The president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announced the creation of the Red Family Fund to honor humanitarian workers who died in the line of duty.
Kate Forbes told the organization’s general assembly in Geneva that aid workers find themselves working in “increasingly difficult” conditions that include not only an escalation of conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, but also a decline in respect for international law.
“Global conflicts have intensified, endangering civilians and our volunteers, making the delivery of humanitarian aid even more difficult,” Forbes said.
Since the start of the year, 30 of the group’s 16 million aid workers worldwide have died in the line of duty, she said.
“The increase in violence against humanitarian workers highlights a decline in respect for international humanitarian law and constitutes a direct threat to our mission,” said the president of the International Federation. She described each loss as a deep wound, but said the deaths would not weaken the organization’s “determination to directly address these crises.”
Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, told the gathering that aid workers find themselves doing their work all over the world, in a world shaped by “armed conflict and political unrest.”
The Red Family Fund, according to the International Federation’s website, honors volunteers and staff of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies “who die in the line of duty and provides a mechanism for one-off financial assistance to the families they leave behind.”
“This is a tangible step that demonstrates our commitment to honoring those who care for others,” Forbes said.
Some information in this report comes from Agence France-Presse.
