3rd National Disaster Response Team Training | 12-16 March 2018 | Ayutthaya, Thailand
2018-03-12 - 2018-03-16 | Ayutthaya, Thailand
Under the USAID project, Thai Red Cross Society (TRCS), with technical support from IFRC, conducts the third (last) National Disaster Response Team (NDRT) training during 12 to 16 March 2018, with a focus on Water and Sanitation(WATSAN) and Public Health in Emergency(PHiE).
The objective of this training is to build the capacity of TRCS headquarter and provincial staffs (Health station) in assessment, planning, implementation, and coordination of WATSAN and PHiE interventions. The participants include the TRCS staff who already trained as NDRT in the last two introduction courses.
The expected outcome are i) TRC staffs have knowledge and skills on WATSAN and PHiE, ii) TRCS staff are able to develop emergency assessment (need assessment and assessment plan) and emergency plan of action , iii) to encourage the collaboration of TRCS at Headquarter and provincial Red Cross chapter/health station and DDPM, and iv) to increase the manpower of TRCS for WATSAN and PHiE specialist.
Total of 34 participants (F 25, M9) attended this training.
Reading materials:

Training agenda
Report

Presentations:

Introduction
Reverse Osmosis
Water Quality and Lab Testing
Emergency Plan of Action
TRCS Water Unit

Photos by Thai Red Cross Relief and Community Health Bureau

Photos by IFRC Bangkok

Advanced Training Course on E-WASH Response and Preparedness | 19-23 March 2018 | Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
2018-03-19 - 2018-03-23
The advanced training course on Emergency Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (E-WASH) was organized with the support of additional funding from Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) and with the purpose of improving the capacity of Lao Red Cross Society (LRCS)’s staff to prepare and respond to disasters in the affected areas. The advance 3-day training course was conducted for 15 WASH focal persons from 5 targeted provinces. The training took place at Luang Prabang Provincial Branch and was participated by 15 Participants, 13 Males and 2 Females, from five provincial RC branches (Oudomxay, Xayabouly, Luang Prabang, Khammouan, and Champasak Provinces).
The training for WASH focal persons included theoretical sessions, table-top exercises, and practical sessions, i.e., installation of the water purification unit and construction of a pour-flush toilet (second day).
LRCs has been receiving funding support from the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) in strengthening E-WASH capacity since March 2016, focusing mainly on Khammouan Province including the procurement and installation of two water purification units (one in Khammouan and one at the National Headquarter in Vientiane).
Two latrines were also installed in a primary school of Baan Sri Boun Heuang which is located in Muang Nam Bak village and about 95 kilometers from Luang Prabang Province. The school consists of two male teachers and a female teacher and 78 students (42 females and 36 males).
Mission report is available here.
Training Presentations:

Training objective
General WATSAN in Emergencies
Introduction to WASH-Related Diseases
Manpack Installation
Introduction to Excreta Disposal, Drainage, and Hand Washing Facilities
Hygiene Promotion
Assessment, Action Plan, and Monitoring

https://youtu.be/1017jiuriEo
Video shows students learning about personal hygiene and the 7-step hand washing.

Photos by IFRC Bangkok

Real-time Evaluations of Evaluators Training | 20-22 March 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-03-20 - 2018-03-22

9th ERAT Induction Course and Simulation Exercise in Myanmar
2018-03-26 - 2018-04-01
Between 26 March and 1 April 2018, 30 ASEAN citizens gathered in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar to undertake a week long and intensive training course alongside a 3-day simulation exercise to become members of the Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT). For this course, participants came from ASEAN Member States (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), AADMER Partnership Group (APG) representing the civil society, partner organizations, ASEAN Secretariat, AHA Centre, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
The main objective of the course is to prepare for regional responders and in-country resources, with experience in emergency management and coordination, for major disasters in the ASEAN region. The AHA Centre maintains a pool of trained ERAT members that are ready to be deployed for in-country and regional response operations.
Most of us may not know that ASEAN has a special team that is always ready when needed by the countries facing disasters. Association of Southeast Asian Nations Emergency Response and Assessment Team or ASEAN ERAT is a team that is equipped with specialized knowledge and skills during emergency response, such as rapid assessment, coordination and resource mobilization, and facilitating humanitarian assistance. A team from the ASEAN countries have a role in rapid disaster response.
Establishment of ASEAN ERAT is relevant to the context and the high potential for disaster in Southeast Asia region. ASEAN ERAT was first formed by the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) in 2007, which adhered to the AADMER and ASEAN SASOP. ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response or AADMER came into effect on 26 July 2005 and is a framework for cooperation, coordination, technical assistance, and mobilization of resources in emergency response, while ASEAN SASOP is standard operating procedure for ASEAN humanitarian mission.
ASEAN ERAT was first mobilized for the humanitarian mission after the Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar in 2008. Since then, ASEAN ERAT has conducted several humanitarian missions, such as the Mentawai Tsunami (2010), Bangkok Flood (2011), Bopha Typhoon (2012), Bohol Earthquake (2013), Haiyan and Rammasun Typhoon (2014), etc.
This is the 9th ERAT Induction Training where the Red Cross and Red Crescent plays a crucial role in being as one of active humanitarian players on the ground and ensuring humanitarian principles and rules as well as RCRC response tools are inducted and embedded throughout the course and simulation exercise.

