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Zone Secretariat Plan 2008-2009

Red Cross entity Americas Zone Programme name & duration Americas Zone Membership Services, Planning 2008-2009 Contact Persons Jose Garcia-Lozano, Head of Zone

Xavier Castellanos, Deputy Head of Zone Executive summary The newly-established Americas Zone seeks to provide all possible and relevant support to 35 Red Cross Societies of the Americas with an aim to increase their capacities, skills and tools; to assist them in reaching a greater number of people living in conditions of high vulnerability and risk; to enhance their work in strengthening community livelihoods and resilience, and to be present where and when needs are greatest and the Red Cross can make a difference. The reference for the activities of the Americas Zone is the Guayaquil Plan of Action 2007 – 2011approved during the Inter American Conference of the Red Cross, which contributes to the implementation of the Federation’s Strategy 2010 and the delivery of the four Global Agenda Goals. A key element for the new operating model in the Americas is - and will continue to be - the encouragement of flexible working approaches that include innovative ways to best use the core competencies and resources of National Societies (NS). There will also be an aim to increase the effectiveness of membership related services provided to National Societies through exploring new forms of cooperation and coordination designed to scale up resources and impact of programming. Greater emphasis will be placed on ensuring high-quality services in key areas such as strategic planning, governance support, coordination of capacity building and representation of the Federation’s network internationally. The development of the concept of “thematic holders” will allow for a concentrated focus on filling the gaps to reduce vulnerability conditions. Such concept will be promoted amongst the membership of the Continent and other pertinent National Societies. The Americas Zone will also contribute to maintaining the overall capacity for effective disaster response, through the services offered by the Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU). To show leadership in its fields of expertise, the Americas Zone will also strive to demonstrate the benefits of working as a Federation, and how advocacy and actions contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015, the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and other global efforts to reduce poverty and inequity and promote sustainable human development. In order to effectively provide this governance and technical support to Red Cross Societies in Central and North America, South America and the Caribbean, the Federation Secretariat’s Americas Zone requires CHF 10,911,811 for 2008 and CHF 9,956,654 for 2009 in funding and human resources, to be distributed across the continent according to plans. The main challenge faced by the Zone during the 2008-2009 period is the attainment of an adequate level of funding for its plans. While traditional cooperation funds seem diminishing for the Americas under the rationale that the continent has positive economic indicators, the highest inequity index of the world is inherent to this region. More efficient mechanisms of coordination and facilitation of Red Cross cooperation within the Zone are needed, in order to set the scene for joint identification of new opportunities of accessing medium and long-term funds.

The establishment of the new Zone structure reinforces the team approach in the continent: the provision of membership services to the National Societies will be jointly provided by the Americas Zone Office, Regional Representation Offices, Federation Representation and/or Country Offices. This structure will be revised regularly in close consultation with the membership and their needs. Innovative options will be analyzed within the zone to identify capacities and potential for specific programmes or services, with the involvement of the extensive Red Cross network. Context Poverty, inequality and the challenge of social cohesion The main challenge for social development and democratic governance in the Americas is to reduce inequity and to face the dynamics that discriminate and exclude by reason of ethnic origin, gender, place of residence and other similar factors. These realities fracture societies, constitute an impediment to social cohesion and generate an increase in vulnerability and risk factors that are a threat to the lives of millions of people. The challenges faced by development in the Americas will not disappear as long as the causes persist: poverty, significant levels of inequity and access to basic services, an inadequate distribution of land and use of soil and natural resources, the lack of employment opportunities for adults that causes their insertion into informal economy, inadequate social protection and economic and social practices that are contrary to sustainable development. After the financial internal and external crisis of the late nineties, there has been a good economic growth (average growth 4.5 percent) between 2003 and 2007 that could be considered as the best economic performance in the last 25 years. However, macro economical data should be considered carefully when assessing the vulnerabilities and capacities of the Americas. Economic growth has been lower than in other of the world’s developing regions – i.e. Asia – and has a fragile foundation. Economy is still very vulnerable to any changes and recessions in the international scene; there have been no major changes in production models and income relies still too much on a model of primary product exports, low cost labour and not very demanding tax system; there are important challenges in commercial systems and treaties (as preference rules to some products from both Latin America and the Caribbean are coming to an end) The high vulnerability of the economies of the Caribbean should be taken into account. Though the domestic product per inhabitant is 16 percent higher now than it was in the 80s poverty rates are similar, which shows that economic growth has not translated into a better distribution of income. In 2006, of the 550 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean, 205 million were living in poverty, of which 79 million in extreme poverty or homelessness. There are important differences between regions and countries regarding poverty rates and reduction of poverty. In Uruguay and Chile the poverty rate is lower than 20 percent, but in Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Peru it exceeds 50 percent and in Honduras it has reached 75 percent. Clear data about poverty rates in Haiti is not available, but the situation is much more dramatic. There have been good advances in poverty reduction in countries like Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, which contrasts with an increase in poverty rates in countries like Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Uruguay. Latin America and the Caribbean take dubious credit for having the worst wealth distribution indicators in the World, with thirteen countries showing very high levels of inequality (Gini coefficient greater than 0.50). The highest levels (Gini coefficient greater than 0.58) are registered in Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras and Colombia. Between 1990 and 2005 there was an increase in inequity in Argentina, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Venezuela. The uneven distribution of income reflects deep differences in access to

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the different income-generating and social mobility assets – such as education and knowledge, technology, capital and land – and to the fiscal income and expense structure (more details further ahead). Inequality is to a great extent due to discrimination and exclusion factors as gender or ethnic group; there is a higher percentage of households led by women living in extreme poverty and the incidence of poverty is double in indigenous groups than in “mestizo” groups. The open unemployment rate saw an increase from 6 percent to 9, 1 percent between 1990 and 2002. This rate is higher amongst women and youth. Unemployment also affects the poorest, amongst whom the unemployment rate is almost three times as high as the average; the homeless are four times as affected. It is important to highlight that there is a high percentage of informal employment and the quality of available employment is very poor. In the Caribbean, unemployment rates are higher than in the rest of the continent - more than 10 percent in most cases – which reflects the crisis faced by the countries’ traditional exports (plantain, sugar and others). According to data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), more than 17 million boys and girls under 15 worked in Latin America in 2002. Brazil was at the time the country with the highest prevalence – close to 7 million children. Of the regional total, 70 percent were employed in agriculture. Nevertheless, towards 2004 the number of working boys and girls had gone down to 6 million. Violence and security Along with unemployment, safety has become one of the biggest concerns for Latin American citizens. Criminality rates in the region – particularly high in some countries - are amongst the highest in the world, and it is estimated that around 40 percent of the world’s most violent crimes take place in this region. Risk –natural hazards and new factors of vulnerability The geographical characteristics of the continent show an extremely rich diversity as well as a very high vulnerability to natural hazards. In South America, the pacific coast is an area dramatically exposed to seismic and volcanic activity. The Andean highs, densely populated in Bolivia and Ecuador, have major cities and important concentrations of population settled in the very active and fertile volcanic cones. In the tropical region, Venezuela and Colombia are frequently affected by hurricanes and Brazil and Peru by heavy rains. In the plains of the Atlantic, episodes of floods and droughts are common. There are also desert zones in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, with extreme temperatures and flash floods that frequently affect the population. Central America’s major cities tend to lie in high risk areas prone to natural hazards, which increases the vulnerability of the populations. All Central American countries are vulnerable to hurricanes, flooding and mudslides and some countries like Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala are subject to strong volcanic and seismic activity. The Caribbean region is highly vulnerable to the extremes of weather and is commonly hard-hit by hurricanes, having experienced exceptional destruction from these in the past few years. The Caribbean islands also lie in an active seismic zone and often suffer from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. In general, the Americas have seen great growth of urban population with unplanned housing development which has resulted in an increase in the number and volume of illegal and informal settlements, proliferation of slums, worsening of housing conditions, overcrowded households and greater pressure on education, health, sanitation, transportation and recreation services. Besides social cohesion challenges, these urban settlements raise in many cases new patterns of vulnerability towards natural hazards.

