On 24 and 25 July, the Red Cross Society of Georgia (RCSG) and the ICRC organized a Safer Access stock-taking workshop, which was attended by key operational staff from RCSG head office and its eight branches. The workshop built on the lessons learned and recommendations from the SAF simulation exercise that took place in September 2016. As Nino Burtikashvili, deputy secretary-general of the RCGS, explained: “The Red Cross Society of Georgia acted on the outcomes and recommendations provided by the simulation evaluators, as we greatly appreciated the experience of the Movement partners and we continue to step up efforts to ensure safer access to vulnerable communities.“

After the simulation, the RCSG developed several tools relating to context and risk assessment, internal and external communication and coordination, and operational security risk management. The stock-taking workshop was an opportunity for the participants to learn about these tools and their application, and to test their inter-operability. Learning was facilitated through practical exercises, best-practice sharing and case studies.

Malkhaz Kharebava, ICRC cooperation officer and co-facilitator of the workshop, explained: “We focused on doing practical exercises with the participants, which they can apply directly in their work.”

The branches are now establishing Safer Access follow-up actions based on the training and adapting tools and guidelines to their branch structures, all with the aim of improving access for, acceptance of and security of the National Society as it goes about its humanitarian activities.

Acknowledging the importance of learning from others, chair of the Senaki branch of the NS Roman Avaliani said: “The fact that 16 staff and volunteers of the Red Cross Society of Georgia are equipped with the knowledge and skills to carry out context and risk assessments and understand the practical application of the Safer Access Framework shows our commitment towards enhancing safer access during operations on the basis of proper assessment of the context and prevailing risks.”