This Programme Update is intended for
reporting on Annual Appeals.
Appeal Target CHF 4,619,036 (USD 2.9ml
EUR 3.2m)
Period covered: I January - 31 March 2002
"At a Glance"
Appeal coverage: 17.4%
Related Appeals: 08/2002 Argentina: Social Crisis; 01.18/2002 Pan
American Disaster Response Unit
Outstanding needs: CHF 3,815,324 (USD 2.4ml EUR 2.6m)
Update: Severe floods hit Ecuador and Bolivia in February, and the national societies have been active in providing relief to those affected. Regional disaster response capacity was strengthened over the quarter and training of regional intervention team (RIT) members is planned. The regional delegation is supporting several national societies in the drawing up of national HIVIAIDS programmes. The Peruvian Red Cross organized a training of trainers course for youth volunteers from 14 branches who will work with youth in communities and in schools promoting non violence and HIVIAIDS prevention. Significant steps were taken to develop and strengthen international and regional partnerships between the Red Cross and external organizations. However, a lack of funding for the delegation's planned activities remains a major concern.
Operational Developments:
Colombia
On 20 January an agreement was signed between the Colombian government and the main guerilla group, the FARO, committing the two parties to sign a ceasefire accord by 7 April. The demilitarized zone, the FARC's safe haven, was consequently renewed, until 10 April. On 20 February, however, President Andres Pastrana broke off peace talks and announced that the demilitarized zone would cease to exist on midnight of the same day. In the weeks prior to the announcement, FARO had stepped up its terrorist activities, and on the same day the guerillas had hijacked an aeroplane with a senator on board.
Since then, the army and the air force have moved into the zone and gradually regained control of the towns of San Vicente del Caguan, Mesetas, Vista Hermosa, La Macarena and La Uribe. However, the situation in the rural areas remains unstable and fighting continues to take place.
Following the breakdown of the peace negotiations, the general security situation in Colombia has deteriorated. The country has witnessed an intensification of fighting and attacks aimed at the civilian population. The FARO has blown up power pylons and telephone towers, dynamited bridges, cut off towns from their food supplies, attacked Bogota's infrastructure and freed 39 guerillas from a state prison. The military presence in Bogota and other major cities is notable.
On 23 February a presidential candidate was kidnapped by the FARO, bringing the number of national politicians kidnapped by the group to six.
In a congressional election, voters backed supporters of Alvaro Uribe, a right-winger who has a strong lead in the polls for May's presidential election. In most places elections took place peacefully, but were preceded by guerilla attacks on electricity installations and bridges.
The Colombian government's peace talks in Havana with the other major guerilla group, ELN, apparently made some progress, although the extent to which ELN can negotiate with the government, as long as there is open conflict with FARO, is questionable. The much weakened ELN is by now militarily dependent on FARO.
Floods - Ecuador
During the months of February, March and April, heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in much of Ecuador. According to Ecuadorian Red Cross data, 14 people were killed, 2 people disappeared, 29 were injured, 1,277 families were evacuated, 368 families were left homeless and 6,080 families lost up to 80% of their possessions. In addition, 146 houses were destroyed, 1,540 homes were affected and 1,602 hectares of farmland were destroyed.
As a result of the response from various organizations, the Ecuadorian Red Cross felt able to address the needs through their own resources and the support of various PNS who are present in the country. The National Society is planning distributions of hygiene kits, kitchen sets and health kits to 2,000 families, and is monitoring the situation in order to determine if there is a need to distribute food packages.
Floods - La Paz, Bolivia
An intense hour-long rain and hail storm hit La Paz, Bolivia, on 19 February. As a result, 69 people lost their lives, approximately 100 homes were destroyed, 136 families were evacuated to temporary shelters and close to 1,000 informal small merchants lost their stock.
During the day of the floods, staff from the central office of the Bolivian Red Cross and volunteers from the La Paz branch reacted immediately, providing services in first aid, pre-hospital care, transport of victims to nearby hospitals and evacuation to temporary shelters. In addition, volunteers provided hot drinks and snacks to those affected and to rescue workers from various institutions. Volunteers also engaged in an immediate assessment of damage and needs. The Federation provided CHF 30,000 from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) for the immediate needs.
