Red Cross International Services

Fundamental

Principals

of the
International Red Cross
and
Red Crescent Movement

Humanity
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield endeavours, in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace among all peoples.

Impartiality
It makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavours to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

Neutrality
In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.

Independence
The Movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with the principles of the Movement.

Voluntary Service
It is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.

Unity
There can be only one Red Cross or one Red Crescent Society in any one country. It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory.

Universality
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in which all Societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other, is worldwide

The Global Red Cross

The Red Cross Global Network refers to all the national and international organizations allowed to use the Red Cross or Red Crescent emblem and all the activities they undertake to relieve human suffering throughout the world. The International Red Cross and the Red Crescent Network is one of the largest in the world with a presence and activities in almost every country. It is unified and guided by seven Fundamental Principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. All Red Cross and Red Crescent activities have one central purpose: to help those who suffer, without discrimination whether it is during conflict, in response to natural or man-made disasters, or to alleviate the suffering brought by conditions of chronic poverty.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the national societies are independent organizations. Each has its own individual status and exercises no authority over the others.

The International Committee of the Red Cross

Established in 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is at the origin of the international Red Cross and Red Crescent network. The ICRC is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusive humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance. It directs and coordinates the international relief activities conducted by the Red Cross’ global network in situations of conflict. Among its many activities, the ICRC searches for missing persons, exchanges messages to and from members of separated families, helps establish hospital and security zones in embattled areas, visits prisoners of war and civilian detainees, spreads knowledge and monitors compliance of humanitarian law, organizes international aid programs and provides medical assistance for refugees, displaced people, and other civilian victims of armed conflicts. It also endeavors to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.

The International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Founded in 1919, the International Federation is a coalition of individual Red Cross and Red Crescent societies that coordinate relief efforts throughout the world occurring outside the theater of war and other forms of armed conflict. Currently, the Federation comprises of 186 member Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, a Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland and regional delegations strategically located to support activities around the world. The Federation's activities include organizing and coordinating international disaster relief actions, providing assistance to refugees outside areas of conflict, promoting national disaster preparedness programs and strengthening the capacities of its member national societies.

The National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

These are the individual societies of nearly every independent country in the world. Chartered, as they must be, by their respective governments, they provide a range of services including disaster relief, health and social programs, and assistance to people affected by war within their own borders and cooperate with other national societies bilaterally, regionally, and through the Federation and the ICRC on relief and development projects. They also assist their own governments in carrying out each nation's humanitarian treaty obligations. Each country is allowed to charter only one Red Cross or Red Crescent society within its territory. Together, the National Societies have 97 million members and volunteers and assist some 233 million beneficiaries each year. The promotion of humanitarian values is an intrinsic part of all Red Cross and Red Crescent activities. They also promote awareness of international humanitarian law and advocate internationally through the Federation and with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The American Red Cross is one of the 186 national societies throughout the world and shares most characteristics with other national societies. It is dedicated to the Fundamental Principles, supports the role of the ICRC in conflict zones, and works alongside other national societies in the Federation and in bilateral arrangements on a wide variety relief and development activities.