Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…

INDIA: On the morning of December 30th, Cyclone Thane battered India’s south-east coast causing thousands to flee from their homes. In its wake, the cyclone left an immense trail of destruction. Early action by volunteers of the Indian Red Cross Society deployed before the disaster was able to reduce the impact of the severe storm. Working closely with the authorities, the Red Cross helped to evacuate people from low-lying coastal areas and sent out warnings through its district branches.

SOUTH SUDAN: Violence in Pibor County, Jonglei State, has left thousands of people displaced and many wounded. The ICRC is working with the South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC) to help health facilities cope with an influx of casualties. ICRC teams based at regional Training hospitals are treating hundreds of people, distributing medical supplies, and helping to reunite families separated by fighting.

GUINEA-BISSAU: Between December 30th, 2011, and January 6th, 2012, the ICRC visited 38 military personnel arrested in connection with disturbances in Guinea-Bissau on 26 December. The visits took place in Mansoa military prison and at Armura air base in Bissau, and essential relief supplies were provided for the detainees.

MAURITANIA: A team from the IFRC has been visiting villages to assess food security problems in Mauritania. A lack of rainfall and poor access to water sources has had a major impact on agricultural production. The Mauritanian Red Crescent, with partners from a number of National Societies, are running programs to help and encourage gardening activities, growing food that is less dependent on abundant rains.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…

PAKISTAN: Today the IFRC launched a preliminary emergency appeal for $12 million to provide urgent relief and medical support to 105,000 people affected by the devastating floods that have once again struck Pakistan.

JAPAN: The Japanese Red Cross has played a key role in tsunami and nuclear disaster emergency response and recovery efforts. 800 medical teams were deployed immediately after the disaster to run mobile clinics for survivors. With donations totalling $510 million received (of a total $51 billion pledged) by Red Cross Red Crescent societies abroad, another key part of the Japanese Red Cross reconstruction plan is to support the building of temporary hospitals.

KENYA: A leaking gasoline pipeline in Kenya’s capital exploded on Monday, turning part of a slum into an inferno in which at least 75 people were killed and more than 100 hurt. Red Cross official Pamela Indiaka said the Red Cross is providing body bags and has dealt with 75 bodies so far. The death toll from the blast may still rise.

ITALY: The 34th Round Table on current issues of international humanitarian law (IHL) recently took place in San Remo, from September 8-10, 2011. Conclusions were made by Dr Philip Spoerri, Director for International Law and Cooperation, ICRC, regarding new weapon technologies and IHL.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...


WORLDWIDE: Each year, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world observe World First Aid Day. The day is marked on the second Saturday of September and communities are preparing for it around the globe.

COLOMBIA: On Monday, September 5, 2011, ICRC and Ministry of Social Protection presented a guide in Bogotá for improving treatment for casualties of armed conflict. The victims of armed conflict include people wounded by improvised explosive devices and explosive remnants of war, and also the victims of firearms and other devices.

YEMEN: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Yemen Red Crescent Society have distributed food rations to over 17,000 displaced people and residents in the areas of Zinjibar, Ja'ar, al-Bateis and al-Husn in Abyan governorate. Armed confrontations have forced tens of thousands of people to hastily leave their homes in search of safer places.

SOUTH KOREA: The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement was well represented at the recent 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) held in Busan, the Republic of Korea. IFRC used the conference as an opportunity to call upon governments in Asia and the Pacific to provide universal, non-politicized and anonymous access to HIV testing as a key step towards the United Nation’s ‘Getting to Zero’ strategy.


GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...


LIBYA: The ICRC has begun distribution of medical and surgical kits to hospitals in the capital city of Tripoli. The ICRC has had a permanent presence in Tripoli since mid-April of this year.

NORTH KOREA: An emergency appeal has been launched by IFRC to provide supplies of food and non-food relief, shelter materials, clean water and health care to 30,000 people who have been badly affected by storms and floods. The American Red Cross will contribute $50,000 for the international response in North Korea.

SOMALIA: With the opening of the four new feeding programs, Somali Red Crescent feeding centers now cover the whole country, including all areas most affected by malnutrition. Somalia has been in the grip of a severe drought since October 2010.

IRAQ: The ICRC released a film today that highlights the difficulties of Iraqi women who shoulder the burden of caring for their families alone. An estimated one million women struggle to feed their families and continue to depend on outside help.

USA: Hurricane Irene is the first major hurricane of 2011 threatening the East Coast and the American Red Cross is preparing for a full disaster response. The Red Cross urges people to get a three-day supply of water, food that doesn’t require refrigeration, flashlights, a battery-operated radio and a first aid kit. Irene could affect blood collections along the East Coast and The Red Cross is urging those who are eligible to give blood prior to the storm’s arrival.


GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

MALAWI: 120,000 long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets are being distributed by the Malawi Red Cross with support from the IFRC.

