International Committee of the Red Cross has been around for 60 years and were the first ever Humanitarian Organisation whose first mission was to help wounded soldiers.
They currently have over 100 programs all over the world and here in Papua New Guinea they will now partner with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.
Head of Mission for ICRC in Papua New Guinea, Mr Georgios Georgantas said that Red Cross started their work in the country in 2000 and in 2007, they established an office here.
He said that they have 4 approaches in the work that they carry out;
• Assistance – includes medicines, food, shelter
• Protection – includes from abuse, violation of the law
• Prevention – partnerships with police comes in this approach
• Cooperation – Includes capacity building, financial support, logistics
“In Papua New Guinea, we support Red Cross PNG with financial support and logistics.”
“The mission has grown over the last 10years, and we now have 3 offices, Mt Hagen, Port Moresby and Bougainville.”
“Our office in Mt Hagen is bigger because our main aim is to respond to tribal fighting in the Highlands region.”
Mr Georgantas added that their work is centred on the Geneva Conventions which are made up of 4 treaties and 3 additional protocols.
The Geneva Conventions established international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war and are at the core of international humanitarian law which is also known as the rules of war.