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The Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Formation1928
TypeDeliberative body
Legal statusActive
HeadquartersGeneva, Switzerland
FieldsHumanitarianism
Chair
Mercedes Babé
Websitewww.standcom.ch

The Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent is the permanent statutory body of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the highest deliberative body of the Movement between the meetings of the Council of Delegates and the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. It was originally set up to coordinate cooperation between the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (previously known as the League of Red Cross Societies).

It consists of two representatives from the ICRC (including its president), two from the IFRC (including its president), and five individuals who are elected by the International Conference.[1] There is also a permanent administrative Secretariat currently located at the ICRC Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. There have been 65 previous elected members of the Standing Commission, in addition to the 5 members who are currently serving. The Standing Commission is also responsible for giving out the Henry Dunant Medal (the Movement's highest award) and the Red Cross Red Crescent Prize for Peace and Humanity.

History

The Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent is the permanent statutory body of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the highest deliberative body of the Movement between the meetings of the Council of Delegates and the International Conference, as well as the trustee of the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.[2] It was created during the 13th Red Cross Conference in The Hague, the Netherlands in 1928, under Article 18, resolution X.[3] It was set up, in part, to be a connecting force between the International Committee of the Red Cross and the League (today the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies), as there had been some disputes over how the Movement should be run and what level of autonomy the League should have. After years of disagreement, Colonel Paul Draudt who was Vice-Chairman of the League and Max Huber of the ICRC drafted a plan that formed the basis for the adoption of the “Statutes of the International Red Cross” in 1928. This resulted in the League being recognised as a full component of the Movement and helped build institutional stability and effectiveness. In order to help with this cooperation a new International Council was approved- which was the direct predecessor of the Standing Commission.[4] Since then, the Standing Commission has been making arrangements for the International Conference (held every four years) such as setting the place and date, establishing the programme, preparing the provisional agenda for submission to the Council of Delegates as well as promoting the Conference, encouraging members of the Conference to make pledges and securing optimum attendance. It has also encouraged implementation of resolutions, examined issues of concern for the Movement and worked to promote cooperation and coordination within the different branches of the Movement.[2]

Role and Mandate

The Standing Commission's main role is to act as the trustee of the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The International Conference is the highest institutional body of the Movement and every four years members from the ICRC, IFRC, the National Societies as well as states and other relevant international actors meet to discuss humanitarian matters. In between the Conferences, the Standing Commission acts as the supreme body and is mandated to provide strategic guidance to all the components of the Movement, along with supervising the implementation of and compliance with the resolutions made during the International Conference.[5] Its functions and goals are defined in article 18 of the Statutes of the Movement and have been further developed in the Council of Delegates (CoD) and International Conference resolutions.[6]

In addition to its responsibilities regarding arrangements for International Conferences and meetings of the Council, the Standing Commission is responsible for

Another purpose (in consultation with the ICRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and National Societies) is to provide strategic guidance in matters which concern the Movement as a whole. It prepares Movement-wide policies such as the Strategy for the Movement, which aims at coordination and cohesion in action.[7] It is the only body in the Movement where all components are represented and which meets regularly on a permanent basis. For the implementation of its decisions, the Commission relies on the ICRC, the International Federation, and the National Societies as components of the Movement. In preparing Councils of Delegates and International Conferences, the Commission focuses on the inclusion of and consultation with National Societies, in order to try to stay in touch with local needs and with external developments.[8] The Standing Commission was also instrumental in bringing the Seville Agreement to the Council of Delegates for adoption to better regulate more cooperation between different components of the Movement. The Standing Commission convenes at least twice a year.

