English, NGOs & NPOs

Japan: ICRC president meets Japanese emperor and prime minister

Peter Maurer, the president of the ICRC, today concludes a two-day official visit to Japan, during which he met Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera and Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Masaji Matsuyama. Mr Maurer also met their majesties the emperor and empress at the Imperial Palace. Read More | View Original Article

Niger: ICRC supports herders in Agadez and Tillabery areas

The ICRC is purchasing approximately 8,000 head of cattle from herdsmen in the Tillabery and Agadez areas (in the west and north of the country, respectively) to support communities made vulnerable by the combined effects of climate and of conflict in Mali and Libya. Read More | View Original Article

Yemen: ICRC confirms safe return of staff members

Three staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who had been held since the beginning of the week by armed individuals in the vicinity of Ja’ar, in Abyan governorate, are now safely back with their colleagues in Aden. Read More | View Original Article

Violent incidents against health-care in at least 22 countries in 2012

A new study by the ICRC reveals that at least 921 violent incidents against health-care personnel, infrastructure and wounded or sick people took place in 2012. Read More | View Original Article

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Violence rises to unprecedented levels

Violence has reached unprecedented levels in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as fighting between the army and armed groups intensifies. The situation is compounded by inter-ethnic tensions and violence between armed groups in North Kivu and South Kivu. Read More | View Original Article

Violent incidents affecting health care

Over the course of 2012, the ICRC – through a variety of sources – collected information on 921 violent incidents affecting health-care during armed conflict and other emergencies in 22 countries. These incidents involved the use or threat of violence against health-care personnel, the wounded and the sick, health-care facilities and medical vehicles. This interim report analyses the main patterns of such violence that were identified. Read More | View Original Article

China: ICRC president pays official visit

Peter Maurer, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, completed a three-day visit to China today. Read More | View Original Article

"It's about Ability!" for young filmmakers in Viet Nam

HO CHI MINH CITY, Viet Nam, 14 May 2013 – Against the hustle and bustle of city traffic, a young boy is quietly putting up a large poster on an empty wall next to a restaurant. While he brushes on the glue with his one good hand, some local boys pull a trick by pouring water on him from the roof of the building. Read More | View Original Article

Philippines: Long road to recovery for survivors of Typhoon Bopha

More than four months have passed since Eastern Mindanao was hit by a typhoon that destroyed the homes and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people. This is an update on what the ICRC is doing to help them get back on their feet again. Read More | View Original Article

Mali: Water and electricity still in short supply in northern cities

In northern Mali, which has been experiencing armed conflict for nearly 16 months, hard-hit communities need better access to water. Since April 2012 the ICRC has been providing fuel to produce the electricity required to distribute much of the drinking water in three major cities. Read More | View Original Article

New challenges to old ways

Why would anybody want to prevent you from helping them? The naively simple question expresses the perplexity felt by humanitarians, whose well-intentioned desire to assist and protect is often stymied by power politics, mistrust, misunderstanding and manipulation. They struggle to understand why the container of food parcels and bandages is perceived to be carrying heavy ideological baggage. This was the crucial issue under discussion at an event co-hosted with the Humantarian Policy Group at the Overseas Development Institute on 29 April 2013. Read More | View Original Article

Syria: humanitarian catastrophe

The conflict in Syria is a major humanitarian disaster. Millions of Syrians need help. Their needs are growing, and the response from the outside world is insufficient. In an effort to bridge the gap, the ICRC is appealing for 62.3 million Swiss francs so it can do more. ICRC spokeswoman Dibeh Fakhr explains the impact of the conflict on civilians. Read More | View Original Article

Back to school after Typhoon Bopha

NEW BATAAN, Philippines, 13 May 2013 – Glenn Larabez can’t wait to go back to school. The 8-year-old usually attends second grade in his village in New Bataan in the province of Compostela Valley. As he speaks about the typhoon that destroyed his family’s home and stole away his pet bird, Alimokon, his voice becomes quiet, matching his tiny frame. Read More | View Original Article

Lenny Kravitz asks for your help in saving children from preventable diseases

NEW YORK, United States of America, 13 May 2013 – Four-year old Shahadat was crippled by polio when he was only 2. It came on suddenly, paralyzing his entire body. Shahadat can move his left leg, but he will never regain the use of his right leg. Living in cramped quarters near India’s capital, New Delhi, he faces a lifetime with a permanent handicap. Shahadat will never run home from school, chase a ball and live a life he deserved. Read More | View Original Article

In Afghanistan, reaching the hardest to reach with vaccines

KABUL, Afghanistan, 10 May 2013 – It has been another painful journey back from the children’s hospital for 4-year old Akram, a trip the young boy has made several times in the past two weeks with his mother, Zarghona. Akram was diagnosed with measles, and the disease has made him feeble and tired, with a high fever and little appetite. Read More | View Original Article

