The Red Cross idea was born in 1859, when Henry Dunant, a young Swiss from Geneva, came upon the scene of the bloody battle of Solferino in Northern Italy, fight between the armies of imperial Austria and the France-Sardinian alliance, about 40,000 laid dead or dying on the battlefield and the wounded were without medical attention.
Henry Dunant organized nearby people of Castiglione and Solferino-travellers, priests, housewives, available to provide the wounded with food and First Aid. In 1862 he published the book A Memory of Solferino, in which he described the horror of the fight and condition of the thousands of wounded left without proper care. Dunant called for the creation of national relief societies, an idea which eventually led to the formation of the Red Cross.
|Name : |Jean Henri Dunant |
|Born : |May 8, 1828(1828-05 08)Geneva, Switzerland |
|Died: |October 30, 1910(1910-10-30) (aged 82) |
| |Heiden, Switzerland |
|Nationalit: |Swiss |
|Awards: |Nobel Peace Prize (1901) |

Dunant's appeal in his book was :-
"Would there not be some means, during a period of peace and calm, of forming Relief Societies whose object would be to have the wounded cared for in time of war by enthusiastic, devoted volunteers, fully qualified for the task?"
"Would it not be possible for the princes of the art of warfare from different nations, to take advantage of a special congress to formulate some international principle, with the sanction of an inviolable Convention, which, once accepted and rectified, might constitute a basis for Societies for the relief of the wounded in the various countries of Europe?"
To help promote these ideas, four citizens of Geneva - General Henri Guillaume Dufour, Dr. Louis Appia, Dr. Theodore Maunoir and Gustave Moymer- Joined Henry Dunant and set up first the International Committee for Relief to the Wounded, which was later renamed as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). In an conference held at Geneva where representatives from sixteen countries attended in October 1863. They adopted ten resolutions that formed the founding charter of the Red Cross, defining factions and working methods for the relief to the wounded. The Red Cross was then a reality.
However, the Committee's main task still lay ahead: to persuade the governments that the wounded and those carrying them should be considered non-combatants, since they were not- or were no longer taking part in the fighting and needed protection. This concept of Neutrality have been embodied in an international treaty providing for the protection of war victims, medical personnel, hospitals and ambulances. In August 1864, the Swiss Government convened in Geneva a diplomatic conference, where the delegates of twelve participating governments adopted the Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded Armies in the field.
This treaty, with its ten articles, is a milestone in the history of Humanity. Until then, war and law had been largely considered irreconcilable. From then on the wounded were to "be collected and cared for" and ambulances, military hospitals and medical staff were to be "recognized as neutral and, as such, protected and respected by the belligerent, to whatever nation they belong". The Convention recognized the Red Cross on white ground- first adopted in 1863 as the symbol of the embryonic Red Cross Movement- as a protective emblem to be used by all armies for identifying medical personnel, hospitals and ambulances. Components of the International Red Cross and
Red Crescent Movement
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a private, independent humanitarian organization, with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The ICRC bases its activities on the provisions of International Humanitarian Law, and is neutral in polities, religion, and ideology. The ICRC upholds and disseminates the Fundamental Principles of the Movement, recognizes newly established or reconstituted National Societies which fulfill conditions for recognition, words for the observance, development and dissemination of International Humanitarian Law, and is natural in politics, religion and ideology. The ICRC endeavors to assist and to ensure the protection of military and civilian victims of armed conflict and internal strife and their direct results. Within these roles, it may take any humanitarian initiative as a natural and independent intermediary. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
In may 1919, on the initiative of Henry P. Davison of the American Red Cross, representatives of American, British, French, Italian and Japanese Red Cross Societies came together to formally establish the League of Red Cross Societies which was the forerunner of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Its first objective was "to strengthen and unite for health activities of the existing Red Cross Societies and to promote the creation of new Societies".
Today the IFRC is a vast organization with 186 National Societies. When all its National Societies are taken together and the statistics for their national programmes are added up, revealed as an organization of 128 million members and volunteers and 263,000 staff. This makes the Federation a truly global entity, with enormous humanitarian potential.
The IFRC's main purposes are to assist its member National Societies in Disaster Preparedness and Response, in developing their activities, and to be their international spokesman and representative. The IFRC supports the National Societies and the ICRC in their efforts of develops and disseminate the knowledge of International Humanitarian Law and to promote the Fundamental Principles. Among its member Societies, the Federation acts as both catalyst and coordinator. It is a forum for ideas and exchange of experience between the National Societies.
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Society
The National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is the base of the Movement. There are 186 officially recognized Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Crystal Societies, uniting 128 million individual members and volunteers and 263,000 employees. They provide emergency relief to victims of natural & man made disasters at both the national and international level; work in the fields of community development, social welfare and public health including health education, nursing and blood banks. In cooperation with their sister Societies, the Federation Secretariat and the ICRC, the National Societies disseminate international humanitarian law, the Fundamental Principles and the ideals of the Movement. To deliver their humanitarian services efficiently and effectively, the National Societies support each other in the strengthening and development of their institutional and operational capacities.
The Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross & the Red Crescent Movement
The doctrine of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is summed up in the Fundamental Principles of the Movement, unanimously proclaimed by the 20th International Conference in 1965. The Fundamental Principles give Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers clear guidelines to facilitate and define scope for their humanitarian work, and also provide a firm and universally accepted basis for the promotion of the movement's ideals and humanitarian values.
Humanity
The International Red Cross and Crescent Movement born of d desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavors, in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation, and lasting peace among all peoples.
Impartiality
It makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious, beliefs, Class, or political opinions. It endeavors to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