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There are several megalopolis in the continent characterized by high population density, such as Sao Paulo (20,3 million), Mexico City (19,2 million), Buenos Aires (13,5 million), Rio de Janeiro (12,2 million), Bogota (8,3 million), Lima (8,1 million) and Santiago de Chile (5,9 million). According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe – CEPAL), by 2010-2015 all countries except Belize will have more than 50 percent of the population living in cities. It is estimated that in 2001 there were 128 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean in living in precarious dwellings. The countries where more than half of the urban population lives in hovels are Haiti (86 percent), Nicaragua (81 percent), Peru (68 percent), Belize (62 percent), Guatemala (62 percent), and Bolivia (61 percent). There has been an increase since the nineties of the population settled in the so-called cities of misery, “favelas”, lost cities or shanty towns. The Brazilian favelas alone are home to 6,5 million people, and the misery cities in the suburbs of Buenos Aires have 1,3 million inhabitants in overcrowded and precarious conditions. As regards natural resources, the region continues to lose forest cover. Between 1990 and 2000 the surface covered by forests decreased from 49 to 46, 7 percent of the total. The greatest dips were registered in Ecuador and Haiti, although a significant deforestation rate has been seen in Mesoamerica, namely Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. In the Caribbean – amongst the countries for which data is available – deforestation is galloping in Dominica, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. Although Latin America and the Caribbean account only for 5 - 6 percent of the total emissions of greenhouse gases, the effects of climate change and global warming will be felt significantly in the region. The main and most important effects of climate change will be the replacement of tropical forests by savannahs and of semi dry vegetation by dry vegetation; the salinisation and desertisation of farming soil in the drier areas; the disappearance of glaciers and consequent decrease in availability of water for human consumption, agriculture and energy generation; the transformation of ecosystems and loss of diversity; the whitening and loss of coral reefs; the deterioration of coasts and others. Climate change will result in alterations in fishing, agricultural and tourism patterns, affecting livelihoods as well as increasing the risk of flooding in low coastal areas and the recurrence and intensity of events of hydro-meteorological origin. Special attention should be paid to the vulnerability of the small islands of the Caribbean. The American continent is in a growing state of vulnerability, as evidenced by the prevailing poverty - its factors and consequences -, unplanned and disproportionate urban expansion, an inadequate use of soil, deforestation and erosion-generating practices. There is a limited capacity to face natural events: in 2004-2005 the lives of thousands were claimed and in 2007 tens of thousands have been left affected by occurrences of great impact such as the earthquake in Peru, volcanic eruptions, floods, drought and other climatic conditions that every year threaten millions of people. Demographic trends and the rich diversity of the Americas population Though there are differences between countries and regions, it is safe to say that there has been a decrease in population growth with a very young population and a growing number of elderly citizens. It is estimated that by 2020 60 percent of the population will be less than 30 years of age with a huge potential for economic growth. That scenario raises a challenge for the education and social and labour integration of youth. At the same time there is a growing percentage of older citizens that due to the informal characteristics of employment, the weaknesses of social security services and the changes in family patterns, are set to become a new vulnerable group needing assistance and protection.

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There are 671 indigenous groups in Latin America, which amounts to around 30 million people according to the 2000 survey. This segment of the population is very important in Bolivia (62 percent of the country’s population), Guatemala (48 percent) and Peru (32 percent). Many of them suffer in precarious conditions and have limited access to basic services. Within this ethnic diversity, afro-descendant populations have to be taken into account. With a strong presence in the greater Caribbean, their socio-demographic profiles are different from those of the “mestizo” population. Health Main indicators for maternal mortality rates show a slight improvement. The worst indicators can be found in Haiti, Bolivia, Peru, Nicaragua, Colombia, Guyana and Suriname; still there are very low indicators for coverage of attended childbirth in Central America and the Andean Region. Though all countries show improvements in diminishing child mortality rates, improvement is still lower than needed for achievement of MDG. In this aspect, the least positive indicators are in Bolivia, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Guyana and Belize. There have also been improvements in access to potable water and sanitation but there are very important gaps between urban and rural areas. It can be said that the continent will meet the related MDG, but some individual countries will not. Furthermore, in most countries access in rural areas will remain far below the desired average. In 2006, UNAIDS estimated the number of people living with HIV and AIDS in 1,600,000, which meant an increase of 200,000 in the number registered in 2003. By country, the highest numbers belong to Brazil, (620,000), Mexico (180,000), Colombia (160,000), Argentina (130,000) and Venezuela (110,000). According to UNICEF, 40 percent of the population living with HIV and AIDS are children and women in fertile age. An important risk factor is that sexual relationships are starting at a younger age and there is a lack of access to adequate sexual education. The countries most affected by HIV and AIDS (prevalence higher than 1 percent) are Haiti (3,8 percent), the Bahamas (3,3 percent), Trinidad and Tobago (2,6 percent), Belize (2,5 percent), Guyana (2,4 percent), Suriname (1,9 percent), Barbados, Honduras and Jamaica (1,5 percent) and the Dominican Republic (1,1 percent). The Caribbean presents the second highest prevalence in the world, with a rate of 2,5 percent that continues to grow. It must be taken into account that in some countries data is incomplete so it is estimated that there could be an important percentage of non-registered cases. Migration In the global context of increasing migration, the continent is seeing a greater flow of migrants to the United States and certain European countries, as well as internal migration to other countries of the continent. The Caribbean for instance has one of the highest emigration rates in the world. Migrant population is subject in many cases to high insecurity and vulnerability conditions in the countries of destination. In the last 20 years remittance flow to the continent has increased tenfold; according to the Inter American Development Bank remittance flow is around USD 62 billion in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is five times higher than Official Development Aid to the continent. Though it is not very clear what impact remittances have on the economy, everything indicates that they are playing a key role in the alleviation of poverty at the household level. However, the impact of these funds in investment and economic growth does not seem to be high, as they are mainly used in daily consumption. It must also be noted that in spite of being a capacity factor, remittances might become a vulnerability factor, as income of many families depends heavily on the economic wealth of their migrants and their evolution in destination countries.

