icrc-annual-report-2013

system for all units, with dedicated modules for specific activitiesand a transversal reporting system, allowing it to include externaldata and use other major ICRC information technology tools.HEALTHDuring the year, the unit produced the ICRC health strategy2013–2018, reaffirming the central role health activities play inthe institution’s response to armed conflicts and other situationsof violence. The strategy focuses on comprehensive hospital care,health in detention and physical rehabilitation – defined anddelivered according to professional standards. Mental health, psychosocialsupport and first aid are integrated into these activities.Headquarters staff carried out 89 field support missions. Healthprofessionals provided guidance for the delivery of different levelsof care; for example, they encouraged the integration of malnutritionmanagement into primary health care and the developmentof emergency pre-hospital and non-surgical hospital-levelservices. The regional benchmarking of first aid during emergenciescontinued. The mental health and psychosocial support teamcovered practical, operational and technical issues during its firstconsolidated course. The unit contributed substantially to theHealth Care in Danger project, regularly promoting safe healthcare delivery.The unit gave 26 presentations during international conferences,organized 46 war surgery seminars and 20 emergencytrauma management courses, and provided support for dedicatedregional/national events for authorities responsible for health indetention. The physical rehabilitation service participated in twoWHO working groups on creating guidelines for physical rehabilitation,and helped draft the Movement resolution on people withdisabilities adopted at the 2013 Council of Delegates.Various guidelines were published, such as the second volumeof War Surgery, and others continued to be developed, includingtechnical references on chemical weapons for civilians and forfirst-aiders and guidelines on physical rehabilitation. Work startedon a comprehensive data collection system aimed at improvingthe analysis of health in detention; it is to be completed in 2014.In order to harmonize the ICRC’s emergency response withMovement partners, selected National Societies, the InternationalFederation and the ICRC agreed to create a working group tostreamline rapid deployment agreements and develop technicalpartnerships.WATER AND HABITATThe Water and Habitat Unit processed hundreds of field proposalsand provided guidance to local teams working to ensurepeople’s access to clean water and decent conditions of sanitationand shelter, including through infrastructure projects. It producedGeographic Information System (GIS) maps and developed thecontent of the geographical portal with data from delegations andheadquarters services, transforming it into a platform accessibleacross the entire institution. It conducted daily global analyses ofkey topics regarding water resources and reviewed programmeadequacy, focusing on particularly complex environments and onurban issues.Work in detention facilities remained a priority. Drawing onthe support of penitentiary professionals and on its own expertise,the unit published various technical guidance documentson topics such as pest control in Madagascar to prevent plague,hygiene in detention to prevent cholera epidemics, and a reviewof lessons learnt from the evaluation of prison systems. It revisedthe 10-year-old publication on water and sanitation in prisons,a reference used worldwide. Representatives of eight Asiancountries participated in a seminar in Cambodia on infrastructureand essential services that highlighted the structural dimension ofefficient prison management.Authorities of States providing support for prison construction inother countries, such as in Afghanistan, Haiti and South Sudan,were put in contact with the local authorities to avoid designshortcomings, including with regard to context-based constraints.Comprehensive guidelines on building physical rehabilitationcentres were near completion, and the unit started to explore theimpact of urban issues on operations.ECONOMIC SECURITYWith the objective of assisting affected populations in coveringtheir needs and restoring or maintaining their livelihoods, theEconomic Security Unit contributed to the development andimplementation of guidance/training tools on topics such as conductingassessments, promoting nutrition, handling cash transfersand building resilience. With the American and British NationalSocieties and the International Federation, it finalized marketanalysis tools used within and beyond the Movement, and wasin the process of developing an e-learning option. Also with theBritish Red Cross, it undertook a review of the extent to whichtarget populations are included in planning processes and the considerationgiven to beneficiary feedback.The unit monitored global issues that affected households andlivelihoods, such as food prices, urbanization and land acquisition.Meetings with field staff on agriculture and livestock breedinghelped refine approaches to food and agricultural activities. Tostrengthen its capacity to address short- and long-term needs, theunit continued to explore context-specific social safety nets.A workshop organized with the Protection Division and theHealth and Water and Habitat Units followed up on a review ofthe ICRC’s response to detention-related nutrition problems infive African countries; the workshop led to measures allowing theICRC to improve its decision-making process and enabling holisticresponses.WEAPON CONTAMINATIONThe Weapon Contamination Unit helped delegations reduce theimpact of weapon contamination and honed the ICRC’s weaponrelatedexpertise, including on clearance/disposal. The completionof the four-year CBRN project resulted in a methodology on staffsecurity and emergency assistance, and internal expertise and capabilitieson non-conventional weapons and threats, equipping theICRC to address such threats safely.In 2013, the unit provided support for operations in over 30 countriesand participated in rapid deployment efforts during emergencies.It helped guide delegations on the adoption of safe behaviour,the protection of staff and infrastructure from explosive munitions,small arms and CBRN threats, and the conduct of technical analysesof weapon use and its effects.OPERATIONS | 63