ICRC in Central Asia - Fact sheet 2010

8/9/2019 ICRC in Central Asia - Fact sheet 2010

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In 2009, the ICRC:

resumed in September its hu-manitarian visits in Uzbekistan

to detainees held in places of

detention under the Penitentia-

ry Department of the Ministry

of Interior, on the basis of theagreement concluded in 2001;

continued its support to the Min-istries of Health and Justice (Peni-

tentiary Department) of the Kyr-

gyz Republic in their efforts to

control TB in places of detention,

particularly as regards Multi-Drug

Resistant TB in prisons;

pursued its dialogue with the au-thorities to get access to places

of detention in Turkmenistan and

carried out a series of workshops

with the penitentiary authorities

under the Ministry of Interior;

organized an International Fo-rum in Astana on Contempora-

ry Challenges to Humanitarian

Norms for representatives of

relevant ministries and acade-

mic circles of States of Eastern

Europe and Central Asia (see ar-

ticle on page 12);

continued to extend expertiseand support to the Red Crescent

Society of Tajikistan in conduct-ing Mine Risk Education (MRE)

sessions for the population living

in areas affected by mines and

unexploded remnants of war;

contributed to the consolidationof sustainable tracing services of

Central Asian Red Crescent So-

cieties that respond effectively to

the needs of separated families,

in particular as concerns migrant

labourers, foreign detainees and

refugees.

ICRC IN CENTRAL ASIA:

FACT SHEET 2010

IN FOCUS: CHALLENGES TOHUMANITARIAN NORMSThe International Forum Contem-

porary Challenges to Humanitarian

Norms was held in Astana on 10 12

November 2009, in cooperation be-tween the International Committee

of the Red Cross and the Eurasian

National University named after

L. N. Gumilev, with the support of the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Re-

public of Kazakhstan. The main pur-

pose of the Forum was to discuss con-

temporary humanitarian issues, with a

focus on Eastern Europe and Central

Asia and a particular emphasis on the

use of force in situations not reaching

the threshold of an armed conflict. The

adequacy of the legal and organiza-tional response by States and interna-

tional humanitarian organizations as

well as of their interaction was also

taken into consideration through this

multilateral dialogue.

The Forum gathered over 50 repre-

sentatives of Ministries of Foreign

Affairs, Defence, Justice and Interior

as well as senior lecturers in publicinternational and humanitarian law

from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,

Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,

Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turk-

menistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan,

and ICRC experts from Geneva, Mos-

cow and Tashkent.

The Forum was a useful opportu-

nity to sensitize the participants to

the new challenges to humanitar-

ian norms and to discuss, in a mul-

tilateral format, in particular, the use

of force and its humanitarian conse-quences with representatives of the

national authorities and the academic

circles who maintain regular working

relations with the ICRC in the States

of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Continued on page 2

The ICRC missionThe International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively

humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with as-

sistance. It directs and coordinates the international relief activities conducted by the Movement in situations of conflict. It also

endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.

Established in 1863, the ICRC is at the origin of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Plenary session. International Forum on Contemporary Challenges to Humanitarian Norms,

Astana, November 2009.


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ICRC IN CENTRAL ASIA: FACT SHEET 2010

Shirin AkhmedovaDirector, National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights, Turkmenistan

The Turkmen participants were particularly interested in issues treated in the working group which dealt

with the implementation of humanitarian norms in the national legislation. Our country is currently con-

ducting cardinal reforms, which include further development of the national legal basis. One of the main

components of renewing Turkmenistans legal system is bringing it in conformity with international norms,

which our neutral State is party to.

Saidakhmad KurbonovColonel, Deputy Head of Organization and Revision Directorate, Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Tajikistan

I and my colleagues from 12 countries were particularly interested in the implementation of humani-

tarian norms in the national legislation, of norms which regulate counter-terrorist operations, as well as

issues of applying humanitarian norms in situations below the threshold of armed conflicts (disorder,

tensions).

I think that the outcomes of the Forum can help prevent violations of humanitarian norms in many

countries, which will be beneficial to mankind as a whole.