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Peace, Governance, Democracy and Human Rights Democracy is consolidating in the Americas – with a few exceptions - which is a vast improvement considering the situation of the continent 25 years ago. More and more populations are using elections - instead of violent protests - to promote political and social changes. However, there is a high percentage of distrust in institutions and dissatisfaction with lack of access to opportunities, inequality, social exclusion and violence and insecurity. There are substantial gaps as regards respect for human rights, mainly due to discrimination factors related to gender, ethnicity and migration status, sexual orientation or stigma - like that associated to people living with HIV and AIDS. With the exception of Colombia and Haiti, the continent has been able to put an end to war and open political and military violence. The internal conflict underway in Colombia does not seem to be near an end. The resulting difficult humanitarian situation will not be resolved overnight. Instability and violence continue in Haiti where there’s activity of several armed groups and there’s an immense challenge to stop violence, re-establish democracy and reconstruct social and political structures. Programme purpose and outcomes The Americas Zone Office will direct the coordination and support to the Red Cross Societies in the Americas, through its Regional Representations, Federation Representation and/or Country Offices In line with the International Federation’s New Operating Model, building the membership’s capacity to deliver the Global Agenda and to build stronger NS on the areas described in the Framework for Action in line with the objectives and strategies prioritised in the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011. The approach chosen in each regional plan reflects the reality of the National Societies in each region. This planning effort has sought to harmonize approaches while respecting and enhancing the methodologies that each region utilizes in their work. What follows is a summary of the components that will be developed per GA Goal and Framework for Action as well as the coordination and support provided from the Zone office to the regional and country offices to have the greatest impact possible in the Americas of the actions of the NS of the Americas according to the Strategy 2010, the Federation of the Future and the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011. Detailed information on regional planning can be found through links to the 2008-2009 plans for the Caribbean, South America and Central America and Mexico, and on the Americas Zone Appeal 2008-2009, which are posted on the www.ifrc.org public website. GLOBAL AGENDA GOALS The Federation has adopted a Global Agenda to align its resources and scale up efforts where needs are greatest and where the Red Cross Red Crescent can make a difference. Global Agenda Goal 1: Reduce the number of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters The Americas Zone Office will direct the coordination and support to the Red Cross Societies of the Americas through its Regional Representations, Federation Representation and/or Country Offices in developing key areas in accordance with the objectives established in the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011. This plan sets out two main objectives in the area of risk reduction: - Reduce disaster risk, especially at community level (objective # 1)

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- Ensure effective disaster management at all levels (objective # 2) The Americas Zone Office’s actions to support regional, multi-country and country representation offices will be focused on the promotion and application of International Federation Policies, strategies and guidelines related to disaster management and its implementation by National Societies in the Americas. It will also promote the analysis of context, vulnerabilities and risks and Red Cross capacities for actions in urban settlements, risk reduction and early warning, including: fostering knowledge sharing between NS in the region and drafting and testing tools and methodologies in urban settlements, risk reduction and early warning. The integration of Climate Change as a key cross-cutting issue in risk reduction activities will also be promoted in close collaboration with RC/RC Climate Change Centre in the Hague. As stated in the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2001, the Red Cross is committed in the Americas to further improve disaster management and to ensure that those affected by disasters participate fully in all aspects of response, including the recovery phase. There will be close coordination and collaboration with National Societies and actions will lead the Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) to facilitate the consolidation of the disaster management system, thereby ensuring effective resource mobilization to respond to disaster at national, regional and international levels as well as proper linkages for disaster risk reduction. As part of the global humanitarian reform – which aims to provide improved, more predictable humanitarian response - the Federation and its members have committed to providing strong leadership particularly in the area of shelter. This will require a significant effort together with PADRU over the next few years to further build on already existing capacities in the National Societies in this important area. Regional plans will focused on key components identified to contribute to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters: Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction: addressed to improve the quality and scale up the

number of activities related to disaster risk reduction at community level to improve the resilience of households and communities. The purpose is that families and communities are better prepared and more organised to respond and recover from the effects of natural hazards, particularly in high-risk areas, taking into account potential impacts of climate change. In this way, communities lead and implement mitigation, early warning and disaster preparedness actions in coordination with Red Cross branches and other local actors. Actions are based on an integrated approach, which promotes a comprehensive understanding of the social, economic and environmental nature of hazards and vulnerabilities and transforming people and communities into leaders of interventions. Disaster Risk Reduction Coordination and Advocacy: Advocacy for recurrent and forgotten

disasters will be a priority for National Societies and the Secretariat in the region. Legal issues in international disaster response will be advocated for and National Societies will play a leading role in disseminating the “Guidelines for the Domestic Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Recovery Assistance” at national level once approved. Development of disaster contingency plans, signing of MOUs and common planning and assessment with governmental and non-governmental agencies should lead to enhanced efficiency and relevance of interventions. Institutional Preparedness for Disaster Risk Reduction: aimed to strengthening the capacities

of the National Societies, both at headquarters and branch levels, in order to improve their effectiveness in risk and vulnerability reduction. National Societies are key actors in disaster risk reduction and are integrated into the national systems of each country. This component seeks to boost numbers of trained and qualified volunteers through, amongst others, training of National Intervention Teams (NIT) as well as training on the Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (VCA) methodology. In close coordination with PADRU emphasis will be placed on continuing to strengthen National Societies in response preparedness by reinforcing their capacity in specific areas such as coordination, psychosocial support, logistics, telecommunications, water and sanitation, relief, rescue,

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restoring family links, Humanitarian Reform and shelter management. A special focus will be placed on the promotion of Standard Operating Procedures. Global Agenda Goal 2: Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies The Americas Zone Office will direct the coordination and support to the Red Cross Societies of the Americas through its Regional Representations, Federation Representation and/or Country Offices in developing key areas in accordance with the objectives established in the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011. The Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011 establishes two main objectives in order to contribute to the reduction of the number of deaths, illnesses and impacts from diseases and public health emergencies: - Promote social mobilization and awareness in critical health areas through voluntary health networks and global operational alliances (objective # 3) - Strengthen National Society capacities and management in prevention, response and rehabilitation in public health activities in emergencies as an auxiliary to the government (objective # 4) Actions will be focused on the promotion and application of International Federation Policies, strategies and guidelines related to health and care and its implementation by National Societies in the Americas. One of the main priorities will be the support to the implementation of the Federation’s Global Alliance on HIV AIDS in the Americas fostering cooperation within the Movement and with external partners to be able to scale up NS actions in HIV and AIDS to reach 10 per cent of the target population (youth between 10 and 19 years and people living with HIV and AIDS). The Zone Office will provide special support to the implementation of Operational Alliances that will enable a framework to mobilise capacities and resources to provide harmonised, effective support to National Societies for achieving their country programmes within the framework of the Federation’s Global Agenda. With regard to child and maternal health and water and sanitation actions, knowledge sharing between NS will be promoted to share, test and validate tools and methodologies that support NS efforts to contribute to the Millennium Development Goals related to the reduction of child mortality and the improvement of maternal health, and to facilitate knowledge to increase access to clean water and good hygienic practices. The Americas Zone Office will also support the work of regional offices on the key components identified in regional plans to contribute to reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies: HIV and AIDS: the Federation will scale up interventions through prevention activities, information,

education and communications (IEC) campaigns and the use of the peer education methodology (“Together We Can”) , with an aim to reach 10 per cent of the total population of young people at national level. Furthermore, National Societies plan to expand treatment, care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) and start developing HIV and AIDS community programmes. It is expected that numbers of volunteers working in HIV and AIDS at community level will increase significantly. At the same time, in conjunction with the Humanitarian Principles and Values programme, National Societies will scale up efforts to reduce AIDS-related stigma and discrimination,

