RED CROSS

FOUNDER OF  RED CROSS SOCIETY

The Red Cross came into being at the initiative of a man named Henry Dunant, who helped wounded soldiers at the battle of Solferino in 1859 and then lobbied political leaders to take more action to protect war victims. His two main ideas were for a treaty that would oblige armies to care of all wounded soldiers and for the creation of national societies that would help the military medical services.

Dunant put down his ideas in a campaigning book, A Souvenir of Solferino, published in 1862. The Public Welfare Committee in his home town of Geneva took them up and formed a working group (the embryo ICRC, with Dunant as secretary), which first met in February 1863. The following October, an international conference was convened, to formalize the concept of national societies.The conference also agreed on a standard emblem to identify medical personnel on the battlefield: a red cross on a white background. (The red crescent emblem was adopted by the (Turkish) Ottoman Empire in the 1870s.)

In August 1864, delegates from a dozen countries adopted the first Geneva Convention, which put a legal framework around these decisions and made it compulsory for armies to care for all wounded soldiers, whatever side they were on.

These developments put the ICRC at the origin of both the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – today grouping the ICRC, the national societies (185 in 2007) and their International Federation – and of modern international humanitarian law: the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their three Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2006.

At the outset, the ICRC’s task was to encourage the creation of national societies (the first was in the German state of Württemberg, in November 1863) and to act as a channel for communication between them. Its first field operation was in 1864, during the war between Germany and Denmark: delegates were sent to work on each side of the front line. This heralded the start of the ICRC’s operational role as a neutral intermediary between belligerents.

Dunant’s ideas found a positive response among leaders and benefactors, welfare groups and the public. In the following years, national societies were established throughout Europe. The Geneva Convention was later adapted to include wounded, sick and shipwrecked in warfare at sea, and governments adopted other laws (such as the Hague Conventions) to protect war victims.

At the same time, the ICRC expanded its own work, undertaking new activities such as visiting prisoners of war and transmitting lists of names, so that their families could be reassured.

By the end of the 19th century, Henry Dunant – whose vision had helped start the whole process – was living in obscurity in a Swiss mountain village; his business failures had forced him to withdraw from Geneva and from an active role in the Red Cross. But in 1901 he became the first recipient, along with the French pacifist, Frédéric Passy, of the Nobel peace prize.

Dunant died in 1910. By then, in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa, the Red Cross and the Geneva Conventions had taken root. Both were to be put to a severe test during the First World War.

Seven fundamental  principles of Red Cross .

