Pacific region

 

 

Executive summary 

 

In the context of the Asia Pacific zone, its demographic, socio-economic and environmental trends, and the 
International Federation’s strategic priorities, the Pacific region covers a vast geographical area comprising 
thousands of islands and atolls. The majority of Pacific island countries contend with the challenges of smallness 
and geographic isolation. The Pacific island countries are the most heavily aid-assisted part of the world on a per 
capita basis. The high rates of migration in the region are primarily a response to real and perceived inequalities 
in socio-economic opportunities. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A variety of hazards including cyclones, floods, 
volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis and 
landslides - constitute a significant part of the 
vulnerability of Pacific island countries. It is 
well established that the frequency and 
intensity of the occurrence of hydro-
meteorological events in the region is likely to 
be exacerbated by the impacts of climate 
change.   
 
Small island countries have fragile water 
resources due to their small size, lack of 
natural storage and competing land use, 
vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic 
hazards and urban pollution

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.

 

Other important 

health challenges include high fertility rates, 
the continued prevalence of communicable 
diseases and the emerging threat of HIV, 
combined with a rising, and in many cases, a 
crisis in non-communicable disease 
prevalence. In Melanesia, the threat of gender 
based violence impacts all aspects of women’s 
lives and increases their vulnerability to HIV.  
Increasing unemployment and under-employment are a major concern, especially for the region’s youth, women 
and those with disabilities

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.  

 

The fourteen Red Cross societies of the Pacific

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 are well positioned to play an increasingly significant role in times 

of disasters and crisis and in helping to meet the health and social challenges of the region. Through their local 
volunteer-led branch network, Red Cross societies have greater reach into communities than any other civil 
society actor. Through their disaster management, health and risk reduction programmes the Pacific Red Cross 
societies contribute to achieving national development objectives, including national Millennium Development 
Goals and the 2005-2010 Pacific Plan initiatives

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.  

 

                                                 
 

1

 Water and Sanitation Issues and Strategic Responses in the Pacific. View from national and regional consultations and 

initiatives. Pacific brief for the report of the Secretary General to CSD13. SOPAC. 2004.  

2

 Economic and Social Survey of Asia the Pacific 2008: Sustaining Growth and Sharing Prosperity. UNESCAP. United 

Nations. 2008. 

3

 Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands (in formation), Micronesia, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, 

Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu (in formation), Vanuatu. 

4

 The Pacific plan for strengthening regional cooperation and integration. The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. 2005.

 

A Samoa Red Cross volunteer directs school children to higher ground during 
evacuation of Apia during tsunami warning. 
Photo credit: The International Federation/Rosemarie North

 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

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In the Pacific, the International Federation’s regional office has developed its 2010-2011 plan based on the 
objectives identified by its regional members. The focus of the 2010-2011 plan is to support Red Cross societies 
to become better functioning and well governed civil society leaders, with the ability to plan, resource and manage 
programmes that address the needs of the most vulnerable men, women and children. 
 
The goals, means of delivery and strategic framework of this Pacific region plan fit within the International 
Federation’s wider Asia Pacific zone strategy, guided by the International Federation’s newly adopted Strategy 
2020. The priorities in the coming two years are to:   
 

•

 

Build safer and more resilient communities through services to member national societies that increase 
the reach and impact of their programmes;  

•

  Strengthen Red Cross Red Crescent mechanisms and networks that build mutual capacity, improve 

knowledge sharing, and increase leverage of collective voice;  

•

  Influence changes in humanitarian policies and practices through improved access to and cooperation 

with governments and key institutions; 

•

  Diversify financial and human resources for the benefit of programmes at the national level through a 

collective Red Cross Red Crescent approach 

•

 

Lead and coordinate zone, regional and country planning, performance and accountability mechanisms to 
increase Red Cross Red Crescent effectiveness and efficiency. 

 
In specific terms, in the coming two years the International Federation’s Pacific regional office will support Pacific 
national societies with their activities related to preparing and responding to natural and human-made disasters. 
An added dimension of this work will be their role in encouraging governments to be better prepared legislatively 
to facilitate and regulate international disaster response. A second axis of the support to the national societies will 
be in the area of health (HIV prevention, blood safety, community based health and first aid (including addressing 
issues related to chronic diseases) , water, sanitation and hygiene promotion) and reducing disaster risk, with the 
aim of preventing and reducing the underlying causes of vulnerability and bolstering community resilience.  
 
The total budget for the International Federation’s plan in 2010 is CHF 1,771,839 (USD 1.71 million or EUR 1.16 
million) and for 2011 is CHF 1,771,839 (USD 1.71 million or 1.16 million).  
 

Click to go directly to the attached budget summary of the plan 

 
 

Regional context

 

The Pacific Islands (excluding Papua New Guinea) comprise some 500 inhabited islands spread over 30 million 
square kilometers with over 250 language groups. Papua New Guinea has a further 800 language groups and 
people living within some of the most challenging topography in the world. The majority of the country is not 
accessible by road.  
 
Papua New Guinea with a population of 5.6 million is the largest country in terms of population and land mass. 
The remainder of the PIC total just over two million in population and range in population size from approximately 
2,000 in Niue to about 850,000 in Fiji. There are widely varying levels of population density across the countries, 
with land-rich countries such as Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu having very low densities and others with high 
(Kiribati and Marshall Islands) to very high population densities (Nauru and Tuvalu). Life expectancy is in the 
range of 60-70 years, except for Papua New Guinea where it is below 60 years. 
 
The Pacific island countries and territories are traditionally aggregated into three major indigenous groups: 
Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. These three groupings are characterized by quite distinct mixes of 
international and internal migration patterns, with Polynesia being a major point of origin of international migrants, 
Melanesia a place of intense internal flows and Micronesia a combination of both. 
 
The countries are geographically fragmented and have been described as “sea-locked” because of their 
remoteness from centres of economic activity. Studies have shown that due to their isolation, the high cost of 
production in the Pacific is a major constraint for competing in most economic markets.

 

Pacific nations pay higher 

transport and energy costs; the cost of travel both for tourism and business is extremely high. The region is 
heavily dependent on international aid, with aid per capita ranging from about USD 40 in Fiji to over USD 2,000 in  
 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

3

 
Palau

5

. The main donors to the region are Australia, China, France, Japan, New Zealand and the United States. 

New Zealand provides the largest percentage share of its overall aid to the Pacific region

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7

.  

 
Population growth rates remain high in most of the Pacific nations and young people make up a large proportion 
of the population. This increase has not been matched with new employment opportunities and there are growing 
levels of youth and male unemployment. The majority of the population and developing industries are 
concentrated in coastal regions. The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) 2007 Human 
Development report

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 notes: 

 
“

More than 50 per cent of Pacific islanders live within 1.5 km of the shoreline and are particularly exposed to 

accelerated coastal erosion, saline intrusion, and coral reef bleaching and flooding. Many island people rely on 
fisheries as a source of food and income from coral reef and mangrove habitats that are threatened by warming 
ocean temperatures and sea level rise.

’’  

 
These characteristics make the Pacific island countries and their cultures extremely vulnerable to the effects of 
climate change, hydro-meteorological and other natural hazards. The latest findings from the UN 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirm that climate change is one of the most important challenges 
to the social, economic and environmental well-being of the Pacific island countries

9

. Climate change is likely to 

have a number of impacts in the region including an increase in the frequency and intensity of hydro-
meteorological events such as flooding, drought and cyclones as well as long term impacts such as a reduction in 
the availability of potable water, rising sea levels and salt-water infiltration into soil. For many countries the 
impacts of climate change are already being felt and are expected to worsen in the coming decades.  
 
There have been many impressive results achieved in the region since the 1970s in the health and education 
sectors. In recent times, however, gains in the social sector have stagnated. Enrolments at secondary levels of 
education have declined. Public health systems continue to face the prevalence of diseases such as malaria, 
leprosy, and tuberculosis, compounded with the difficult problem of non-communicable diseases and emerging 
communicable diseases such as HIV

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. Papua New Guinea has the highest HIV incidence in the Pacific and the 

prevalence of HIV continues to rise among the population. Key determinants include high rates of sexually 
transmitted infections, multiple partnering, widespread engagement in transactional sex and extensive sexual 
violence against women

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.   

