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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was formed in 1863 on the initiative of the Swiss Henri Dunant to provide humanitarian aid victims of armed conflicts. Over time, the ICRC's activities have expanded into other areas: mediation conflict situations, providing assistance to victims of armed conflicts, missing persons tracing and family reunification services, assisting in the training of medical personnel for humanitarian missions, developing and monitoring international humanitarian law and promoting knowledge of humanitarian law.
The ICRC is one of the three components of the global Red Cross movement - along with the national Red Cross (Red Crescent) societies and the International Federation that unites them. The committee consists exclusively of Swiss citizens (up to 25 people) and is replenished by co-optation. On January 1, 2000, J. Kellenberger became its President, who was re-elected to this post in 2003.
In the Swiss legal system, the ICRC is considered a private association whose status is governed by Swiss civil law. However, in the international arena, the ICRC is recognized as a specific entity international law able to maintain relations and conclude agreements with states and intergovernmental organizations. The legal basis for this international legal personality and activities of the ICRC is the 1949 Geneva Conventions for the Protection of Victims of War and the 1977 Protocols supplementing them.
The Committee forms its budget and carries out its activities at the expense of funds received from the states-participants of the 1949 Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, other public organizations and individuals. Moreover, all these contributions are made on a voluntary basis and depend on the capabilities of specific contributors.
The ICRC stands for the renunciation of weapons mass destruction and prohibition of the use certain types conventional weapons that cause unnecessary suffering (in particular, for a complete ban on anti-personnel mines), does a great job of disseminating the principles and norms of humanitarian law in government, military, medical and university circles, among journalists and activists of the Red Cross movement. The committee is pushing hard for accession possible more countries to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols of 1977 concerning the protection of victims of international and internal armed conflicts.
The ICRC is an authoritative organization actively cooperating with Russia. This also applies to the current situation in the North Caucasus, in relation to which the ICRC, providing humanitarian assistance directly on the territory of the Chechen Republic, adheres to fairly balanced assessments.
In 2002, the ICRC provided humanitarian assistance to the population of the North Caucasus region, primarily to temporarily displaced persons from the Chechen Republic, in the amount of US$27 million. In 2003, about 27 million US dollars were sold. The financial requirements of the ICRC for activities in Russia in 2004 are estimated at 26.107 million US dollars. The ICRC's programs in the North Caucasus will require estimated funding of US$ 21.99 million.
Federal executive authorities cooperate with the ICRC in the implementation of programs to disseminate knowledge about international humanitarian law.
On May 10, 2000, in accordance with the agreement reached, an exchange of letters took place between IS Ivanov and J. Kellenberger, in which the modalities of the ICRC's activities in Russia were fixed. ICRC delegates granted access to all persons detained by the authorities Russian Federation in connection with ongoing security operations in Chechnya, at all stages of their detention and in all places where they are in this moment are. These agreements were extended on October 28, 2003 for a new six-month period.
In 1992, the Government of the Russian Federation and the ICRC concluded an Agreement on the status of the ICRC and its Delegation (Representation) on the territory of the Russian Federation, which addresses the legal issues of the ICRC's activities in Russia. It entered into force after its signing.
A regional representative office of this organization has been opened in Moscow. In 2002 it moved to new premises.
The ICRC is actively promoting the early entry into force of the Statute of the International Criminal Court. With the participation of the Committee, a number of events were held in Russia with the aim of spreading knowledge about it.
February 4-5 this year The Conference "Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: Implementation at the National Level" was held in Moscow.
Legal Department
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC), which was founded in 1863, works around the world to help people affected by conflict and armed violence, and to spread knowledge about the laws that protect victims of war.
As an independent and neutral organization, the ICRC has a mandate derived primarily from the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the ICRC has approximately 16,000 employees in more than 80 countries. It is financed mainly by voluntary donations from governments and national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
In its work, the ICRC is based on the Geneva Conventions of 1949, their Additional Protocols, on its Statute, on the Statute of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and on the resolutions of the International Conferences of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The ICRC is an independent, neutral organization providing humanitarian protection and assistance to victims of war and armed violence. It operates in emergency situations and promotes respect for international humanitarian law and its implementation at the national level.
