Indian Red Cross Society, Wednesday inaugurated first Safer Access Framework (SAF) workshop in Srinagar.Roma Wani, General Secretary IRCS inaugurated the 3-day workshop at Institute of Hotel management, Rajbagh. This is the first of its kind workshop in the State. Earlier International Red Cross conducted similar workshops in the States of Maharashtra and Gujarat.Speaking on the occasion, Wani said that aim of the workshop is to prepare volunteers to respond to context specific challenges and priorities to reduce and mitigate risks at time of exigencies.She said during workshop, volunteers will learn how to earn trust and acceptance of people and communities with humanitarian needs. “It is a sort of homework being done before any natural or manmade disaster”.
Rina Tripathi, Advisor Disaster management National Headquarters ICRC ,New Delhi during her inaugural speech said the set of actions and measures of SAF when applied in a particular place have shown increase in acceptance, security and access to people and communities in need. “The intention of SAF workshop is to help all National Societies of Red Cross especially their volunteers to enhance effectiveness of their humanitarian services in their own specific contexts and particularly in situations where security and access may be compromised,” she said adding local chapters of IRC must adopt practices that support and protect them while endeavouring to increase their own acceptance among stakeholders.
She further stated that structured approach adopted in applying SAF builds on local chapter’s (of IRC) experience of working in their respective operational contexts. Tripathi said the SAF is based on an assessment and planning cycle that is already familiar to many local chapters of IRC (national societies).
The trainers have shortlisted eight elements of the SAF that include context & risk assessment, legal base, acceptance of the organization & individual, identification, internal & external communication and coordination and operational security risk management.The other dignitaries who were present on the occasion included Nusrat Andrabi, Honorary Kashmir Regional Secretary and Daniel Burtt, team leader ICRC.