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Board of Governors

Meeting of the Board of Governors, [sine loco], 1925

III

The Board of Governors:

Considering it important that the Red Cross should afford protection to emigrants, both as a humanitarian duty and as a mission of hygiene and education, as well as a means of strengthening the Red Cross itself;

Approves the first steps taken by the Secretariat in this direction and recommends the institution of a permanent Emigration Division in the League Secretariat.

This Division will collaborate with the International Labour Office and, (both by the intermediary of this Office and directly), with all independent, national or international organizations for the protection of Emigrants; it will advocate that the Public Health Nurse should not only supervise the health of the emigrant before, during and after emigration, but that she should also direct and guide the emigrant and his family from the moment they decide to emigrate, in order to avoid any exploitation of emigrants and to facilitate their adaptation in the new country of their adoption; the division will also recommend that the Public Health Nurse’s training should be such as to fit her to carry out these duties.

The Division will strive to prevent the emigration of children without parents or guardians, and will notify the national Red Cross Societies of the advantages accruing from bringing the Red Cross idea home to rural populations through the protection of emigrants, which will result in extending the activities of the Red Cross, increasing its resources and the number of its members, and disseminating the principles of hygiene and civic duty in the most remote villages and among the most humble families”.

“IX

The Board of Governors expresses its satisfaction at the coming opening of the Home for the League International Nursing Students in London as the result of the generous initiative taken by Dr. Masarykova.

The Board of Governors authorizes the formation of a Supervising Committee which shall include a representative, residing in London, of each of the Societies which has subscribed to this project in addition to the Director General of the League and the Chief of the Nursing Division. This Committee will itself fix the dates of its meetings. The Board of Governors authorizes the Director General to engage

1. A Directress of studies at a maximum salary of £420 per annum;

2. A matron at a salary of £100 per annum in addition to board and lodging;

3. A half-time stenographer;

4. A domestic staff of seven”.

“XXII

The Board of Governors hereby appoints the under-mentioned members to serve on the Executive Committee as from December 31st, 1925:

  • M. ATHANASAKI (Greek Red Cross).
  • M. CONILL (Cuban Red Cross).
  • Colonel DRAUDT (German Red Cross).
  • M. KAWAI (Japanese Red Cross).
  • Mlle MASARYKOVA (Czechoslovak Red Cross).
  • M. VAN RIEMSDIJK (Netherlands Red Cross)”.

“XXXII

The Board, after examining the report of the Director-General with regard to the Nursing Home and Centre in London:

(1) approves the action of the Chairman and the Director-General in leasing the house in London and in making the necessary arrangement for providing for the necessary alterations and furnishings, at a total cost of approximately £5,500 from the funds thus far contributed;

(2) instructs the Director-General to establish as a capital fund the balance of the contributions thus far received, after the necessary payments for initial expenses are made and to add to this fund all later contributions, the interest from the fund to be used to meet the annual administrative charges;

(3) authorizes the Director-General to examine the possibility of obtaining additional contributions to the capital fund subscribed in order to complete the amount necessary to give an annual income sufficient to cover the administrative costs;

(4) decides that the Administrative Committee to be designated by the Board be authorized to administer the fund for the Nurses’ Home and Centre, subject to control by the Board of Governors, and in agreement with the Director-General and the Treasurer-General;

(5) approves the budget for the Nurses’ Home and Centre and authorizes the employment of the personnel therein provided for, in accordance with the resolution proposed by the First Sub-Committee”.

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Board of Governors

Meeting of the Board of Governors, [sine loco], 1924

XVI

NURSING

  1. THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS approves the principles laid down for the future work of the Secretariat for promoting, through Red Cross Societies, higher standards of nursing education, both for hospital and Public health work, chiefly through national nurses.   
  • THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS approves the continuation of the International courses for nurses and encourages the Secretariat to study the possibility of reducing the individual expenses of the students by eventually establishing an International Nurses’ Home.
  • THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS strongly recommends to the attention of Red Cross Societies the standards of   nursing education laid down by the Nursing Advisory Board of the League, while recognizing that no stereotyped scheme is applicable to   every country.