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.
Independence
The Movement is independent. The 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.
Voluntary Service
It is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.

Unity
There can only be one Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in any one country. It must be open to all. It must carry of its humanitarian work throughout its territory.
Universality
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in which all Societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping other, is worldwide.
The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society
The Bangladesh Red Cross Society was constituted on 31 March, 1973 by the President's Order No.26 of 1973 with retrospective effect from the 16th December 1971. The Society was recognized by ICRC on 20 September, 1973 and admitted to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on 02 November, 1973. The name and emblem were changed from Red Cross to Red Crescent on 4th April 1988 vide Act 25 of 1988.
The President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh is ex-officio President of the Society. The President appoints the Chairman of the Society for a term of 3 years, who may hold two consecutive terms.
The BDRCS has 68 Units. A Unit is constituted in each district and in the Metropolitan cities of Dhaka. Chittagong, Rajshahi & Khulna. Administration and management of the affairs and business of a Unit vest in the Executive Committee consisting of a Chairman, one Vice-Chairman, one Secretary and eight other members. The Chairman of the Zilla Parishad in case of District and Mayor of the City Corporation in case of a City is the Chairman of the Unit Executive Committee. The Vice-Chairman, the Secretary and five other members are elected by the General Members of the respective Unit for a term of 3 years, while the other three members are nominated by the Chairman of the Society on the recommendation of the Chairman of the Executive Committee.
Each Unit nominates two Delegates from amongst the members of the Executive Committee. These Delegates along with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and members of the Managing Board and one representative each from the Ministries of (1) Defense, (2) Food and Disaster Management, (3) Health & Family Welfare and (4) Social Welfare constitute the General Body of the Society which is the highest policy and decision-making body of the Society.
The Managing Board consists of the Chairman appointed by the President and the vice-Chairman, Treasurer and 12 Members elected by the General Body for a 3 years' term. Subject to the control of the General Body, the administration and management of the business and affairs of the Society vest in the Managing Board.
BDRCS National Headquarters at Boro Moghbazar, Dhaka is the Secretariat of the Society. The Secretary General, appointed by the Managing Board, heads the Secretariat. He is ex-officio the Secretary to the Managing Board. The Managing Board also appoints a Deputy Secretary General, who performs the functions of the Secretary General in his absence. The Secretariat is organized in five divisions, namely, Disaster Management, Health Services, Planning & Development, Central Support Services and Finance & Accounts.
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