Afghan Red Crescent Society
Encyclopedia
The Afghan Red Cross Society (ARCS) is the Afghan
affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
. The Society has existed for over 70 years although with limited structure due to the prevailing conditions which have affected the country at large for over 20 years.
is one of the two main partners of the ARCS, establishing its delegation in Afghanistan
in 1991, with only temporary evacuations during the most recent conflict. Although limited in terms of organizational capacity in recent years, the organization and activities of the ARCS covers territory throughout the country, with active branches in 31 of 32 provinces.
, United Kingdom
, Australia
, Canada
, and Japan
, with support channeled through the International Federation. The ARCS also maintains bilateral relations with the National Societies of Iran
, Qatar
, Saudi Arabia
, and the United Arab Emirates
. The ARCS has been led by Ms. Fatima Gailani since 2004.
Based on its wide-ranging humanitarian work throughout Afghanistan, the ARCS claims the ability to work with all ethnic groups through its services. The primary activities of the organization have been focused primarily on disaster response, health care, and youth. Although exact figures are currently unavailable, a 2003 release from the International Federation placed members/volunteers at approximately 10,000 with 1,200 staff. Ms. Fatima Gailani claims, in a 2007 interview with the International Review of the Red Cross that the ARCS has nearly 37,000 volunteers.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...
. The Society has existed for over 70 years although with limited structure due to the prevailing conditions which have affected the country at large for over 20 years.
History
The ARCS was founded in April 1934. It traces its origins to the Naderia Orphanage, with the purpose of helping orphans and those in need. In October 1951, the society adopted its constitution, which articulated democratic provisions for membership, elections at central, provincial and local branches, and managing board. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent SocietiesInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...
is one of the two main partners of the ARCS, establishing its delegation in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 1991, with only temporary evacuations during the most recent conflict. Although limited in terms of organizational capacity in recent years, the organization and activities of the ARCS covers territory throughout the country, with active branches in 31 of 32 provinces.
Organization and activities
The ARCS receives a significant portion of its support from the National Societies of several developed nations, including those from the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, with support channeled through the International Federation. The ARCS also maintains bilateral relations with the National Societies of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, and the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. The ARCS has been led by Ms. Fatima Gailani since 2004.
Based on its wide-ranging humanitarian work throughout Afghanistan, the ARCS claims the ability to work with all ethnic groups through its services. The primary activities of the organization have been focused primarily on disaster response, health care, and youth. Although exact figures are currently unavailable, a 2003 release from the International Federation placed members/volunteers at approximately 10,000 with 1,200 staff. Ms. Fatima Gailani claims, in a 2007 interview with the International Review of the Red Cross that the ARCS has nearly 37,000 volunteers.