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Visits to detainees
ICRC delegates visited 518,277 detainees held in 2,425 places of detention in 77 countries. Of this number, 21,609 detainees were registered and visited in 2007 for the first time. A total of 21,867 detention attestations were issued.
Restoration of family links
The ICRC collected 256,772 and distributed 229,150 Red Cross messages, thus enabling members of families separated as a result of conflict, disturbances or tension to exchange news.
4,228 phone calls allowed people, mainly detainees, to inform their families of their whereabouts.
The ICRC registered 969 unaccompanied/seperated children during 2007. Once their families had been located and with the agreement of the child and relatives concerned, it supported the reunification of 761 children with their families.
Assistance
In 2007, 52 of the ICRC's 80 delegations and missions ran assistance programs. The bulk of the work was carried out in Afghanistan, Chad, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Israel and the occupied and autonomous Palestinian territories, Pakistan, the Russian Federation (Northern Caucasus), Sri Lanka, Sudan, Somalia and Uganda.
Economic security
During the year, ICRC activities to ensure economic security, many times implemented together with host National Societies, directly benefited households and communities in 36 countries worldwide. More than 2,520,000 internally displaced people, returnees, residents and people deprived of their freedom received aid in the form of food; 3,940,000 in the form of essential household and hygiene items and 2,780,000 through sustainable food-production programmes or micro-economic initiatives.
Water and habitat
In 2007, the ICRC's water and habitat unit was involved in water, sanitation and construction work in 40 countries. These projects catered for the needs of more than 14.3 million people worldwide. They were implemented by expatriate and national engineers and technicians.
Health care services
During the year, the ICRC regularly supported 318 hospitals and 524 other health care facilities around the world benefiting an estimated 2,890,000 people.
More than 20,200 weapon-wounded and 100,700 non weapon-wounded patients were admitted to ICRC-supported hospitals in 18 countries where more than 113,000 surgical operations were performed. The ICRC regularly supported 113 first-aid posts located near combat zones, which provided emergency treatment mainly for war-wounded.
Care for the disabled
The ICRC's physical rehabilitation unit provided support to 85 centres in 26 countries enabling 160,693 patients to receive services. A total of 11,006 new patients were fitted with protheses and 18,609 with orthoses. In addition, 2,909 wheelchairs and 36,850 crutches and sticks were distributed, most of them locally manufactured. Training of local staff was a priority to improve sustainable services for patients.
ICRC cooperation with National Societies
The aim of the ICRC's cooperation with National Societies is to strengthen working relationships and dialogue with Movement partners for the greater benefit of people affected by conflict and internal strife.
In the vast majority of the countries where the ICRC operates, it does so in partnership with the National Societies. Overall, it is estimated that more than one-third of the ICRC's operational activities are carried out in cooperation with the National Society of the country concerned.
The ICRC spent CHF 75 million to assist National Societies in building and strengthening their capacities to carry out activities in the following areas:
- 140 National Societies in their work to promote and spread knowledge of International Humanitarian Law and the Fundamental Principles
- 123 National Societies in their work to restore family links
- 103 National Societies in their preparedness for health and relief assistance during conflict
- 20 National Societies in their community awareness programs for mines and explosive remnants of war.
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