Auxilary role of the Red cross

The auxiliary role of the Red Cross involves providing support to the authorities in the country by complementing or replacing public humanitarian services in both peacetime and during emergencies, while simultaneously acting in accordance with the fundamental principles, particularly regarding the maintenance of its neutrality and independence. The authorities in the country and the Red Cross, as the auxiliary to the authorities, have a specific and characteristic partnership, with mutual responsibilities and benefits, based on international and national laws, through which the authorities and the national society agree on areas where the Red Cross will complement or be authorized to perform public humanitarian services.

Since its establishment, the Red Cross of North Macedonia has nurtured a fruitful partnership with state institutions and, in line with its mandate, delivers services through its regular activities and, during emergencies, provides a range of services for various target groups of beneficiaries. In this regard, the Red Cross of North Macedonia provides several essential services, such as preparedness, response, and recovery from crises and disasters, coping with and adapting to emerging risks from climate change, and supporting people to adjust and cope with these challenges.

The Red Cross also plays a leading role in organizing national campaigns for populations affected by crises and disasters both domestically and abroad. The national society also makes a special contribution to the promotion and development of voluntary blood donation, first aid, health prevention for both infectious and non-communicable diseases, promoting healthy living habits, providing services in the area of psychosocial and psychological support, promoting and mobilizing volunteers, disseminating humanitarian values and international humanitarian law, restoring family links for separated families as a result of emergencies, providing support for migrants and refugees, the homeless, and offering social services to vulnerable groups of citizens in the country, as well as engaging and supporting youth and elderly people.

Some of these services are provided independently and fully authorized by the state, while others are complementary contributions that support the efforts of other state and non-state institutions and organizations.

The Red Cross continuously builds a special platform for cooperation with the authorities in the country to provide practical guidance for building partnerships that will contribute to strengthening the auxiliary role of the Red Cross of North Macedonia through domestic laws, policies, plans, and agreements, which will enable the national society to implement its operations more efficiently and effectively in the country, while providing complementary services to state institutions to ensure an effective response to the various humanitarian challenges faced by a wide range of target groups of Red Cross service users.