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Central Europe: Focus on Serbia and Montenegro Appeal No. MAA66001 Programme Update No. 1

Countries
Albania
+ 2 more
Sources
IFRC
Publication date

This report covers the period 01/01/08 to 30/06/08

In brief

Programme purpose: In Serbia and Montenegro the International Federation's support focused on development through long-term programmes to increase the capacity of the Red Cross to provide services to vulnerable populations, and to be prepared to respond to emergencies and disasters. These efforts also included addressing the National Societies' structure, procedures, staffing and organizational thinking. These components directly and indirectly contribute to the same goal of strengthening the communities to recognize, assess and address their own needs with the Red Cross as an integral and recognized partner. Sustainability of existing activities and development of a basis for future programmes were also priorities.

The two National Societies have gradually expanded their activities and moved from exclusively being a provider of assistance to being an advocate for the vulnerable. This transition continued through becoming a partner in, and the driving force behind, the process of civil society building at both national and local level.

The main programme areas in which the two National Societies have been working are aligned with the International Federation's Global Agenda Goals:

- Disaster management aligned with Global Agenda Goal one and four

- Health and care aligned with Global Agenda Goal two, three and four

- Organizational development aligned with Global Agenda Goal four and related to the ten areas for improvement

Programme(s) summary: The activities of the National Societies in Serbia and Montenegro have been largely implemented as planned, allowing for some required adjustments during the period.

- The disaster management programme focused on disaster management capacity building and included training, simulations and provision of equipment.

- Health and care programme activities included home care and social welfare. The latter programme was slightly adjusted due to a peer review of the social welfare programme which identified both gaps and duplications. Changes were also made due to a British Red Cross initiative to ensure enhanced sustainability of the home care programme through additional short-term support.

- The organizational development programme focused on developing management and information systems and improving the public image and public relations of the National Societies. The two National Societies are at different development stages, with Serbia already working largely independently in management and information systems, so future focus would be on Montenegro subject to funding.

Financial situation: Total 2008 budget for Central Europe (MAA66001) was initially 6,404,721 Swiss francs (USD 5,822,474 or EUR 3,965,772). The revised budget is 6,229,682 Swiss francs (USD 5,663,347 or EUR 3,857,388), out of which 59 per cent covered. The overall 2008 budget for the programmes in Serbia and Montenegro is 2,595,522 Swiss francs. Other programmes under this appeal are run by the regional representation in Budapest, and the Federation offices in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina and are reported on in separate programme updates. The revision of the appeal budget is due to a slight decrease in the budget of the Federation office in Kosovo from 868,055 to 693,006 Swiss francs.