Aims and purposes of the ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose aims and objectives are purely humanitarian in nature, to protect the lives and dignity of people affected by armed conflict and violence and to provide them with assistance.
By promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles The ICRC is making every effort to prevent human suffering.
Structure of the ICRC
One hundred and fifty years ago, the first meeting of the International Committee for the Relief of the Wounded took place, which later became known as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an independent organization that provides humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflict and armed violence, and spreads knowledge about the laws that protect victims of war.
The ICRC was founded on the initiative of the Swiss citizen Henri Dunant (1828-1910), who in 1859, after a battle near the village of Solferino (Italy) during the Franco-Austrian war, found himself on the battlefield, where thousands of wounded French, Austrian and Italian soldiers were left without proper medical care.
Dunant was shocked by the fact that neither locals, nor the French army were unable to provide first aid to most of the wounded. He spent several days in the nearby town of Castiglione (Italy), helping the wounded along with the locals. Returning to Geneva, Dunant published in 1862 "Memoirs of the Battle of Solferino", where he wondered about the creation of a voluntary charitable organization that provides assistance to the wounded during wars and armed conflicts. He appealed to governments European countries with a request to develop and legally formulate the main international agreements regulating the practical activities of the future organization.
Later, the legislative formalization of these agreements was reflected in the adoption in 1864 of the first Geneva Convention proclaiming the rules for the protection of wounded soldiers and orderlies, as well as in the creation of mercy societies in all countries.
The Geneva charitable society "Geneva Union for the Maintenance of the Public Good", having studied Dunant's publication, established a committee that dealt with the practical implementation of the recommendations. This five-member body became known as the International Committee of the Red Cross. The first meeting of the ICRC took place on February 17, 1863. At the same time, a decision was made on the neutral status of the Red Cross, which was supposed to ensure its impartial and effective activities.
Less than a year later, the number of such societies reached ten: they were created in Germany, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Prussia, Italy.
The first armed conflict monitored by Red Cross delegates was the Danish-Prussian War (1864). The delegates worked on both sides of the front and often acted as intermediaries between the warring parties. During the Franco-Prussian War (1870), the Committee founded the First Information Agency for relatives of the wounded and captured soldiers.
In the future, committee delegates assisted the wounded during the Russian-Turkish war (1877-1878), the Serbian-Bulgarian war (1885-1886), the Balkan war (1912-1913). During the First World War, the Committee unsuccessfully tried to force the conflicting parties to abandon the use of chemical weapons. The activities of the organization during the Second World War were complicated by the fact that the fascist regime did not recognize many international agreements, and assistance to the civilian population had not yet been secured at the international level.
The signing in 1949 of the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims expanded the scope of the Red Cross's activities in the field of assistance to the civilian population, prisoners of war and prisoners.
ICRC - private organization acting under the laws of Switzerland, independent in matters of its management and adoption operational decisions. The Committee consists of up to 25 co-opted members, each of whom is a Swiss citizen. In its work, the ICRC adheres to the movement's founding principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence.
The ICRC has a permanent international mandate to carry out its activities on the basis of the Geneva Conventions (1949). The headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
ICRC, national societies The Red Cross or Red Crescent and their International Federation form the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. In situations of armed conflict, the ICRC acts as a coordinator for the actions of its partners in the movement.
The annual budget of the ICRC in last years was about one billion Swiss francs. The committee is funded by the government, regional organizations, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, municipalities, and the private sector and members of the public.
Currently, more than 1.4 thousand specialists work in local branches of the International Committee of the Red Cross around the world. About 11 thousand employees are local residents. Their activities are coordinated and supported by some 800 staff from headquarters in Geneva.
The governing bodies of the International Committee of the Red Cross are the assembly, the council of the assembly (a subsidiary body to which the assembly delegates a number of its powers) and the directorate ( executive agency). The Assembly, in which up to 25 Swiss citizens are co-opted (elected "from above"), and the council of the assembly is headed by the president of the committee. Peter Maurer has been President of the ICRC since 2012.
