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) – British Red Cross

Votre État/Société nationale/institution a-t-il/elle incorporé les engagements contenus dans cette résolution dans les plans stratégiques ou opérationnels pertinents ?

Les engagements sont incorporés dans les documents suivants:
Stratégie
Politique
Plan opérationnel

Au International, National, Local niveau

Précisions :

We are delighted to share this summary of the British Red Cross (BRC) programmes, initiatives, and impact achieved over the reporting period that is pertinent to this resolution.

Overall, women’s representation in leadership positions at the British Red Cross has seen a further increase since 2020, when women already held a majority. In 2020, out of one hundred and thirty-three staff members in leadership positions, seventy-seven were women (57.9%). By 2024, this increased to one hundred and three women out of one hundred sixty-six staff members (62%), reflecting a 4.1% rise.

At CEO Level, Beatrice Butsana-Sita joined the British Red Cross as our first female chief executive in November 2023. This is a significant milestone.

At the Executive Director level, Level 8 (six of the members of the CEO’s Executive leadership team), female representation represents 50% of the group in 2024. Although the number of women remains the same (three) as of 2020, the total number of members at the same level has reduced from seven to six since 2020. This marks an increase in female representation from 42.9% in 2020 to 50% in 2024, achieving gender parity at the Executive Director level for the first time in our history.

For Level 7 (thirty of the Directors who report to the Executive leadership team in the British Red Cross), female representation increased from twelve out of twenty-six total members in 2020 (46.2%); to fourteen out of thirty total members in 2024 (46.7%), a 0.5% rise.

For level 6 (heads of department at the British Red Cross), female representation increased from sixty-two out of one hundred members in 2020 (62%) to eighty-five out of one hundred and twenty-nine members in 2024 (65.8%), a 3.8% increase.

At the Board of Trustees level, Liz Padmore joined as our fourth female Chair (President) in the history of the British Red Cross in January 2022.

For the 13 volunteer members on the Board of Trustees, there are currently seven females and six males in our Governing Board, with 53% of female representation. In 2020, out of twelve board members, six were women (50%). Since then, there has been a 3% increase in female representation at board level.

Apprenticeships

Since 2020, six women have started the Senior Leader apprenticeship – an educational programme (equivalent to postgraduate), designed to develop strategic leadership skills. Of the six women who started their apprenticeship since 2020, three have completed and three are still in learning. The programme does not target women only, 66% of the people who undertake the programme are women. One of the women has moved to a higher-level role during her apprenticeship (Level 4 to 5). Most of the other apprentices were in Level 6 roles at the start of their apprenticeship and remain in these or equivalent roles.

A further two women started the programme in 2018 and 2019 (and completed in 2022 and 2024), one has progressed from a level 4 to level 6 role, the other has remained in a level 6 role. Two more women started the apprenticeship but withdrew (one left the BRC, and another withdrew for personal reasons). Overall, we see this as a very successful programme investing in future leaders and deepening our talent pipeline.

These initiatives and the impact we have seen result from a robust approach to tracking sex-disaggregated data and monitoring progress. Our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team, in collaboration with People Services team, ensures effective data collection and monitoring, enabling the design of targeted actions to address identified challenges and produce tangible impacts not only on gender pay gap but also in increasing women’s participation in leadership positions, as demonstrated throughout this report.

Votre État/Société nationale/institution a-t-il/elle coopéré avec d’autres partenaires aux fins de la mise en œuvre des engagements contenus dans cette résolution ?

Partenariats avec :
Gouvernement et/ou autorités publiques
CICR/Fédération internationale
Autres Sociétés nationales de la Croix-Rouge ou du Croissant-Rouge
Partenaires de l’humanitaire et du développement (par ex. Nations Unies, organisations non gouvernementales, etc.)

Exemples de coopération :

It Starts With Her

To empower women in Barishal, Bangladesh, the British Red Cross launched a three-year programme called It Starts With Her in 2020. The programme aimed to support women in particular, and to keep their families and communities safe.

In Barishal, where monsoons and flooding are inescapable, women face several challenges. They are more likely to miss out on getting an education and struggle to make a living. They often have to raise families alone and suffer violence.

BRC provided support to women’s small businesses to thrive, through vocational training, apprenticeships, and cash grants so that women can earn an income, build savings, and help their communities to thrive.

This has involved distributing small cash grants to help set up microbusinesses, along with training on how to manage them. A number of women have also received on-the-job training to boost their access to the job market.

This programme had impact in several important ways. Benefits relating to women in leadership specifically were:

320 women from the Community Disaster Management Committees were trained in leadership skills and financial management (2022)

16 Women’s Squads were initiated and formed by the Bangladesh Red Crescent with support from the British Red Cross.

368 women have joined the Women’s Squad including 32 women with disabilities.

39 young people have been selected so far to undertake skills trainings, apprenticeships, and job placements, including 19 women.

