Asia

The work of the Canadian Red Cross in Asia aims to support the growth of our Sister National Societies in Asia as dynamic and effective Red Cross Red Crescent Movement partners.  The partnerships the CRC forges with our Sister Societies are focused on enhanced organizational development, increased disaster preparedness and community resilience, and improved disaster risk management, in order for them to meet the immense challenge of increasingly frequent and devastating disasters in Asia.  The CRC supports programing in the five CRC areas of excellence and in countries in which we are positioned to have the greatest impact.

Afghanistan

For the past three decades, millions of people across Afghanistan have suffered the devastating humanitarian consequences of armed conflict. Afghanistan remains one of the world's poorest countries. Families are in desperate need of basic assistance such as food, clean water, sanitation and health care.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh, with around 160 million people, is one of the world’s most densely populated countries and also one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of various disasters and climate change. People in Bangladesh live precariously close to the risk of cyclones, floods and droughts, and more than 100 million people live in rural areas.

China

With a population of 1.3 billion people, China is the most populous country in the world. Despite its rapid economic growth in recent years, China remains the largest developing country in the world. It is also one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Disasters affect an average of 300 million people in China every year.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Declining economic growth coupled with unprecedented natural disasters, including droughts and floods, have created a deep-rooted humanitarian crisis in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

India

India is the second most populous country in the world and one of the fastest growing, with its population set to surpass China’s and grow to 1.7 billion by 2050. Nearly 75 percent of the population lives in rural areas and some 461 million people live at or below the poverty level. Drought, and agriculture production to meet domestic demands are key challenges in coming years. Unique climatic conditions make India one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to natural disasters.

Indonesia

Indonesia is located in what is commonly known as the "Ring of Fire", a region that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity. It is considered one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.

Myanmar

Once considered one of the most repressive military regimes in the world, Myanmar has been undergoing significant democratic reforms since parliamentary elections were held in November 2010.

The Maldives

The small country located south-west of India is spread across 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls. With a population of roughly 369,000 people, the Maldives was greatly impacted by the 2004 Tsunami. Rising sea-levels is one of the biggest threats to the country as 99 per cent of the Maldives is made up of sea.

Pakistan

Years of political instability, conflict and poverty have affected millions of people across Pakistan. Today living standards continue to plummet as poverty has increased by roughly one-third in the past decade. Forty per cent of people in Pakistan are in poverty, making it a struggle to meet basic needs like clothing, shelter, food, education and health care.

Sri Lanka

The end of more than 25 years of civil war in 2009 created an atmosphere of cooperation, and a historic opportunity to address communities’ needs in the spirit of national reconciliation. Despite these changes, many people displaced by the conflict have not yet been able to return home.

Syria

More than a year after the conflict began in Syria, some 2.5 million people continue to be affected by this emergency. Over a million people are displaced internally within Syria and 450,000 Syrians have fled to neighboring countries. These numbers only continue to increase as the situation deteriorates.