This report covers the period 1 January
2009 to 30 June 2009.
In brief
This update covers all programmes
supported by the International Federation in the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea, with a focus on revisions made on the health and the disaster
management programmes. In health and care, a review will be carried out
on community-based first aid (CBFA) in June, as well as a transition of
CBFA towards community-based health and first aid (CBHFA) which will be
supported by the Finnish Red Cross over the next three years. The disaster
management programme has been modified towards a community-based disaster
risk reduction (CBDRR) concept, after the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (DPRK) Red Cross Society adopted recommendations from a comprehensive
DPRK Red Cross disaster management review conducted in November 2008, as
well as incorporating additional recommendations from a tree planting management
review carried out in June 2008. The tree-planting programme is absorbed
as a part of the 2009 community-based disaster preparedness programme and
presented as a holistic community programme activity. The total Country
Plan and Budget 2009 has been reduced from CHF 10,099,166 to CHF 9,798,541.
Programme purpose: The purpose
of the International Federation programmes in the DPRK is to support the
DPRK Red Cross Society to provide humanitarian services to more than 8
million people in need of health services, safe water and sanitation systems,
reduced exposure to national disasters such as floods and landslides by
increased disaster management systems and further development of the DPRK
Red Cross institutional capacity in the DPRK.
Programme(s) summary:
The DPRK Red Cross Society continues
its 2009 programme activities based on its adopted Statutes which comply
with international standards. The Strategic Plan 2012 includes updated
policies for disaster management, health and care, volunteers, youth and
gender, which inform new programme directions and plans. In this reporting
period, DPRK Red Cross and the International Federation's country office
organized its first cooperation agreement strategy (CAS) meeting this year
in Hainan China, supported by the Federation's East Asia regional office
in Beijing. Plans for the second meeting are underway, where the CAS document
for the next three years will be signed.
Continued emphasis will be given to
further strengthen disaster management, the key national mandate of the
DPRK Red Cross, and increase the impact of its community-based disaster
preparedness and tree planting at the community level for synergetic benefits
during 2009. The same level of activities as in 2008 will be maintained
in health, water and sanitation and organizational development with a continued
development aspiration of each activity currently being implemented.
The International Federation continues
to support the national society in the health sector, drug distribution
and health education to community-based health practitioners in the first
half of 2009. The priority also in 2009 is to prevent malnutrition through
health interventions towards vulnerable groups during an expected extended
food shortage. This effort has been possible thanks to critically important
and timely support announced early 2009 from particularly the Finnish,
Norwegian and Swedish Red Cross Societies and their respective governments.
During the reporting period, the International Federation has also distributed
35 inter-agency emergency health kits (donated by Danish Red Cross) to
county hospitals in flood-prone areas as well as stocked ten inter-agency
emergency health kits as flood preparedness ahead of the floods season
2009, as agreed in the inter-agency health group. Additional Il Cha kits
and small kits for the third and fourth quarter have also been procured,
to be delivered later this year. Furthermore, a total of 5,000 refill kits
for the 2,500 first aid posts have been received and are in process of
being distributed.
The International Federation conducted
the fifth round of qualitative reviews of 16 water and sanitation interventions
from 18 April to 9 May. During the fourth review in late 2008, 18 out of
20 four-year-old installations reviewed were still fully functional and
well maintained. In the latest review, only one project was not operational,
but active community members have already started to arrange for repairs
prior to the review taking place. Water and sanitation supplies including
transformers, pipes and pumps worth CHF 1.7 million for the current water
and sanitation programme of 15 installations in villages have been delivered
between mid- April and the beginning of May for immediate construction,
ahead of the rice planting period starting early May. All projects in this
cycle are now nearly complete, with close monitoring from both the DPRK
Red Cross and International Federation.
The organizational development programme
celebrated World Red Cross Red Crescent Day with impressive
national and international support.
Up to five different departments from the government were represented,
together with representatives from six of the embassies in Pyongyang and
different UN agencies. The celebration was covered by national TV and major
newspapers in DPRK. The organizational development department will also
arrange different activities to celebrate the 150 year memory of Solferino,
in addition to sending two youth delegates to be present in Solferino.
A midterm review of the two pilot integrated community development projects
(ICDP) that started in 2008 has been conducted and a report forwarded to
the German embassy in Pyongyang who partly funded the project. A final
review of this pilot project will be done during the second half of 2009
The International Federation has concluded
recruitment of a new country representative in this reporting period, seconded
by Norwegian Red Cross, as well as a Finnish health delegate. The finance
delegate has extended his contract, and the country office hopes to engage
a new programme coordinator by July, by which the office will be fully
staffed beginning August 2009.
Financial situation: The total
2009 budget is CHF 9,798,541 (USD 8.67 million or EUR 6.56 million), revised
down from the original budget of CHF 10,099,166 (USD 8.79 million or EUR
6.66 million). The plan is 61 per cent covered to date. Expenditure from
January to May 2009 was 21 per cent of the total 2009 budget.
No. of people we help: approximately
8.25 million beneficiaries.
Our partners: Cooperation agreement
strategy partners including Australian, British, Canadian, Danish, Finnish,
German, Netherlands, Norwegian, Spanish and Swedish Red Cross Societies.
Other partners include the Japanese Red Cross, New Zealand Red Cross, the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),
Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies
Country: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
