The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies was founded in 1919 in Paris and is today the world's largest humanitarian network, reaching 150 million people across 189 nations. It is committed to tackling all of the major humanitarian and developmental issues of the decade. The organization's strengths are its committed volunteer network, community expertise and its ability to give an international voice to vulnerable people.

In Brazil Cruz Vermelha (Red Cross) work in the fields of development, health, migration, shelter, recovery, diplomacy and disaster management. Its offices are based in Centro, Rio de Janeiro, with a further 23 branches across the country and 15,000 volunteers.