INTRODUCTION

The IRCC (International Committee of the Red Cross) is a neutral,

impartial and independent humanitarian organization, whose mission is to
provide protection and assistance to people affected by armed conflicts and other
situations of violence.

Mirjana Spoljaric has been President of the IRCC since October 2022. Under
her leadership, the ICRC fulfills its unique mandate to protect lives and dignity
and alleviate the suffering of people in more than 90 contexts around the world.

I- HISTORY

The history of the IRCC is that of the implementation of humanitarian action,

the development of the Geneva Conventions and the creation of the International
Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Since its creation in 1863, the IRCC 's sole objective has been to ensure the
protection of victims of armed conflicts and situations of violence, and to
provide them with assistance. To do this, it deploys its action throughout the
world, encourages the development of international humanitarian law and
encourages governments and all arms bearers to respect this branch of law.

What would become the International Committee of the Red Cross met for the
first time in February 1863 in Geneva, Switzerland. Among its five founding
members was a Genevan, Henry Dunant, who, the previous year, published a
book (A Memory of Solferino) calling for improvement in the care given to
wounded soldiers in times of war, a book which would awaken minds.

Before the end of the year, the committee brought together government
representatives to agree on Dunant's proposals to create national relief societies
to support military medical services. In August 1864, he persuaded governments

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to adopt the first Geneva Convention, which obliged armies to treat wounded
soldiers, regardless of side, and introduced a unique emblem for medical
services: a red cross on a white background.

The primary role of the IRCC is to coordinate, but as the need for a neutral
intermediary between the belligerents becomes evident, the institution gradually
becomes involved in field operations.

Over the next 50 years, the IRCC expanded its activities as National Societies
were established (the first in the German state of Württemberg, in November
1863) and the Geneva Convention was adapted to include maritime warfare.

II- THE SEVEN FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

Humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, volunteerism, unity and

universality: these seven Fundamental Principles summarize the ethics of the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and are at the heart of the
humanitarian activities it carries out to help people in need during armed
conflict, following a natural disaster or in other emergency situations.

These principles unite the components of the Movement – the ICRC, the
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Federation
– and are a crucial aspect of their identity. Adherence to these principles
guarantees the exclusively humanitarian nature of the Movement's action and
contributes to the coherence of the very diverse activities it carries out
throughout the world.

1- Humanity

Born from the desire to bring aid without discrimination to the wounded on
the battlefields, the International Movement of the Red Cross and Red

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 Crescent strives, relying on its national and international capacities, to
prevent and alleviate human suffering in all circumstances. It aims to protect
life and health as well as to ensure respect for all human beings. It promotes
mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace among all
people.

2- Impartiality

The Movement makes no distinction of nationality, race, religion, social

condition or political affiliation. It only applies to helping individuals to the
extent of their suffering and to providing priority to the most urgent
distresses.

3- Neutrality

In order to maintain the trust of all, the Movement refrains from taking part
in hostilities and, at all times, in political, racial, religious and ideological
controversies.

4- Independence

The Movement is independent. Auxiliaries of public authorities in their

humanitarian activities and subject to the laws which govern their respective
countries, National Societies must nevertheless maintain an autonomy which
allows them to always act according to the principles of the Movement.

5- Volunteering

The Movement is a voluntary and selfless relief movement.

6- Unit

There can only be one Red Cross and Red Crescent Society in the same country.
It must be open to all and extend its humanitarian action to the entire territory.

7- Universality

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The Movement, within which all National Societies have equal rights, as well as
the responsibility and duty to help each other, is universal.

III- MANDATES AND MISSIONS

The IRCC's action is based on the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their
Additional Protocols, the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red
Crescent Movement, and the resolutions of the International Conferences of the
Red Cross and Red Crescent.

The IRCC provides protection and assistance to victims of armed conflict and
violence, and works to promote respect for international humanitarian law and
its integration into national legislation.

