Interview with Mr Ma Qiang

2015 ◽  
Vol 97 (897-898) ◽  
pp. 29-44
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
Vice President ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
International Crises ◽  
Institutional Rules ◽  
Humanitarian Action ◽  
Executive Vice President ◽  
Operational Guidance

In this issue, the Review wanted to give a voice to different perspectives on the principles guiding humanitarian action. The Chinese Red Cross is an interesting example of a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement operating according not only to the seven Fundamental Principles of the Movement, but also to three additional values (or “spirits”), namely humanity, fraternity and dedication. Whereas the Fundamental Principles serve as institutional rules and provide operational guidance, the three spirits serve as an ideology for members of the Chinese Red Cross. In addition, over the last few years, the Chinese Red Cross has become more and more involved in disaster response operations abroad (for instance, in the response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013 and the earthquake in Nepal in 2015), as well as in China. It is expected that Chinese disaster response organizations will be increasingly involved in future international crises. The Review spoke to Mr Ma Qiang, former Executive Vice-President of the Shanghai branch of the Chinese Red Cross, the oldest Red Cross branch in China, to find out more about how he sees the evolution of the humanitarian sector and the challenges to principled humanitarian action in today's world.

Balancing permanent and forecast-based action to lessen wind-induced building damage in the Philippines.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Demi Vonk ◽  
Marc van den Homberg ◽  
Nanette Kingma ◽  
Dinand Alkema ◽  
Aklilu Teklesadik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Building Damage ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Disaster Prevention ◽  
Anticipatory Action

<p>With a global paradigm shift from post-disaster response aid to anticipatory action, the question on how anticipatory action relates to long-term climate adaptation and often government-led actions towards permanent disaster prevention becomes more relevant. With rising disaster risk, a framework that decision-makers can use to select between preventive and preparedness risk reduction efforts would be most useful. A model originally developed to compare permanent interventions to forecast-based action for floods was applied to wind-induced building damage due to tropical cyclones, focusing on a case study from the Philippines. We made use of a typhoon forecasting model based on the ensemble forecast from EMCWF, and modeled the wind footprint to estimate the wind speed in the case study area. A threshold was defined, similar to how it is done in actual operations by the Philippine Red Cross. If the forecasted typhoon exceeds a pre-set threshold in terms of wind speed, action to strengthen light-weight wooden houses with a Shelter Strengthening Kit (SSK) is taken. SSKs temporarily make these houses more resistant to withstand extreme winds, thereby reducing the impacts. This short term action is compared to a scenario in which lightweight wooden houses are permanently upgraded. Results give actors in humanitarian response, anticipatory action as well as permanent disaster prevention insight into which variables affect this balance. and help policymakers to allocate their scarce budgets in a cost-effective way. The framework, although developed for the Philippines, can also be replicated in other cyclone-prone countries. </p>

scholarly journals The Changing Face of Accountability in Humanitarianism: Using Artificial Intelligence for Anticipatory Action

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 456-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc J. C. Van den Homberg ◽  
Caroline M. Gevaert ◽  
Yola Georgiadou
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Humanitarian Action ◽  
Humanitarian Response ◽  
Algorithmic Accountability ◽  
Anticipatory Action ◽  
Relationship Of

Over the past two decades, humanitarian conduct has been drifting away from the classical paradigm. This drift is caused by the blurring of boundaries between development aid and humanitarianism and the increasing reliance on digital technologies and data. New humanitarianism, especially in the form of disaster risk reduction, involved government authorities in plans to strengthen their capacity to deal with disasters. Digital humanitarianism now enrolls remote data analytics: GIS capacity, local data and information management experts, and digital volunteers. It harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to strengthen humanitarian agencies and governments’ capacity to anticipate and cope better with crises. In this article, we first trace how the meaning of accountability changed from classical to new and finally to digital humanitarianism. We then describe a recent empirical case of anticipatory humanitarian action in the Philippines. The Red Cross Red Crescent movement designed an artificial intelligence algorithm to trigger the release of funds typically used for humanitarian response in advance<em> </em>of an impending typhoon to start up early actions to mitigate its potential impact. We highlight emerging actors and fora in the accountability relationship of anticipatory humanitarian action as well as the consequences arising from actors’ (mis)conduct. Finally, we reflect on the implications of this new form of algorithmic accountability for classical humanitarianism.