Membership

The Standing Commission has nine members, five elected from national societies but serving in a personal capacity; two from the International Committee of the Red Cross (one of whom serves as President); and two from the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).[1] There is also a permanent administrative Secretariat located at the ICRC Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.[9]

Previous and current elected members of the Standing Commission

Number Name National Society Gender Period
1 Pierre Nolf Belgian Red Cross Male 1930-34
2 Prince Tokugawa Japanese Red Cross Male 1930-38
3 Lady Novar British Red Cross Female 1930-34
4 Torolf Prytz Norwegian Red Cross Male 1930-34
5 Marquis de Hoyos Spanish Red Cross Male 1930-34
6 General D. Ricardo Burguete y Lana Spanish Red Cross Male 1934-38
7 Dr Ibrahim Refik Saydam Bey Turkish Red Crescent Society Male 1934-38
8 Alvaro Carlos Tourinho Brazilian Red Cross Male 1934-38
9 Sir Arthur Stanley British Red Cross Male 1934-46
10 Axel Hultkranz Swedish Red Cross Male 1938-48
11 Dr Chao Phya Bijayanati Thai Red Cross Male 1938-48
12 Dr Pedro Vignau Argentinian Red Cross Male 1938-48
13 Senator Giuseppe de Michelis Italian Red Cross Male 1938-48
14 Count Folke Bernadotte Swedish Red Cross Male 1946-48
15 André François-Ponçet French Red Cross Male 1948-65
16 Tom Willmott Sloper Brazilian Red Cross Male 1948-65
17 Ali Rana Tarhan Turkish Red Crescent Male 1948-52
18 Henrik Beer Swedish Red Cross Male 1949-51
19 Lord Woolton British Red Cross Male 1952-57
20 Boris Pachkov Russian Red Cross Male 1952-57
21 James Thomas Nicholson American Red Cross Male 1951-57
22 Rajkumari Amrit Kaur Indian Red Cross Female 1952-57
23 General Alfred Maximilian Gruenther American Red Cross Male 1957-65
24 Prof Georgy Miterev Russian Red Cross Male 1957-73
25 Angela Countess of Limerick British Red Cross Female 1965-73
26 General F. Collins American Red Cross Male 1965-73
27 Hans (Ritter von) Lauda Austrian Red Cross Male 1965-69
28 Sir Geoffrey Newman-Morris Australian Red Cross Male 1965-77
29 Dr Ahmed Djebli-Elaydouni Moroccan Red Crescent Male 1969-73
30 Dr Nadejda Troyan Russian Red Cross Female 1973-77
31 George Aitken Canadian Red Cross Male 1973-77
32 Alexandra Issa-el-Khoury Lebanese Red Cross Female 1973-77
33 Sir Evelyn Shuckburgh British Red Cross Male 1973-81
34 Dr Kai Warras Finnish Red Cross Male 1977-86
35 HE Dr Ahmed Abu-Goura Jordan National Red Crescent Male 1977-81
36 OMR Prof Dr Werner Ludwig German Red Cross Male 1977-81
37 Rito Alcantara Senegalese Red Cross Male 1977-81
38 R. James Kane Canadian Red Cross Male 1981-86
39 Soehanda Ijas Indonesian Red Cross Male 1981-95
40 Dr Janos Hantos Hungarian Red Cross Male 1981-95
41 Hon Byron Hove Zimbabwe Red Cross Male 1986-99
42 Dr Botho Prinz su Sayn Wittgenstein-Hohenstein German Red Cross Male 1986-95
43 Mavy Harmon Brazilian Red Cross Female 1986-95
44 Véronique Ahouanmenou Red Cross of Benin Female 1993-95
45 Guillermo Rueda Montaña Colombian Red Cross Male 1995-99
46 Princess Christina Magnuson Swedish Red Cross Female 1995-03
47 Princess Margriet Netherlands Red Cross Female 1995-03
48 Tadateru Konoe Japanese Red Cross Male 1995-03
49 General Georges Hanouk Lebanese Red Cross Male 1998-99
50 Prof Mamoun Yousif Hamid The Sudanese Red Crescent Male 1999-99
51 Dr Abdul-Rahman Al-Swailam Saudi Red Crescent Authority Male 1999-03
52 Dr Freddy Karup Pedersen Danish Red Cross Male 2003-07
53 Janet M. Davidson Canadian Red Cross Female 2003-07
54 Philippe Cuvillier French Red Cross Male 2003-07
55 Zoy Katevas de Sclabos Chilean Red Cross Female 2003-07
56 Adama Diarra Mali Red Cross Male 2007-11
57 Eamon Harrison Courtenay Belize Red Cross Male 2007-11
58 Greg Vickery Australian Red Cross Male 2011-2019
59 Steven E. Carr American Red Cross Male 2007-2015
60 H.E. Dr Mohammed Al-Hadid Jordan National Red Crescent Society Male 1999-2015
61 Dr Massimo Barra Italian Red Cross Male 2007-2019
62 Hon. Pär Stenback Finnish Red Cross Male 2011-2015
63 Eva von Oelreich Swedish Red Cross Female 2015-2017
64 Chrystold Chetty Red Cross Society of Seychelles Male 2015-2019
65 George Weber Canadian Red Cross Society Male 2015-
66 Ibrahim Osman The Sudanese Red Crescent Male 2017-2019
67 Mercedes Babé Spanish Red Cross Female 2019-
68 Abbas Gullet Kenya Red Cross Society Male 2019-
69 Dr Hilal Al Sayer Kuwait Red Crescent Society Male 2019-
70 Fine Tu'itupou Arnold Cook Islands Red Cross Society Female 2019-