 

Violence against women is a pervasive issue in the Melanesia. A 2007 AusAID study found that gender based 
violence against women constrains development in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu by 
severely limiting “women’s social, political and economic participation in their communities.” The report states 
“that violence represents a significant strain on national economies with escalating costs in health care, social 
services, policing and the justice system.”

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 Disabled people are another disadvantaged group in the Pacific as 

they are often not included in state safety nets.  
 

Priorities and current work with partners 

The programmes of the Red Cross national societies of the Pacific 
The Red Cross national societies of the Pacific contribute to humanitarian action, humanitarian diplomacy, and 
human development in the region through the implementation of a range of disaster management, disaster risk 
reduction and health and social welfare programmes.  These societies reflect the diversity and differing economic 
levels of the region. They range from well established, well-structured organizations (for example Australia, New 
Zealand, Fiji) to the very small developing national societies which are not much more than ten years old (Kiribati, 

                                                 
 

5

 

Pacific Islands: Development in 3D. Key findings and policy advice from World Development Report 2009 and other reports.

 

6

 

Development aid at a glance. Statistics by region. Oceania. DAC. 2008 Edition

.  

7

 

China: stumbling through the Pacific. Fergus Hanson. Lowy Institute for International Policy. 2009. 

 

8

 

Fighting Climate Change: Human Solidarity in a Divided World. 

9

 IPCC’s Forth Assessment Report (AR4), 2007. Small Islands Chapter. 

10

 

Opportunities to improve social services. Human Development in the Pacific Islands. Human Development Sector Unit East 

Asia and the Pacific. World Bank. 2006.

 

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PNG Red Cross Strategic Plan. 2009-2013. 

 

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AusAID’s Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) report Violence against Women in Melanesia and East Timor: 

Building on Global and Regional Promising Approaches, 2007.

 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

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Micronesia) or still in formation (Tuvalu, Marshall Islands). The region also consists of branches and chapters of 
the American and French Red Cross. 
The disaster management activities of the Red Cross Pacific societies cover preparing, responding to and 
recovering from disasters and crisis including: 
 

•

 

training and organizing community volunteers,  

•

 

maintaining contingency stocks of essential supplies (through the container programme),  

•

 

establishing early warning systems,  

•

 

emergency shelter provision,  

•

 

restoring family links where these have been disrupted, 

•

 protecting 

health, 

•

 

bringing psychosocial support, and  

•

 restoring 

livelihoods 

 
Through their disaster management activities the Red Cross societies of the Pacific aim to reduce deaths, losses, 
damage and other harmful consequences of disasters and crisis and the restoration of community functioning.  
 
The specific contribution of Red Cross to sustainable development is through bolstering community resilience. 
This is the ability to adapt and cope better with recurrent and prolonged disasters and crises, and so enabling 
people to protect and build further on the development gains that have been made in communities. Red Cross 
can do this by helping people to be healthy and prevent or reduce risk where they can.  
 
In the area of reducing disaster risk, most of the Pacific national societies are planning projects to address 
gender-sensitive community-based disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change awareness. The 
secretaries general of the Solomon Islands Red Cross and Fiji Red Cross attended the Asia Pacific Zone gender 
and disaster management forum in July 2009, and the secretary general of the Solomon Islands Red Cross has 
undertaken the gender focal person role to continue to promote gender sensitive approaches to all national 
society programme work. Some societies have already started to work with communities to map the most 
significant locally-prevalent natural and human-made hazards and the vulnerabilities connected to these. A 
number of societies are already participating in the consultation processes for National Action Planning for 
disaster risk management, currently being undertaken by national governments in the region.  Through their 
disaster risk reduction activities, Red Cross societies aim to support communities to devise local ways to manage 
hazards and reduce exposure and vulnerability. 
 
In health and social welfare, the Pacific Red Cross societies plan to continue their work in reducing vulnerability to 
HIV, the promotion of voluntary non-remunerated blood donations, first aid training and community-based health 
and first aid and support to disabled, the elderly and other marginalized and stigmatized people.  An expanded 
area of work is planned in water and sanitation.  
 
A number of societies are responding to the expanded focus on migration in the Red Cross Red Crescent 
Movement, through programmes that assist refugees, asylum seekers, immigration detainees and others made 
vulnerable by migration. Many societies are also very active in the promotion of International Humanitarian Law. 
 
All national societies have active partnerships with their governments and international/ local non-governmental 
organizations, undertaking humanitarian diplomacy initiatives in a variety of sustained ways. For example the 
Cook Islands, Kiribati and Samoa Red Cross societies each have a Memorandum of Understanding with their 
ministries of health that recognizes the local Red Cross as a key player and advocate for voluntary non-
remunerated blood donor recruitment.  
 
The American, Australian, Chinese, French, Japanese and New Zealand Red Cross Societies, along with the 
International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation are the key Red Cross Red Crescent 
Movement supporters in the region providing technical, material and financial resources. External support is 
provided by government as well as a range of donor government and international and local organizations 
including AusAID, NZAID, Global Fund, World Health Organization (WHO) and other United Nations agencies, 
Asian Development Bank and numerous corporate sector organizations. Support is provided either directly to 
national societies or through the International Federation or ICRC regional offices.  
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

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Support from the International Federation’s regional office for the Pacific 
The International Federation has been present in the Pacific since the early nineties. Originally based in Sydney 
(within the Australian Red Cross), the International Federation’s office was moved to Suva in 1998. That same 
year the government of Fiji recognized the international legal personality of the International Federation

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.  

 
The International Federation’s focus over the last two decades has been on accompanying the Pacific societies 
through their formation and recognition by the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, fostering a regional Pacific 
Red Cross grouping, mobilizing and coordinating resources for regional and national programmes in first aid, 
health, community based self reliance and disaster preparedness and response. The regional office also provides 
operational support to National Societies in times of disaster. 
 
The purpose of International Federation’s 2010-2011 plan is to continue to build strong national Red Cross 
societies in the Pacific. This will be achieved by: 
 

•

 

promoting sustainable disaster management, health and social programming approaches at community and 
institutional levels 

•

 

championing community-driven and gender sensitive programming 

•

 

encouraging and supporting national societies to contribute to resilient communities  

•

 

supporting national societies to listen to the voice of their volunteers and vulnerable people in the design of 
their disaster management, health and social services, programmes and policies 

•

 

encouraging and exemplifying strategic leadership  

•

 

supporting national societies to become more financially independent and to more effectively manage their 
cooperation relations within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and external partners 

•

 

advocating to the partners of the Pacific societies to provide longer term more sustainable support to the 
Red Cross in the Pacific 

•

  expanding with the Red Cross societies of the Pacific International Federation’s humanitarian diplomacy 

agenda.   

 
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) 
There has been enhanced cooperation and joint assistance planning with ICRC to support national society 
development over the past years. This will be further consolidated in the new approach to overall Movement 
coordination, using a common national society mapping that will lead to harmonized support from all Movement 
components. The ICRC delegation in the Pacific advises governments in the ratification and implementation of 
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) treaties and promotes compliance with IHL among the region's armed and 
security forces. It also promotes IHL among academic circles, the media and civil society. The delegation assists 
the region's Red Cross societies in strengthening their capacity to respond to disasters and to promote 
humanitarian principles. The ICRC visits people detained in connection with past unrest in Fiji and Solomon 
Islands. It remains on alert to assist victims of armed violence or conflicts. The ICRC delegation in the Pacific is 
based in Fiji, with offices in Papua New Guinea and Australia.  

 

Secretariat programmes in 2010-2011   

.

 

Disaster management 

a) 

The purpose and components of the programme

 

The disaster management programme budget for 2010 is CHF 861,950 and for 2011 is CHF 861,950. 
 

Programme purpose 
To improve the capacity of the national societies in the region in disaster management, increase cooperation 
and promote a wider employment of best practices throughout the region. 

 

Programme component 1: Disaster management planning

 

Outcome: National Societies have an improved capacity to plan for disasters and mitigate their impact on 
vulnerable communities 

                                                 
 

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Legal Status Agreement between the Government of Fiji and the IFRC. 1998.