Out of purely humanitarian considerations, the ICRC offers its services to the States of the region to assess the material conditions

of detention and the treatment afforded to persons detained in places of detention, primarily to assist the States in establishing the

delicate balance between guaranteeing security and ensuring the respect of fundamental humanitarian norms. In view of the ongo-

ing reforms in the penitentiary systems directed at improving compliance with international standards, the national authorities in

charge can rely on the ICRCs unique and globally recognised expertise. Through its work in places of detention, the ICRC seeks,

by means of a confidential and constructive dialogue and representations with the authorities concerned, to generate a sustainable

impact regarding required measures of improvement.

Facts and figures

Uzbekistan

11635 detainees visited in 2009,of whom 708 monitored individ-

ually (among them 57 women)during 18 visits to 10 places of

detention

56 RCMs were collected fromand 21 RCMs distributed to de-

tainees

2

The quality of the dialogue was high,

as participants expressed their views

concurring and critical alike in

an atmosphere of openness and con-

structiveness, and both practical and

academic points of view were pre-

sented. Along with that, the Forum

succeeded in bringing to the partici-

pants attention some fundamental

humanitarian norms, which apply to

corresponding situations of use of

armed force, and in exchanging views

on the appropriate future interaction

between States and humanitarian ac-

tors in the area of integrating those

norms in States national legislations

and practices.

HUMANITARIAN VISITS TO DETAINEES

Continued from page 1

UzbekistanIn September 2009, the ICRC delegates

resumed visits to places of detention.On the basis of the agreement signed

with the authorities of Uzbekistan in2001, the ICRC delegates visited per-

sons detained in places of detention

under the authority of the GUIN (peni-tentiary department), including penal

colonies and some pre-trial facilities inaccordance with the Institutions stan-

dard working procedures.The visits were made with a purpose

of assessing the treatment, health and

living conditions of detainees, par-

ticularly those of security detainees,women, minors and foreigners. Fol-

lowing the visits, verbal confidentialrepresentations and recommendations

on detainees treatment and condi-

tions of detention were made to thedetaining authorities through regularmeetings.

Moreover, the ICRC supported thedetainees in re-establishing and main-

taining contact with family members

through the exchange of RCMs.

KyrgyzstanThroughout the year the ICRC visited

people held in places of detention un-

der the authority of the Ministries of

Justice (Penitentiary Department) and

Interior, including police stations, pre-

trial detention facilities, and penal colo-

nies. These visits endeavoured to assess

the treatment, health and living condi-

tions of detainees, with particular atten-

tion being given to security detainees,

women, minors, foreigners and detain-

ees sentenced to life imprisonment.

ICRC

Continued on page 3


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3

Facts and figures

Kyrgyzstan

7,600 detainees visited in 2009,of whom 86 monitored individu-

ally (among them 2 women;

1 minor), during 70 visits to 33

places of detention

58 RCMs were collected fromand 42 RCMs distributed to de-

tainees

2,796 detainees benefited fromrenovation projects aimed at an

improvement of conditions of

detention

5 family visits were organisedwith support of the ICRC and

the Kyrgyz Red Crescent Soci-

ety for the detainees and their

family members

Female detainees received hy-giene kits from the ICRC to

support their sanitary needs

Meeting the loved onesIn September 2009, the ICRC mission in Bishkek received a tracing request

from Nadejda, detained in the Women colony 2 (Stepnoe). The woman had

been separated from her two sons aged 7 and 5 since the time of her detention

in January 2009. The woman indicated that the last place where she saw her

children was in the Child Rehabilitation Centre (CRC) located near Manas

street in Bishkek.

The ICRC found the children present there. The administration of CRC was most

happy to give its consent for a family visit to the mother. A family visit was organi

sed for the children on November 3. They could spend three days in the colony

with their mother. Nadejda broke into tears when she saw her little sons after

such a long time of separation. Nadejda meets her son after 10 months ofseparation

ICRC

www.icrc.org/rus

The prevalence of multi-resistant tu-

berculosis (MDR TB) in Kyrgyzstan

remained one of the highest in the

world, posing a serious threat to thesuccess of TB-control activities both

within and outside prisons. Follow-

ing an internal review of the MDR

TB programme, the ICRC decided to

reinforce its human resources to fur-

ther enhance technical support to the

authorities.