15th Annual Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent Leadership Meeting | 10-11 April 2018 | Melaka, Malaysia
2018-04-10 - 2018-04-11
The 15th Annual Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent Leadership Meeting will be held in Melaka, Malaysia, from 10-11 April 2018, hosted by the Malaysian Red Crescent Society with the support from the IFRC. The meeting will be participated by the leaders from 11 Southeast Asia National Societies: the Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent, Cambodian Red Cross, Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), Lao Red Cross, Malaysian Red Crescent, Myanmar Red Cross, Philippine Red Cross, Singapore Red Cross, Thai Red Cross, Timor-Leste Red Cross (CVTL) and Viet Nam Red Cross.
The leadership meeting is an important opportunity for presidents, secretaries, general and senior management in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to evaluate challenges, successes and future direction, as a way of further strengthening the world’s largest humanitarian network.
For more information, visit the main page for the 15th Annual Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent Leadership Meeting.

ASEAN Consultation Meeting on SGBV Research | 2-3 May 2018 | Jakarta, Indonesia
2018-05-02 - 2018-05-03
The proposal to conduct the Joint Study on Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Disasters in ASEAN was endorsed by the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) Working Group on Prevention and Mitigation in March 2017, and was subsequently endorsed at the 30th ACDM Meeting in Vientiane, Lao PDR in April 2017.
The joint study is implemented as part of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work Programme 2016-2020, Priority Programme 4: Protect, and covers Indonesia, Lao PDR and the Philippines. The study aims to better understand how public authorities and humanitarian actors can prevent and better respond to gender based violence during and after disasters. The research initiative, undertaken by IFRC, Lao Red Cross, Palang Merah Indonesia, Philippines Red Cross, and the ACDM Working Group on Prevention and Mitigation, was implemented in Indonesia, Lao PDR and the Philippines.
The inter-sectoral consultation meeting is being held during 2-3 May 2018 and bringing together IFRC and the following ASEAN bodies, namely, i) ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW); ii) the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Women and Childrens’ Rights (ACWC); and iv) the ACDM Working Group on Prevention and Mitigation.
The objectives of the consultation are to provide a platform for sharing of research methodology, presenting results, and developing recommendations on the issues to be addressed as well as way forward for promotion of the welfare and protection of the rights of women and girls in disasters at ASEAN level.
Meeting documents:

Concept note and agenda
Welcome pack
Participant list

Presentations:
Remarks by Sharon Armstrong, Director and Counsellor (Development), Indonesia and ASEAN Programs Mission of Canada to ASEAN
Remarks by Giorgio Ferrario, IFRC CCST Jakarta
Remarks by Vilayphong Sisomvang, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Lao PDR
Session 2:

Regional Landscape on Promotion of Women&Children’s Right and Disaster Management
GBV Prevention and Response During & After Disasters
Research Linking SGBV Policy and Disaster Laws

Session 3:

SGBV Research Results and Recommendations

Session 4:

Research Linking SGBV Policy and Disaster Laws

Session 5:

Red Cross Red Crescent Approaches to Social Protection
Operationalising protection, gender and inclusion in emergency programming
Gender Mainstreaming During Disaster
Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children

Giorgio Ferrario, Head of Country Cluster Support Team and Representative to ASEAN of IFRC
Mr. Vilayphong Sisomvang, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Lao PDR
Sharon Armstrong, Director & Counsellor (Development) for Indonesia & ASEAN at the Embassy of Canada Jakarta

