National Red Cross and Red Crescent Society

As national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies organizations are referred to as volunteer in their country of relief societies carry out tasks resulting from the Geneva Conventions and the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement arise. These tasks include, above all, providing humanitarian aid in the event of wars and armed conflicts as well as other major emergencies such as natural disasters , organizing search and information services for these situations and disseminating knowledge of international humanitarian law . In many countries with a predominantly Islamic population, the corresponding organizations use the red crescent instead of the symbol of the Red Cross and are accordingly referred to as national red crescent societies . If it is clearly evident that the context of the description is related to the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, often only the term national society is used. The Israeli organization Magen David Adom , which has been using a red Star of David as an emblem since it was founded , is usually referred to as the national society of Israel in the sense of international humanitarian law and the statutes of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

recognition

According to the principles contained in the statutes of the International Movement, there can be only one national Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in each country. A charity seeking national society status must meet a number of requirements set out in the movement's statutes. An important condition is the recognition by the government of the respective home country. Other important principles are the legal independence of the organization, the use of one of the symbols defined in the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols as an emblem, the ability to fully perform the tasks arising, the indiscriminate acceptance of members and the respect of international humanitarian law and principles the movement.

On the part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is responsible for recognition. Each recognized national society is also a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Currently (as of September 2016) 190 national societies are recognized. Of these, 152 use the Red Cross and 33 the Red Crescent as an emblem, Magen David Adom uses the red Star of David within the borders of Israel and the red crystal for missions abroad. Two other organizations, namely the national societies of Eritrea and Tuvalus , currently have observer status in the General Assembly of the Federation.

Organization and tasks

In spite of its formal independence, every national society is bound in terms of its organization and activities to the legal situation in its home country. In many countries there are therefore special Red Cross laws or contracts between the governments and the respective national society in order to guarantee the full independence required by the movement. National societies are usually recognized as non-profit organizations. They finance their work primarily through state grants from the governments and authorities of their respective home countries, through income from economic activities and through donations from private individuals, companies and other institutions.

The tasks arising from international humanitarian law and the movement's statutes include, above all, providing humanitarian aid in the event of armed conflicts, natural disasters and similar emergencies, organizing search and information services for these situations, and disseminating knowledge of international humanitarian law . The national societies can also voluntarily take on other tasks in the humanitarian, medical and social fields. These fields of activity include, for example, the elderly care service , child care and other social services, the rescue service , water and mountain rescue or blood donation .

Historical aspects

The first national Red Cross Society in history was founded in November 1863 in the Kingdom of Württemberg in the form of the Württemberg Medical Association, followed by the Association for the Care of Wounded Warriors in the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg in January 1864 . Regional associations of the German Red Cross later emerged from both associations. Further companies followed in 1864 in Belgium , Prussia , Denmark , France and Spain . The Swiss Red Cross was established on July 17, 1866, the Austrian Red Cross on March 14, 1880 and the German Red Cross on January 25, 1921. The Turkish Red Crescent was founded on June 11, 1868 as the first red crescent society in history.

On May 5, 1919, the League of Red Cross Societies was created , which has been called the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies since 1991 . An important task of the federation is the coordination of the cooperation between the national societies, as well as the support in the establishment and development of new national societies in countries in which no such society exists.

See also

• National Societies of Small European Countries

Web links

• Page with sublinks to national organizations divided by continents (English)
• German Red Cross
• Swiss Red Cross
• Austrian red cross

Individual evidence

1. ^ The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Directory. Retrieved April 6, 2012 .