As for the deeds of the International Red Cross in recent years, the more the better.

International Red Cross Committee (Won the Nobel Peace Prize three times in 1917, 1944 and 1963 respectively.)

The organization was founded in Geneva on February 9, 1863. It has been officially recognized by the Geneva Conventions and multiple International Red Cross conferences. It is an independent organization with its own charter.

About the organization

The International Committee of the Red Cross is an independent, neutral organization whose mission is to provide humanitarian protection and assistance to victims of war and armed violence.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has a permanent mandate under international law to act impartially on behalf of detainees, the sick and wounded and civilians affected by conflict.

The ICRC is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and has offices in some 80 countries with more than 12,000 employees.

In conflict situations, the ICRC coordinates the actions of national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and their International Federation.

The ICRC is the originator of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and of international humanitarian law, especially the Geneva Conventions.

The Red Cross has become one of the three major international organizations and has a longer history than international organizations such as the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee.

Responsibilities and mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross has a legal responsibility assigned by the international community. This responsibility has two origins:

The Geneva Conventions, which commit the ICRC to visiting detainees; organizing rescue operations; reuniting separated families and during armed conflicts Similar humanitarian activities.

The Statutes of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which encourages the organization to undertake similar work in cases of domestic violence where the Geneva Conventions do not apply.

The "Geneva Convention" is a binding international law treaty that is applicable worldwide. The Statutes of the International Committee of the Red Cross were adopted at the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The conference, which takes place every four years and is attended by all parties to the Geneva Conventions, gives the ICRC Statutes a quasi-legal or "soft law" status.

History of the International Committee of the Red Cross

The history of the International Committee of the Red Cross from 1863 to modern times can be divided into four parts: the early days of the establishment of the Red Cross, the period of World War I, 1918 to 1939, during World War II.

From what began as one man's spontaneous action to help wounded soldiers, the ICRC has grown into an organization that helps millions of war victims around the world. Over the past 140 years, the ICRC has participated in most major crises in human history.

In parallel with its activities, the ICRC has been working to develop the law governing armed conflict in order to better protect those who have not taken part in or no longer take part in fighting; ICRC and the Geneva Conventions 》 are closely related.

The creation and early stages of the International Committee of the Red Cross (1863 - 1914)

During the period from 1863 to 1914, through the increasingly effective action of the Committee and the With the establishment of the Monthly Meeting (for Turkey), Henry Dunant's dream became a reality.

Parallel with the development of the Red Cross was the birth of modern humanitarian law: rules agreed upon by states, applicable to all conflicts, guaranteeing assistance to the wounded and sick, and later also to prisoners and civilians .

The ICRC has played a central role in this from the beginning, and its work in the development of humanitarian law is inseparable from its frontline work on behalf of victims.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and the First World War

During the First World War the ICRC – and the Red Cross in general – had fully developed . National Red Cross societies provided first aid team volunteers and increased support on a previously unimaginable scale on the home front, while the ICRC expanded its work to protect prisoners of war.

It established the International Prisoner of War Bureau - a central clearinghouse for prisoner lists and the supply of relief packages. It also included in its work the delivery of messages to civilians when many civilians were cut off behind enemy lines.

In order to adapt humanitarian law to the new reality, the International Committee of the Red Cross launched an appeal in February 1918 calling on the warring parties to cease the use of poisonous gases.

The history of the ICRC: the period 1918-1939

The conflict of 1914-1918 has been described as a war "to end all wars"; the Red Cross focuses its work Focused on maintaining peace, it began to organize efforts in that direction.

However, the development of things is another matter. The ill-healed wounds of the First World War, economic disaster and rising nationalism led to conflicts, and the ICRC found itself working both in Europe and in faraway places - Asia, Africa and Latin America.

First, it has to face civil conflicts with increasing civilian casualties. The legal basis it required was lacking, and, despite its efforts to get governments to adopt new laws to protect civilians, the lack of laws after 1939 had disastrous consequences.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and World War II

During World War II, only Latin America and several neutral European countries were spared the scourge of war. For the first time in history, military aircraft made it possible to bombard hundreds of square kilometers of enemy territory; for the first time, the number of civilian victims exceeded the number of soldier victims. From the beginning, Hitler's regime waged a racial war aimed at the subjugation of the Slavic peoples and the extermination of all Jews and Gypsies.

