No single organization can address all the diverse needs presented by the many emergencies taking place around the world. International Medical Corps is committed to a variety of partnerships that support its mission. Here are a few.
OFFICIAL RELATIONSHIP STATUS WITH THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Based upon our history of collaborative work, International Medical Corps has been admitted into official relationship status with the World Health Organization (WHO) by the WHO Executive Board. This special status creates a partnership whereby International Medical Corps and the WHO act in consultation and coordination in carrying out international health work. In its official status, International Medical Corps will, among other things, be invited to WHO committee and governing body meetings and work on inter-sectoral collaboration at the country, regional, and global level. This relationship offers the opportunity to work together on joint activities to further the objective of fostering improved health worldwide.
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS JOINS GLOBAL HEALTH WORKFORCE ALLIANCE
International Medical Corps has become a member of the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA). The GHWA, which is housed within the World Health Organization, was created in 2006 as a common platform for action to address the crisis of the critical shortage of health workers as one of the most fundamental constraints to achieving progress on health and reaching health and development goals. The Alliance is a partnership of national governments, civil society, international agencies, finance institutions, researchers, educators, and professional associations dedicated to identifying, implementing, and advocating for solutions. As a member of the Alliance, International Medical Corps will interact with other like-minded entities and people, have access to a community of resources and practice, use the Alliance as a platform to share work and research, and have a voice in shaping the activities of the Alliance and issues related to the health workforce crisis.
CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE
An active participant in the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) since its founding in 2005 by former President Clinton and the William J. Clinton Foundation, International Medical Corps continues to support CGI's overarching goal to help our world become an integrated global community of shared benefits, responsibilities, and values. At the 2008 annual meeting, International Medical Corps President and CEO, Nancy Aossey, was a featured speaker at CGI's Global Health Working Group Luncheon. During the luncheon, Aossey shared International Medical Corps' experience around its previous year's commitment to mitigate the acute health workforce crisis in Africa. Also at the annual meeting, International Medical Corps, partnered together with PATH, announced their CGI commitment for the coming year to integrate the use of public health technologies into emergency and transition settings.
GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN PLATFORM
Established in 2006 as a forum to bring together the three main pillars within the humanitarian community -NGOs, the Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement, and the United Nations - the Global Humanitarian Platform provides the opportunity for dialogue and collective thinking around key challenges in the humanitarian arena. As one of the original members of the GHP, International Medical Corps continued its participation during the third meeting of this grouping in 2008. International Medical Corps also reconfirmed its commitment to the forum's "Principles of Partnership" as a framework for ongoing relationships between humanitarian actors.
INTER-AGENCY COLLABORATION IN HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
Through active participation in a variety of entities within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) - a body representing UN agencies, NGOs and other humanitarian actors – International Medical Corps continues to recognize the importance of coordinated and collaborative response to humanitarian crises. As a standing member of the Global Health Cluster and Nutrition Cluster, International Medical Corps contributes to the development of common tools, policy guidance, and collective action at the global and country levels. Most recently, International Medical Corps served as the organizer, on behalf of the Global Health Cluster, of a learning workshop for NGO Health Cluster Partners to enhance NGO knowledge of and participation in the Humanitarian Reform process and the cluster approach.
THE VALUE OF COLLECTIVE NGO ACTION
International Medical Corps places a high value on its partnerships with NGOs and NGO networks, as demonstrated by its active participation and leadership within key NGO consortia. International Medical Corps is a member of coalitions such as InterAction, the largest alliance of US-based non-governmental, international development and humanitarian organizations; the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), a global association of NGOs that works to promote human rights and advocate a humanitarian perspective in global debates and responses; and the Global Health Council, the world's largest membership alliance dedicated to saving lives by improving health throughout the world.
WOMEN, FAITH AND DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE
International MedicalCorps participated in the launching of the Women, Faith, and Development Alliance, a partnership of internationally focused faith, development, and women's organizations. The aim of this movement is to reduce poverty by increasing political will and action to increase investments in women's and girls' empowerment around the world. At the alliance's inaugural"Breakthrough" summit held in 2008 in Washington DC, International Medical Corps pledged to support survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and GBV prevention programs in Africa. International Medical Corps is a member of the WFDA Steering Committee.
STRENGTHENING THE ABILITY TO DELIVER MEDICAL SUPPLIES
International Medical Corps forged new and strengthened existing partnerships in 2008, all aimed at improving its ability to deliver essential medical equipment and supplies quickly to needy recipients in times of disaster.
Our continuing"humanitarian partnership" with Agility has expanded International Medical Corps' relations with one of the leading commercial warehousing, transportation, and distribution companies in the world, while improving Agility's ability to respond efficiently and effectively to humanitarian operations. International Medical Corps also strengthened its long-term relationship with International Relief Teams, Bridge Foundation, Medicines for Humanity, and Heart to Heart International in securing and delivering urgently needed medicines and supplies to war-torn and devastated populations. In addition, closer ties between International Medical Corps and AmeriCares improved International Medical Corps' ability to deliver and dispense critically needed medicines and related goods and equipment in emergencies with a focus on the world's poorest communities.
HEALTH AND FRAGILE STATES NETWORK
Providing health services in fragile states and conflict-affected settings is a challenge, as these countries account for one-third of all maternal deaths and one-half of deaths of children under five years old, while more than one-third of their population is chronically malnourished. To help address this challenge, a Health and Fragile States Network was created in October 2007 by a group of agencies and donors interested in health issues and strengthening health systems in fragile states. The aim is to stimulate the policy and research agenda around how to best organize and finance health services in these environments. The Steering Committee consists of representatives from the Conflict and Health Programme at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), DFID, European Commission, HealthNet TPO, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Merlin, Save the Children UK, University of New South Wales Sydney, UNICEF, World Bank, and the WHO. The Secretariat has recently been transferred from the LSHTM to International Medical Corps. |