Introduction
The Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, also known as Movement, encompasses three independent bodies: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the 186 National Societies. ICRC is achieving its Humanitarian Mission collectively with the support of its stakeholders. Its Humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflicts and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance. Analysis of its external agencies and contacts, which directly and indirectly involved, has been discussed with the help of stakeholders analysis. Examine the stakeholders and its external agencies. Then identifying & explaining the key areas of priority for communication and relationship building with the help of marketing tools. The three Emblems of Humanity (Red cross, Red Crescent and Red crystals) are among most widely and enduring symbols in the world. Because of their significance, there are rules regulating the emblems use. Those working in the movement take particular care to generate respect for the emblems from every section of society, and most importantly to reinforce their protective values.
Abstract
The ICRC also endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles with the coordination of its stakeholders. Stakeholders analysis (mapping) and marketing communication tools are used in order to identify the key areas of priority in relationship building with the stakeholders with respect to external agencies and contacts that ICRC are both indirectly and directly involved.
Analysis of the external agencies and contacts that ICRC are both indirectly and directly involved.
Stakeholders Mapping
(Johnson, Scholes, & Whittington, 2008)
All the stakeholders of the ICRC (see annexure 1 page 11:) are mention and then from that all the external agencies and contacts (see annexure 2 page 14:) ICRC is both indirectly and directly involve are categorize and fill in the stakeholders table above which is also known as Power/interest matrix. Further, they are categorised according to their Power, which influences them to change/prepare strategies for ICRC and their Interest to implement/involve in the activities of ICRC.
High power, interested agencies (stakeholders) [D]
These are the key players in ICRC, which influences power to change/amend the strategies. They are main governmental bodies, which has political influence on the particular region (continent/country/states). High interest of this key players is shown by their active implementation and supporting the activities of ICRC in order to spread the awareness and help public during cause/emergency. ICRC is working with them (all the agencies mention in the [D] side of power/interest matrix) since its origin and continuously building strong institutional and operational relations. Its aim is to make ICRC mandate better known, mobilize political, diplomatic and financial support for its activities in order to take effective decisions and make ICRC neutral and independent in humanitarian action. (Overview of the ICRC’s operations in 2010, 2009)
High power, less interested agencies [C]
Here, Maurice De Madre French Fund (MMFF) support staff members & volunteers of ICRC who have suffered / suffering from an illness / who have lost their lives in the course of their work within the movement of ICRC (Maurice de Madre French Fund – Newsletter, 2008). Whereas, Paul Reuter Funds purpose is twofold: to encourage the publications of works on international humanitarian law or other civilians in that field and to finance the Paul Reuter Prize (Presentation of the Paul Reuter Fund, 2005). These two agencies also help ICRC in funding the movement activities, therefore they are placed on high power, but as they are independent bodies so they have their own agenda’s to accomplish, therefore they are place on low interest matrix.
International Tracing Services (ITS) preserves the historical records and make them available for research to ICRC. It was founded in 1943 and in 1955 ICRC was entrusted with management of ITS. Since then ICRC has been managing ITS by appointing its delegate to the position of ITS director. So it influences high power and low interest due to its core area on only research and preparing archives for the same. (The International Tracing Service and the ICRC, 2009)
Public & Private sources have high power, as its funding contributes to the working of the ICRC. But some are not still aware of the workings / activities of the ICRC.
Low power, Interested agencies [B]
Web site (online) partners and Media partners are supportive to ICRC for the awareness of its activities, keeping updated to the rest of the stakeholders and contributes in terms of funds to ICRC so they are high interested. As it do not influence in changing/amending the activities of the ICRC, the have been place in low power group.
Low power, less interested agencies [A]
They [A] have their own set of activities and are operating individually on their own rules and laws to accomplish them (see annexure 2). In time of emergency this agencies and ICRC coordinates when necessary and ICRC attends the meetings of these agencies so that they can co-operate each other in order to fulfil their interest in serving people.
The key areas of priority for communication and relationship building
From the above analysis the stakeholders in [D] who are the key players which helps and supports ICRC. These are the main agencies / contacts, which ICRC is able to withstand. It may try to aim to position themselves as the ‘ best standards in the world’ by achieving its aims and spreading the message of humanitarian law (Sargeant, 1999). With the support of government, bodies and the agencies in [D] to provide their service to full extent, providing quick response during time of emergency. ICRC must also actively participate in government/local authority activities (CANCER, HIV/AIDS related activities) in order to build more strong relationship with them. The most important thing that Andreasen & Kotler (2008), have pointed out is the ethical challenges in the non-profit sector. Since ICRC is operated in wide geographical scope under different political laws of different regions. They must inform government of their every roles/activities, operating functions, strategies, marketing tools for sponsorship, funding policy to ensure that they adhere to the ethical grounds.
