The GRC commitment in Asia
Compared to other continents, there is one category in which Asia plays the sad number one: it counts the highest number of natural disasters per year. Therefore, the German Red Cross works in almost all areas of humanitarian aid - Disaster Response, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and Disaster Preparedness.
Asia is the most disaster-prone region in the world. Some of the extreme weather phenomenons like floods, landslides or tropical storms are seasonal and therefore relatively forseeable. However, the climate change amplifies the danger of natural disasters. It contributes to the increase in intensity and frequency of natural disasters. Moreover, catastrophes no longer occur exclusively during the respective season, which makes them less predictable. This makes it even more difficult for the affected population to recover from the effects of the extreme weather events.
Apart from that, many Asian countries are frequently affected by events that are unpredictable such as earthquakes and tsunamis. These disasters have devastating effects on the people and the infrastructure, especially in densely populated urban areas.
The GRC long term cooperation in Asia
In the case of a natural catastrophe, the German Red Cross reacts with effective emergency response and provides important and sustainable reconstruction aid. In the aftermath of the crisis, it also carries out long-term projects focussing on disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation activities at community level as well as capacity building activities at the level of the Partner National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
During the whole cycle, the GRC increasingly implements integrated multisectoral programmes. These include the sectors water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, health care, nutrition, livelihood, disaster risk reduction, shelter and infrastructure as well as expanding the capacities of the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. They all have a common goal: to increase the resilience of the affected people.
The GRC currently supports the respective Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in
- South Asia: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal
- Southeast Asia: The Philippines, Vietnam, Laos
- East Asia: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(Last updated 2016)