[9]

The Henry Dunant Medal

Main article: Henry Dunant Medal

The Henry Dunant Medal is the highest award of the Red Cross Movement and is presented and awarded by the Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The Standing Commission makes up to five awards every two years.[10] The medal is awarded in order to “recognise and reward outstanding services and acts of great devotion, mainly of international significance, to the cause of the Red Cross/Red Crescent by any of its members.”[10] Special weight is put on the international significance of a potential recipient's acts or service. The medal was first given in 1969 and 149 individuals have received the award since then.[11]

Table of previous Henry Dunant medal winners

Number Name Nationality Gender Year
1 Dr Frantisek Janouch Czechoslovakia Male 1969
2 Dr Dragan Hercog Serbia Male 1969
3 Robert Carlson Sweden Male 1969
4 Pierre-André Tacier Switzerland Male 1969
5 Sachiko Hashimoto Japan Female 1971
6 André François-Poncet France Male 1971
7 Katalin Durgo Hungary Female 1971
8 John McAulay Canada Male 1971
9 Dr Pavle Gregoric Croatia Male 1971
10 Prof Georgy Miterev Russia Male 1975
11 Angela Countess of Limerick United Kingdom Female 1975
12 Pierre Boissier Switzerland Male 1975
13 Ferer Segura Mexico Male 1975
14 Dr Irena Domanska Poland Female 1975
15 Duke of Hernani Spain Male 1977
16 Baroness Mallet France Female 1977
17 Corp Saing Aung Hlaing Myint Myanmar Male 1977
18 Countess Etta Waldersee Germany Female 1977
19 Sir Geoffrey Newman-Morris Australia Male 1979
20 Alan Bièri Switzerland Male 1979
21 André Tièche Switzerland Male 1979
22 Charles Chatora Zimbabwe Male 1979
23 George Aitken Canada Male 1979
24 José Dolores Estrada-Granizo Nicaragua Male 1979
25 Louis Gaulis Switzerland Male 1979
26 Marvin Alberto Flores-Salazar Nicaragua Male 1979
27 Leslie Barry Ireland Female 1979
28 Louise Henriette van Overeem-Ziegenhardt Netherlands Female 1979
29 Krista Djordjevic Croatia Female 1981
30 Ismael Reyes Icabalceta Nicaragua Male 1981
31 Melchior Borsinger Switzerland Male 1981
32 Alexandra Issa-el-Khoury Lebanon Female 1981
33 OMR Prof Dr Werner Ludwig Germany Male 1983
34 Dr Abdul Aziz Mudarris Saudi Arabia Male 1983
35 Dr Bagus Rudiono Indonesia Male 1983
36 Mariano Bahamonde Ruiz Chile Male 1983
37 Hans Christian Bennetzen Denmark Male 1983
38 John Henry Felix United States Male 1983
39 Walter Bargatzky Germany Male 1983
40 Olga Milosevic Serbia Female 1985
41 Tom Willmott Sloper Brazil Male 1985
42 Marie Josée Burnier Switzerland Female 1987
43 Dr Anton Schlogel Germany Male 1987
44 Dr Kai Warras Finland Male 1987
45 HRH Princess Gina of Liechtenstein Liechtenstein Female 1987
46 Hon Justice Joseph Adetunyi Adefarasin Nigeria Male 1987
47 Enrique de la Mata Spain Male 1987
48 Juan José Vega Aguiar Cuba Male 1987
49 Onni Nishannen Ethiopia/Sweden Male 1987
50 Prof Gejza Mencer Czechoslovakia Male 1989
51 Dr Ali Fourati Tunisia Male 1989
52 George Elsey United States Male 1989
53 Leon George Stubbings Australia Male 1989
54 Michael Egabu Uganda Male 1989
55 Prof Dr ML Kashetra Snidvongs Thailand Male 1989
56 Kamar Kazoon Choura Syria Female 1991
57 Baron Kraijenhoff Netherlands Male 1991
58 Dr Janos Hantos Hungary Male 1991
59 Alexandre Hay Switzerland Male 1991
60 Dr Carlos Alberto Vera Martinez Paraguay Male 1991
61 Faqir Yar Afghanistan Male 1991
62 Graeme Whyte New Zealand Male 1991
63 Juanito Patong Philippines Male 1991
64 Peter Altwegg Switzerland Male 1991
65 Walter Berweger Switzerland Male 1991
66 William Cassis Lebanon Male 1991
67 Zamany Mohammed Osman Afghanistan Male 1991
68 Susanne Buser Switzerland Female 1993