Bali Process Government and Civil Society Roundtable | 14-15 May 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-05-14 - 2018-05-15
On 14 – 15 May 2018 Australian Red Cross and the IFRC, with the Australian and Indonesian governments, co-hosted the first regional Government and Civil Society Roundtable as part of the State-led Bali Process. Representatives from six National Societies (Australian Red Cross, Bangladesh Red Crescent, Maldivian Red Crescent, Nepal Red Cross, Pakistan Red Crescent, and Philippine Red Cross), ICRC and IFRC were joined by representatives from 13 governments and national and regional Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and international agencies. The meeting was a significant success, with strong engagement between RCRC Movement partners and governments, and a commitment made by the Bali Process co-Chairs, namely the governments of Australia and Indonesia, to follow through on outcomes and recommendations.
After the end of two days of engaging and frank discussion, it was agreed by participants that:
Effective cooperation between governments and CSOs is key to preventing and addressing human trafficking and serious forms of labour exploitation, including the importance of:

supporting CSOs as an invaluable asset in identification and protection processes and ensuring clear guidelines and operating procedures to clarify roles and responsibilities;
formalising national coordination mechanisms to lay the foundation for effective protection; and
ensuring coordination mechanisms are operationalised through referral pathways, SOPs, regular meetings and evaluations

Referring to the root causes of trafficking and labour exploitation, governments and CSOs can collaborate to:

increase capacity for knowledge building sharing about why people experience human trafficking; and
build opportunities to form both formal and informal networks to increase pathways for identification and referrals.

On the challenges of effective collaboration:

Governments play a convening role to bring governments and CSOs together to share information and good practice; and
develop a shared understanding of common goals, focused on shared mandates and objectives while recognizing different roles, mandates and priorities.

Examples of good practices includes:

Innovative approaches to address shared challenges
Strong networks
Recognition of the strengths that CSOs bring to identification and protection.
Participants agreed to share contact details to facilitate strengthened connections and relationships and build effective pathways for information and knowledge sharing.

ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth | 15 May 2018 | Hanoi, Vietnam
2018-05-15
IFRC Presentation to ASEAN Senior Official Meeting on Youth

Steering Committee Meeting for the Regional Resilience Initiative (RRI) | 16 May 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-05-16
The annual Steering Committee Meeting for the Regional Resilience Initiative (RRI) will be held in Bangkok on 16 May 2018. The objective of the meeting is to review the past key implementation, oversee the project’s strategy and provide overall guidance on the annual workplan and budget.
Meeting documents:

Meeting Agenda
Regional Resilience Initiative Endline Study
Regional Resilience Initiative Endline Study: Change Stories
RRI 5th Annual Workplan
Meeting Minutes

Presentations:

RRI Baseline and Endline Study
Overview of the 5th Annual Work Plan (AWP5)
Resilience Library

ACDM Working Group Meeting on Prevention and Mitigation | 25 May 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-05-25

ASSI - ASEAN Road to AMCDRR 2018 | 30-31 May 2018 | Jakarta, Indonesia
2018-05-30 - 2018-05-31
Supported by the ASEAN Safe School Initiative (ASSI), the workshop is aimed at providing a platform for ASEAN Member States (AMSs) to discuss about the region’s participation at the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR), in the past and forthcoming to determine regional key messages, discuss possible platforms to raise the messages or call for actions, strategies, preparations for white papers, statements, and policy briefs. Furthermore, the workshop also provided a platform for discussions on an enabling environment where ASEAN CSOs continue engaging and contributing to the implementation of AWP 2.0.
The workshop specifically aimed to gather AMS’ focal points on school safety and ASEAN civil society organisations and other actors that have worked in school safety and relevant sectors (children & youth, climate change adaptation, other vulnerable groups, resilience, etc) in alignment with AWP 2.0. The outcome of this workshop is expected to be advocated during AMCDRR through 10 ASEAN governments’ delegates and other non‐state actors.
More details about the event are provided in the following documents:

Concept note
Agenda
Brief Report

Presentation

UNISDR: Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
Overview of ASEAN Achievement Towards AADMER Work Programme 2016-2020
Indonesia: National Initiative on Safe Schools
IFRC Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies School Safety Mapping
ASEAN Safe School Initiative: Achievement
Thailand: National Initiatives on School Safety
Asia Pacific Coalition for School Safety (APCSS)
ASEAN Stakeholders’ Key Messages for the AMCDRR 2018

Lao-Thai Cross-border Meeting | 31 May - 1 June 2018 | Vientiane, Lao PDR
2018-05-31 - 2018-06-01

Asia Pacific Migration Network Annual General Meeting | 18-19 June 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-06-18 - 2018-06-19
The Asia Pacific Migration Network (APMN), in collaboration with IFRC and the ICRC will host an Annual General Meeting from 18-19 June in Bangkok, Thailand. This Meeting will complement the Red Cross Red Crescent Conference on Labour Migration, to be held from 20-21 June, in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Annual General Meeting will provide a forum for Asia Pacific National Societies to share information, discuss challenges and successes, identify opportunities and chart a common way forward in addressing humanitarian needs in the context of migration in and from the Asia Pacific region.
The Asia Pacific Migration Network (APMN) is a regional forum established by agreement between the 17 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies (NS) that gathered in Bangkok in December 2012 for the Asia Pacific Migration Workshop. The Australian Red Cross and the Maldivian Red Crescent are the current co-chairs of the Network, and the Australian Red Cross hosts the Secretariat for the APMN.
Objectives of the Annual General Meeting
The objectives of the 2018 APRMN Annual General Meeting are to:
1. Strengthen the APMN as a platform for ongoing collaboration and dialogue between Asia Pacific National Societies
2. Enhance understanding of the Movement’s approach to migration
3. Deepen and share understanding of the complexity of migration issues across the region and work towards practical action
4. Learn from one another, and to deepen relationships between National Societies on migration
5. Identify gaps and opportunities related to addressing the humanitarian concerns related to migration
6. Build on the outcomes raised by the 6 National Societies that participated in the 2018 APMN peer to peer learning at Australian Red Cross
Meeting documents:

Concept note

1st Disaster Management Law Committee Meeting | 19 June 2018 | Vientiane, Lao PDR
2018-06-19
This meeting was organized by Laos’ Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW) as the Chairperson of the Disaster Management (DM) Law Committee, chaired by Deputy Director General Vilayphong Sisomvang, and attended by all members of the DM Law Committee including Lao Red Cross.
Total attendance was 40 people (F = 14; M = 26). The purpose of the meeting was: (1) presentation of IFRC on disaster risk management principles, international and regional agreements related to disaster risk management, available IFRC disaster law tools that can be used to guide the legal drafting, examples of best practices on disaster laws; and (2) discussion among DM Law Committee members on the outline of the DM Law
The key achievement from this support is the sensitization of all DM Law Committee members on key considerations for effective disaster laws, prevention and response to SGBV in disasters, and other PGI concerns in an disaster context. IFRC and Lao Red Cross’s collaboration in the provision of the technical support to the DM Law development was also highlighted.
Related documents:

Presentation: Overview of DRM and Disaster Law: A Guide For Lao PDR’s Disaster Risk Management Law
Mission Report

Cross-regional Conference on Labour Migration (Asia Pacific - Middle East) | 20-21 June 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-06-20 - 2018-06-21
The Red Cross Red Crescent Conference on Labour Migration was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 20 to 21 June 2018, bringing together Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies and external partners to discuss recent developments and exchange knowledge and experience under the theme of humanitarian assistance, protection and advocacy for migrant workers. This includes those particularly most at risk including women and children.
The conference was co-facilitated by IFRC Asia Pacific and IFRC Middle East North Africa in partnership with the Australian Red Cross, Qatar Red Crescent Society and ICRC and see the attendance of leadership and technical focal points from Asia Pacific and Middle East National Societies.
Publication:

Addressing the humanitarian consequences of labour migration and trafficking: The role of Asia Pacific National Societies

Conference materials:

Agenda (final)
Bangkok Call for Action on Labour Migration

Reference documents:

Concept note
IFRC Asia Pacific Case Studies: Health and Care for Migrants and Displaced Persons:
IFRC Global Strategy on Migration
IFRC Policy on Migration
Movement Call for Action on Migration
Resolution 3: Migration: Ensuring access, dignity, respect for diversity and social inclusion
IFRC Asia Pacific Migration and Displacement: Framework For Action Reducing Vulnerability, Enhancing Resilience | 2017 – 2022

Communications documents:

Infographics: Asia Pacific | Middle East and North Africa

Click here to visit the conference official page.

SGBV National Roundtable | 25 June 2018 | Vientiane, Lao PDR
2018-06-25
The Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) Consultation roundtable was organized on 26 June 2018 in Vientiane with the participation of 41 people (F20, M21) from Lao Red Cross HQ, Oudomxay and Sekong provinces, Ministries, INGO and IFRC. The purpose was to follow-up on the recommendations of the results emerging from the SGBV research – prioritization of the intervention for short and long term as well as identification of potential implementing partners.