The five-member directorate is led by CEO Yves Daccor.
In 1864, the Red Cross on a white background (the reverse arrangement of the colors of the Swiss flag) was adopted as a distinctive sign of the ICRC.
During the Russo-Turkish War, the Ottoman Empire refused to use this emblem, replacing it with a red crescent. The 1929 Geneva Convention recognized the Red Crescent as the second official symbol of the ICRC.
In 2005, the third official logo was introduced - the Red Crystal.
In 2011, thanks to the ICRC, more than 4.9 million people received food assistance, and more than 3.1 million people received assistance in the form of basic hygiene and household items.
More than 21.9 million people have been assisted through ICRC water, sanitation and construction projects, most of them women and children.
Nearly 6.8 million patients were treated in health facilities supported by the ICRC. Delegates of the Committee of the Red Cross visited more than 500 thousand detainees in 75 states, as well as in places of deprivation of liberty administered by five international courts.
The International Committee of the Red Cross sent 275 thousand letters with information about relatives with whom contact was lost due to hostilities or other emergencies. Approximately 46,000 requests for missing persons were sent by detainees or their family members.
For its work, the ICRC was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize three times, in 1917, 1944 and 1963.
Since 1992, a delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross has been opened in Moscow. It employs about 250 people working in Moscow and the North Caucasus. In 2012, the budget of the delegation was about 15 million US dollars.
The area of responsibility of the Moscow delegation covers the Russian Federation, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. The main attention is paid to the conflicts that took place in the past and present in the North Caucasus. The delegation maintains a strategic dialogue with Russia on humanitarian issues and international humanitarian law, cooperates with the Russian Red Cross and supports the National Societies of Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.
Headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement(also known as International Red Cross or International Red Crescent) is an international humanitarian movement founded in 1863 and uniting more than 17 million employees and volunteers (volunteers) around the world.
The movement considers its main goal to be “To help all those who suffer without any unfavorable distinction, thereby contributing to the establishment of peace on Earth” .
Components of the International Red Cross:
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC & KP) International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)).
- National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Governing bodies of the Movement:
- International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent - held, as a rule, once every 4 years. Meetings of national societies with representatives of the states-participants of the Geneva Conventions take place there.
- Council of Delegates - Council meetings take place every 2 years.
- The standing committee is authorized body International Conference between conferences.
Fundamental principles
In their activities, volunteers and employees of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are guided by these fundamental principles.
Humanity
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of the desire to provide assistance to all the wounded on the battlefield without exception or preference, strives under any circumstances, both internationally and nationally, to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The movement is called upon to protect the life and health of people and ensure respect for the human person. It contributes to the achievement of mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace among peoples.
Impartiality
The Movement does not discriminate in any way on the basis of nationality, race, religion, class or political opinion. It only seeks to alleviate the suffering of people, and first of all, those who need it most.
Independence
Movement is independent. National Societies, while assisting their governments in their humanitarian activities and subject to the laws of their country, must nevertheless always retain their autonomy in order to be able to act in accordance with the principles of the Red Cross.
Voluntariness
In its voluntary relief activities, the Movement is not guided in any way by the desire for profit.
Unity
There can only be one National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in a country. It should be open to all and carry out its humanitarian activities throughout the country.
Versatility
The movement is worldwide. All National Societies enjoy equal rights and obligations to assist each other.
Emblems
The first emblem of the ICRC - a red cross on a white background - initially had no religious meaning, representing a negative copy (inversion) of the Swiss flag (instead of a white cross on a red field - red on white). However, during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, the Ottoman Empire refused to use this emblem, replacing it with a red crescent, since the red cross caused negative associations with the crusaders.
The 1929 Geneva Convention recognized the red crescent as a second protective emblem. This emblem is used by national organizations in many Muslim countries ah, but not everywhere where the majority of the population is Muslim. So, in Indonesia, the national society uses the emblem of the red cross, not the red crescent: according to the head of the society, this is due, in particular, to the fact that the organization, the emblem of the cross, and the country are religiously neutral.