The budget for the international nursing course was $ 5,000 – which was 2.7% of the total, or 8.6% of the non-staff expenses foreseen.

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Uncategorized

Meeting of the Board of Governors, [sine loco], 1923

The records available contains noting of interest in the present context, and no women are mentioned, in the single page of resolutions available.

One of them was the establishment of a Committee which would review the outcome of negotiations with the ICRC prior to their submission to National Societies.

This committee consisted of four gentlemen and an unidentified representative of the Chairman of the Board of Governors.

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Board of Governors

Meeting of the Board of Governors, Paris, 1922

The meeting took place with one woman present, Lady Cook, representing the Viscountess Novar, of the Australian Red Cross.

Under “9. Junior Red Cross”:

“Lady Cook said that no difficulty had been experienced in organising the Junior Red Cross in Australia: 30.000 children belonged to the organisation, and there were also 7.000 V.A.Ds. The latter arc now recruited among children who have passed the junior” stage; this step was initiated to fill the gap between the junior and senior sections and avoid losing touch with members. The Motto of the Australian Junior Red Cross is “For Me” (abbreviated from “FOR ME the soldier fought” “FOR ME he died, etc.”) The children take up the work heartily, and there is great rivalry at Christmas time as to who will make up the best parcels for soldiers.

Hundreds of garments are made by the children for dependants of soldiers, and every year in May a big exhibition is held.

While girls make up garments, the boys attend to philanthropic work such as clearing of land for soldiers: during the first week of holidays, hundreds of boys are employed in helping soldiers to paint their houses, put up fa few houses, etc. etc.

All this tends to make them good citizens.

Lady Cook said she had no hesitation in stating that if everything was left to the children themselves, the movement would grow to be a big world wide movement, which was most desirable seeing that the future depends so much on “juniors”.

“10. International Public Health Nursing Course.

The Director General referred to the arrangements concluded for the next International Course in Public Health Nursing, to be held in London. Sir Claude Hill stated that the League owed profound debt of gratitude to Sir Arthur Stanley for having arranged the ceremony at the completion of last year’s Nursing Course, and proposed that a vote of thanks be passed to Sir Arthur Stanley and to the British Red Cross. This was unanimously carried”.

Sir Arthur Stanley expressed his thanks to the Board and to Sir Claude Hill, and said that the nursing students from all parts of the world had produced a most excellent impression in London: they were all very anxious to learn and took a keen interest in everything relating to their future profession. Sir Arthur added that he personally was of opinion that the nursing activities of the League were among the most important work undertaken by the League, and that there was no doubt but that the most effective means of preventing suffering was to spread throughout the world real knowledge of the importance of sound nursing”.

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Board of Governors

Meeting of the Board of Governors, Geneva, 1921

The Board of Governors had one female member, Viscountess Novar, of the Australian Red Cross.

“In the absence of the Secretary General who was ex-officio secretary of the Board of 30vernors, the

assistant Secretary General, Mrs. Grove, was appointed Secretary of the meeting”.

“Miss Fitzgerald a highly competent person was at the head of the nursing division of the League, and it was hoped that this activity would be developed to the utmost in every country”.

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Note to the Reader

Federation General Assemblies

So far, material from 18 General Assemblies have been reviewed and presented. This has all been taken from documents held by the Secretariat and not necessarily available, yet, to the general public.

The remaining meetings of the series will be included “later”.

