IFRC PS Centre 30 Anniversary

CLOSED EVENT

The IFRC PS Centre was established in 1993 in the wake of a deadly catastrophe in Danish waters when more than 150 lives were lost as the ferry Scandinavian Star caught fire and family members and survivors were left without mental support.

30 years later the need for MHPSS has moved from a fringe issue to an established consensus within the IFRC Movement and the broader humanitarian sector. The need for structured MHPSS capacity and timely interventions are recognized as key-components of humanitarian assistance for populations exposed to increasingly complex crises generated by combinations of armed conflict, displacement, poverty often fueled or worsened by climate change. At the same time aid workers including IFRC staff and volunteers are operating in a shrinking humanitarian space where organizational access and personal safety can no longer be taken for granted – a reality with severe potential mental health implications.

During the same period and under the wings of the Danish Red Cross the IFRC PS Centre has transformed from being the project of a few dedicated individuals to become one of the many key-actors in the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support community.

We celebrate our 30-year anniversary in June of 2024 – a year marking the transition of the IFRC PS Centre into a MHPSS Movement Hub under the combined banner of DRC, IFRC and ICRC.

For questions related to event contact Frida Maria W. Henriksen: frihe@rodekors.dk