• HUMANITY :The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavours – in its international and national capacities – to prevent and alleviate suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for every human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples. This principle, which underpins all the other principles, encompasses several ideas:-
  • Suffering is universal and requires a response: it cannot be met with indifference. Respect for human dignity is paramount in everything the Movement does. It implies helping and protecting others regardless of who they are or what they have done.
  • The Movement protects life and health by promoting international humanitarian law, preventing disaster and disease, and undertaking life-saving activities, from first aid to the provision of food and shelter.
• IMPARTIALITY : The Movement makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavours to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress. The principle of impartiality embodies three related concepts:-
  • Non-discrimination: Members of the Movement help people regardless of their religious beliefs, the colour of their skin, their political convictions, where they come from, or whether they are rich or poor.
  • Proportionality: Whether treating the wounded or distributing food, members of the Movement must ensure that those in greatest need receive assistance first.
  • Impartiality: Decisions must be made on a “needs only” basis and must not be influenced by personal considerations or feelings.
• NEUTRALITY : In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature. The Movement must not take sides or be regarded as doing so, either in its speech or in its actions, at any time or in any place. This enables its components to reach people who need help in crises and to maintain a dialogue with those involved in armed conflict and other violence. The Movement’s neutrality helps assure parties to a conflict that assisting civilians and wounded or detained fighters does not constitute interference in the conflict. The Movement’s components must build a reputation for neutral conduct in peacetime, so that they have the confidence of all sides, and can act more effectively at the onset of armed conflict or during other situations of violence.
• INDEPENDENCE: The Movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with the principles of the Movement.
  • It is only by being truly independent that the Movement can respect the principles of neutrality and impartiality.
  • Although auxiliary to the public authorities in the humanitarian field, National Societies must retain their autonomy when making decisions so that they can work in accordance with the Fundamental Principles at all times and in all situations. This may mean turning down any requests that are in conflict with these principles, and taking care not to submit to any interference or pressure.
  • The Movement’s components should be permitted to conduct independent assessments and to talk freely with people in need of assistance.
• VOLUNTARY SERVICE: The Movement is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.
  • The principle of voluntary service signifies the humanitarian motivation of all the people who work within the Movement, whether or not they are paid for it.
  • Members of the Movement have no motive for offering assistance other than a desire to help: this is a powerful statement of solidarity.
  • The Movement’s extensive network of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers is unique and ensures that people throughout the world receive assistance. It is a source of initiative and of inspiration for many other humanitarian endeavours; at the same time, it provides invaluable information about local contexts and the most appropriate way to help people in need.
  • Through its volunteers, the National Societies are rooted in local communities and help to strengthen and empower them.
• UNITY :There can be only one Red Cross or one Red Crescent Society in any one country. It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory. This principle enables National Societies to serve as a unifying force in countries and communities, and to promote understanding and peace.
  • The National Society must be the only one in the country and must conduct its humanitarian activities throughout the territory – in urban centres as well as in remote rural areas.
  • It must recruit volunteers and staff, and members of its governing board, from all ethnic and social groups without discriminating on the basis of race, gender, class, religion, political opinion or any other criterion.
• UNIVERSALITY: The Movement, in which all National Societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other, is worldwide.
  • The universality of suffering requires a universal response: National Societies exist in almost every country in the world and they have a collective responsibility to assist one another in responding to crises and to support each other’s development in a spirit of solidarity and mutual respect.
  • Regardless of size or resources, each National Society has equal voting rights in the Movement’s governing bodies.
  • The principle of universality also means that the failings or omissions of one component affect the entire Movement. The integrity and public image of the Movement depend on adherence by all to the Fundamental Principles.
    

MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF  SAMBALPUR DISTRICT  RED CROSS BRANCH

• Managing an Old age Home ( for women) at Fuljharan, Hatibati under Jujumura Block with 25 inmates .
• Supporting two Old Age Homes for Men at Huma( 18 inmates) and Maneswar under Maneswar Block( 9 inmates) . Supporting Child Care Institutions (CCIs)
• Material & financial help for Deaf & Dumb.
• Supporting the teaching staff in the School    for Visually Different Persons at  Burla
• Tree Plantation through likeminded NGOs
• Arranging Blood Donation camps / Health awareness camp/ HIV & AIDS awareness program .
• Organizing First Aid Training
• Supply of medicines to the poor and needy in Free Health Check up camps
• Free medical treatment for poor and needy who approach  for medicines in  Collector’s P.G. Cell
• Rendering Ambulance service for transportation of patients to Cuttack & Bhubaneswar medial.
• Providing Dead Body Carrier at Burla / Sambalpur / Rairakhol at subsidized rate.
• Dead Body carrier at free of cost to poor and BPL. Category.
• Providing Attendants for unidentified patients in accident cases.
• Imparting Tailoring Training  to  poor  women domestic workers.
• Financial support for education to rural based Tribal students/ orphan Students .
• Rehabilitating the Helpless & Differently able persons
• Financially supporting the inmates in the CCIs / Mental schools
• Caring support to children in the Special Adoption Agency (SAA)
• Promotion of Talents by Distributing prizes for the best students of the district.
• Caring the patients / distressed persons through the CMRF.
• Rehabilitation schemes for the widows / poor person in distress condition.
• Care for the Thalasemia & Sickle Cell patients .
• Support to Jail and Naribandi Niketan, Ambulance,T.V. Culler, Aqua guard.
• Support to T.V., Culler to Leprosy Home, Hatibari
• Helping Hand: collects usable old materials including cloths & stationeries with distributing it among poorest of the poor persons in  the slum areas.
• Support to DHH Sambalpur for eye checking instrument ( Rs.2,15,000/-) Support to SDH, Rairakhol for Hospital bed( Rs3,00,000/-)