32nd Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management | 26-28 June 2018 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2018-06-26 - 2018-06-28
Leaders from ASEAN National Disaster Management Organizations discussed, among others, about setting priorities for women in disaster management during the 32nd Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) held on 26-28 June in Kuala Lumpur.
The meeting was convened in conjunction with the 8th Governing Board Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), 9th Joint Task Force Meeting to Promote Synergy with Other Relevant ASEAN Bodies on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (JTF on HADR), and 5th ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Partnership Conference.
Click here for a full report on the 32nd ACDM meeting.
Presentations by IFRC:
IFRC Contribution Towards Resilient Communities for a Resilient ASEAN
IFRC Presentation to 5th AADMER Partnership Conference

Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction 2018 | 3-6 July 2018 | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2018-07-03 - 2018-07-06
The Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) is the regional platform for dialogue and action on DRR, under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR)1. Since its inception in 2005, the biennial Conference has met in: Beijing 2005, New Delhi 2007, Kuala Lumpur 2008, Incheon 2010, Yogyakarta 2012, Bangkok 2014 and New Delhi 2016. Each of the seven Asian Ministerial Conferences has adopted a political declaration and developed action plans that reaffirmed commitment to strengthen disaster resilience and renew regional approaches to implement first the Hyogo Framework for Action and now the SFDRR.
AMCDRR 2018 represents a key milestone to reflect on regional progress against the SFDRR three years since its adoption. Governments and key DRR stakeholder groups from across Asia, Central Asia and Iran are invited to participate. Participants from the Pacific are invited as observers.
This year, Mongolia will play host to the 8th Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR which will be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 03 – 06 July 2018. More information and background to the Conference can be found here.
Relevant reads:

Red Cross Red Crescent Engagement in AMCDRR 2018
Red Cross and Red Crescent Contributions to AMCDRR 2018

ACDM Working Group on Prevention and Mitigation | 25 May 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-07-06 08:00 - 17:00 (Asia/Krasnoyarsk)
IFRC Presentation to ACDM Working Group on Prevention and Mitigation

Southeast Asia Gender and Diversity Network Meeting & SGBV Advocacy Training | 10-12 July 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-07-10 - 2018-07-12
The Southeast Asia Gender and Diversity Network Meeting & SGBV Advocacy Training is taking place during 10-12 July 2018 in Bangkok with the following objectives:

To follow-up on the SGBV prevention and response plan the Network worked on after its 2017 training on IFRC’s Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Emergencies training module. Specifically, network members will build their capacity further on how to implement key parts of the action plan and how to strengthen their advocacy and sensitization on SGBV prevention and response with senior leadership and varying operational departments within their National Society (e.g. health, WASH, DM) etc. The training will be structured around the following three areas:
– implementing behavior change communication with communities on violence prevention
– building sustainable partnerships with external actors on SGBV prevention and response during disasters and other crisis
– strengthening internal National Society efforts towards prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse
To review changes in the revised Minimum Standard Commitments on Protection, Gender and Inclusion in Emergencies, how to implement these Minimum Standard Commitments and better link them to the existing Network Work Plan on SGBV Prevention and Response.
To bring together members of the Southeast Asia Gender and Diversity network to share experiences, update knowledge, discuss issues/problems and identify solutions. A key outcome of this network meeting will also be to discuss key achievements, the future of the Network, hold elections for a new Chair and review its terms of reference for strengthened relevance. To strengthen the linkages between the Gender and Diversity Network, the Southeast Asia Youth Network and the Community-based Health and First Aid (CBHFA) Network
To provide follow-up to some outcomes from the 2018 Southeast Asia Youth Network Meeting with a focus on a youth-led violence prevention campaign.

For more information about the G&D Network meeting and the training, please download the following meeting documents:

Concept note
Agenda
Practical Information
Participant List
G&D Network July 2018 Summary Report
G&D Network Contact Details

Presentation
Day 1

Mongolian Red Cross Society Social Inclusion, Development Program
SGBV Presentation at Annual Meeting of National Society Legal Advisers | 2-4 July 2018 | Geneva, Switzerland

Day 2

Protection Gender and Inclusion: Dignity Access Participation Safety Grand Review
Revisiting SGBV Core Concepts
Child Protection
Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
Southeast Asia Gender and Diversity Network Workplan 2018-2019

Day 3

Gender, Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships: the Path to Success
Communication for Development (C4D)

Reference Documents

Checklist for Policy and Code of Conduct Application
Frequently Asked Questions
Inter-Agency Community-Based Complaints Mechanism – Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
Model Checklist for Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse – IRC Kenya

Event Photos — Download here!
Meeting Summary Report — Download here!

