International Federation

of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

(3, 12-13)

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The chaos and devastation in Europe in the aftermath of the First World War was compounded by huge epidemics of influenza, typhus and cholera, as well as by famine. At the time there were no international bodies capable of organising large-scale relief operations. A leader of the American Red Cross, Henry P Davison, therefore convened an international medical conference in 1919, at which he proposed "to federate the Red Cross Societies of the different countries into an organisation ... in view of a permanent world-wide crusade to improve health; prevent sickness and alleviate suffering". As a result, on the 5th May 1919, the League of Red Cross Societies was created.

 

Since 1939 its permanent home has been in Geneva, and in 1991 it was renamed the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

 

The Federation supports the National Societies, particularly in times of disasters, natural catastrophes and epidemics, with their resulting masses of refugees, where international help is essential.

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The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (3)

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In 1928, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the League and the National Societies joined together in an umbrella organisation under the name of "International Red Cross", whose statutes set out the respective roles of the Committee and the League. It organises International Conferences every four years, bringing together delegates of the I.C.R.C., the Federation

and the National Societies, as well as the representatives of States party to the Geneva Conventions. The International Conference is the supreme deliberative body of the Movement, determining major policy options on questions of principle and in the field of international humanitarian law. In 1986, the International Red Cross adopted the new title "International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement", reflecting today's realities (3).

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International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (3-4, 13-15)

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The "International Committee for Relief to Wounded Soldiers" founded in February 1863 by Henri Dunant and Gustave Moynier was renamed the International Committee of the Red Cross to reflect the wider aims eventually embodied in the Four Geneva Conventions. It is the guardian of the Geneva Conventions and of international humanitarian law. It also determines whether a new National Society meets the necessary conditions for recognition by, and thence admission to, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

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"Inter Arma Caritas" is its motto, and it acts around the world as a neutral intermediary between the victims of armed conflict who have rights (in particular the wounded, prisoners of war, and civilians displaced from their homes or living under occupation) and the States which have obligations, so as to strengthen the protection afforded war victims.

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Though the permanent staff of the Committee are becoming increasingly international, all of the co-opted members of the Committee are Swiss, from a country with an ancient strongly upheld neutrality, for long experience has shown the value to the I.C.R.C. of their perceived neutrality. It must be emphasised though that the I.C.R.C's neutrality is not tied to Swiss neutrality.

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One of its major tasks is that of restoring contact between victims of armed conflict and their families, through the Central Tracing Agency (14), which centralises information it receives from all over the world - it has accumulated information on over 60 million persons to date.

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The ICRC has had to increase its capacity to provide medical and general assistance to populations affected by war, with the formation of a Relief Division, with a strong logistic structure, and a Medical Division.

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ICRC Medical Division (15A)

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The ICRC Medical Division, established in 1977, works for four categories of victims~ the War wounded, prisoners, civilians and the war disabled. Its essential purpose, according to Dr Remi Russbach, Chief Medical Officer of the ICRC, is "first and foremost, to keep the victims alive, lessen their suffering and prevent the after-effects of their diseases or injuries from ruining their future lives"(15A).

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The Medical Division also meets priority needs for medicines and medical supplies; it deals with the public health requirements of conflict victims, and it provides rehabilitation and prosthetic services for amputees and paraplegics.

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