The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.
MYANMAR: Staff and volunteers from the Myanmar Red Cross Society have been working with communities affected
by the inter-communal violence in Rakhine State, providing much needed health care, and water and sanitation support, both of which are areas of critical concern. The violence that broke out in early June has left an estimated 75,400 internally displaced people in 40 camps and temporary locations. The Myanmar Red Cross Society has provided water purification plants providing thousands of people with safe water every day from local water sources. Red Cross volunteers are also providing health education and extensive hygiene promotion. With support from the ICRC, the National Society has also been involved in first aid, referral and transport to medical facilities, psychosocial support, and the provision of basic relief items such as cooking sets and tarps.
ETHIOPIA: Held every four years, the Pan African Red Cross Red Crescent Youth Conference, now in its eighth year is being hosted by Ethiopia. It will focus on the diverse ways youth are investing in Africa, such as using information technology to improve access and quality of service to those most vulnerable. It will look at entrepreneurial leadership opportunities for youth, and how regional youth partnerships and networks can help young people advocate to governments and other stakeholders on current and emerging humanitarian issues. The one-day youth conference is part of a larger three day Pan African Conference which will see more than 500 delegates from over 50 Red Cross Red Crescent Societies descend on Addis Ababa to discuss and debate the theme of Investing in Africa.
THAILAND: The Red Cross Societies of Lao, Thailand and Viet Nam along with the Southeast Asia regional delegation from the IFRC, took action last week to mark the International Day for Disaster Reduction. The vulnerability of Southeast Asia to disasters further underlines the significance of having the leadership of the National Societies come together to promote disaster risk reduction initiatives.
GLOSSARY:
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross