IFRC

The IFRC was founded in 1919 and serves as the federation of independent National Societies, which are each country’s Red Cross or Red Crescent organization. IFRC provides coordination, technical support, and fund management for international appeals when National Societies face crises exceeding their capacity. Unlike the ICRC, IFRC operates primarily in peacetime disasters, with a significant presence also in conflicts through National Society support.

IFRC has launched a major international emergency appeal for Ukraine, channelling donor funding to support the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS). URCS is one of the largest civil society organizations in Ukraine, with thousands of volunteers and staff providing first aid, emergency medical care, MHPSS, cash transfers, food distributions, and primary health care services across the country. IFRC’s coordination of international Red Cross support — including mobile health teams, trauma care, and MHPSS — makes it a significant actor in the health response landscape in which CARE and other NGO partners operate.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, coordinating 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC supports National Societies in delivering community-level humanitarian response and disaster preparedness, and coordinates international Red Cross operations in natural disaster settings.

Ukraine Commitment

IFRC coordinates the international Red Cross response to Ukraine, supporting the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) — the largest humanitarian volunteer network in Ukraine — with funding, capacity, supplies, and technical support for mass casualty response, primary health care, MHPSS, and cash assistance.