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NEWSLETTER IRCS ICRC - AUTUMN 2014 LEST WE FORGET! EDITORIAL Recently, we even as conflicts, disasters or migration over the years, is one of the countries watched the continue to separate thousands of family from which we source, or purchase, large people of members every year. amounts of relief items. Hence, some of the Jammu and goods distributed in South Sudan, Syria or The International Committee of the Red Kashmir (J&K) Somalia started their journey in India. While Cross (ICRC) continues to - as we did grapple with the Indian government and people have during the floods - support the efforts one of the been providing humanitarian assistance of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), worst floods globally through their own channels, we especially in providing relief material: from in over half a century. The floodwaters at the ICRC also recognise the importance life jackets to blankets, solar lanterns to have receded but they have left in their of the Indian markets in the realm of ICRC’s chlorine tablets, and an inflatable boat. We wake proof of the scale of the devastation operations. remain committed to provide, through our – of personal loss and extensive damage to partners, our support in every way possible We look forward to engaging and infrastructure. In the immediate aftermath in responding to this tragedy. partnering with the diverse stakeholders, of the floods, shelter, health and sanitation including the Government of India, as we and other basic needs must be addressed With active operations in so many deal with the challenges of the constantly even as the unforgiving winter approaches. emergencies around the world, the ICRC, evolving humanitarian landscape. along with its Movement partners, has The floods left hundreds dead and been bringing assistance to those most in thousands displaced, including our need. In these situations, as one learns from colleagues in Srinagar. Our relief, when one crisis to the next, providing appropriate we were finally able to contact all of our material aid is critically important. We colleagues and receive news of their safety, Mary Werntz believe that people affected by conflict and Head of the Regional Delegation is a humble reminder of the importance armed violence should play a central role New Delhi of contact with family and friends, during in determining solutions to the problems emergency situations such as this. It also they face. Thus, we tailor our activities reminds us of the work done, around and relief materials to the specific needs the world, by our colleagues in the ICRC of the vulnerable communities whether and National Red Cross and Red Crescent it is kitchen sets or blankets, buckets or Societies to locate people and put them mattresses, psycho-social support or back into contact with their relatives or training on mass casualty triage. India, clarify the fate of those who remain missing UPDATE JAMMU AND KASHMIR FLOODS: SUPPortiNG EMERGENCY RELIEF The unprecedented floods in the state of to the IRCS NHQ. In J&K in September 2014 has resulted in loss addition, one boat, of property, livestock and household items six life jackets, basic required to meet daily needs. As the affected stationary items, two families are returning to their houses, they laptops, a camera and are finding it difficult to get back to a normal 10 pen drives has been routine in the absence of essential household provided to the IRCS items which were washed away during J&K state branch. The floods. The ICRC, in consultation with the J&K ICRC is in discussions authorities – Chief Commissioner, Srinagar with the IRCS NHQ to and Divisional Commissioner Jammu - is support more office planning to support 5,000 households by equipment for IRCS J&K providing essential household items (EHI). state branch. These items will include clothing, bedding, footwear, hygiene material, buckets, utensils To supplement the and stationary items. To avoid duplication Government’s efforts and optimal utilisation of resources, the ICRC to support medical would request district authorities to share facilities in Srinagar, the the list of participants receiving EHI with the ICRC has provided 4,000 Abbhi/ICRC Atishay pairs of latex gloves, Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), J&K branch Flood-affected people flock to a Red Cross tent in Srinagar, Jammu and other institutions who are involved in 8,000 water purification and Kashmir. post emergency distribution phase. powder sachets, 2,760 packets of bleaching powder (500 gm each), Even as the relief operations carried out by To complement the IRCS efforts to support 1,125 pairs of surgical gloves, 492 rolls of IRCS, supported by ICRC, continue, we share the flood-affected population in J&K, the bandage gauze and 50 mattresses. here some of the images captured during ICRC, has provided 23,320 blankets to the the first two weeks of providing emergency The ICRC is continuously in discussion IRCS J&K state branch, 10,000 