Syria: Surge required in humanitarian response to needs

The conflict and its fallout in adjacent countries have developed into a major humanitarian catastrophe. The ICRC must significantly increase its assistance to the civilian population severely affected by the violence. Read More | View Original Article

Florence Nightingale Medal: Honouring exceptional nurses and nursing aides - 2013 recipients

Thirty-two outstanding nurses from 16 countries have been awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal, which recognizes exceptional courage and devotion to victims of armed conflict or natural disaster. It also recognizes exemplary service or a pioneering spirit in the areas of public health or nursing education. Read More | View Original Article

A new pneumonia vaccine is launched to save thousands of children

IGANGA DISTRICT, Uganda, 10 May 2013 – Pneumonia is one of the top three killer diseases of children under the age of 5 globally. In Uganda, pneumonia kills up to 24,000 children every year before their fifth birthday. But now thousands of children’s lives will be saved by the recent introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Read More | View Original Article

Senegal: ICRC visits people held by MFDC

Delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited 12 people today who have been held since 3 May by the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC). All 12, three of whom are women, had been involved in mine-clearance operations in Casamance, a region beset by a protracted armed conflict. Read More | View Original Article

Two drops for Mecca: Mother of polio-affected girl opens doors to vaccination

HAWAN DAKI, Nigeria, 8 May 2013 – Aisha may not be able to read, but she never forgets a name, or a child. "Where are Hassan, Hassana and the other kids?" Aisha asks the woman of the house as she stands in the doorway. Hassana is in, but Hassan is outside,” says their mother. Read More | View Original Article

Executive Board members visit Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina, 7 May 2013 – A delegation from the UNICEF Executive Board, including officials from Albania, Finland, Guyana, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Kenya, recently paid a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Read More | View Original Article

How can innovation improve access to quality learning?

NEW YORK, United States of America, 3 May 2013 – Last week, the Government of Denmark and UNICEF hosted the interactive discussion ‘Breaking barriers: Innovative partnerships creating exponential change in access to quality learning’. Moderated by journalist Femi Oke, the lively discussion brought together government representatives, leaders from the private sector, civil society and others to explore how innovations can surmount barriers for children in fulfilling their right to access to a quality education and, more importantly, quality learning. Read More | View Original Article

Switzerland: Working with vulnerable children

In conversation with Anne Perrin, volunteer at the Swiss Red Cross. In this video Anne Perrin of the Swiss Red Cross talks about her work with vulnerable children in Geneva, and reflects on the relationships she has built and the lessons she has learnt Read More | View Original Article

World Red Cross Red Crescent Day 2013: Joint statement

On World Red Cross Red Crescent Day, we celebrate 150 years of humanitarian action and a continued commitment to serve vulnerable people in today’s changing world. By Tadateru Konoé, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross Read More | View Original Article

Iran/Iraq: Efforts continue to clarify fate of missing from 1980-1988 war

High-level representatives of Iran and Iraq are meeting in Geneva from 6 to 8 May, under the auspices of the ICRC, to follow up on the progress and results achieved by the Tripartite Committee (Iran, Iraq and the ICRC) in its efforts to clarify what happened to people who went missing in connection with the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War. Read More | View Original Article

Syria: Intense fighting hampers evacuation of dead and wounded

As the fighting continues to rage across different parts of Syria, causing hundreds of casualties every day, the timely evacuation of the dead and the wounded is becoming a daily challenge in the areas hardest hit. Read More | View Original Article

Young people express creative views of disabilities for video contest

NEW YORK, United States of America, 6 May 2013 - Ezeria Chazanga was born HIV-positive and deaf 20 years ago. She always had challenges relating to her peers because of her HIV status and her disability. But in spite of these seeming limitations, she recently took the opportunity to share her capabilities through a one-minute film. Read More | View Original Article

DR Congo: Funding appeal to boost emergency aid in east

With people in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo reeling from an upsurge in conflict and other armed violence over the last few months, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is stepping up its emergency humanitarian aid in the region. Read More | View Original Article

Solar power keeps vaccines cool in rural Haiti

ROSSIGNOL, Haiti, 3 May 2013 – Suzette Beliard has been a community health worker in this rural town for seven years. Today, like on many days, she’s preparing to give children vaccines and drops of vitamin A. Read More | View Original Article

Senegal: Income-generating projects for displaced people in Casamance

With support from the ICRC, 40 people displaced by the armed conflict in Casamance are about to participate in small income-generating projects. Read More | View Original Article