This report covers the period 01 January 2011 to 30 June 2011.

In brief

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) vision is to inspire, encourage, facilitate and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies, with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering, and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world. The IFRC’s work is guided by Strategy 2020 which puts forward three strategic aims:

1. Save lives, protect livelihoods, and strengthen recovery from disaster and crises; 2. Enable healthy and safe living; 3. Promote social inclusion and a culture of non-violence and peace.

Programme outcome:
The Caribbean Regional Representation Office’s (CRRO) 2011 programmes involve support to the Caribbean Red Cross Societies to become better functioning, with the ability to plan, resource and manage programmes that address the needs of society’s most vulnerable people. Priority is being given to supporting the institutional development of National Societies and to align their actions with Strategy 2020. This includes leadership support – with particular regard to the role of governance and management; building on agreements arising from the 2010 Caribbean leadership forum; increased focus on National Society statutes and strategic plans; and continued support to youth, volunteering, resource mobilization and communications. Regional expertise is being enhanced through the promotion of regional exchanges, internships and the strengthening of the technical networks.

For the promotion of humanitarian diplomacy, continued emphasis is being placed on the development of external partnerships with key Caribbean organizations, the roll-out of an advocacy campaign on disaster risk reduction, and the promotion of International Disaster Response Law with Disaster risk reduction (DRR) programming continues to be implemented in the context of the Caribbean Red Cross Disaster Management Framework 2009–2014, which sets out a process for coordinated disaster mitigation. This approach focuses on the achievement of three intended results: safer and more resilient communities; enhanced institutional Red Cross capacity for disaster management at national and community levels, and; increased Red Cross coordination and advocacy for comprehensive disaster management.

The Health programme focus for 2011 has been on strengthening the integration of health with DRR using the Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (VCA) as the principal process. Impacted however by lack of expected Health programme funding for 2011, National Societies are being encouraged to use an innovative approach for supporting communities to understand and better link community health with disaster preparedness towards building community resilience. The response to HIV and AIDS continues through tailored support to those countries with highest prevalence rates working within the framework of the Global Alliance on HIV.

Additional progress in the area of first aid was achieved in several National Societies that had undergone first aid business planning in 2010 supported by the American Red Cross. This is being further strengthened through the development and submission of a regional proposal that – if funded – will allow National Societies to refine and further professionalize their first aid programmes. This in turn would increase the income generated from corporate first aid commercial training so that additional resources can be generated to support outreach to vulnerable communities and to strengthen the National Societies advocacy role which is needed for ensuring legislation that adequately supports the requirements for first aid skills both in industry and for community preparedness.