Question 1

Reproductive Health

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) supports the reproductive health initiatives of the National Societies of Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Laos, Malawi, Nepal, Paraguay, South Sudan and Togo.   Health education and behaviour change   In 2023, over 2,500 health professionals, authorities, teachers and community health workers, together with over 6,800 Red Cross/Red Crescent staff and volunteers, received sexual and reproductive health training. Over 500,000 people benefited from reproductive health education/promotion and behaviour change activities and more than 193,000 people benefited from health care consultations. The impact was clear. In Togo and Laos, for example, 80% and 91% of children under the age of six months, respectively, were exclusively breastfed, an increase of 11% in both cases compared to 2022. The percentage of women having received four or more antenatal check-ups during their last pregnancy remained stable in Ecuador (55%), Paraguay (80%) and Togo (63%). Skilled birth attendants were present at almost 3,800 deliveries in programmes in Bolivia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Togo. The percentage of health centres in Laos providing adolescent-friendly services rose from 43% in 2022 to 64% in 2023. No change was observed in the uptake of contraception, which remained low in Bolivia (17%), Bangladesh (32%) and Nepal (23%).   Behaviour change was also observed among health staff. In Laos, for example, 54% of health professionals correctly followed standard treatment protocols, up from 11% in 2022.   
Activities to reduce sexual and gender-based violence  Over 47,000 people (women, girls, men and boys) participated in activities to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in Bolivia, El Salvador, Honduras and South Sudan, up from almost 10,000 people in 2022 and more than double the number in 2021. The activities included awareness-raising and survivor destigmatisation.

Question 2

Infectious Disease

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) supports the work of Sister National Societies and partners in Bolivia, Haiti, Honduras, Malawi, Nepal, North Macedonia, Paraguay, South Sudan, Syria, Togo and along migration routes in the Balkans to prevent and control epidemics, as part of either long-term projects or emergency responses. The aim is to improve access to health services, raise awareness and contribute to behaviour change.  In 2023, 42,000 people in Bolivia and over 4,000 in Paraguay benefited from health care consultations related to infectious diseases. Nearly 2,000 health professionals, community health workers, teachers and Red Cross/Red Crescent staff and volunteers received instruction on the topic, and 165 committees or clubs were established to support activities to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Over 272,000 people participated in health, hygiene and behaviour change activities, including nearly 40,000 migrants along migration routes in the Balkans.  Cholera epidemic  In 2023, in the face of a countrywide cholera epidemic in Malawi, the SRC Emergency Response Unit (ERU) deployed its community case-management approach. Nearly 7,000 people were treated at oral rehydration points, which, as observed by an ERU evaluation, help reduce cholera mortality and morbidity. In a cholera epidemic, most people show signs of mild dehydration and can be treated at home. By referring only people that show signs of severe dehydration or with increased health risks, the caseload at health care facilities was significantly reduced. For further information see also section Health in Emergencies.  COVID-19  In comparison to previous years, COVID-19 had a minor impact. In North Macedonia, the National Society reached 127,000 people with post-COVID support programmes. A perception study about COVID-19 and the role of the Red Crescent Society concluded the COVID response in Bangladesh.

Question 3

Non-Communicable Diseases

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) supports Sister National Societies in non-communicable disease prevention and care including Psychosocial Support and First Aid. Behaviour change and NCD prevention   The SRC pursued its efforts to strengthen its Sister National Societies' capacity to change behaviour. Comprehensive training courses in Laos, Nepal and Ukraine focused on identifying behaviour causes and linking results to effective techniques. In Paraguay, the comprehensive training and a behaviour study was carried out in 2022 and behaviour change activities were adapted according to study results. This yielded remarkable results: 75% of beneficiaries have increased their consumption of fruit and vegetables to five or more portions per day as per recommendation of WHO. None of these beneficiaries were consuming five portions of fruit and vegetable per day before the start of the project.  Prevention on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) was prioritised in Lebanon, Egypt, Bolivia, Paraguay, Honduras, Bangladesh, Nepal, Moldova and Togo, where around 124,000 individuals benefited from health promotion and behaviour change initiatives, and a similar number from NCD consultations. The refugee camps in Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh, now offer integrated NCD case management in primary health care centres round the clock. In Nepal, 144 volunteers informed 650 elderly citizens about their right to free diabetic screening.  
 Psychosocial support and first aid  Psychological support and first aid are core services for many Sister National Societies. In Syria, for example, emergency services continued to receive technical support for the use of external defibrillators and two emergency service centres again benefited from funding.   More than 1,100 National Society volunteers trained in Bhutan started providing essential first aid services in the remotest areas of the country. Other Sister National Societies, such as Belarus and Armenia, explored commercial first aid, in order to provide more effective first responses and to secure an income and thus sustain their services.   In El Salvador, Moldova, Ukraine, South Sudan and Bangladesh, National Societies arranged for professional psychologists or trained volunteers to provide psychosocial support to migrants, returnees and host communities.