Also, the status of the official symbol of the movement received the sign of the red lion and the sun, national symbol Iran. However, after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, during which the lion and the sun disappeared from the flag and emblem of the country as symbols of the old monarchy, the new Iranian government established a more traditional red crescent for Muslim countries, renaming its wing international society respectively . However, the formally red lion and sun continue to be considered one of the emblems of the MCRC, and Iran reserves the right to reintroduce this symbol into use at any time.
In December 2005, after a rejected proposal to use the red Star of David as one of the symbols, as a result of the efforts of Israeli diplomats and representatives of the American Red Cross, a draft of a third, religiously neutral emblem, the red crystal, appeared.
The red cross has also been a registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson since 1906, and the emblem itself has been used by the company since 1887. In 1905, the US Congress banned the use of the red cross symbol by any organization other than the Red Cross. Since J&J had registered its logo earlier, an exception was made for it.
The Red Cross is a protective emblem and a registered mark of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, therefore the use of this symbol by other organizations is prohibited by international law. The 1949 Geneva Convention established the legal status of the ICRC, so the sign of the Red Cross (and Red Crescent) is protected throughout the world.
During World War I
French leaflet from 1915
With the outbreak of the First World War, the International Committee of the Red Cross met with extraordinary difficulties, which it could only cope with with the assistance of National Societies. Red Cross workers from all over the world, including the USA and Japan, came to the aid of the medical services of European countries. On October 15, 1914, the International Committee of the Red Cross founded the International Agency for Prisoners of War, which by the end of 1914 employed 1,200 people, mostly volunteers. By the end of the war, the Agency had sent more than 20 million letters and messages, 1.9 million transmissions and collected donations worth 18 million Swiss francs. With the assistance of the Agency, about 200,000 prisoners of war were able to return home as a result of the exchange of prisoners. The Agency's card file for the period from 1914 to 1923 included more than 7 million cards for prisoners and missing persons. This catalog helped to identify more than 2 million prisoners of war and provided them with the opportunity to establish contact with their families. Now this catalog is in the Geneva Museum of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent. The right to use the catalog is limited.
During the war, the International Committee of the Red Cross monitored the implementation of the Geneva Conventions of 1907 by the parties to the conflict and, in case of violations, appealed to the offender's country with a complaint. At the first ever use of chemical weapons, the Red Cross strongly protested. Even without the mandate of the Geneva Conventions, the International Committee tried to improve the conditions of the affected civilian population. In territories that had the official status of occupied, the International Committee helped the civilian population under the terms of the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907. These conventions were also legal basis work of the Red Cross with prisoners of war. In addition to the work of the International Agency described above, the Red Cross carried out inspections of POW camps. During the war, 41 Red Cross delegates visited 524 camps throughout Europe.
From 1916 to 1918, the International Committee of the Red Cross published a number of postcards with photographs from POW camps. They were imprinted everyday life prisoners, receiving letters from home, etc. The International Committee thus tried to instill hope in the hearts of the families of prisoners of war, reduce uncertainty about the fate of people close to them. After the war, the Red Cross organized the return home of more than 420,000 prisoners of war. From 1920, the task of repatriation was taken over by the newly founded League of Nations, which gave the job to the Norwegian diplomat Fridtjof Nansen. Subsequently, its legal mandate was expanded to include the provision of assistance to refugees and displaced persons. Nansen introduced the so-called Nansen passport, which was issued to refugees who had lost their citizenship. In 1922, Nansen's efforts were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
For its fruitful work during the war, the International Committee of the Red Cross was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1917. This prize was the only Nobel Prize awarded between 1914 and 1918.
In 1923 the Committee changed its policy regarding the election of new members. Until then, only residents of Geneva could serve on the Committee. This restriction was lifted, and now all Swiss have received the right to work in the Committee. Taking into account the experience of the First World War, in 1925 a new addition to the Geneva Convention was approved, outlawing the use of asphyxiating and poisonous gases and biological substances as weapons. Four years later, the Convention itself was revised, and the second Geneva Convention "for the treatment of prisoners of war" was approved. The war and the activities of the Red Cross during the war period significantly raised the reputation and authority of the Committee in the international community, and led to the expansion of the scope of its activities.
