IFRC Asia Pacific Zone
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| IFRC Asia Pacific Zone | |
|---|---|
| Name | IFRC Asia Pacific Zone |
| Formation | 1985 |
| Type | International humanitarian network |
| Headquarters | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Region served | Asia Pacific |
| Parent organization | International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies |
IFRC Asia Pacific Zone The IFRC Asia Pacific Zone is the regional coordination office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies serving the Asia Pacific region, linking Geneva-based headquarters with national societies across Asia, Oceania, and parts of Pacific Islands. It supports operational coordination among national societies such as the Red Cross Society of China, Indian Red Cross Society, and New Zealand Red Cross, while engaging with multilateral actors including the United Nations, World Health Organization, and Asian Development Bank. The zone interfaces with major regional events and instruments like the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami (2004), Typhoon Haiyan, and climate initiatives involving United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change stakeholders.
Overview
The Asia Pacific Zone functions as a bridge between the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement components—International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and national societies including the Philippine Red Cross, Pakistan Red Crescent Society, Indonesian Red Cross Society (Palang Merah Indonesia), Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Myanmar Red Cross Society, Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, Nepal Red Cross Society, Laos Red Cross Society, Cambodian Red Cross, Mongolian Red Cross Society, Fiji Red Cross Society, Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society, Samoa Red Cross Society, Tonga Red Cross Society, and Vanuatu Red Cross Society. It engages with regional bodies such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Pacific Islands Forum, ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management, and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center to coordinate humanitarian action, health, and disaster risk reduction.
History and Development
The zone’s formation followed debates within the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies after major disasters like the 1976 Tangshan earthquake and the 1975 Cyclone Tracy that exposed gaps in regional coordination. Milestones include institutional consolidation around the 1984–85 famine in Ethiopia responses, expansion after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami (2004), and reforms prompted by responses to Cyclone Nargis (2008), 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). The zone’s development aligns with international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Hyogo Framework for Action, and partnerships informed by interactions with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, and donors like the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, USAID, Japanese International Cooperation Agency, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Organizational Structure and Governance
Governance integrates elected representatives from member societies and technical leadership reporting to the IFRC General Assembly and the IFRC Governing Board. Operational units include regional delegations and technical clusters for disaster management, health and care, community resilience, and humanitarian diplomacy, interacting with partners such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, World Food Programme, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, International Organization for Migration, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and regional research institutions like the Asian Institute of Technology and University of the Philippines.
Programs and Activities
Programs span disaster risk reduction, health programs, migration assistance, and cash transfer systems, often implemented with partners including Médecins Sans Frontières, Save the Children, Oxfam, CARE International, Mercy Corps, RedR Australia, Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, and regional laboratories such as the Institute of Tropical Medicine (Antwerp) and National Institute of Infectious Diseases (Japan). Activities include community-based first aid and water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives linked to Global Health Cluster guidance, preparedness training in collaboration with the International Council for Voluntary Agencies, and advocacy aligned with Sustainable Development Goals and climate work with Green Climate Fund stakeholders.
Member National Societies and Partnerships
The zone supports more than 60 national societies and coordinates with national actors such as the Ministry of Health (India), Department of Social Welfare and Development (Philippines), Ministry of Home Affairs (Indonesia), and international partners including the International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organization, Asian Development Bank, World Food Programme, Global Affairs Canada, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Norwegian Refugee Council, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Pacific Community (SPC), Asian Development Bank, and philanthropic organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Clinton Foundation.
Disaster Response and Preparedness
The zone coordinates large-scale responses to events such as the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami (2004), 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Cyclone Nargis (2008), Typhoon Haiyan (2013), 2015 Nepal earthquake, and recurrent dengue fever outbreaks, working with United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Global Logistics Cluster, International Federation Logistics Department, Médecins Sans Frontières, and national emergency management agencies like National Disaster Management Authority (India), National Disaster Management Authority (Pakistan), and National Disaster Management Agency (Indonesia). Preparedness strategies incorporate standards from the Sphere Project, cash preparedness per the Cash Learning Partnership, and community resilience models tested in collaboration with International Rescue Committee and academic partners such as London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Funding and Resources Management
Funding flows from a mix of statutory contributions, appeals, bilateral donors including Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, USAID, Japan International Cooperation Agency, European Commission Humanitarian Aid, private sector partners like Microsoft, Google, and Airbnb, and institutional grants from entities such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Global Fund, and private foundations including the Ford Foundation. Resource management emphasizes transparency and accountability using financial standards aligned with the IFRC Secretariat, donor agreements, audits from firms like PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG, and internal monitoring evaluated against Global Appeal targets and performance indicators used by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and major donors.