32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent

About:

The International Conference is a unique global forum bringing together the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including the 189 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, their International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with its specific mandate established under the Geneva Conventions.

The Conference provides a non-political forum for dialogue on humanitarian issues.

The 32nd International Conference will mark the 50th anniversary of the proclamation of the Fundamental Principles of the Movement: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

Themes:

The Fundamental Principles in Action will serve both as an overarching theme for the Conference and will be addressed substantively in an opening panel, workshops, interactive exhibitions and personal testimonies examining:

• States’ commitments to ensuring that the Movement is able to work at all times in accordance with the Fundamental Principles in order to increase its acceptance, security and access to people in need, through the lens of operational dilemmas and good practices (such as the safety of personnel or the distinctive relationship of States with National Societies);
• The universality of Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles, as anchored in and embodied by locally relevant and meaningful values for volunteers and affected people; and the Movement’s leadership in principled humanitarian action and our distinctive identity through the practical application of these principles, which serves to anchor our local action in global solidarity.

Further key themes:

Reducing disaster risk and strengthen resilience:

Taking into consideration various global processes toward related post-2015 frameworks, the debate will aim to identify the Movement’s contribution to strengthening the resilience of communities to reduce natural or technological hazards so they do not lead systematically to disasters, with the associated loss of lives and livelihoods and erosion of development gains. In this context, the Conference will refer specifically to urbanisation and climate change as two critical factors compounding the challenges faced by vulnerable communities.

Addressing urban risk and climate change:

The Conference will address the issues of climate change and growing urban risks and their negative impact on the life of communities. Conference members will be invited to:

• Conclude a series of recommendations to enable governments’ engagement with National Societies in leveraging their auxiliary role beyond disaster response: for disaster risk reduction, preparedness and community resilience development, with a focus on emerging risk factors such as climate change and urbanization;
• Review best practices in leveraging new technology and effective use of indigenous knowledge and skills for enhanced resilience of communities and adaptation to climate change; and
• To encourage the implementation of the International Federation’s One Billion Coalition for Resilience, jointly with key partners including governments.

Legal frameworks regarding disasters and emergencies:

Legal and normative frameworks can and should effectively make communities safer from disasters and emergencies. In this regard, the Conference will be invited to:

• Decide on measures to speed progress in the development of laws and procedures for effectively managing international disaster response;
• Adopt a new tool for fully understanding and strengthening the many parts of national legal frameworks that are critical for reducing disaster risks and building resilience; and promote laws that are supportive of first aid training and delivery.

Side events:

• Award-winning innovations in DRR – the Australian Business Roundtable as a model for change
• Strengthening legal preparedness for disasters and disaster risk reduction
• Tech4Resilience: How does technology impact community resilience?
• Preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence in disasters
• Community-based disaster risk reduction in view of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and IFRC Framework for Community Resilience: the case of the Nepal Red Cross

Registration for this event is online through the website.