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 three year probation period of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro ended with the referendum in Montenegro that had the majority voting for independence. Since June 2006, Serbia and Montenegro are independent states. The National Society spent a large part of the year preparing for the split and the subsequent restructuring in both republic Red Cross organisations - now National Societies.
Programme-wise, there was a noticeable slowdown in almost all the programmes supported by the Federation as a result of the inevitable restructuring and reprioritising in both National Societies. The service delivery programmes have not been affected very much but the developmental activities had to take into account new priorities and directions the National Societies are now pursuing. Over 12,000 people were directly assisted through Health and Care and Population Movement activities (home care, open kindergarten for Roma and other children from socially deprived families, support to children with disabilities, support to asylum seekers and returned asylum seekers, vocational training for refugees).
Disaster Management activities continued with the scaling up of the capacity of the Red Cross to be prepared and respond to disasters but also with developing inter-agency cooperation crucial for community based disaster preparedness and response. The organizational development activities were discussed with both National Societies taking the existing plans and priorities as a starting point. The discussions resulted in plans of actions in several new directions, as well as in terms of finalising the existing IT and management support work.
Goal: The National Societies in Montenegro and Serbia are providing timely and efficient assistance to the most vulnerable population: building national and international partnerships; developing effective advocacy, representation and fundraising activities; and improving their management structure, public relations strategy and financial accountability.
Needs: Total 2006-2007 budget for Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo CHF 5,863,653 (USD 4,847,875 or EUR 3,572,005). Total 2006-2007 budget for Montenegro and Serbia CHF 4,081,570 (out of which 70 % covered).
Current context
This year marks yet another stage in the dissolution of the country formerly known as Yugoslavia. At the end of the three year period in which Serbia and Montenegro agreed to be members of a state union the referendum in Montenegro provided grounds for this republic to proclaim its independence. The result is the two new countries in Europe, Serbia, retaining the international status of the state union and Montenegro, starting afresh. This process reflected on the National Society as well. As a result most activities supported through the Federation appeal were affected to some extent. Most of the service delivery and training activities went as planned with developmental activities and new initiatives going a lot slower or not happening at all.
The direct work with vulnerable beneficiaries went mostly as planned. Over 12,000 people were directly assisted through Health and Care and Population Movement activities listed above, with advocacy activities satisfyingly continuing to gain higher profile than before. Disaster Management activities were split between field-work (the Municipal Disaster Preparedness project) and the headquarters work. The initial objective to invest time and efforts into defining standard operating procedures (SOPs) was sadly foiled by the need to assist in the division of Disaster Preparedness stock. However, the preparations to define the SOPs have been done and this work will be taking place in 2007. The small and medium scale disasters and emergencies that happened in the reporting period (floods and landslides in Serbia, railway accident in Montenegro) demonstrated the increasing capacity of the National Societies to respond.
The organizational development work was focused on assistance with finalising previously started projects (such as Youth and Volunteering, IT & Communication and Finance Development), developing new plans and projects (PR project, for instance) in light of the new priorities after the split and governance support related to the new situation.
For further information please contact:
Red Cross of Serbia; email: serbia@redcross.org.yu; Telephone +381 11 30 32 125; Fax ++381 11 634 348
Red Cross of Montenegro; email: ckcg@cg.yu; Telephone +381 81 201210; Fax +381 81 241 613
Knut Felberg, Head of Delegation in Belgrade; email: knut.felberg@ifrc.org; Telephone +381 11 32 82 202; Fax +381 11 32 81 791
Erja Reinikainen, Regional Officer, Europe Department, Federation Secretariat; email: erja.reinikainen@ifrc.org; Telephone +41 22 730 43 19; Fax +41 22 733 03 95
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