The basis for the IFRC’s gender and diversity work is its humanitarian mandate to prevent and alleviate human suffering without discrimination and to protect human dignity.
Among the continuing and tragic vulnerabilities to humans around the world is violence. Violence is pervasive, often hidden and secretive; when people hurt themselves or others the humanitarian consequences are catastrophic. Regardless of what form violence takes, who it targets, where it occurs, or how it is justified, its toll is undeniably disastrous.
Central to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent’s (IFRC) humanitarian mandate, and in line with the Red Cross Red Crescent’s Fundamental Principles, the IFRC is committed to ensure that all women, men, girls and boys, irrespective of age, disability, health status, social, religious, migrant or ethnic group are protected before, during and after disasters.
The consultative assessment process culminates in the development of recommendations. These recommendations then are the foundation for the development of the plan of action (PoA) to increase gender and diversity integration within the organisational systems, processes, programmes and services at all levels of the National Society.
The commitment of the National Society senior leadership is crucial to conducting the organisational assessment. From the outset, the National Society’s senior leadership should acknowledge that the assessment will generate recommendations for change and give a commitment to guide and support this change. To obtain senior leadership commitment and approval, it is suggested that a concept note be prepared and submitted to them.
The aim of the Gender and Diversity Organisational Assessment Tool is to support National Societies to fulfil commitments to gender and diversity, while the aim of the toolkit is to provide National Societies with practical guidance to conduct and to follow up on a gender and diversity organisational assessment. The tool and the toolkit can also be used by the IFRC, with modifications.