  

 
 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

6

Key activities: 
1.  Engage all national societies in the region on the development of a regional response framework to 

enhance coordination and disaster response support to national societies within the region 

2.  Provide support to at least four national societies (Tonga, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea) to 

review and, where necessary, update existing disaster management plans  as well as facilitate the 
integration of disaster management into existing national society programmes 

3.  Work with national societies to identify and access relevant sources of risk information within the region to 

inform disaster management planning 

4.  Develop the capacity of national societies for robust monitoring and evaluation of their disaster 

management programmes and assist at least two national societies (Tonga and the Cook Islands) to 
develop a monitoring and evaluation framework 

5.  Support at least four national societies (Tonga, Cook Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu) in engaging with national 

disaster management mechanisms to develop or consolidate their identified roles in national disaster 
management architecture as well as identify new opportunities for advocacy 

6.  Support at least two national societies (Vanuatu and Tonga) to integrate disaster preparedness and climate 

adaptation into their community-based health and first aid programmes 

7.  Assist at least four national societies (Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Palau) with contingency 

planning and/or organizing internal simulations  

8.  Support the establishment of a baseline in the region by distributing and supporting the completion of the 

well-prepared national society (WPNS) III survey

 

Programme component 2: Organizational preparedness 
Outcome: National societies have increased ability to react rapidly to small to medium size disasters requiring 
minimal external assistance.  
Key activities: 
1.  Training needs analysis will be conducted with all national societies in the region using the disaster 

management forum, WPNS III and missions to develop a training plan for the region  

2.  Provide targeted trainings to address national society training needs in areas such as basic disaster 

management, national disaster response, vulnerability and capacity assessment, recovery, logistics, and 
lessons drawn from the organizational development and volunteering in emergencies work from the wider 
Asia Pacific zone.  

3.  Work closely with partnering and operating national societies to develop an agreement on support to 

national societies in the area of logistics including: the content and delivery of logistics training to all Pacific 
national societies and the establishment of logistics systems in at least three national societies (Papua New 
Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu). 

4.  Work with partnering and operating national societies on the implementation of the Pacific container 

programme 

5.  Support at least three peer exchanges between national societies on disaster management planning, 

training and/or logistics 

Programme component 3: Community preparedness 
Outcome: Increase the scale of community based disaster programming by national societies within the region 
Key activities: 
1.  Provide national societies with resource mobilization support for community based disaster risk 

management projects with a particular focus on those national societies (Cook Islands and Tonga) signed 
up to the Global Alliance 

2.  Support  three national societies (Vanuatu, Cook Islands and Tonga) to integrate disaster management into 

community-based health and first aid training  

3.  Support four national societies (Cook Islands, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and Samoa) in the design and 

implementation of gender sensitive community based projects addressing priorities identified under their 
national action plans/national action plans for adaptation 

4.  Support national societies in the design and implementation of gender sensitive community-based disaster 

risk reduction and adaptation to climate change (ACC) awareness programmes. 

5.  Support national societies in the production and distribution of public awareness materials regarding 

disaster risk reduction and ACC at the national level. 

6.  Continued support to national societies in refining and adapting the vulnerabilities and capacities tool to the 

Pacific context with external input from regional partners and drawing on best practices from the region 

Programme Component 4: Disaster response 
Outcome: Improved disaster response assistance to meet the needs of those people affected by disaster. 
Key activities: 
1.  Provide support to national societies on the management, maintenance and restocking of emergency relief 

supplies through resource mobilization, training and identification of local resources as requested 

Programme Component 5: Communications, advocacy and coordination 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

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Key activities: 
1.  Enhance visibility of Red Cross Red Crescent contribution to implementation of the Pacific regional 

frameworks for disaster risk management and adaptation to climate change by participating and 
contributing regularly to regional networks and initiatives 

2.  Coordinate with regional actors and national societies on the implementation of the Pacific cluster system 

and national-level contingency planning 

3.  Ensure that national societies are kept up to date and aware of global and regional developments and 

initiatives in disaster management as well as implications for their programming 

4.  Expansion and use of the existing inventory of “every time” elements of national society disaster response 
5.  Development and utilization of communicator/spokesperson roster  
6.  Ensuring pro-active media outreach before and during emergencies, to include advance media advisories, 

planning and budgeting in emergency appeals, and improved beneficiary communications through selected 
societies 

7.  In consultation with the zone communications manager, develop communications and marketing materials 

on disaster manager activities 

8.  Produce case studies and newsletters on national society activities for dissemination to partners and 

national societies to promote best practice 

 

Globally, climate change adaptation and disaster risk management are treated as separate fields of practice with 
different institutional, policy and funding arrangements.  One of the comparative advantages of the International 
Federation is its understanding and treatment of climate change adaptation as an integral component of disaster 
risk reduction. The Federation’s approach makes a lot of sense in the Pacific, where resources are limited and 
climate change is already having adverse impacts on the livelihoods and health of communities. In addition, while 
some Pacific Islands face the short-term impacts of climate change on weather variability in the form of increased 
flooding and cyclone activity, for others the longer term impacts of climate change on community health and 
access to water and food security are more urgent. It is therefore vital that the International Federation responds 
to these challenges, by recognizing the different needs of national societies, in terms of their capacity 
development for disaster preparedness and risk reduction, by delivering a programme that seeks to build 
capacities for both simultaneously. 
 
The International Federation’s current disaster management plan rests upon the development of an overarching 
regional cooperation framework for disaster management that identifies lead roles for national societies and the 
Secretariat in the region that recognizes and draws upon their respective strengths, expertise and available 
resources. This framework also recognizes the need for a harmonized approach to disaster management and will 
be an important step in supporting national societies within the region to identify the human, technical and 
financial resources available to support their response efforts.  The framework will maximize available resources 
and skills and will see national societies and the International Federation take the lead in different areas such as 
logistics, water and sanitation and disaster management planning.  The International Federation will continue to 
take the lead role in assisting national societies in developing and implementing national disaster plans and 
strategies for maintaining disaster risk reduction. These plans clearly aim to meet the challenges of disaster risk 
and climate change within the region and to build upon progress made in developing the capacities of national 
societies in these areas over the previous three years. Support to national societies with the identification of 
relevant risk information to inform decision making will be essential to the planning process as will be support to 
resource mobilization and the development of robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to measure the 
impact resulting from the implementation of national society disaster management programmes.  Good monitoring 
and evaluation will also depend on the establishment of a strong baseline that can demonstrate our progress in 
these areas.  It is in this context that the International Federation will support all Pacific national societies to 
complete the third edition of the baseline survey on well-prepared national societies (WPNS III).   
 
Activities identified under the disaster management plan will also include supporting national societies to form 
partnerships with their respective governments in addressing climate change and disaster risk reduction. The 
Secretariat is proactive in identifying opportunities for national societies to provide input into the development of 
relevant policy and directions at the national level. An example of this has been encouraging national societies to 
participate in consultation processes for national action planning for disaster risk management, currently being 
undertaken by national governments in the region.  In addition the International Federation will support the 
national societies in identifying disaster management projects that support the implementation of national action 
plans for disaster risk management and adaptation to climate change at the community level. 
 
A central focus of this programme will also include developing the capacity of Red Cross national society staff and 
volunteer networks to work with communities on disaster management and disaster risk reduction.  Capacity 
development will focus upon training and may include but not be limited to disaster management, national 

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8

disaster response, vulnerability and capacity assessment (VCA), recovery and logistics. The engagement of 
national societies is essential in the development of a comprehensive training framework to guide the focus of this  
training.  Further refinement of the VCA toolbox to the Pacific context, based on a regional sharing of experience 
and lessons learned will be a pivotal part of this work, as will the allocation of seed funding to national societies to 
address community level priorities coming out of the VCA process.  Funding from AusAID through the Australian 
Red Cross-led Pacific disaster management partnership programme and the Japanese Red Cross will be 
instrumental in engaging communities in this process. 
 
