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Walking the walk: Evidence of Principles in Action from Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 October 2015

Amelia B. Kyazze
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Abstract

Using evidence from nine different National Societies, this essay illustrates how the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement are practically applied in today's diverse contexts. The research has found that the Principles are not just abstract concepts but are in fact practical tools for initiating and implementing a range of programmes, particularly in difficult situations. The Fundamental Principles are useful for increasing access in both conflict and peaceful situations. Strong leadership is an important factor to ensure that the Principles are applied, particularly when neutrality is challenged. Lastly, all seven Principles work together and give additional strength to programmes when working as part of the Movement.

Keywords

Red Cross and Red Crescent MovementFundamental PrinciplesNational Societiesapplication of the Principlesvolunteersleadership
Type
Applying the principles
Information
International Review of the Red Cross , Volume 97 , Issue 897-898: Principles guiding humanitarian action , June 2015 , pp. 211 - 233
Copyright
Copyright © icrc 2015 

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References

1 Interview with Red Cross volunteer working in Social Care, Omagh, August 2014.

2 Interview with disaster management colleague working in Asia, location withheld, October 2015.

3 More information is available at: www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/red-cross-crescent-movement/fundamental-principles-movement-1986-10-31.htm (all internet references were accessed in July 2015).

4 The Good Humanitarian Donorship Principles are available at: www.worldhumanitariansummit.org/node/434472.

5 See www.sphereproject.org.

6 Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/media/publications/consensus_en.pdf.

7 For example, see the discussion in Sarah Collinson and Samir Elhawary, Humanitarian Space: A Review of Trends and Issues, Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG) Report No. 32, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, April 2012, p. 1; Antonio Donini (ed.), The Golden Fleece: Manipulation and Independence in Humanitarian Action, Kumarian Press, Sterling, VA, 2012, pp. 2–40; Sara Pantuliano, Kate Mackintosh and Samir Elhawary with Victoria Metcalfe, Counter-terrorism and Humanitarian Action: Tensions, Impact and Ways Forward, HPG Policy Brief No. 43, ODI, London, October 2011; O'Callaghan, Sorcha and Leach, Leslie, “The Relevance of the Fundamental Principles to Operations: Learning from Lebanon”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 95, No. 890, 2014, p. 9Google Scholar.

8 More information is available at: www.redcross.org.uk/About-us/Who-we-are/The-international-Movement/Fundamental-principles/Why-the-principles-matter-to-millions.

9 For example, see this statement signed by twenty-nine humanitarian organizations in February 2015: www.medair.org/en/stories/medair-signs-joint-statement-on-humanitarian-principles-endorsed-by-30-huma/.

10 Lebanon Case study: S. O'Callaghan and L. Leach, above note 7. Somalia case study: Sorcha O'Callaghan and Jane Backhurst, Principles in Action in Somalia, BRC, 2013.

11 S. O'Callaghan and L. Leach, above note 7.

12 S. O'Callaghan and J. Backhurst, above note 10.

13 Feinstein International Center, Kenya Red Cross and Nairobi Peace Initiative – Africa, Conflict Management and Disaster Risk Reduction: A Case Study of Kenya, 2013; Steven Hogberg, Final Project Report: Kenya Community Violence Prevention Project – Tana Delta, Canadian Red Cross, 2014; Gurvinder Singh, CRCS Support for Violence Prevention in Tana Delta, Kenya, Canadian Red Cross, 2013.

14 Amelia Kyazze, Paula Baizan and Sam Carpenter, Learning from the City: British Red Cross's Urban Learning Project Scoping Study, BRC, 2013. See also Alexandra Galperin, Final Evaluation: Election Preparedness Program 2010/2011, Uganda, BRC, 2011.

15 The research from Lebanon and South Africa consists of specific case studies from the Safer Access project. The Safer Access Framework is a tool and approach used by Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies to increase their acceptance, security and access to vulnerable people and communities. See www.icrc.org/saferaccess.

16 IFRC, Global Review on Volunteering, 2014, available at: www.ifrc.org/what-we-do/volunteers/global-review-on-volunteering/.

17 Jan Egland, Adele Harmer and Abby Stoddard, To Stay and Deliver: Good Practice for Humanitarians in Complex Security Environments, OCHA, 1 March 2011, pp. 3, 46.

18 Ibid., p. 47.

19 Ibid.

20 Yulia Dyukova and Paula Chetcuti, Humanitarian Principles in Conflict – Ensuring Humanitarian Principles are Respected in Armed Conflict and Other Situations of Violence: ACF's Experience and Position, Action Contre le Faim International, 2013.