Together with its national and inter-

national partners, the ICRC pursued

a constant dialogue with the Ministry

of Health and Justice, later with the

GSIN (Penitentiary Department un-

der the Prime Minister), to strength-

en the latters capacities to bring TBunder control in places of detention

through the DOTS-plus programme.

(DOTS stands for Directly Observed

Therapy, Short-course and is a major

plank in the WHO global TB eradica-

tion programme. DOTS-Plus is an

extension of the DOTS programme to

include the treatment of MDR TB).

The ICRC assisted the GSIN in the

supervision of detection, diagnostic

and treatment activities, and distribu-

ted medication to detainees to mini-

mize the side effects of the medication

used in the DOTS-plus programmeas well as food supplementing their

existing diet.

The Deputy Medical Head of GSIN

participated in a World Health or-

ganizations (WHO) course on TB

management in Riga, Latvia, and one

nurse and one laboratory specialist of

GSIN took part in a WHO course on

MDR TB in Tartu, Estonia with the

support of the ICRC.

Contributing to the struggle against tuberculosis (TB) in places ofdetention

ICRC

The ICRC continued to inform the

authorities about its observations,

giving recommendations through

confidential reports and regular

meetings, aimed at improving li-

ving conditions and treatment of

detainees.

The Institution supported detainees in

reestablishing and maintaining fam-

ily contacts through the exchange of

Red Cross Family Messages (RCMs).

This work was carried out in coopera-

tion with the Red Crescent Society of

Kyrgyzstan.

A patient taking his medicine in the presence of Ryskul Cholusheva, ICRC Bishkek

medical field officer.



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The National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies provide in their home countries a wide variety of humanitarian services,

ranging from disaster relief and assistance for the victims of war, to first aid training and restoring family links. The Interna-

tional Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies coordinates activities between the National Societies within the

Movement, and supports their development. The 186 recognized National Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies, their Interna-

tional Federation and the ICRC make up together the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

spective parliaments, ministries and

organizations about their legal status

and mandate. In December, the lower

Chamber of Tajikistans Parliament

adopted the law on the status of the

Red Crescent Society.

The five National Societies contrib-

uted to the dissemination of IHL and

humanitarian values, particularly in

secondary schools, local authorities,

armed forces etc. The Red Crescent

Society of Tajikistan continued to

conduct mine risk education sessions

with a view of raising the awarenessof the danger of mines and unexplod-

ed ordnances (UXO) among the pop-

ulation living in the regions affected

by weapon contamination.

The Red Crescent Societies of Kazakh-

stan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turk-

menistan and Uzbekistan jointly with

the ICRC continued to provide family-

links services in these countries.

100 Red Cross Messages (RCMs)were collected from and 144 RCMs

distributed to civilians; 2 calls were

facilitated between separated fam-

ily members

75 people were issued with anICRC travel document (the ICRC

travel document is a document is-

sued to refugees and displaced or

stateless persons who, because

they lack appropriate documents,

are unable to return to their country

of origin or cannot go to or stay in

the country of choice that is willing

to receive them or keep them).

INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENTMOVEMENT

In Central Asia, the National Societ-

ies pursued the consolidation of their

institutional capacities, with financial

support and advice from the Interna-

tional Federation and the ICRC. Inaddition, the Red Crescent Societies

in Central Asia addressed numerous

humanitarian problems, namely HIV/

AIDS, TB, street children, migration,

recovery of population after disasters,

and others with the support and coor-

dination of the International Federa-

tion, Partner National Societies and

respective governmental structures.

