This report covers the period of 01/01/2006 to 31/12/2006 of a two-year planning and appeal process.
In a world of global challenges, continued poverty, inequity, and increasing vulnerability to disasters and disease, the International Federation with its global network, works to accomplish its Global Agenda, partnering with local community and civil society to prevent and alleviate human suffering from disasters, diseases and public health emergencies.
In brief
Programme Summary: The main thrust of the Federation's efforts in 2006 was to support its member National Societies in the Sub- region – the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) and the Red Crescent Society of Djibouti (RCSD) - to take forward organizational reforms which the societies embarked on a couple of years ago with the intention of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of their services. This implied introducing changes in the way they were organized and worked. Both National Societies have made significant progress and are better prepared to respond to the growing humanitarian challenges in their countries. This is evidenced by an increased number of people reached by the Red Cross and Red Crescent in 2006 through ongoing health and community-based disaster preparedness (CBDP) programmes. The year also brought new challenges such as climatic shocks and disease outbreaks, exacerbating already precarious conditions of vulnerable communities and demanding immediate humanitarian attention. Local capacities have been stretched and the National societies were compelled to temporarily divert some of their resources to respond to the unfolding humanitarian crises. Their efforts contributed to saving lives. Active engagement of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers with the local communities has also boosted the visibility of the National Societies and encouraged new partnerships. However more efforts need to be put to strengthen preparedness for emergencies within the organizations and at community level. To have greater impact, the quality and scope of the programmes must also be improved.
The National Societies are now at a crucial stage with new leaderships and new opportunities for growth, and essentially, determination to become well-functioning national societies. More active involvement and support of partners will be indispensable to help them in their endeavours.
Needs: Total 2006-2007 budget CHF 3,668,821 (USD 2,796,357 or EUR 2,370,805), out of which 15.1 per cent covered. Click here to go directly to the attached financial report.
For more detailed information on 2006 activities, please see Programme Update 1 and 2:
Programme Update no. 1: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/annual06/MAA6400401.pdf
Programme Update no. 2: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/annual06/MAA6400402.pdf
Related emergency appeals:
Ethiopia drought: Refer to http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/06/MDRET001.pdf
Ethiopia floods :Refer to: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/06/MDRET003.pdf
No. of people we help: In 2006, over 700,000 people benefited from Red Cross and Red Crescent services, 60 percent of them women:
Table 1. Red Cross and Red Crescent beneficiaries in 2006.
In addition, through emergency response operations, the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies have assisted over 130,000 people:
- Drought response operation in Ethiopia: over 60,000 people.
- Floods response operation in Ethiopia: over 70,000 people.
Our Partners: The Red Cross and Red Crescent partners in the sub-region include community-based women associations (CBWA), various government ministries (such as the ministries of health, water, and urban development), UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, OCHA, WHO, WFP, EU, USAID and Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS . Within the Movement, the American, Belgian, British, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Spanish and Swedish National Societies and ICRC.
Current context
2006 was a tragic year for many in the Horn of Africa sub-region. It saw the scorching sun drying up rivers, lakes and wells, killing thousands of livestock and damaging crops in areas where majority of the population depends on agriculture to survive. In Ethiopia, 2.5 million people were exposed to famine. The drought was followed by unusually extended and widespread rains that triggered flash floods and overflowing of rivers, lakes and dams. Ravaging waters washed away people's homes and livelihoods.
Hundreds were killed and up to 1.4 million were adversely affected, including about 650,000 people who were displaced between October and December 2006. The populations that live along rivers, marshes and other low lying areas were affected with particular severity. An outbreak of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) that followed the floods added to the concerns.
The emergencies compounded the already daunting chronic conditions. It is estimated that two-thirds of Djibouti's estimated (800,000) people live below the poverty line; 10 percent live in extreme poverty. Malnutrition among children younger than five years is a silent emergency. A survey conducted in 2006 showed that the global acute malnutrition rate had risen to 20.4 percent compared to 17.9 percent in 2002, and severe acute malnutrition was 7.1 percent, against 5.9 percent in 2002 (source: Ministry of Health of Djibouti). The WHO considers a global acute malnutrition rate of 15 percent as critical.
In Ethiopia, statistics show an equally grim reality: Government studies indicate that 44 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line; 90 percent of those are in rural areas. According to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (BOFDED), Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction, more vulnerable households are female-headed households (49 percent). Routine expanded programme for immunization (EPI) stands at 60.8 per cent. For each 1,000 live births, 140.1 children die before reaching the age of five years. Only six per cent of women are assisted by skilled birth assistants during delivery. Maternal mortality rate is very high, affecting 870 per 100,000. Less than 40 percent of the Ethiopian population has access to safe drinking water; in rural areas, where over 80 percent of the population live, only slightly over 25 percent have access to safe water. Only nine percent of the rural households have access to sanitation facilities while only five percent of the total population is estimated to have access to solid waste disposal (ERCS strategic plan 2006-2010).
For further information please contact:
Djibouti: Abdi Kaireh Bouh, Secretary General, Red Crescent Society of Djibouti in Djibouti, email: crd@intnet.dj, Telephone: +253 35 22 0; Fax +253 35 24 51.
Ethiopia: Fasika Kabede, Secretary General, Ethiopian Red Cross Society in Addis Ababa, email: ercs.sg@ethionet.et; Telephone: +251 11 515 38 53; Fax: +251 11 551 26 43.
Ethiopia: Vincent Toutain, Acting Head of the Horn of Africa Sub-Regional Office (Regional Emergency Operations Coordinator for Eastern Africa); email: vincent.toutain@ifrc.org; Telephone: +251 011 5514 317; Fax: +251 011 5512 888.
Kenya: Ingrid Fossland, Regional Programme Coordinator, East Africa regional delegation in Nairobi; email: Ingrid.fossland@ifrc.org, Telephone: +254 20 283 51 25: Fax: +254 20 271 27 77.
Kenya: Per Jensnäs, Federation Head of East Africa regional delegation in Nairobi; email: per.jensnaes@ifrc.org; Telephone: +254 20 283 51 24; Fax: +254 20 271 27 77.
Geneva: Amna Al Ahmar, Federation regional officer for eastern Africa, Africa department; email: amna.alahmar@ifrc.org; Telephone: +41 22 730 44 27; Fax: +41 22 733 03 95.
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