21 Ingrid MacDonald and Angela Valenza, Tools for the Job: Supporting Principled Humanitarian Action, Norwegian Refugee Council and HPG (ODI), October 2012.

22 Ibid. The report also has a significant number of recommendations for donors and governments about improving principled humanitarian response, or not impeding such a response.

23 Terry, Fiona, “The International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan: Reasserting the Neutrality of Humanitarian Action”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 93, No. 881, 2011, pp. 173–188CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

24 Ibid., p. 187.

25 This article does not explore in any depth the application of the Fundamental Principles by the ICRC. For this, please see the article by Jérémie Labbé and Pascal Daudin in this issue of the Review.

26 Interview with Red Cross recruitment manager, Derry/Londonderry, August 2014.

27 The Canadian Red Cross uses a prevention education and capacity-building programme called RespectED in order to address situations of violence and abuse. For more information about this approach, see: www.redcross.ca/training-and-certification/course-descriptions/violence--bullying-and-abuse-prevention-courses.

28 Interview with Shelley Cardinal of the Canadian Red Cross, September 2014.

29 Ibid.

30 For example, see I. MacDonald and A. Valenza, above note 21.

31 See www.redcross.org.au/immigration-detention-monitoring.aspx.

32 Interview with former Australian Red Cross humanitarian observer, London, January 2015.

33 S. Hogberg, above note 13; G. Singh, above note 13.

34 Feinstein International Center et al., above note 13.

35 Interview with Kenyan Red Cross staff member, September 2015.

36 S. Hogberg, above note 13.

37 Former IFRC disaster management staff, Geneva, December 2014.

38 S. O'Callaghan and L. Leach, above note 7.

39 Ibid.

40 Ibid., p. 18.

41 See www.icrc.org/eng/assets/files/2013/safer-access-selected-experience-uganda.pdf.

42 Every National Society has an obligation to promote the protection of the Red Cross emblem. For more information, see: www.redcross.org.uk/About-us/Who-we-are/The-international-Movement/The-emblem.

43 A. Galperin, above note 14.

44 Interview with Red Cross colleague, 2012. Quoted in A. Kyazze, P. Baizan and S. Carpenter, above note 14, p. 34.

45 A. Galperin, above note 14.

46 Interview with Swedish Red Cross leadership, Stockholm, October 2014.

47 Interviews with Swedish Red Cross staff, Stockholm, October 2014.

48 Interview with Swedish Red Cross volunteer and refugee, Stockholm, October 2014. Translated from French by the author.

49 Interviews with staff at Swedish Red Cross HQ, Stockholm, October 2014.

50 There remains an unanswered question about whether and how often the Fundamental Principles are violated by National Societies, but this is very rarely documented and so is outside of the scope of this article.

51 IFRC in consultation with ICRC, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as Auxiliaries to the Public Authorities in the Humanitarian Field: Conclusions from the Study Undertaken by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, 2–6 December 2003, available at: www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/5xrfbm.htm.

52 As shared at an ICRC/IFRC-hosted Regional Workshop entitled “Reaffirming the Fundamental Principles: A Movement-Wide Initiative”, Beirut, March 2014.

53 Sorcha O'Callaghan and Leslie Leach, Principles in Action in Lebanon, BRC, ICRC and Lebanese Red Cross, 2012, p. 14.

54 Ibid., p. 15.

55 S. O'Callaghan and L. Leach, above note 7.

56 Interview with former head of Londonderry Red Cross active during the conflict, Derry/Londonderry, August 2014.

57 Interview with Northern Ireland management team, Belfast, August 2014.

58 As an example, the population cannot agree on one name for the city: some call it Derry, while others call it Londonderry. Street signs towards the city state both names.

59 Interview with Red Cross staff, London, August 2014.

60 Interview with Red Cross staff, Omagh, August 2014.

61 Interview with Red Cross staff, Derry/Londonderry, August 2014.

62 South African Red Cross Society and ICRC, Safer Access in Action Case Study: South Africa, 2013, available at: www.icrc.org/eng/assets/files/2013/safer-access-case-study-south-africa.pdf.

63 Ibid.

64 Interview with former Australian Red Cross humanitarian observer, London, January 2015.

65 Interview with BRC volunteer, Omagh, August 2014.

66 S. O'Callaghan and L. Leach, above note 7.

67 Former IFRC disaster management colleague, Geneva, December 2014.

68 For a discussion of how the Principles can be applied on a day-to-day basis, see the article by Katrien Beeckman in this issue of the Review.