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Resolution 5: The safety and security of humanitarian volunteers

Report on resolution 5:

– Date: 31.07.2019

– Country: Canada

– Type of entity:  National Society

What measures did your National Society take to strengthen the safety and security of your volunteers? Please check what applies below: 
o CRC has Comprehensive policies related to Health, Safety and Professional Environment.
o Access to Employee Assisted Program (LifeWorks) and also counseling for volunteers deployed in emergency response or other stressful assignments (e.g. Detention and Monitoring)

What measures did your National Society take to identify and or review potential threats to the volunteers? Please check what applies:
o A Workplace Safety and Injury Prevention Policy to define and prevent issues.
o An Incident Reporting and Tracking System which allows for individual and general risk mitigation and safety enhancements.
o Risk Management & Security Advisors are tasked with monitoring risks, mitigation and issues management.

Does your National Society ensure that volunteers have adequate insurance or equivalent “safety net” assistance with regard to death, injury, sickness or trauma they may endure while carrying out their duties? In case of absence of insurance or equivalent “safety net”, is your National Society aware of the functioning of the French Fund Maurice de Madre (FFMM) or others? Please check the appropriate box:
– Yes: please let us know what type of insurance or equivalent “safety-net” form you use

How can the RCRC Movement better support you to enhance the safety and security of your volunteers? 
The CRC does not have any specific comments at this time.

NOTE: If your National Society is working internationally, please answer the following questions: 
 – Dissemination of this resolution and commitments
 – Insurance system
 – Training
 – Support to drafting policy on volunteering
 – Develop standards and guidance on the topic
 – Provision of protective equipment

What activities have you undertaken to facilitate partnerships towards strengthening the safety and security of volunteers? 
The Canadian Red Cross works closely in partnership and in support of sister National Societies around the world. In the context of the project ‘Strengthening Emergency Response in Africa’, which works with four National Societies in relation to disaster response capacity building, the CRC works along side our partner National Societies on the Safer Access Framework and strengthening the protection and security of volunteers. CRC works on both the implementation as well as the development of SAF plans of action specific to each context. For example, in Mali, CRC along with other partner National Societies supported and participated in a volunteer’s annual day organized by the Malian Red Cross.
In the Americas, in the context of our project “Strengthening Emergency response in the Americas”, CRC works closely with ICRC in Haiti to institutionalize the Safer Access Framework which includes working on the safety and security of volunteers. In the period of 2015-2016, CRC conducted trainings on SAF at the National Society Headquarters and in three branches (Grande Anse, Nippes and Sud) that are most frequently hit by hurricanes. Furthermore, we are currently supporting the Haitian Red Cross in the development of a “Guide for Applying the Safer Access Framework”. This guide is intended to be easily used by volunteers in the field and will be in both French and Creole. In our programming in Asia, we have supported the Pakistan Red Crescent through the following activities:
• Supported the training of 100 CBHFA volunteers, who were trained by 50 CBHFA coaches, with even number of male and female coaches.
• We are working with the National Society to improve volunteer management practices, and strengthen the capacity of emergency responders. This includes supporting specific trainings for volunteers, supporting the development of a database and engaging in volunteers’ skills mapping.

What measures did you take to ensure that volunteers have adequate insurance or equivalent “safety net” assistance with regard to death, injury, sickness or trauma they may endure while carrying out their duties? 
Currently, the CRC covers insurance (through IFRC) for the Mali Red Cross volunteers, to cover death, injury sickness or trauma while carrying out their duties. Furthermore, the CRC continues to contribute to DREFs and/or Emergency Appeals which indirectly contribute to the insurance of all volunteers trained through our capacity building projects in Africa. In South Sudan, the Canadian Red Cross is committed to covering the insurance cost of all South Sudan Red Cross Volunteers who work on CRC supported projects. the CRC has comprehensive insurance coverage for volunteers deployed outside Canada:
• Directors, Officers, Volunteers General Liability Insurance • Automobile Insurance Coverage
• Group Accident Insurance Coverage
• Foreign Medical, Dental, Disability and Accident Insurance for outside of Canada