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and policies will be put in place within the National Societies themselves to support staff and volunteers affected by HIV and AIDS. Community Health

− Promotion of Blood Donation: young people will specially be involved in the promotion of voluntary not remunerated blood donation (VNRBD), especially, through the dissemination and implementation of the Club 25 strategy. Also, National Societies will develop alliances with other partner institutions to support the promotion of VNRBD. − Psychosocial Support Programming (PSP): through the “Helping to Heal” methodology this component is addressed to increasing assistance and counselling support - adapted to the particular needs of the people concerned - to communities, volunteers and staff affected by disasters so that they will have access to timely and professional PSP services and that severe cases are referred to the appropriate state services in a timely manner. − First Aid and Community First Aid: improving of first aid services is expected, together with reinforced community preparedness by implementing community-based first aid interventions focused mainly in increasing the numbers of community trained volunteers. − Emerging Diseases and Epidemic Control: aimed towards the development of a response strategy at national and local levels to contribute to reduce morbidity and mortality due to emerging and re-emerging diseases, which can become public health emergencies such as dengue, malaria, avian influenza/pandemic influenza, tuberculosis, chagas disease, etc. − Road Safety: will be promoted through social mobilization initiatives, with the participation of community volunteers, schools and community services, and alliances with partner institutions to implement education and advocacy campaigns for road safety practices. − Water and Sanitation: addressed to improve access to safe water and sanitation in communities, thereby decreasing prevalence of water borne diseases. National Societies will develop capacities to advocate for water supply and sanitation improvements in communities, encourage communities to improve their water, sanitation and hygiene practices, and implement water and sanitation activities in times of crisis and disasters. − Child Maternal Health: focused on the implementation of community maternal and child health initiatives - such as the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) methodology- by establishing strategic alliances with partner institutions (such as the Pan American Health Organisation - PAHO and Ministries of Health) to contribute to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rates. − Health and Care Policy and Advocacy: support managerial capacities of National Societies to design, implement, supervise and evaluate public health interventions that integrate a participatory community based approach and are aligned with the Inter American Plan 2007-2011. Health networks will pay a key role in information and knowledge sharing as well as in the design of new approaches and methodologies. Global Agenda Goal 3: Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability The Americas Zone Office will direct the coordination and support to the Red Cross Societies of the Americas through its Regional Representations, Federation Representation and/or Country Offices in developing key areas in accordance with the objectives established in the Inter American Plan of

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Action 2007-2011. Within the third goal of the Global Agenda actions will be focused on the objective to: - Promote the organisation and empowerment of communities facing vulnerability with its origins in poverty, social exclusion and other factors. (objective # 5) The Americas Zone Office will work to ensure that community and Red Cross capacity building is a cross-cutting issue in all programmes as well as a goal itself. Strengthening National Society capacity development for community integrated approaches will be a key component of the support function of the Zone Office to increase the understanding and application of the concepts as well as the adoption of an integrated community based programming. Actions will be focused on the promotion and application of International Federation Policies, strategies and guidelines related to capacity building, and its implementation by National Societies in the Americas. One of the priorities will be to support human resource management. Livelihoods enable people to subsist and build capacities for development. The Federation Secretariat is committed to include livelihoods as a key component in disaster risk reduction and community capacity building in the Americas to increase population resilience. Work will be focused on better understanding livelihoods practices and analysing, sharing and testing methodologies to strengthen and protect family and community livelihoods as well as developing pilot initiatives. Regional plans will be focused on community capacity building and community integrated approaches as key components identified to contribute to increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability. A community capacity building approach will be adopted in each programme and support will be provided to NS to develop and consolidate a participatory community approach both in their strategic and operational programming. Community integrated projects, including risk reduction, health and care, principles and values, communication and advocacy and capacity building components will be promoted. It must be taken into account that regional plans also include in Goal 3 other key components aimed at strengthening Red Cross capacities. Information on the components and results foreseen can be found further ahead in the Framework for Action section. Global Agenda Goal 4: Promote respect for diversity and human dignity, and reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion. The Americas Zone Office will direct the coordination and support to the Red Cross Societies of the Americas through its Regional Representations, Federation Representation and/or Country Offices in developing key areas in accordance with the objectives established in the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011. This plan sets out three main objectives to guide the work in this area: - Strengthen the capacity of the Red Cross to assist the work with the vulnerable migrant and internally displaced communities to contribute to their resilience. (objective # 6) - Influence behaviour and attitudes in order to reduce discrimination and promote respect for diversity in the community and in civil society, and in order to eliminate discrimination in national societies. (objective # 7) - Strengthen dissemination of the fundamental principles, humanitarian values and international humanitarian law. (objective # 8)

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The Americas Zone Office will work to ensure that International Federation Policies, strategies and guidelines related to Principles and Humanitarian Values, non violence, non discrimination and respect for diversity are well understood and implemented by NS and are properly disseminated to relevant regional stakeholders / partners. NS must be in a position to monitor the national and local context carefully in order to deal with discriminatory and exclusionary tendencies, as well as behaviour of a humiliating nature both externally and within National Societies. At the same time, National Societies will ensure proactive advocacy as regards needs and rights of people in situations of vulnerability. In line with Resolution 9 of the Council of Delegates, 2003, and the Federation’s Pledge on non-discrimination and respect for diversity made at the 28th International Conference, National Societies continue to carry out initiatives to reduce discrimination and intolerance and to promote respect for diversity. There will be particular emphasis on reinforcing Red Cross work at community level and on contributing to improve public and social dialogue to advocate for, build confidence in and promote a culture of peace. The Federation Secretariat is committed to strengthening its humanitarian activities in assisting and integrating migrant and internally displaced groups in distress, and working in Restoring Family Links. For that purpose, the Americas Zone Office actions to support Regional and Country Offices will be focused on developing a better understanding by National Societies of migration trends and capacities and vulnerabilities related to migration flows in order to better assess and design the work the Red Cross is called to do in the Americas to assist vulnerable migrant and internally displaced groups. National Societies across the region are working with vulnerable migrant and internally displaced populations to an increasing extent and the Federation Secretariat will enhance experience and methodologies sharing to work with migrants and internally displaced vulnerable groups as well as the development of pilot initiatives at community level. The Americas Zone Office will support the work of Regional Representations, Federation Representation and/or Country Offices in the key components identified to contribute to Promote respect for diversity and human dignity, and reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion: Dissemination and promotion of humanitarian principles and values: The aim is to ensure that