SGBV Awareness Activity | 23-30 July 2018 | Oudomxay, Lao PDR
2018-07-23 - 2018-07-30
Following the Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) protection before, during, and after disasters research conducted in Lao PDR by Lao Red Cross (LRC) and IFRC in 2017, one recommendation was to organize awareness raising activities to prevent and eliminate violence against women, boys and girls in the communities where the research was conducted. LRC Department of Advancement of Women, Mother and Child worked together with LRC Youth and Volunteer to organize a series of training and workshop to conduct a youth-led awareness activity in Baeng district, Oudomxay Province during 23-30 July.
The purpose of the activities include: 1) to disseminate the SGBV research results and strengthen the gender network in Oudomxay; 2) to train the Youth on Youth Empowerment in Community (YEC) with focus on GBV prevention; and 3) to raise awareness on GBV prevention.
Through the activities, government staffs from several departments in Baeng district have learned about the ASEAN SGBV research results as well as gender work at national and international level. They also know better LRC gender work. In addition, a total of 600 people from two villages learned about SGBV research results and watched the show performed by Youth. They have better understanding on SGBV and its impact (direct and indirect). Heads of the villages are aware of the importance of this issue and agree that we should disseminate further the research results to promote the behavioral change, to prevent or eliminate the violent habits and to create safe environment for all.
IFRC Protection, Gender and Inclusion officer and SGBV advisor also attended the training to give technical advice together with an expert from Laos’ National Commission for the Advancement of Women (NCAW). The team came up with a play called “Mirror” which talks about domestic violence. Selected and trained Youth volunteer from Oudomxay province conducted the play in 2 villages in Baeng district, where the data collection on SGBV took place. LRC G&D focal point and Lao NCAW advisor supervised the activity and made sure that the right message was sent to the community. In total, 600 people attended the event (F 205, M 288, children 107). However, due to time constraint, the the enhancement of the referral system did not take place at this time.
For more information about the activities, see report here. Report in Lao language is also available here.

Technical Support to Lao PDR International Partner's Meeting on Disaster Management Law | 25 July 2018 | Vientiane, Lao PDR
2018-07-25
This meeting was organized by Laos’ Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW) and chaired by Director General Prasong Vongkhamchanh, and was attended by key international development partners (e.g. USAID, World Bank, Caritas ) and some members of the Disaster Management (DM) Law Committee.
The meeting was financially supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In addition to this, IFRC provided technical support through presentation and facilitation. The purpose of the meeting was to provide updates on the 1st draft of the Lao DM Law (drafted after the 1st Committee Meeting and 2nd Technical Meeting), and to consult international development partners on their inputs to the DM law. This is the first consultation with external partners apart from IFRC, UNDP and ADB.
The key achievement of our technical support was to sensitize the international development partners on key considerations for effective disaster laws and available IFRC disaster law tools. We also provided them with copies of the Checklist on Law and DRR which they used during the break-out sessions.
Related documents:

Presentation: IFRC Disaster Law Tools: Resources for Lao PDR DM Law Development
Mission report

AHA Centre Executive (ACE) Programme 2018 Red Cross Red Crescent Induction | 20-24 August 2018 | Jakarta, Indonesia
2018-08-20 - 2018-08-24
Introduction
The AHA Centre Executive (ACE) Programme was established as part of the AHA Centre’s ambition to build a disaster-resilient region, through the vision of the ‘One ASEAN One Response’. Since it was launched in 2014, 62 officers from the ten ASEAN Member States have been trained. After graduating from ACE, the ACE alumni continue to engage in various roles in the area of disaster management as well as in responding to emergencies in the ASEAN region. Some graduates have been promoted into higher leadership positions within their respective National Disaster Management Organisations. Considering the ACE Programme’s effectiveness and relevance to support the vision, the AHA Centre continues to invite talented individuals from the ASEAN Member States to join ACE, in order to improve ASEAN’s speed, scale and solidarity in responding to crises and emergencies.
ACE Programme Description
The ACE Programme aims at developing the future leaders of ASEAN. The programme will strengthen the operationalisation of One ASEAN One Response commitment through building the capacities of the participants in the areas of disaster management and humanitarian assistance operations. It is is designed as a training development continuum, with long-term emphasis on building the four ACE Professional Qualities:

ACE Professional Quality 1. ACE graduate is sought as an expert in humanitarian assistance, both nationally and in the ASEAN region.
ACE Professional Quality 2. ACE graduate is committed to support the ASEAN’s coordination mechanisms and operationalise One ASEAN One Response through involvement of various relevant stakeholders.
ACE Professional Quality 3. ACE graduate is result oriented
ACE Professional Quality 4. ACE graduate is an effective leader

The learning programme combines various adult learning methodologies: online courses, classroom sessions, experiential challenges, case study analysis, individual and team projects, and real-life simulations. The participants are also expected to allocate two hours a day for reading the materials prior to joining the session on the following day, over the 18-week programme duration. In addition, the participants will engage throughout the programme by sharing tasks related to class arrangement, such as: ice breaking, meal/travel arrangement, etc.
Supporting documents:

