Attachments
This report covers the period 1 January to 30 June 2012
Overview
During the reporting period, Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) received a number of new contributions through International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) for programmes in nearly all of the core areas of support, with additional funding proposals in the pipeline waiting for final approval. As most of the funding has been received quite late in the year, many activities are only just getting underway and this reporting period was largely taken up with preparing or revising project proposals and logframes. Nevertheless, there have been some significant achievements in a number of areas reaching over 7,000 people directly and around 120,000 people indirectly.
Key accomplishments: Business Line 1: To raise humanitarian standards · Following the adoption of the NRCS 6th Development Plan 2011-2015, NRCS has been undertaking a re-engineering/restructuring process to better align its governance and administrative structures with the new strategy/plan. It has also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening overall management systems, legal base, quality and accountability. IFRC has been providing strategic guidance on this process in a number of areas as requested by NRCS. · Following the commitment of the NRCS 41st General Assembly in April to work towards strengthening accountability, IFRC is currently planning support for the development of a new accountability framework for NRCS to commence in the coming quarter.
Business Line 2: To grow Red Cross Red Crescent Services for vulnerable people · IFRC/NRCS have been making strong effort to ensure that the most urgent needs of disaster-affected communities are met in a timely manner. Already this year some 1,800 households have been affected by various hazards and NRCS has distributed over 1,400 non-food relief item (NFRI sets). With funding from USAID, the IFRC has supported procurement of 2,000 NFRI sets and a further 3,500 are in process, as a contributing towards ensuring sufficient stocks for the remainder of the year, particularly during the monsoon. · Significant progress has also been made towards strengthening the overall disaster preparedness of NRCS and Movement partners, through a number of workshops, planning meetings and training events, including a National Disaster Response Team Shelter training. · In the next half of the year, a number of specific preparedness activities will be implemented including the improvement of warehouse management, emergency shelter training, a Movement earthquake simulation exercise and an update of the NRCS Earthquake contingency plan.
Business Line 3: To strengthen the specific Red Cross Red Crescent contribution to development · NRCS implemented a number health programmes making progress in the area of Community Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA) in four districts, the first phase of a national measles-rubella catch-up campaign in four districts and a workshop to discuss the development of the NRCS emergency health programme. The IFRC and NRCS have also been making preparations to procure and pre-position two Emergency Water and Sanitation Kit 5’s in the east and west regions of the county and NRCS has completed the final evaluation of the livelihood project in Banke district. Additionally, there have been significant efforts to strengthen the management support services of NRCS in particular in the areas of PMER capacity building and the roll out of new finance software (Navision Microsoft). · Many projects will be scaled up or commenced from next quarter. These projects included the final phase of implementing the volunteer database at district chapter level, the strengthening of the Junior/Youth Red Cross network, piloting disaster preparedness kits for schools via junior/youth Red Cross, the phase out of the current HIV programme and the commencement of a new three year Community Resilience project which will integrate a number of components including Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR), health, and livelihoods.
Business Line 4: To heighten Red Cross Red Crescent influence and support for our work · IFRC has stepped up its role in the multi-partner Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium through the engagement of two volunteers to support the coordination of Flagship 4 on Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction. The profile of NRCS and the Federation as leaders in this field has been significantly enhanced, including through the recent district-level consultation process, and has lead to greater harmonization of CBDRR efforts across the country among the various government, donors, UN and I/NGO agencies involved. The Federation has also been supporting NRCS in exploring opportunities for greater resource mobilization, improving beneficiary communications and advocacy efforts on a number of humanitarian issues. · Discussions are underway for holding one or more high level meetings during the second half of 2012 to generate additional donor support the Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium. NRCS is also expected to increase engagement in the issue of Beneficiary Communications through the development of a strategy or framework and is exploring partnership opportunities with the local telecommunications operators in Nepal.
Business Line 5: To deepen our tradition of togetherness through joint working and accountability · The IFRC has been working to maintain the high collaborative spirit among Movement partners, involving those based in Nepal as well as those supporting NRCS remotely. Regular Movement coordination meetings, information sharing via email, as well as the facilitation of a number of thematic discussions and partner visits have helped to ensure a good commitment to coordinated partnership. New bilateral MOUs have been concluded by NRCS with Australian Red Cross and Turkish Red Crescent with some additional new partners in the pipeline. The Federation Country Office has also introduced new Security regulations, updated its National Staff Regulations and has been assisting with the extension or conclusion of new Integration Agreements with PNS and providing the related services. · In the coming quarter, Movement partners will be working towards the conclusion of a new Movement Cooperation Agreement, which will incorporate principles of partnerships for both development and emergency response and strengthen current coordination mechanisms such as the Cooperation Management Meetings and the Information Sharing Meetings. Planning will also commence for the Nepal Partnership Meeting planned to take place from 22-23 November 2012.
Timely confirmation of funding for 2012 resulted into delay in the commencement of programmes and discontinuation of some key staff for programmes. Security situation in the lead up to the deadline for the new national constitution also resulted in some programme delays as the country faced nation-wide and localized strikes and protests, also leading to the postponement or cancellation of several regional workshops and meetings during May/June.
This situation also impacted on the ability to take issues forward with national and local authorities, which have been focused on the current political crisis and have not been able to fully engage on a number of key programmes or issues of concern to the Red Cross. Nevertheless, relations with the government remain strong and positive.
During the reporting period, Nepal also faced a number of small to medium scale disasters such as avalanches, fires, lightening strikes, land slides and flash floods and floods due to torrential rain have taken 84 human lives and left 2,229 families (12,260 people) affected in different parts of the country.
On 5 May an avalanche triggered a flood of the Seti river in Kaski district, north of Pokhara killed 12 people and resulted in 49 people still missing and 131 families displaced. On the same day, in Siraha district affected 1,075 houses and displaced 347 families in Aurahi village development committee. Efforts are being made to speed up implementation and overcome these challenges during the second half of the year.
Working in partnership
Partner national societies which contributed in the long term planning framework through IFRC included: American Red Cross, Australian Red Cross, Austrian Red Cross, British Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross, Norwegians Red Cross and Swedish Red Cross as well as USAID and DFID.