Risk Wise

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Supporting community resilience – the approach

of the International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Mohammed Omer Mukhier and Kenneth Westgate, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

o many people, the International Federation of Red Cross

and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation) is

viewed as an organization focused strictly on humanitar-

ian action in times of conflict and natural disaster. Others may

have a wider view, noting the National Red Cross and Red

Crescent Societies’ involvement in first aid training, the dona-

tion of blood, running ambulance services and other health and

care activities.

Few would identify the organization as being at the forefront of the

drive for disaster risk reduction despite the publication, nearly 25 years

ago, of the landmark Swedish Red Cross report

Prevention Better Than

Cure

. Disaster risk reduction is not necessarily seen as something that

the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies do. Part of the

problem is in the language – ‘disaster risk reduction’ is a relatively new

term that appeared to confuse even further the profusion of already

established terminology. But essentially, disaster risk reduction is not

something that the International Federation is seen to be involved with.

Closer examination, however, reveals that not only has the orga-

nization been involved in the implementation of disaster risk

reduction for years, but also that it has the kind of inter-

nal structure and established base that makes it a perfect

vehicle for activity with a community focus as well as a

long-term timeline. National Red Cross and Red

Crescent Societies work through a system of branches,

often growing out of the communities that they repre-

sent. Thus they have virtually permanent community

contact, are often in close touch with the needs and aspi-

rations of their communities and are able to tackle some

of the issues highlighted by progressive disaster risk. In

addition, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

are permanent, national institutions and most of them

have been established for many decades.

International Federation policy and the decisions

of the statutory meetings

The key to unlocking the International Federation’s

involvement in disaster risk reduction can be found in

global policy statements and in the decisions of statu-

tory meetings. The guiding policy document

The

Community Disaster Preparedness Committee members and volunteers in a meeting

with the Red Cross and Red Crescent along with European Community representative of

Babugonj Red Crescent in Barguna, Bangladesh, 2 June 2007

Image:

Arsi, Ethiopia. Alem Bekele, an Ethiopian Red Cross Society volunteer,

tends Eucalyptus trees that have been planted in seven hectares of

field by the Ethiopian Red Cross Society as a part of an income

generating programme.

Image: ©

Yoshi Shimizu/International Federation