Question 4

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) strengthens Sister National Societies and local partners engaged in activities related to access to water, sanitation, hygiene promotion and waste management in communities, schools and health facilities in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Malawi, Nepal, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Togo.  Expanding access to water, sanitation and solid waste management   In 2023, SRC-supported activities made safe drinking water available to 985,000 additional people and allowed 229,000 more individuals access to latrines and handwashing facilities, respectively.   As a result, in Syria, for example, 89% of project beneficiaries now have improved drinking water sources (0% at project start). In Laos, 92% of water committees regularly monitor their water safety plan. In Bolivia, 83% of people have adopted safe water-handling practices compared to 55% in 2022. In Malawi, 89% of people use safely managed sanitation facilities. In Nepal, that figure is 49%, or nearly twice as much as in 2022 (25%). Additionally, the number of people using handwashing facilities with water and soap available on the premises rose from 30% to an astonishing 84% in Nepal and stands at 69% in remote areas of Bangladesh.   In Bangladesh and Bhutan, solid waste management is a flagship National Society programme. In Bangladesh, more than 800 tonnes of household waste were collected, recycled and sold. The Bhutan Red Cross Society is complementing public efforts to realize “Zero Waste in Bhutan by 2030” by organizing and coordinating a countrywide, volunteer-run cleaning and awareness campaign.       Hygiene promotion   Worldwide, nearly 7,500 Red Cross/Red Crescent staff and volunteers, teachers, health professionals and community health workers were trained and 1,500 water committees and clubs were established. More than 1,300,000 people participated in health, hygiene promotion and behaviour change activities.  Applied evidence-based behaviour change action resulted in an increase in handwashing with soap among school students in Laos, from 15 to 53%; in Sudan the figure stands at 73%. In Laos, Nepal and Togo, menstrual hygiene management is an integral part of hygiene promotion in schools, the community and adolescent health programming.

Question 5

Ageing and Health

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) supported local partners in Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, North Macedonia and Ukraine. It launched new ageing and health projects in Bangladesh, Laos, El Salvador and Togo.    Home-based care  The number of older people and people with disabilities receiving quality home care rose 150% in Armenia, and 15% in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine, but fell 21% in Moldova owing to a lack of health workers. Client satisfaction exceeded 85% in all countries. Cost recovery via client fees and domestic sources ranged from 43% in Moldova to 100% in Belarus. Bosnia-Herzegovina had particularly good results in terms of cost recovery, with two out of 10 home-based care centres fully self-sustaining; in the remaining eight, 10-20% of costs were covered by clients and 40-80% by local sources. A study of the health system's readiness for integrated care was carried out in two pilot districts in Belarus. Adherence by local service providers to quality standards remained at 100% in Bosnia-Herzegovina and increased from 84% to 90% in Armenia.    Active ageing  The participation of older people in initiatives and self-help groups increased by 46% in all programmes. New self-help groups and senior citizen clubs were established in Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Togo. In Bolivia, Red Cross volunteers were trained. In Armenia and Moldova, 70% and 94%, respectively, of older people participating in self-help groups were involved in social activities.    Age-friendly communities  The development of age-friendly communities is one way to increase participation of older people. A study in Moldova found that older people living in such communities reported almost ten times higher levels of traditional mutual support and 4.5 times higher participation in local decision-making than in control communities. Four municipalities in Moldova and one in Bosnia-Herzegovina were encouraged to join the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities.