The regional office will also continue to support the maintenance; management and; restocking of national 
societies’ pre-positioned stock systems with the welcome financial support of Japanese Red Cross. Recent 
disasters in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea have shown that while adequate for minor disasters, a 
much larger stock and logistics system for distribution are required for a more efficient response. This plan will 
see specific cooperation with the French Red Cross’s Plateforme d'Intervention régionale pour l'Océan Pacific 
Sud (PIROPS) and Australian Red Cross, recognizing their expertise and contribution in this area, in consulting 
national societies and implementing the Pacific container programme, as well as the significant financial support 
from the Japanese Red Cross. The successful and efficient distribution of relief during disasters will also be 
dependent upon the establishment of logistics management systems and the training of logistics personnel in the 
region.  As part of the overarching cooperation framework with national societies and in recognition of their 
leadership in providing logistics training in the Pacific in the last two years, the Pacific regional office will work with 
PIROPS French Red Cross to develop standardized logistics training that meets the specific needs of the region. 
 
An essential focus of the strategic approach for the disaster management programme will be integrating 
programmes and building partnerships at regional and national levels.  Both disasters and climate change have 
the potential to cause considerable damage to fresh water supplies and can cause extensive health issues.  
Recognizing this potential threat, the disaster management plan identifies technical support to national societies 
for the development of gender sensitive projects that recognise these linkages as well as addressing community 
priorities in development as entry points for building community resilience.  This in turn will encourage greater 
integration of disaster preparedness, climate change adaptation and community health based programmes within 
national societies. It is essential that projects targeting vulnerable communities are supported by the development 
of public awareness programmes that deliver key messages on disaster management and risk management.  The 
International Federation will support national societies in this endeavour. 
 
The International Federation is an active participant in a number of formal and informal networks for disaster 
management, including climate change at the regional level.  These include the Pacific partnership for disaster 
risk management, the Pacific humanitarian team and the Pacific emergency management training and advisory 
group (PEMTAG). These networks facilitate coordination with humanitarian partners and provide an ideal platform 
for the International Federation to advocate with governments on a number of issues with a particular focus upon 
the work of the national Red Cross societies.  The International Federation will also use other avenues to 
advocate for the work of Red Cross in the region including the development of case studies promoting best 
practice examples from national societies. 
 
The disaster management forum is coordinated and organized by the International Federation with input from 
national societies across the region.  The disaster management forum receives significant financial support from 
AusAID through the Australian Red Cross’ Pacific disaster management partnership programme.  This forum has 
a number of functions including: ensuring that national societies are informed of emerging issues; providing 
national societies with the opportunity to share best practice and lessons learned and driving disaster 
management policy and making decisions on regional priorities. These regional meetings also provide 
opportunities for national societies to discuss the implications of and ways forward for meeting the commitments 
made by the International Federation at the global level. Such commitments include those made at the 2007 
International Conference, those made under the Hyogo Framework for Action and more recently through the 
Humanitarian Reform Process. In addition, the regional disaster management programme plans to continue to 
organize exchange support visits between national societies in the event of a disaster or for further training to 
increase the capacity of the national societies to respond to disasters rapidly and efficiently. 
 
b) Profile of target beneficiaries 
The intended beneficiaries of the programme are Pacific communities made vulnerable by their location in 
disaster-prone areas.  In addition the programme must also be responsive to the fact that the vulnerability of 
communities across the region can be exacerbated by a diverse range of factors that vary from country to country 
and even within countries including rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, poverty, climate risk, political 
instability and conflict.  
 
 

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9

c) Potential risks and challenges  
The scale of disasters and relatively small population sizes of Pacific island countries, compared to other regions, 
has resulted in limited interest in funding disaster management in the Pacific.  As a result there is little diversity in  
funding options within the region, outside a handful of traditional and long-time supporters of disaster 
management in the region who attempt to balance the need to direct funding to a number of stakeholders and 
partners as well as regional, national and community level initiatives.   This presents serious resource mobilization 
challenges for this programme. Other notable risks and challenges to the disaster management programme 
include the loss of skilled human resources, sizeable disasters that may overwhelm national societies and the 
difficulty in accessing remote areas due to the challenging geography of the region, which can make it difficult as 
well as costly to access remote and vulnerable communities. The International Federation recognizes that 
disasters are also a window of opportunity to improve skills and expertise of national society staff as well as the 
Red Cross profile with public authorities and the general public.  In order to address issues of capacity and limited 
resources, International Federation’s Pacific disaster management programme aims to encourage stronger 
partnerships and coordination between the national societies in the region and other governmental and non-
governmental organizations to support each other and increase capacity in the region. 

 

 

Health and Care 

a) The purpose and components of the programme 

Programme purpose  
Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies 

 
The health and care programme budget is CHF 608,342 for 2010 and CHF 608,342 for 2011. 
 

Programme component: HIV 
Component outcome 1: National societies have contributed to preventing further HIV infection in the region 
Component outcome 2: National societies have contributed to reducing stigma and discrimination against 
people living with HIV (PLHIV) 
Component outcome 3: National societies have contributed to blood safety in the region through the 
recruitment of voluntary non-remunerated blood donors 

 

Programme component: Community-based health and first aid 
Outcome 1: Enhanced capacity of the target communities to manage common ailments, and injuries through 
improved quality of national society commercial and community based health and first aid training and 
interventions 
Outcome 2: Improved preparedness and response mechanisms in societies and communities to better 
respond to public health emergencies and epidemics (or pandemics) of infectious diseases, especially 
Avian/Pandemic Influenza 
Outcome 3: Enhanced national society profile and scaled up health promotion and prevention  interventions in 
target communities 

 

Programme component: Capacity building  
Outcome 1: Enhanced capacity to plan, deliver and monitor effective health interventions, raise resources and 
form partnerships with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders 
 

 

Programme component: Communications and advocacy  
Outcome 1: Regional communications and advocacy campaign on one critical health issue developed and 
disseminated 

 
Over the period 2010-2011, under the first health and care programme component, the International Federation 
will continue to support Samoa, Cook Islands, Kiribati and Micronesia Red Cross Societies to reduce vulnerability 
to HIV and its impact through three programmatic outputs: preventing further infection; expanding care, treatment 
and support; reducing stigma and discrimination; and bolstered by a fourth enabling output, strengthening the 
capacities of societies to deliver and sustain scaled up programmes. 
 
These are interrelated objectives. Effective prevention requires the development of life skills and good information 
and social mobilization that will counter the stigma and discrimination which hampers access to treatment. In turn, 
effective treatment and care eases stigma and boosts prevention through, for example, motivating people to 
accept voluntary counselling and testing. People living with HIV and their families are a central focus as their 
interaction within society both contributes towards, and reflects the success of, our collective efforts.  

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10

 
A system of voluntary, regular non-remunerated blood donation is widely recognized as a critical factor in quality 
blood service delivery. Blood coming from family or replacement donors, and especially paid donors, is known to  
have a higher incidence and prevalence or transfusion-transmissible infections. Blood coming from a voluntary 
system is, in general, less likely to contain HIV, hepatitis B or harmful factors. In the Pacific, the International 
Federation will support five national societies (Micronesia, Samoa, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and the Cook 
Islands) to implement voluntary non-remunerated blood donor interventions. 
 
The International Federation is a leading first aid provider. It believes that first aid is a proven cost effective, safe 
and simple way to save lives during disasters and also in day-to-day emergencies. First aid remains a core 
activity for a majority of Pacific societies. The International Federation will support Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Solomon 
Island, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Micronesia, Samoa, Kiribati and the Cook Islands to update, harmonize and 
deliver first aid instructor training. With the ICRC, the International Federation will support the national societies of 
Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to incorporate “first aid in conflict” into their curriculum.  
 
Community-based health and first aid (CBHFA) is an integrated community-based approach in which RCRC 
volunteers work with their communities in disease prevention, health promotion, first and disaster preparedness 
and response. The goal of CBHFA is the creation of a healthy community. The International Federation aims to 
train seven national societies (Samoa, Micronesia, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji) in 
this approach and support them to plan and implement CBHFA in target communities.  
 
Chronic diseases are a major health priority in the region and can be addressed through CBHFA. Red Cross 
Societies in the Pacific can play an important role in recognizing the threat of chronic diseases, advocating for 
policy and environmental changes and influencing community and individual norms and behaviour.  The 
International Federation is seeking long term, multi-country funding for chronic disease interventions implemented 
through the CBHFA approach. 
 
