In April 2014 the IFRC launched the Regional Resilience Initiative (RRI). The Initiative supports eleven Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies (NS) in Southeast Asia and has the goal of reducing the impact of natural disasters on vulnerable communities.

Specifically, the Initiative sought to enhance skills and capacities within NS so they can advocate more strongly at national and regional levels for the needs of men, women, boys, girls and diverse groups in disaster risk reduction. This approach was complemented by the strengthening of regional partnerships, both within Red Cross Red Crescent networks and with key partners such as the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat and other bodies.

The Country Cluster Support Team (CCST) in Bangkok is in the process of developing an evidence base to illustrate the RRI Gender and Diversity achievements of your National Society and as part of your participation in the regional gender and diversity (G&D) Network. The Gender and Diversity Technical Review Workshop to which you have been invited is a key part of that process.

The purpose of the workshop is to gather evidence and examples of how the RRI has supported the incorporation of gender and diversity equality/inclusivity into regional DRR policies and/or programmes through the support it has provided to NS and other relevant regional organisations.

The workshop has the following objectives:

1. To create a baseline and endline that illustrates RRI achievements and progress in relation to Immediate Outcome 1120 – ‘Increased integration of gender equality into national and regional DRR policies and programs’.
2. To provide G&D Focal Points with the opportunity to create their own personal stories of change related to gender and diversity.

The workshop method will combine storytelling techniques with a Theory of Change approach.

For more information, see the following documents:

• Concept note 
• Agenda
• Participant list
• Practical information for participants
• Presentation on objectives, methods and expected outputs of the workshop
• Workshop process notes for participants