Question 6

Blood Safety and Availability

Accepted Answer

Health care services need safe blood to save lives and improve health. As blood cannot be produced artificially, doctors and patients rely on people to donate it. To improve the supply of safe blood in countries experiencing shortages, the SRC supported partners in Bhutan, El Salvador, Laos, Lebanon, Malawi, Moldova, South Sudan and Togo in 2023.    Voluntary non-remunerated blood donation    An adequate and reliable supply of safe blood requires a stable base of regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors. SRC-supported Sister National Societies and blood services collected 233’265 bags of blood from such donors in 2023. 65% of all blood donations were voluntary and non-remunerated, just about as much as in 2022. Regular non-remunerated donors are especially valuable as their blood is generally safer than that of one-time donors and blood services need fewer resources to mobilise them. In SRC-supported countries where data are available, 43% of voluntary non-remunerated donors were repeat donors – a good result that can be further improved, especially in Africa.    Blood safety   In Moldova, the haemovigilance system was further strengthened, to enable safety surveillance and improve blood processing and transfusion. In El Salvador, investments in quality management led to ISO certification of the blood service. In South Sudan, the recent shift to a digital blood donor information system resulted in tremendous improvements in data accuracy and traceability, and thus in blood safety.  Blood availability   All National Societies supported by SRC in Blood Safety and Availability, engaged in blood donor recruitment and thus in expanding the blood supply. Innovations were introduced in different contexts, for example in Malawi, where the “donor recruits donor” approach was again successful, or in Togo, where the “Club 25” approach mobilised countless young people to make repeat donations and promoted healthy lifestyles. Mobilisation and awareness-raising activities reached 91’318 people overall in the countries receiving support.  More results of the different projects can be found in the «Spotlight Blood Safety and Availability».

Question 7

Eye Health

Accepted Answer

In 2023, over 251’000 people benefited from eye health consultations, including screening for vision problems, in South Sudan, Togo, Bangladesh, Nepal and Kyrgyzstan; 3’839 individuals had cataract surgery and 1’866 some other form of eye surgery. The number of consultations and operations fell slightly compared to 2022; the figures are nonetheless remarkable given that two large eye health programmes, in Ghana and Nepal, had been phased out by 2023. Eye surgery results remained good in Togo and Kyrgyzstan, where 93% and 89% of patients, respectively, had good visual acuity (between 6/6 and 6/18) six weeks after cataract surgery.   More than 400 health professionals, community health workers, and National Society staff and volunteers were trained in eye health; 215’000 people received eye health education and engaged in behaviour change activities. Eye health services were successfully linked with non-communicable disease management in the refugee camps in Bangladesh, where the eye health and primary health care centres work under the same roof.  Eye Health and children  46’522 children underwent screening for eye health and, as in 2022, 100% of those who received eyeglasses were wearing them at school. In Kyrgyzstan, the SRC supported the establishment of the first eye health unit in Bishkek, to perform retinopathy of prematurity surgery. Premature babies born with that condition can now be operated in the country, avoiding long, costly and strenuous trips to neighbouring countries for the newborns and their parents.

Question 8

Economic Support

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) helps crisis-affected individuals and families address acute needs and restore lost assets or livelihoods. In 2023, over 94,000 vulnerable people affected by disasters, conflicts and deteriorated socioeconomic conditions in Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Nepal, Ukraine and other countries benefited from SRC cash-based initiatives totalling CHF 5,332,664.    In Ukraine, 7,582 individuals (5,882 internally displaced persons and 1,700 vulnerable individuals in host communities) in the Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Kirovohrad regions received cash support amounting to CHF 2,440,530. Priority was given to single-parent households, people with disabilities, multi-children families and vulnerable older persons. In Moldova, over 1,390 refugees from Ukraine were provided with cash assistance to improve access to health and meet accommodation needs, enabling them to focus on rebuilding their lives and integrating into new communities.    In Ethiopia, the SRC provided multipurpose cash to over 3,000 households affected by protracted drought in Moyale region and to over 890 vulnerable families in Dire Dawa, Jimma, Wolayita and Moyale affected by drought and floods. In Armenia, the SRC supported cash distributions to 3,954 individuals displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023. In Nepal, multipurpose cash support was provided to 1,845 people affected by the earthquake, enabling them to address basic needs and rebuild their homes.