69 Jock Sutherland New Zealand Male 1993
70 Dr Pedro José Manrique Lander Venezuela Male 1993
71 HE Dr Ahmed Abu-Ghoura Jordan Male 1993
72 Abdul Qadar Pakistan Male 1993
73 Arthur Brian Hodgson United Kingdom Male 1993
74 Frédéric Maurice Switzerland Male 1993
75 Jon Karlsson Iceland Male 1993
76 Kurt Lustenberger Switzerland Male 1993
77 Michel Kuhn Switzerland Male 1993
78 Mohammed Zaboor Afghanistan Male 1993
79 Win van Boxelaere Belgium Male 1993
80 Maria Luisa Torres de la Cruz Chile Female 1993
81 Sarah Veronica Leomy Sierra Leone Female 1993
82 Tunku Tan Sri Mohamed Bin Tunku Besar Burhanuddin Malaysia Male 1995
83 Dr Botho Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein Germany Male 1995
84 Dr Esmildo Gutierrez Sanchez Cuba Male 1995
85 Dr Hugo Ernesto Merino Grijalva Ecuador Male 1995
86 Prof Hans Haug Switzerland Male 1995
87 Jaqueline Briot France Female 1995
88 Sheryl Thayer New Zealand Female 1997
89 Dr Ahmed Alsherif Libya Male 1997
90 Aimé Amuli Uganda Male 1997
91 Amin Booyi Andana Uganda Male 1997
92 Bahozi Kabaka DRC Male 1997
93 Bernard Umba Kanonge DRC Male 1997
94 Cédric Martin Switzerland Male 1997
95 Chin Chun Cambodia Male 1997
96 Déogratias Kitungao Bisahi DRC Male 1997
97 Dieudonné Budogo DRC Male 1997
98 Djuma Sebasore DRC Male 1997
99 Enzo Boletti Italy Male 1997
100 Hans Elkerbrot Netherlands Male 1997
101 Herculano Tchipindi Angola Male 1997
102 Ilunfa Sebastien DRC Male 1997
103 Juan Ruffino Italy Male 1997
104 Luiji Apata Uganda Male 1997
105 Mafuta Nzangamya DRC Female 1997
106 Reto Neuenschwander Switzerland Male 1997
107 Véronique Ahouanmenou Benin Female 1997
108 Fernanda Calado Spain Female 1997
109 Gunnhild Myklebust Norway Female 1997
110 Ingebjorg Foss Norway Female 1997
111 Nancy Malloy Canada Female 1997
112 Ute Stuhrwoldt Germany Female 1999
113 Dr Guillermo Rueda Montaña Colombia Male 1999
114 Hon Dr Byron Hove Zimbabwe Male 1999
115 Donald Tansley Canada Male 1999
116 Phlech Phiroun Cambodia Female 2001
117 Roger Durand Switzerland Male 2001
118 Noreen Minogue Australia Female 2003
119 André Durand Switzerland Male 2003
120 Prof Frits Kalshoven Netherlands Male 2003
121 Monique Basque Côte d’Ivoire Female 2003
122 Princess Christina Sweden Female 2005
123 Col Dr Mekonnen Muluneh Ethiopia Male 2005
124 Dr Jean Simon Pictet Switzerland Male 2005
125 Gen Bjorn Egge Norway Male 2005
126 The Volunteers of the Indonesian Red Cross Society, the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, the Indian Red Cross Society and the Thai Red Cross Society - - 2005
127 Josiane Gabel France Female 2007
128 Hon James Joseph Carlton Australia Male 2007
129 Alexander Dumba Ika DRC Male 2007
130 Christoph Hensch Switzerland Male 2007
131 Zoy Katevas Lazaratu de Sclabos Chile Female 2009
132 Muctarr Amadu Sheriff Jalloh Sierra Leone Male 2009
133 Dr Cornelio Sommaruga Switzerland Male 2009
134 Dr Fouad Hamza Syria Male 2009
135 Hon Pär Stenback Finland Male 2009
136 Datuk Datin Paduka Ruby Lee Malaysia Female 2009
137 Dr Shimelis Adugna Ethiopia Male 2011
138 Dr Astrid Nöklebye Heiberg Norway Female 2011
139 Dr Bosko Jakovljevic Serbia Male 2011
140 Barges Hamoud Al-Barges Kuwait Male 2013
141 Dr Alberto Cairo Italy Male 2013
142 Tom Buruku Uganda Male 2013
143 Doña Meneca de Mencía Honduras Female 2013
144 Manowara Sarkar Bangladesh Female 2015
145 Dr Ahmed Mohamed Hassan Somalia Male 2015
146 Dr Mamdouh Kamal Gabr Egypt Male 2015
147 Stephen Davey United Kingdom Male 2015
148 Michael Bothe Germany Male 2017
149 Arthur Agany Poole South Sudan Male 2017
150 Michael Meyer United Kingdom Male 2019
151 Dr Mario Villaroel Lander Venezuela Male 2019
152 Dr Manuela Cabero Morán Spain Female 2019

