Resilience programming
Exploration of opportunities for funding of Red Cross
Red Crescent pilot programme under EU
Introduction | ‘Resilience’ is a concept that is increasingly recognized by civil society, policy makers
and donors alike to effectively reduce and even prevent the effects of disasters on development. When
aimed at communities it enables them to better prepare for, cope with and recover from the effects of
disasters, through better response (-preparedness) and stronger livelihoods. Policy makers and donors
are putting more emphasis on this approach through funding mechanisms, and through legal and
policy frameworks. This is visible e.g. through funding by the Netherlands and British government
(among others) and frameworks and large(r) mechanisms of i.a. World Bank and UN. For the latter this
is becoming manifest in the discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals and the successor to
the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA-II).
Also within the Red Cross there is increased recognition of the benefits that a focus on community
resilience can bring to the aims of the organization. This was underlined by the IFRC’s Community
Resilience Forum in Cali, Colombia, in November 2014, where concepts and approaches were
discussed and where participants adopted the Cali Declaration1. However, while strengthening
community resilience is a key intervention strategy for many National Red Cross Red Crescent
Societies, the concept itself is still under development. Implementation modalities within the Red Cross
Red Crescent are still evolving (but clearly need to deliver at scale, in a cost-effective way).
Various advantages of resilience as an intervention strategy have been identified, amongst others:
 to provide an effective continuum between humanitarian and developmental work, and also
integrate climate change adaptation dimensions (three areas of work that have too often been
segmented due to parallel and separate financing systems and institutional mechanisms),
 to provide a (new) framework for Red Cross Red Crescent work across sectors,
 to increase the value and sustainability of development efforts, and
 to be a basis for sustainable National Society development.
Certainly the concept of resilience will figure prominently on the humanitarian and development
agendas for the years to come, and will influence assistance strategies, instruments and programming
opportunities. At the same time resilience programming implies doing business differently, hence
needs strategic direction and guidance. The timing for a resilience programme proposal seems
appropriate: within the EU (DevCo) there is increased interest in resilience programming, notably
because of the multi-annual framework that is being developed, and also within the Red Cross Red
Crescent there is growing momentum.
Resilience and the European Union | Like several other major institutes, the European Union also
recognizes the benefits for itself as a mayor donor to further enable, through its funding mechanisms,
initiatives to build community resilience. Given the fact that this topic relates to both humanitarian aid
and development co-operation, both ECHO and DevCo are the major players.
1
http://www.ifrc.org/news-and-media/opinions-and-positions/speeches/2014/the-cali-one-billion-coalition-forresilience/
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The Red Cross, based on its status with the EU, is seeking an opportunity to embark on a EU-(co-)
funded resilience programme that aligns with the EU priorities but can be agreed outside regular calls.
Based on Netherlands Red Cross’ experience with Partners for Resilience (see below) the RC EU
Office, the Netherlands Red Cross and the Red Cross Climate Centre have taken the initiative to
develop such a proposal as a pilot, with a particular focus on Africa.
This pilot exercise will consequently help to explore a more permanent RC approach towards an EU
programming, including framework and business model for resilience programming and possibly
funding applications. The intent is that the pilot programme would be financed under a direct finance
agreement between IFRC and EU.
Initiatives by the Netherlands Red Cross | Since three years the Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC)
leads the Partners for Resilience (PfR) alliance – a programme under the Dutch government’s cofunding scheme in which three humanitarian organizations (CARE Nederlands, Cordaid and NLRC),
one climate organization (Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre) and one environmental
organization (Wetlands International) implement a disaster risk reduction programme that integrates
DRR, Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Ecosystem Management and Restoration (EMR) in order
to strengthen the resilience of communities. It is a five-year programme that is being implemented by
the local partners of these alliance members in nine different countries in Africa, Asia and Latin
America. For certain within the RC, likely beyond it, it is the world’s largest financial envelop granted for
community based resilience programming, € 40 million in total.