The Central Asian Red Crescent So-

cieties continued to strengthen their

legal bases. The National Societies of

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan

and Uzbekistan received support from

the ICRC and the International Feder-

ation for the elaboration of draft laws

to formalise their national status androle in accordance with the fundamen-

tal principles of the International Red

Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The Kazakhstan National Society re-

activated the process for the adoption

of an adequate Law on the use of the

Red Cross and/or Red Crescent Em-

blem. The National Societies of Ka-

zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and

Uzbekistan organized with support of

the ICRC and International Federa-

tion special conferences for/with re-

TurkmenistanThe Turkmen authorities and the

ICRC pursued a dialogue with a view

of possibly concluding an agreement

on ICRC visits to persons detained

in Turkmenistan. In this framework,

the Delegation organised a series of

3 seminars for penitentiary authorities

and staff on its standard visiting pro-

cedures and its humanitarian assess-

ment of the material conditions and

the treatment in places of detention.

4

Tajik Red Crescent Societys hands-on mine-risk exercise for school students in Rasht Region


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FROM INTERNATIONAL LAW TO NATIONAL LEGISLATION

International humanitarian law (IHL) is a set of rules which seeks, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflicts.

It protects persons who are not or no longer participating in the hostilities and restricts the means and methods of warfare.

ICRC offers advisory legal services for the adaptation of the national legislation to the humanitarian norms enshrined in the rel-

evant international treaties. National authorities may rely on the ICRCs continued expert advice regarding current developments

in relevant international law, and on its sharing efficient and tailored implementation techniques and best practices.

Although the States of Central Asia

are party to many IHL treaties, mech-

anisms for the integration of the inter-

national norms into the corresponding

national legislation remains in many

cases to be achieved.

In 2009:

Representatives of Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turk-

menistan shared experiences inthe Second Regional Seminar on

IHL Implementation in St Peters-

burg, Russian Federation;

The lower Chamber of Tajiki-stans Parliament adopted a Law

on the status of the National So-

ciety;

Representatives of ministriesand other state bodies of Ka-

zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,

Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

participated in the International

Forum Contemporary Chal-lenges to Humanitarian Norms

in Astana, November 2009.

In Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, guest

lectures on IHL and the International

Red Cross and Red Crescent Move-

ment were conducted for civil ser-

vants students of the Academy of

Public Administration under the Pres-

ident (Kazakhstan, October 2009)

and the Academy of State and Social

Construction under the President (Uz-

bekistan, November 2009).

The President of Kazakhstan signed

a law on the ratification of the Ad-

ditional Protocol III. Exchange of

correspondence as well as working

meetings continued between the au-

thorities of Kazakhstan and the ICRC

on specific points of the draft Head-

quarters Agreement formalizing the

ICRCs presence in the country.In Turkmenistan, work on the estab-

lishment of a permanent Working

Group on IHL within the Inter-Minis-

terial Commission for the Implemen-

tation of International Obligations of

Turkmenistan in the Sphere of Hu-

man Rights (Human Rights Commis-

sion) has begun. The National Insti-

tute of Democracy and Human Rights

under the President of Turkmenistan

and the ICRC have agreed to orga-

nize in January 2010 a Round Table

for representatives of various govern-

ment institutions who would becomemembers of the Working group under

the umbrella of the existing Human

Rights Commission.

Continued on page 6

5

Representatives of 12 countries of Central Asia and Eastern Europe discuss Contemporary

Challenges to Humanitarian Norms during the International Forum in Astana

RELATIONS WITH ARMED, POLICE AND SECURITYFORCES

Following a decade of dissemination of the law of armed conflicts among officers responsible for education in the Central Asian

States armed and security forces, the General Staffs of these armed forces may now rely on the ICRCs expertise in integrating

this law into the standing procedures for the planning and conduct of operations.

Armed Forces

Representatives of the Central Asian

Defence Ministries held around ten

meetings with the ICRC military ex-

pert based in the region on specific

measures required to ensure the per-

manent integration of IHL norms into

the decision making process of the

armed forces. The ICRC delivered

specific trainings to senior officers of

the General Staff of the Ministries of

Defence of the five countries of Cen-

tral Asia. In Kyrgyzstan and Tajiki-

ICRC

www.icrc.org/rus


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MASS MEDIA AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

In parallel to the integration of IHL and humanitarian principles in educational Standards and curricula, the ICRC

is pursuing its undertaking, initiated more than 10 years ago to contribute to the establishment and consolidation

of pools of educational and academic experts, who have been receiving institutional training on international hu-manitarian law at partner educational institutions potential centres of IHL expertise with a view to promoting

the humanitarian norms in their societies and becoming regular advisors to their national authorities.

