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International Services Provided by the Red CrossTracing and Red Cross Messages
Armed conflict and natural disasters leave millions of people around the globe in urgent need of humanitarian assistance every year. Adding to the physical losses, the confusion and chaos surrounding war and natural disasters often separates families just when they need each other most. Tragically, when war or disaster separates families and loved ones, their suffering is greater. But, through the strength of the Red Cross Movement and the work of tracing volunteers at national societies around the world, including the American Red Cross -- families reconnect.
Dissemination of International Humanitarian Law
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) contains both humanitarian principles and international treaties that seek to save lives and alleviate suffering of combatants and noncombatants during armed conflict. Its principal legal documents are the Geneva Conventions of 1949, four treaties signed by almost every nation in the world. The Conventions define fundamental rights for combatants removed from the fighting due to injury, illness, or capture, and for civilians. The 1977 Additional Protocols, which supplement the Geneva Conventions, further expand those rights.
Over the years, millions have been spared suffering or death when nations show respect for IHL. Wounded soldiers defenseless before an enemy, prisoners of war held far from home, civilians caught in the crossfire, medical and relief workers…their safety and humane treatment are at the core of IHL. Ensuring respect for IHL is the responsibility of nations but also fundamental to the mission of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement worldwide.
Emergency Disaster Response
International Services assures that the American Red Cross is ready to respond at a moment’s notice when crisis strikes -- helping the survivors of war, upheaval and natural disasters around the world. In these times of need, the Red Cross brings assistance to those who have lost their homes and are without food and clean water.
More than 177 other Red Cross and Red Crescent organizations around the globe, work hand in hand to help respond when disasters strike. Immediately following an international disaster, the American Red Cross communicates with the local national society to determine its capacity to help survivors. When necessary, highly trained members of the International Response Team respond. This team is composed of experts in logistics, telecommunication, disaster operations, family linking, public health and media relations. Team members assist the local national society with food, water, shelter and hygiene items.
Primary Health Care Programs
Each year millions of vulnerable people, especially children, die unnecessarily of disease and malnutrition, because they lack access to basic healthcare and nutrition. The American Red Cross is focusing its health response to this crisis in three areas: Combating Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases (HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis), Maternal and Child Health, and Emergency Health.
In the world's poorest regions, the American Red Cross trains local health promoters, volunteers and caregivers to advocate and teach proper health practices such as breast feeding, sanitation and the detection of early signs of disease in children. This network of health promoters, including youth/peer educators, is the critical community link for national and local health prevention programs such as vaccine campaigns, distribution of bed nets against malaria and HIV/AIDS awareness.
Food Programming
The American Red Cross has been providing food to those in need at home and overseas for more than 110 years. As far back as the 1890s, Clara Barton sent relief workers overseas to administer large-scale feeding and medical operations to assist famine-stricken Russians and Armenians.
According to its Congressional Charter adopted in 1905, the American Red Cross was specifically mandated "to carry out a system of national and international relief in time of peace, and apply that system in mitigating the suffering caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry out measures for preventing those calamities." Through the provision of food assistance to survivors of natural disasters, war and economic collapse, the American Red Cross confirms its commitment to relieving human suffering and developing the capacities of people to help themselves throughout the world.
Aid to Red Cross Partners
By sharing its expertise and resources, the American Red Cross is committed to strengthening the capacities of other national societies, supporting them to better serve their local communities. Working with more than 30 national societies in Africa, the Balkans, the Caribbean, the Caucasus, Central America and Russia, the American Red Cross is helping to build and sustain strong Red Cross and Red Crescent organizations to deliver quality community services. This process positions national society leaders as drivers of their organizational development with the American Red Cross supporting them in conducting organizational capacity diagnostics, facilitating strategic planning, designing volunteer recruiting and training systems, building strategic relations with communities and businesses, developing financial sustainability strategies and practices, and strengthening the national society's public image.
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American Red Cross
Greater Kansas City Chapter
211 W. Armour Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64111 USA |
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Phone 816-931-8400
Fax 816-531-7306 |
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