Another area of focus will be water and sanitation interventions through CBHFA. The International Federation has 
developed, in collaboration with Fiji, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands and Vanuatu Red Cross Societies, a long 
term proposal for community-based water and sanitation activities in 50 villages.   
 
In the area of health in emergencies, the International Federation will provide technical support to the eleven 
societies to integrate health in emergencies and epidemic elements into their disaster management plans. The 
Federation will work with national societies to address the health needs of victims from rapid and slow onset 
disasters (floods, high winds, and climate change) and to be better prepared for the health consequences of 
emerging disease epidemics such as avian/pandemic influenza.  
 
b) Potential risks and challenges  
Potential risks include: personnel changes leading to loss of institutional memory, growth and gains as the 
majority of knowledge and learning are held by a very small pool of people; difficulty for national societies to 
maximize their potential to become self-sustaining; and the risk that the regional office is unable to resource the 
health and care work programme. To overcome some of these risks, the Pacific office will continue to promote 
peer to peer exchanges and to engage national society staff in regional activities in the hope that this will 
contribute to motivating them to remain in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement 
 

Organizational development/Capacity building 

a) The purpose and components of the programme 
The organizational development/capacity building programme budget for 2010 is CHF 221,547 and for 2011 is 
CHF 221,547 based on the Pacific secretaries general’ organizational development work group (ODWG) mapping 
which provides the Pacific national societies’ list of priorities. 
 

Programme purpose 
Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent 
situations of vulnerability 

 

Programme component 1: Tailor made organizational development and capacity building 
initiatives 
Outcome:  Organizational issues have been addressed in individual national societies through tailor-made 
organizational development and capacity building initiatives. 
Key activities  

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11

•

  National society local capacity development - Support in volunteering development in four national 

societies including peer support and from the Asia Pacific zone volunteering development and organizational 
development unit 

•

  National society human resources development - Leadership mentoring in three national societies 

•

  National society resource mobilization – Coaching in fundraising for four national societies and 

attendance of three national societies at the Asia Pacific resource mobilization and communications learning 
workshop in early 2010 

•

  National society finance management development - Support to two national societies 

•

  National society planning capacities development - Statute revision and strategic planning in two 

national societies through peer support and the Asia Pacific zone organizational development unit  

•

  National society legal base development – Support one national society in its formation with Asia Pacific 

zone organizational development unit and ICRC support 

•

  National society change management support - To Kiribati Red Cross Society through the Intensified 

Capacity Building (ICB) Fund 

Programme component 2: Integration with health and disaster management 
Outcome: Increased integration of organizational development and capacity building aspects within health and 
disaster management programmes. 
Key activities  
National society local capacity development 

•

  Participate in two regional disaster management and health forums (input in response to real time demand in 

areas including volunteer management, financial development, PMER, human resources’ management, 
systems and procedures) 

•

  Contribute to harmonization of support through the regional Secretaries General forum and Pacific 

secretaries general ODWG, quarterly Movement coordination meetings, internal office workshop and 
monthly technical delegate meetings 

National society planning capacities development  

•

  Develop consolidated national society plans with integrated programme approaches in at least four societies 

National society change management support 

•

  ‘Organizational development in emergencies’ pilot in 2010 (in event of emergency), applying lessons learned 

from previous emergency operations  

Programme component 3: Information sharing and knowledge management 
Outcome: Sharing of lessons learned, best practices, and skilled national society practitioners providing peer 
national society support in organizational development and capacity building across all Movement components 
in Asia Pacific. 
Key activities  

•

  Develop human resource database of Pacific individuals as part of the wider Asia Pacific zone organizational 

development and volunteering national society peer support database who are approachable for 
organizational development and capacity building support 

•

  Continue to develop best practices materials for shared document library of organizational development and 

capacity-building resources within the wider Asia Pacific organizational development and volunteering library 
concept  

•

  Three peer support missions on organizational development priorities identified by Pacific secretaries 

general ODWG 

•

  Two regional organizational development Pacific secretaries general working group meetings 

•

  Leadership development including coaching of two national society leaders by external institutions, 

supported by the Asia Pacific Zone organizational development unit 

•

  In consultation with the zone communications manager, develop communications and marketing materials 

on organizational development activities 

 

The Pacific organizational development programme has focused on volunteer management, financial 
management and governance for several years. Although these areas will remain for the 2010–2011 planning 
period, the means by which they will be achieved will change.  
  
Regional volunteer management training was last provided in 2006.  As volunteer management continues to be 
identified by national societies as the highest priority in organizational development, a workshop on volunteering 
development was held in the second half of 2008.  This workshop followed up and built on training provided in 
2006, and on national society commitments to volunteer management made at previous partnership meetings.  In 
2009 and 2010, the emphasis will be on tailor-made support to five national societies (Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, 
Solomon Islands and Fiji) to progress their volunteering development in the areas identified by the societies at the 
2008 workshop. There will be a focus on ‘learning by doing’ for the human resource aspects of volunteer 

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12

management as the workshop learning becomes integrated into national, regional and global alliances, disaster 
management and risk reduction programmes. In 2010, progress will be evaluated with a view to establishing a 
core group of skilled individuals that can be further trained to assist other national societies with their volunteering 
development within the wider Asia Pacific zone peer practitioner database as well. 
 
In 2006 and 2007, a dedicated finance development officer worked from the International Federation’s Pacific 
office to provide tailored assistance to four national societies. While the need for financial development continues, 
standards within the region have generally improved. Emphasis will shift towards offering intensive short finance 
development capacity building missions by Movement and external consultants, followed by monitoring improved 
financial management systems, while continuing to assist national societies in general with financial development, 
particularly through facilitating relationships with in-country support networks.  
 
Financial systems that are now in place within most Pacific national societies provide a foundation for the 
development of resource mobilization skills within the region, an area in which national societies have expressed 
a need.  Fundraiser training has been provided in various forums and in various ways such as sending individuals 
to the Skillshare training which provides fundraiser training to national society secretaries general as well as 
providing tailored training within specific national societies. Qualitative feedback suggests that the benefits of 
International Federation intervention have been limited. In 2010, there will be a regional evaluation of the 
interventions and outcomes.  Based on information from this evaluation, a targeted development programme for 
resource mobilization will be developed.  
 
The area previously referred to as governance will be broadened to leadership to incorporate the areas of both 
governance and management. The Pacific has a number of national society Board members trained in 2005 to 
provide governance training. The instigation of this project was well received and as well as providing training to 
their own Board, in several cases national societies have provided peer support to other Pacific societies in 
governance training. However, the utilization of national society governance trainers has not been as wholesale 
as intended, though governance development remains an area of need and governance trainers express their 
availability.    As a part of the 2005 governance training a series of governance modules relevant to the Pacific 
was developed.  The process of updating these has begun and will continue into the coming planning period with 
a new national society-led initiative having been agreed in August 2009 to develop a new pool of national society 
trainers supporting targeted training and coaching in selected national societies each year. 
 

During the planning phase for this 2010-2011 plan, discussions were held with the other International Federation 
regional programmes to establish how best to integrate regional plans. To enhance the uptake of organizational 
development, tailored support will be further integrated into disaster and health programmes to ensure that 
opportunities for organizational development are utilized.  For example, finance development assistance will form 
a part of the learning and input into the HIV and risk reduction programmes, and human resource development in 
Kiribati where, proportionally, the largest programme expansion is planned. 
 
Within the regional office capacity building and organizational development will be strengthened across 
programmes through a series of in-house training and through action learning sets. 

 
Strengthening partnerships and coordination both within the Movement and with external organizations will 
underpin work throughout this plan period.  This will occur through: 

•

 

Facilitation of methods to share knowledge and skills between individual national societies.  

•

 

Ongoing collaboration with the Pacific organizational development working group. The group will advise the 
International Federation to provide support in preparing and achieving annual objectives in organizational 
development and to increase the organisational capacity of national societies in the region.   

•

 

Improved utilization of regional Movement coordination meetings. 

•

  Assessment of potential to coordinate with larger external regional or global organizations to meet the 

regional needs of Pacific national societies and the vulnerable communities within these countries. 