The agencies in [C] are those that funds/sponsors the ICRC. The working of ICRC is still not clear within some of its public & private source. It must concentrate to spread the awareness of its functions with the mode of (see annexure 3 page: 20), which will help them to improve relations and understanding between them. So that ICRC develops prestige in eyes of it donors as, Foreman (SPRING 2005), stated that customers & donors are more likely to associate with an organization if it is perceived to be prestigious and longer the people are connected to the organization, the more they identify it roles and activities.
Website (online) partners & Media partners in [B], ICRC must provide regular updates about their daily tasks and proper feedback to them. ICRC must establish image, attitude, and behavioural goals in order to influence the media and online partners to become a key player (Andreasen & Kotler, 2008). This targets the people (audience), so that they become aware of ICRC. Even fund and sponsorship can be raise through website and media by constantly convincing them that they have a need and then to encourage them to do something about it (Brennan & Brady, 1999). For example spread of any epidemic disease (like swine flu) must be protected by educating the masses that how the disease is spread and what are the measures to control/avoid that disease, with continuously providing treatment to the people who are suffering, this can be effectively achieve by ICRC by building strong relationships with the agencies in [B].
These agencies in [A] have their own functions and activities to accomplish during the time of emergencies (see annexure 2). ICRC must achieve coordination in the time of emergency so that the extent of use of volunteers is manage properly between many humanitarian agencies (Andreasen & Kotler, 2008). In addition, to avoid the situation where all the volunteers from all the agencies help/support one region rather than managing in a balance/coordinating way when necessary.
Conclusion
ICRC needs to concentrate on its stakeholders as discuss above in order to achieve its mission of humanitarian law. It has been serving people since 1863 with the help and support from its stakeholders. However, there are still some key areas of priority for communication and relationship building for it to achieve. Been a non-profit organization it has managed itself to serve suffering people and help them during time of emergencies. It has also mobilize its funds and resources from its donor in an proper way so that they can cover their operations cost as well as their campaign cost to sustain in the market for humanitarian support. Thus, recognition of the movement’s emblems and their meanings must be clear if they are to serve their mission of humanitarian protection.
ANNEXURE:-
Annexure 1
STAKEHOLDERS OF ICRC (INTERNATIONAL COMMITTRR OF THE RED CROSS)
Armies
Civilians
Individual deprived of their freedoms
Dispersed families
The wounded or sick of existing or emerging conflict
National societies (which are 186) (Who we are – National Societies)
United nations offices for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (OCHA)
United nations high commissioner of refugees (UNHCR)
United nations international children’s emergency fund (UNICEF)
World food programme (WFP)
World health organization (WHO)
European Union (EU)
Council of Europe
Organization for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
African Union (AU)
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
Organizations of American States (OAS)
League of Arab states
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) (IFRC Who we are – History)
Magen David Adom (MDA) {Israel official emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service}
Union of European Football Association (UEFA)
Media partners
Publications, Newspapers, Press
Television Channels
Website (online) partners
Academics institutes
Government departments
Construction projects companies
Victims/Prisoners
Survival of calamities (natural disaster)
Employees, Nurses, doctors, carpenters, lawyers, drivers, keepers, mechanics
Security agents/forces
International Tracing Services (ITS) (The International Tracing Service and the ICRC, 2009)
Marketing and communications
Advertising campaign
Online campaign
Paul Reuter Fund (Presentation of the Paul Reuter Fund, 2005)
Maurice De Madre French Fund- MMFF (Maurice de Madre French Fund – Newsletter, 2008)
United Nations Development programme (UNDP) (Overview of the ICRC’s operations in 2010, 2009)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (Statement, 2005)
International Federation
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO)
Annexure 2
EXTERNAL AGENCIES & CONTACTS (DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH ICRC) (ICRC publication, 2007)
Stakeholders
Activity/role prior to ICRC
States party to the Geneva Conventions (government)
Funds &contributions to ICRC
Public &Private sources
(Could be an Individual or a party/organization/committee of private or public which directly contributes or come in contact with ICRC)
Funds &contributions to ICRC.
European Union (EU)
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
Council of Europe
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
Organization for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
African Union (AU)
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
Organizations of American States (OAS)
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
League of Arab states
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
International Tracing Services (ITS)
Since 1955, the ICRC manages the International Tracing Services (ITS) in Bad Arolsen, Germany which traces Nazi victims and their families. The ITS documents their fate and makes the archives available for research.
Website (online) partners
Spreading awareness for any movement of ICRC online, also act as a fundraiser.
Media partner
Keep updated about affairs of ICRC, spread awareness for any movement of ICRC, also act as a fund raiser
Paul Reuter Fund
Was set up in 1983 through a donation made to the ICRC by late Paul Reuter, Professor Emeritus at the university of Paris and member of the Institut de droit International.
Maurice De Madre French Fund (MMFF)
Establish in accordance with the last wishes of Count Maurice De Madre using the property he bequeathed to the ICRC- provides funds and assistance.