A Framework Agreement between the

Ministry of Education, the Kyrgyz

Red Crescent Society and the ICRC

On cooperation in the organization

of dissemination of knowledge on in-

ternational humanitarian law and its

teaching in secondary and higher edu-

stan the operational commands have

taken up their role in this regard and

have initiated the work on the assess-

ment of the documents that refer to

the standard principles which guide

the action of arms carriers at strategic,operational and tactical levels.

Police and Security ForcesThe evaluation to ascertain the extent

to which relevant international stan-

dards applicable to policing, in par-

ticular as concerns law enforcement

operations, are integrated into train-

ing programmes and standard operat-

ing procedures of police and security

forces in the region continued. Dis-

cussions took place with the Chief

of Staff of the Ministry of InternalAffairs of Tajikistan and workshops

have been conducted with the Interior

Troops of the Ministry of Internal Af-

fairs of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on

issues regarding crowd control and

the appropriate use of force.

The ICRC kept regular contacts with

local media through the distribution of

press-releases and invitations of jour-nalists to provide media coverage of

humanitarian issues potent in Central

Asia as well of its humanitarian action.

On the occasion of the 60th anniver-

sary of the 1949 Geneva Conven-

tions, round tables were conducted on

12 August 2009, with support from

the relevant Ministries of Foreign Af-fairs in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and

Uzbekistan, and a press-conference

was held in Kazakhstan.

In December, an information session

with a view to raise awareness among

media representatives of the ICRC ac-

tivities and issues of the Institutions

humanitarian concern was attendedby a number of journalists represent-

ing some main newspapers in Bish-

kek. Two analogous round tables were

held, in autumn 2009, in Tajikistan.

cation institutions of the Kyrgyz Re-

public was signed on 30 December

2008. This Agreement ensures teach-

ing of IHL in secondary schools and

universities and the maintenance of

IHL in the relevant State educational

standards.

To achieve sustainable development

of teaching IHL basics, in April 2009

the Tajik Ministry of Education and

Science, the Tajik Red Crescent So-

ciety and the ICRC signed a trilateral

Cooperation Agreement on the dis-

semination and teaching of IHL in the

6

The ICRC Armed and Security Forces Delegate discusses issues of integration of IHL in the

Armed Forces. Almaty, Kazakhstan.


Continued on page 7

ICRC

Integrating IHL in educational practices at the secondary and university levels


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7

institutions of secondary and higher

education of Tajikistan.

In Kazakhstan, the Republican In-Ser-

vice Training Institute along with the

Kazakh Red Crescent Society is devel-

oping a plan of activities to study the

experience of adapting and integrat-

ing IHL modules materials, originally

prepared by ICRC, into the teaching

process at secondary schools.

In Uzbekistan, the interaction between

the ICRC and the Ministry of Higher

and Secondary Special Education in

the area of improving academic cur-

ricula in secondary education helped

to maintain the level of teaching IHL

basics.

In order to increase the attention ofauthorities on IHL integration into the

pre-military training curricula and its

practical learning, the ICRC conduct-

ed the Fourth Regional Pre-Military

Training Seminar for Military Lyce-

ums in March 2009. Moreover, dia-

logues were held in the form of round

tables for authorities (Kazakhstan,

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan),

curriculum developers (Tajikistan,

Uzbekistan), trainings of trainers for

the Exploring Humanitar-ian Law(EHL) project (Kazakhstan), com-

petitions among pupils and teachers

(Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)

for maintaining interaction with edu-

cational authorities.

