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

Daniela KOHLER-SEURET, Advisor for International Relations, daniela.kohler@redcross.ch

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

– In Switzerland “Safety and Security” is not really an issue in Volunteering.

– All Volunteers active for Swiss RC are adequately insured.

2. What measures has your National Society taken to review potential threats to the volunteers?
Ensuring that their plans and programmes include measures to reduce and mitigate these risks / - Veiller à ce que ses plans et programmes comprennent des mesures de réduction et d’atténuation des risques / - la garantía de que en los respectivos planes y programas se incluyen medidas para reducir y mitigar esos riesgos

- In Switzerland no real threats to volunteers exist.
- Example of a concrete measure: volunteers engaged in the driving service receive regular driving trainings to diminish the risks of accidents.
- We discuss the possibility of offering psychosocial support to all volunteers.

3. Public authorities

– SRC is very active in the field of volunteering in Switzerland but not really in the field of safety and security as it is not barely an issue in Switzerland.

– SRC advocates for better recognition of volunteering by the public authorities but also regarding the development of competencies and certification.

Other partners and stakeholders of influence

Swiss RC is also actively contributing to the development of volunteering within the IFRC, e.g. the Swiss RC is part of the Volunteering Alliance and leading the work stream on “The economics of volunteering”.

For example: developing and/or maintaining national systems for the collection and dissemination of comprehensive data, including sex and age disaggregated data, sharing challenges and exchanging good practices

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

Civil responsibility insurance, accident insurance and vehicle insurance. In Switzerland everyone has a Health Insurance (mandatory).

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

Swiss RC has no need for additional Support.

6. What support did you provide to other National Societies for increasing safety and security of volunteers?
Insurance system, 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?

- SRC International Cooperation disposes of a Risk Cockpit to assess managerial risks as well as a risk assessment regarding security issues.
- In 2016, SRC developed a security policy for its international cooperation..
- SRC also employed a security advisor to develop security guidelines for the field, including for volunteers. The Security adviser has done 2 field missions and continues to review the threats and security issues in each delegation incl. for volunteers

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?

SRC promotes the IFRC volunteers insurance in its international cooperation projects.

Attached files