The ICRC’s role

The ICRC and the Red Cross are known by almost everyone in this war zone: 91 per cent could correctly identify the red cross on a white background. ²² The ICRC/Red Cross is seen as an institution that, in the first instance, protects vulnerable groups, such as women, children, the elderly and sick (43 per cent), but many think it protects all people in trouble (24 per cent). Eighteen per cent associate it with protecting prisoners and the wounded; 11 per cent associate it with protecting hospitals and medical institutions and workers. (See Figure 15.)

²² The number was even higher for the parallel survey, suggesting that recognition was not produced by Red Cross interviewers.

FIGURE 15. Red Cross and protection (per cent of total population responding)

During the war, people think the UN played the biggest role in trying to stop attacks on civilian populations (56 per cent); after the UN, people think “other countries” played the biggest role (34 per cent). Only 24 per cent mention the ICRC or the Red Cross, which apparently was seen to help people in trouble, rather than to stop these actions. (See Figure 16.)

FIGURE 16. Biggest role (per cent of total population responding) (top two responses)

When asked, “Whom would you turn to for help if civilian areas are attacked or towns or villages are cut off from food, water, medical supplies and electricity?” the people overwhelmingly respond that they would turn to the ICRC/Red Cross (61 per cent). ²³ (See Figure 17.)

²³ This result is 20 percentage points higher than for the parallel survey, but even in the parallel survey, there is no other organization that comes close to the Red Cross on this measure.

FIGURE 17. Turn to for help (per cent of total population responding)