Australian Red Cross Delegates Program

16Delegates Program Annual Report 2011-2012Australian Red Cross delegates working with ICRC directly assisted people affectedby conflict and other situations of violence, and worked to promote respect forinternational humanitarian law and its implementation in national law.Australian Red Cross supported the ICRC in a number of settings to improveaccess to basic preventative and curative health care for people affected by armedconflict, as well as worked with authorities to ensure detainees are treated withrespect and humanity. Delegates were also deployed to promote economic securityto ensure households and communities can meet essential needs, while water andhabitat projects were undertaken to create and maintain sustainable livingenvironments with access to clean water in conflict zones.Indicator 6: The ICRC consistently requests Australian Red Cross delegatesfor deployment.A total of 35 ICRC missions (totalling a combined 208 months in the field) wereundertaken by Australian Red Cross delegates to the following countries:Afghanistan (9), Colombia (2), Gaza (1), India (1), Kenya (1), Kyrgyzstan (1),Lebanon (1), Libya (2), Pakistan (3), Philippines (1), Russian Federation (2), Somalia(1), Sudan (5), Syria (1), and Yemen (3).The majority of delegates deployed included health professionals (24), protectiondelegates (8), water and sanitation delegates (2) and logistics delegates (1). Thesepositions ranged from nurses and nutritionists to tracing specialists, economicsecurity coordinators and water and habitat engineers.Australian Red Cross delegates regularly deploy on mission with the ICRC,contributing significantly to its mandate to assist people affected by conflict bytaking action in response to emergencies.Economic Security Delegate Hillary Floate was deployed on mission to droughtaffectedEast Africa, working with Somalia Red Crescent Society (SRCS) toimplement a community-based nutrition program. Through training, coaching anddirect collaboration with SRCS, local staff were able to establish and maintainclinics with acute malnutrition treatment services and to distribute food and wateras well as provide sanitation facilities. Hilary comments on one of the highlights ofher work: “The training of [SRCS] staff in community-based management of acutemalnutrition is always enjoyable…The fact that the SRCS clinics have admitted over22,000 children across their programs this year is also a highlight. We havemanaged to open 10 new outpatient therapeutic programs and 10 new mobileservices in a very short period - six weeks, which I think the staff can be very proudof. Without these services children with severe acute malnutrition are at increasedrisk of dying.”