National Society and Knowledge Development

What has been achieved in the 2010-2011 biennium?

www.ifrc.org Saving lives, changing minds.

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About us
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the worlds largest volunteer-based humanitarian network, reaching 150 million people each year through our 186 member National Societies. Together, we act before, during and after disasters and health emergencies to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people. We do so with impartiality as to nationality, race, gender, religious beliefs, class and political opinions. Guided by Strategy 2020 our collective plan of action to tackle the major humanitarian and development challenges of this decade we are committed to saving lives and changing minds. Our strength lies in our volunteer network, our community-based expertise and our independence and neutrality. We work to improve humanitarian standards, as partners in development and in response to disasters. We persuade decision makers to act at all times in the interests of vulnerable people. The result: we enable healthy and safe communities, reduce vulnerabilities, strengthen resilience and foster a culture of peace around the world.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, 2011. Copies of all or part of this study may be made for noncommercial use, providing the source is acknowledged. The IFRC would appreciate receiving details of its use. Requests for commercial reproduction should be directed to the IFRC at secretariat@ifrc.org. The opinions and recommendations expressed in this study do not necessarily represent the official policy of the IFRC or of individual National Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies. The designations and maps used do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the International Federation or National Societies concerning the legal status of a territory or of its authorities. All photos used in this study are copyright of the IFRC unless otherwise indicated. P.O. Box 372 CH-1211 Geneva 19 Switzerland Telephone: +41 22 730 4222 Telefax: +41 22 733 0395 E-mail: secretariat@ifrc.org Web site: http://www.ifrc.org

Cover photo: Crossroads. 30 June 2010, Iganda, Uganda. Credit: Amanda Eisermann/flickr.com. Photo used by permission.

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

National Society and Knowledge Development What has been achieved in the 2010-2011 biennium?

Background
In adopting Strategy 2020 at the 17th Session of the General Assembly in Nairobi in November 2009, we committed to making National Societies strong a foundational objective recognising this as the best way to tackle vulnerability, especially when faced with the complex and interconnected demands of today. We also committed to modernising our network as this is essential to increase Red Cross Red Crescent influence and expand our share of humanitarian and development action and resourcing in a competitive world. Over many decades much effort and resources have gone into building up National Societies. The result is that many National Societies have grown consistently well but significant others have not. Drawing on this vast experience and learning the related lessons, an updated Framework and Principles for Building Strong National Societies was endorsed by the 23rd Session of the Governing Board on 13-15 April 2011. It defines a strong National Society as one that is able to deliver country-wide, through a network of volunteer-based units, a relevant service to vulnerable people sustained for as long as needed. The Framework and Principles for Building Strong National Societies gives us the basis for identifying the essential set of core capacities and related attributes in National Societies. These core capacities are: n n n n n to exist; to organise; to relate and mobilise; to perform; and to adapt and grow.

A central emphasis of the framework and set of principles for National Society development is the institutional strengthening of National Societies so that they establish themselves as sustainable entities in confident and well-resourced partnerships with their governments and other stakeholders, while delivering effective services to vulnerable people.

What have we done so far? Highlights from 2010-11

To begin with, Strategy 2020 rollout continues to accelerate. Seventy two National Societies have already developed strategic plans in line with Strategy 2020 with a further 57 engaged in their strategic planning processes. To support them, over 80 facilitators have been trained and overall 1500 others have taken the online course on Strategy 2020. Turning to the practical tools for capacity building, they are clustered around the four key questions that all National Societies ask themselves as they strive to get stronger.

Who we are and what we do?

First, a comprehensive understanding of who we are and what we do?. This is translated into the Federation-wide Reporting System and the Federation Databank which have been brought together to become the Federation-wide Databank and Reporting System (FDRS). Its development and piloting is largely complete.

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

National Society and Knowledge Development What has been achieved in the 2010-2011 biennium?

Thanks to the 20 initial National Societies who have tested the databank: Cook Islands, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Fiji, Finland, Great Britain, Republic of Korea, Lesotho, Mali, Montenegro, New Zealand, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America. An additional 46 National Societies are now further piloting the databank. On the reporting system side, 57 National Societies: 9 in Africa, 8 in the Americas, 11 in Asia Pacific, 26 in Europe, and 3 in Middle East and North Africa have contributed.

