Kuwait Red Crescent Society is an independent voluntary humanitarian society that operates in accordance with the principles of neutrality and non-discrimination and aims to assist the most vulnerable groups inside Kuwait and abroad. The Society represents an auxiliary arm to official authorities in facing disasters and emergencies, and provides social, health, and awareness programs that cover all governorates.

It plays a prominent external role by sending relief convoys and implementing development projects in disaster-stricken countries. It is also a pioneering platform for volunteer work, and operates through local and international partnerships to enhance Kuwait's position as a center for humanitarian work, with a future vision focusing on capacity development and expanding humanitarian programs.

Based on its mission, the Society continues to entrench the culture of volunteer work and implement relief and development programs within a comprehensive vision aimed at preserving human dignity and alleviating the suffering of those in need everywhere.

The Kuwait Red Crescent Society is managed by a Board of Directors consisting of seven members appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs. The Board is responsible for setting the Society's general policies and overseeing its plans and programs. From among its members, the Board selects an Executive Committee with full powers delegated by the Board of Directors, to undertake monitoring daily operations, making operational decisions, and implementing humanitarian programs and projects in a manner that ensures speed of achievement and effectiveness of performance.

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FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPALS

Humanity

Exerting effort and time for prevention and mitigation of human pains, protecting life and health, guaranteeing the respect of human dignity and fostering constant understanding, cooperation and peace between the peoples of the world.

Impartiality

Adherence to the principle of impartiality and non discrimination between nationalities, genders, religions or political beliefs.

Neutrality

Abstention from participating in any hostile acts or in arguments related to political, religious, racial and ideological issues.

Independence

The national societies act as support bodies to the public authorities, and are subject to the applicable laws in the country, while maintaining their full independence in order to be able to work according to the fundamental principles of the Movement.

Voluntary service

The service in the Movement is voluntary and does not aim at making any profit.

Unity

There is no existence of more than one national society for the Red Cross and Red Crescent in each country. It services should be available to everyone and covers all parts of the country.

Universality

The international movement is a global movement in which all societies enjoy the same rights and comply with cooperating between themselves.

In 1859, a Swiss merchant, Henri Donan was a witness to thousands of soldiers, being injured in the battlefield of Solvrino, dying without finding proper care or means of transportation to hospitals. These appalling images have deeply moved him and motivated him to transfer them to the entire world in his book, entitled “Solvrino Memoirs”, a book that had a strong tremor effect on the entire Europe.

He then met a number of prominent personalities in Switzerland, who joined him and together they formed “the International Committee for the Aid of the injured” in 1863. This committee then became what is known now as the International Committee for Red Cross. This same committee took the initiative of putting together international pacts among various governments to protect the people who do not directly take part in wars (civilians, POWs and injured), also to protect medical teams, their convoys and headquarters. This pact was then known as Geneva Convention of 1949. Another two protocols were attached to it in 1977

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