A THIRD PROTECTIVE EMBLEM FOR THE MOVEMENT

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A THIRD PROTECTIVE EMBLEM FOR THE MOVEMENT

The question of a universally recognised emblem has long been a problematic issue for the Red Cross Movement. At the formation of the Movement, the Red Cross was adopted as the protective emblem by simple inversion of the Swiss flag. However, in the war between Russia and Turkey in 1876-78, the Ottoman Empire adopted the Red Crescent as its protective emblem for their medical personnel. In the diplomatic conference in 1929 the Red Crescent was accorded the same status as the Red Cross and has since become widely used by many countries. These two emblems are enshrined in the Geneva Conventions.

Magen David Adom (MDA), the Israeli aid society, has been operating for 70 years with the Star of David as its symbol and has expressed its wish that the Red Star of David can be recognised alongside the Red Cross and Red Crescent but has been overruled.

Since Israel became party to the Geneva Conventions, the question of admission to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC/ Movement) has been raised. MDA has remained a mere observer to the Federation, which stipulates that member National Societies must adopt either the Red Cross or Red Crescent to enter its fold. Kazakhstan is also similarly excluded because it chooses to use the cross and the crescent concurrently.

The 27^th International Conference in November 1999 established a Joint Working Group of government and Movement representatives to address this problem. The Joint Working Group comprising representatives from 16 states and 8 delegates from the Red Cross/ Red Crescent Movement has proposed the introduction of a third emblem, additional to the Red Cross and Red Crescent. This would allow National Societies, which use neither of the two existing symbols, to join the International Movement.

The recommendation will be submitted to the highest decision-making body of the Red Cross/ Red Crescent Movement, its Standing Commission. They will decide whether to draft a Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions and would call for an International Conference in October this year to vote for an amendment to the Movement's statutes.

The two current emblems offer protective and indicative use. In the former instance, the emblem is meant to mark medical and religious personnel and equipment which must be respected and protected in armed conflicts. The latter use serves to link a person or persons to the Movement and therefore can be used by the ICRC, Federation and National Societies to identify their premises and activities.

It has not been decided what the third protective emblem will be but the red diamond serves as an illustrative example.

Protective use:

Indicative use:

The new protective emblem would allow States which have difficulty adopting the cross or crescent to join the Movement, thereby achieving the principle of Universality. No damage will be done to the Red Cross or Red Crescent and countries which are now using either of these can opt to adopt the third protective emblem should they so decide. The name of the Movement will remain unchanged.

In the latest development in the emblem debate, a second proposal for an additional emblem was introduced on 22 August 2000. Many States have expressed their reservations to the concept of the red diamond and the new proposal is for the Red Chevron as an alternative. See below for an illustration:

Protective use:

Indicative use:

The Red Chevron is undergoing a visibility test by the Swiss Army and results are as yet inconclusive.

For more information and updates on the emblem issue, please visit the ICRC website at: http://www.icrc.org/eng/emblem

29 August 2000