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Uncategorized

12th Session of the General Assembly, Geneva, 23 – 27 October 1999

DECISION 4 – APPOINTMENT OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE

One woman, Ms. Helen Durham (Australian Red Cross) was appointed to the four-member Drafting Committee

DECISION 14 – GENDER POLICY

The General Assembly,

Recalling Decision 29 (Gender Perspectives) of the 11th session of the General Assembly (1997),

Taking note of the recommendation contained in the report of the Development Commission,

Acknowledging the extensive preparatory work and consultations undertaken by the Development Commission and the Secretariat,

Adopts the Gender Policy of the International Federation,

Urges all National Societies:

  • to review existing policies with a gender perspective,
  • to put in place institutional procedures to ensure that gender analysis is part of programming,
  • to conduct self-assessments with regard to the participation of men and women as staff and volunteers at headquarters and local branches,
  • Requests the Secretary General:
  • to develop the necessary guidelines which need to accompany the Policy, provided that the necessary resources are available,
  • to gather and share information and good practices of National Societies with regard to mainstreaming a gender perspective in Red Cross and Red Crescent work,
  • to monitor the implementation of the Policy and report to the 13th session of the General Assembly in 2001.

DECISION 45 – FEDERATION PLEDGE FOR THE 27TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT

The General Assembly,

Having noted that all members of the International Conference – States, National Societies, the International Federation and the ICRC – are invited to make a pledge to the 27th International Conference,

Recognising the need for the Federation to define its own pledge, and that the pledge chosen should address an issue of importance to all National Societies as well as the Federation collectively,

Also recognising the importance of volunteers for National Societies, and the focus on the development of volunteering in Strategy 2010,

Confirms the following pledge of the International Federation to the 27th International Conference:

Volunteers are the most important strength of any National Society; they are “the power of humanity” and the champions of Red Cross/Red Crescent humanitarian values. The International Federation therefore pledges the following:

  • to review the current situation of volunteers and identify areas where change is needed to improve services to beneficiaries, the status of volunteers and their role in the organization;
  • to develop clear policies, guidelines and best management practices for volunteers which focus on
  • human resources development;
  • to ensure equal opportunities for men and women of all ages as volunteers in service delivery and National Society leadership, to bring about greater involvement of marginalized groups, and to provide the required support by paid staff;
  • to cooperate with governments to broaden the existing legal, fiscal and political bases for volunteering, and to mobilize increased public support;
  • to expand cooperation with other volunteer organizations at all levels, and playa significant role in the International Year of Volunteers in 2001.

Encourages all National Societies to present their own pledges to the International Conference and to motivate their governments to do likewise.

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General Assembly

18th Session of the General Assembly, Geneva, 23-25 November 2011

18th Session of the General Assembly

Three women were members of the drafting committee:

  • Ms. Sofia Stoimenova, Bulgaria RC
  • Ms. Carine Chehab, Qatar RC
  • Ms. Frehiwot Worku, Ethiopia RC

Two women elected to the Finance Commission:

  • Ms. Kathryn Forbes, American RC
  • Ms. Yaksim Betty Tam, Belize RC

Four women were proposed as members of the Youth Commission

  • Ms. Salimata Konan, Cote d’Ivoire RC
  • Ms. Sandy Tesch, American RC
  • Ms. Marium Lodhi, Pakistan RC
  • Ms. Ashanta Osborne-Moses, Guyana RC

Three women were proposed as members of Compliance and Mediation Committee:

  • Ms. Vindra Amar, Trinidad and Tobago
  • Ms. Leili Khaleghi, Iranian RC
  • Ms. Deniz Solen, Turkish

One woman was appointed as member of the Election Committee:

  • Ms. Niki Rattle, Cook Islands RC
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General Assembly

17th Session of the General Assembly Nairobi, 18-21 November 2009

From Governing Board Report

Under “Complementary action: promote a culture of participation, transparency and accountability”:

  • Participation, diversity and proportional representation The Governing Board monitored progress made in 2008-2009 towards promoting diversity in fulfilment of the pledge made by the International Federation on the subject of non-discrimination and respect for diversity at the 28th International Conference. In the first part of 2008, eight declarations concerning migration and non-discrimination, vulnerable young people, gender-based violence, the gender perspective of the HIV / AIDS problem and assistance and protection were presented to the Commission on the Status of Women, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Council of Europe, among others.”
  • “Another of the objectives established by the Secretary General and adopted by the Governing Board for this period was the promotion of partnerships among international humanitarian and development actors, which could also contribute to achieving another objective, that of ensuring that management of the Secretariat’s human resources is merit-based, taking into account gender balance and geographical diversity. The new selection process for management positions should be complemented by the Federation’s traditional system based on the participation of members in the selection process. Efforts aimed at ensuring a fair gender balance, geographical diversity, efficient management and risk reduction will continue”

Under “The Federation’s Advisory Bodies and Youth Commission”:

“Intersectoral issues examined by the Advisory Bodies included avian influenza pandemic preparedness, food security and the role of women in promoting health. They also intend to discuss issues relating to climate change and migration at their next meeting.”