While still one-and-a-half year until its closure, the programme has achieved practically all of its
quantitative targets and generated a range of new tools, but a midterm review and a university-led
research project also highlighted several areas where, further work is needed to consolidate the
qualitative progress on resilience, for instance in terms of organizational capacity. For the Red Cross
partners the programme has introduced the novel approach of integrating CCA and EMR into DRR, for
instance through the application of a landscape approach in risk assessments and activities and
explicitly working along different timescales. Other novel program elements include a stronger focus on
community empowerment, emphasis on engagement with non-Red Cross partners especially in less
familiar fields, and a specific emphasis on advocacy from local to international level.
Additionally the NLRC has made ‘resilience’ a central theme in its work, developed a strategic
document and screening tool, and intends to work with several of its partner National Societies on
resilience programmes. It is exploring opportunities for strengthening ties with the Dutch government,
and has already been selected as “strategic partner” in a chronic crisis call (focusing on Ethiopia). With
the Norwegian and Swedish Red Cross it is looking into opportunities to engage these National
Societies in the current PfR programme and in related programmes.
Moreover, towards the EU this programme offers the RC the evidence base that the RC can manage
multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral, multiple countries, long term programmes, at scale
Initiatives of the Federation | A resilience programme, as explored, will be responsive to the IFRC’s
aforementioned Cali Commitment, and could also fit the IFRC’s newly established DM Framework for
Africa. It provides a framework to implement and link Disaster response, DRR and Resilience,
Advocacy, and Capacity building (re. DM). At a regional scale the IFRC is engaged in DRR
programmes, which are to a large extent resilience programmes but not labelled as such. On an urban
scale however it is supporting resilience programmes with nine African National Societies. ‘Early
warning’ is an important component in these programmes.
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The IFRC and several National Societies are engaged in the implementation of the Global Framework
for Climate Services.
The involvement of National Societies, supported by the Federation, in food security is also growing.
Activities in this field, particularly community based, are increasing, and support includes the
development of technical and organizational capacity, and strengthening of co-operation and cooperation and partnerships. This initiative carries elements of what would be a ‘resilience-approach’.
From the side of governments, development banks, etc in Africa several initiatives are noteworthy, like
the African Union’s Strategy for DRR, initiatives with NEPAD (Federation has applied for CCA funding,
and has established co-operation with WMO and AGNAT. In the Sahel there is inter-agency cooperation in the field of resilience in Mali, Niger and Mauretania), and finally the African Development
Bank provides opportunities for resilience (-related) programmes, especially in fragile states, and the
World Bank is implementing the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) in several African
countries.
The RC is well positioned to contribute to shaping the concept of resilience. Our core comparative
advantage is strengthening community resilience, building on our extensive network of local volunteers.
An additional key comparative advantage of the RC, and beneficial to EU, is related to the auxiliary
role of NSs vis-à-vis their governments, giving them a strong role for policy dialogues on resilience in
broader planning and programming. This requires the respective NS to be well linked with the relevant
government institutions and policy processes related to resilience (which includes DRR, climate, and
broader integration into development planning) and will enable to develop a clear vision on resilience
and resilience programming and how to operationalize it within these national strategies.
Conditions for a possible resilience (pilot)
programme | There are several issues that
Elements of pilot Resilience programme
need to be considered when designing a
proposal for a resilience-themed programme
for the EU. Some are conditional, some are to
be avoided, and some will, when properly
addressed, increase chances of positive
reception. The issues are both contents- and
Contents, focus
 Focus on ‘resilience on the
ground’, build on local capacities, cross sector, multistakeholder
 Sustainability: ensure handingover to governments, and
taking-over by HNS
 Demonstrate prior experience
 Align with DevCo priorities
 Stress innovative character
organization-related. The EU is increasingly
looking for large scale programmes that can
absorb larger sums of funding and are crosssectoral and multistakeholder. The pilot
programme can also influence EU strategy
and programming to the benefit of most
vulnerable communities in Africa and
programmatically contribute to strengthening
resilience of communities exposed to hazards
Organization, set-up
 Limited number of PNS
 Limited number of HNS, with
expertise and experience
 Invest in HNS capacity from
the start
 Cross-border elements
 Phase one (5 yr) of a 10-15 yr
programme
 Involve non-RC partners (such
as Wetlands International)
Conditional
Red Cross Red Crescent Resilience programme
 EU (DevCo) funded
 limited number of PNS and African HNS
 Multi-year
while responding to acute crisis.