Federation-wide reporting
Federation-Wide Indicators Aggregated figures (compiled on 31 October 2011) 130,397,371 7,119,473 No. of responding National Societies 46 39

1. # people reached 1.1 People reached by Disaster response and Early Recovery Programmes 1.2 People reached by Long Term services and Development Programmes 1.3 People covered by Preparedness and Risk Reduction Programmes 2. # people volunteering time 3. # paid staff 4. # People donating blood 5. # local units/branches 6. Total income received (CHF) 7. Total expenditure (CHF)

112,351,940

46

10,925,958

30

3,021,662 76,926 10,245,709 34,811 5,580,575,803 5,318,446,713

54 57 39 52 47 47

The data from the pilot phase of the FDRS is shown here, for the proxy indicators for performance agreed in Strategy 2020. With fifty-seven National Societies providing partial data so far, extrapolation to a global Federationwide baseline is not possible. But fuller analysis may be feasible when coverage increases as expected with the full rollout of FDRS including better and more user friendly access to the technology platform that underpins it and the building of National Society capacities to collect and report the agreed data in a validated manner. When that happens, we will have a baseline set at 2010 by which to track trends and measure progress over the current decade of Strategy 2020 implementation. We will then be able to answer the question: how much are we doing, and what is the trend? in a consistent manner.

How well do we do it?

The second component tackles the question how well do we do?. This is the Organisational Capacity Assessment and Certification (OCAC) process. This has three phases: self assessment, peer review, and third party audit. Thanks to 63 National Societies who contributed their thoughts on developing what is specifically appropriate to the Red Cross Red Crescent, through consultations held in Budapest, Geneva, and Niger. Sixteen National Societies: from Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Georgia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mali, Niger, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and Senegal have

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

National Society and Knowledge Development What has been achieved in the 2010-2011 biennium?

volunteered to pilot the first phase. This is far more than we anticipated, reflecting the enthusiasm of National Societies. The first round of phase 1 pilots have been conducted in Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Mali, Senegal, Tunisia and Turkmenistan, and a further 6 are scheduled by the end of 2011. Additional volunteer National Societies will be accommodated from the first quarter of 2012 onwards. Results from these pilots will inform the further development of the OCAC methodology. Version 1.0 of the OCAC self assessment tool is now available in English, French and Russian with Arabic and Spanish versions underway. Training of 17 OCAC facilitators was conducted with participants from Bulgaria, Burundi, Georgia, Italy, Jamaica, Macedonia, Namibia, Nepal, and Turkmenistan along with ICRC and Federation zonal staff. This will enable scale up to meet demand. Meanwhile special thanks to National Societies in Latin America for their patience as they were the earliest advocates: OCAC is coming to them as soon as the Spanish version is ready. The initially piloted phase 1 tool will be made available to all who want it by the end of the first quarter of 2012. The pilot-testing of phase 2 - peer-review leading up to certification - will begin in the second quarter of 2012. When the complete OCAC process has been tested and piloted by self-volunteering National Societies and we have a fuller understanding from the membership on its acceptability and utility, we will present it to the Board seeking endorsement for its formal adoption. OCAC may be considered part of our accountability framework. This is being examined through an independent review to better define an accountability model consistent with international standards and expectations. It will also verify whether the necessary building blocks (accountability standards, procedures and mechanisms) that together constitute such a framework exist at the secretariat and within the IFRC at large. We are part way through the review which will be completed by year-end and will be presented to the Board for its consideration pending the implementation of its agreed suggestions to correct any identified gaps. An active programme of organisational and operational audits has also been conducted. Complementary to that is an expanded programme of evaluations of our service work. A new IFRC project/programme monitoring and evaluation guide has been published setting out the norms, standards, and methods for conducting objective and credible evaluations. An IFRC evaluation database is now openly available on our public website listing over 170 evaluations. In addition to the previous real-time evaluations of Haiti and Pakistan disasters, a real time evaluation of IFRC response to the crisis in Tunisia has been conducted. Future plans include a meta analysis of evaluations to highlight key areas for improvement as well as more thematic evaluations of business areas.

How can we do better?

The third component is concerned with the question: how can we do better?. This is through the Red Cross Red Crescent Learning Network which is making steady progress. Its Learning Platform has been upgraded to accommodate additional language availability; increased user capacity; and customisation for the introduction of learning passport and credits. New users are signing up in their hundreds each month, bringing total registrations to 16,573 from 185 countries now.

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

National Society and Knowledge Development What has been achieved in the 2010-2011 biennium?