Under “Future work”

“While the development of the new workplan will be the task of the replacement advisory body, topics where there is work outstanding include “Food security” and “Women and Health”. The H&CS support the proposition to look at women in three ways: as decision-makers, as carers, and as vulnerable persons”.

On “Implementation and follow up as per work plan approved by the Governing Board a) Progress on Global Alliance on HIV”, under “e) Communications and advocacy”:

“Media colleagues have actively promoted and publicised our HIV programmes at Zonal launches, annually on World AIDS Day, and at other key events. World AIDS Day focused on leadership by communities, as well as the plight of women and orphans who are among the hardest hit. The Secretariat in Geneva marked the occasion with a Film Festival featuring selected HIV activities in Africa: home-based care in South Africa, home-based care in Kenya, and the “Filles libres” project in Cameroon”

Under “f Resources mobilisation”:

“To prepare for the Summit, a working group including the International Federation met to develop a framework for the advocacy agenda. The central themes identified include a special focus on women and groups in situations of vulnerability; sexual and reproductive rights; prevention, with the emphasis on positive prevention; human rights, with emphasis on criminalization and stigma; and access to treatment, care and support”.

Under “g Partnership with People living with HIV”:

“The central themes identified include a special focus on women and groups in situations of vulnerability; sexual and reproductive rights; prevention, with the emphasis on positive prevention; human rights, with emphasis on criminalization and stigma; and access to treatment, care and support”.

Under “h) Addressing gender”:

“The Special Representative on HIV re-energised the defunct Gender Task Force and commissioned a comprehensive review of the International Federation’s gender policies leading to some far-reaching recommendations that were published in January 2008 in the Gender into Programming: Gender Policy Review Report’

This is now influencing management thinking. As one result, a gender focal point position has been created in the Principles and Values Department. The GA on HIV was selected by the Gender Task Force to test approaches to gender mainstreaming. Special initial discussion on gender as included in the Annual Review of the Southern Africa HIV Programme in February 2008. For the first time, this generated considerable interest including on the issue of violence against women. In 2009, through broad based consultation and careful consideration of existing experiences, strategy for addressing gender issues within the context of HIV was developed for Southern Africa.

Experience has shown that the involvement of the elders can have an impact when they are motivated to act through home based care programmes to ensure that wife inheritance rights are observed. Currently Malawi Red Cross is partnering with UNICEF, the Ministry of Women and Children Development, Malawi Police Service, the Judiciary, and Ministry of Education to pilot the establishment of victims support unit at community level”.

From “Consolidated report – Working groups – Agenda item 14.2 – Strategy 2020”:

“Strategy 2020 should gain life and significance by being the point of reference for young and old, men and women of action in each and every one of our National Societies. Our millions of volunteers should feel that Strategy 2020 is their way of making a difference and tackling some of Solferinos facing our world today.”

Under “Item 10 of the agenda: Report of the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Advisory Body”:

“The Advisory Body has been constrained in terms of the turnover of members, with more than 30 per cent of members joining the Advisory Body in the final year and two seats being vacant for a similar period. At the same time, it should be noted that in the orginal constitution of the Advisory Body, all members were men. The Chairman of the Advisory Body has tried to rectify this situation during the term by selecting female representatives as and when the opportunity rose.”

“Complementary action: consolidate the Federation of the Future and develop the new strategic framework”

From the “Report of the Secretary General”:

“We are working intensively to mainstream gender awareness and sensitivity across all the IFRC’s programming, and are striving for greater gender balance and western Europe/rest of world balance at management level”.

