Aid agency
Aid agencies are organizations dedicated to distributing aid, and they take many different forms. Some operate inside governments, others work between governments as multilateral donors, and still others run as private voluntary organizations or non-governmental organisations. The questions this documentary explores are straightforward but important: where did these organizations come from, how do they differ from one another, and what exactly do they do?
Aid itself divides into two distinct categories, and the difference between them shapes everything about how agencies operate. Humanitarian aid covers emergency relief efforts, the kind of response that follows a natural disaster when people need food, shelter, and medical care immediately. Development aid, also called foreign aid, takes a longer view. Its goal is to help countries achieve sustainable economic growth over time, with poverty reduction as the ultimate aim. Some agencies carry out both kinds of work. Others choose to specialize, focusing their resources and expertise on one aspect rather than the other.
The Sovereign Order of Malta was established in 1099 as the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and it has maintained an unbroken tradition of hospitaller activities for over 900 years. That history predates the Red Cross by centuries. Under international law, the Order was recognized at the Congress of Verona in 1822. Since 1834 it has been headquartered at the Palazzo Malta in Rome, decades before the Red Cross came into existence.
The International Committee of the Red Cross holds a distinction no other aid organization can claim: it is mandated by international treaty to uphold the Geneva Conventions. That legal foundation sets it apart from every other humanitarian body in the world. It is also the world's second-oldest humanitarian organisation, a status that places it behind only the Order of Malta in terms of institutional longevity. That combination of age and treaty obligation gives the Red Cross a role in global humanitarian work that no private voluntary organization could replicate.
Common questions
What is an aid agency?
An aid agency, also known as a development charity, is an organization dedicated to distributing aid. Aid agencies exist within governments, between governments as multilateral donors, and as private voluntary organizations or non-governmental organisations.
What are the two types of aid that aid agencies provide?
Aid is subdivided into humanitarian aid, which covers emergency relief efforts such as responses to natural disasters, and development aid, which aims to help countries achieve long-term sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. Some aid agencies carry out both kinds, while others specialise in one.
What makes the International Committee of the Red Cross unique among aid agencies?
The International Committee of the Red Cross is unique in being mandated by international treaty to uphold the Geneva Conventions. It is also the world's second-oldest humanitarian organisation.
When was the Sovereign Order of Malta established and what is its history?
The Sovereign Order of Malta was established in 1099 as the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. It has an unbroken tradition of over 900 years of hospitaller activities and has been headquartered at Palazzo Malta in Rome since 1834.
Is the Sovereign Order of Malta older than the Red Cross?
Yes. The Sovereign Order of Malta was established in 1099 and has been based at Palazzo Malta in Rome since 1834, decades before the Red Cross was founded. The Red Cross is described as the world's second-oldest humanitarian organisation, placing it behind the Order of Malta.
When was the Sovereign Order of Malta recognized under international law?
The Sovereign Order of Malta was recognized under international law at the Congress of Verona in 1822.
All sources
1 references cited across the entry
- 1inlineUFF - Official Site