TEHRAN – The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hosted a webinar on “Early Rehabilitation in Conflicts and Disasters”.
Co-hosted by ICRC, World Health Organization (WHO) and IRCS experts, Tuesday’s event attracted participants from 40 countries, according to the IRCS website.
This webinar was a continuation of a conference on rehabilitation held last year. The focus was on accurately identifying operational barriers, strengthening structural preparedness, and presenting contingency operational plans. In particular, we detailed how the IRC integrates rehabilitation services into rapid response.
The main objective of the webinar was to improve the quality and effectiveness of rehabilitation services provided by national societies during disasters and conflicts.
ICRC Representative Vincent Cassar attended the event and announced the launch of the International Secretariat on Disability and Rehabilitation, an initiative of IRCS.
He emphasized the collaborative role of humanitarian communities and international organizations, praising the extensive cooperation between representatives of IRCS, WHO and Red Cross and Red Crescent Member States.
The official went on to say that the webinar aims to translate humanitarian efforts into action and ensure that no one, especially people with disabilities, is excluded from human services and assistance.
Referring to the experience gained at a recent workshop by national associations, he said the study highlighted the integration of rehabilitation into crisis response and showed how national capacities such as IRCS could be leveraged to provide a role model for the region.
The official further emphasized that this collaborative effort is not just a conference, but a continuous path to realizing human dignity and alleviating human suffering.