Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 2: Addressing mental health and psychosocial needs of people affected by armed conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies (33IC/19/R2) – Slovenian Red Cross

Has your State/National Society/Institution incorporated the commitments contained in this resolution into the relevant strategic or operational plans?

The commitments are incorporated into:
Strategy
Policy
Operational plan

At the International, Regional, National, Local level

Explanation:

SRC contributed to development of the Resolution on the National Program for Protection Against Natural and Other Disasters for the years 2024 to 2030 proposal and highlighted the importance of MHPSS provision and the role of SRC in providing such support.

Has your State/National Society/Institution been working with other partners to implement the commitments contained in this resolution?

Partner with:
National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in your country
Government and/or public authorities
ICRC/IFRC
Other National Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies
Humanitarian and development partners (e.g. UN, NGOs etc.)
Academia

Examples of cooperation:

The Slovenian Red Cross actively responds to natural and other disasters as part of the national response system. In this context, it integrates its activities in the field of mental health and psychosocial support into national-level coordination, in collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). This coordination ensures a multi-level response in which SRC plays a primary role in providing Psychological First Aid .

SRC is providing PFA and other MHPSS services to the affected population in different disasters and other emergency situations in collaboration with multiple stakeholders on local, national and international level. From 2019  the largest interventions were: covid-19 epidemic, influx in numbers of people arriving in migration context, including persons seeking shelter from Ukraine and the floods in 2023.

Have you encountered any challenges in implementing the commitments contained in this resolution?

Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the work and direction of your State/National Society/Institution?

Type of Impact:
Cooperation between Government/public authorities and National Society has been strengthened
Programming and operations have become more effective and efficient
Increase in mobilization of resources
Training and capacity of staff and volunteers has increased (for National Societies)
Other

Details about the impact:

The national-level response of the Slovenian Red Cross (SRC) to disasters by providing Psychological First Aid (PFA) brought more awareness about the importance of MHPSS and the role of the SRC in this area, especially among the SRC network and other national stakeholders.

Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the communities that your State/National Society/Institution serves?

Description of the impact:

To highlight the most recent national disaster response (floods 2023), the provision of MHPSS was part of a comprehensive national approach, in which the SRC also played a role. Through active engagement and the presence of PFA teams on the ground, awareness about mental health as a fundamental asset has increased, and this has also reduced the fear of stigma associated with seeking help.