Ukrainian Red Cross Society
Encyclopedia
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. It operates in disaster management, health and care, tracing
Tracing
Tracing may refer to:* Tracing , a process by which a one demonstrates the ownership of property, with the intent to be awarded a claim based on this information...
service, youth activities/volunteers, protection of human dignity.
Among the main declared principles:
- HumanityHumanitarianismIn its most general form, humanitarianism is an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings. Humanitarianism has been an evolving concept historically but universality is a common element in its evolution...
, preventing and alleviating human suffering wherever it may be found, - ImpartialityImpartialityImpartiality is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons.-Philosophical concepts of impartiality:According to Bernard Gert, "A is...
, without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions, - NeutralityNeutrality (international relations)A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
, - IndependenceIndependenceIndependence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
, - Voluntary Service,
- Unity, there can be only one Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in any one country,
- UniversalityUniversality (philosophy)In philosophy, universalism is a doctrine or school claiming universal facts can be discovered and is therefore understood as being in opposition to relativism. In certain religions, universality is the quality ascribed to an entity whose existence is consistent throughout the universe...
, working worldwide.
Early history
The Ukrainian Red Cross Society was established in April, 1918 in KievKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
as an independent humanitarian society of the Ukrainian People's Republic
Ukrainian People's Republic
The Ukrainian People's Republic or Ukrainian National Republic was a republic that was declared in part of the territory of modern Ukraine after the Russian Revolution, eventually headed by Symon Petliura.-Revolutionary Wave:...
. Its immediate tasks were to help refugees and prisoners of war, care of handicapped people, orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
ed children, fighting famine and epidemics, support and organize sick quarters, hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s and public canteens.
Since the 1920s, when Ukrainian territory was occupied by the Soviet Union, and till 1992, the Ukrainian Red Cross functioned as a part of the Soviet Red Cross.
During World War II
When the structure of the UPA was unified in 1943, the Ukrainian Red Cross was re-established as a separate body from the Soviet Red Cross. The service provided care for the sick and wounded UPA soldiers, attracted well-qualified doctors, prepared the supply and manufacture of medicine, equipped underground hospitals and conducted training classes for new physicians and soldiers of the UPA and prepared special medical manuals. Doctors worked in regional military hospitals which treated the wounded who had suffered from the attacks of German, Soviet or Polish punitive groups.Present time
The Red Cross law was passed by the Ukrainian parliamentVerkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
in 1999.
At present, the Ukrainian Red Cross involves more than 6.3 million of supporters and activists. Its Visiting Nurses Service has 3200 qualified nurses. The organization takes part in more than 40 humanitarian programmes all over Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, which are mostly funded by public donation and corporate partnerships. By its own estimations, the Society annually provides services to more than 105 000 of lonely elderly people, about 23 000 of people disabled during the Second World War and handicapped workers, more than 25 000 of war veterans, and more than 8 000 of adults handicapped since childhood. The assistance for orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
ed and disabled children is also rendered.
Ukrainian Red Cross Society (since 1999) is a member of the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
.