Worldwide humanitarian assistance in disasters and armed conflicts

The German Red Cross provides essential humanitarian support worldwide for people affected by crisis situations. Whether in natural disasters or armed conflicts. There are many dire situations in which we support a national red cross or red crescent sister society ‑ our humanitarian assistance has many faces. Natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes or flooding cause severe suffering and require joint relief efforts by our international Red Cross/Red Crescent movement.

Epidemics and famines threaten lives especially of the most vulnerable people. Assisting them is an important task. In armed conflicts especially the civil population is suffering. This is where we can help together with our sister societies, for example, with medical care, emergency shelters and food. Very often we only have access to the most vulnerable because of our principles of neutrality and impartiality. And because of you and your donation.

Hurricanes, earthquakes and floods can very quickly threaten or even wipe out the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people. The losses and damage are often enormous - which is why the Red Cross and Red Crescent are on the ground as quickly as possible to provide humanitarian aid to the population.

What we do in emergency relief

Extreme weather disasters often leave people in the affected areas vulnerable. Earthquakes, floods or storms quickly destroy entire regions and existences.

GRC coordination of the emergency relief

International collaboration and clear coordination with the current political and legal situations of all nations are essential prerequisites for the performance of efficient emergency relief by the GRC.

[Translate to Englisch:] Katastrophen Nothilfe

Disaster

When an earthquake shakes a region, a cyclone destroys houses and belongings or a tidal wave floods whole tracts of land, the people affected are in need of rapid help. In a disaster situation, within an extremely short period of time the GRC can put a relief aircraft into the air that will transport vital goods to the disaster region.

What we do in emergency relief

Extreme weather disasters often leave people in the affected areas vulnerable. Earthquakes, floods or storms quickly destroy entire regions and existences.

GRC coordination of the emergency relief

International collaboration and clear coordination with the current political and legal situations of all nations are essential prerequisites for the performance of efficient emergency relief by the GRC.

Disaster

When an earthquake shakes a region, a cyclone destroys houses and belongings or a tidal wave floods whole tracts of land, the people affected are in need of rapid help. In a disaster situation, within an extremely short period of time the GRC can put a relief aircraft into the air that will transport vital goods to the disaster region.

Initial, rapid aid in the event of a disaster is important in order to get the acute consequences under control. However, this is followed by long-term reconstruction, in which the German Red Cross provides long-term support with its experience, infrastructure and network.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies now have extensive experience with aftercare programmes and implement them worldwide. International standards are harmonised with the respective regional and cultural characteristics of the region. Confidence and hope help to heal and strengthen people.

People around the world can count on the German Red Cross not only for acute emergency aid, but also for long-term development cooperation projects that are always based on humanitarian principles.

The German Red Cross is committed to ensuring that the people affected by a crisis, conflict or disaster are able to rebuild long-term prospects and sustainably improve their living conditions.

The German Red Cross is primarily involved in less developed countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean and South America. It supports population groups that are particularly vulnerable to crises and disasters, especially the poor, women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.

Through disaster preparedness programmes, the DRC prepares the population for possible disasters, for example in particularly vulnerable areas. Food security measures ensure that nutritional requirements are met and improve access to food. Health programmes ensure access to appropriate medical care. Water, sanitation and hygiene projects create permanent access to safe drinking water sources and appropriate sanitation solutions and increase hygiene awareness. Through measures to secure livelihoods, the DRC enables particularly vulnerable households to gain access to income and resources in order to meet their basic needs.

In its development cooperation work, the German Red Cross always cooperates with the local National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society and thus makes an important contribution to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Resilience

GRC projects always have the objective to strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable people and the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to enable them to better cope with crises and disasters in the future.

Resilience

GRC projects always have the objective to strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable people and the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to enable them to better cope with crises and disasters in the future.

Worldwide humanitarian assistance in disasters and armed conflicts

Emergency aid

Reconstruction

Long-term cooperation