A number of universities in Kazakh-

stan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan con-

cluded memoranda of understanding

with the ICRC to ensure the sustain-

ability of IHL teaching. In order to

ensure that young lecturers and se-

nior students from universities in the

region acquired knowledge about

IHL:

about 150 students and lecturersparticipated in IHL courses in Ka-

zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,

Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan runby the ICRC in collaboration with

local partner universities;

6 teams from universities in theregion took part in the 12th Mar-

tens IHL Moot Court Competition

(Moscow, May 2009);

8 professors from partner univer-sities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan partici-

pated in The Martens Readings

Scientific Conference (St. Peters-

burg, June 2009);

15 professors from Central Asianpartner universities participated in

the International Forum Contem-

porary Challenges to Humanitar-

ian Norms (Astana, November2009);

10 students from partner univer-sities took part in the Internation-

al Student Scientific Conference

on IHL (Yerevan, November

2009).


School children in Tajikistan learn humanitarian norms

In January, the support of the Dushan-

be Orthopaedic Centre was taken over

by the ICRC Special Fund for the Dis-

abled. This step marked the end of ten

years of direct financial and technical

support by the ICRC and the taking

over of the full responsibility for its

management by the Ministry of La-

bour and Social Protection. A budget

contribution from the European Com-

mission in the frame of a programme

targeting the social sector of the Tajik

State enabled the Orthopaedic Centre

to become self-sustainable.

ORTHOPAEDIC CENTRE IN TAJIKISTANThe ICRC will continue to encour-

age the Orthopaedic Centre to fur-

ther enhance its capacities and will

remain in contact with all partners of

the Orthopaedic Centre to make sure

that results achieved so far are further

consolidated.

ICRC

www.icrc.org/rus


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Contact details:

ICRC Regional Delegation

in Central Asia

28, Abdurashidova Str., Tashkent,Uzbekistan, 100084

Tel: (998 71) 120 52 90/91/92/93/94

Fax: (998 71) 120 52 97

E-mail: [email protected]

ICRC Mission in Bishkek

1/131, Bokonbaeva Str., Bishkek,

Kyrgyzstan, 720040

Tel: (996 312) 30 07 72, 30 08 82

Fax: (996 312) 30 08 37


ICRC IN CENTRAL ASIA

FACT SHEET 2010, ISSUE 2

Design: Olga BaklykovaFormat 60x84/8. Offset printing.

800 copies.

ICRC, Regional Delegation in Central

Asia 2010, All rights reserved. The

reference to the edition is obligatory in

case of reprinting any material.

Humanitarian anniversaries in 2010:

Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which May

be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects, and its Protocols I, II

and III 30 years

Protocol IV to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons

which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects 15 years

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children

in Armed Conflict 10 years

Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Adoption of

an Additional Distinctive Emblem (Protocol III) 5 years

ICRC Mission in Dushanbe

71, Sovetskaya Str., Dushanbe,

Tajikistan, 734001Tel: (992 37) 221 68 23

Fax: (992 37) 251 00 53


ICRC Office in Almaty

86, Kunaeva Str., Almaty,

Kazakhstan, 050010

Tel: (727) 291 88 38

Fax: (727) 291 42 67

ICRC Office in Ashgabat

1/116, 2022 Str., Ashgabat, Turkmeni-

stan, 744000

Tel/Fax: (99 312) 35 11 19

www.icrc.org/rus

ICRC IN CENTRAL ASIA

In Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, the ICRC seeks to contribute to

fostering awareness and an environment that is conducive to the respect for the lives and dignity

of those who may, one day, be adversely affected by armed conflict and other situations of internal

violence. To this end it promotes international humanitarian norms with political authorities andministries concerned at all levels, as well as regional organizations of which Central Asian States are

members, armed forces, law enforcement bodies, media, civil society organizations, academic audi-

ences, secondary schools and others.

Equipped with almost 150 years of experience, mandated by 194 States and present in 80 countries

worldwide, the ICRC is committed to assisting these institutions in addressing current and potential

humanitarian concerns, both in preventive and operational ways. The nature of the ICRCs work

requires its continued neutrality, impartiality and independence. The ICRC does not interfere into

States domestic affairs.

In its efforts to this end, it cooperates with the national Red Crescent Societies in each country.

Whenever possible, it seeks that the promotion of the humanitarian norms it undertakes has a sus-

tainable impact, so that its undertakings can be pursued by its target audiences once the ICRC willhave withdrawn.

Documents

ICRC in Central Asia - Fact sheet 2010