Women of the Red Cross and Red Crescent

This Conference was chaired by a woman[i], Prof Astrid N. Heiberg, of the Norwegian Red Cross who would later go on to be elected President of the International Federation.

When it took 9 years to convene the next Conference it was because bickering between the main protagonists in the Cold War, USA and the Soviet Union, about the participation of Palestinians in the meeting and the Conference that had been convoked for Budapest was cancelled at the last moment.

Among the more than twenty mentions of “women” – mostly as victims or in passing – one finds this remark by Ms I. V. Nze of the Congolese Red Cross, who had put herself forward as a candidate to the Standing Commission:

“As the idea of my candidacy was suggested by friends who believed in my ability, I should like to thank them most sincerely for this token of their regard for me. Looking at the list o f candidates, however, I note that there are 15, when only five are required, and that there are six women, including two for Africa. I therefore feel I ought to withdraw my candidacy out of solidarity for other candidates who might benefit from my votes. I also feel that, as you have just said, we should take account of geographical distribution. Lastly, I should like to wish every success to the five candidates whom we shall choose in this election[ii]”.

The Conference welcomed the Code of Conduct adopted earlier, and a paper annexed to the resolution to that effect, prepared jointly by ICRC and the International Federation, included the following paragraph:

“Thus, our provision of aid will reflect the degree of suffering it seeks to alleviate. In implementing this approach, we recognize the crucial role played by women in disaster prone communities and will ensure that this role is supported, not diminished, by our aid programmes. The implementation of such a universal, impartial and independent policy, can only be effective if we and our partners have access to the necessary resources to provide for such equitable relief, and have equal access to all disaster victims. [iii]”

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[i] Report of the twenty-sixth international Conference of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent : including the summary report of the 1995 Council of delegates and of the constitutive meeting of the XII^th session of the standing commission : Geneva, 1-7 December 1995; [Geneva] : [ICRC : Federation], [1996]; P 81; P 83/164 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1995_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

[ii] Report of the twenty-sixth international Conference of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent : including the summary report of the 1995 Council of delegates and of the constitutive meeting of the XII^th session of the standing commission : Geneva, 1-7 December 1995; [Geneva] : [ICRC : Federation], [1996]; P 99; P 101/164 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1995_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

[iii] Report of the twenty-sixth international Conference of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent : including the summary report of the 1995 Council of delegates and of the constitutive meeting of the XII^th session of the standing commission : Geneva, 1-7 December 1995; [Geneva] : [ICRC : Federation], [1996]; P 99; P 101/164 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1995_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

Women are mentioned a few times – 8 in all – but in all but one among the victims, and the final – actually first – among those who inspired Henry Dunant or participated in the foundation of the Red Cross[i].

No other mentions have been found.

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[i] XXV^th international conference of the Red Cross, Geneva, 23-31 October 1986, report; [Geneva : ICRC : League], 1986; P 47; P 53/184 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1986_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

No mentions of women in any interesting manner, ladies a few times but ditto, lady three times,  but only as honorifics, and girls not at all[i].

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[i] XXIV^th international Conference of the Red Cross : report : Manila, 7 – 14 November 1981;
[Geneva : ICRC : League], 1981; electronic version may be found at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1981_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

Women are not mentioned in any significant sense – a couple of times as victims, twice as present in the Movement and the Conference. Ladies are not mentioned, nor is the singular “lady”, except to refer to Lady Limerick, and “girl” is entirely absent[i].

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[i] XXII^nd International conference of the Red Cross, Teheran, 8-15 November 1973 : report;
[Geneva : ICRC : League], 1973; the electronic version may be found at at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1973_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

The word “women” occurs 7 times in the text, two of them in the context of a resolution on “Joint effort of National Societies and Governments for improving health and social well-being” proposed by Dr Frank Stanton of the USA, in which appears the following

“Appeals to Governments to intensify their programmes:

…

(b) to expand and broaden health education opportunities, especially mother and child care for women,

…

e) to raise the status of women socially and economically by providing opportunities for learning and for leadership. Urges National Societies to participate with their governments in these programmes in conformity with recognized aims.[i]”

A representative of the Lebanese Government, Mr Mahmoud Banna, was given the floor on a matter outside the agenda of the Conference, the civil war in his country, but before he got to this, he paid tribute to the Lebanese Red Cross:

“But I feel comforted and proud to see that the Lebanese people and the Lebanese Red Cross have been represented with dignity and grace by President Mrs. Issa El-Khoury and by ladies well known in the Lebanon and abroad for their devotion, their efficiency and their courage in the service of the Red Cross. [ii]”

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[i] XXIII^rd international conference of the Red Cross, Bucharest, 15-21 October 1977 : report; [Geneva : ICRC : League], 1977; P 97; P 109/168 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1977_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

[ii] XXIII^rd international conference of the Red Cross, Bucharest, 15-21 October 1977 : report; [Geneva : ICRC : League], 1977; P 108; P 120/168 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1977_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

Women are hardly mentioned, and then only as victims. Girls are not mentioned, nor are ladies. “Lady” is mentioned many times – but only because Lady Limerick was a Vice President of the Conference and Chair of the Standing Commission[i].

