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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence, and to provide them with assistance. There are over 14,500 ICRC aid workers assisting the most vulnerable in 80 countries affected by conflict. These aid workers risk their own lives operating in conflict zones such as in Somalia, Yemen and Malaysia while caring for others. So how does the international community ensure their protection?

This year’s World Disasters Report, released by the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) examines the importance of building resilience in order to meet the growing needs for humanitarian action around the world.  

What does it mean when we say we are responding to a silent disaster?

Thanks to social media and 24-hour news it’s pretty easy to stay informed. But despite all this media coverage around the world there are events that happen every day that are not reported, or are underreported. Some of these events are serious, like famine and outbreaks of disease. We call an event like this a silent disaster.
 

​In 2012, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child voiced concern about violence against children, including gender-based violence, in Myanmar, noting that there were not adequate resources in place to keep girls and boys safe. In 2013, the Myanmar Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross joined together to work towards violence prevention programs. 

Sandra is a psychosocial support aid worker with the Canadian Red Cross. When disasters and emergencies strike, the obvious stuff – damaged homes, destroyed infrastructure, injured people – sometimes makes it easy to overlook the damage that’s invisible. We can be impacted by disaster and emergency in many ways and can experience deep trauma that doesn’t simply go away once physical damage is addressed. Recovering from these events requires emotional care just as much as it requires physical care. 

August 19 is World Humanitarian Day, and we’re celebrating the work of Canadian Red Cross humanitarians. Whether responding to emergencies, helping to rebuild following disasters, or assisting in strengthening communities around the world – these people work tirelessly! Medical practitioners, engineers, electricians, social workers and more support humanitarian efforts. Here are just a few of the blog posts from the last year that look at the work of Canadian Red Cross humanitarians.

Here at the Red Cross, we can’t do what we do without volunteers! We get a lot of questions from people wondering how they can volunteer with the Red Cross as an international aid worker. Here's what we look for in an international aid worker. 

Participants crouch down in groups on the ground of a hotel in Ottawa with dried spaghetti sticks and marshmallows. The aim of the team-building exercise is to work together to come up with a way to create the highest structure topped by a marshmallow. The exercise is part of a training of future Red Cross Operations Managers.