You may recall our target to create accredited online learning courses accessible to our staff, volunteers and members, for our main service lines through intellectualising accumulated Red Cross Red Crescent experience. Progress is as follows: In disaster management, collaboration with Ottawa University has resulted in the successful feasibility study of a professional certificate course in disaster management and emergency health built around the field schools concept that was originally developed by Norwegian and Canadian Red Cross. Meanwhile, the Tata Institute for Social Sciences in India and the Hilal Institute of the Iran Red Crescent have agreed to also join the development of disaster management courses, to run from 2012. In health, partnership with Manchester University has made similar progress with the design of a certificate in public health to be rolled out next year. In the organisational development area, we have focused on leadership development as the priority, recognising that a key element for National Societies and Network development is getting the right leadership in the right places. Accordingly, collaboration with Thunderbird University (USA) is underway to develop a specially tailored certificate course along with the provision of MBA-level scholarships offered through their partnership with Thunderbirds own alumni. Thanks to the 19 National Society leaders from around the world that have been interviewed to help formulate this course. Finally, a course in humanitarian diplomacy has been designed in partnership with the Geneva - based Diplo Foundation. This has 8 modules offered over 12 weeks. The pilot course, scheduled to start on 23 January 2012 with 25 places, is now open for applications to be received by 28 November 2011. These certificate level courses using our own established experience and designed specifically to be relevant to Red Cross Red Crescent business are intended to be built upon to lead to diploma and masters qualifications. We will do this when the first courses are up and running and have proved their value, through the Learning Reference and Standards Committee of the Learning Network which will be chaired by Professor Pierre de Senerclans. Meanwhile a culture of knowledge sharing is making step-by-step progress. Our RedTalks bring in-house and external experts to speak on critical humanitarian and development issues, and extend Red Cross Red Crescent influence and thought leadership. To date 11 such events have been broadcast, with each event reaching a worldwide audience of several hundreds extending out to tens of thousands of others through live updates on Twitter. Past RedTalks can be found on the IFRC website.

How can we reach further?

The fourth component tackles the challenge: How can we reach further?. Progress on the digital divide initiative is as follows: 116 National Societies responded to the baseline survey to establish the current status of ICT capacities. Subsequently, a discover and harvest approach has been adopted to share good practices and capacities across the network. This includes a community grouping of 266 Red Cross Red Crescent ICT practitioners and a database of 855 applications made available by 103 National Societies and recommended for use by others. The digital divide initiative is actively engaged on capacity building support with 17 National Societies:Bangladesh, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Fiji, Jordan, Mali, Moldova, Namibia, Peru, Romania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Turkmenistan, and

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National Society and Knowledge Development What has been achieved in the 2010-2011 biennium?

Vietnam. MOUs have been signed with each of these 17 National Societies, exceeding our goal for 2011. The International Computer Driving License (ICDL) is now established as our basic tool for promoting digital literacy among National Society staff and volunteers. A higher level training course was held in Colombia in June to establish a network of testers in the Americas. Online technical seminars for ICT staff from 37 National Societies have been established with eight seminars held so far.

These components are key practical means which, when integrated together and driven by effective leadership, and underpinned by good strategic planning, can help National Societies in their self-development. This must be informed by real-life experience. Thus a programme of National Society case studies has begun to provide insights from different contexts. A review of organisational change in six National Societies (Cambodia, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Timor Leste) has just been published and in-depth case studies from Burundi and Vietnam have been completed. With thanks for the principal support of the American and also Australian, Belgian, British, Canadian, Finnish, Norwegian, Spanish, and Swedish Red Cross Societies and ICRC, a global study on how National Societies achieve sustainable organisational development looked at the experiences of 29 National Societies. The results have been published and give insights on how the quality of the partnerships built by a National Society impacts on its own development. Our network needs to pull together to make this happen on a consistent basis - everywhere. This needs the personal engagement of chief executives of our National Societies. The CEOs of some 25-30 National Societies from all parts of the world as well as the ICRC have agreed to join the Secretary General in a Secretaries General Panel for National Society Development. The chief executive of the British Red Cross is chairing this panel and hosted the first meeting in September 2011. The SG Panel on National Society Development is a forum for practical engagement with the needs of National Societies and several of its member CEOs have committed to giving a part of their very busy time to personally engage with helping on the difficult issues underlying institutional development. The panel agreed to a request to come together for a special meeting on 3 October in Geneva to consult with the leadership of the Sudan Red Crescent and the interim leadership of the Sudan Red Cross Societyin-formation on how partners can best help them with their future capacity development. Responding to the request of Brazil Red Cross for re-engagement with its partners for its plan for recovery, we are also facilitating a Friends of Brazil Red Cross meeting in Geneva in November. The new Panel of CEOs is the point of reference for progressing the Framework for strong National Society Development. The Panel is backed by the revival of a Federation-wide community of practice in National Society development to provide practical skills in organisational development and capacity building. To date 484 practitioners have signed up as members representing a vast Movement-wide resource of expertise to draw upon as we scale up. Meanwhile, you may appreciate an update on the Capacity Building Fund: This was originally set up in 2000 but upgraded in 2007 at the Boards behest, in particular, with the strong encouragement of Netherland Red Cross. Thanks