During the five days following the disaster, Red Cross volunteers, in cooperation with the Municipal government, search and rescue teams, fire-fighters and the police, engaged in the evacuation of flood victims in the south of the city of La Paz, in the rural areas surrounding the city and in the province of Luribay; 47 volunteers were active during the five day operation.
The Bolivian Red Cross was also involved in the distribution of food to 300 families who lost their homes or businesses both within the city and in surrounding rural areas. For more information, please refer to the information bulletins published on 22, 25 February and 4 March on the Federation website.
The National Society is presently developing a housing and school reconstruction project with funds provided by the German and Spanish Red Cross Societies.
Earthquake - Northern Chile
On 28 March, an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale hit two regions of Northern Chile. The epicentre was located 125 km. northeast of the city of Calama and 155 km southeast of the city of Iquique. The towns of Haura, Tocopilla y Pica experienced power failure and landslides. Fortunately, no lives were lost and limited material damage was incurred. The Chilean Red Cross regional committee of Tarapaca attended meetings with the local emergency committees of the region to assess damage.
Social Crisis - Argentina
Given the deteriorating social situation in Argentina and the significant increase in the number of people living below the poverty line, appeal 08/2002 was launched on 10 April for CHF 1,824,000. The appeal seeks to assist the most vulnerable sectors of society - infants and senior citizens, with the provision of food and health services. To date, no funding has been received and contributions are urgently sought.
Disaster Response and Disaster Preparedness
Objective 1: To strengthen regional and national society capacity in disaster response.
Significant progress was made during the reporting period as regards improving regional disaster response capacity. In March, a meeting was convened of all regional disaster preparedness (DP) delegates together with staff from the Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) to discuss strategies aimed at strengthening the capacity to respond to disasters in the regions. The following issues were dealt with:
- Roles and responsibilities of PADRU and the regional delegations were further clarified, including definition of the role of PADRU and regional DP delegates on technical issues. To support this process, the DP trainee delegate from the South America delegation was seconded to PADRU in order to develop appropriate Pan American disaster response protocols. This participatory process will be completed by November 2002.
- All systems relating to the selection, training and mobilization of regional intervention teams (RITs) members are being revised including data bases, delegate kits.
- RITs training courses will be offered during the first 6 months of 2002; one in Spanish to be held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, from 22 - 26 April and another in English scheduled for 27 - 31 May in Antigua, and a refresher course to be held in June in Panama. In the case of the course in Bolivia, participants will come from all regions in the Americas in order to strengthen the Pan American disaster response strategy; 16 participants selected are from South America. These courses will ensure that there are trained personnel who will be in a position to attend the Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) workshop scheduled for September in Panama.
- The regional delegations and PADRU will work with all National Societies in the development of contingency plans which will be completed before the end of the current year.
- Utilizing resources from the regional delegation and PADRU, 3 national intervention team (NIT) workshops will be carried out during the second half of 2002. In the case of South America, these courses will be held in Bolivia, Chile and Peru. The process of refining curricula and systems has already begun.
- A process for standardizing risk maps has begun and will be shared with all NSs in the forthcoming quarter.
- PADRU is developing training courses in telecommunications, logistics and water and sanitation to be offered in the region during the latter half of the year.
- In conjunction with PADRU and the regional logistics unit, logistics mapping will be carried out in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
- In conjunction with PADRU and the regional logistics unit, vendor databases will be developed in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru.
- Quarterly meetings of all DP delegates and PADRU staff will be held, with the next meeting scheduled in Panama immediately following the RITs refresher course in June.
In March the regional delegations for Central and South America jointly organized a Better Programming Initiative (BPI) training of trainers workshop in Quito, Ecuador. 10 participants from six national societies, as well as delegates and staff from the Federation participated and developed a regional mainstreaming plan and national plans. More detailed information is available upon request.
Objective 2: To further develop community and municipal disaster preparedness and response capacity by extending and strengthening the ECHO funded Andean Project.