At that time, international humanitarian law contained rules governing the treatment of prisoners of war (the Geneva Convention of 27 July 1929), but not the treatment of the civilian population. The ICRC was therefore able to carry out activities to protect and assist prisoners of war, but its work on behalf of certain categories of civilians - particularly those imprisoned in concentration camps - was very limited or even non-existent.

The International Committee of the Red Cross since 1945

The bloodshed of the Second World War came to an end with the devastating demonstration of a weapon of almost unimaginable power. The nuclear age has begun, bringing with it a dangerous period of international tension.

While Europe - the breeding ground for much of the violence of the twentieth century - struggled to build a bastion of peace, the rest of the world continued to suffer the effects of conflict; some took on new forms, freedom fighters , guerrilla movements and authoritarian regimes took center stage.

New legal rules are needed to meet the challenges posed by the changing nature of warfare and to take into account developments in the 1930s and 1940s. First, the Geneva Conventions were revised and supplemented in 1949; in 1977, two Additional Protocols made it more complete. The ICRC helped draft all these laws.

The ICRC was more or less involved in the conflict in the period after 1945 and has a unique insight into the humanitarian problems that arose. This final part of the ICRC's history is being gradually updated to provide an overview of its work.

The decision-making bodies of the International Committee of the Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross consists of the General Assembly (the highest governing body) and the General Assembly Council (a subsidiary body of the General Assembly, with the authority to represent the General Assembly in certain aspects). Functions) and Steering Committee (Executive Body)*** are managed together. The President of the General Assembly and the General Assembly Council are both Dr. Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

In 2002, the General Conference decided to adjust the structure of the Steering Committee so that the senior leadership could better respond to future challenges facing the ICRC.

Finance and Budget

ICRC President Jakob Kronenberger and ICRC Chief of Operations Pierre Kronenbühl announced the 2005 emergency funding needs.

The ICRC's funding sources include States parties (governments) to the Geneva Conventions; national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; supranational organizations (such as the European Commission); and public and private donations. All donations are voluntary.

The ICRC begins responding to urgent needs on the ground before funding is available and relies on the goodwill of donors to secure funds as quickly as possible.

At the end of each year, the ICRC submits two budget requests, both at headquarters and in the field, to sustain its activities for the coming year. Activity information as well as statistics and financial tables (based on the original budget appeal) are summarized in the annual report.

The ICRC's funding sources include States parties (governments) to the Geneva Conventions; national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; supranational organizations (such as the European Commission); and public and private donations. All donations are voluntary.

The ICRC begins responding to urgent needs on the ground before funding is available and relies on the goodwill of donors to secure funds as quickly as possible.

At the end of each year, the ICRC submits two budget requests, both at headquarters and in the field, to sustain its activities for the coming year. Activity information as well as statistics and financial tables (based on the original budget appeal) are summarized in the annual report.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and its Human Resources Department

Currently, more than 1,400 people, including professionals and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, are involved in the organization’s field operations around the world. Come at work. Their work is supported by approximately 11,000 local employees and supported and coordinated by approximately 800 employees at the headquarters in Geneva.

Because the priorities of events change rapidly, all ICRC staff should be flexible and should be ready to travel immediately to a country where a war is occurring or has just ended. Go to work in an unfamiliar environment.

ICRC staff must be prepared to undertake unescorted assignments during the first 24 months of employment.

The ICRC seeks mature, motivated, team players with the ability to interact with people from different backgrounds and cultures and to cope with pressure and difficulties.

Currently, 171 national Red Cross societies have participated in this campaign aimed at promoting humanitarianism, safeguarding world peace, and developing progressive causes.

Funds and Awards

The ICRC administers a number of funds. For example, the Paul Reuter Fund is awarded every two years to encourage the publication of works related to international humanitarian law. The French Maurice Demadel Fund provides assistance to Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement staff or their families who are in difficult situations due to accident, illness or death. The Queen's Fund promotes "relief work in peacetime", while the Florence Nightingale Medal is awarded to those who have "distinguished themselves in times of peace or war".

