Model Text for Pledges Relating to Volunteer Safety and Security

This document provides some examples of potential statements and clauses that might be used in pledges to strengthening volunteer safety and security. It is not expected that every element suggested here will be included in every pledge, furthermore there may be specific pledges not presented here that National Societies and Governments may wish to make. It is up to each National Society and Government to decide what may be the best clauses for their own contexts.

It is recommended that National Societies and Governments make joint pledges where possible, rather than individual pledges. This will reinforce their commitment to work together and acknowledges that improved volunteer safety and security is an issue bigger than any one party.

For more information on the process, please consult the Guide to Pledges http://rcconf.sbk3011.com/international-conference/documents/

Menu of Potential Clauses

The Government and National Society of (COUNTRY) jointly pledge;

General

• To recognize and acknowledge with gratitude, the substantial role that local volunteers play in ameliorating humanitarian crises and the risks they face in doing so
• Affirming the determination to cooperate with a broad range of stakeholders to prevent and mitigate the risks facing volunteers, to the degree feasible. To collaboratively implement initiatives that will promote a safer environment for volunteers and to strengthen efforts to meet the needs of those injured, traumatized and for those families of volunteers who have been killed in the line of duty

Determination to Protect

• To make effort to provide volunteers in a timely manner with the best safety related information, guidance and training and to attempt to ensure that the requisite funding and expertise is available to deliver on this information.
• To make every effort possible to ensure that volunteers have all of the protective equipment needed to fulfil their roles and that this equipment is provided in a timely manner, including ensuring adequate funding, provision and training on how to use the equipment.
• To commit to including and integrating where appropriate the National Society into the National Emergency Management plans.
• To review existing policy and legislative frameworks relating to volunteering and to propose and if possible implement, strengthened approaches in particular such measures that promote safety and security for volunteers.

Enhancing Knowledge

• Commit to developing or enhancing national systems for the collection and dissemination of comprehensive data relevant to the safety and security of humanitarian volunteers.
• To support international efforts on data collection on the safety and security of humanitarian volunteers by providing information about volunteers.
• To work with the academic community to ensure that further credible research into humanitarian volunteers is funded and implemented and made available to other relevant stakeholders.

Community Acceptance

• To undertake efforts that will help communities to understand the role of humanitarian volunteers and to promote their acceptance within the communities.
• National Societies will work to ensure that volunteers are adequately trained in the fundamental principles and are familiar with their practical application.

Promoting Insurance

• To commit to make every effort to ensure that all humanitarian volunteers are covered by an appropriate insurance policy or that there is adequate safety net coverage in the event they are injured or killed.
• To commit to support financially, the IFRC Global Insurance System that provides basic accident insurance coverage to Red Cross and Red Crescent Volunteers.

 

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Action plan

Menu of potential indicators and milestones

• Increase in evidence-based research on the strengthening the safety and security of volunteers in local communities.
• New national legislative and policy frameworks in strengthening volunteer safety and protection drafted.
• New national legislation, policy and mechanisms in strengthening volunteer safety and protection adopted.
• Increase in national resource sharing of good practices and models related to promoting volunteer protection (including safety and security of volunteers, personal protective equipment, insurance, psychosocial support, training).
• Increased # of volunteers insured through local solutions working with national Government and other stakeholders.
• Increased reporting of integration where appropriate of the National Society into the National Emergency Management plans.