The delegation was informed that DIPECHO had chosen not to fund the second year of the Andean Project. This represents a major setback for the regional community based disaster preparedness programme. The regional delegation is currently looking into ways of utilizing other funding sources to continue the work. DFID funding, as was the case in previous years, will support the programme and in addition, the balance of funds from the Venezuela appeal 2001 will be used for community based DP programmes in that country.
The delegation is in the process of planning an integrated DP and health community development programme which will make use of the methodology and materials developed during the Andean project. Furthermore, the Andean project will be reformulated and presented to alternative donor sources in order to obtain funding to allow the project to continue.
Objective 3: To extend and strengthen the Camalote project
The annual evaluation and planning meeting will take place in Peru in May and the national coordinators of the Camalote and Amazonico programmes will participate.
The regional delegation initiated contacts with the Embassy of New Zealand which showed interest in funding micro projects in relation to Camalote: six projects were presented, three in Argentina and three in Paraguay.
Objective 4: To strengthen regional and national strategic partnerships
In conjunction with the Secretariat, the regional delegations for Central America and the Caribbean, PADRU, and the national societies, significant steps have been taken to develop and strengthen international and regional partnerships between the Red Cross and other international and national organizations. The global agreement developed with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) will help to coordinate work at the regional and local national society levels. Relations with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)/ United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams are being developed in order to better coordinate work in disaster response. Furthermore, a representative of OCHA will attend the RITs training course in Bolivia.
Through the work being carried out by PADRU, an agreement with Ericsson is being developed that will support disaster response work in the region. The delegation is strengthening relations with country offices to support the implementation of the agreement.
As a result of the social crisis in Argentina, relations between the Argentine Red Cross and other organizations have been strengthened through cooperation with a view to assisting communities most affected by the crisis.
Humanitarian Values
Objective 1: To support the dissemination of the Fundamental Principles and the Movement's humanitarian values through the youth network, promoting among children and young people, attitudes of non-violence, tolerance, reciprocal respect, and equality of opportunities among men and women.
During the first quarter, the Peruvian Red Cross organized a training of trainers course for youth volunteers from 14 branches who will work with youth in communities and in schools promoting non violence. This training was funded by the Norwegian Red Cross. The regional delegation's youth officer provided technical support and participated in the training session.
Health and Care
Objective 1: To promote birth control, family planning and the implementation of childhood care in the vulnerable communities of the region in order to reduce mother and child mortality rates.
In February there was a meeting between the Federation and PAHO regarding cooperation in the Americas and it was agreed that the integrated management of childhood illnesses (IMCI) strategy promoted by WHO/PAHO and UNICEF would be one of the main areas for cooperation. In the national societies of the region where Amazonico and Camalote projects are being implemented, the integration of IMCI is promoted.
Objective 2: To favour the adoption of secure attitudes and behaviours that lead to a healthy lifestyle and decrease HIV transmission rates among young people in South America. To provide support to the national societies carrying out programmes to assist people living with HIV/AIDS.
The regional delegation team on HIV/AIDS consisting of the regional health delegate, the youth officer and one of the OD delegates continues to give technical support to the national societies in the drawing up of their national programmes and plans for prevention of HIV/AIDS. There was a special emphasis on the Bolivian, Ecuadorian, Paraguayn and Uruguayan Red Cross Societies.
During the first quarter the Peruvian Red Cross organized a training of trainers course for youth volunteers from 14 branches who plan to work with youth in communities and in schools in the prevention of HIV/AIDS. This training was funded by the Norwegian Red Cross. The regional delegation's youth officer provided technical support and participated in the training sessions, and a representative of the Latin American network of people living with HIV/AIDS (REDLA+) also took part.
The regional delegation continues to work closely with the REDLA+ network.
Objective 3: To contribute to a decrease in mortality caused by water-borne and vector-borne diseases promoting access to potable water, enhancing draining and basic sanitation systems in the vulnerable communities of the region, prioritizing those communities involved in the Camalote and Amazonico programmes.
Promotional material on dengue, malaria, cholera and the importance of clean drinking water was distributed to the national societies.