1)
Helpful
Limited number of partners: The potential
pilot programme to be developed aims at
a limited number of partners, both PNS
and HNS, as too large programmes may
become less eligible and too complex to
manage.
Contents, focus
 Present RC at the forefront
 Indicate that not all
interventions will be both
climate- and ecosystem-smart
 Present as opportunity for
DevCo to put DRR/Resilience
higher on agenda
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Organization, set-up
 Include fragile countries
 Involve NLRC and possibly
one external partner in
engaging with DevCo
 Select countries where DevCo
has experience
 Involve at least one PfR-HNS
2)
Experience and capacities are important criteria for selecting National Societies. As for HNS,
preferably one of them should have prior experience in PfR, together with one non-RC partner-NS
of the NLRC. Yet, capacity building in the field of DRR/CCA/EMR will be an important component
of the programme. As for PNS, prior experience in similar multi-stakeholder, multi-partner, multicountry programme, and on DRR is a condition. Having worked on DRR that is climate- and/or
ecosystem-smart is a plus. African National Societies that currently receive support from their
government (and which can serve as an indication for sustainability after the potential EU funded
resilience programme would end) are




West Coast/Senegal region: Cape Verde RC, Senegal RC, Mali RC, Ghana RC, Gambia
RC, Niger RC and Mauritania RC
Eastern Africa region: Kenya RC, Rwanda RC, Burundi RC and Ethiopia RC
Southern Africa region: Botswana RC and Namibia RC
Central Africa region: Cameroon RC, Gabon RC (very good example), Equatorial Guinea
RC, DRC RC
From these countries Burundi RC, Rwanda RC, Senegal RC, Niger RC, Kenya RC, Cape
Verde RC, Botswana RC have seen an increase of their budgets over the last year.
3)
The pilot programme should involve non-RC partners and governments in the implementing
countries. Generally the programme is open to a wide range of channels for implementation. It
should be presented to the EU (DevCo) and national governments as a first (5 year) phase of a
long(er) trajectory (15 years). Whereas PNSs will be strongly involved in the first phase,
responsibilities after this phase will shift to the African NS and their national and local governments
who will be main recipients of international aid flows. Therefore, the programme will include
advocating to African governments to develop policy and budget for community level service
delivery; simultaneously positioning African NS towards their governments as key provider of
community managed services will be key.
4)
The pilot programme ideally includes cross-border elements, focusing on ecosystems like entire
river basins. The local situation determines the exact scope of interventions, and there will not be a
one-size-fits-all approach: not each intervention will be both climate-smart and ecosystem-smart.
5)
Furthermore the programme should align with DevCo priorities, ensuring a good understanding of
their interpretation and application of ‘resilience’. Moreover it should be presented to DevCo as
providing ‘on-the-ground’ resilience building, which also helps them to put DRR (and resilience)
higher on the agenda, within DevCo and with other related EU offices. Also the proposal should
stress that the initiatives link relief and rehabilitation with longer-term development, possibly
feeding discussions on how to bring these various fields (and the funding modalities within the EU)
closer together. As for country selection, it may be beneficial to include one or more where DevCo
has sound knowledge of the risk landscape and of the country’s capacities in this field.
6)
Innovation, sustainability and scale are key elements. Building on PfR the programme
(consortium) brings an innovative approach, working across various time scales and spatial
scales, and bringing together various organisations seeking for synergy in adding their expertise
and capacities to the programme. Involvement of governments will enable a smooth handover
(something where DevCo can play a role as well), provided that implementing partners have
sufficient capacities.
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Current arrangements at the EU | The EC Resilience Action Plan (RAA) is two years old and no
serious measures have taken place to implement it. DEVCO seems to be understaffed and confused to
execute it. ECHO seems to be more committed and interested but is hindered by its emergency relief
mandate to push for it. It can be concluded that implementing the RAA is not a burning issue now, but
will likely become more important over the coming years. Although timing is not optimal it may be good
to convince DEVCO that the RC knows and can implement resilience programs at scale and propose
them a partnership funded through an Indirect Management Delegated Agreement (IMDA) following
the same pattern of the Global Migration and Ebola grants.
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