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

National Society and Knowledge Development What has been achieved in the 2010-2011 biennium?

to the contributions from the National Societies and/or governments of Canada, Finland, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, together with contributions from Federation reserves, CHF 8 million was mobilised. Overall 49 National Societies and 4 regional programmes have benefitted so far, with the three modalities of the CBF utilised as follows: n The Intensified Capacity Building modality (ICB) has benefitted 29 National Societies: Belarus, Benin, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Philippines, El Salvador, Seychelles, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Yemen and Zambia. n The Specific OD support (SOS) modality has benefitted 4 regional programs (Asia-Pacific, Caribbean, Central Asia and South America) and 25 National Societies: Afghanistan, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Georgia, Guyana, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Peru, Russia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela. n The Urgent OD interventions window has been used 7 times to benefit the following National Societies: Ethiopia, Gabon, Nicaragua, Peru, Russia, Samoa and Swaziland. The CBF which started life before Strategy 2020 and the National Society development framework were conceived - has served its set objectives as well as it could. But there are also lessons learnt from its utilisation indicating that it could be more responsive and flexible in the way it functions and better integrated into National Societies self-development strategies. Accordingly, we propose to bring a reformulation of the CBF for the Boards consideration in 2012. Outside the CBF, other practical organisational development advice has been provided to the National Societies of Afghanistan, Brazil, Ethiopia, Ireland, and Nigeria. Work has also started on helping to establish the new National Society in South Sudan while continuing to bolster Sudan Red Crescent. One hundred and one National Societies responded eagerly to the global youth consultation online survey, inspired by the Youth Commission, to collect good practices and illustrate how young people are taking action at the community level, including in the area of fundamental principles, social inclusion and a culture of non-violence and peace. The Governing Board endorsed the new youth policy in September; this goes to the General Assembly for approval. The current International Year of Volunteers + 10 has provided a welcome fillip to our strategy on recognizing, protecting, and promoting volunteers. A revised proposed volunteering policy which followed extensive consultations with members has been prepared and endorsed by the Governing Board for submission to the General Assembly. In September 2011, IFRC and UN Volunteers jointly convened a Global Volunteering Conference in Budapest with the participation of some 60 National Societies. Through the earlier socioeconomic survey of Red Cross Red Crescent volunteering we now have a good understanding of the true state of volunteering and what we need to do to grow our market share. This requires stronger volunteer management systems in our National Societies and a better enabling climate, including national legislation, that nurtures volunteering at all levels in society. This forms a special focus for the International Conference in November.

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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

National Society and Knowledge Development What has been achieved in the 2010-2011 biennium?

Our business processes improvement initiative, involves staff from all parts of the house who identified some 235 inter-related issues which were then distilled into six critical business processes. Actions are underway in these areas mainstreamed into the work of the relevant business groups within a new culture of seeking continuous sustainable improvement in the way we work. As part of this modernization process, the 24th Session of the Governing Board (28-30 September 2011) endorsed the IFRC Secretariat Plan 2012-13 including the results matrix with proposed outputs and related measurements, based on the 4 year Long Term Planning Framework (2012-15) developed by all business groups.

In all the work presented here, the National Societies themselves are, of course, at the heart of them as drivers of their own development and as contributors of ideas and resources for the good of the network as a whole. When the 2009 General Assembly in Nairobi adopted Strategy 2020, Secretary General Bekele Geleta said that we will do it together and no one has to be left behind. There is more to be done, of course, but as this progress update has illustrated, virtually every member of the Federation from all zones and regions - is now actively engaged in at least one and usually several of the activities of National Society and knowledge development to make real the pledge in Strategy 2020 to do more, to do better, and to reach further.

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The Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

Humanity / The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavours, in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples. Impartiality / It makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavours to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress. Neutrality / In order to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.

Independence / The Movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with the principles of the Movement. Voluntary service / It is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain. Unity / There can be only one Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in any one country. It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory. Universality / The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in which all societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other, is worldwide.

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www.ifrc.org Saving lives, changing minds.

Contact information Secretariat@ifrc.org International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva

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