scholarly journals The Legitimacy, Accountability, and Ownership of an Impact-Based Forecasting Model in Disaster Governance

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sterre Bierens ◽  
Kees Boersma ◽  
Marc J. C. Van den Homberg
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Forecasting Model ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Implementation Challenges

The global shift within disaster governance from disaster response to preparedness and risk reduction includes the emergency of novel Early Warning Systems such as impact based forecasting and forecast-based financing. In this new paradigm, funds usually reserved for response can be released before a disaster happens when an impact-based forecast—i.e., the expected humanitarian impact as a result of the forecasted weather—reaches a predefined danger level. The development of these impact-based forecasting models are promising, but they also come with significant implementation challenges. This article presents the data-driven impact-based forecasting model as developed by 510, an initiative of the Netherlands Red Cross. It elaborates on how questions on legitimacy, accountability and ownership influenced the implementation of the model within the Philippines with the Philippine Red Cross and the local government as the main stakeholders. The findings imply that the exchange of knowledge between the designer and manufacturer of impact-based models and the end users of those models fall short if novel Early Warnign Systems are seen as just a matter of technology transfer. Instead the development and implementation of impact based models should be based on mutual understanding of the users’ needs and the developers of such models.

The ICRC Library goes digital

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Keyword(s):  
International Committee ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
International Humanitarian Law ◽  
Humanitarian Law ◽  
Reference Library ◽  
Parallel Development ◽  
Humanitarian Action ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Past

The ICRC Library is home to unique collections retracing the parallel development of humanitarian action and law during the past 150+ years. With the core of these collections now digitized, this reference library on international humanitarian law (IHL) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a resource available to all, anytime, anywhere.

Hacking humanitarians: Defining the cyber perimeter and developing a cyber security strategy for international humanitarian organizations in digital transformation

2020 ◽  
Vol 102 (913) ◽  
pp. 367-387
Author(s):  
Massimo Marelli
Keyword(s):  
Cyber Security ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
International Committee ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Digital Environment ◽  
Security Strategy ◽  
Humanitarian Action ◽  
Humanitarian Organizations

AbstractDigitalization and new technologies have an increasingly important role in today's humanitarian activities. As humanitarian organizations become more active in and reliant on new and digital technologies, they evolve from being simple bystanders to being fully fledged stakeholders in cyberspace, vulnerable to adverse cyber operations that could impact on their capacity to protect and assist people affected by armed conflict or other situations of violence.This shift makes it essential for humanitarian organizations to understand and properly map their resulting cyber perimeter. Humanitarian organizations can protect themselves and their activities by devising appropriate cyber strategies for the digital environment. Clearly defining the digital boundaries within which they carry out operations lays the groundwork for humanitarian organizations to develop a strategy to support and protect humanitarian action in the digital environment, channel available resources to where they are most needed, and understand the areas in which their operational dialogue and working modalities need to be adapted for cyberspace.The purpose of this article is to identify the unique problems facing international humanitarian organizations operating in cyberspace and to suggest ways to address them. More specifically, the article identifies the key elements that an international humanitarian organization should consider in developing a cyber security strategy. Throughout, the International Committee of the Red Cross and its specificities are used as an example to illustrate the problems identified and the possible ways to address them.

Mission of the ICRC Vice-President to the Far East

1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (251) ◽  
pp. 112-112
Keyword(s):  
Far East ◽  
Vice President ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Members Of Parliament ◽  
Geneva Conventions ◽  
The Far East ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Republic

Mr. Maurice Aubert, Vice-President of the ICRC, went on mission from 8 to 28 February to the Far East and the Pacific which brought him to Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and Australia.In each of the countries visited, Mr. Aubert met government officials, members of parliament and senior staff members of National Red Cross Societies. He discussed various issues of humanitarian interest with them, particularly with regard to the activities of the ICRC in the world and the ratification of the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions.

How does negative life change following disaster response impact distress among Red Cross responders?

2005 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 246-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon E. McCaslin ◽  
Gerard A. Jacobs ◽  
David L. Meyer ◽  
Erika Johnson-Jimenez ◽  
Thomas J. Metzler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Life Change
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