Course plan
Agenda
Course Introduction

Go to this link for more interactive information and to view the reading list

Risk-Informed Development Conference | 27-29 August 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-08-27 - 2018-08-29
IFRC Asia Pacific Regional Office participated at the Risk-Informed Development Conference during 27-29 August 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand. The theme for the 2018 event was “Using Disaster Risk Information for Resilience.” The event was hosted by the Asian Development Bank, UNESCAP, and UNISDR, among others.
IFRC had the opportunity to present the innovative Forecast-based Financing (FbF) approach/mechanism, including the IFRC Forecast-based Action (FbA) through the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), and practical application and evidence from the Red Cross Red Crescent (RCRC) in Asia Pacific that connect risk-informed decision making, early actions to reduce risks and increase investment in FbA and preparedness for response.
Click the link below to access the event documents:

Event agenda
Speakers’ profiles
IFRC’s Presentation on Forecast-based Financing

2018 Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Governance Academic Seminar | 24-25 September 2018 | Bangkok, Thailand
2018-09-24 - 2018-09-25
The 2018 Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Governance Academic Seminar is organized jointly by the ASEAN Committee for Disaster Management (ACDM), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Faculty of Political Science, and Thammasat University in Thailand. The 2.5-day event will take place during 24-26 September 2018 at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus in Bangkok.
The primary focus of the seminar will be to review and provide comments, by the Peer Review Committee members, on the submitted academic papers under the theme “Effective legal frameworks for inclusive and climate smart disaster risk governance.” The Peer Review Committee members consists of academicians from institutions in Southeast Asia as well as practitioners in the field of disaster management. The seminar also aims to:

Provide a platform for different DRM actors and academic institutions in ASEAN to share their academic and policy research among their peers;
Increase the body of academic work on climate smart DRM laws in ASEAN to strengthen the credibility of the thematic area within the region and provide credible resources for policymakers working on DRM laws and regulations;
Enhance the engagement of academic institutions in ASEAN on climate smart DRM law and policy; and
Consider concrete recommendations and next steps to build on this peer learning platform.

Visit the official page of the seminar here for more information.

Myanmar Red Cross Society: National Strategic Dialogue Workshop on Migration | 25-27 September 2018 | Yangon, Myanmar
2018-09-25 - 2018-09-27
On 25-27 September 2018, the Restoring Family Links Department of the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) hosted a National Strategic Dialogue Workshop on Migration in Yangon, Myanmar.
The Workshop was attended by Professor Dr Nang Htwan Hla (Vice-President of MRCS) ,U Khin Maung Hla (Secretary-General of MRCS), Dr Daw Nyo Nyo Wint (Deputy Secretary-General of MRCS), U Ganesh (Chairman of the MRCS Supervisory Committee from Kachin State), Daw Ma Ma Lay (Chairlady of the MRCS Supervisory Committee of the Tanintharyi Region) and relevant Supervisory Committee members from respective States/Regions, Directors, Deputy Directors from Myanmar Red Cross Society, and relevant Officials.
At the ceremony, Prof. Dr Nang Htwan Hla , Vice President of the Myanmar Red Cross Society, gave the Opening Speech, and Joy Singhal, Head of IFRC Myanmar Country Office also offered his warm greetings to all the Workshop participants.

Preparedness for Effective Response Workshop | 22 October - 14 November 2018 | Hanoi, Viet Nam
2018-10-22 - 2018-11-14
Twenty Red Cross colleagues (12 female) gathered in Hanoi on 22 October to be oriented on the Preparedness for Effective Response (PER) process. This is the first among five Phases of the process including Orientation -> Assessment -> Prioritization and Analysis -> Work-Plan -> Action and Accountability.
All colleagues (Viet Nam RC and Partner National Societies) participated in the meeting expressed their interest and commitment to be part of the process.
Preparedness for Effective Response (PER) is a cyclical approach for a National Society (NS) to systematically assess, measure, and analyse the strengths and weaknesses of its response system in order to take remedial actions. The PER approach puts the NS in the driver’s seat to construct a work-plan that when implemented should improve its overall response capacity. The approach complements other major RCRC Movement tools including the Organisational Capacity Assessment and Certification (OCAC), Branch Organisational Capacity Assessment (BOCA), and Safer Access Framework (SAF).