Red Cross personnel, volunteers, public and private authorities and the community at large, know and understand the Fundamental Principles and Humanitarian Values given that enhanced awareness should influence attitudes at community level and lead to behaviour change so as to reduce discrimination and promote respect for diversity. Dissemination and promotion of humanitarian principles and values will be done through building capacities of a greater number of facilitators, mainly at branch level, through youth volunteers and networks and in close coordination with the ICRC. National Society advocacy and lobbying capacities will be promoted, including the capacity to build strategic alliances both with mass media, and local and national government. Initiatives will also be furthered to disseminate knowledge: international conventions on the rights of migrants, the disabled, women and children; International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and exchange of good practices of the Red Cross and Red Crescent along the region. Non-violence: urban and social violence, including youth violence, gang violence, domestic

violence, gender violence and violence against women, violent acts of discrimination towards immigrants, as well as violence against and between minorities and ethnic groups are significantly on the rise. Closely linked with the promotion of humanitarian principles and values and non discrimination and respect for diversity, focus will be placed on the prevention of violence through, amongst other initiatives, the Regional Strategy for Violence Prevention. Non discrimination and respect for diversity: National Societies must take on the challenge of

reflecting the diversity of the communities where they work, and develop strategies and structures to

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facilitate participation and inclusion both in volunteering and governance, Work will be done to develop internal processes to deal with discriminatory behaviour and to formulate procedures to address issues of discrimination and non-respect for diversity in a transparent and effective manner. Given the invisibility of the most vulnerable population (ie. People Living with HIV and AIDS, the disabled, the elderly, children, women, migrants, indigenous populations) and/or the exclusion and violence they face, attention will be paid to strengthening National Society capacities to identify these sectors of the communities and better understand their vulnerabilities, promoting their participation in all programmes and projects. Recognition of National Society work on behalf of vulnerable people requires that they not only develop awareness raising actions and campaigns against discrimination, but that they develop tools and establish strategic alliances with international organisations, government institutions, universities, mass media, Ombudsmen, etc. Gender equity: The objective of the International Federation is that all programmes benefit men

and women equally, according to their specific needs and capacities. Thus, including gender equity is a way of addressing discrimination and the lack of opportunities for women. Adaptation of existing participatory community working tools with a focus on gender equity for the National Societies will be promoted. This component is more strongly reflected in the South America Regional Plan. Refugees, migrants and internally displaced: National Societies of Central America and the

Caribbean will work on strengthening their capacities to assist and work with vulnerable migrant and internally displaced communities to contribute to their resilience. FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION In order to be able to implement and contribute to the Global Agenda Goals, ten interlinked areas for improvement for the NS and the Federation Secretariat and governance have been identified. These areas for improvement, grouped in four categories, provide a blueprint for change. The Americas Zone Office will play an important role in ensuring increased attention to timely and adequate support to National Societies and will continue the decentralisation process to ensure that the Federation Secretariat will be closer to the National Societies and to the humanitarian challenges they regularly face. Setting a shared vision and direction for the future The Americas Zone Office will direct the coordination and support to the Red Cross Societies of the Americas through its Regional Representations, Federation Representation and/or Country Offices in developing key areas in accordance with the objectives established in the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011. This plan establishes two main objectives to contribute to a shared vision and direction for the future in the Americas: - Promote leaders with clear strategic vision, encouraging and leading the internal changes and innovations needed to implement the global agenda. (objective # 9) - Strengthen communication and scale up advocacy activities to increase impact of programmes, mobilize support and influence stakeholders. (objective # 10) Significant support will be given to leadership in the Americas for the development of a governance agenda (political agenda) that will support and guide the quality of the implementation of the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011 that will contribute to increase the continental capacity to influence the challenges of vulnerability and risk in different fora - national and international. This leadership understands and reads the changing environment, anticipates humanitarian trends, advocates effectively for the vulnerable communities with authorities at all levels and actively

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promotes the inclusion of communities in the decision-making processes of programmes and activities. Red Cross leaders are examples of personal integrity and guardians of institutional integrity. The Federation Secretariat will support National Societies in the development of a more strategic approach to communications and advocacy as a fundamental condition for scaling up quantity and quality of programmes. National Societies will develop and implement communications plans as part of a continental strategy, based on the global communications and advocacy strategy and adapted to the local context. The Communications Plans will include the development of a common set of awareness - raising key messages for each of the Global Agenda Goals for the Americas. Public image and perception of the Red Cross will be evaluated on a regular basis as well as the impact of public campaigns. Strategic alliances with mass media will be a key direction to disseminate these awareness raising key messages on the Global Agenda Goals in the continent. At regional level great attention will be given to supporting National Societies to improve existing training for Red Cross leaders and to promote the identification of potential new leaders and ensure their coaching and training. The piloting case for Mexico and Central America to set up an on-site and on-line training system for National Society and community leaders, managed by the Red Cross Society of Panama with the support of the Federation Secretariat will help gauge the possibilities of expanding this initiative across the continent. In the same way, National Societies will be encouraged to replicate the system within their national structures to ensure continuous training opportunities for key staff members and volunteer leaders. The regions will also work to promote the renewal of National Society governance bodies in accordance with the Statutes, the gender policy and the decision to reflect diversity. At the same time, it will be necessary to support National Societies in updating their existing strategic plans, in a way that responds to the commitments of the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011. In addition, support and guidance must be provided to National Societies in developing governing bodies, management and young leadership, as well as management strategies that include integrity, accountability, transparency, diversity and clear human resources systems. Improving planning, performance and accountability - Introduce a results based planning and performance management system with clear quality standards, with a gradual process of accreditation, developing systems to manage and share knowledge. (objective # 11) Public accountability has become an unavoidable obligation for non-profit entities, and it is a condition to ensure and strengthen credibility, independence and support. The Americas Zone Office will support NS in enhancing their capacities to apply a results based management system with improved accountability in accordance with the Global Agenda Goals and the Inter American Plan of Action 2007- 2011. A key challenge for the Americas Zone will be to have the capacity to influence a coordinated approach and develop a system to clearly show the collective impact of the work done by all members of the Federation as a network. The common principles for coherence (“seven ones”), essential to the achievement of greater effectiveness and efficiency – as well as a common performance and accountability framework will be promoted in a more systematic way through the guidance of the Zone Office. Most National Societies of the region are using methods of participatory planning which increasingly include beneficiaries and partners, but there is a need for a stronger commitment to be fully accountable to the communities they work with.