Training of volunteers was carried out, followed by hygiene promotion and education workshops which took place in 41 communities covered by four branches of the Venezuelan Red Cross.
Objective 4: To continue the Amazonico programme, promoting integrated development and improving health conditions in 24 communities of the 20 participating Red Cross branches in the Amazon Basin.
Discussions on a mid term review of the Amazonico programme were initiated with the Finnish Red Cross, the programme's main donor. Terms of reference will be drafted following the annual evaluation and planning meeting to be held in May in Peru. During this quarter, a new contract was signed with the programme's external consultant, marking a new phase of the programme, whereby further responsibilities will be assumed by the national coordinators and the regional delegation's role will diminish. This is part of the exit strategy for the programme that will need to be further defined following the review.
During the first quarter, the Venezuelan Red Cross was able to start implementation of its first project with the community.
For the first time Amazonico received considerable funding through a corporate donor, the company Tetra Pak. This will enable more activities to take place in the Amazonico branches during 2003.
The Amazonico brochure, designed with input from all national societies involved during the last quarter of 2001, was printed. This will serve as a fund raising tool for the national societies both at local and central level.
Objective 5: To develop and implement a regional project for health in emergencies, such as epidemics and disasters, in co-operation with the Pan American Disaster Response Unit.
Planning of the regional emergency health workshop to take place in the end of July began in cooperation with the regional DP delegate. Both the health directors and the relief directors of the national societies will be invited to take part.
Objective 6. To enhance the sharing of experiences and mutual support among national societies in order to establish intervention priorities and joint action through the strengthening of the national societies' health departments and the regional health network.
During the first quarter the health delegate worked in particular with the Bolivian, Paraguayan and Venezuelan Red Cross Societies with the objective of strengthening the health departments.
As of February, the Federation's health bulletin which is published every two weeks, has been sent to all national societies.
Objective 7. To increase voluntary, altruistic and unpaid blood donation in the region through the inter-American network of Red Cross blood programmes.
In the planning process it was decided that a campaign on voluntary blood donation will be launched in several national societies which are yet to be identified.
The manual on promotion and recruitment of blood donors is being translated into Spanish by PAHO, and will be distributed to all national societies, once finalized.
Objective 8: To promote the integration of first aid in community activities as a transversal action in different health projects, in the regional community development programmes, and in the community work of the national societies.
The Latin American first aid guide was revised. The guide will be printed and distributed to all the national societies if funding is available. The manual on first aid in the community was distributed to the national societies. The integration of community first aid in the different community health programmes was promoted.
In January, the regional health delegate accompanied a Canadian Red Cross representative during her mission to Venezuela, at which time he evaluated the implementation of the community health programme.
Organizational Development
In the area of organizational development the regional delegation was able to start implementing activities from the beginning of the year, thanks to support from the Federation's Capacity Building Fund (CBF) to three national societies of the region; the Argentine, Bolivian and Brazilian Red Cross Societies. The projects presented to the CBF are in line with the objectives of the appeal for South America, in particular the objectives regarding planning, resource development, governance and management and communications.
The significant changes that took place within Brazilian Red Cross in the end of the year 2001, such as the holding of the General Assembly and the change of key post-holders in the national society enabled the regional delegation to begin providing concrete support to the Brazilian Red Cross. The regional delegation support includes a delegate for Brazil since one of the two regional OD delegates will move to Brazil during the second quarter of the year.
Objective 1: To provide training in the identification, planning, management and evaluation of plans, programmes and projects in at least two national societies in 2002 and one in 2003.
The regional delegation is, or will be involved in 2002, in the drawing up of the national development plans of the Argentine Red Cross and the Brazilian Red Cross Societies through the Capacity Building Fund, the Peruvian Red Cross Societies through the tripartite agreement between the Peruvian Red Cross, the Federation and the ICRC, and the Ecuadorian Red Cross. According to the plans, support would be given to two national societies in 2002, but the OD processes taking place in the national societies give rise to a total of four planning processes.
The CAS process in Ecuador has begun, involving the ICRC from the outset. The PNS will be involved in the second phase of the drafting of the strategy during the second quarter.
