The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a global humanitarian network of 80 million people that helps those facing disaster, conflict and health and social problems. It consists of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The IFRC is a membership organisation, consisting of the world’s 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, acting through more than 160,000 local branches or offices and with 14 million community-based volunteers. They are supported by the IFRC Secretariat, which works to support, coordinate and represent the action of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide. Together, the members and their Secretariat are known as the “IFRC network”.
The IFRC network is diverse and inclusive. It is uniquely placed to deliver life-saving services before, during and after disasters, and health emergencies, perilous migration journeys and other crises, and to deliver the long-term programming that is critical to building sustainable community resilience, adapt to climate change and promote public health.
The IFRC network is neutral, impartial and independent. It is a trusted partner both in emergency response and in individual, community and institutional resilience, and it is a leader in the anticipation, prevention, and response to disasters, health emergencies and other crises.
Find out more on the IFRC website.
The ICRC is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence d to provide them with assistance.
The ICRC also endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.
Established in 1863, the ICRC is at the origin of the Geneva Conventions and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It directs and coordinates the international activities conducted by the Movement in armed conflicts and other situations of violence. Find out more on the ICRC website.
Each National Red Cross and Red Crescent Society is an independent national organisation dedicated to saving lives, promoting community health, safety resilience and well-being, and building inclusive societies. As auxiliaries to the public authorities in the humanitarian field, National Societies support their authorities to reduce risks, protect human dignity, delivery assistance and improve the lives of vulnerable people, while always acting in conformity with the Fundamental Principles.
Their unparalleled local presence, combined with the IFRC Secretariat’s role in global coordination and response, brokering knowledge, strengthening capacities, mobilising resources and representation, form the world’s largest and most effective humanitarian network.
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