Origins
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement emerged from one man’s horror at the suffering he witnessed on a battlefield. Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman, happened upon the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino in 1859, where some 40,000 soldiers lay dead or wounded after a clash between Franco-Sardinian and Austrian forces. Dunant organized local villagers to care for the wounded without distinction of nationality—a revolutionary concept when armies were expected to care only for their own.
Dunant’s 1862 book, A Memory of Solferino, proposed two ideas that would transform humanitarian action: establishing permanent national relief societies to assist military medical services during war, and creating an international agreement protecting medical personnel and the wounded. These proposals resonated with a Swiss lawyer, Gustave Moynier, and three other Geneva citizens who formed the “International Committee for Relief to the Wounded” in 1863—later renamed the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The following year, 1864, saw the diplomatic conference that produced the first Geneva Convention, establishing principles of humanitarian treatment in war that remain foundational today: wounded soldiers shall be cared for regardless of nationality; medical personnel and facilities shall be protected and marked with a distinctive emblem (the red cross on white background); medical services shall be neutral. Twelve states initially signed; eventually the Geneva Conventions would achieve near-universal ratification.
Structure & Function
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement comprises three distinct components. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), based in Geneva and composed exclusively of Swiss nationals, acts as a neutral intermediary during armed conflicts, visits prisoners of war, facilitates communication between separated family members, and promotes international humanitarian law. National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (190 exist worldwide) provide humanitarian services within their countries, from disaster relief to blood donation programs. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies coordinates international disaster response and development programs among national societies.
The Movement operates under seven fundamental principles: humanity (preventing and alleviating suffering), impartiality (no discrimination based on nationality, race, religion, class, or political opinions), neutrality (not taking sides in conflicts or controversies), independence (maintaining autonomy from governments while serving as auxiliaries), voluntary service, unity (one society per country, open to all), and universality (worldwide movement with equal status for all societies). These principles enable access in conflict zones where governmental actors cannot operate.
The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols form the core of international humanitarian law, which the Movement promotes and monitors. These treaties protect wounded and sick soldiers, prisoners of war, and civilians in armed conflict. They establish fundamental rules like the prohibition of torture, the requirement to distinguish between combatants and civilians, and the obligation to care for the wounded. The ICRC serves as the “guardian” of the Geneva Conventions, working to ensure compliance and develop humanitarian law.
Historical Significance
The Red Cross movement pioneered modern humanitarianism and created the framework of international humanitarian law. Before 1864, no international rules governed the treatment of war victims; wounded soldiers might be left to die, prisoners might be killed or enslaved. The Geneva Conventions established that certain standards of humanity applied even in war—a remarkable achievement that represented the beginning of modern international law.
The Movement expanded its scope over time. World War I brought massive relief operations and the extension of protections to prisoners of war. World War II revealed both the achievements and limitations of humanitarian law—the Conventions helped millions of POWs but provided inadequate protection for civilians, particularly victims of the Holocaust. The 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1977 Additional Protocols addressed these gaps, extending protection to civilians and codifying rules for non-international armed conflicts.
Today the Movement responds to conflicts, disasters, and crises worldwide. The ICRC maintains presence in some of the world’s most dangerous places, visiting detainees, facilitating prisoner exchanges, and providing medical care and clean water. National societies respond to earthquakes, floods, and pandemics. The Movement’s principles—particularly neutrality and impartiality—enable it to operate where others cannot, though this neutrality has sometimes been criticized as allowing the Movement to witness atrocities without public denunciation. The Red Cross emblems remain among the most recognized symbols worldwide.
Key Developments
- 1859: Henry Dunant witnesses Battle of Solferino
- 1862: Dunant publishes A Memory of Solferino
- 1863: International Committee formed in Geneva
- 1864: First Geneva Convention adopted
- 1876: Red Crescent adopted as alternative emblem
- 1901: Dunant receives first Nobel Peace Prize
- 1906-1929: Revised Geneva Conventions expand protections
- 1917: ICRC receives Nobel Peace Prize (also 1944, 1963)
- 1919: International Federation of Red Cross Societies founded
- 1949: Four Geneva Conventions adopted post-WWII
- 1977: Additional Protocols expand humanitarian law
- 2005: Red Crystal adopted as additional neutral emblem
- 2006: Movement coordinates response to Indian Ocean tsunami
- 2020: Global pandemic response activities