Every time there is a major disaster – cyclones, earthquakes and even building collapses like that of Rana Plaza – the volunteers of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) play a leading role in rescue and relief efforts.
Often times, the volunteers and workers of BDRCS, the leading disaster-time humanitarian organisation in the country, have to rush to affected locations without having the time to consider their own safety and potential risks.
With a view to addressing gaps, barriers, risks and challenges in access or intervention during crises, the BDRCS organised a three-day Safer Access Assessment and Planning Workshop at Hotel Lake Breeze in Gulshan of Dhaka. The Bangladesh delegation of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) is collaborating with the society in conducting this workshop.
“I believe that this workshop will give us the opportunity to assess our limitations and allow us to plan our future humanitarian interventions, ensuring safe access and way out,” BMM Mozharul Huq, secretary general of the BDRCS, at the opening day of the workshop yesterday.
Catherine Martin, national society development advisor of ICRC, and Donna Williams, regional advisor of ICRC’s Safer Access Framework (SAF) National Society Support, are conducting the workshop as facilitators.
The Safer Access programme and its application tools support a structured assessment and planning process that is designed to identify experienced, existing or anticipated gaps, barriers, risks and challenges to the national societies’ acceptance, security and access.
