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Unity
There can be only one Red Cross or one
Red Crescent Society in any one country. It must be open to all. It
must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory.
Analysis of the Fundamental principle of Unity
The text under the Fundamental principle of Unity are threefold -
each aspect directly matches each sentence of that principle's text;
these aspects are also included in the conditions for recognition
of National Societies by the ICRC:
- there can be only one Red Cross or one Red Crescent Society
in any one country;
- a National Society must be open to all;
- a National Society must carry on its humanitarian work throughout
its territory.
Consequences of the Fundamental principle of Unity
The consequences of the principle of Unity are quite easy to analyse
from the text:
- a National Society could oppose to the creation of another Red
Cross of Red Crescent Society in its country. As States have agreed
to Fundamental Principles, they have an obligation to ensure that
no other Society can be created on their territory if they have
already recognised a National Society;
- a National Society has to open its membership to a broad base
in the population. It has to recruit its members from all the
ethnic, social and other groups in the country to ensure better
efficiency of its action. In any case, any discrimination in the
recruitment of members would be a violation of the principle of
Unity;.
- a National Society has to be active in all parts of the country.
This does not necessarily mean that the level of activities has
to be the same country-wide: the principle of Impartiality may
well justify that more activities are undertaken in the parts
of a country where the needs are the largest. But what it prohibits
is that a region is excluded from the activities of a National
Society in a discriminatory manner (e.g. for reasons related with
religion, ethnicity, etc.).
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