In 1934, at the initiative of the Japanese Red Cross Society, an international conference was held in Japan, which was attended by more than 250 representatives of the Red Cross societies from 57 countries. At this conference, a document was adopted allowing members of foreign Red Crosses to help foreign civilians in areas of military operations, but the Japanese Red Cross blocked attempts to extend this assistance to citizens of warring states, and in general, foreign delegates spoke of this conference as “about some kind of pretense." Because most governments had little interest in implementing this convention, it did not come into effect until the outbreak of World War II.
During the Second World War
Red Cross message from Lodz, Poland, 1940.
The legal basis for the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross during World War II was the Geneva Convention as amended in 1929. The activities of the committee were similar to those of the First world war: inspection of prisoner-of-war camps, organization of assistance to the civilian population, ensuring the possibility of correspondence of prisoners of war, reporting on missing persons. By the end of the war, 179 delegates had made 12,750 visits to POW camps in 41 countries. Central News Agency for Prisoners of War (Zentralauskunftsstelle fur Kriegsgefangene) had 3 thousand employees, the card file of prisoners totaled 45 million cards, the Agency ensured the forwarding of 120 million letters. A significant obstacle was that the German Red Cross, which was controlled by the Nazis, refused to abide by the Articles of Geneva.
The International Committee of the Red Cross was unable to reach an agreement with Nazi Germany on the treatment of people in concentration camps, and eventually stopped exerting pressure so as not to jeopardize the work with prisoners of war. He also could not get a satisfactory answer on the death camps and the mass extermination of European Jews, Gypsies, etc. In November 1943, the International Committee received permission to send to concentration camps in cases where the names and whereabouts of the addressees are known. Since the message of receipt of the parcels was often signed by other prisoners, the International Committee was able to identify approximately 105,000 prisoners and deliver about 1.1 million parcels, mainly to Dachau, Buchenwald, Ravensbrück and Sachsenhausen.
It is known that the Swiss officer Maurice Rossel, a delegate from the International Red Cross in Berlin, visited Auschwitz in 1943 and Theresienstadt in 1944. His memoirs were recorded by Claude Lanzmann in 1979 in documentary"Visitor from the living".
Marcel Junot, delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross in a POW camp in Germany. (© Benoit Junod, Switzerland)
On March 12, 1945, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Karl Jakob Burckhardt, received a message from SS General Ernst Kaltenbrunner with a positive response to the Red Cross' request to visit the concentration camps. Germany made it a condition that the delegates must remain in the camps until the end of the war. The International Committee sent 10 delegates. One of them, Louis Gefliger, managed to prevent the destruction of Mauthausen-Gusenby informing the American troops about the plans of the Germans, which saved about 60 thousand prisoners. An international committee condemned his actions as they were a private initiative that threatened the neutrality of the Red Cross in the war. Gefliger's reputation was rehabilitated only in 1990.
Another outstanding example of humanity was provided by Friedrich Born, the delegate of the International Committee in Budapest. He saved the lives of 11 to 15 thousand Jews. The Genevan physician Marcel Junod was one of the first Europeans to visit Hiroshima after the nuclear bombing.
In 1944, the International Committee of the Red Cross received the second Nobel Peace Prize. As during the First World War, this award was the only one during the war period from 1939 to 1945. After the war, the International Committee worked with the National Societies in an attempt to help the countries hardest hit by the war. In 1948, the Committee published a report describing its activities during the war. In 1996, the archives of the International Committee for this period were opened to academic and public research.
In the post-war period
On August 12, 1949, new amendments to the two previous Geneva Conventions were approved. The Annex for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, now referred to as the Second Geneva Convention, was incorporated into the body of the Geneva Convention as a legacy of the 1907 Hague Convention. The Geneva Convention "for the Treatment of Prisoners of War" of 1929 was the second from a historical point of view, but after 1949 it began to be called the third, since it appeared later than the Hague. Taking into account the experience of the Second World War, the Fourth Geneva Convention "for the protection of civilians in time of war" was approved. Additional protocols of June 8, 1977 declared that the conventions were also valid in internal conflicts, such as civil wars. Today, the four conventions and their additional protocols contain more than 600 articles compared to the 10 articles of the original 1864 Geneva Convention.
