Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - November 10, 2006
Tapiwa Gomo in Johannesburg
The last meeting in Johannesburg on November 3 saw the election of a new chairperson with Mandisa Kalako-Williams, also President of the South Africa Red Cross Society, handing over to Baphalali Swaziland Red Cross society president Thokozani Dlamini for the next two years.
The event came two days after the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies launched its largest ever appeal seeking US$300 million to respond to the challenges caused by the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Southern Africa.
ôI would like to acknowledge that in the past two years, I have been the chairperson of the forum, and saw lots of achievements in growth of activities in the region and maturity among our national societies,ö said Mandisa.
ôWe have developed closer, looser but stronger relationships among ourselves including operating and partner national societies which has enabled us to think regionally. This has enabled us to focus on the biggest challenge in the region - HIV and AIDS,ö she said, adding that southern Africa societies have improved their visibility and now have their own voice and positions on strategic humanitarian issues.
The establishment of technical groups has helped the Red Cross societies in the region to be more focused on important issues and seek better solutions in dealing with the increasing needs of the most vulnerable communities.
The past few years have seen the creation of various technical groups such as the Southern Africa Regional HIV and AIDS Network, the OVC scaling up committee, the Disaster Management working group, the Southern Africa Communications Forum and several others to support the senior management and governance strategic direction.
There has been a significant improvement in country and regional stakeholdersÆ relationship management including governments and the way Red Cross societies deal with organizational challenges at both management and governance level.
But Mandisa Kalako-Williams, who is also a member of the International Federation governing board, was quick to point out that though the region has made strides on visible commitment on HIV and AIDS issues such as anti-stigma, gender based violence and the plight of orphans and vulnerable children, there is still a strong need to ôcritically look at the care for carers, who represent us at the level that matters most - the beneficiary commitment,ö she said.
In her inaugural speech, the new SAPRCS chairperson Thokozani Dlamini also reiterated the need to work as a region in addressing humanitarian challenges, pointing out that southern Africa national societies can only achieve more if they unite.
The partnership is made up of the Red Cross leaders from Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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