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The ICRC and the Haitian National Red Cross Society (HNRCS) continue their work to help people in Haiti and abroad restore and maintain contact with their loved ones. Two RFL mobile teams continue to work in some of the largest camps in Port-au-Prince at Champs-de-Mars, Pétionville and Delmas, while the RFL office at the HNRCS Headquarters remains open for the public who can make phone calls abroad and register on the ICRC Family Links Website. Up to now almost 1,800 calls were facilitated between relatives. The service is promoted through radio jingles and 4X4 cars loaded with heavy loudspeakers circulating in the capital. Registration of unaccompanied and separated children and tracing of their family Following the decision to register unaccompanied and separated children, the tracing specialists documented and are currently actively following 8 cases of unaccompanied minors (6 cases registered in Port au Prince, while 2 cases were received from the USA and Dominican Republic) . The ICRC maintains close contact with UNICEF for interim care arrangements for unaccompanied and separated children, alongside tracing activities. We would like to emphasize that National societies can accept tracing requests for Haiti but only for unaccompanied and separated children. As already mentioned in the RFL Update No 5, National Societies can also register unaccompanied and separated children who have been evacuated from Haiti for medical treatment. Orphans and adoptions We would also like to share with you the ICRC position with regards to orphans and adoptions in the present circumstances occurring in Haiti. Children who have become separated from their parents cannot be assumed to be orphans and must not be considered now for adoption. However well intentioned, it is difficult to determine the status of separated and unaccompanied children following a disaster. As long as the fate of a child's parents and/or other close relatives cannot be verified, each separated child must be considered as still having close relatives who are alive. The ICRC joins UNICEF in saying that every effort will be made to reunite children with their families. Only if that proves impossible, and after proper screening has been carried out, should permanent solutions such as adoption be considered by the relevant authorities. While there are on the other hand clear benefits to speed up the travel to their new homes for those children who had completed the screening process for international adoption prior to the earthquake, these adoption processes must follow clear legal procedures. The ICRC strongly supports the announcement made on 20 January by the Prime Minister of Haiti tightening adoption procedures by requiring his own signature of approval on all adoption files. In cases of evacuation, children should be systematically accompanied by relatives and registered. Experience has shown that most separated children have parents or other family members willing and able to care for them. Long-term care arrangements, including adoption, should therefore not be made during the emergency phase. Family Links Website The family links site (www.icrc.org./familylinks)for Haiti currently lists over 25,200 names. Nearly 2,800 of the postings are from people reporting that they are alive and safe. The ICRC has so far been able to remove 731 names because the people concerned had been traced. ICRC is proactively conducting searches on the Family Links website for potential matches between persons registered as "I am alive" and "Missing" and subsequently undertaking active follow up with concerned individuals, National Societies and ICRC Delegations. We wish hereby to thank all National Societies involved in this response and will continue keeping you updated on developments as they unfold. read comments (0) :: add comment 
Please find below the links for the third of a series of videos we are producing this week around our response to the Haiti earthquake on Solidarity with Haiti: a worldwide response from Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. The interview is with Ivana Mrdja Nikolic, Senior Officer, IFRC Resource Mobilization and Government Relations department Geneva.
On youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEe3Oo3OP_A read comments (0) :: add comment
The ICRC, the Haitian Red Cross and other members of National Societies as part of the global humanitarian response of the Movement work hard to help people in Haiti and abroad to renew contact with their loved ones. A combined RFL office is opened at the Headquarters of the National society in 1, rue du Muguet, Route de Desprez, 7 in Port-Au-Prince HT 6112. The public can make phone call abroad, register on the ICRC Family Links Website and reconnect with their relatives who had posted tracing requests on this website in recent days. The goal is to rapidly create additional posts in other affected areas.
In addition, an outreach program has started with mobile RFL teams offering phone calls to homeless staying in makeshifts camps. It is expected to be expanded and continued over several days as many survivors have a very difficult access to telephones and remain without news from their family. On Tuesday 19 January, a total of 117 calls were made. Radio stations have begun advertising the service, encouraging those without news of their relatives to contact the Haiti Red Cross or the ICRC.  Unaccompanied and Separated Children Registration Formread comments (0) :: add comment (more...)
