ological ▁nature . ▁ ▁Independ ence ▁ ▁The ▁Mov ement ▁is ▁independent . ▁The ▁National ▁Soci eties , ▁while ▁auxili aries ▁in ▁the ▁human itar ian ▁services ▁of ▁their ▁govern ments ▁and ▁subject ▁to ▁the ▁laws ▁of ▁their ▁respective ▁countries , ▁must ▁always ▁maintain ▁their ▁aut onomy ▁so ▁that ▁they ▁may ▁be ▁able ▁at ▁all ▁times ▁to ▁act ▁in ▁accord ance ▁with ▁the ▁principles ▁of ▁the ▁Mov ement . ▁ ▁Vol unt ary ▁Service ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁volunt ary ▁relief ▁movement ▁not ▁prompt ed ▁in ▁any ▁manner ▁by ▁desire ▁for ▁gain . ▁ ▁Unity ▁ ▁There ▁can ▁be ▁only ▁one ▁Red ▁Cross ▁or ▁one ▁Red ▁C res cent ▁Society ▁in ▁any ▁one ▁country . ▁It ▁must ▁be ▁open ▁to ▁all . ▁It ▁must ▁carry ▁on ▁its ▁human itar ian ▁work ▁throughout ▁its ▁territory . ▁ ▁Univers ality ▁ ▁The ▁International ▁Red ▁Cross ▁and ▁Red ▁C res cent ▁Mov ement , ▁in ▁which ▁all ▁Soci eties ▁have ▁equal ▁status ▁and ▁share ▁equal ▁respons ib ilities ▁and ▁duties ▁in ▁helping ▁each ▁other , ▁is ▁world wide . ▁ ▁Activ ities ▁and ▁organization ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Conference ▁and ▁the ▁Stand ing ▁Commission ▁ ▁The ▁International ▁Conference ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross ▁and ▁Red ▁C res cent , ▁which ▁occurs ▁once ▁every ▁four ▁years , ▁is ▁the ▁highest ▁institution al ▁body ▁of ▁the ▁Mov ement . ▁It ▁g athers ▁deleg ations ▁from ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁soci eties ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁from ▁the ▁IC RC , ▁the ▁IF RC ▁and ▁the ▁sign atory ▁states ▁to ▁the ▁Gene