•

 

Piloting the “new organizational development approach” developed in the Asia Pacific zone in one national 
society per year to build sustainable communities through sustainable institutional characteristics. 

 
b) Profile of target beneficiaries 
Direct beneficiaries of this programme are volunteers and staff of Pacific national societies. The purpose of 
enhancing capacity of national societies is to enhance the scale and/or effectiveness of service delivery to 
vulnerable men, women and children. 
 
c) Potential risks and challenges  
Potential risks include: personnel changes leading to loss of institutional memory, growth and gains as the 
majority of knowledge and learning are held by a very small pool of people; difficulty for national societies to 

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13

maximize their potential to become self-sustaining; and the risk that the regional office is unable to resource the 
organizational development work programme. 

 
Principles and values 

a) The purpose and components of the programme

 

Programme purpose 
Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion and promote respect for diversity and human dignity 

 

Programme component 1: Promotion of humanitarian values and Fundamental Principles  
Outcome 1: Enhancing understanding and sharing of best practices  

•

 

Collect and share best practices to feed into the zone for dissemination  

•

 

Promote new policy and guideline developments to national society leadership 

Outcome 2: Capacity-building in principles and values/gender of national societies’ staff and volunteers  

•

 

Distribute global modules to improve existing dissemination and training of staff, volunteers, youth, and 
governance 

Outcome 3: Raising public awareness with a view to changing behaviour in society 

•

  Disseminate existing humanitarian values sensitization and campaign materials for use by national 

societies  

Outcome 4: Advocacy and international representation  

•

 

Support societies to take on more focused humanitarian diplomacy work to influence decision makers 
to take into consideration the interests of the most vulnerable 

Programme component 2: Integration of humanitarian values and gender into operational 
disaster management and health programming 
Outcome 1: Further development of tools and mechanisms to enhance principles and values-based 
programming  

•

 

Work with Fiji and Solomon Islands Red Cross to share their learning from the gender and disaster 
management workshop in 2009, with other Pacific societies 

•

 

Integrate principles and values into disaster management programmes to strengthen equity and non-
discrimination by enhanced participation of the vulnerable, efficient beneficiary selection, culturally 
sensitive operations, and beneficiary accountability 

•

  Coordinate with zone health and in particular HIV global alliance programmes to disseminate best 

practices in non-discrimination and principles and values work 

Outcome 2: Further development of gender requirements or materials into programming  

•

 

Disseminate the globally developed gender requirements into programming guidelines (2009) 

•

 

Liaise with the Solomon Islands secretary general as the gender focal point for the Pacific to define 
best ways for promoting the integration of gender in programming  

Programme component 3: Anti-discrimination and violence prevention/reduction 
programmes 
Outcome: Mapping of national society programmes which target discrimination, marginalization or exclusion of 
communities who fall outside the traditional health and disaster management programme areas 

•

 

Promote more effective programmes aimed at prevention/ response to discrimination/violence, uplifting 
and empowerment of vulnerable groups. 

•

 

Exchange of information and identification of good practices between national societies and at zone 
level 

•

  In consultation with the zone communications manager, develop communications and marketing 

materials on activities related to principles and values 

 

b) Profile of target audience and final beneficiaries 
The key target audiences will be leaders and programme managers of national societies, International Federation 
core programme delegates and managers, and communications personnel. The key recipients of the 
dissemination materials and shared best practices will also include volunteers, members, and staff of the national 
Societies of the zone. 
 
c) Potential risks and challenges  
Potential risks include: personnel changes leading to loss of institutional memory, growth and gains as the 
majority of knowledge and learning are held by a very small pool of people and the risk that the regional office is 
unable to resource humanitarian values and principles activities.

 

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14

International disaster response laws, rules and principles (IDRL)

 

 

In 2010-2011, the International Federation’s IDRL programme will continue to fulfil its mandate from the 30

th

 

International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to disseminate and promote the use of the 
guidelines for the domestic facilitation and regulation of international disaster relief and initial recovery assistance 
(“IDRL Guidelines”), in order to reduce unnecessary restrictions, delays and expenses in international disaster 
relief operations and to increase their quality, coordination and complement domestic efforts.  It will also assist 
national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to build their capacity and knowledge of legal issues in disaster 
management (both international and national) to enable them to provide more effective advice to their 
governments, consistent with their humanitarian mandates and auxiliary roles.   
 
The IDRL Pacific programme, as a part of the IDRL Asia Pacific unit and in accordance with the global 
programme objectives it will act in three main areas:   
 

•

  Cooperating with national societies to provide technical assistance to governments on implementing the 

guidelines, through country-level technical assistance projects and the development of a detailed handbook 
and model legislation;  

 

•

 

Building the capacity of national societies, International Federation staff and humanitarian partners to promote 
and use the guidelines and related international instruments through the finalization of an advocacy manual, 
training workshops and other materials; and  

 

•

  Disseminating and promoting the guidelines and related instruments with governments, humanitarian 

partners, and inter-governmental organizations as well as fostering new collaborative research on domestic 
legislative issues in disaster management designed to strengthen the Movement’s approach to disaster risk 
reduction in applicable law.   

 
A dedicated Pacific IDRL delegate was posted to the regional office in January 2009. In the initial months of the 
IDRL Pacific programme, the work focused on dissemination of the IDRL guidelines, including initial preparations 
for in-country trainings. Mid 2009, a regional IDRL training workshop for all Pacific national societies was 
conducted, together with a consultancy on the legislative advocacy manual. The programme has also contributed 
to meetings and regional events of the Pacific Applied Geosciences Commission (SOPAC) and the OCHA-led 
Pacific humanitarian team (PHT), including the PHT contingency planning workshops. The IDRL delegate also 
participated in the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) assessment mission to Papua 
New Guinea, providing technical input on IDRL matters.  Also in 2009, preliminary discussions on IDRL technical 
assistance were initiated with authorities in Kiribati together with the national society,  and three others have taken 
steps to explore how best to introduce the concept within their countries.  
 
A key challenge for the newly established IDRL Pacific programme has been to introduce a new concept and 
programme to the national societies and the region as a whole.  
 

Programme component  1:  Technical assistance to governments 

•

 

Outcome:  Policy-makers understand and make use of the IDRL guidelines to strengthen legal and policy 
frameworks for disaster response. 

 
In the Pacific, this will be achieved through undertaking two to three IDRL technical assistance projects which will 
advise interested governments on ways to enhance legal preparedness for international disaster assistance and 
make optimal use of the IDRL guidelines in their national contexts. The IDRL Pacific programme will also 
contribute towards the development of an IDRL handbook.  
 

Programme component  2:  Training and capacity building 
Outcome:  Interested national societies and humanitarian partners are empowered to advocate for 
strengthened legal frameworks for disaster response. 

 
The IDRL Pacific programme will contribute towards the development of a capacity-building manual for national  

Programme purpose

 

 

The International Federation’s international disaster response laws, rules and principles (IDRL) programme 
seeks to reduce human vulnerability by promoting legal preparedness for disasters.  

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

15

societies, in line with the wider Asia Pacific zone initiatives, and will organise once a year regional legislative 
advocacy training events for national societies. Additionally the programme will provide training annually on legal 
issues in disaster/health emergency management to two or three national societies, Federation personnel and 
humanitarian partners. 
 

Programme component  3:  Dissemination, advocacy and research 
Outcome:  The IDRL guidelines are well known, partnerships are developed and the knowledge base of the 
Movement on legal issues in disaster response is deepened. 

 
The IDRL Pacific programme will disseminate the guidelines and accompanying information and assist Federation 
personnel and national societies in the region to do the same.  Opportunities will be seized to make introductory 
presentations on the guidelines at appropriate national and regional meetings and conferences.  The programme 
will also advocate for legal preparedness at regional, highlighting the usefulness of the IDRL guidelines will 
continue and intensify partnerships with the UN, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and 
research institutions. It will also foster the development of academic interest and a regional pool of expert 
networks within the region in order to generate more ideas and energy toward finding to solutions IDRL issues. 
 