“At the senior management level, I have brought in skills that were not present before, and have improved the gender and geographical diversity of the IFRC’s leadership without compromising its high quality.”

Five women had been appointed members of the Compliance and Mediation Committee:

  • Mrs. Fatima Gailani, Afghanistan RC
  • Dna. Belkis Gonzales de Castano, Argentina RC
  • Mrs. Ravza Shaiahmetova, Kyrgistan RC
  • Mrs. Theresa Leigh-Sherman, Liberian RC
  • Mrs. Monique Basque Cote d’Ivoir RC
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General Assembly

16th Session of the General Assembly Geneva, 20-22 November 2007

Among “Challenges faced by youth worldwide” based on UN World Youth Report 2005:

“Girls and young women face particular challenges worldwide. Even if there has been greater awareness of gender issues among governments, equal access to higher education and labour markets continues to be a concern in some countries, negative stereotypes of women have continued to persist, both in old and in new media. Where there are limited resources, young women tend to be first to drop out of school. This leaves young women at a disadvantageous position in terms of acquiring employment or gaining access to the economic mainstream. In the context of poverty, young women are also most affected by HIV / AIDS infections and unwanted pregnancies, further weakening their status in society and undermining their ability to build their future. The new models of independence and autonomy for young women are particularly challenging for countries in which there are strong traditions that constrain young women’s participation.”

From “Overall analysis of the IFRC Global Youth consultation”: “Youth trends in the Red Cross and Red Crescent, 1. Youth volunteers, age range and gender balance”:

“1. Youth volunteers, age range and gender balance

  • The 92 National Societies declared to have a total of 10,843,791 volunteers: This figure indicates a proportional estimation of around 21,805,000 active volunteers worldwide.
  • From among these volunteers, 41 % (4,397,979 volunteers) are youth volunteers; with a proportional estimation of around 8,844,000 youth volunteers worldwide.
  • Globally, the average youth age range among these National Societies is between 10 and 28 years old.
  • The gender balance among the youth volunteers worldwide is an average of 54% of females and a 46% of males. This balance is not maintained at youth decision-making positions where there is still a predominant role of the males.”

“Main Findings and Recommendations” in relation to Youth include:

“To improve the youth policy it is recommended to include the concept of “gender mainstreaming” especially addressing the existing misbalance -in favour of males- at youth leadership positions in most of the National Societies, and a new section mentioning regional youth networks.”

“Health: Globally, young people are reaching adolescence at earlier ages and marrying later. Premarital sexual relations appear to be increasing. Although early pregnancy has declined in many countries, it is still a large concern. HIV I AIDS is the first cause of mortality of youth, followed by violence and injuries”.

On “Youth concept and context”:

“Conceptually, youth has been defined in the sociological literature as a stage of socialisation and transition to adulthood. At present, however, youth is being re-evaluated as a central and strategic phase inside the life course. This conceptual shift is required by the increasing individualisation of the process of growing up. Individuals determine their adult positions through a process of “negotiation” instead of simply following paths pre-defined by their social origin. This does not mean, however, that origin no longer matters. The individual’s capacity to negotiate successfully his/her transition is still strongly dependent on the cultural capital and the support provided by one’s family, as well as by opportunities and constrains related to gender and region”

The General Assembly approved a report from the “Governance Group on HIV/AIDS” including this paragraph:

“recommends to the Governing Board to continue the HIV/AIDS Governance Group’s role as a sounding board for the HIV/AIDS Special Representative of the Secretary General and for Secretariat Federation to undertake mainstreaming of HIV / AIDS, as well as to provide comprehensive advice to the Governing Board and to maximise PLHIV / AIDS representation and gender balance in the membership of the HIV / AIDS Governance Group”.

From: “Speech of the President” (Don Juan Manuel Suárez Del Toro Rivero)

“Our volunteers give us a realistic hope of improving relations between human beings. It is the volunteers who, through their altruism, make it possible to put an end to situations of distress: it is they who know by name the persons affected. And above all, it is thanks to them that the international community today is more aware than ever before of the great inequalities suffered by families and persons because of their origin, gender or views”.

