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Has your State/National Society/Institution incorporated the commitments contained in this resolution into the relevant strategic or operational plans?
YesThe commitments are incorporated into:
Strategy
Policy
Operational plan
Legislation (e.g. Law, Regulation, Statutes, Rules of Procedure etc.)At the International, Regional, National, Local level
Explanation:
Legislation: the “Disaster Management Rules of the Japanese Red Cross Society” defines our disaster operations in detail, under the Japanese Red Cross law. In 2017, the JRCS amended the rules and added “psychosocial support” as one of the JRCS’s mandatory disaster relief activities in the Article 2.
Strategy/Policy: In the “Long Term Vision” of the JRCS, which explains 9 year (2020
-2028) strategy and action plan, there are three operational focus areas. One of the focus area: “To upgrade support and assistance for victims of disasters and conflicts in Japan and beyond, and reinforce their community resilience” details the promotion ofmore effective and efficient medical relief and mental health care activities in disaster-stricken areas.In addition to the resolution, the JRCS submitted its pledge “Promote mental health care activities in times of disasters” at 33IC and committed developing mental health care activities in times of disasters around the world by training personnel engaged in mental health fields.
Operational Plan: The JRCS includes MHPSS activities in every disaster operation.
Therefore, from local, national level to regional, international level, the Japanese Red Cross Society incorporated the commitments of Resolution “Addressing mental health and psychosocial needs of people affected by armed conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies” into the relevant plans/strategies.
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Has your State/National Society/Institution been working with other partners to implement the commitments contained in this resolution?
YesPartner with:
ICRC/IFRC
Other National Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies
Humanitarian and development partners (e.g. UN, NGOs etc.)
AcademiaExamples of cooperation:
-With technical support from the IFRC PS centre and the Asia Pacific MHPSS Collaborative, the JRCS has conducted MHPSS trainings and translated relevant guidebooks. For more details, please visit Report on Pledge “Promote mental health care activities in times of disasters”.
-The JRCS has been technically and financially supporting MHPSS activities of other National Red Cross or Red Cross Societies especially in Asia Pacific region.
・In Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Danish Red Cross, JRCS’s PSS trainee delegate(s) has been supporting MHPSS activities in Cox’s Bazar.
・In Mongolia, a bilateral project between the JRCS and the Mongolian Red Cross Society (MRCS) for strengthening the MRCS’s capacity of first aid and MHPSS has been launched since April 2024.
・In Cambodia and Laos, the JRCS has supported capacity building of first aid and MHPSS through the IFRC.
-In 2021, the JRCS Disaster Management Research Institute was established under the Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing. The JRCS has been closely collaborating with its “MHPSS department” to analyze JRCS’s MHPSS activities, with an aim to improve quality and variation of JRCS’s future activities.
-In times of disaster, the JRCS collaborate with DPAT (Disaster Psychiatric Assistance Team) or other organizations in charge of MHPSS in the field.
-In 2022, at the request of the local authority hosting Ukrainian displaced people, the JRCS conducted a MHPSS seminar for local authority staff who were in direct contact with them. -
Have you encountered any challenges in implementing the commitments contained in this resolution?
YesWith challenges on:
OtherDetails about challenges:
The JRCS doesn’t have a “MHPSS department”, which covers both domestic and international activities.
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Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the work and direction of your State/National Society/Institution?
YesType of Impact:
Programming and operations have become more effective and efficient
Innovative tools/methodologies have been developed and are utilized
Training and capacity of staff and volunteers has increased (for National Societies)Details about the impact:
The Resolution has strengthened the importance of the MHPSS activities within the JRCS.
Training opportunities have increased in collaboration with the IFRC/PS centre/Asia Pacific MHPSS collaborative. The JRCS has developed new long-term MHPSS capacity building projects in Asia Pacific region.
For More details on achievement, please visit Report on Pledge “Promote mental health care activities in times of disasters”. -
Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the communities that your State/National Society/Institution serves?
YesDescription of the impact:
The JRCS could provide MHPSS activities domestically during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the Noto Peninsula earthquake in 2024, and internationally it has deployed MHPSS surge delegate(s) in two operations in times of emergencies, which had an positive impact on the affected communities.
For More details on achievement, please visit Peport on Pledge “Promote mental health care activities in times of disasters”.
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