The Iranian Red Crescent Society has planned a 10-year roadmap that will encompass all its targets, tasks, and goals with special focus on preventing and reducing social harm, said Dr. Seyyed Amir Mohsen Ziaei, the head of IRCS.
“The society will execute the plan under two five-year projects, each including several strategies to achieve the targets,” he said at a recent session to assess the IRCS capacities and capabilities to help address social ills.
The approach to crises response has changed over the years. “Today, the nature of incidents has changed from natural to manmade, sometimes a mix of both, and are rooted in social, cultural, and economic elements, that is why preventing potential harm is placed high on our agenda,” he said.
“The stronger societies are in terms of culture and economy, the more able they will be in combating maladies.”
As the plan is long-term, all social capacities must be enhanced, Ziaei said, stressing that non-governmental organizations must also cooperate. Tackling social harm should be deemed a national duty.
“The youth can be significant players to that end, given that a large part of social harm afflicts this age group.”
Noting that volunteer work is the main path to creating social capacities, he said policies must target encouraging volunteerism at the national level.
“Clearly, the current measures are inadequate, and we need to realize that to reduce social ills there must be a shift in the society’s collective psyche towards voluntary work.”
MPO Support
The Management and Planning Organization has pledged to support and assist the IRCS in laying the groundwork for its short, long, and middle-term projects in tackling social harm.
With 94 years of experience and as one of the largest volunteer groups in the world (two million members), the IRCS operates in various areas to help reduce human suffering, protect life, and respond and reduce risks in times of crises.
The meeting was attended by officials from the IRCS Youths Organization, Iran Drug Control Headquarters, and the National Social Council (affiliated to the Interior Ministry).
It was decided that a social council be set up under the auspices of the IRCS where representatives from all divisions can present their proposals regarding the priorities and goals of volunteerism.
The Youths Organization was also tasked with preparing a report incorporating information from all 31 provinces on the prevalence of social ills, and to present it to the Interior Ministry.