United Nations Development programme (UNDP)
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Maintains regular relationships for its daily/emergency affairs and receives funds and contributions from it.
EXTERNAL AGENCIES & CONTACTS (INDIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH ICRC) (ICRC publication, 2007)
Stakeholders
Functions
Activities/Roles Prior to ICRC
United nations offices for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (OCHA)
The United Nations plays an important role in providing assistance in response to major humanitarian emergencies as well as in promoting disaster reduction as part of the development plans of countries(About Us-OCHA).
ICRC as a standing Invitee attends the meetings of the Inter-Agency standing committee, a coordinating body which includes the main UN Humanitarian agencies.
International Federation
(other agencies)
ICRC as a standing Invitee attends the meetings of the Inter-Agency standing committee, a coordinating body which includes the main UN Humanitarian agencies.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
ICRC as a standing Invitee attends the meetings of the Inter-Agency standing committee, a coordinating body which includes the main UN Humanitarian agencies.
United nations high commissioner of refugees (UNHCR)
The agency is mandate to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees (About Us-UNHCR).
ICRC coordinates its activities when necessary
United nations international children’s emergency fund (UNICEF)
Primarily concerned with building health, education and welfare services for children and mothers in developing countries, UNICEF also has mechanisms to meet their immediate needs in emergencies (About Us-UNICEF).
ICRC coordinates its activities when necessary.
World food programme (WFP)
Furnishes large amount of foodstuffs in support of economic and social development projects in developing countries, and also meet the needs in emergencies (About – WFP).
ICRC coordinates its activities when necessary.
World health organization (WHO)
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within UN systems (About-WHO).
ICRC coordinates its activities when necessary.
European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO)
Establish in1992 to oversee and coordinate humanitarian operations in non-member countries. It provides emergency aid, food aid and aid to refugees and displaced people in addition to investing in disaster prevention projects in high-risk regions (About Us – ECHO).
ICRC coordinates its activities when necessary.
Annexure 3
Communication vehicles to inform and motivate private and public sources
Adapted from: (Andreasen & Kotler, 2008: 271)
Modes of communication with stakeholders
How it can be used to convey messages to stakeholders.
TV and radio advertising
Regular updates or broadcasting live telecast of its functions in different parts of the world about how it serves the suffering to aware its stakeholders about its functions.
Word of mouth; viral marketing
One victim or a suffering person receives support from ICRC, he//she will inform others about its functions, roles/activities.
Packaging
Of medicines or any aid which includes the emblem of ICRC.
Print ads
News papers, articles, publications, reviews, magazines to show its latest updates about its Roles/functions to stakeholders.
Posters and show cards
To acknowledge its stakeholders about its latest campaign.
Books and articles
By publishing humanitarian books on its roles &functions, articles, about its achievement in serving people.
Web site messages
Using it own websites as well as association with other websites for donors &sponsorships and to provide latest news/updates.
Emails
Sending regular e-mails to its stakeholders for updating them about events or of an emergency condition if arises, campaign, funds requirement.
Special events
Organising special events where all the stakeholders and agencies participate.
Speeches; community meetings
Within every society/state/region to spread the message of Humanitarian Law.
Public service announcement
For its requirement of donors &volunteers.
Logos and other design features
Use of Emblem on packaging, volunteers uniform, vehicles, medicines and wherever its necessary.
Blogs
Creating blogs &Updating it with its latest issues/news.
Brochures and annual reports
Publishing of annual reports for its stakeholders &donors are aware about its mission. In addition, its requirement &utilization of its funds are clear in the eyes of its donors.
Conference exhibits
Stakeholders conference (external agencies, media, internal agencies) to coordinate properly and maintain contacts during emergency.
Video logs
Updating or posting videos of its operations or latest campaign so that stakeholders are aware about them.
References
About – WFP. (n. d.). Retrieved February 19, 2010, from WFP: http://www. wfp. org/
About Us – ECHO. (n. d.). Retrieved February 18, 2010, from ECHO: http://ec. europa. eu/echo/about/what/history_en. htm
About Us-OCHA. (n. d.). Retrieved February 18, 2010, from OCHA: http://ochaonline. un. org/
About Us-UNHCR. (n. d.). Retrieved February 18, 2010, from UNHCR: http://www. unhcr. org/pages/49c3646c2. html
About Us-UNICEF. (n. d.). Retrieved February 19, 2010, from UNICEF: http://www. unicef. org
About-WHO. (n. d.). Retrieved February 18, 2010, from WHO: http://www. who. int/about/en/
Andreasen, A. R., & Kotler, P. (2008). Strategic marketing for nonprofit organizations (7th Edition ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
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Overview of the ICRC’s operations in 2010. (2009, December 1). Retrieved February 17, 2010, from ICRC: http://www. icrc. org/Web/eng/siteeng0. nsf/htmlall/appeals-overview-011209/$File/2010_Overview-Operations. pdf
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