The Colombian Red Cross is a

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

n-based

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

private entity member of the

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Society The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is a worldwide humanitarian aid organization that reaches 160 million people each year through its 191 member National Societies. It acts before, during and after disast ...

. It has been a member since 1922. The Colombian Red Cross embraces the principles of the International Red Cross. It provides

humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid is material and Humanitarian Logistics, logistic assistance, usually in the short-term, to people in need. Among the people in need are the homelessness, homeless, refugees, and victims of natural disasters, wars, and famines. Th ...

to people in need of protection, protection of life and health during armed conflict and

disaster relief Emergency management (also Disaster management) is a science and a system charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actu ...

during emergencies within the Colombian territory. The Colombian Red Cross has played a major humanitarian role within the

Colombian Armed Conflict The Colombian conflict () began on May 27, 1964, and is a low-intensity asymmetric war between the government of Colombia, far-right paramilitary groups, crime syndicates and far-left guerrilla groups fighting each other to increase their i ...

as a mediator in the area of

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

History

The National Society of the Colombian Red Cross was founded in 1915. The idea of founding the Colombian Red Cross was first conceived by physician and member of the National Academy of Medicine Dr. Hipolito Machado and followed by pupil and physician Adriano Perdomo. Other original founders were entrepreneur Santiago Samper who would initially sponsor it and also physicians Jose Maria Montoya and Nicolas Buendia. Some of the people mentioned above were participants in the

Thousand Days War The Thousand Days' War () was a civil war fought in Colombia from 17 October 1899 to 21 November 1902, at first between the Liberal Party and the government led by the National Party, and later – after the Conservative Party had ousted the ...

. They brought it upon themselves to use a horse-drawn carriage as an

ambulance An ambulance is a medically-equipped vehicle used to transport patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to ...

to transport victims in the battlefield. The society was recognized by the

Colombian government The Government of Colombia is a republic with separation of powers into executive, judicial and legislative branches. Its legislature has a congress, its judiciary has a supreme court, and its executive branch has a president. The citiz ...

in 1916 and it was recognized internationally by the International Red Cross in 1922. Currently it exists under Law 852 of 2003 which rules the scope of the activities of the Colombian Red Cross and under Law 875 of 2004 which regulates the use of the emblem.

Mission

The Colombian Red Cross mission exists under the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement as expressed by the text below: Translation: To prevent and to alleviate the suffering and lack of protection of people affected by contingencies, with impartiality, without discrimination of nationality, race, sex, religion, language, social status or political views; the protection of life and health of people and their dignity as human beings, in particular, in time of armed conflict and emergencies; to promote health and social welfare and the preventing of disease; to promote and defend human rights, international humanitarian rights and the fundamental principles of the International Movement of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Colombian Armed Conflict

As a result of the

and the multiple violations to human rights, the Colombian Red Cross works in the prevention and assistance to victims of the conflict. It has also helped clarify and improve the circumstances under such violations existed. According to a 2009 report by the

ICRC The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a three-time Nobel Prize laureate. The organization has played an instrumental role in the development of rules of war and ...

the following is the scope on which the Colombian Red Cross has participated: *

Forced disappearance An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person with the support or acquiescence of a State (polity), state followed by a refusal to acknowledge the person's fate or whereabouts with the i ...

*Homicides and direct attacks against people protected by IHRL *Occupation of civilian properties either private or public *Cases of sexual violence *Recruiting of minors *Cases of physical and psychological abuse and threats *Cases of pollution through weapons that could affect communities *Cases of forced displacement

Fields of work

*National Office of Aid *National Office of Health *Transport of resources *Colombian Red Cross Lottery *

Blood Bank A blood bank is a center where blood gathered as a result of blood donation is stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusion. The term "blood bank" typically refers to a department of a hospital usually within a clinical pathology labora ...

*National Office of Teaching *Volunteering *National Office of Cooperation and Development

References

External links