[9]

Red Cross Red Crescent Prize for Peace and Humanity

The Standing Commission is also responsible for awarding the Red Cross and Red Crescent Prize for Peace and Humanity. It was created in 1987 and is given either to National Societies or to persons in the Movement “who have actively contributed to a more peaceful world through humanitarian action and the dissemination of the ideals of the Movement”.[12] Only four recipients have received it so far, the Lebanese Red Cross in 1989, the Somali Red Crescent in 1993, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in 2013, and Dr Mohammed Al-Hadid of the Jordan National Red Crescent Society in 2019.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b 7. Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Adopted by the 25th International Conference of the Red Cross at Geneva in 1986, amended in 1995 and 2006
  2. ^ a b 4. “Red Cross-Red Crescent Statutory Meetings-What’s What”, Pamphlet produced by the Secretariat of the Standing Commission in consultation with the ICRC and the IFRC.
  3. ^ 2. Résolutions et Vœux votés par la XIII’ Conférence Internationale de la Croix Rouge, La Haye, 27/28 Octobre 1928
  4. ^ 3. Reid, Daphne A. and Patrick F. Gilbo. “Beyond Conflict. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 1919-1994”, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva 1997.
  5. ^ "Role and Mandate of the Standing Commission". Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  6. ^ 5. Résolutions et Vœux votés par la XIII’ Conférence Internationale de la Croix Rouge, La Haye, 27/28 Octobre 1928.
  7. ^ “Red Cross-Red Crescent Statutory Meetings-What’s What”, Pamphlet produced by the Secretariat of the Standing Commission in consultation with the ICRC and the IFRC.
  8. ^ "International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent", International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 91, Number 876, December 2009.
  9. ^ a b c ICRC archives, Geneva Headquarters, Switzerland
  10. ^ a b 10. "What is the Henry Dunant Medal?". Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Pamphlet
  11. ^ “50 Years of the Henry Dunant Medal: Honouring the Winners”, booklet produced by the Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, 2013.
  12. ^ a b "Peace Prize". Archived from the original on 2014-03-13. Retrieved 2014-08-19.

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