After Henry Dunant founded the Red Cross organization in 1863, countries around the world, especially those in Europe and the United States, successively established Red Cross societies. After the end of World War I, Henry Davidson, an American banker and chairman of the American Red Cross War Committee, proposed the establishment of an International Federation of Red Cross Societies of various countries to organize and coordinate health rescue activities on an international scale.

In early 1919, an International Medical Congress was held in Cannes, France, attended by celebrities in the medical field from the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Italy and other countries. It was determined at the meeting that in order to further consolidate the achievements of national Red Cross Societies, it is necessary to establish an International Federation of National Red Cross Societies. On February 1 of the same year, the "Red Cross Committee" composed of the United States, Britain, France, Japan, and Italy was established. On May 5 of the same year, the Committee of the Red Cross was renamed the Red Cross Society. Later, due to the addition of the Red Crescent Societies of Islamic Countries and the increase in the number of members, in October 1983, the Red Cross Association held its third conference in Geneva. The meeting decided to amend the charter and change its name to the Association of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which was later changed to its current name.

The purpose of the organization is to do good in war and maintain peace through humanitarian work. The main organizational structures are the General Assembly, which is the highest decision-making body; the Executive Council, which is the executive agency; and the Secretariat, which is responsible for daily affairs. Publications include "Weekly News" and "Association" quarterly magazine.

China joined the organization on July 8, 1919.

In December 2003, the 28th International Conference of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies was held in Geneva.

The theme of the conference was "Safeguarding Human Dignity". About 1,500 representatives from 191 governments of the parties to the Geneva Conventions and 181 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies attended the conference. The humanitarian action plan adopted at the end of the meeting emphasized the need to pay special attention to the victims of armed conflicts and reduce the harm of natural disasters and diseases to vulnerable groups in order to protect human dignity.

In June 2006, the 29th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent voted in Geneva and agreed to admit the Israeli emergency relief organization "Red David Apostle" and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society as members. And officially approved the "red crystal" as the third symbol of the international rescue movement. On January 14, 2007, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement officially launched the "Red Crystal" emblem. The "Red Crystal" emblem enjoys equal status with the organization's existing "Red Cross" and "Red Crescent" emblems. The logo uses a white background, and the pattern is a red square supported by one corner, forming a red diamond frame. The "red crystal" symbol provides Israel with ease of movement. Since 1949, the Israeli emergency relief organization "Red Cross" has sought to join the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, but refused to use the "Red Cross" or "Red Crescent" emblems for religious reasons.

2007-04-29 22:16:58 Source: China Net

According to Reuters, officials from Ethiopian rebels and the International Red Cross said today (29th) , Ethiopian rebels have released seven Chinese workers they captured during an attack on an oil field.

Militants launched a pre-dawn attack on an oil field in Ethiopia's Ogaden region on Tuesday, killing 65 Ethiopians and nine Chinese workers.

Abderrahmani Mahdi, a spokesman for the Ethiopian rebel Ogaden National Liberation Front based in London, said: "We have handed over Chinese workers to the International Committee of the Red Cross. They are all healthy , they were not injured and they are all very happy.”

A spokesman for the International Red Cross in Addis Ababa confirmed the news, saying that the released Chinese workers were heading to the capital of Somalia. Jijiga. The spokesman told reporters: "I can confirm that they have been released and they are heading to Jijiga. I don't know if they have arrived. They are all civilians." (Huang Huan)

Red Cross General Society: It is strictly prohibited to transfer funds to disaster preparedness funds

The Red Cross Society of China is at the center of this public opinion whirlpool, and many online rumors revolve around this organization.

On May 18, the Red Cross Society of China issued a notice requiring its branches to "effectively manage and use the materials donated by the May 12 earthquake." In the notice, the Federation emphasized that “monies and materials donated by the public for this earthquake disaster must be earmarked for special use, and it is strictly prohibited to withhold, misappropriate, withhold or use them for other purposes in the name of transferring to disaster preparedness funds.” “Red Cross at all levels The association must promptly announce the fundraising situation and the use of funds and materials to the public to improve transparency, and at the same time, it must consciously accept and cooperate with the audit work of the audit department.”