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[i] XXI^st International conference of the Red Cross, Istanbul, September 6-13, 1969: report; [Geneva : ICRC : League], 1969; the electronic version may be found at  https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1969_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

The 19^th Conference featured, for the first time, a woman as Chairman of the event. She was Rajkumari Amrit Kaur; she also chaired the opening session of the Council of Delegates. Her first remarks to the latter body was:

“Ladies and Gentlemen: It is my privilege as Chairman of the Red Cross Society of the host country to extend to you all the warmest of warm welcomes. I cannot tell you how the Indian Red Cross feels about this Conference. We are delighted to have had the honour of your acceptance of our invitation. I hope the Conference will be a great success and yet another landmark in the history of this great movement. Now, according to tradition, I propose the election of the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross to come and take this Chair. I hope you will receive him with acclamation. M r. Leopold Boissier, President of the I.C.R.C., took the Chair amidst acclamation.[i]”

At the International Conference, she took the floor for the first time at 2:30 pm on October 28, 1957, inviting the President of the ICRC to deliver his report on the proceedings of the Council of Delegates:

“I t is my privilege once again as Chairman of the Indian Red Cross to extend a very hearty welcome to you. I will now ask Mr. Leopold Boissier to read to you the Report of the Council of Delegates. [ii]”

This is how Rajkumari Amrit Kaur was introduced to the Conference by the President of the ICRC, Mr Boissier:

“Ladies and Gentlemen: I have the honour to present to you the report of the Council of Delegates which met this morning, and appointed Lady Limerick as its Vice Chairman.

The first item which I must subm it to you is the election of the Chairman of this Conference.

As Chairman of the Council of Delegates, I have the honour to submit for your consideration the appointment of the Chairman of this XlX^th Conference. The Council has unanimously proposed the election of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Chairman of the Managing Body of the Indian Red Cross.

(Applause.)

In accepting the proposal of the Council of Delegates by acclamation, you have honoured the whole Red Cross movement, for there is no better illustration than Rajkumari Amrit Kaur of the ideals of our movement, because of her extensive knowledge, her experience, and her devotion. You are all familiar with the various stages of her career which have led her from her ancestral home, through Oxford and the capitals of Europe, to the work of assisting the weak and the forsaken. As a disciple of Gandhi, she learned from him to see in every human being, whoever he may be, a brother to be loved and understood. Working beside the master towards that ideal, she took part in India’s accession to independence, and since then has held high office in the central Government and abroad. In her, we greet India of the past, India of the future which by dint of tremendous efforts is developing today, and India the eternal. In her we also greet with affectionate admiration the first woman Chairman of an International Red Cross Conference and, through her, if I may be permitted to say so, all women who are the best workers for our cause. (Applause.) In your name I now hand to her the emblem of Chairman of the Conference.

(Rajkumari Amrit Kaur then took the Chair) [iii]”.

Otherwise, the report of the 19^th Conference contains no references to women of any interest in the present context.

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[i] XIX^th International Conference of the Red Cross, New Delhi, October-November 1957: proceedings; [Geneva : ICRC : League], 1957; P 23; P 41/198 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1957_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

[ii] XIX^th International Conference of the Red Cross, New Delhi, October-November 1957: proceedings; [Geneva : ICRC : League], 1957; P 40; P 58/198 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1957_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

[iii] XIX^th International Conference of the Red Cross, New Delhi, October-November 1957: proceedings; [Geneva : ICRC : League], 1957; P 40; P 58/198 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DIGITAL/CI_1957_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

Again, a world war interrupted the regularity of International Conferences of the Red Cross, this time for 10 years, after which one was convened in Stockholm in the early autumn of 1948

One of the first, few, instances of the use of the word “women” in the report from this Conference occurs in a report from the Lebanese Red Cross delivered by Mrs Kettaneh, who mentions women both as victims and as actors; the context is the events that had recently taken place in Palestine or, as it was now called, Israel:

“There has been a veritable flood of old people, women and children who have had to leave their country, abandoning their homes, their houses, their businesses, often everything they possessed. The neighbouring countries are giving all possible assistance to these refugees; their hospitality is limited only by the extent of their resources.

…

The men and women of the Lebanese Red Cross have worked with all their strength in order to prevent the spread of epidemics in the camps where the refugees have been assembled.[i]”

The Conference adopted a “Declaration on Peace” which had been submitted to it by the Board of Governors of the Leage (i.e., the General Assembly which it was called when reorganized), and which contained the following phrase:

“The primary rôle of the Red Cross in the preservation of peace is, therefore, one of conducting activities through which men, women and children throughout the world may act to relieve and prevent human suffering both at home and abroad

…

“ It is therefore for all national Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Lion and Sun Societies, and for each of their individual members, men, women, and children, all of whom, individually or collectively, belong to this universal federation, the League of Red Cross Societies, to support and sustain the basic Red Cross activity of mutual aid and friendly co-operation between individuals and nations, thereby contributing to the further objective of the Red Cross to contribute to the foundations on which peace can be built” [ii].

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[i] [XVII] Seventeenth international Red Cross Conference, Stockholm, August 1948 : report; [Geneva : ICRC : League], 1948; P 56; P 62/120 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/CDDH/CI_1948/CI_1948_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf

[ii] [XVII] Seventeenth international Red Cross Conference, Stockholm, August 1948 : report; [Geneva : ICRC : League], 1948; P 102; P 108/120 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/CDDH/CI_1948/CI_1948_RAPPORT_ENG.pdf