Question 9

Shelter and Housing

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) and the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) provided shelter and housing support in western and central Ukraine for 5,435 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 79 collective centres and five health facilities. Temporary housing solution  In the Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil regions, windows and household appliances were installed in the collective centres, and sanitary installations such as toilets and faucets were replaced. Wheelchair-accessible shower and toilet stalls were put in place, to improve privacy and security, and to provide safe spaces. Light and moderate repair work was done in four health facilities.  

In the Kirovohrad region, the Ukrainian Red Cross significantly improved the living conditions of IDPs residing in collective centres. It carried out light repairs, upgraded insulation, replaced windows and doors, installed wheelchair-accessible toilets and showers, and provided essential items such as cooking equipment, hygiene materials/equipment, beds and bedding.  Winterisation support Cash assistance was provided to 1,318 IDPs for heating equipment or to overcome network outages. The insulation was upgraded in 17 collective centres, which received 756 m3 of firewood. In rural parts of Ternopil and Kirovohrad regions, 225 local resident households received conditional cash to buy firewood during the harsh winter months.  

In Kherson region, the construction of eight mobile bomb shelters to protect people from military attacks and shelling marked a milestone. The Ukrainian Red Cross replaced 52 windows and doors at the Novovorontsov Hospital (Children's Infectious Disease Department). It continues to work in the hospitals of Stepanivka and Velika Oleksandrivka, where it plans to replace 227 windows and doors.

Question 10

Community based Disaster Risk Management

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) assisted Sister National Societies and other local partners in 15 disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation projects benefiting over 524,500 individuals in 11 countries across South and Central Asia, the Americas and Africa.   Disaster preparedness A functional local committee is key for disaster preparedness. In 2023, 56.4% (336 out of 596) of monitored communities in 11 programme countries across 14 projects had functional committees. The level of functionality varied significantly depending on the project duration, from 0-20% (El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, Togo) for projects lasting less than two years to 60-100% (Ecuador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Paraguay) for projects nearing completion. In all these contexts, functional committees independently plan and implement disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation activities in their communities, developing leadership skills and actively seeking better integration into the subnational disaster risk management system.   Risk mitigation The SRC supports risk-informed and climate-resilient critical infrastructure and sites for communities and households. It also prioritises the protection, rehabilitation and sustainable management of natural resources. Mitigation measures are based on risk analysis, use locally available materials and involve stakeholders through in-kind contributions from communities and cash contributions from municipalities. Nature-based solutions are preferred to grey infrastructure where appropriate. In 2023, the disaster risk was reduced for more than 48,000 individuals in Bangladesh, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan and Nepal to an acceptable level by implementing functional protection measures in seven different projects.

Question 11

Public Infrastructure

Accepted Answer

Health facilities In 2023, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) supported the renovation and extension of three health centres in Laos, boosting trust in health services and increasing patient attendance. In northern Bangladesh, the SRC, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and the local communities helped build four new community clinics and renovate 14 existing ones, enhancing not only patient satisfaction and attendance but also service quality. In Armenia, the SRC and the Armenian Red Cross Society renovated a resident block of the Gyumri Nursing Home for the benefit of 50 residents.   Water and sanitation systems In Laos, the SRC and the Lao Red Cross helped the health authorities in Phonthong District build a gravity-fed water system and constructed toilets for households and schools in two districts. These efforts were combined with health education on maintenance and hygiene topics for the villagers.   As part of the Blue Schools Project in Sudan, the SRC assisted the Sudanese Red Crescent to build latrine blocks in 22 schools with the Ministries of Education and Health. The first three facilities had been completed by April 2023, before the war broke out. For the remaining 19 facilities, the SRC will follow up when conditions allow. The latrine design takes account of menstrual health and hygiene and has been endorsed by the Government as a model in North and West Kordofan.  Durable housing solutions In Ukraine, the SRC continued to support the Ukrainian Red Cross’ refurbishment of four buildings in western Ukraine, providing long-term housing for vulnerable displaced individuals who could not return to their homes. The renovations were in their final stages in three of the four buildings at the end of 2023, and planning had started for similar interventions in central Ukraine.  More results to the health clinics in Bangladesh and the durable housing solutions in Ukraine can be found in the «Spotlight Public Infrastructure».