From “Report of the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Commission”

“At the same time, the age old essential work of the International Federation in disaster preparedness continued in response to the ubiquitous, often unseen and neglected disasters that National Societies all around the world face on a daily basis; chronic food insecurity, droughts, floods, landslides, gender based violence, HIV, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.”

“Conclusions – Recommendations to the General Assembly

The Advisory Body put forward the following recommendations to the General Assembly;

…

o Strive to ensure gender balance in the membership of the Advisory Bodies

…”

From “Report of the HIV Governance group”:

“2.4 Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV (GIP A) and Diversity

One openly HIV positive person participated in the meetings, and the group advocated strongly for the inclusion of diverse groups in the Federations HIV response. The silence of the organization on the inclusion of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people was challenged given our stated commitment to diversity, with a call to move beyond ‘tolerance’ to ‘respect’.”

“Lack of feasible and effective strategy for addressing gender issues – Gender inequality is fuelling the spread of HIV in many countries. It has not been easy to identify an effective and feasible strategy for addressing gender issues within the context of the HIV pandemic. Some lessons have been learnt in Malawi in the involvement of community opinion leaders. More work needs to be done to define a more feasible strategy that can be contextualized to different cultural setting”

“The Federation must continue to emphasise the tackling of gender inequalities, promote the greater involvement of people with HIV, and confront stigma and discrimination”

Among “4 Conclusions and key recommendations to the General Assembly”

“Maximise PLHIV representation and gender balance in the membership of the HIV Governance Group.”

Five women (of total 14) elected to Drafting Committee:

  • Mrs. Monique Coulibaly, Cote d’Ivoire RC
  • Mrs. Alison Cupit, Fidji RC
  • Ms. Belkis Gonzalez de Castano, Argentina RC
  • Mrs. Margarita Moreno, Panama RC
  • Mrs. Mabel Rammekwa, Botswana RC

Women included among members of Board Working Groups:

“High level Implementation Advisory Group” (2)

  • Mrs. Jiang Yiman, China RC
  • Mrs. Monique Coulibaly, Cote d’Ivoire RC

«High Level Constitutional Review Working Group” (5)

  • H.R.H. Princess Margriet, The Netherlands RC
  • Mrs. Mandissa Kalako- Williams, South Africa RC
  • Ms. Margarita Moreno, Panama RC
  • Mrs. Geri Lau, Singapore RC
  • Ms. Maiju Jolma, Finnish RC

“Governance Group on HIV/AIDS” (4)

  • Mrs. Monique Coulibaly, Cote d’Ivoire RC
  • Mrs. Michaele Amedee Gedeon, Haiti RC
  • Dr. Lita Sarana, Indonesia
  • Lady Jocelyn Keith, Vice-Chair, Health and Community Services Commission

“Masambo Fund”

  • Mrs. Michaele Amedee Gedeon, Haiti RC (1)

“Ad Hoc Group on Volunteering” (2)

  • Ms. Tautala Mauala, Samoa RC
  • D. Mawanda Shaban, Uganda RC

“Governing Board’s Group on Advocacy and Communications” (1)

  • Mrs. Jiang Yiman, China

“Governing Board Development Group” (1)

  • Mrs. Eloisa Evora Borges, Cape Verde RC

“Strategy of the Movement Group” (1)

  • Mrs. Sella Hennadige Nimal, Sri Lanka, Chair, Disaster Preparedness and Relief Commission

“Governing Board Working Group on the Preparation of the General Assembly” (2)

  • Mrs. Michaele Amedee Gedeon, Haiti RC
  • Mrs Eloisa Evora Borges, Cape Verde RC

“Governing Board Committee for the Memorial Medal” (2)

  • Ms Mandisa Kalako- Williams, South Africa RC
  • Mrs Monique Coulibaly, Cote d’Ivoire RC

«Tsunami Governance Committee»