Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) officials discussed with a delegation from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs several issues related to humanitarian activities in the local, regional and Middle East areas, focusing on the most important countries benefiting from the largest share of QRCS aid, and the huge expansion of the volume of this aid to benefit 13mn people during the past year.
QRCS Chief Executive Director Ibrahim Abdullah al-Maliki stated that QRCS worked in accordance with a set of rules and laws regulating charity and humanitarian action, under the supervision of Qatar's Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (RACA).
"Being a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is another strength and legal capacity that gets us well in place to reach out to disaster zones," said al-Maliki.
He highlighted some challenges to humanitarian action, particularly the bureaucratic procedures that delay humanitarian response. To overcome these challenges, al-Maliki explained, QRCS adopted modern technology and techniques, to ensure a smooth and balanced workflow.
"Other ways to facilitate the work include operating under the umbrella of the Movement and the United Nations, associating with fellow National Societies and local partners, and establishing foreign representation offices," al-Maliki added.
QRCS pays great attention to humanitarian diplomacy and advocacy, by working towards 'humanitarianised' legislation; issuing emergency appeals and launching fundraising campaigns to mobilise support for the vulnerable; raising awareness about disasters and crises to urge the international community to intervene and help the nations hit by natural disasters or wars and armed conflicts, and promoting the international humanitarian law, the four Geneva Conventions, the seven fundamental humanitarian principles, and human rights to further establish international peace and security.
Other undertakings in this field include building the capacity of fellow National Societies and charitable organisations and upgrading their human, technical, and administrative resources; strengthening professional, institutional, and personal relations with all components and officials of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and representing Qatar in regional and international social and humanitarian events.
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