Sixty years on: why the Fundamental Principles must be lived, not just remembered
International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC
20,000 staff, 100 countries, 1 mission: to uphold IHL and protect and assist people affected by conflict and violence.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. Proclaimed in Vienna in 1965, they were born not as abstract ideals but as the direct result of over a hundred years of humanitarian action. They have enabled aid to cross frontlines, families to be reunited, and hope to reach places of despair. Yet today, the world in which they must operate is under extraordinary strain: conflicts drag on for years, humanitarian workers face record levels of attack, climate shocks compound existing crises, digitalization reshapes the battlefield, and politicization erodes the fragile space where help can reach those who need it most. The human consequences of war remain devastatingly constant, and the Principles that have guided the Movement since 1965 are under growing pressure.
In this post, ICRC’s Director General Pierre Krähenbühl reflects on the enduring relevance and importance of the Fundamental Principles in a rapidly shifting world. He argues that they are not self-sustaining ideals to be admired from afar, but living commitments that must be exercised and defended. Drawing on his three decades of humanitarian work, he makes the case that the Principles resist the dangerous normalization of war, safeguard access to people in need, and fuel the courage necessary to channel indignation into lifesaving action. At sixty, the Principles will only remain vital if we choose to live them, and in so doing, keep humanity alive in the darkest of times. This article is also available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
“The Fundamental Principles are not lofty ideals to be admired from afar. They are the very conditions that make life-saving humanitarian action by the Movement possible, and this is only if they are upheld.”
See also
--Agronomie
13h👌👌👌
Humanitarian Worker | Program Management | Business Analysis | Emergency Preparedness & Response | Security & Crisis Management Professional | MBA | MA. Intl. Relations and Diplomacy | BSc. Industrial Engineering
1dIHL fundamental principles should be human being principles by nature. However, without powerful tools to enforce them, they become ink on papers, and reminders don't find any echo among concerned actors
Head of ICRC Delegation in Baghdad, Iraq
1dThey keep us focused and determined!
Anesthesia and intensive care resuscitation technician في Palestine Red Crescent Society & Hospital - Albireh Branch
1dكيف يمكن التقديم للعمل في منظمه دوليه انا ممرض تخدير
Dr nauk społecznych
2d“The Fundamental Principles are not lofty ideals to be admired from afar. They are the very conditions that make life-saving humanitarian action by the Movement possible, and this is only if they are upheld.” * As you can see, it all depends on who is breaking the rules! If it is Israel, then in the opinion of many important figures, including the US president, everything is OK. Meanwhile, we are talking about crimes here!