Question 12

Health in Emergencies

Accepted Answer

In emergencies, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) aims to save lives and alleviate suffering by addressing the basic health needs of vulnerable people. It has increased its cholera response capacity by taking on the federation-wide cholera response coordination.    Malawi  In early 2023, the SRC coordinated the IFRC-wide Emergency Response Unit deploying its Community Case Management of Cholera (CCMC) in Malawi. 28 delegates from different National Societies were engaged for four months at 18 Oral Rehydration Points set up together with the Malawi Red Cross. Almost 7,000 people sought care at the points; mild and moderate cases were treated on site, while 805 severely dehydrated cases were referred to health facilities. A subsequent evaluation confirmed the overall effectiveness of the approach.   Syria  During the cholera outbreak in Syria, the SRC helped improve the knowledge of 2,817 people on acute watery diarrhoea (AWD)/cholera prevention by treating household water and promoting good hygienic practices. Thirty-two National Society staff and four community mobilisers were trained in preventive measures and cholera case response. Financial resources were allocated for household water treatment and hygiene products, and for operational expenses such as transportation and warehousing costs.   Sudan  Shortly after the outbreak of war in Sudan in mid-April 2023, the SRC added an emergency response component to its long-term programme in support of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society. It pledged CHF 150,000 to the IFRC and CHF 40,000 to the Egyptian Red Crescent Society. It also made available 250 first aid kits and five Interagency Emergency Health Kits containing medical supplies.

Question 13

Migration

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) engaged in humanitarian diplomacy and advocacy for the rights, protection and inclusion of people on the move with stakeholders such as the Swiss parliament and general public, and through regional and global thematic networks.  The Balkans As part of its migration programme in the Balkans, the SRC supported Sister National Societies in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia assisting people on the move. The programme was adapted to address the needs of refugees from Ukraine. Basic supplies and a range of services were provided (e.g. language courses, vocational skills, employability support, awareness-raising) to enable safe and resilient living in dignity.  Ukraine  The SRC’s extensive response in Ukraine focuses on internally displaced persons, who receive both assistance/protection and integration/inclusion support (e.g. vocational training so that they can access the job market in western Ukraine).  Regional programmes   During 2023, steps were taken to scope and assess a new regional migration programme in Central America. By the end of 2023, planning for the SRC’s contributions to a route-based approach with strong preparedness and protection components had been completed with five National Societies and the IFRC Regional Office, thanks to fruitful collaboration with the SRC’s experts based in Switzerland. The concept of a regional migration approach in Western Africa was also developed over the year, for more detailed design and planning in 2024.

Question 14

Governance, Leadership and Strategy

Accepted Answer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) supports the efforts of Sister National Societies in Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Honduras, Laos, Nepal, Paraguay, South Sudan, Sudan and Togo in the thematic priority Governance, Leadership and Strategy.   Strong governance and leadership at branch level  The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society is using a pilot bottom-up branch development process to strengthen the governance and management systems of 10 branches while improving their operational and resource mobilisation capacities. In 2023, following a competitive call for proposals, 10 branches received small grants for which they had to provide at least 30% co-financing. They used the grants to implement priority activities that helped strengthen their overall capacities. The SRC provided financial support and technical guidance to steer the process together with the Sister National Society.   Organisational Capacity Assessment  In 2023, the Bolivian Red Cross took firm steps towards becoming a stronger organisation. With support from the SRC and other Red Cross/Red Crescent partners, it conducted an organisational capacity assessment and drew up an improvement plan with concrete actions based on the assessment’s results. Members of governance and management, in the branches and at headquarters, took part in honest reflection about the National Society’s strengths and weaknesses. As part of the Movement Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism in Bolivia, a technical working group has been set up to provide continued guidance and technical support to the Bolivian Red Cross.

