Resolution 5 : The safety and security of humanitarian volunteers | Power of humanity: Red Cross Red Crescent

National Society

Name, position and email of the focal person3

Sharonya Sekhar
Policy Advisor, International Operations
Canadian Red Cross
sharonya.sekhar@redcross.ca

1. What did your National Society do to provide volunteers with the best safety and security coverage?

The Canadian Red Cross has comprehensive policies related to Health, Safety and Professional Environment.

2. What measures has your National Society taken to review potential threats to the volunteers?

- A Workplace Safety and Injury Prevention Policy to define and prevent issues.
- An Incident Reporting and Tracking System which allows for individual and general risk mitigation and safety enhancements.
- Risk Management & Security Advisors are tasked with monitoring risks, mitigation and issues management.

3. Public authorities

No specific activities to report for this period.

Other partners and stakeholders of influence

No specific activities to report for this period.

4. Does your National Society ensure that volunteers have adequate insurance or equivalent “safety net” assistance with regard to death, injury, sickness or trauma they may endure while carrying out their duties?
Yes

Please let us know what type of insurance or equivalent "safety-net" form you use

Directors, Officers Liability Insurance
Automobile Insurance Coverage
Group Accident Insurance Coverage
Foreign Medical, Dental, Disability and Accident Insurance for outside of Canada

5. How can the RCRC movement better support you to enhance the safety and security of your volunteers?

The CRC does not have any specific comments at this time.

6. What support did you provide to other National Societies for increasing safety and security of volunteers?
Dissemination of this resolution and commitments, Insurance system, Training, Support to drafting policy on volunteering, Develop standards and guidance on the topic, Provision of protective equipment

7. What activities have you undertaken to facilitate partnerships towards strengthening the safety and security of volunteers?

The Canadian Red Cross works closely in partnership and in support of sister National Societies around the world. In the context of the project ‘Strengthening Emergency Response in Africa’, which works with four National Societies in relation to disaster response capacity building, the CRC works along side our partner National Societies on the Safer Access Framework and strengthening the protection and security of volunteers. CRC works on both the implementation as well as the development of SAF plans of action specific to each context. For example, in Mali, CRC along with other partner National Societies supported and participated in a volunteer’s annual day organized by the Malian Red Cross.

In the Americas, in the context of our project “Strengthening Emergency response in the Americas”, CRC works closely with ICRC in Haiti to institutionalize the Safer Access Framework which includes working on the safety and security of volunteers. In the period of 2015-2016, CRC conducted trainings on SAF at the National Society Headquarters and in three branches (Grande Anse, Nippes and Sud) that are most frequently hit by hurricanes. Furthermore, we are currently supporting the Haitian Red Cross in the development of a “Guide for Applying the Safer Access Framework”. This guide is intended to be easily used by volunteers in the field and will be in both French and Creole.

In our programming in Asia, we have supported the Pakistan Red Crescent through the following activities:
• Supported the training of 100 CBHFA volunteers, who were trained by 50 CBHFA coaches, with even number of male and female coaches.
• We are working with the National Society to improve volunteer management practices, and strengthen the capacity of emergency responders. This includes supporting specific trainings for volunteers, supporting the development of a database and engaging in volunteers’ skills mapping.

8. What measures did you take to ensure that volunteers have adequate insurance or equivalent “safety net” assistance with regard to death, injury, sickness or trauma they may endure while carrying out their duties?

Currently, the CRC covers insurance (through IFRC) for the Mali Red Cross volunteers, to cover death, injury sickness or trauma while carrying out their duties. Furthermore, the CRC continues to contribute to DREFs and/or Emergency Appeals which indirectly contribute to the insurance of all volunteers trained through our capacity building projects in Africa.

In South Sudan, the Canadian Red Cross is committed to covering the insurance cost of all South Sudan Red Cross Volunteers who work on CRC supported projects.

Attached files