It was at the initiative of the IRCC that States adopted the Geneva Convention of
1864. Since then, the IRCC, with the support of the entire Movement, has
continued to urge governments to adapt international humanitarian law to the
evolution of conflicts, in particular to modern developments in the methods and
means of warfare, so as to provide more effective protection and assistance to
victims of conflicts.

Today, all states are bound by the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, which
guarantee the protection of wounded, sick and shipwrecked members of armed
forces, prisoners of war and civilians during armed conflicts.

More than three-quarters of States are currently parties to the two Additional
Protocols to the Geneva Conventions dating from 1977. Additional Protocol I
and Additional Protocol II respectively protect victims of international armed
conflicts and victims of non-international armed conflicts. More particularly,
these treaties codified the rules relating to the protection of the civilian
population against the effects of hostilities. Additional Protocol III of 2005

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authorizes National Societies members of the Movement to use an additional
emblem – the red crystal.

The IRCC is a neutral organization a neutral, impartial and independent

organization, the IRCC has the exclusively humanitarian mission of protecting
the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflicts and other situations of
violence, and of providing them with assistance.

He is the guardian of international humanitarian law,

also strives to prevent suffering through the promotion and strengthening of

universal humanitarian law and principles.

It is a component of the largest humanitarian network in the world

Created in 1863, the IRCC is at the origin of the Geneva Conventions and the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, whose international
activities it directs and coordinates in armed conflicts and other situations of
violence.

IV- MODE OF ACTION

Modes of action are the methods or means used to bring an authority to fulfill
the obligations it has towards a person or population.

1- Accountability

Responsibility aims to remind duty bearers of their duty and to get them – if
necessary – to change their behavior.

It uses three methods:

- Persuasion

Persuasion aims to convince an actor to do something that falls within their

responsibility or competence through a bilateral and confidential dialogue. This
mode of action is traditionally the one favored by the IRCC.

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 - External support

The institution can also seek external support, through the mobilization of
influential third parties (e.g. states, regional organizations, private companies,
members of civil society or religious groups with a privileged relationship with
the authorities concerned). The IRCC then chooses the recipients carefully and
addresses those whom it believes will not only be able to help it achieve its
objectives, but also who will respect the confidentiality of the information
transmitted to [Link] achieve its objectives, but also who will respect the
confidentiality of the information transmitted to them.

2- Support

When it considers it necessary to help authorities who do not have the means to
intervene, the IRCC undertakes support activities so that they can assume their
responsibilities.

3- Substitution

When adequate measures are not taken by the competent authorities, or cannot
be taken (material incapacity, non-existence of authorities, lack of will), the
IRCC can act by directly responding to the needs of people or populations
affected by substitution activities (or direct service). If the emergency requires it,
the IRCC acts first and then dialogues with the authorities with a view to either
persuading them to take appropriate measures or to study possible solutions with
them.

CONCLUSION

In view of the above, we can say that the IRCC is the largest humanitarian
network in the world.
It is an organization committed and responsible towards the people it helps.
The objectives that the IRCC has set itself correspond above all to a change of
state of mind, characterized by greater openness in the response to humanitarian
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problems as well as in alliances and by the desire to be flexible in strategies,
close to local realities, while being firm in the defense of everything that directly
or indirectly affects international humanitarian law.
No one can predict with certainty whether the world is going through a phase of
transition or whether the apparent chaos that is causing so much suffering,
particularly in Africa, is set to last. In the worst scenario, within around twenty
years, under the effect of population growth, environmental degradation,
inappropriate consumption patterns and deregulation of the economy, the
challenges identified today will appear to be minor and the issues will be on a
completely different scale5. It is therefore appropriate to embark, without delay,
on preventive actions to curb worrying developments. However, it is also
important to preserve an independent humanitarian space, allowing intervention
in emergency situations. In a world where a globalized cultural model and
particularist identities coexist, the IRCC will have to find its way to be
recognized and accepted by all, because, through it, it is to those who suffer in
conflicts that the voice will be given.