Humanitarian Values

BACKGROUND

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is founded on the seven Fundamental Humanitarian Principles which are: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality, whose mission is to prevent and alleviate human suffering, thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace.

Since its inception, the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) guided by the Fundamental principles and Humanitarian values, has been providing humanitarian assistance services to communities affected by disasters, both natural and man-made, based only on the need without any discrimination.

PROMOTION OF HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES AND VALUES

All our activities being guided by the Fundamental principles and Humanitarian values we believe that we could change the behavior of the peoples that we work with and make a difference in the way people behave towards each other. We aim to influence the behavior of the people we work with, through a better understanding of the Fundamental Principles and humanitarian values.

The volunteers of the SLRCS are actively engaged in humanitarian services in line with fundamental principles and humanitarian values, respecting long standing Sri Lankan cultural values. Volunteers, both men and women of different ages, religions and ethnics, work together in the communities without discrimination. Thanks to our island wide volunteer base we reach out to even the most remote communities and ensure the ‘last mile’ delivery of humanitarian aid or services. However, violent touches everyone; it is a global humanitarian catastrophe that affects all continents, countries and communities. Violence is rooted in many social determinants at the individual, family, community and social/cultural levels that interact with one another. Hence, in a world with increasing isolation, tension and recourse to violence, it is clear that the SLRCS must promote FP and HV and the individual and community values which encourage respect for other human beings and a willingness to work together to find solutions to community problems.

Therefore, the SLRCS implements programs promoting the Seven Fundamental Humanitarian Principles of the Red Cross Movement and humanitarian values such as; the protection of life, health and human dignity ; respect for the human being; non-discrimination on the basis of nationality, race, gender, religious beliefs, class or political opinion, mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace among people, and service by volunteers, within the communities that we work.

Advancing the Red Cross Fundamental Principles and humanitarian values, we work with people vulnerable to violence,; to prevent, mitigate and respond to violence through advocacy and promoting change in knowledge, mindsets, attitudes and behaviors in order to foster environments that respect human dignity and diversity and are caring, safe and peaceful.

PRESENT STRUCTURE AT SLRCS

The SLRCS has a department specifically focusing on HV at the SLRCS National Head Quarters and has trained Volunteers in every branch in the Country for the purposes of dissemination and Promotion of Red Cross Fundamental Principles and Humanitarian Values. The dissemination sessions are conducted in local languages.