Gender in the IFRC

1. Gender in the IFRC Pacific Regional Office, Suva March 2012

2. Gender in the IFRC • An important issue for IFRC whose humanitarian mandate is to prevent and alleviate human suffering without discrimination and to protect human dignity • 1999 - IFRC adopted an equity based Gender policy

3. Review of IFRC gender policy 2008 • No internal mechanisms for policy implementation. • Highlighted that most National Society emergency and development programmes and training tools continued to be developed and carried out without a gender perspective or gender analysis. • National Societies vary considerably in their understanding and application of the policy, reflecting their social and political context.

4. Recommendations from the review • Move away from an equity approach towards an equality approach and to address underlying root causes that perpetuate discrimination. • Develop a Gender Strategy. • Create a senior gender position at the Secretariat in Geneva and establish a gender network. • Use IASC Guidance on Gender. • Participate in IASC sub working group on gender.

5. Gender Strategy – in development • Purpose: define the approach to addressing gender issues with in the IFRC. • Provides a common framework to institutionalize gender in planning and implementation of emergency and longer term development programmes. • Addresses gaps highlighted in 2008 review of the then Gender policy and emphasizes the importance of promoting gender equality and addressing gender-based violence.

6. Gender strategy – in development • Based on the Fundamental Principles of the RCRC Movement, in particular the principles of impartiality and humanity. • The strategy covers women, girls, men, boys, those who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered and as such are likely to face significant harm because of their gender.

7. IFRC GenderStrategy - goals • Gender assessment and analysis systematically incorporated into all programmes, systems and tools. • Gender-based discrimination and violence are systematically addressed in all systems and programmes.

8. IFRC GenderStrategy- goals • Gender parity and equality are ensured at all levels of the IFRC (governance, management, staff and volunteering). • Promote humanitarian values and interpersonal skills that foster respect for diversity, nonviolence and inclusion in order to reduce gender-based discrimination and violence, as an integral part of applying the Fundamental Principles.

9. Abuse of power • IFRC “recognizes the particular trust and power that lies in the hands of those assisting the most vulnerable and that we have a special responsibility, as embodied in the Fundamental Principles, to create and maintain safe environments in our workplaces and for all those that we seek to assist.”

10. IFRC Pledges to: • support NS to adopt and implement a zero tolerance approach towards sexual exploitation and abuse; • assist NS in promoting safe environments for all vulnerable populations within their own institutions and throughout their operations and programs; • promote awareness on the abuse of power and support capacity building efforts in preventative approaches; • collaborate with others in reviewing the implementation and impact of collective efforts to eliminate the abuse of power.

11. Next steps – Finalising the strategy • Adoption of the IFRC Gender Strategy by the Governing Board (2012). • Appointing Gender focal points from Zones and technical departments. • Developing the Gender and Violence Prevention training pack based on existing National Societies and Secretariat training modules and materials.

12. Example of good practice • To ensure women beneficiaries are reached, the Bangladesh and Iranian RC Societies have stepped up the recruitment of female volunteers to respond to disasters. • Nepal RC - economic empowerment of women living below the poverty line in conflict-affected areas. • DR Congo RC - Community-based programme to fight sexual abuse. • Canadian RC - Prevention of violence: child maltreatment, relationship violence, bullying and harassment and safe environments in institutions.

13. Example of good practice • Fiji RC - National Society has developed a set of preliminary emergency needs assessments forms – separates data on disaster affected population by sex and age. • Australian RC - Guidance notes on gender practice in DM, water and sanitation and HIV. • IFRC - A practical guide to gender sensitive approaches for Disaster Management (2010). • ICRC - Addressing the particular needs of women affected by armed conflict or other situations of violence.

14. Gender in Pacific National Societies • Early days for Pacific National Societies • Many still developing core organisational capacities – legal base, developing a plan, financial and HR systems • Challenge of introducing gender when basic systems are not in place.

15. Gender in Pacific National Societies • Positive signs in some National Societies: • female representation in leadership across Pacific NS • disaggregated sex data collected during assessments (Fiji) • Vanuatu RC and Samoa RC willingness to participated in post operation gender review - with Linda from OCHA (2011) • gender training in PNG (2011) • ARC strong on gender and therefore as a major partner positively influences programming of smaller Pacific NS