War brings out the worst of human instincts and fires up the things that we would not have believed ourselves capable of doing. Not only soldiers take to arms, but civilians too get swept along by events. Across the world the sad story is the same: faces marked by grief, pain and loss. At this point when needs are at their greatest, local health-care services are often in no state to respond. Hospitals may have been destroyed, staff are afraid to go to work, and medical supplies are extremely limited. When their lives are at stake, civilians have no choice but to abandon their homes and land and seek safety elsewhere. They must leave all their possessions behind, they are often separated from other members of their family and after facing the trauma of war, they must face an uncertain future. Crammed together in public buildings, huddled up in makeshift shelters in vast camps or by the roadside, they are utterly dependent on outside assistance. This article discusses the challenges and concerns of the Red Cross Movement with regard to such experiences.
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