Women of the World (WOW)

The British Red Cross Women of the World (WOW) group is an online community formed of young women aged 15 to 25 years old from asylum-seeking and refugee backgrounds. The group is connected to Surviving to Thriving, a partnership project between the British Red Cross and the Refugee Council that supports refugees and people seeking asylum aged 11 to 25 with the aim to provide life skills, advice, mental health support and leadership opportunities to help young people rebuild their lives and thrive in the UK.

Since its formation in April 2020, over 30 online sessions have been delivered to women from 13 different geographical areas across the UK. They represent 28 different nationalities. The WOW programme is planned around targets of improving understanding of rights and entitlements, developing new life skills, reducing isolation, and improving confidence and self-belief for young women. Recent sessions have included women’s health and period empowerment workshops with the charity IRise, digital safety and social media, and ‘girl power’ introductions to advocacy.

Among other positive developments, four young women from WOW have also taken on leadership roles as WOW Young Leaders within the online sessions. Alongside staff and volunteers, they have helped deliver the WOW sessions, plan icebreakers, and manage feedback. Additionally, two WOW young women were successfully referred to the competitive Routes Collective 2022 mentoring program.

Empowering women promotes transformative leadership – Nepal

The British Red Cross has long placed a high priority on involving women in decision-making processes and empowering them with knowledge and skills to elevate their voices and influence change. In Nepal, British Red Cross partnered with Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) to implement the Strengthening Urban Resilience and Engagement (SURE) programme from 2016 to 2021.

By prioritising the involvement of community members, particularly those facing heightened vulnerabilities, British Red Cross and NRCS aimed to foster sustainable resilience at the grassroots level. Through the dedication of community champions and collaborative efforts, the SURE programme made significant improvements in strengthening urban resilience and fostering community engagement in Nepal.

The SURE programme focused on enhancing urban resilience in five districts and six municipalities in Nepal. Through comprehensive urban vulnerability assessments, the programme identified the communities and wards most prone to vulnerabilities. Subsequently, community champions were selected, trained, and empowered to advocate for local issues relating to disaster risk reduction and management, preparedness, social development.

Total, the SURE programme formed and trained 1070 champions equipped with various skills and tools. These included training in First Aid, disaster risk reduction and management, community action for disaster risk reduction, SGBV and basic advocacy skills. The champions were empowered with the knowledge and capabilities to effectively address local issues and contribute to community resilience.

In the context of Nepal, significant steps were made towards enhancing engagement in local governance through the local elections held on May 13, 2022. These elections allowed Nepali citizens to actively participate in local decision-making processes by selecting new representatives for five-year terms. Notably, this marked the second municipal election conducted following the enactment of the revised federal constitution in 2015. Out of the 20 champions who stood for election, an impressive 7 champions were successfully elected as members. What is particularly noteworthy is that of these 7 elected champions, a remarkable 85% were women. These elected champions now hold positions as members of their respective wards, allowing them to actively engage in decision-making processes that directly impact their lives and the lives of others in their communities.

Their representation in local governance provides a vital platform for advocating on behalf of marginalized groups and communities living in areas of risk and vulnerability. Through their voices and actions, these elected champions have an opportunity to address pressing issues, implement impactful initiatives, and ensure that the needs and concerns of the most vulnerable are effectively addressed.

This significant representation of women among the elected champions highlights the importance of gender inclusivity and empowerment in local level. By empowering women to take on leadership roles and participate in decision-making processes, communities can achieve greater resilience, equity, and sustainable development.

Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

The British Red Cross has worked to empower women through economic programmes, such as cash grants and livelihood initiatives, promoting self-reliance and leadership. Additionally, BRC has engaged in discussions with National Society partners in the region to adopt safeguarding initiatives, ensuring a comprehensive approach to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

BRC launched a comprehensive programme in Sinjar (Iraq) in 2021-2022 in partnership with the Iraqi Red Crescent, initially providing cash assistance for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) survivors, which later expanded to include livelihood and health support during COVID-19, alongside SGBV capacity building. In Douhouk from 2023, BRC helped to strengthen Iraqi Red Crescent capacity on SGBV, tailoring cash assistance SOPs for survivors and planning Training of Trainers (TOT) workshops and VR technology piloting for SGBV prevention. These initiatives are aligned with the resolution emphasizing women’s leadership, awareness, strategic partnerships, and innovative approaches in the humanitarian action framework.

Similarly in Libya, BRC supported in developing women’s leadership through structured training, mentoring, and capacity-building programs. These initiatives created a sustainable framework for SGBV prevention and response, empowered women at various organizational levels, and promoted gender-responsive humanitarian actions. By integrating these efforts into broader protection programs, the BRC tried to ensure a holistic approach that addresses gender-specific needs and fosters long-term change in communities.

In Syria, BRC supported by empowering women economically, building organisational and community capacity on GBV prevention and response, and institutionalizing gender-responsive practices. These efforts promote women’s leadership within the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the broader community, creating a sustainable framework for gender equality and women’s rights in humanitarian action.