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National Societies are expected to increasingly adhere to international standards and access formal accreditation, and make better use of benchmarking, peer review and knowledge sharing mechanisms. The Federation Secretariat will promote the understanding of the wider concept of accountability; both to donors and to the communities worked with. At the same time, the changing context requires the flexibility and capacity to continuously analyse the environment, the different factors of vulnerability and the possibilities for Red Cross actions. The Federation Secretariat will support NS in gaining better understanding of external trends and the context of vulnerabilities and capacities within the Americas and within their countries. Regular access to the outcomes of research and studies will be sought with an aim to promote the understanding of the context and trends that increase vulnerability within the Americas. NS will be encouraged to own and use this knowledge for the revision of their national plans. The Study of the Americas will also help National Societies to review their existing plans and practices and analyze potential areas of improvement. Delivering effective programmes and services - Enhance movement cooperation at national, regional and global level. (objective # 15) The Americas Zone will develop a comprehensive cooperation framework to support effective operational and strategic alliances, and consolidate Federation and Movement coordination processes. Special attention will be paid to consolidating the Operational Alliances in Brazil and Haiti as well as the Global Alliance initiatives on HIV and AIDS and Risk Reduction to better address priority humanitarian challenges. At the same time coordination with Partner National Societies that cooperate with the Americas will be enhanced to increase investment in National Society organisational development and capacity building to reach more people with more quality. Knowledge management will also be a cornerstone for the Federation Secretariat, fostering knowledge sharing between Regional Offices and NS with an active role of formal and informal networks. Special attention will be given to increasing Zone Office coordination and cooperation within the Federation members, with ICRC, governments, UN agencies, NGOs, universities and other civil society organisations with the clear aim to scale-up delivery of the obligations and expectations inherent to the collective responsibility as a humanitarian and human development network. Mobilizing resources to support our work - Increase the number of volunteers, improving their preparation to implement programmes and take part to the institutional life and invest in qualified professional staff. (objective # 12) - Promote active red cross youth and initiatives in favour of young people, ensuring effective participation in the institutional life of the national societies. (objective # 13) - Develop more effective, innovative and professional resource mobilization and diversify funding sources. (objective # 14) From the Americas Zone Office the integration of gender equity as a cross-cutting issue in all programmes in all regions will be promoted and the exchange of experiences amongst NS will be enhanced in order to adopt a gender equity approach in community capacity building actions. Special focus will be placed on supporting NS in better understanding gender and ‘protection’ issues, including prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and gender based violence. It is worth

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mentioning that Gender Equity is specially addressed in the planning documents to support NS of South America, where a common understanding and methodology is most advanced in the region. Together with the initiatives above, the Zone Office will monitor progress on volunteer management, development and promotion and the linkages with the Inter American Plan of Action 2007-2011. Special attention will be given to the promotion of actions for the developing of youth initiatives and practices in the continental scope. The prevailing organisational culture of volunteering, geared towards task-orientation in a specific sector and rigid time commitment, will gradually be replaced by one based on trust, support, flexibility and tailored, individual commitment. The Americas Zone through its Representations and Country Offices will support National Societies to facilitate access of people from communities, universities, and a number of other sectors. Volunteering opportunities will be extended to private companies (and their staff) that have specific interest in contributing to social development of the communities with which they interrelate, and where there is a shared interest with the Red Cross. Resource mobilization is a key issue for the capacity of NS to be able to deliver effective programmes and services. Developing more effective, innovative and professional resource mobilization with diversified funding source is a challenge in the Americas considering the high level of dependence from international cooperation of many NS in the region and the increasing trend in the international agenda to allocate resources in other continents. The Americas Zone Office of the Federation Secretariat has committed to increase its attention in this field and will support a strategy to diversify funding sources both for the programmes developed with the support of the Secretariat and for the NS. Target Population The Americas Zone Office will work through the Regional Representations and Country Offices and the 35 National Societies of the Americas to target the following population: At community and local institutional level: Community leaders Community volunteers Communities living in hazard prone areas with vulnerability conditions People and families in high vulnerability conditions (because of extreme poverty, health inequity,

etc.) Children living on the streets, the elderly, the disabled. Vulnerable (at risk) youth, persons living with HIV and AIDS: 10 to 20 percent of the target

population (youth between 10 and 19 years old) will be reached by HIV and AIDS projects. In Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donation at least 10 to 20 percent of the target population

(youth between 16 and 25 years old) People living with HIV and AIDS / networks of people living with HIV and AIDS Road safety: youth between 16 and 25 years old Migrating groups and internally displaced in distress / Families of migrating people in high

vulnerability conditions Ethnic groups Psychosocial Support Programming (PSP): communities, volunteers and staff affected by disasters Educational centres– elementary schools, high schools and universities. Community centres– including health centres, shelters, spiritual centres, markets, etc. Institutions– local government, grass-root community organisations and private institutions.

At public sector and national platforms/fora level: National government National platforms/fora for disaster risk reduction and risk and disaster management

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National platforms/fora for community development (ensuring active Red Cross participation) Private sector, unions, companies and foundations Non-governmental organisations, national media

At regional and international levels: Organisations from the United Nations system Inter-governmental institutions Banks, regional and international financial institutions Non-governmental organisations and national media Components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

At NS level: Members of the governing boards Red Cross branches National and/or local volunteer coordinators National and/or local youth leaders Dissemination, communications, health and risk reduction networks. Organisational Development networks and youth networks Directors General Coordinators/Responsible of OD, planning, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, finance, human

resources, fundraising and resource mobilization Capacity and Experience During the XVIII Inter American Conference of the Red Cross, held on 4-7 June 2007 in Guayaquil, the Red Cross NS of the Americas adopted the 2007-2011 Inter American Plan. The conference also offered the opportunity to learn from the progress made in relation to the previous plan of action (2003-2007) resulting in an opportunity to understand the experience gained by Red Cross Societies of the Americas, by other sister National Societies and by the Federation Secretariat and the challenges for the coming planning period. This Inter American Plan 2007-2011 offers a clear Red Cross Movement strategy for the Americas, reaffirming the importance of accomplishing the implementation of a programme for “Healthier and Safer Communities” in relation to the four Global Agenda Goals of the Federation. The XVIII Inter American Conference also approved three new, strategic documents related to the Red Cross work with communities: “Community Risk Reduction”, “Community Health”, and “Promotion of Non-Discrimination and Respect for Diversity in the Community”. In addition, there is a strategic paper supporting and guiding National Societies in the accomplishment of the Strategy 2010 and the Global Agenda Goals. The Americas Zone will concentrate efforts to increase network initiatives and peer support practices amongst National societies, which should result in opportunities to increase knowledge and capacities and dissemination of the concept of working as one Federation. The Americas Zone Office will direct the coordination in the support to the Red Cross Societies of the Americas in more strategic interventions - as mentioned above - by channelling its support to NS through the involvement of Representation Offices in Central America, the Caribbean and South America and Federation Representation and/or Country Offices. As regards disaster response, it will concentrate its support to National Societies through the support provided to the continent by the Pan American Disaster Response Unit. The role of the Regional Centres of Reference (1.The Community Education Centre of Reference based in Costa Rica and, 2. The Institutional Disaster Preparedness Centre of Reference based in El

