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1863, by Henry Dunant
Headquarters
Geneva
Bodies
Assembly (supreme governing body), Assembly Council (subsidiary body of the Assembly to which the latter delegates some of its powers) and Directorate (executive body)
Direction
Jakob Kellenberger, President of the ICRC; Yves Daccord, General Director
Personnel
around 13,200 workers
Finances
Voluntary contributions from states party to the Geneva Conventions, national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, supranational organizations. 2009 contributions: CHF 1'099 million.
Swiss contribution
CHF 110 million in 2011
Link
http://www.cicr.org/
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
As an impartial, neutral and independent organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, is involved exclusively in humanitarian work to protect the lives and dignity of the victims of conflict and to assist them. The ICRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Its mandate is based on international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Conventions.
| Main tasks of the ICRC |
The ICRC works in all parts of the world bringing aid to victims of war and internal violence. This mandate is based on two instruments:
- the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their additional protocols of 1977 which confer on it various tasks such as visits to prisoners, aid operations, and family reunification during and after armed conflict;
- the statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which enable it to take similar action in cases of internal violence.
The ICRC directs and coordinates the international aid activities of the Movement in conflict situations. It tries to prevent suffering by promoting and
strengthening universal humanitarian law and principles. It acts on behalf of prisoners, the wounded and the sick as well as civilians affected by armed conflict.
Parallel to its operational activities, the ICRC works to develop laws governing armed conflicts, to guarantee better protection of non-participants in hostilities.
| The ICRC and Switzerland |
The ICRC is the main partner of Switzerland in the field of international humanitarian aid. As a private and independent institution, the ICRC has always maintained close and
privileged relations with Switzerland, concerning notably the development of international humanitarian law. In fact, the Federal Council is the depositary of the Geneva Conventions giving
Switzerland international responsibility for the respect, implementation and development of international humanitarian law.
The 18 members of the ICRC Assembly are all Swiss nationals. However, ICRC staff are recruited internationally.
Over the past 20 years, Switzerland has allocated one-third of its financial resources for humanitarian aid to the ICRC. Switzerland’s total contribution in 2011 is CHF 110
million. Roughly two-thirds of the Swiss contribution, CHF 70 million, is earmarked for ICRC headquarters operations. The Swiss contribution covers almost 40% of the total ICRC expenditure
in Geneva.
In 2010, Switzerland was the ICRC’s third most important donor, after the USA and the European Commission. Per capita, Switzerland is the largest donor.
Additional Information and Documents
- Contribution of Switzerland to the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC
- 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
- Official working visit to Bern by Jakob Kellenberger, President of the ICRC
- With the climate out of control, prevention is also cure