Red Cross layoff: 1,500 jobs at risk as budget for humanitarian aid slumps

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is planning to layoff 1,500 employees and scale down on its programmes. This comes as the committee expects a reduction in the budget for humanitarian aid.

ICRC in a statement said that it will cut 1,500 jobs worldwide in the next 12 months. At least 20 out of the 350 locations around the world will be closed. Those areas will be covered by another ICRC office or will be given to other humanitarian or development partners.

As per Business Today, the Geneva-based organisation said that its governing board approved cost reductions for 2023 and early 2024 to the tune of $475.30 million. ICRC mentioned that several end-of-the-year pledges by donors had not come through at the level anticipated. It had requested the donors for 2.8 billion Swiss francs for its work this year initially. However, the committee revised it to 2 billion Swiss francs. It also added that the costs had been higher than planned in the last quarter of 2022.

The Red Cross has said that it will go for recruitment freeze or reduction in the number of positions. This will reduce the number of people who will be impacted.