ETHIOPIA: The Ethiopian Red Cross is providing camels for a number of families who have lost their livelihoods in Ethiopia.

KENYA: The Kenya Red Cross's 'Kenyans for Kenya' has raised approximately $5 million to deliver immediate food, water, and health assistance to those suffering from the current drought.

COTE D'IVOIRE: The Red cross of Côte d’Ivoire, with support from the IFRC has rolled out the first phase of its emergency assistance for almost 1,000 families from 17 communities in the Toulépleu Prefecture affected by the crisis that followed the controversial results of the 2010 presidential elections in the country.

USA: Paul Olson, 79, makes his 400th donation of blood at the American Red Cross Headquarters for the Penn-Jersey region.


GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…

PHILIPPINES: Safe drinking water is now only a few steps away for over 1,200 residents of Mabini, a remote community in Northern Samar province, after the completion of a spring catchment built with support from the ICRC.

SOMALIA: The ICRC is scaling up its emergency operation in central and southern Somalia to assist an additional 1.1 million drought- and conflict-affected people.

SUDAN: Almost half a million conflict-affected people in Darfur have been given seed and agricultural tools by the ICRC in time for the planting season and the first rainfall.

RWANDA: The ICRC has renovated a shelter for more than 300 children. Since 2009, nearly 70 children separated from their parents by armed conflict have been among those accommodated in the shelter while the ICRC traced their families.

WORLDWIDE: The Measles Initiative has officially vaccinated one billion children.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…

SOUTH SUDAN: Volunteers for the newly formed South Sudan Red Cross went out on their very first operation – monitoring and assisting people attending the celebrations to mark the birth of the Republic of Southern Sudan.

PAKISTAN: Volunteers are helping families prepare to face the oncoming monsoon season.

YEMEN: Since mid-June, the ICRC and the Yemen Red Crescent Society have provided aid for more than 17,500 people who have escaped the fighting in Abyan and settled in Lahj.

ZIMBABWE: Medical equipment donated by the ICRC is helping bring newborn babies back to life.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

SOMALIA: Levels of malnutrition have reached a new peak and are currently the highest in the world. The ICRC and the Somali Red Crescent plan to open ten new feeding centers while mobile teams made up of nurses and nutritional specialists will visit people in the areas worst affected.

SUDAN: Since fighting first erupted in Kadugli in early June, the ICRC has been providing support for the humanitarian activities of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society - delivering clothes, shelter materials, hygiene items and household essentials for 18,000 people.

SOUTH SUDAN: A new national Red Cross society for a new nation - The South Sudan Red Cross is formed of staff and volunteers who have until recently worked for the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, which continues to operate in Sudan.

TURKEY: More than 10,000 Syrians, fleeing domestic unrest, have been living in six ‘tent cities’ near the border for over a month. The camps are run by the Turkish government, while relief supplies and personnel are being supplied by the Turkish Red Crescent Society.

CYPRUS: More than 100 Cyprus Red Cross volunteers were mobilized in the wake of a massive explosion that ripped through a naval base in the south of the country.

VIETNAM: A Vietnam Red Cross team has provided relief and financial assistance to more than 400 families affected by flash flooding in Nghe An Province.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

SUDAN: The recent violence in the Sudanese state of South Kordofan has left almost 58,000 people displaced. 600 Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers are working long shifts to provide first aid, psychosocial support, and distribution of food and shelter items.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: 18 detainees who had been detained after recent clashes in the Kaga-Bandoro area were released under ICRC auspices.

KUWAIT: The remains of 32 Iraqi soldiers killed during the 1990-1991 Gulf War were repatriated under the auspices of the ICRC.

IRAQ: Three decades of conflict have left hundreds of thousands of families struggling to find out what happened to their missing loved ones. Since 1980, the ICRC has spared no effort to put an end to their anguish.

BRAZIL: Together with the Brazilian Red Cross, the ICRC teaches a course in basic first aid to community members in an effort to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of armed violence. The skills they acquire enable residents to respond to emergencies.

NIGERIA: The IFRC and Nigerian Red Cross Society are using cell phones to combat malaria.

GEORGIA: Following floods and mudslides, volunteers from the Red Cross have joined the local population in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti to help clean the main roads and support the most vulnerable people.

VIETNAM: The Red Cross helping to prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses with a new hygiene education program that uses puppets, games, exercises and role-playing to encourage primary school children to understand the importance of personal cleanliness and hygiene, and discuss it with their friends and family.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

CHINA: The Red Cross Society of China has deployed an emergency water unit to provide clean, safe drinking water to the flood hit Hubei province.

TURKEY: As the numbers fleeing unrest in Syria the continue to rise, Turkish Red Crescent is responding to their immediate needs, providing shelter, meals, health and psychological support in government-run camps close to the border.

