National Societies and governments
Multilaterals and international financial institutions
The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is the quickest, most efficient and most transparent way of getting funding directly to local humanitarian actors—both before and immediately after a crisis hits.
Every year, small and medium-sized disasters occur in silence. Without media attention or international visibility, they can struggle to attract funding—putting affected communities at risk of being completely neglected.
To support these smaller disasters, or to provide initial funding before launching an Emergency Appeal, we rapidly channel funding to Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through the DREF—enabling them to deliver fast and effective local humanitarian action.
In the face of rising global challenges, simply responding to crises is no longer enough. Forecast-based Action by the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (FbA by the DREF) is our dedicated funding mechanism that helps National Societies take early action before disasters strike.
FbA by the DREF is a fast, reliable and efficient way of getting money to Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in anticipation of disasters. It helps them save lives and reduce, or even prevent, the damage and losses caused by disasters on communities.
FbA by the DREF uses a forecast-based financing approach. Based on meteorological forecasts and risk analysis, we agree funding to National Societies for early action in advance of a predicted hazard. Money is then released automatically when pre-defined forecast thresholds or ‘triggers’ are met.
Natural hazards are naturally occurring physical phenomena. They can be:
AN ACT to constitute the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society as the national Red Cross Society for the purposes of the Geneva Conventions; and to provide for matters incidental to or connected with the foregoing.
This Act may be cited as the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Act [Chapter 17:08].
“Branch” means the branch of the British Red Cross Society which was in existence in Zimbabwe as a voluntary association immediately before the 2nd October, 1981 and which carried on its activities under the name “Zimbabwe Red Cross”;
“Executive Council” means the Executive Council of the Society established by section eight;
“General Assembly” means the General Assembly of the Society referred to in section nine;
“Geneva Conventions” means the Conventions set out in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Schedules to the Geneva Conventions Act [Chapter 11:06];
“rules” means rules made by the Executive Council or the General Assembly in terms of section nine;
“Society” means the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society established by section three
There is hereby established a society, to be known as the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, which shall be a body corporate capable of suing and being sued in its corporate name and, subject to this Act, of performing all acts that bodies corporate may by law perform.