Strengthening National Societies
The 192 National Societies across the world are the drivers of the Federation’s humanitarian action, working with other local actors to ensure essential services to people in need and responding to humanitarian disasters and crises. National Society effectiveness and performance is thus critical to us achieving humanitarian impact.
Strengthening of National Societies is one of the Federation’s and particularly the IFRC Secretariat’s fundamental tasks. National Societies work in a diverse range of contexts and cultures, face many and differing challenges, and also vary in their capability. The IFRC Secretariat and National Societies partner with and provide support to individual National Societies in their efforts to develop their organizational capacity and effectiveness.
The development support provided to an individual National Society will depend on its current situation and priorities. National Societies may wish to develop their auxiliary role, strategy, governance and accountability; strengthen areas such as financial management, communications, fundraising; increase volunteer engagement; improve external relations; or ramp up their preparedness for responding to emergencies or improve the planning and execution of programmes and services they provide.
Types of support include:
- Partnership with National Society leadership in identifying organizational development priorities and potential actions
- Support National Societies in assessing their own development needs, and conducting their strategic and organizational planning through different processes such as the Organisational Capacity Assessment and Certification (OCAC)
- Technical advice, coaching and resources to support to the strengthening of specific organizational capacities. For example: preparedness for emergency response; logistics, finance, ICTs, communications, health programmes, WASH, programme monitoring and evaluation
- Sourcing or providing funds which National Societies can use for their own development, for example, through the joint IFRC ICRC initiative, the National Society Investment Alliance.
the process of developing a nationwide network of community volunteer units in Burundi.
The tensions between international aid and domestic reality in Viet Nam.
How the Red Cross attracts private sector resources in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Analyses the sustainability and replicability of health services in Ghana
Different forms of leadership experienced during major change in Italy.
The Red Cross Red Crescent reference centres are delegated functions of the IFRC and hosted in various Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies. Their primary function as ‘centres of excellence’ are to develop strategically important knowledge and best practice that will inform the future operations of the IFRC and National Societies in their key areas of interest and influence
The National Society Investment Alliance is a pooled funding mechanism providing flexible multi-year financing and support for the development of National Red Cross and Red Cross Societies.
Volunteers have been the backbone of our Movement since its birth in 1863. Today, as ever they are central to all activities of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, contributing to the success of our National Societies and assisting millions of vulnerable people in times of greatest need.
Identity and foundations of the NS:
- Vision, mission, values/principles defining the strategic orientation of the NS, Fundamental Principles, Legal base (recognition and emblem law, Statutes), Policy, Auxiliary role/relationship with authorities, integrity and accountability
Systems, procedures, practices etc. guiding supporting functions of the NS:
- Volunteer management, Security & safety, Financial management, Administration & legal, PMER
Key capacities to deliver services:
- Integrated community services, Disaster Management, Health, Inclusion, Youth, Education, Migration, other services
Relationships with key stakeholders, both internal and external, and mobilisation of funds, volunteers etc
- Volunteering, Youth, Communication (internal & external), Financial sustainability (resource mobilisation), Humanitarian Diplomacy
Culture and practices allowing a NS to adapt to a changing environment and grow by learning and innovating
- Learning, Innovation, Context analysis