Question 15

Resource Mobilisation

Accepted Answer

In 2023, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) supported the resource mobilisation capacities of 13 Sister National Societies, in Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Georgia, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malawi, South Sudan, Ukraine and Viet Nam. Its support focused on capacity building in private source domestic fundraising (see also «Spotlight Resource Mobilisation» in the IC Annual Programme Report 2022).  Boosting professional fundraising capacities  The Vietnam Red Cross Society has taken major steps in recent years to professionalise its fundraising endeavours. In 2023, it set up a customer relationship management system and improved the donation page on its website to enhance online promotion and fundraising campaigns. It raised almost USD 3.1 million in cash (USD 2.5 million from corporate donors and just under USD 600,000 from private individuals).  

The Georgia Red Cross Society augmented its capacity to raise funds on the domestic market in 2023, implementing in-house face-to-face (F2F) fundraising activities. F2F fundraising is an innovative and effective way for trained National Society fundraisers to engage directly with members of the public and ask for their support.  Empowered branches through income generation  With support from the SRC and in liaison with governmental institutions, the Malawi Red Cross Society continued to seek sustainable sources of income for its branches and sub-branches. The branches received training and seed funding that empowered them to manage income-generating activities sustainably. Thanks to the resources mobilised in this way, the branches maintained health- and hygiene-related activities in the community.

Question 16

Institutional Preparedness

Accepted Answer

In 2023, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) worked with 14 Sister National Societies, in Armenia, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Nepal, Tajikistan and Ukraine, to enhance their response preparedness.  Auxiliary role and mandate  The support provided to the Armenian Red Cross Society resulted in a timely response to the arrival of people displaced from Nagorno Karabakh. Thanks to its clearly assigned mandate and auxiliary role, the National Society provided coordinated and effective assistance alongside State structures. The Lao Red Cross successfully advocated for formal recognition of its role and mandate as an auxiliary to the government and provincial authorities for disaster management and risk reduction. The establishment of the Disaster Emergency Fund marked a milestone in this regard.  Cash and Voucher Assistance   The Red Cross Society of Georgia assessed its organisational and operational capacities to deliver scalable, timely and accountable cash and voucher assistance. Using the resulting gap analysis and prioritisation, the SRC will invest in building and strengthening the Sister National Society’s systems and processes over the next two years. Similarly, in the Central Asia region, the SRC, together with the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan, worked with the National Societies of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan to strengthen their disaster response systems and tools.    Preparing for climate change   The Red Cross Societies of Bolivia and El Salvador integrated climate and environmental considerations into their preparedness plans, heightening their readiness to tackle the possible fall-out of climate change.  Migration   The SRC piloted preparatory measures enabling the Red Cross Societies of El Salvador and Costa Rica to respond more efficiently to a potential increase in the flow of migrants and displaced people in Central America.   Branch preparedness  The Ukrainian Red Cross Society introduced improved processes and tools to ensure the efficient delivery of services through cash and voucher assistance and enhanced logistics capacities at branch level. The systems were bolstered by applying standardised tools and procedures aligned with local standards and best practice.

