History and Organization
The Rwandan Red Cross, also known as the, RRC, was established in July 1962 in Kigali, Rwanda.
On October 8, 1982, Rwanda became the 130th member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). One year later, Rwanda became a member of the International Federation of the Red Cross on October 8, 1983. During the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, the Rwandan Red Cross measures were halted due to ethnic tensions and political instability. In 1995, the Rwandan Red Cross was able to continue its efforts with help from other Red Cross movements.
A youth council was established in 2008. This is a significant change to the structure of the Rwandan Red Cross as it has youths on various levels including, initiatives, education, implementation, and decision-making processes on both the large and small scale.
Mission
The Rwandan Red Cross maintains that it is dedicated to aiding individuals and society through organized and collective efforts while ensuring that all persons and communities are treated equally despite various intersectional differences including but not limited to race, gender, political beliefs, religious identity, sexual orientation, etc. The Rwandan Red Cross has 10 mission values that include harm reduction, harm preemptions, aid and assistance that transcends beliefs and conflict, attempts to ensure International Humanitarian Law, education, disaster response and preparedness, and cooperation with international and internal organizations to ensure fulfillment of duties.
Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct that was written by the ICRC and to be followed by the ICRC, other Red Cross Federations, and other types of humanitarian and non-governmental organizations was established after the Rwandan Genocide in 1994.It is supposed to serve as a guide of conduct for disaster relief. Its intentions are to mitigate bias amongst other types of aid and governmental organizations and to ensure equal, effective, and high standards that all parties are to be held to during times of disaster response.
Notable Members
Philippe Gaillard
While the Rwandan Red Cross halted its mission in 1994, Philippe Gaillard was the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross that was stationed in Rwanda. In a documentary called, The Ghosts of Rwanda, about his time there during the genocide, it was noted that very few international organizations remained in place to provide aid assistance during this crisis. Gaillard and his team remained. In an interview with Gaillard, it was estimated that around 65,000 lives were saved due to the assistance provided by the ICRC. This intervention is significant because it allowed for the continuation of Red Cross assistance despite the RRC's measures being halted. This resulted in a positive response regarding the Red Cross and the eventual continuation of the RRC.
Responses and Initiatives
Role in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide of 1994 greatly impacted the Rwandan Red Cross, thus halting its activities and resuming in 1995.
War Surgery
The ICRC developed a surgical hospital with one team in Kigali, Rwanda allowed for 596 patients with war-related injuries to receive immediate medical care onsite. Of the 596 patients, 95% needed treatment due to war-related injuries. The surgeons and other physicians were able to provide necessary care for patients in crisis despite limited resources. They developed and utilized techniques that would allow for singular treatment plans due to a lack of resources and capacity. However, they were able to successfully utilize these techniques to provide effective treatment and care given constraints.