In other words, you don’t have to worry about part of the donation being used for other purposes. The notice did not mention the issue of management fees. The reporter saw that the "Regulations on the Fund-raising and Acceptance of Donations of the Red Cross Society of China" stipulates: "According to the regulations of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and international practices, donations can be collected from A management fee of 3-5% will be withdrawn from the company.” The reporter learned that the withdrawal of management fees is indeed in line with international practice. Almost all charitable organizations will withdraw management fees in varying proportions for basic operations.

Red Cross Society: It is strictly prohibited to divert funds into disaster preparedness funds

The Red Cross Society of China is the center of this public opinion whirlpool, and many online rumors revolve around this organization.

On May 18, the Red Cross Society of China issued a notice requiring its branches to "effectively manage and use the materials donated by the May 12 earthquake." In the notice, the Federation emphasized that “monies and materials donated by the public for this earthquake disaster must be earmarked for special use, and it is strictly prohibited to withhold, misappropriate, withhold or use them for other purposes in the name of transferring to disaster preparedness funds.” “Red Cross at all levels The association must promptly announce the fundraising situation and the use of funds and materials to the public to improve transparency, and at the same time, it must consciously accept and cooperate with the audit work of the audit department.”

In other words, you don’t have to worry about part of the donation being used for other purposes.

The notice did not mention the issue of management fees. The reporter saw that the "Regulations on the Fund-raising and Acceptance of Donations of the Red Cross Society of China" stipulates: "According to the regulations of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and international practices, donations can be collected from A management fee of 3-5% will be withdrawn from the company.” The reporter learned that the withdrawal of management fees is indeed in line with international practice. Almost all charitable organizations will withdraw management fees in varying proportions for basic operations.

Red Cross Society: It is strictly prohibited to divert funds into disaster preparedness funds

The Red Cross Society of China is the center of this public opinion whirlpool, and many online rumors revolve around this organization.

On May 18, the Red Cross Society of China issued a notice requiring its branches to "effectively manage and use the materials donated by the May 12 earthquake." In the notice, the Federation emphasized that “monies and materials donated by the public for this earthquake disaster must be earmarked for special use, and it is strictly prohibited to withhold, misappropriate, withhold or use them for other purposes in the name of transferring to disaster preparedness funds.” “Red Cross at all levels The association must promptly announce the fundraising situation and the use of funds and materials to the public to improve transparency, and at the same time, it must consciously accept and cooperate with the audit work of the audit department.”

In other words, you don’t have to worry about part of the donation being used for other purposes. The notice did not mention the issue of management fees. The reporter saw that the "Regulations on the Fund-raising and Acceptance of Donations of the Red Cross Society of China" stipulates: "According to the regulations of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and international practices, donations can be collected from A management fee of 3-5% will be withdrawn from the company.” The reporter learned that the withdrawal of management fees is indeed in line with international practice. Almost all charitable organizations will withdraw management fees in varying proportions for basic operations.

Red Cross Society: It is strictly prohibited to divert funds into disaster preparedness funds

The Red Cross Society of China is the center of this public opinion whirlpool, and many online rumors revolve around this organization.

On May 18, the Red Cross Society of China issued a notice requiring its branches to "effectively manage and use the materials donated by the May 12 earthquake." In the notice, the Federation emphasized that “monies and materials donated by the public for this earthquake disaster must be earmarked for special use, and it is strictly prohibited to withhold, misappropriate, withhold or use them for other purposes in the name of transferring to disaster preparedness funds.” “Red Cross at all levels The association must promptly announce the fundraising situation and the use of funds and materials to the public to improve transparency, and at the same time, it must consciously accept and cooperate with the audit work of the audit department.”

In other words, you don’t have to worry about part of the donation being used for other purposes. The notice did not mention the issue of management fees. The reporter saw that the "Regulations on the Fund-raising and Acceptance of Donations of the Red Cross Society of China" stipulates: "According to the regulations of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and international practices, donations can be collected from A management fee of 3-5% will be withdrawn from the company.” The reporter learned that the withdrawal of management fees is indeed in line with international practice. Almost all charitable organizations will withdraw management fees in varying proportions for basic operations.

After the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, a staff member of the Red Cross Society of China rushed from Beijing to Sichuan to participate in the Federation’s disaster relief work.