Role of the secretariat 

 

The Pacific regional office’s budget for its coordination role in 2010 is CHF 80,000 and for 2011 is CHF 80,000 

 

Secretariat support is available to the Pacific region through the International Federation’s regional office in Suva, 
Fiji. The regional office is represented by a head of office and regional delegates in disaster management, 
disaster risk reduction, health and care and international disaster response laws, rules and principles (IDRL). The 
organizational development delegate position was replaced with a programme coordinator to better promote 
integration of programmes and more effective support to the national societies in the region. Furthermore, a 
mapping of existing programmes and resources available in the region was created to identify specific needs and 
ensure an integrated Movement support plan to address these needs as identified by the respective national 
societies. 
 
Further support is made available through the Asia Pacific Zone office based in Kuala Lumpur, with additional 
technical skills made available in all core programmes in addition to logistics, security, finance, human resources, 
planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PMER) and IDRL. 
 
Core programme integration is essential and examples of integration efforts taken by the regional office include 
incorporating public health in emergencies in the recently held regional disaster response team training, as well 
as combining disaster risk reduction and health and care in water and sanitation activities. The 2009 mapping of 
Pacific national societies programme profiles and Movement partner support will be used to enhance integrated 
programming approaches. 
 
The recently awarded Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria grant towards the health and care 
programme also includes a component in PMER, coordinated with the organizational/capacity development 
programme and further supported by the PMER unit in Kuala Lumpur. The principles and humanitarian values of 
the Movement are also included in all programmes and activities. 
 
a) Technical programme support 
Disaster management 
The Federation’s Pacific regional office’s disaster management team is staffed by a regional disaster 
management coordinator and a disaster risk reduction delegate. Both delegates will offer technical input and 
support to the national societies in the region in scaling up disaster preparedness and response capabilities. In 
addition, both delegates will also help coordinate collaboration and partnerships among the national societies in 
the region as well as with external partners in the region. 
 
Health and care 
The Pacific regional health delegate will support regional national societies’ HIV and CBHFA programme 
interventions through funding from the Global Fund. Support will also be provided through technical inputs in 
developing and implementing national society health strategic plans, strengthening national society monitoring 
and evaluation systems, trainings etc. 
 
 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

16

Organizational development 
Aligned with the Asia Pacific zone and regional offices, the organizational development framework for technical 
support will include tailored support to specific national societies, integration of organizational development with 
health and disaster management programmes and the promotion of knowledge sharing. 
 
Coordination of assisted input from beyond the region, particularly from the Asia Pacific zone office, is likely to 
focus in the areas of volunteering development, in-depth evaluations, long term change management and 
occasions where an external neutral input is valued, as well as for strategically important regional events. In 
addition, communications support is provided as needed by New Zealand Red Cross. 
 
b) Humanitarian diplomacy 
In line with the new priorities of Strategy 2020, humanitarian diplomacy will be a high priority in the Asia 
Pacific zone and the regions. Humanitarian diplomacy is persuading decision makers and opinion 
leaders to act, at all times, in the interests of vulnerable people, and with full respect for fundamental 
humanitarian principles. Humanitarian diplomacy is a tool to enhance and further develop the work of 
national societies and the International Federation.  The International Federation Humanitarian 
Diplomacy Policy, which was adopted in May 2009 by the International Federation’s Governing Board, 
is an overarching policy which recognizes that our diplomacy involves all aspects of our work and is 
exercised in different ways as required by the objective: advocacy, negotiation, communication, formal 
agreements, fundraising and other measures. 
 
In the Asia Pacific zone, our ambition is to develop existing and new relations with a number of major 
international and regional organizations and key governments active in the humanitarian field. The goal 
of the work is to ensure that agreements and partnerships with such organizations realize their 
operational potential, adding real value for national societies and the International Federation and their 
programmes.  It also supports the strengthening of national society capacity to use their auxiliary role 
for the benefit of vulnerable people.  Humanitarian diplomacy also improves our overall humanitarian 
access, maintains humanitarian space for national societies and the International Federation and 
strengthens the ability of national societies to pursue their own national objectives.  
 
In the Pacific region, humanitarian diplomacy will be given high priority both in terms of strengthening 
new partnerships, promoting the humanitarian agenda, including principles and values and in 
strengthening the auxiliary role and advocacy of the national society. More details are given below 
under partnership development and representation and advocacy. 
 
c) Partnership development and coordination  
The International Federation Pacific office is fully committed to its specific role in facilitating cooperation between 
the Red Cross components in the region. In 2010 this will include: 
 

•

 

coordinating regional and country based strategic planning,  

•

  ensuring that national society capacity building opportunities in disaster management and health-related 

programmes are maximized 

•

 

ensuring that programmes reinforce good volunteer management principles and practices  

•

 

facilitating the development of a consolidated disaster management framework with the aim of mapping and 
more fully utilizing disaster management capacities which exist in the region 

•

 

facilitating regional humanitarian diplomacy and communication initiatives,  

•

 

promoting and supporting regional networks including the disaster management officers network, disaster 
management forum and disaster management advisory group, health officers network and the health 
working group, the Pacific organizational development working group and the leaders’ forum) 

•

 

promoting and support peer to peer exchanges, 

•

 

facilitating partnerships and joint work with other regional organizations (SOPAC, South Pacific Forum, UN 
agencies, WHO, SPC)  

•

 

participating in the Pacific humanitarian action team (PHT) process,   

•

 

establishing updated national society profiles, 

•

 

maintaining a roster of all travel plans of Movement members in the region on a monthly basis 

•

 

promoting the sharing of information through a monthly email open to input from all Red Cross actors (The 
Pacific monthly), and  

•

 

updating the FedNet Pacific website and promoting the use of sharepoint. 

 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

17

In 2009, the Pacific regional office engaged Red Cross Red Crescent partners in a common analysis of combined 
cooperation work and started the process of updating the Movement strategy in the region. Further work will be 
needed in 2010 to finalize this process and to start implementing this consolidated strategy. The outcomes from 
this ongoing strategic planning process may result in some changes to International Federation’s 2010-2011 plan. 
Any revisions will be reflected in the programme update which will be issued in June 2010.  
 
Disaster management 
The regional disaster management team will continue to work closely with partners, both from within the Red 
Cross Red Crescent Movement, including the Australian, New Zealand and Japanese Red Cross societies and 
the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Change Centre based in the Netherlands, as well as external regional 
organizations such the South Pacific Applied Secretariat of the Pacific Community Geoscience (SOPAC), 
Worldwide Fund for Nature and the Asia Foundation, to find ways to reduce the impact of disasters on targeted 
communities.  
 
Health and care 
The Pacific regional office will seek to mobilize financial and technical resources by fostering partnerships with 
Movement and non-Movement partners in the region to support national societies’ health programme. The Pacific 
regional office will strive for regular communication, sharing of information/ideas, sharing resources, joint planning 
where applicable with major movement partners. In addition regional health unit will also work in close 
coordination with regional disaster management and organizational development units and implement joint 
activities in relevant areas. 
 
The regional health coordinator will work in close collaboration with Australian and New Zealand Red Cross and 
the ICRC on the Pacific community-based health programme. Support to the national societies in the region 
include Pacific first aid trainings, conducting first aid audits, monitoring and supporting the regional HIV 
programme (as part of the Global Alliance on HIV) and strengthening other community-based health and first aid 
interventions as identified under the programme. In addition, the regional office will continue to liaise with other 
Federation partners who support the health and care programme, including the American and Japanese Red 
Cross societies. 

 

 

Organizational development 
The Pacific regional office will continue to encourage and support national societies to share their knowledge and 
abilities with other national societies through inter-society training and shared ideas and experiences. Additional 
regional support will also be geared towards assisting national societies develop relationships with available in-
country support providers such as local associations of non-government organizations and other local providers in 
management training and assistance, such as local research institutes, universities and technical colleges. 
 