Before the centenary, in 1963, the International Committee of the Red Cross, together with International Federation Societies of the Red Cross and Red Crescent received the third Nobel Peace Prize. Since 1993, non-Swiss citizens have been eligible to be delegates to the International Committee. Since then, the number of such employees of the International Committee has reached 35%.
Introduction
International Red Cross, international social organization. Unites the League of Red Cross Societies (LOCC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and national societies. LOCK was founded in 1919; it includes the national societies of the Red Cross, Red Crescent, Red Lion and Sun. The ICRC was founded in 1863; elected from among Swiss citizens; as a neutral intermediary provides humanitarian assistance during armed conflicts ( Nobel Prize world, 1917, 1944, 1963). Location - Geneva.
Inspired by the impulse of a single man who did not remain indifferent to the plight of wounded soldiers, for the past 140 years the ICRC has helped millions of people affected by armed conflict around the world.
Along with its humanitarian programmes, the ICRC promotes the development of the law of armed conflict to ensure effective protection for those who do not or have ceased to take part in hostilities. The activities of the ICRC are based on the provisions of the Geneva Conventions.
The purpose of this work is to consider the history of the formation and activities of the International Red Cross.
History of the International Red Cross
RED CROSS, international organization with branches in many countries, the main purpose of which is to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The impetus for the creation of such an organization was the impression of the young Swiss A. Dunant, who was among the neutral eyewitnesses of the battle of Solferino in Italy on June 24, 1859. By the end of the day, approx. 40,000 dead and wounded. Terrified by the suffering of people to whom no one paid attention, Dunant organized a relief group, consisting of volunteers. They bought everything they needed, placed the wounded and looked after them. Three years later, Dunant published a small pamphlet describing the aftermath of the battle, where he outlined ways to help people in a similar situation. He proposed the creation of volunteer detachments in each country to assist the victims of war and peacetime disasters. Dunant believed that the service to help the sick and wounded should be neutral, and proposed to take the first steps towards its creation in Peaceful time. As a result, in 1864 (from August 8 to 22) a conference was held in Geneva with the participation of official representatives of 16 European countries, where the Geneva Convention of 1864 was adopted for the improvement of the condition of the sick and wounded fighting armies on the battlefield. This convention, signed by delegations from 12 countries, provided for the neutrality of the personnel of the medical services of the armed forces and civilians helping them, humane treatment of the wounded, and also approved the international emblem of medical personnel. In honor of Dunant's homeland - Switzerland - a red cross on a white field was chosen as a symbol (the Swiss flag, where the red and white colors were reversed). The original Geneva Convention has been revised and amended several times. Victims of military operations at sea (1907) and prisoners of war (1929) were taken under the protection of the Red Cross. The Geneva Convention on Assistance to Prisoners of War gave the Red Cross the right to supervise the conditions of their detention. Later, in 1949, it was extended to the civilian population during the war. International Committee of the Red Cross. A group of prominent Swiss citizens who participated in the convening of the Geneva Conference later formed the International Committee of the Red Cross. Its function is to officially recognize new national organizations, working on the development of international humanitarian agreements (especially the Geneva Conventions) and monitoring their implementation; during wars and internal conflicts, the International Committee of the Red Cross acts as a neutral intermediary in order to provide assistance and protection to the victims of hostilities, monitors the conditions of detention of prisoners of war and makes recommendations for improving these conditions. The International Committee, headquartered in Geneva, is elected from among Swiss citizens. The International Conference of the Red Cross was first held in Paris in 1867. The conference meets every four years and is the highest deliberative body of the Red Cross. Representatives of national organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the League of Red Cross Societies and delegations of countries that have signed the Geneva Conventions take part in its work. National Red Cross Societies. By 1900 Red Cross societies were organized in almost 30 countries. Extensive programs of activity in military conditions were developed. At the same time, the Red Cross also has new, peaceful tasks aimed at overcoming the consequences of natural disasters and developing healthcare. To date, these tasks are being addressed through a wide network of programs for health protection, humanitarian assistance and security, as well as general and special educational programs. National Societies are independent voluntary organizations, although they receive their powers from their governments. These societies receive international recognition under the following conditions: the governments of their countries must strictly comply with the decisions of the Geneva Conventions; the activities of National Societies must be approved by their legitimate governments, and the societies themselves must abide by the charter and be guided by the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross. The League of Red Cross Societies is an association of national organizations created in 1919. The original goal of the League was to develop a program of mutual assistance and development designed for peacetime. Today, the main tasks of the League (which has a permanent secretariat in Geneva) include helping the newly formed Red Cross Societies, uniting the activities of its various groups, expanding the scope and resources of national organizations and coordinating their efforts in the event of international natural disasters. The League of Red Cross Societies includes 106 national organizations with a total membership of over 188 million. The League is supported by voluntary donations from its members.
