Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 5: Women and leadership in the humanitarian action of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (33IC/19/R5) – Italian Red Cross

¿ Ha incorporado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en los planes estratégicos u operativos pertinentes?

Los compromisos han sido incorporados en
estrategia
política
plan operativo
legislación o normativa (p. ej. ley, reglamentación, estatutos, reglamento, etc.)

A regional, nacional, local nivel

Explicación:

The Italian Red Cross (CRI) Statute has the general objective of preventing and alleviating suffering impartially, without distinction of nationality, race, sex, religious belief, language, social class, or political opinion. It aims to contribute to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and a culture of non-violence and peace. In compliance with the Strategy of the Italian Red Cross 2018-2030, CRI commits to pursuing its strategic objectives by adopting a transversal and global approach. This approach is inspired by the Principle of Impartiality, ensuring direct interventions without distinguishing among categories of people in situations of vulnerability.

In line with the provisions of the National Collective Labor Agreement for Employees of the Italian Red Cross, contractual relations are governed by safeguarding diversity and equal opportunities. This includes flexible working arrangements, such as additional smart working days for employees with dependent children.

CRI has incorporated the commitments into its strategic and operational plans. The organization has significantly increased the representation of women in leadership roles, with women leading 3 out of 5 departments and 14 out of 36 Unit Manager positions. Additionally, women make up 42% of CRI’s overall human resources. CRI has invested in leadership development programs specifically targeting women, with a focus on those from disaster-prone regions, aligning with its efforts to identify and nurture women leaders in humanitarian crises. CRI actively works towards gender parity and regularly publishes sex, age, and disability disaggregated data to monitor progress in this area.

Moreover, CRI has established a management system for handling reports, including those submitted anonymously, and has adopted a Code of Conduct for the Prevention and Combat of Sexual Harassment. This system ensures the protection and confidentiality of individuals reporting any misconduct within the organization.

One notable initiative is the Arianna Project, an investigation designed to analyze situations of violence, understand their scope, and activate targeted intervention strategies. This project serves as a primary tool for collecting detailed data on any type of violence occurring within the Association. The goal is to understand the actual extent of the problem and to develop targeted intervention strategies, always ensuring the protection and confidentiality of those who report such incidents.

Ha trabajado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución con otros asociados para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

Ejemplos de cooperación:

CRI collaborates with various partners to implement the commitments contained in the resolution. This is reflected in their comprehensive approach to enhancing women’s representation and leadership. For example, the training on sexual harassment prevention and child protection likely involves collaboration with external experts or organizations specializing in these areas. Furthermore, their leadership development programs may include partnerships with educational institutions or leadership training organizations.

¿Ha habido dificultades para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

Dificultades en relación con:
recursos humanos
limitaciones de financiación
falta de capacidad y/o de apoyo (técnico, financiero o de otra índole)
otros asociados

Describa detalladamente estas dificultades:

Implementing comprehensive leadership programs for women presents some challenges, such as considerable financial and human resources, nevertheless, the Italian Red Cross is attentive to these issues and has already undertaken significant initiatives, working with cultural sensitivity to promote change in attitudes and practices.

The collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated data are essential to monitor progress towards gender equality. The CRI has improved its data management systems and provides training to ensure the quality and consistency of the data collected. All data are published on official websites to improve transparency and accountability. These efforts demonstrate the CRI’s commitment to promoting women’s leadership and overcoming existing challenges.

¿Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en el trabajo y la dirección del Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución?

Tipo de repercusión:
fortalecimiento de la cooperación entre el gobierno o las autoridades públicas y la Sociedad Nacional
aumento de la eficacia y la eficiencia de los programas y operaciones
incremento en la movilización de recursos
formación y capacidad de los miembros del personal y de los voluntarios (en el caso de las Sociedades Nacionales);

Describa detalladamente las repercusiones:

The commitments have significantly impacted the work and direction of CRI. The organization has taken concrete steps to enhance women’s representation and leadership across all levels. This is evident in the high percentage of women in leadership roles, such as the 3 out of 5 Departments led by female directors and the 39% representation of women in Unit Manager positions, with 14 out of 36 Unit Managers being women. This strong commitment to female leadership is also reflected in the overall volunteer system, where women represent 53% of volunteers, with 76,594 women compared to 66,964 men.

In emergency contexts, the influence of these commitments is particularly noticeable. During the migrant emergency in Lampedusa, women constituted 47% of the volunteers. In response to the floods in the Emilia Romagna and Toscana regions, the percentages were 26% and 12%, respectively. During the COVID-19 emergency, CRI demonstrated a notable activation of female volunteers. In 2020, 55.3% of the activated volunteers were women, amounting to 15,013 out of a total of 27,129 volunteers. This trend continued in 2021, with women constituting 57.5% of activated volunteers, numbering 11,244 out of 19,544. In 2022, women still represented a significant portion of activated volunteers at 56.8%, with 4,057 women out of 7,134 total volunteers.

These figures highlight a consistent and strong female presence in CRI’s response to emergencies, underlining the organization’s commitment to enhancing women’s participation and leadership in critical operations. This ongoing dedication to gender parity not only enriches CRI’s operational effectiveness but also reinforces its strategic objectives of diversity and inclusion.

5. Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en las comunidades a las que el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución presta servicios?

Describa las repercusiones:

The commitments have positively impacted the communities served by CRI. The active involvement of a significant number of female volunteers in emergency responses, such as the COVID-19 emergency and other disasters and crises, demonstrates CRI’s commitment to inclusive participation. This likely contributes to more comprehensive and diverse service delivery, which can better address the specific needs of different community members. Furthermore, initiatives aimed at creating safe and inclusive environments within CRI help ensure that the organization can effectively support and protect the communities it serves.