The Law on Red Cross Activities was passed by the National Assembly on June 03, 2008, consisting of 8 chapters and 34 articles.
Article table of contents
Chapter I: General Provisions
Article 1, The Law on Red Cross Activities stipulates activities of the Red Cross; mobilizing, receiving, managing, and using resources for Red Cross activities; international cooperation in Red Cross activities; Vietnam Red Cross Society and responsibility of state agencies, organizations, and individuals in Red Cross activities.
Article 2, The Law specifies that Red Cross activities are community-based humanitarian activities carried out or coordinated by the Red Cross Society, including emergency relief and humanitarian assistance; health care and first aid; humanitarian blood donation, organ and tissue donation, and body donation; searching for missing relatives due to war, natural disasters, or calamities; propagating humanitarian values and participating in disaster prevention and response.
Article 3 of the Law defines the principles: voluntary, non-profit, openness, transparency, proper purpose, appropriate target, timely and effective, non-discrimination.
Article 4 of the Law stipulates: The State encourages and creates favorable conditions for organizations and individuals to participate in Red Cross activities and has compensation policies according to the law for organizations and individuals whose assets are damaged when participating in Red Cross activities...
Article 5 of the Law states clearly: The Vietnam Fatherland Front (MTTQVN) and its member organizations are responsible for propagandizing and mobilizing members and the public to participate in Red Cross activities; monitoring the implementation of the law on Red Cross activities.
Article 6 of the Law stipulates prohibited acts, including: obstructing or forcing organizations and individuals to participate in Red Cross activities; using, providing products, goods, and services of substandard quality causing harm to human health and life during Red Cross activities; false reporting, fraud, embezzlement, unauthorized use of money and artifacts donated by organizations and individuals for Red Cross activities; exploiting Red Cross activities for the purpose of harming national security, social order, and safety; exploiting Red Cross activities for personal gain...
Chapter II: On Red Cross activities, specifying the concept, content, methods, and procedures to conduct seven Red Cross activities.
Chapter III: On symbols in Red Cross activities. The Law stipulates: “The Red Cross symbol is used during Red Cross activities and at Red Cross establishments, means of operation, and artifacts”; In cases of armed conflict, the Red Cross symbol is used according to the provisions of the Geneva Conventions. The Red Crescent and Red Crystal symbols (Article 16) are used and respected as the Red Cross symbol when operating in Vietnam.
Chapter IV: On mobilizing, fundraising, receiving, managing, and using resources for Red Cross activities.
The Law clearly stipulates that resources for Red Cross activities include human resources, money, and artifacts mobilized and supported from the State Budget. The Red Cross Society organizes the mobilization to conduct Red Cross activities in the event of a serious disaster. The Government of Vietnam facilitates quick customs and immigration procedures for people, money, and artifacts serving Red Cross activities. Goods and services serving Red Cross activities are exempt from or reduced in taxes.
The Red Cross activity fund is a social charity fund managed by the Red Cross Society, used to conduct Red Cross activities. The fund is formed from sources: voluntary contributions, sponsorship, aid, and State support. The fund includes components: emergency relief funds and other component funds established according to the law.
Chapter V: On international cooperation
According to Article 26, the Red Cross Society is allowed to participate in international relief activities, to call upon the Vietnamese people to support other nations affected by serious disasters after obtaining the consent of the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam; The State creates conditions for the Red Cross Society to participate in international relief activities.
Chapter VI: On the Vietnam Red Cross Society
The Red Cross Society is a social organization operating humanely, a member of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and a member of the international Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, tasked with organizing or coordinating Red Cross activities and fulfilling other duties assigned by the State. The operating budget of the Red Cross Society comes from four sources: membership fees, support from organizations and individuals, support from the State Budget, and other legitimate sources.
Chapter VII: On the responsibility of state agencies and media agencies in Red Cross activities. The Government of Vietnam uniformly manages the state administration of Red Cross activities; The Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible before the Government of Vietnam for implementing state management of Red Cross activities; The People's Committees at all levels manage Red Cross activities locally.
The Law stipulates: media agencies coordinate to mobilize the public to participate in Red Cross activities, highlight good examples, and criticize negative expressions in the implementation of the law on Red Cross activities.
The Law takes effect from January 1, 2009.
Source: People's Deputies Electronic Newspaper
