Neutrality of the International Committee of the Red Cross - Thesis Example

Médecins sans Frontières was started partly because the ICRC’s neutral approach was considered to be too limited and ineffectual. Likewise, some political critics have stated that neutrality is no longer a cherished concept in situations where conflicting parties target innocent civilians. Attempts to provide humanitarian aid may become futile when some political institutions and governments argue that the opponent is so barbaric that humanitarian treatment is not deserved.

Apart from political leaders, scholars have also cast doubts on the effectiveness of neutral humanitarianism. One scholar, Forsythe has argued that the traditional ideals of independence, impartiality, and neutrality have degenerated into a myth. This is due to the inability of international organizations such as the ICRC to engage in neutral humanitarianism because of changes in international relations. Since the end of the Cold War, more especially after the 9/11 terrorist attack, the changing nature of the global political environment has ushered in a modern form of humanitarianism. This new form of humanitarianism is characterized by the manipulation of humanitarian efforts for military or political gains or as a basis for military or political action. The new form of humanitarianism has replaced the classical view of humanitarianism because countries have adopted humanitarian NGOs into their foreign policy apparatus. This has in turn made some humanitarian organizations such as the ICRC to be the targets of conflicting groups (like al-Qaeda which rejects humanitarian norms).   

The article that follows will analyze the neutrality of ICRC’s humanitarian efforts. Although, indeed, there cannot be such a thing as absolute neutrality because the parties that claim to be neutral do at times impact a conflict situation, this does not mean that the neutrality of ICRC is impossible. The main challenge for an organization like the ICRC with its global mission is to carve out a neutral niche where it carries out its activities with impartiality while minimizing its impact. Given the changing nature of the global environment, the ICRC has a responsibility to carefully calculate how its actions will impact the conflicting parties while portraying a neutral image. This act of striking a delicate balance is what the ICRC has learned in the past when the organization has been striving to walk a fine line between maintaining the confidence of all and keeping its core humanitarian principle.     

Overview of the ICRC's Mandate and Mission

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an independent and neutral organization that oversees humanitarian assistance and protection for victims of armed violence and other conflicts. The ICRC’s mandate is derived from the Geneva Convention of 1949 and the additional protocols of 1949. Some mandate is also derived from the resolutions of the International Conferences of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. The ICRC takes action in response to emergencies triggered by armed conflicts and in the process works to promote respect for international humanitarian law. In its mission statement, the ICRC states that it is an impartial, neutral, and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the dignity and the lives of the victims of armed conflicts and to provide them with necessary assistance.