blankets to relief. IRCS Jammu regional branch and 16,680 to with the relevant authorities and the IRCS IRCS National Headquarters (NHQ). Further, (NHQ) to support further efforts in the post- For more follow us at http://blogs.icrc.org/ the ICRC has also provided 3,000 solar emergency phase of J&K floods. new-delhi/j-k-relief-update/ lanterns, 200 body bags and 50 life jackets IRCS ICRC salutes the spirit of local volunteers When the deluge left hundreds dead and thousands homeless in Jammu and Kashmir, students, Red Cross volunteers, young and old people actively took part in the rescue operations. Many risked their lives to rescue neighbours and friends from rooftops and collapsing houses; many others set out in improvised boats to save people; those trained in basic first aid put their skills to use attending to the injured and the sick. Local communities came together to organize rescue and relief efforts, displaying their solidarity and the resilience of the human spirit. The ICRC salutes the spirit of these local volunteers. Photos - Courtesy Indian Red Cross Society AUTUMN 2014 BUSINESS KITCHEN SETS TO ENGINEERING MACHINES: HUMANitariaN CONNECTION OF INDIA’S PRODUCERS As part of its mandate, the ICRC responds the countries from where a majority of the quickly and efficiently to help people purchases are made. affected by armed conflict. With a presence in more than 80 countries across the globe, So the next time you see ICRC providing emergency relief items are shipped to relief aids in countries like South Sudan, humanitarian operations worldwide as and Syria, and Somalia to populations affected when there is a need. Along with the local by conflict, there is a good chance that Red Cross society, ICRC brings assistance to some of those goods might have travelled victims by providing medical care, setting up all the way from India. Rodney Gallwey, Asia hospitals and rehabilitation centres. It also Sourcing Manager for the ICRC Regional assists civilians by providing appropriate Delegation in New Delhi gives us some material aid needed, such as food, water insights into the importance of the Indian /ICRC and sanitation, shelter and clothing etc. ICRC market to ICRC’s operations of providing humanitarian assistance globally. ICRC’s Asia Sourcing Manager, Rodney Gallwey, sources these relief materials from different performing onsite assessment of blankets from markets across the world. India is one of an Indian supplier Why is Indian market important for ICRC? etc. We also buy food-items which includes promising. I was one of the jury members enriched foods with vitamins and some at the recently organised 2nd Annual Chief The Indian market provides us almost all medical items such as bandages, surgical Procurement Officer (CPO) Forum India & that we need. India is well placed in terms gloves etc. Awards 2014 in Mumbai and I can foresee of geographical location and can supply that in next ten years procurement will be conveniently to the Middle East and Africa. How long has the ICRC been purchasing linked to e-sourcing platforms, e-auctions And a good connectivity means we can from the Indian market and companies will increasingly develop get emergency goods to crisis zones very We have been buying products for a long electronic tools for their ordering and stock quickly from India. Every year the purchase time but it is since 2009 that there has been management mechanism. from the Indian market is increasing by 10- a 40-50% increase in purchasing of relief and 15% and in the future too, India will play a Log on to the ICRC New Delhi blog (blogs. aid material from the Indian markets. Though major role in procurement activities for ICRC. icrc. org/new-delhi) to read our three-post our suppliers are spread throughout the series-Raising the Bar which focuses on What are basic guidelines that ICRC country, but many of them are in the states how the ILO and the ICRC are promoting follows while identifying a supplier? of Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra responsible enterprises through the Sustaining and Tamil Nadu. The ICRC’s main objective, like in any other Competitive and Responsible Enterprises country, is to first identify socially compliant To which countries do these goods go? (SCORE) Training project. enterprises/manufacturers who strictly Our current statistics show that it goes to adhere to the ICRC’s ethical standards Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Central Africa, principles and comply with the Indian factory Israel, Korea, Lebanon, Mali, Philippines, act regarding child labour or forced labour, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Chad, Uganda, Relief goods worth INR 2.5 Crores minimum wages, good working conditions Yemen among many others. were purchased from Indian for employees, security and hygiene of markets for providing assistance premises, environmental concerns, etc. The What does the future hold for Indian to those affected by floods in J&K.

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