With its formal mandate by the Geneva Conventions to protect and assist victims of armed conflict, the ICRC plays a critical role in situations of armed conflict and violence, where access is often restricted for other actors. It holds a unique position, within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and in the international humanitarian system, due not only to its legal mandate but also its operational principles and long-standing experience in conflict situations. As a credible, principled actor with a distinctive operating model, it brings significant and strong operational capability to respond at scale.
This first MOPAN assessment of the ICRC takes a closer look at the organisation as it has evolved in a challenging context marked by the aftermath of a financial crisis in 2022 and data breach in 2023, and amid financial cuts and restructuring. Unprecedented threats to international humanitarian law and the aid environment make it even more challenging for the ICRC to sustain the unmatched, substantial humanitarian impact it has demonstrated over the last years across all four programme areas – protection, essential services, prevention, and Movement cooperation – in highly demanding operational contexts.
Against this backdrop, the assessment provides insights into the ICRC’s performance journey, highlighting key strengths, identifying areas for improvement, and offering considerations to inform the organisation’s future strategic trajectory.