Preparedness for Effective Response & Contingency Planning

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A crisis response is only as good as the preparation behind it. When systems are unclear, roles are undefined and resources are uncoordinated, even well-intentioned responses lose time and effectiveness at the moments that matter most. Building that foundation before a crisis strikes is what preparedness is about.

The Netherlands Red Cross works with National Societies to strengthen their preparedness and response mechanisms through the Preparedness for Effective Response (PER) approach. PER is not a one-time assessment — it is a continuous cycle that helps National Societies understand where their systems are strong, where gaps exist, and what steps to take next. That process leads to concrete outputs: multi-hazard contingency plans that define what a National Society will do, with what resources, and how, when a specific hazard strikes.

Support is tailored to each National Society’s context and stage of development, and connects to the broader work of the Response Preparedness programme. It has been provided in countries including Ethiopia, Zambia, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya and South Sudan.

How we work together

Support follows the pace and priorities of each National Society. It can include:

Conducting preparedness assessments and readiness checks to establish a shared understanding of strengths and gaps
Facilitating lessons learned reviews and strategic priority alignment to inform the National Society’s preparedness action plan
Supporting the development of multi-hazard contingency plans with pre-planned activities, coordination mechanisms and resource arrangements
Building capacity through training, mentoring and peer-to-peer learning across the Red Cross Red Crescent network
Participating in global and regional PER technical platforms to share tools, learning and good practice
Providing ongoing technical support as National Societies implement and update their preparedness plans