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Salvador) will be enhanced, including an increase in the number of peer initiatives normally promoted by these two Centres. Both centres have played an important role in the past years in Central America in leading the standardization and validation of tools and methodologies such as VCA methodology, NITs, and many others. These two Centres will extend their area of influence to ensure increasing involvement of NS from South America and the Caribbean. The Zone Office will also take advantage of the recently finalized Study of the Americas, which provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges that the continent is and will continue to face as a result of its social and economic situation. The study and its outcomes will serve the leadership of NS as key tools for planning, further analysis and strategic thinking. It will be crucial to the development of a Red Cross governance “political” plan for the evolution of National Societies in the Americas. Quality, Accountability and Learning As mentioned in the “Secretariat Support Plan and Budget” document presented to the Finance commission of the Federation, the Secretariat will influence and contribute to wider results within shared accountability with other actors. At the same time, the Secretariat will continually assess risks and review performance to ensure that its actions are directed towards longer-term impact. The Americas the Zone Office will be guided by the global standards and will encourage the use of a common performance and accountability framework to better measure the impact of the programmes and to monitor the progress made to achieve the objectives of the Global Agenda Goals through adequate tracking system. The Zone Office will promote that National Societies set standards and mechanisms to ensure integrity and develop a results based planning, monitoring, evaluation and performance management system in line with the global Federation system. It will be sought that they increasingly adhere to international standards and access formal accreditation, and make better use of benchmarking, peer review and knowledge sharing mechanisms. The governance body for the Red Cross in the Americas, CORI, will play an active role in the compliance of National Societies’ implementation of the Guayaquil Plan of Action 2007-2011. It is important to mention the commitment of the National Societies in this field, as stated in the Guayaquil Declaration: “We aim to enhance the impact, transparency and effectiveness of our programmes by establishing measurable indicators, quality standards and mechanisms for peer review”. The Zone Office will provide all relevant support needed from CORI Executive members’ decisions as related to the monitoring and evaluation of the plan. Policies and standards will be strongly disseminated and promoted throughout the regions with an aim to influence National Societies on their application and adaptation to their specific contexts. Key standards will be promoted and their implementation regularly monitored. For such initiatives, the Zone Office will encourage regular peer support and cross-regional learning opportunities. Finally, evaluations of the programmes and/or emergency operations will be ongoing practices that the Zone Office will promote and seek as regular activities to measure the quality of Federation-wide performance in the Americas. Desaprender platform: The DesAprender virtual platform is one example of promotion of learning. The platform was set up by the Lima Regional Representation to share experiences, knowledge and good practices in risk reduction and community work amongst Red Cross and other actors to encourage the promotion of good practices at national and local levels.

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Accountability: This is a key area identified in programme purpose and outcomes, both to support NS accountability towards communities (and not only towards donors), as well as Federation Secretariat accountability towards NS and partners. There is a need for a commitment from NS to be fully accountable to the communities they work in. A good example of a key tool for accountability is the development of web pages where information is made public and updated in a timely manner. Quality: Progressive adherence to international standards identified in Guayaquil will be promoted (management, accountability standards, Sphere Project, HIV and AIDS, Code of Conduct, compliance with our Fundamental Principles, etc.) Partnerships and civil society engagement Cooperation and alliances are a prerequisite for scaling up humanitarian response in line with the Federation Global Agenda and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Successful cooperation is based on and requires trust, mutual respect, understanding, shared vision, concrete and attainable goals and objectives, sufficient funds, and skilled convenors. The Red Cross National Societies are in a unique position in the region, being the only humanitarian organisation to be present and connected at the local, national, sub-regional, regional, continental and global levels. NS will build on their position as auxiliary to the public authorities and significantly increase their participation in public action initiatives. They will increasingly participate in relevant country platforms on poverty reduction, risk reduction, climate change and International Humanitarian Law. The Red Cross will approach the private sector not only as a funding source but as an important partner in the development of local communities and for that purpose will develop knowledge and understanding of the aims and practices of potential allies from the private sector. The Regional Representations will continue to enhance existing partnerships and build new successful ones with actors as diverse as country governments and their agencies and ministries, national and regional platforms and fora, relevant private sector members, NGOs of various ranges, national and regional media, the United Nations system, relevant financial institutions, academic organisations and regional inter-sectoral networks. The Americas Zone Office will support these partnerships and create others of its own by making the most of its situation within the Ciudad del Saber (City of Knowledge) in Panama. This “City” – in what used to be an American military base before reverting to Panama - has quickly become a humanitarian hub, with the UN having established the regional offices of most of its agencies there and other relevant large and small humanitarian organisations being based there as well. A situation where the development of new strong partnerships will be required will be the rolling out of the Operational Alliances, which are being piloted in Haiti and Brazil. Other initiatives need to be strengthened in relation to the four Global Agenda goals and also in relation to advocacy and coordination. Amongst others, the following partners can be mentioned: ISDR, European Commission (DIPECHO), DFID, PROVENTION, UNICEF, PAHO, UNAIDS, IOM, OCHA, OXFAM, REDLAC, The Global Fund, Universities, Media companies, ALAS Foundation, NGOs, Community based organisations, Migrant groups’ organisations, Gender based violence organisations and / or groups, Regional networks of people living with HIV and AIDS, Civil Defences (local and national levels), National Systems for Disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation and response, Risk reduction National Platforms, CEDERA / CAPRADE / CEPREDENAC, Ministries of

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Health, Ministries of Infrastructure / Transportation, Road Safety Agencies (when existing), Advertising agency McCann Erickson, Latin American Association of Radio Education (ALER) Latin American School of Social Sciences (FLACSO). Red Cross / Red Crescent collaboration One of the key objectives of the Americas Zone is to support the creation and strengthening of networks at all levels and in all subjects. Having fully functioning interconnected networks in the Americas – themselves connected with global networks – will translate into optimized information sharing and the building of greater capacities. It is also essential to recognize the importance of and foster the development of existing relationships with Movement partners (PNS, ICRC, Geneva Secretariat, Disaster Management Units). The Operational Alliances in Brazil and Haiti and the Cooperation Agreement Strategy in Haiti will be excellent opportunities to optimize Red Cross collaboration. As mentioned above, a key element for the new operating model in the Americas is - and will continue to be - the encouragement of flexible working approaches that include innovative ways to best use the core competencies and resources of National Societies. There will also be an aim to increase the effectiveness of membership related services provided to National Societies through exploring new forms of cooperation and coordination designed to scale up resources and impact of programming. The development of the concept of “thematic holders” will allow for a focus on filling the gaps to reduce vulnerability conditions. Such concept will be promoted amongst the membership of the Continent and other pertinent National Societies. Particular attention will be given to increase Movement cooperation and initiatives arising from the outcomes of the XXVIII International Conference of the Red Cross celebrated in November 2007; and also, to traditional coordination and cooperation activities with ICRC and explore new ones that could benefit the Movement as a whole. Another sector of support will be the service that the Zone Office will provide to the regional governance body known as CORI (Regional Inter American Committee of the Red Cross) as key actor for the monitoring and follow up of the Inter American Plan of Action 2007 -2011. Promoting Gender Equity and Diversity The Federation’s Gender Policy recognizes that the integration of a gender perspective into Red Cross and Red Crescent actions is an important strategy towards the fulfilment of the Federation's humanitarian mandate to improve the lives of the most vulnerable. The policy also requires that each National Society puts in place institutional procedures which ensure that the needs of boys, girls, men and women are all met equitably in disaster response, vulnerability reduction and the provision of health and other services. The goal of the Federation is to ensure that all programmes benefit men and women equally, according to their different needs and with the input and equal participation of men and women at all levels within the National Societies One of the obstacles identified are the prejudiced attitudes and gender stereotypes still present internally in National Societies and their branches, which are linked to social prejudice in Latin American society today. More women than men live in poverty and discrimination against women is manifested in different forms.