SENEGAL: In cooperation with the Bignona medical district, the ICRC has helped build and equip a new maternity facility in an area hit hard by armed violence. "Until now, there was nothing but a basic sheet-metal shelter set up for childbirth," said a nurse from the village.

NIGERIA: A total of 31 teachers from 20 Nigerian universities gathered in Abuja to attend a three-day training course on international humanitarian law organized by the ICRC.

SOMALIA: The ICRC has just completed a distribution of seed and tools for more than 95,000 people in drought-stricken areas.

KENYA: Water from a rock - The Red Cross has completed the Kawalash rock catchment system, a new water project that will benefit some 5,000 residents of the Ol Donyiro area in northern Kenya.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

HONDURAS: The ICRC is helping to mitigate the effects of violence in schools with a training workshop on humanitarian principles and first-aid in the city of Tela.

Côte d'Ivoire: Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by fighting, other violence and looting over the past few months. The ICRC and the Red Cross Society of Côte d'Ivoire have begun to distribute food, seed and other emergency aid in 35 villages east of Bangolo.

AFGHANISTAN: Fighting has been ongoing west of Qaysar since early May, displacing thousands of people from more than 20 villages and triggering a distribution of emergency aid by the ICRC and the Afghan Red Crescent Society in this highly volatile, hard-to-reach part of north-west Afghanistan.

LIBERIA: The ICRC donated a complete sets of books on international humanitarian law, the branch of international law that governs armed conflict, to both the Ministry of Defence and the Liberian armed forces.

ICELAND: When Grimsvötn, a sub-glacial volcano in southeast Iceland, erupted last week Red Crossers immediatley opened two shelters, activated a 24-hour helpline and mobilized psychosocial support teams to help those affected.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…

QATAR: Health professionals and other specialists from 10 different countries gathered in Doha to attend a two-week training course in the management of humanitarian aid, jointly organized by the ICRC, the Qatar Red Crescent Society and the University of Calgary – Qatar.

REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Residents of the department of Likouala remain in a precarious situation following the massive influx in 2009 of refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ICRC is distributing farm and fishing equipment for almost 100,000 residents to ensure that food reserves will not be exhausted.

JAPAN: Red Cross and Red Crescent partners from around the world gathered in Tokyo from May 9-11 to review the response to the disaster so far and to discuss plans to aid long-term recovery. The American Red Cross has made another $30 million donation to the Japanese Red Cross, bringing its contributions to date to more than $160 million.

PAKISTAN: Pakistan Red Crescent Society workers are teaching residents about disaster preparedness in advance of the monsoon season, which last year caused massive flooding and landslides.

NAMIBIA: The Namibia Red Cross and the World Health Organization are partnering to prevent disease outbreaks during floods.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

LIBYA: A ship chartered by the ICRC arrived in Misrata this week, carrying medical supplies for the hospital, spare parts to repair water and electrical supply systems, and baby food for the civilian population.

NEPAL: A four-day emergency-room trauma course jointly organized by the ICRC and the Dhulikhel Hospital of Kathmandu University is taking place in Pokhara.

JAPAN: With healthcare systems left in crisis by the earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese Red Cross Society will provide vital medical infrastructure in one of the worst hit north-eastern areas, until damaged state services can recover.

SUDAN: The ICRC is working with government and local partners to vaccinate 100,000 cattle.

WORLDWIDE: The IFRC has announced the launch of the Nursing Network - a worldwide network of nursing colleges that will work together to ensure a global nursing workforce is ready to respond in the event of emergencies.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

LIBYA: Among many activities, the ICRC conducted an emergency evacuation of 1,381 Nigerians from Misrata, reunited five Libyan civilians with their families, and evacuated more than 2000 stranded foreigners from the port of Misrata.

GEORGIA: The remains of a person who went missing in connection with the August 2008 hostilities were handed over to the family by the Georgian authorities under the auspices of the ICRC.

BANGLADESH: The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and ICRC are providing aid for more than 700 people following the recent violence in Khagrachari.

MYANMAR: Three years after cyclone Nargis made land fall in Myanmar, Red Cross teams are still helping people rebuild their lives.

JAPAN: Mobile medical teams are on the road, bringing care to the lost and lonely.


GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

Côte d'Ivoire: The humanitarian situation in Côte d'Ivoire is worsening as fighting and looting continue. An ICRC-chartered aircraft has landed with nearly 12 tons of supplies to meet the most urgent needs of people affected by the conflict.

LIBYA: As a result of the recent and ongoing fighting in Libya, unexploded munitions pose major risk for civilians. The ICRC is preparing to send staff to provide support for the destruction of such items and to launch a mine risk education campaign.

CHAD: The IFRC and Chadian Red Cross are strengthening programs in areas hit by meningitis, measles and cholera.

