The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian and development network, with volunteers based in 186 National Societies.
This report describes the economic and social value of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers. It is based on a rigorous methodology that is aligned with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Civil Society Studies volunteer measurement project. It provides a baseline for subsequent studies to track the evolution of volunteer recruitment and retention. It is based on surveys sent to National Societies and includes case studies of volunteer activities. It makes visible the amount of money that would have to be paid if services were not provided by volunteers. The value of the IFRC volunteer network is that it offers an opportunity to invest more, not less, in tackling the root causes of suffering and furthering development through the mobilization of resources by the community.