The regional organizational development programme will also facilitate support between strategically important 
regional Movement partners such as the Australian Red Cross, the American Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross, 
New Zealand Red Cross, the ICRC, and Pacific national societies. Furthermore, the regional office will coordinate 
with New Zealand Red Cross on the development of regional leadership development within Pacific national 
societies and help national societies develop regional funding proposals to access Federation organizational 
development initiatives such as the capacity building and intensified capacity building funds. In addition, the 
regional office will assess opportunities to forge beneficial relationships with appropriate external agencies. 
 
d) Representation and advocacy  
Disaster management 
The Pacific regional office participates in many regional initiatives which deal with disaster management, disaster 
risk reduction and climate change, playing an active role in the disaster management forum that includes the 
South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), UN agencies and the University of the South Pacific. 
Other trainings and partnerships are carried out with organizations such as the Asia Foundation (TAFOFDA), the 
World Wide Fund for Nature and the Fiji School of Medicine. The Netherlands Red Cross Climate Centre has 
been an invaluable partner, lending to the regional office a technical credibility which has benefited all Red Cross 
Red Crescent actors in the Pacific. 
 
Health and care 
The Pacific regional office is a member of the regional country coordination mechanism for the Global Fund and 
has been successful in getting its regional HIV proposal approved by the Global Fund for the period 2008-13, to 
be implemented by four national societies – Kiribati, Cook Islands, Samoa and the Federated States of 
Micronesia. The Pacific regional office has also established contacts with the World Health Organization and 
Secretariat for Pacific Communities (SPC) and will work together with both organizations on interventions aimed 
at chronic disease risk factors, avian/pandemic influenza and infectious diseases.  This will be done through 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

18

regular meetings, communications, joint trainings at country level and sharing of resources. In addition, the 
International Federation will also join these (and other regional partners) on relevant regional and national 
advocacy issues. 
 
Organizational development

 

The Pacific regional office will continue to support national societies in their advocacy with government and 
communities as requested, for example, in assisting to clarify the auxiliary role through statute development and 
methodologies that can be used in sharing information about the fundamental principles.   
 
Support will also be provided to national societies to enhance their advocacy skills through development of 
leadership and resource mobilization skills. 
 
e) Other areas 
The Pacific health programme will lay ample emphasis on monitoring and evaluations. As part of its capacity 
building initiatives, the Pacific regional office will follow up regularly on the regional/national-level monitoring and 
evaluations training for national society participants conducted in February 2009. In addition, considering the lack 
of a robust monitoring and evaluations system in all national societies and their geographical diversity and 
challenges which render data collection difficult, non-formal ways of project monitoring and evaluations will also 
be encouraged to supplement information from the formal reports. A new system of informal qualitative reporting 
called ‘Most Significant Change’ stories will be piloted and national societies will be encouraged to send relevant 
stories of individuals from the community who have benefited in a significant way from the respective national 
society’s health programme. 
 

Promoting gender equity and diversity 

 

All programmes supported by the regional office will strive to be gender equitable. The stress will be on 
community based planning that will help identify some gender issues which will be reflected in the national 
societies’ action plans. The Solomon Islands secretary general has agreed to play the role of gender focal point 
and as such will continue to advocate for gender-sensitive programming and organizational development 
approaches. 
 
National societies are encouraged to consider how they can internalize concepts of gender equity and diversity 
within their organizations and how they can encourage communities to be aware of gender issues in their 
communities. The former shall occur through revision and development of statutes and strategic plans and the 
latter through programmatic action planning and community based planning.  All will be monitored for 
implementation and effectiveness.   
 
In health and care, focus will be on community based planning that will help identify some gender issues which 
will be reflected in the national societies’ action plans. 
 

Quality, accountability and learning 

 

To better coordinate and promote regional ways of working, including sharing best practices, the regional office 
plans to work with the national societies to set up a Pacific health steering committee in 2010. The committee 
shall provide programme planning, implementation and monitoring directions to all national society health 
programmes and ensure that adequate quality standards of health programming are met in the region. It is hoped 
that health interventions at country-level are implemented using the community-based health and first aid 
approach with support from the Pacific regional office. 
 
Following the successful implementation of the disaster management forum, an organizational development 
forum has been established in 2009 to enhance coordination and learning through the organizational 
development programme. Furthermore, greater emphasis will be placed on developing or making use of current 
opportunities for national societies to share their experiences and lessons learnt in organizational development. 
This shall occur through regional forums, sharing national society newsletters, the development of fact sheets and 
enhanced harmonization through the regional disaster management, health and organizational development 
programmes. 
 
 
 
 
 

Pacific (MAA55001), 2010 – 2011 Plan 

 

 
 

19

How we work   

The International Federation’s 
activities are aligned with its Global 
Agenda, which sets out four broad 
goals to meet the Federation's 
mission to "improve the lives of 
vulnerable people by mobilizing the 
power of humanity". 

Global Agenda Goals: 

•

  Reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact from 

disasters. 

•

  Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from 

diseases and public health emergencies. 

•

 

Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross

 

Red 

Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of 
vulnerability. 

•

 

Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion and 
promote

 

respect for diversity and human dignity. 

Contact information  

For further information specifically related to this appeal, please contact: 
 
In Suva: Pacific regional office, phone: +679.331.1855; fax: +679.331.1406 

•

 

Aurélia Balpe, Head of regional office, email: 

aurelia.balpe@ifrc.org

 

•

 

Mukesh Singh, programme coordinator, email:

 mukesh.singh@ifrc.org

 

•

 

Muhammad Khalid, health and care delegate; email: 

muhammad.khalid@ifrc.org

 

•

 

Ruth Lane, disaster risk reduction delegate; email: 

ruth.lane@ifrc.org

 

•

 

Helga-Bara Brogadottir, IDRL delegate, email: 

helgabara.brogadottir@ifrc.org

  

 
In Kuala Lumpur: Asia Pacific zone office, phone: +60 3 9207 5700; fax + 603 2161 0670 

•

  Jagan Chapagain, Deputy Head of zone; email:  

jagan.chapagain@ifrc.org

 

•

  Penny Elghady, Resource mobilization and planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting 

coordinator; email: 

penny.elghady@ifrc.org

 

 
For pledges of funding, please email: zone

rm.asiapacific@ifrc.org

  

 

<map below; click to return to title page>

 

Budget 2010 - 2011

MAA55001 - Pacific region

Budget  2010

Disaster

Management

Health and

Care

Capacity

Building

Principles and

Values

Coordination

Total

Supplies

190,073

190,073

Land, vehicles & equipment

20,000

9,000

29,000

Transport & Storage

26,530

26,530

Personnel

248,882

126,200

85,000

3,150

463,232

Workshops & Training

215,420

200,029

103,246

26,000

544,695

General Expenditure

104,818

58,448

18,900

36,650

218,816

Depreciation

Contributions & Transfers

184,123

184,123

Programme Support

56,227

39,542

14,401

5,200

115,370

Services

Contingency

Total Budget 2010

861,950

608,342

221,547

80,000

1,771,839

All figures are in Swiss Francs (CHF)

Budget  2011

Disaster

Management

Health and

Care

Capacity

Building

Principles and

Values

Coordination

Total

Supplies

190,073

190,073

Land, vehicles & equipment

20,000

9,000

29,000

Transport & Storage

26,330

26,330

Personnel

248,882

126,200

85,000

3,150

463,232

Workshops & Training

215,420

200,029

103,246

26,000

544,695

General Expenditure

104,818

58,448

18,900

36,650

218,816

Depreciation

Contributions & Transfers

184,123

184,123

Programme Support

56,427

39,542

14,401

5,200

115,570

Services

Contingency

Total Budget 2011

861,950

608,342

221,547

80,000

1,771,839

All figures are in Swiss Francs (CHF)

Prepared on 14-Oct-09

Australia

Papua New Guinea

New Zealand

Fiji

New Caledonia

Vanuatu

Solomon Islands

Samoa

Guam

French Polynesia

K

i

r

i

b

a

t

i

Palau

Niue

Tonga

Federated States of Micronesia

American Samoa

Tokelau

Wallis & Futuna

Northern Mariana Islands

Nauru

Norfolk Island

Pitcairn Islands

Tuvalu

Marshall Islands

C

ook

 I

sl

ands

Suva

The maps used do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or National Societies concerning the legal status of a territory or of its authorities.

Map data sources: ESRI, DEVINFO, International Federation, SOUTHPACIFIC.mxd

South Pacific

 

Regional office

National Societies

American Red Cross chapters

French Red Cross chapters

0

2’000

1’000

km

!

I

Document Outline

• MAA5500110pb.pdf
  • Annual Appeal Budget
    • 2010
    • 2011