TURKISH RED CRESCENT

TERMS OF REFERENCE

FOR SPHERE PROJECT

Turkish Red Crescent is the largest humanitarian organization in Turkey and one of the oldest National Societies in the world. Turkish Red Crescent has around 4.600 professional staff and thousands of volunteers with more than 700 branches. TRC has 9 regional and 25 local disaster management centers. Besides this, recently, TRC is running global operations and has delegations in Gaza, Bangladesh, Iraq, Pakistan and Somalia. As a component of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, TRC is in close coordination and cooperation with movement partners (IFRC, ICRC and sister national societies). In Turkey, TRC has partnership agreements with UN agencies like UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP. Since Turkish Red Crescent is the largest humanitarian organization in the country and have the auxiliary role to the public authorities in terms of the humanitarian services, TRC has close relations with Turkish Government, especially with Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health and other relevant ministries. Only for Syrian Operation, Turkish Red Crescent has cooperation with almost all INGO and NGO's working inside the country.

Turkish Red Crescent has several mandates defined by national and international legislation. One of them is TRC's standards for nutrition services during emergencies. Since the TRC is the main responsible body for nutrition services during domestic emergencies, (within the National Plan of Disaster Response) INGO's and NGO's cannot implement their nutrition activities if they would not comply with TRC's nutrition standards. Also, Turkey is in the process of designing the Disaster Management Policy and Turkish Government is working with TRC and the related institutions on this subject.

Hence, as a focal institution Turkish Red Crescent will disseminate Sphere Standards all over the country with its strong capacity. Turkish Red Crescent offers Disaster Management trainings that addresses Sphere standards to all itsstaffs and volunteers. TRC has very professional trainers in the training department and related departments in different subjects. There are also Sphere trainers in International Programmes and National Disaster Management Departments. Within 2015, TRC aims to provide two trainings to TRC disaster management staff and one seminar for senior management.

Strategic goal of TRC in terms of Sphere is to disseminate Sphere standards within TRC and to NGOs, INGOs and public authorities. Primarily TRC will offer trainings to TRC senior management, staffs and volunteers that are composed of thousands of people. Secondly, TRC will provide trainings to NGOs and INGOs working in Turkey. (Especially after the Syrian crises, remarkable number of NGOs and INGOs started working in Turkey.) In the third phase, we would like to offer trainings to public authorities such as Disaster Management Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Family and Social Policies and other relevant ministries. Besides, TRC has cooperation with universities, therefore, it is possible to disseminate Sphere standards in academic level.

The auxiliary role of Turkish Red Crescent to Turkish Government provides a space for advocating minimum standards to public authorities. Due to the close connection with the society, TRC could be the focal organization to implement standards.

There is a Sphere Team in TRC that is setting the clear strategy for the future. This team has a monthly meetings. Turkish Red Crescent translated the last Sphere edition into Turkish and it is being edited by Sphere Team in TRC. It is expected to be published before the first training that will be held in August. A training module about Sphere training is translated into Turkish. All actions that will be taken by TRC will inform Sphere Project Office.

When carrying out its function as a Sphere focal point, the Turkish Red Crescent will coordinate and encourage coordinated Sphere activities with the other Sphere focal point in the country.

PLANS OF SPHERE TRC TEAM
ACTIVITIES / 2015 / 2016 / 2017
Translation of the latest Sphere handbook
Publication of Sphere Standards books in Turkish
At least one Sphere trainings to the TRC staff and volunteers
Offering at least one Sphere trainings to NGOs and INGOs
Offering at least one trainings to Government agencies
At least one Sphere seminar to the TRC senior management
Translation of Sphere communication tools
Translation of Sphere training module