Orientation Workshop at VNRC HQs on 22 October 2018. Photo by IFRC
From 10- 14 November 2018, 20 (7 female) VNRC colleagues representing various department of VNRC HQs and disaster-prone provinces gathered in Da Nang city for an intensive self-assessment workshop to go through every individual benchmark of 37 components and five sub-components to discuss in detail what each benchmark means to the VNRC and where the National Society stands on each of them before giving overall priority and score for each component.
Representatives participated in the self-assessment workshop are: Disaster Management; Health and Care; General Office (Logistics and Admin); Finance; Human Resource/OD; Inspection/PMER; International Relations; central region Disaster Management Centre; southern region HQ Office; and seven (7) disaster- prone provinces throughout the country. In addition, a representative from American RC was present throughout the workshop.
According to participants’ feedback that the workshop was a brilliant opportunity for them to better understand comprehensively what it means when it comes to Preparedness for Effective Response (PER) and it is indeed a very informative session for all. In-depth discussion was seen in various components and sub-components where the NS felt “good performance” and “needs to be improved” or “partially exist”. In addition, the use of slido.com in voting and prioritisation made the workshop more interactive and excited for all.
From the workshop, seven components and sub-components were prioritized the most for moving further to develop a workplan to address them in the future. The selection was based on scoring and their importance:

Component Order
Name of Component

16
Early Action Mechanism

21
Information Management

31
PMER

32
Financial and Admin Procedures in Emergencies

34c
Procurement

35
Staff and Volunteer Management

37
Resource Mobilisation

All in all, participants enjoyed the process and suggested the tool should be further fine-tuned and polished (language and terminologies) so that VNRC could further use it in other assessments such as extended BOCA (under Red Ready Initiative) and so on so forth.
Moving forward: Work-Plan Phase expects to be taken place in the second half of December.

PER Self-Assessment Workshop in Da Nang city 10-14 November. Photo by VNRC

PER Self-Assessment Workshop from 10-14 November in Da Nang. Photo by VNRC

Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies Leadership Informal Side Meeting | Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting | 11 November 2018 | Manila, Philippines
2018-11-11
SOUTHEAST ASIA RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT NATIONAL SOCIETIES LEADERSHIP INFORMAL SIDE MEETING DURING THE 10TH ASIA PACIFIC RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT REGIONAL MEETING IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES
As agreed during the 15th Annual Southeast Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies Leadership Meeting held on 10th and 11th April 2018 in Melaka, Malaysia, there is to be a side meeting of the Southeast Asia National Societies Leadership network during the upcoming 10th Asia Pacific Red Cross and Red Crescent Regional Meeting to be held in Manila, Philippines from the 11th to 14th November 2018.
The proposed Southeast Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies Leadership meeting is meant to be an informal meeting, taking advantage of the presence of its leaders. It is hoped that through this meeting, members can update each other on some of the latest activities and programs happening within the region.
Additionally, the meeting is also for Malaysian Red Crescent to formally handover the Chairmanship of the meeting to the Philippine Red Cross.
Please be informed that the informal side meeting will be held according to the details as mentioned below:
Time: 9.30 am to 1.00 pm
Sunday, 11th November 2018
Venue: Paranaque Function Room A & B, Shangri-La Makati, Manila Philippines
Reading materials:

The Outcome of the 15th Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent Leadership Meeting in April 2018 in Melaka, Malaysia
Regional Resilience Initiative Beyond 2018 – RRI2 Overall Framing
Red Cross and Red Crescent Contributions to AMCDRR 2018

10th Asia Pacific Regional Conference | 11-14 November 2018 | Manila, Philippines
2018-11-11 - 2018-11-14
The 10th Asia Pacific Regional Conference, set to take place in Manila from 11 – 14 November 2018, will see a gathering of leaders, spokespersons and representatives from Asia Pacific and Middle East and North Africa National Societies, as well as observing National Societies, to discuss strategic issues, common concerns and learn from each other’s diverse contexts.
Click here to visit the event official page for more information.

Gender and Diversity Policy Awareness Training | June-July 2018 | Bago City & Pyi City, Myanmar
2018-11-13 08:00 - 17:00
Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) has been working to ensure gender and diversity (G&D) is mainstreamed and fully integrated within their programming, plans, policies, tools, branch and volunteer development. Efforts have been made to systematically integrate gender and diversity into its emergency programming and longer term planning.
A gender and diversity policy awareness training was conducted in Bago City on 26 June and in Pyi City on 3 July 2018. The event was participated by MRCS programmatic leads where they learned about the Gender and diversity Policy and cross-cutting issue that link with the 2016-2020 strategy. The participants also discussed how they can integrate G&D into their respective activities and program through seven fundamental principles. A total of 117 people (19 females) attended the training.
