From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic until August 2021, extreme weather events have affected at least 139.2 million people and killed at least 1
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7,242 people in at least 433 unique events. These figures are certainly an underestimate, as they do not include estimates of numbers of people affected by extreme temperatures, or mortality during drought events.
One dimension of the compound risk of COVID-19 and climate extremes was the additional challenge of preparing for and responding to disasters during the pandemic, such as the constraints of physical distancing during evacuations and response operations.
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The toolbox contains guidance and tools (sample templates) for data collection in M&E of PSS programmes. The tools can be adapted to PSS programme,
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depending upon target group, activities and scope. These are tools that may be useful for your programme and many are drawn from existing PSS programme M&E tools, but they are not an exhaustive list. They can act as an inspiration and supplement to other existing tools.
The Toolbox is also available in word format for easy use and adaptation here:
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Mounting an effective international humanitarian response to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) event, especially if the response is undertaken on an ad hoc basis, would be extre
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mely difficult and would pose many risks to the responders. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has created a competency-based capacity to respond to at least small-scale CBRN events, including a deployable capability to undertake operational activities. This involves informed assessments of CBRN risks, timely and competent decisions on how to respond, and effectively mobilizing appropriate resources to implement these decisions, through the creation of an emergency roster. In addition to the acquisition of technical expertise and material resources, the creation of such capacity requires the application of central processes, ensuring systematic management of CBRN response (including risk-based decision-making), standing operational procedures, and availability of and access to the necessary resources. Implementation of the ICRC's CBRN response framework as described in this article should be considered by any agency or other stakeholder preparing for international humanitarian assistance in CBRN events – especially if such events are related to armed conflict.
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The* Facilitator manual on community-based psychosocial support *and the* Volunteers manual on community-based psychosocial support* provides resources for trainers and participants in key aspects
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of psychosocial support, including understanding the impact of crisis events, supportive communication, protection issues and self-care.
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Experiences and recommendations from the International Red Cross and
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Red Crescent Movement.
Measures imposed by governments to prevent the spread of the disease, including lockdown restrictions, quarantines, physical distancing, and their economic and social consequences, further increase this distress and the risk of mental health problems.
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A new report released today documents an “invisible wall” which has blocked migrants from accessing basic services since the start of the COVID
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-19 pandemic, and is now preventing them from accessing vaccines.
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Operation update 01/04/2022
Every day, health-care providers are being attacked, patients discriminated against, ambulances held up at checkpoints, hospitals bombed, medical supplies looted and entire communities cut off from critical services around the world.
Between Ja
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nuary 2012 and December 2014, the ICRC documented nearly 2,400 violent incidents against health care in 11 countries experiencing armed conflict or other violence. In over 90% of cases, local health-care providers were affected, seriously threatening the effectiveness and sustainability of national health-care systems. These numbers might well just be the tip of the iceberg
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The 40-page field guide outlines possible causes of separation, discusses the psychosocial impacts of
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being separated, such as how we experience loss, and provides guidelines on how to support those who have been separated from family members – including delivering difficult news to loved ones, basic helping skills, interviews, on-going support and referrals, and reunification. There is also a chapter on self-care for staff and volunteers. The materials provided here will need to be adapted to suit local contexts. The aim of this field guide is to build both confidence and skills in responding to disaster and crisis situations, and to raise awareness of the broader goals of the Movement’s work in supporting families separated from their loved ones
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The risks of the use of nuclear, radiological, biological or chemical (NRBC) weapons are heterog
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eneous. Each risk has its own implications for developing and deploying any capacity to assist victims of an NRBC event and, in parallel, for the health and security of the people bringing this assistance. At an international level, there are no plans for assisting the victims of an NRBC event which are both adequate and safe. Recognizing
the realities of the contexts associated with each risk throws up numerous challenges; such recognition is also a prerequisite for addressing these challenges. The realities that have to be considered relate to:
1. developing, acquiring, training for and planning an NRBC response capacity;
2. deploying a response capacity in an NRBC event;
3. the mandates and policies of international organizations pertaining to NRBC events. The challenges that will pose the greatest difficulty for a humanitarian organization are those for which the solutions are ‘non-buyable’ and which involve making extremely difficult decisions. Attempting to assist victims of an NRBC event without a reality-based approach might generate ineffective and unacceptably dangerous situations for those involved.
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International Review of the Red Cross Volume
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91 Number 874 June 2009
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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared a Yellow Fever (YF) outbreak and activated a multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre for coordination of Yellow Fever response on 12 Novembe
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r 2020. The outbreak, which mainly affected three states of Delta, Enugu and Bauchi, already recorded a total of 222 suspected cases 19 confirmed cases and 76 deaths between 1 and 11 November 2020.
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Since December 2016, the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has affected Peru, causing heavy rainfall, floods, landslides, hail and electric storms. Although the impact has been particularly serio
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us in the northern coastal regions, levels of affectation are reported in all 24 of the country’s departments.
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This Code of Conduct seeks to guard our standards of behaviour. It is not about operational details, such as how one should calculate food rations or set up a refugee camp. Rather, it seeks to maint
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ain the high standards of independence, effectiveness and impact to which disaster response NGOs and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement aspires. It is a voluntary code, enforced by the will of the organisation accepting it to maintain the standards laid down in the Code. In the event of armed conflict, the present Code of Conduct will be interpreted and applied in conformity with international humanitarian law. The Code of Conduct is presented
first. Attached to it are three annexes, describing the working environment that we would like to see created by Host Governments, Donor Governments and Inter-Governmental Organisations in order to facilitate the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance.
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