This report covers the period 01/Jan/12 to 30/Jun/12.

Overview

In the first six months of the year 2012, the IFRC supported the Uzbekistan Red Crescent to raise humanitarian standards by participating in the organizational capacity assessment and certification (OCAC) process. Besides, the National Society was assisted to strengthen the specific Red Cross Red Crescent contribution to development through community based health and first aid programme. To heighten Red Cross Red Crescent influence and support for our work IFRC worked on closer country integration in Uzbekistan by negotiating the renewal of the IFRC status agreement. IFRC also encouraged Red Crescent mobilization activities through technical support.

Key achievements for six months include:

• the Red Crescent Society completed the self-assessment within the OCAC process;
• A dialogue between IFRC and the Uzbekistan Ministry of Foreign Affaires on status agreement in the county maintained; the decision is expected in September 2012.

The main factor affecting the implementation of the planned activities is lack of funds. Withdrawal of the number of traditional donors that used to channel their programme support multilaterally creates a vacuum and means the National Society has to reduce the scale of programming and look for funds from non-traditional donors and strengthen in-country fundraising.

Over the period IFRC encouraged and supported the Uzbekistan RC in seeking funding from the European Union by responding to the calls for proposals. Thus, the Uzbekistan RC was supported in developing a concept note aimed at promoting women’s rights and their social and economic empowerment in the country. Unfortunately, this concept note was not pre-selected. Besides, the Uzbekistan RC is one of the implementing partners in the IFRC proposals aimed at services to migrants in four countries of the region. The proposals build on the Red Cross Red Crescent experience in the area of migration and the established Central Asia Regional Migration Network.