World Red Cross Day!!!

In line with the upcoming World Red Cross day on May 8, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is now stirring to mobilize all of its local chapters to take part in its projected nationwide celebration. Still inspired by its “Our World. Your Move.” campaign, the said premiere humanitarian organization aims to encourage everyone to join its primary goal of making this world a better place through collective initiative, which will definitely be showcased in its plotted commemoration.

Standing firm with its call for this movement, PRC is then prompting to honor the above mentioned significant event by closely observing the advocacy of its chief founder, Henry Dunant, who has also marked the particular date with his birth. And with PRC’s year 2010 being slowly directed towards the idea of urbanization, it then imparts its prospected projects lined up for the said May 8 celebration, which include the following: educational discussions on safety consciousness; disaster preparedness and risk reduction; first aid and accident prevention trainings (particularly for drivers); dengue prevention clean-up drives; climate change and urbanization fora; and tree planting missions.

“We at the Philippine Red Cross believe that rendering service to other people is the best way to celebrate Henry Dunant’s special day,” says Chairman Richard Gordon after sharing the said plan for the upcoming festivity. With great conviction, he elaborates that the PRC’s existence basically flourished from Dunant’s initiative, so it is only fair to honor him through his admirable advocacy.

To further expand the reach of PRC’s humanitarian foundation, on the other hand, Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang gladly relates the organization’s plans to incorporate fundraising activities in the said occasion. Apart from encouraging more members, donors and partners all throughout the celebration, Pang stresses that they will be considering other significant fund-generating courses, such as deployment of additional donation cans and promotion of Red Cross merchandise. In explanation to this particular drive, Pang straightforwardly utters: “Well, this is the least we can do for our beneficiaries. For us to provide better service, we have to strive on collecting all the help we can get. We are just doing what we have to do.”

Urbanization

For the first time in history, there are more people living in urban areas than in the countryside. Urbanization has exposed many of them to insecurity, along with inadequate food, water and health care. On World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is highlighting the plight of those who suffer the consequences of urbanization, and showcasing the Movement's efforts to help.

Urban centres are home to half the world's population. These centres are engines of prosperity, cultural expression, diversity, and economic growth but they are also subject to pollution, violence, crime, unhygienic and crowded environments, poverty, social exclusion and increasing vulnerability.

4.9 billion people are expected to be living in urban environments by 2030 – over 60 per cent of the world population (UN-HABITAT).

Most of the world’s largest cities are in low- and middle-income nations.

Two thirds of the world’s 10.5 million refugees live in towns and cities. (UNHCR)
Urbanization – the main issues

* Disasters
* Health and social services
* Urban violence
* Migration and displacement

Urbanization – the main issues

* Disasters
* Health and social services
* Urban violence
* Migration and displacement

Public health

The urban poor suffer disproportionately from disease. More than one billion people – a third of the urban population – live in urban slums. People living in these communities are at higher risk of both chronic disease and communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis and HIV.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement advocates for equitable access to health care for all vulnerable people, particularly those living in overcrowded, unhealthy slum communities.

Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers play a vital role in reaching the community. But more help is needed in tackling such global health challenges as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, and in reaching marginalized populations in urban settings such as the homeless, prostitutes, injecting drug users and migrants.

As cities grow, so does the threat of TB – a deadly disease that spreads through the air and thrives in poor, overcrowded communities.

Water and sanitation

Today, almost one billion people have no access to a clean water supply, and over two billion have no access to adequate sanitation. Although the majority of needs are in rural settings, rising urban populations are putting an ever greater strain on public services, causing tensions within communities and, in some cases, armed violence. This continuing trend makes it even more difficult to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals for water and sanitation.

Despite successes in providing access to clean water in urban settings, sanitation remains a major problem. One in five city dwellers has no access to improved sanitation – more than 600 million people.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is among the leading humanitarian providers of water, habitat and sanitation services. Often working with National Societies, the ICRC's water and habitat services last year benefited some 13.6 million people in 35 countries affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence. Many of the beneficiaries live in cities such as Herat (Afghanistan); Baghdad; Rafah and Khan Younis (Gaza Strip), Port-au-Prince and Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo).

First aid

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement advocates that first-aid training be accessible to all. In towns and cities, particularly in slum communities, we must ensure that vulnerable people can take training in how to prevent injury and save lives, regardless of their ability to pay.

(source:www.redcross.org.ph)