Annual report

National Society development
is a top priority.
In 2022, following an external view of the IFRC’s 
Organizational Capacity Assessment and 
Certification (OCAC) process, the IFRC worked 
with National Societies to develop a new 
IFRC Certification that emphasizes trust and 
accountability.
A Community of Practice called the Financial 
Development Competency Network was 
launched, bringing 624 financial managers from 
111 National Societies together in a space for 
peer support and knowledge-sharing.
To inspire the next generations of National Society 
Development practitioners, a set of National 
Society development learning approaches were 
developed. The IFRC kept a strong focus on 
branch development through a National Society 
study, production of best practice case studies, 
and the creation of a branch development web 
portal. In addition, support was provided for 
National Society policy development.
National Societies were also supported to take 
control of their own development through 
three IFRC and Movement funding mech-
anisms: the Capacity Building Fund (IFRC;
4.8 million Swiss francs disbursed between August 
2021-December 2022 to 93 National Societies); 
the National Society Investment Alliance (IFRC/
ICRC; 20 projects approved in 2022 worth
5.4 million Swiss francs), and the Empress Shôken 
Fund (IFRC/ICRC, 471,000 Swiss francs allocated 
to 16 projects in 2022).
14
Annual Report 
2022

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The voices and the needs of these at-risk com-
munities are amplified by the IFRC in through 
humanitarian diplomacy
, which the IFRC 
defines as the collective responsibility to per-
suade “decision makers and opinion leaders to 
act, at all times, in the interests of vulnerable 
people, and with full respect for fundamental 
humanitarian principles”. This work continued in 
2022 with a number of initiatives and successes 
in high-level advocacy.
The IFRC brought a distinctive message on the 
climate crisis and disaster risk reduction to the 
Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (May 
2022), the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference 
on DRR (September), and the UN Framework 
Convention on Climate Change COP (November) 
and continued to be a leading voice on climate 
advocacy. 
In the area of disaster law, the IFRC continued to 
support National Societies around the world to 
advise their authorities on effective disaster risk 
management laws. 
The IFRC’s humanitarian diplomacy around 
access to health for communities focused on 
raising awareness of the need for equitable 
access to all health services, guiding principles 
for more inclusive and effective regional and 
domestic legal frameworks, and the critical 
roles of local actors and communities in the 
prevention and response to pandemics. These 
messages were developed and expanded in the 
2022 edition of the IFRC’s 
World Disasters Report.
In 2022, the IFRC continued to co-convene the 
Grand Bargain Localization Workstream together 
with Denmark (formally replacing Switzerland in 
May) and coordinated the various Workstream 
initiatives focusing on country-level engagement, 
funding, partnership with intermediaries, and 
capacity strengthening. 
Accountability
is a fundamental aspect of 
our relationship with the communities the 
IFRC works alongside, with donors and other