The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a humanitarian movement with approximately 16 million volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering. Within it there are three distinct organisations that are legally independent from each other, but are united within the movement through common basic principles, objectives, symbols, statutes, and governing organisations.
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom body of the worldwide neutral and impartial humanitarian network the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with more than 17,200 volunteers and 3,400 staff. At the heart of their work is providing help to people in crisis, both in the UK and overseas. The Red Cross is committed to helping people without discrimination, regardless of their ethnic origin, nationality, political beliefs or religion. Queen Elizabeth II was the patron of the society until her death on 8 September 2022.
Under the Geneva Conventions, the emblems of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement are to be worn by all medical and humanitarian personnel and also displayed on their vehicles and buildings while they are in an active warzone, and all military forces operating in an active warzone must not attack entities displaying these emblems. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement recognizes four protection emblems, three of which are in use: the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, the Red Lion and Sun, and the Red Crystal.
The Turkish Red Crescent is the Turkish affiliate of the International Red Crescent and the first worldwide adopter of the crescent symbol for humanitarian aid.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is a worldwide humanitarian aid organization that reaches 160 million people each year through its 191 member National Societies. It acts before, during and after disasters and health emergencies to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people. It does so independently and with impartiality as to nationality, race, gender, religious beliefs, class and political opinions.
The Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) is a humanitarian organization and an auxiliary team to the medical service of the Lebanese Army. Its headquarters is in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut. Founded in 1945, the organization comprises a number of approximately 7,000 members/volunteers and 200 staff personnel. The society works with the International Federation and the ICRC, and on a bilateral basis with the Norwegian and the French Red Cross. The LRC also works with the relevant components of the Lebanese authorities, with UN agencies and NGOs.
Pakistan Red Crescent Society, is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency medical and relief services in Pakistan. The organization was founded on 20 December 1947 after Pakistan's independence by an order called The Pakistan Red Cross Order, issued by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, as Governor General of Pakistan. He became the founding president of the Society. It was later renamed the Red Crescent Society or the Red Crescent Order. Its national headquarters are in Islamabad.
The Thai Red Cross Society is a major humanitarian organisation in Thailand, providing services as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
New Zealand Red Cross or Rīpeka Whero Aotearoa is a humanitarian organisation, which has more than 9,000 members and volunteers. In New Zealand, Red Cross delivers core community services, such as Meals on Wheels, refugee re-settlement services, first aid courses, and emergency management operations. Internationally, New Zealand Red Cross sends international delegates overseas to assist in areas where humanitarian assistance is needed, this includes disaster preparedness and response. In 2013, 17 delegates were sent to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan and in 2014, 18 New Zealand delegates responded to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.
The Red Cross Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (Chinese: 中華民國紅十字會), also known as Taiwanese Red Cross is the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The society is not recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) because it does not meet all the conditions set out in the Statues of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and it is not a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. From its founding in 1904, to 1949, when the Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan, the society shared its history with the Red Cross Society of China. Both societies associate their origins with the founder, Shen Dunhe, a tea merchant.
The Lithuanian Red Cross was founded in 1919. It was reestablished after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Seimas, the Lithuanian parliament, passed a Red Cross law in 2000. The society has its headquarters in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
The Colombian Red Cross is a Colombian-based nonprofit private entity member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Society. It has been a member since 1922. The Colombian Red Cross embraces the principles of the International Red Cross. It provides humanitarian aid to people in need of protection, protection of life and health during armed conflict and disaster relief during emergencies within the Colombian territory. The Colombian Red Cross has played a major humanitarian role within the Colombian Armed Conflict as a mediator in the area of human rights.
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) is a humanitarian nonprofit organization. Its headquarters are in the Syrian capital city of Damascus. The society was founded in Damascus, Syria in 1942, and admitted to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 1946. Some of founders included were Abdul-Kader Zahra, Jamil Kabara, Sami Al-Meedani, Shafiq Diyab, Mustafa Shawky, Ahmed Kadary, Wade Saydawy, Mounib Rifai, and others. The society is part of the International Federation and has been recognized by the ICRC. The SARC has 14 branches all over Syria and 75 sub-branches. Volunteer based, the SARC has around 11,000 trained volunteers that work in the areas of first aid, first aid training, disaster response and relief, psycho-social support, and health in general. SARC also partners with local charity organizations and works with the relevant components of the Syrian community, with UN agencies and NGOs.
The Saudi Red Crescent Authority is a humanitarian society that provides emergency medical services in five administrative regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1934 under the name Saudi Red Crescent Association, which was later amended to Saudi Red Crescent Authority in 2008. By 2009, the Society had 447 First Aid Centers, run by 5,507 staff, with 1300 ambulances which are distributed in all hospitals and centres around the country. The Red Crescent has a particular role to play during Hajj, providing on-the-spot first aid and using its fleet of vehicles to take emergency cases to the nearest medical facility.
The Maldivian Red Crescent (MRC) is an independent, volunteer, non-profit, humanitarian organization established in the Maldives by virture of the Maldivian Red Crescent Act Law No: 7/2009
The Red Cross Society of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the national Red Cross Society of North Korea. It was founded as the Red Cross Society of North Korea on 18 October 1946 by the Soviet-backed occupational government.
The Kurdish Red Crescent is a humanitarian nonprofit organisation operating mainly in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. It is the primary provider of medical care and aid for refugees who have fled from attacks by ISIL and the Syrian and Turkish governments. It has also been involved in the reconstruction of Kobanî, which was largely destroyed after months of fighting with ISIL.
The Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society is the largest humanitarian organization in Azerbaijan and is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
The Yemen Red Crescent Society is a Yemeni humanitarian association founded in 1968. The group is a national affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