Objective 2: To strengthen financial resource development in at least five national societies in the region, improving the financial capacity of at least three in 2002 and the rest in 2003.
Resource development is part of the CBF project in the Argentine Red Cross. As the positive answer from the fund was received in March, activities have not yet started.
Objective 3: To provide leadership and governance training for members of the governing and management bodies of at least three national societies in 2002 and two in 2003.
The regional delegation worked to follow up the decentralized leadership training module one and two which took place in December 2001. The third module will be organized in Guatemala in June 2002 and planning is already under way in cooperation with the OD department of the Secretariat in Geneva.
Governance and management training are part of the Capacity Building Fund projects of the Argentine and Bolivian Red Cross Societies. The regional delegation has been providing support in this area in the drafting of the detailed plans of action for the implementation of these projects.
Objective 4: To support the region's national societies in strengthening their internal and external communications and to promote a more active involvement of the national societies in advocacy according to Strategy 2010.
Thanks to funding from the Federation's Capacity Building Fund, the distance education programme, piloted by the Guatemala regional delegation, will be take place in the Argentine and Bolivian Red Cross Societies during 2002. Through this funding, the plan for 2002 was changed; the programme will be implemented in Argentina, rather than Ecuador, unless funding for Ecuador as a third national society is available. Planning is well under way and the training will start during the second quarter.
The planning of the 6th Inter American Communications and Resource Development Forum started together with all national societies of the Americas as well as the regional delegations and the ICRC Latin American communications support centre in Buenos Aires. The Forum will take place in May in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, thanks to the regional delegation's cooperation with the Spanish International Cooperation Agency, AECI, through the Spanish Red Cross.
During this quarter the area of communications was much affected by the departure of the information officer. A new information officer started work in the first week of April.
Objective 5: To strengthen the structure of the regional youth network and promote its development.
The regional youth officer participated in the Chilean Red Cross youth training in February. Individual technical support was given to the youth departments of the region's national societies. The youth programme has a focus on gender and HIV/AIDS.
Objective 6: To promote the incorporation of a gender perspective in national society structures among staff and volunteers as well as in programmes, projects and activities.
The regional delegation provided support on an individual basis to national societies' gender focal points and teams. The gender perspective has been promoted particularly in the area of disaster preparedness and disaster response continuing the regional delegation's strategy from 2001. Gender has been raised as a concern with the new head of PADRU. Examples of inclusion of the gender perspective have been taken into account in the drafting of profiles of delegates and the regional and national intervention team members, and gender will be a theme of the regional intervention team training to take place during the second quarter.
Objective 7. To support National Societies in strengthening their volunteer base.
Volunteering and volunteer management are part of the Capacity Building Fund projects of the Argentine and Bolivian Red Cross Societies. The regional delegation has been providing support in this area through the drafting of the detailed plans of action for project implementation.
Regional Cooperation
Objective 1: To support the reinforcement of regional exchange, co-operation and networking.
The Inter American regional committee, CORI, held a two day meeting in Chile in January. The head of the regional delegation and the head of the Secretariat's Americas department participated. During the meeting, the plan of action for Latin America and the Caribbean based on the Santo Domingo declaration was approved. Another important topic was the next Inter American Conference which will take place in Chile in April 2003. The regional delegation is part of the Chilean Red Cross committee for the organization of the conference and is giving constant support.
Objective 2: To strengthen the regional delegate recruitment programme in South America
The planning of the BTC for the Spanish speaking national societies of the Americas was initiated with the regional delegation in Guatemala and the Secretariat in Geneva. The BTC will take place during the second semester in the Spanish international cooperation agency (AECI), training centre in Antigua Guatemala. Funding is being sought for the travel costs of the 25 participants.
Coordination and Management
Objective 1: To improve the efficiency of Red Cross programmes through better programme management and increased resource mobilization.
The delegation is designing a CD-ROM compiling existing material to be used by branches during the implementation of projects. It is intended as a support tool for the national societies which does not replace the logical framework or the project planning process methodology. The aim is to introduce the project planning process in two national societies in 2002.
The delegation continues to unify criteria and procedures in the program