"In the past few days, the Red Cross has been extremely busy on the frontline in disaster relief." When talking to reporters on the phone on May 22, he sounded anxious.

The information on the Red Cross website stated that as of 18:00 on May 21, 2008, the Red Cross Federation of China, the Red Cross Foundation of China, and local Red Cross societies at all levels had received " Donations for the 5.12 earthquake disaster amounted to RMB 4.1 billion.

"The supplies came too much, too concentrated, and too fast." He told reporters, recalling the busy work he had been doing in the disaster area these past few days.

Wang Rupeng, Secretary-General of the Red Cross Foundation of China, just announced to the media that the earthquake donations will be sent to the disaster area in full, and management fees will no longer be withdrawn.

The above-mentioned person from the Red Cross Society of China believes that effective supervision should be established quickly and no opportunities can be taken advantage of. At present, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the National Audit Office and KPMG will all gradually intervene in the audit work of the Wenchuan earthquake.

Disaster relief supplies are pouring in

The biggest headache for the Red Cross now is how to deal with the influx of disaster relief supplies.

"Several trainloads of disaster relief supplies arrived at 11 o'clock, and several trainloads of relief supplies arrived at 12 o'clock. At this time, the task of detailed inventory of supplies is arduous." said the above-mentioned person.

According to him, the Red Cross Societies of various provinces and autonomous regions in China and the International Red Cross Society are currently sending donations and supplies to the Sichuan Red Cross Society.

Some were sent directly to the Sichuan Red Cross, and some were sent to the disaster-stricken areas. A large number of private supplies were also delivered suddenly, without any advance notice, or even anonymous donations. The Red Cross was faced with the arrival of a large number of supplies in a short period of time, and the detailed information on the supplies varied. Category prices are not entirely clear.

Currently, in the Red Cross system organization, there are more than 70 people in the general organization. The general organization plus directly affiliated units (Red Cross Foundation, Chinese Marrow Bank, Rescue Training Center, etc.) *** 200 people. At the provincial level, taking Sichuan Province as an example, the establishment is about 20 people; at the city level, the practice is five or six people, some of whom belong to both the Red Cross system and the health system; at the county level, there is only one Two staff members, some counties have none.

After the supplies are delivered, the Sichuan Red Cross Society must distribute them immediately. For example, if you receive donations from the train station and go to the Mianyang Red Cross, the Mianyang Red Cross will issue a receipt to the delivery person, and then take the receipt back to the Sichuan Red Cross. At this time, how will the Mianyang Red Cross distribute the supplies?

The materials from the Sichuan Red Cross may also be distributed to material distribution stations set up directly in various places, and they will then distribute the materials to the victims.

Sudden disasters pose a challenge to the Red Cross’s emergency response capabilities.

"Purchasing is also a link that requires close attention." said the above-mentioned person from the Red Cross Society of China.

He introduced that the current daily procurement of the Red Cross Society of China is generally the responsibility of Chen Mingren, director of the Red Cross General Service Bureau. This time, several groups of people purchased supplies around Sichuan.

If we follow the normal procedures, the process from material receipt to distribution to feedback is usually very detailed. There are about 10 to 13 pages of tables with very detailed statistics, but this time the time is too short. There are too many supplies, which may cause a large backlog of supplies in a short period of time.

Complexity of auditing

According to the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Red Cross Society", the Red Cross Society of China has the legal person status of a social organization and is engaged in humanitarian work. social assistance groups.

In addition to membership fees paid by members, donations of money and materials from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals, income from movable and immovable properties, the main source of funds for the Red Cross also includes allocations from the people's government. In 2007 alone, the central government allocated more than 70 million yuan for disaster relief and administrative expenses. Some grassroots Red Cross organizations are affiliated with the health system.

Data show that the Red Cross Society of China currently has 32 provincial Red Cross branches, 2 branches in special administrative regions, and 70,006 grassroots organizations. There are 3,626 full-time Red Cross cadres, 20.71 million members and 409,000 volunteers in the Red Cross across the country.

"The daily salary expenditures of Red Cross employees are similar to those of civil servants." said the above-mentioned internal staff member.

After the Wenchuan earthquake, the Red Cross announced that the National Audit Office and KPMG would intervene, and the Red Cross One Fund also had Deloitte accounting firms involved.

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