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Human rights as perceived by the founders of the Red Cross

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2010

Extract

Red Cross doctrine and human rights doctrine have gradually converged, revealing spheres of activity and formal research common to both. It may be interesting to consider to what degree the idea of protection of human rights was present in the minds of the founders of the Red Cross, and how their original purposes were extended until they included some basic aspects of protection of the human individual.

Type
The Red Cross and human rights
Copyright
Copyright © International Committee of the Red Cross 1988

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References

1 Schindler, Dietrich, “The International Committee of the Red Cross and Human Rights”, International Review of the Red Cross, (IRRC), No. 208, 0102 1979, p. 4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

2 Pictet, Jean, “The Principles of International Humanitarian Law”, ICRC, Geneva, 1966, p. 12.Google Scholar

3 “The Red Cross, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavours—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, co-operation and lasting peace amongst all peoples.”

4 «La Conférence de Londres en 1875» in La Croix-Rouge, Bulletin belge de l'Alliance universelle, Vol. III, No. 3, 09, 1875, p. 54.Google Scholar

5 See de Pourtalès, Y. and Durand, R.-H., “Henry Dunant, promoter of the 1874 Brussels Conference”, IRRC, No. 167, 02 1975.Google Scholar

6 The printed prospectus (Bibliothèque publique et universitaire, (BPU), Geneva, GF 410) reproduces the manuscript draft (Bibliothèque nationale, Bern, Ms Lq 13 No. 7) with minor variations. A facsimile reproduction of the manuscript appears in the International Review of the Red Cross, No. 103, 10 1969 Google Scholar, as an appendix to an article by Schazmann, Paul-Emile, “The Flame of Charity, letters from Henry Dunant to Dr. Emil Jordy”, pp. 571582 CrossRefGoogle Scholar. See also the same author's “Droits de l'homme, contre l'arbitraire administratif et les préjugés populaires: un inédit d'Henry Dunant”, in Journal de Genève, 5–6 10 1968, p. 18.Google Scholar

7 See Sée, Henri, Histoire de la Ligue des droits de l'Homme, Paris, 1927 Google Scholar. The text of the draft statutes appeared in L'Aurore of 1 04 1898.Google Scholar

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11 “Das Moderne Kriegsrecht der zivilisierten Staaten, als Rechtsbuch dargestellt”, Nördlingen 1866.Google Scholar

12 See Dietrich Schindler's article on Jean-Gaspard Bluntschli, Paul Ruegger's article on Gustave Moynier and Jean J. A. Salmon's article on Gustave Rolin-Jaequemyns in the Livre du Centenaire (1873–1973) of the Institute of International Law (S. Karger S.A., Basel, 1973).

13 From the original French manuscript “Les rigueurs de la guerre et le droit des gens”.

14 See Moreillon, Jacques, “The fundamental principles of the Red Cross, peace and human rights”, IRRC, No. 217, 0708 1980, pp. 171183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

15 See Wilhelm, René-Jean, “Le caractère des droits accordés à l'individu dans les Conventions de Genève” IRRC, No. 380, 08 1950, p. 561.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

16 See Lossier, Jean-Georges, «La Croix-Rouge et la déclaration universelle des droits de l'homme», RICR, n° 364, 04 1949, p. 259 CrossRefGoogle Scholar and Schindler, Dietrich, “The International Committee of the Red Cross and Human Rights”, IRRC, No. 208, 0102 1979, pp. 314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

17 Pictet, Jean, Humanitarian Law and the Protection of War Victims, A. W. Sijthoff, Leiden, Henry Dunant Institute, Geneva, 1975.Google Scholar

18 Council of Delegates, Document CD/7/1, Geneva, 08 1983 Google Scholar. See also Junod, Sylvie “Droit international et droits de l'homme”, a paper presented to the First Seminar of International Humanitarian Law, National University, Institute of International Public Law, Buenos Aires, 05 1981.Google Scholar