With the current focus of Institutionalisation of Safeguarding within BRC’s partners, there are new opportunities for women to lead within partner National Societies. BRC supports PGI/SGBV focal points embedded into the National Society with coaching and mentoring activities. This helps to ensure that they are well-placed to become leaders on gender-related issues and able to position their NS as a key actor in the sector, participating at strategic round tables and influencing decision makers on applying gender-sensitive and survivor-centred considerations into policies and legislation.

The British Red Cross is proud to have provided financial support to National Society Partners to enable women leaders to participate actively in Glow Red meetings in person.

Vous êtes-vous heurté·e à des difficultés dans la mise en œuvre des engagements contenus dans cette résolution?

Difficultés rencontrées :
Autre

Précisions au sujet des difficultés :

Reducing the mean gender pay gap

As of April 2020, the British Red Cross had a mean gender pay gap of 11.3%, slightly increasing from 11.1% in April 2019. In response, BRC integrated an action plan into its new People Strategy and monitored progress through the Remuneration Committee, focusing on reducing pay gaps across gender, race, and disability.

By April 2021, the mean gender pay gap rose to 11.6%. To address this, BRC:

Reviewed our flexible working policy, emphasizing hybrid working.

Ensured diverse recruitment panels and shortlisting stages.

Piloted a talent review and succession planning programme.

Partnered with Women in Leadership to offer targeted development opportunities.

Developed a pay and benefits approach ensuring equity.

In April 2022, the mean gender pay gap decreased to 11.5%, and the median gap dropped from 4.4% to 4.3%. Challenges included:

Lower representation of women in senior roles (21% women vs. 29% men at Level 4 and above).

Higher occupancy of part-time roles by women (38% women vs. 27% men).

A robust action plan was introduced in 2021 and is reviewed annually to ensure actions remain focused on our aim to close the gender pay gap. This includes:

Advertising roles as UK-flexible.

Implementing a talent management process with objective calibration.

Introducing a tailored mentoring scheme.

The April 2023 report, published in April 2024, showed our gender pay gap at the narrowest since pay reporting was introduced by the UK Government in 2017/18.

Median gender pay gap reduced to 0.0%, a 2.5% decrease from the previous year. This is the difference between the hourly pay of the man and the woman in the middle of a list of hourly pay ordered from highest to lowest paid.

Mean gender pay gap reduced to 6.5%, a 3.8% decrease from the previous year. This figure is the difference between hourly pay of all men and women working at the BRC.

This progress stems from initiatives focused on career development and equitable recruitment, aiming for parity in teams and against the market.

Les engagements contenus dans cette résolution ont-ils eu une ou des incidences sur l’action et les orientations de votre État/Société nationale/institution ?

Type d’incidence :
Les programmes et les opérations sont devenus plus efficaces et plus efficients.
Des outils/méthodes innovateurs ont été élaborés et sont utilisés.
Des partenariats avec d’autres acteurs humanitaires ont été noués ou renforcés
La mobilisation de ressources a été renforcée
La formation et les capacités du personnel et des volontaires ont été renforcées (pour les Sociétés nationales).

Précisions au sujet des incidences :

The BRC is a strong and deeply committed supporter of the resolution and the action it encourages to improve the representation of women in decision-making and leadership positions in our National Society and the Movement, as well as more broadly across the humanitarian sector.

We have also made it a priority to communicate our commitment to women’s leadership, for example through a dedicated page on our external website where we celebrate the contribution of women as influential leaders throughout the history of the British Red Cross.

Les engagements contenus dans cette résolution ont-ils eu des incidences sur les communautés auxquelles votre État/Société nationale/institution vient en aide ?

Description des incidences :

Women in Leadership week

During our Diversity Learning Series in 2021, BRC hosted a week of events totally dedicated to Women in Leadership. This series features learning events where women leaders from within and outside BRC shared their personal stories and reflected on how women can gain and thrive in leadership roles.

The week included several empowering and inspiring sessions, such as:

Panel discussions: BRC leaders at all levels discussed the challenges they have faced in their careers, the risks they have taken, and the advice they would give to aspiring women leaders. This included panel sessions with our female Chief of Staff and female Director of Policy, Research and Advocacy, which were broadly attended and with action-oriented questions to encourage attendees as they continue their personal and professional development.

Glow Red’s (https://www.glowred.org) Coordination Group: this session highlighted the origins of the network and its efforts to increase the representation of women in leadership roles across the Movement. BRC has been a committed member of Glow Red, with BRC’s senior leaders contributing time and expertise to support the next generation of leaders.

Women in Tech: internal and external leaders shared their career journeys and discussed ways to increase women’s representation in technology.

EmpowHER Programme: participants shared their experiences and reflections on what leadership means to them (https://www.redcross.org.uk/about-us/our-history/museum-and-archives/empowher-quilt).

Over 400 participants attended the sessions. Recordings of the sessions were made available to BRC staff and volunteers, along with a playlist featuring a collection of articles, podcasts, and videos on Women in Leadership.