Dear Friends,
No doubt you and your national society are as shocked as we are at the devastation and human suffering in Haiti. A country with a great pre-existing burden of vulnerability has been hit, again, by a calamity triggered by forces of nature beyond the control of human beings. No doubt you are also proud to see the outpouring of solidarity and generosity from individual Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the dedication shown by many volunteers and staff who do their utmost to ensure that assistance and support can be supplied to the people of Haiti and Haiti Red Cross as early as possible. Some has already arrived, more is underway, and the needs will persist for a long time – as an emergency and early recovery phase, but also in the longer term. At this point in time, we are deploying 15 emergency response units (ERUs) to Haiti. This includes field hospitals, medical clinics, water and sanitation units, it and telecommunication units, and base camps. This deployment is the largest since the tsunami. As you will have seen from several sources, including the joint IFRC/ICRC/NS Briefing notes, the most critical needs are food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional (psychosocial) support. We are particularly concerned about the lack of clean water, and the health threats that this would pose. read comments (0) :: add comment (more...)
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has revised and raised its Haiti appeal, and is now calling for 105.7 million Swiss francs (103 million US dollars/73 million euro) to assist 300,000 people for three years.
The appeal, which replaces the 10 million Swiss franc appeal launched on 13 January, maps out the response of the world’s largest humanitarian network. It includes a scaled up relief component. In the coming days and week, significant focus, for example, will go towards trying to reduce the risk of waterborne and water-related diseases. “This revision reflects the need of Haitian communities for long-term and sustained support,” said Yasemin Aysan, Under Secretary General, disaster response and early recovery. “For many of these people, this earthquake has robbed them entirely of their limited means. For many of them, they need help to totally rebuild their lives.” read comments (0) :: add comment (more...)
Red Cross Red Crescent emergency appeal seeks 10 million Swiss francs for relief efforts
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is launching a preliminary emergency appeal seeking a total of 10 million Swiss francs (10 million US dollars/6.8 million euro) to deliver assistance an initial 5,000 families affected by the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on Tuesday. The earthquake, which reached 7.3 on the Richter scale, has primarily affected the cities of Port-au-Prince, Carrefour and Jacmel, all located in the West Province area which has an estimated population of 2.2 million. read comments (0) :: add comment (more...)
Assistance from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has started to arrive in Haiti. Several Emergency Response Units (ERU) are being deployed with staff coming from Red Cross Red Crescent societies all over the world.
A first group of specialists has already started to further assess the damage caused by the devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake that hit the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on Tuesday. This ensures that help reaches the most vulnerable and that all available resources are used where they can do the most good. First responders: Haitian Red Cross volunteers The ERUs will provide urgently needed support to the staff and volunteers of Haiti Red Cross who have been assisting the population with pre-positioned relief items since the earthquake struck. Among other things, the ERU members will establish a fully equipped field hospital. Other ERUs are specialized in relief coordination and shelter, water and sanitation, telecommunications and health. read comments (0) :: add comment (more...)
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) today elected Tadateru Konoé, from the Japanese Red Cross, as its new president for a four-year term.
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The Hellenic Red Cross and the Red Cross of Serbia have been facilitating the recovery of children in Greece during Christmas Holidays, as well as during summer vacation since 1993. Children are accommodated in the Greek host families that have the children of same age and gender. Approximately 400 children from the Republic of Serbia and Republica Srpska are the beneficiaries of the program each year. This time the group of children will departure from Belgrade on 30.June 2009. and they will spent theirs holidays until 25 .July .2009.In the group will including 155 children from Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska The children will be accommodated in many places around Greece , from Thessaloniki through Larissa, Arta, Ionnina, Athens until islands Crete, Rodos, Mittilini etc. read comments (2) :: add comment
Dear Mr. Rocca, Dear Red Cross Colleagues, Friends, We are waiting to tell you how shocked we were to hear of the tragic deaths of so many people in this massive earthquake in Italy. Please, accept our deepest condolences and sympathy for you , your colleagues, the Italian population and above all for the people of the central Italy and especially people of the city of L’Aquilla. Please, do not hesitate to contact us in the case that you need support and assistance. The red cross of Serbia is at your disposal according to possibilities. Sincerely yours, President, Prof.Dr Dragan Radovanovic Secretary General, Vesna Milenovic read comments (0) :: add comment (more...)
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RFL STRATEGY RESTORING FAMILY LINKS STRATEGY FOR INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT MOVEMENT (2008-2018) (more...)  Financial assistance Financial assistance for refugees (more...) |
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