Getting Access to the Victims: Role and Activities of the ICRC

Abstract

In fulfilling its humanitarian obligations, the ICRC is often faced with political, technical and financial obstacles. Since its foundation in 1863, it has none the less been able gradually to develop its protection and assistance activities for the victims of armed conflicts: the wounded and sick in the field, prisoners of war, civilians in occupied territories and all those affected by hostilities. For several years now, it has also visited political detainees, providing strict conditions are met (repeated visits and interviews without witnesses, access to all detainees in all places of detention). Moreover, in its large-scale relief operations the ICRC insists on being allowed to make on-site assessments of the needs of conflict victims and to carry out all distribution operations itself It closely monitors the implementation of international humanitarian law, but cannot replace States in settling the political differences underlying the conflicts.