INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT MOVEMENT - THE SECOND ITALO-ETHIOPIAN WAR (1935-1936)

During the Second Italo-Ethiopian War (1935-1936), the mission led to the criticism of the Red Cross in the global arena because it violated the very same purpose that it promised to guard when establishing this international humanitarian movement as the institution failed to protect not only the Ethiopians but also their people are given the fact that they were the primary target of the Italians, their ambulances and hospitals being under attack. Italians were using asphyxiating gases and, most importantly, mustard gas which was prohibited in 1925. The Red Cross violated basic human rights when it refused to hold Italy accountable for its actions and let the Red Cross representatives be seriously injured without demanding justice on their part, without even criticizing the usage of the illegal gas. By not condemning fascist Italy, the Red Cross would gain personal benefits from it, but it did so at the expense of violating basic human rights.