)– Temporary shelter – Reconstruction and construction of permanent housing

IFRC: Organisational Framework

• National Societies

• International Federation

• Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

A little about National Societies:

– In terms of day-to-day activities and organisation not very different from many other organisations

– National organisations: based on domestic legislation, recognised by their own governments, legally guaranteed independence, auxiliaries to the public authorities

– Often, but not always, a clear mandate from the government giving it ability to act, but sometimes constraining the range of activities.

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

A little more about National Societies:

– Primarily responsible for responding to needs among their own population

– Ability to reach out to support a Sister Society• In agreement with the “host” and under a set of

recognised rules and often, but not always, co-ordinated by the Federation or the ICRC (depending on the situation)

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IFRC and Shelter: Involvement

Organised in several ways:- National Societies acting at home- National Societies acting internationally- Secretariat Co-ordination- Secretariat Operation

- And combinations- And in co-operation with ICRC

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IFRC: Holding it all together

Elements:

- Fundamental Principles

- Shared policies and approaches

- Shared capacities- Adaptability to local circumstances

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Fundamental Principles

• Humanity

• Impartiality

• Neutrality

• Independence

• Voluntary service

• Unity

• Universality

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IFRC: Shared Policies

Shared policies and approaches:

• Disaster Management Framework

• Post-emergency rehabilitation policy

• Principles and Rules for Disaster Relief

• Code of Conduct, Sphere– etc

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IFRC and Policies: The example of standard setting

• Seen from the point of view of, e.g., Iranian Red Crescent the question is – whose standards?– Federation?– Movement?– “International”– Iranian National?

• If different – whose will be applied?

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IFRC: Capacities

- Shared Capacities:- National Society domestic capacities- FACT- ERU- DMIS- DREF

- Need to develop shared capacities also related to shelter

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IFRC and Shelter: Objectives

• Address shelter needs in natural disasters through

• Scaling up collective capacity

• Working with other organisations and supporting co-ordination

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IFRC and Shelter: Issues

• Who is the primary actor in disaster response:– The National Society – at home – “auxiliary”– The role and responsibility of “foreign” National Societies– Relationship between operational response and co-ordination

role– Working with others

• Alliances and partnerships

• The dreaded cluster…

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

“IFRC and Clusters”

• The “cluster” approach is a UN led systematic approach to ensure predictability

• The Federation works with the “clusters” but does not lead one

• Federation takes action under its own mandate and accountability, with its own resources, and according to its own assessment of needs and offer the resulting capacity to the humanitarian community

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IFRC and Shelter: Where next?

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

• Build shared capacity in Shelter

• Shelter Department

• Hosting office of the Shelter Centre

• Building Co-ordination capacity

• Developing a policy framework linked to existing policies in fields such as disaster preparedness, water and sanitation, health and a new recovery policy

• Develop training

• Structured and ad hoc alliances and partnerships

International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

THANK YOU!