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The regional programmes have taken this reality into consideration and will work to promote increased awareness of gender issues as well as promotion of non-violence. All community programmes have considered in the Inter American Plan of Action 2007- 2011 elements of gender, equality and diversity as cross cutting themes to develop. The Federation Secretariat’s Americas Zone Office will place special attention on the compliance of such commitment, as well as on the progress made in the coming years on prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. A community based approach is key to the programmes that incorporate gender equity, awareness-raising and empowerment of women to look at themselves as individuals with rights and as agents of their own change. Therefore, National Societies will need to assess existing trainings, tools and methodologies to verify that gender issues are adequately addressed. Influencing behaviour and leadership decisions on gender, equality and diversity matters to ensure that Red Cross staff, membership and programmes are truly reflective of the highly diverse make up of their countries is an on-going task in the Americas. Serious efforts will be made to have a membership that is representational of all age groups, social and cultural contexts and that will have a wide cross-section of leaders from the communities. Support must be provided for volunteers in the communities in which they work through the development of community Red Cross groups and branches. Risk Identification and management The main tangible risk to the implementation of this plan is the issue of insufficient long-term financial support that will allow the Federation Secretariat’s Americas Zone Offices to provide services with quality to all the Red Cross Societies and execute sustainable high-quality interventions. The tendency in the Americas - and not only in the case of the Red Cross - is the shift of donor interest to other continents. Together with such shift comes the corresponding reduction in funds made available for International Federation’s regional and country programmes. Insufficient funds to cover all the core functions required by the newly established Americas Zone Office, together with the degree to which all National Societies understand the implications in terms of delivering and programming, could create misinterpretations of the New Operating Model in the Americas. Different channels of communications, to and from National Societies, could undermine the role of Country and/or Federation Representation, Regional Representations or Zone Offices, if National Societies are not well informed about the roles and responsibilities of the different Federation Secretariat services in the Americas. The occurrence of social unrest and/or political conflicts in the countries could affect the implementation of the plans for 2008-2009. The occurrence of major and simultaneous disasters would certainly affect the operational capacity of National Societies, as the focus would logically shift to response. The insufficient support and buy-in from National Societies into the Federation Secretariat Zone Office to continue the process of decentralisation of the New Operating Model and the adjustment to the new structure could be an obstacle to the implementation of the plan. Implementation and management arrangements

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The Federation Secretariat’s Americas Zone Office will promote through its Regional Representations that National Societies will set standards and mechanisms to ensure integrity and develop a results based planning, monitoring, evaluation and performance management system in line with the global Federation system. It will be sought that they increasingly adhere to international standards and access formal accreditation, and make better use of benchmarking, peer review and knowledge sharing mechanisms. They will be accountable both to donors and to the communities they work with. A strengthened National Society network which focuses on common Global Agenda goals; each National Society and the region as a whole is able to demonstrate clearly the impact of their programmes and activities. National Societies work with an organisational culture committed to excellence, function with a strong accountability system and constantly improve their performance, impact and knowledge sharing. Monitoring and Evaluation As part of the implementation of the New Operating Model, greater emphasis will be placed in coming years on developing and utilizing effective and simple monitoring and evaluation tools that help adjust the International Federation’s interventions and systematize lessons learned. In the particular case of the Americas, it is of utmost importance that the implementation of the Inter American Plan be monitored at all levels.

In addition to supporting the Regional Representations in their harmonized efforts to develop monitoring and evaluation tools for themselves and supporting National Societies in the development of their own tools (as detailed in their respective plans), the Americas Zone Office will see the creation of a Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (PMER) unit that will advocate for and help implement a Federation-wide results-based planning, performance measurement and tracking system. This unit’s interventions will involve all relevant stakeholders including National Societies, Regional Representations and regional networks.

National Societies, with the support of the Federation Secretariat’s Americas Zone Office, should adopt a system to measure results and impact on a regular basis and on the basis of baseline studies and facts. This system should be consistent within the continent to allow for collection and aggregation of regional data and monitoring of overall progress in the Americas. The existing sub-regional regular meetings will provide a forum for joint monitoring of the progress towards the strategic objectives of the Inter American plan 2007-2011. An external evaluation should be carried out at the end of the period. Sustainability Understanding the commitment of the Red Cross Societies of the Americas in the Guayaquil Declaration is critical to establishing the mechanism to reach adequate levels of sustainability. The Federation Secretariat’s Americas Zone Office will promote its regular application and together with CORI, will monitor its implementation. National Societies committed to the promotion of participatory Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments to ensure that Federation-wide programmes and services meet the needs of the most vulnerable in communities through an integrated approach. A key element of the entire Plan of Action 2007-2011 lies on investing more in building the capacities of communities and branches. Another critical element to reach higher levels of sustainability will be an increase in the number of volunteers and encouragement of National Societies to search for different and innovative ways to manage volunteers more effectively, thereby improving their ability to have a lasting impact on the communities they serve.

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Investment in high quality professional staff, and the establishment or consolidation of appropriate human resource management systems will be a critical area where the Zone will work on together with the National Societies. Another important factor for sustainability will be to strengthen community, volunteer and membership bases as the foundation for the work, while ensuring that this base reflects the composition of the population served by National Societies. Lastly but not least important, the need to cooperate more closely with public authorities, international organisations and the private sector at local, regional and international levels will remain a key area of action for the Americas Zone Office. Programme Resources and Expenses

Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3 Goal 4 Coordination Totals by

Plans 2008 1,331,316 1,317,217 534,202 280,729 - 3,463,464

2009 1,333,256 1,155,928 577,204 295,506 - 3,361,894Central

and North America

Plan sub total 2,664,572 2,473,145 1,111,406 576,235 6,825,358

2008 1,148,583 943,035 202,139 171,658 708,385 3,173,800

2009 914,336 780,083 96,659 171,658 703,037 2,665,773The

Caribbean Plan sub

total 2,062,919 1,723,118 298,798 343,316 1,411,422 5,839,573

2008 815,068 818,992 1,637,830 169,696 488,491 3,930,076

2009 622,774 937,219 1,519,992 157,204 361,125 3,598,314South

America Plan sub

total 1,437,842 1,756,211 3,157,822 326,900 849,616 7,528,390

2008 195,722 168,449 102,674 11,230 161,711 639,786

2009 195,722 17,647 102,674 11,230 161,711 488,984Americas

Zone Office Plan sub

total 391,444 186,096 205,348 22,460 323,422 1,128,770

2008 3,490,689 3,247,693 2,476,844 633,313 1,358,587 11,207,126

2009 3,066,088 2,890,877 2,296,529 635,597 1,225,873 10,114,965AMERICAS ZONE

sub total 6,556,777 6,138,570 4,773,373 1,268,910 2,584,460 21,322,091

Planning and Resources summary matrix Please click here to see the Americas summary planning and resources matrix.

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