Fundamental principles International Movement Red Cross and Red Crescent
HUMANITY
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born from the desire to help all the wounded on the battlefield, without exception or preference, strives under all circumstances, both internationally and nationally, to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The movement is called upon to protect the life and health of people and ensure respect for the human person. It contributes to the achievement of mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace among peoples.
IMPARTIALITY
The Movement does not discriminate in any way on the basis of nationality, race, religion, class or political opinion. It only seeks to alleviate the suffering of people, and first of all, those who need it most.
INDEPENDENCE
Movement is independent. National Societies, while assisting their governments in their humanitarian work and subject to the laws of their country, must nevertheless always retain their autonomy so as to be able to act in accordance with the principles of the Red Cross.
VOLUNTARY
In its voluntary relief activities, the Movement is not guided in any way by the desire for profit.
UNITY
There can only be one National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in a country. It should be open to all and carry out its humanitarian activities throughout the country.
VERSATILITY
The movement is worldwide. All National Societies enjoy equal rights and obligations to assist each other.
The fundamental principles were proclaimed at the 20th International Conference of the Red Cross in Vienna in 1965. This revised text is part of the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement adopted at the XXV International Conference of the Red Cross held in Geneva in 1986.
Emblems of the Red Cross
The four parts of the Geneva Red Cross symbolized the four virtues: moderation, prudence, justice and courage. The sign was created by reversing the colors of the national flag of Switzerland at the suggestion of General Dufour, since Swiss citizens Henri Dunant and Gustave Moynier were the initiators of the 1862 conference, after which the International Committee of the Red Cross was formed. The image of the emblem was approved by the conference participants due to its simplicity and ease of recognition. Later in 1876, Turkey announced that it would use the image of a red crescent as an emblem.
The emblem of the Red Cross is the key to the implementation of all humanitarian activities - the emblem is designed to protect both the victims and the people who came to their aid. In countries with a predominantly Muslim population, traditionally, a red crescent is used instead of the red cross emblem, thus, the RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT EMBLEM DO NOT HAVE ANY RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL MEANING, ARE NOT SYMBOLS OF MEDICINE AND ARE EQUAL IN USE.
international red cross humanitarian
The role of the International Red Cross in shaping the humanitarian norms of international conflicts
The ICRC is an organization that in its activities is strictly guided by a written law, and this law is called the Geneva Conventions, with all their articles and paragraphs of articles. This predilection for the letter of the law lends precision and discipline to the work of the ICRC, but some other humanitarian organizations (for example, Médecins Sans Frontières) have criticized the International Red Cross for being overly cautious, legalistically neutral. Perhaps this is also due to the fact that officially its representatives distance themselves from other non-governmental organizations working in the same field, and from the UN. For example, during the war in Bosnia, they tried in every way to delimit their activities from the actions of UN agencies, refusing, for example, to accompany columns of UN peacekeepers, as this could compromise their neutrality.