Question 17

Project Management

Accepted Answer

The SRC supports Sister National Societies in their efforts to integrate conflict and gender sensitivity and nexus thinking into their project management. Working the Nexus by linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development In 2023, efforts were made in Syria to transfer intervention objectives from relief and rehabilitation to development. These efforts, however, partly became oblivious when a devastating earthquake struck the war-torn country on 24 February 2023 catapulting development efforts back to humanitarian relief. The focus of intervention again shifted to meeting affected populations’ basic needs attempting to keep long-term structural change in mind. Like the Syrian Arab RCS, the Sudanese RCS was forced to shift its attention back to response activities when the civil war broke out in April 2023. Hoping to transit back into a recovery and development logic, SRC and Sudan RCS currently work on institutional preparedness of branches to deal with the extremely volatile environment.  Conflict-Sensitive Programme Management Conflict Sensitive Programme Management (CSPM) is an essential characteristic of joint programme implementation applicable not only in countries in which interethnic, intersocial or international conflict is openly raging. Implementing according to conflict sensitive approaches involves a sound understanding of the two-way interaction between activities and context. All actors are to minimize negative, conflictual impact while maximizing positive consequences of multi-stakeholder interventions. 
In Syria, for example, the SARC applies key elements of CSPM, such as do not harm, conflict sensitive participation of stakeholders and carefully managed information flow. In many cases, this leads to the SARC having a monopole access to locations where the most vulnerable populations live.  Protection, Gender and Inclusion  All aspects of Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) are essential in rebuilding a functional social fabric based on increased gender equity. In countries where long-lasting conflict persist, it is essential that great efforts are made to manage programmes inclusively avoiding aggravating existing fault lines of conflict and dispute. SNSs select and train volunteers and beneficiaries carefully, striving for ethnic representativeness and gender equality. SNSs also seek granting equal access to resources, such as cash and voucher distributions or equal access to water and health services.  In Bangladesh, for example, the BDRCS facilitated 14’213 citizens (7’038 men and 7’175 women) participation in the annual planning procedures of 1’272 local Water Resource Management Committees planning. Both men and women expressed their water demand for, e.g., drinking water and irrigation support. Both sexes publicly discussed the need for promoting efficient water management technologies, growing low water intensive crop, and sustainably avoiding groundwater abstraction.
Promoting equality, inclusion and full participation of vulnerable populations, the RCS of Honduras focused on creating spaces for healthy interaction between disadvantaged youth outside the formal education system. Enhancing life skills, raising awareness about (sexual and reproductive) rights, sensitizing for gender-based violence, and increasing self-esteem, the HRCS encouraged women leadership and inclusive decision-making. In Bolivia, the Bolivian RCS unanimously decided to incorporate the IFRC Protection, Gender and Inclusion approach in all health and DRM activities carried out by the National Society from 2023 onwards. Special focus will be put on the protection of people against all forms of violence, discrimination, harm and exploitation also aligning all activities to the Bolivian Law 348, which aims at guaranteeing all women a life free of violence.

Question 18

Volunteer Management

Accepted Answer

Volunteers are the backbone of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, with around 16 million volunteers currently supporting the Movement’s mission worldwide. In 2023, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) supported the efforts of nine Sister National Societies, in Bhutan, El Salvador, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, South Sudan and Ukraine, and through a regional approach in Central Asia (Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan), to strengthen their volunteer management systems and improve their volunteering practices in terms of engagement, motivation, and physical and psychological well-being of volunteers. For more information on the SRC engagement in this specific area, please refer to the «Spotlight Volunteer Management».  Volunteering in emergencies  In 2023, the SRC started supporting the Ukrainian Red Cross Society’s Branch Development and Volunteer Management Programme (BraVo) in the Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Kherson regions. The programme is designed to enhance the network of local branches and their volunteer base, fostering standardised capacity for response and post-conflict rehabilitation. It encompassed an increase in regular National Society volunteers, the establishment of dedicated premises for volunteers across all branches, and capacity building in humanitarian support.  Strengthened volunteer base  To counter the negative trend of declining numbers of registered and active volunteers, the Salvadoran Red Cross Society launched a programme in 2023 to strengthen its volunteer base. An online survey of 374 volunteers from 40 branches and consultation workshops helped inform the programme’s design. The definition of volunteer profiles, an improved volunteer management cycle and better linkage of volunteer actions with the Sister National Society’s fields of activity were identified as priority areas.

Our Programme Domains

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Health

Total Number of Beneficiaries in Health

0health interventions

0COVID-19 interventions

0social health protection interventions

Our Impact in the seven Health Priorities

Spotlight Blood Safety and Availability

Disaster Risk Management

Total Number of Beneficiaries in Disaster Risk Management

0Disaster risk reduction

0Disaster response

0Cash support

Our Impact in the four Disaster Risk Management Priorities

Spotlight Public Infrastructure

National Society Development

NSD in a bit more than two minutes

Total Number of Beneficiaries in National Society Development

0Sister National Societies

0transformational initiatives of Sister National Societies

Our Impact in the five National Society Development Priorities

Volunteer Management

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