Across the Middle East and North Africa: As unrest and violence continue to spread, one of the ICRC's top priorities is to support local health staff in saving lives and ensuring that people in need of emergency medical care – in particular, those wounded in the violence – receive help.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

JAPAN: Red Cross relief in Japan is more than food and blankets. Psychosocial nurses are helping survivors deal with the emotional impact of disaster, while on the other side of the globe the Irish Red Cross has started an online message board for the public to post messages of support the people of Japan.


SOMALIA: The British Red Cross is supporting Somalia Red Crescent efforts to continue providing food, healthcare, water and sanitation facilities in response to a severe drought.

KENYA: The IFRC and Kenya Red Cross are taking early action to tackle drought.

Côte d'Ivoire: Before the fighting started, the city of Toulepleu had a population of between 40,000 and 50,000. Today, just 3,000 people remain in or near the town. Everyone else has fled. The ICRC and the Red Cross Society of Côte d'Ivoire have begun providing emergency aid for those who remain.

TUNISIA: Red Crescent volunteers have been caring for thousands of migrant workers stuck in the Djerba airport after fleeing the violence in Libya.

LIBYA: In the still unstable city of Ajdabiya, the ICRC and Libyan Red Crescent staff delivered enough lentils, oil, rice, salt, tea and sugar to 15,000 people to cover their needs for a month. They also distributed blankets, cooking sets and hygiene kits.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…

JAPAN: The Red Cross is scaling up relief efforts to meet the huge needs. To date, the Japanese Red Cross has handed out more than 125,000 blankets and 20,700 emergency kits – including portable radios, flashlights and other supplies – to help evacuees cope with the cold weather and lack of electricity. Other badly needed items, such as diapers, baby food, undershirts and face masks, are being procured from within the country as well. In parallel with the distribution of relief goods, Red Cross planners are also consulting with the local authorities to map out other ways of making survivors’ lives more comfortable during their stay in evacuation centers.

BANGLADESH: Since the current crisis erupted in Libya, the ICRC has been helping thousands of Bangladeshi workers who have fled the country.

SOMALIA: With ICRC support, the Somali Red Crescent Society has opened two new health clinics in conflict and drought-affected regions to serve more than 100,000 people.

WORLDWIDE: The ICRC is helping Latin American prisons eradicate tuberculosis. Meanwhile other members of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network are addressing TB around the world in places like China, India, and Siberia.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

JAPAN: Medical teams are operating out of hospitals and mobile clinics treating survivors, while other Japanese Red Cross teams focus on search and rescue and caring for the very large number of people in evacuation centers. As the number of people missing following the earthquake continues to grow, more languages have been added to the family links website to assist people anxious for news about loved ones in the disaster area. For more info, read our FAQs regarding the earthquake in Japan. For more in depth information on the crisis in Japan, click here.

IRAQ: The ICRC has announced plans to expand its micro-grant initiative to help disadvantaged Iraqis start their own businesses and begin earning much-needed income.

GAMBIA: The ICRC has assisted 677 returnees from Libya.

LIBYA: One month after armed violence broke out, the fighting continues and is now spreading to the country’s most populated areas. The ICRC has transferred its staff in Benghazi to the eastern city of Tobruk, where it will continue to assist victims of the conflict.

SYRIA: The ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent have begun to distribute clean drinking water to more than 21,000 vulnerable people in drought-stricken governorates.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up!

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…

LIBYA: ICRC teams have joined forces with Libyan doctors and nurses in east of country to treat people wounded in the fighting while other members of the global Red Cross/Red Crescent network coordinate to help those displaced by the fighting.

GAMBIA: The ICRC and Gambia Red Cross Society are providing more than 400 Senegalese refugees with three-month food rations, sleeping mats, clothing, soap and hygiene kits.

Côte d’Ivoire: The ICRC and the Red Cross Society of Côte d’Ivoire are distributing medical and other supplies to hundreds of people who have fled fighting.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Survivors of sexual violence often face further suffering through social exclusion. Using theater, dance and other methods, community members trained to provide psycho-social support by the ICRC encourage relatives and society to accept the survivors.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Weekly Worldwide Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…

NEW ZEALAND: The New Zealand Red Cross responded immediately after the quake struck, providing first aid assistance as well as distributing blankets and water to people housed in evacuation shelters set up across the city. Eight Red Cross emergency response teams have been mobilized to the affected area to provide logistical support, help run welfare centers and assist in urban search and rescue.

LIBYA: The ICRC is stepping up its preparations to support medical facilities and treat the injured in Libyan cities where violence has taken place over the past few days. It is sending medical teams and surgical supplies to the area.

COLOMBIA: During the last three months of 2010, Colombia experienced the longest and most devastating stretch of wintry conditions for 40 years, which has heightened the vulnerability of people affected by armed conflict. The ICRC has been assisting with food, health services and other support.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies