Annual report

Annual Overview 
| About the IFRC 
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and 
Strategy 2030
states that the organization 
“will deepen our efforts to prevent, identify 
and respond to instances and allegations of 
behaviour that are contrary to our humanitarian 
principles and values”.
This is achieved by making sure that Red Cross 
and Red Crescent staff, volunteers, programmes, 
and communications do no harm to children and 
adults, and that these people are not exposed 
to abuse or exploitation. Humanitarian workers 
hold enormous power, which can increase the 
risk of exploitation and abuse. 
The IFRC also looks at sexual harassment, 
given the increasing recognition that sexual 
exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment 
have common structural roots in inequality and 
gender discrimination which are, fundamentally, 
about abuse of power. 
The IFRC actively seeks to minimize any adverse 
consequences of our programming and 
presence. The primary aim is to ensure that 
safeguarding is actively embedded within organi-
zational systems to assure safe recruitment, safe 
programming, safe partnerships and to ensure 
that our actions and footprint match our com-
mitments and mandate. 
The IFRC is committed to taking all reason-
able steps to prevent harm from occurring; 
listening to those who are affected through 
inclusive complaint mechanisms; providing 
rapid, survivor-centred response when harm 
or allegations of harm occur; and learning from 
every case.
Safeguarding is a cross-cutting issue that 
requires an integrated cross-sectoral approach. 
As a result, several IFRC departments share 
responsibility for managing it – the Office of 
Internal Audit and Investigations, Legal, Human 
Resources, Risk, senior leadership and pro-
gramme teams all have a stake in its design and 
are accountable for its effectiveness.
In 2022, a new Head of Safeguarding position was 
placed in the Office of the Secretary General to 
strengthen coordination and application of safe-
guarding policies, systems and commitments. 
This role also provides survivor-centred services 
as required, and in 2022 supported the Global 
Management Meeting and Board members 
to analyze risk scenarios and to strengthen 
management and governance knowledge. The 
IFRC has an Integrity Line system for receiving 
allegations and complaints.
The Head of Safeguarding is required to lead by 
example in proactively working to create a safe 
and inclusive environment at the IFRC; lead the 
multidisciplinary work needed for information 
sharing, training, HR and resourcing, the develop-
ment of frameworks and reporting mechanisms, 
and other cross-network methods of ensuring 
the safety of all people who use IFRC services 
and work to help deliver them. (See Safeguarding 
Spotlight for more information.)
Inclusion journey
In 2022, the IFRC embarked on an Inclusion 
Journey to encourage a diverse, respectful, and 
healthy culture within the IFRC, one where all 
staff feel safe, heard and valued, and have the 
opportunity to contribute their skills, experi-
ence and ideas. To this end, an initiative called 
Appreciative Inquiry was launched towards the 
end of 2022, in the form of a series of dialogues 
facilitated in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish, 
by expert practitioners from all over the world.
Colleagues from all IFRC offices, at all levels, were 
invited to share their experiences, voice opin-
ions and feelings, and work together to uncover 
strengths, practices, skills, or behaviour that lead 
to meaningful participation, shared responsi-
bility and accountability, safety and dignity for 
everyone, and equitable systems that honour 
the diversity of the IFRC.
The IFRC Inclusion Journey is a strategic initiative 
for the IFRC. As well as being the right thing to do 
and the moral thing to do, it is vital if the ambitions 
of the Agenda for Renewal are to be achieved. 
The IFRC is also working to revise its PSEA policy 
to ensure its implementation is as effective as 
possible and an essential package of support 
for survivors and subjects of concern is under 
consideration.