▁Soci eties ) ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Nobel ▁Peace ▁Prize ▁joint ly ▁with ▁the ▁IC RC . ▁ ▁National ▁Red ▁Cross ▁and ▁Red ▁C res cent ▁Soci eties ▁exist ▁in ▁nearly ▁every ▁country ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁Currently ▁ 1 9 0 ▁National ▁Soci eties ▁are ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁IC RC ▁and ▁admitted ▁as ▁full ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Federation . ▁Each ▁entity ▁works ▁in ▁its ▁home ▁country ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁principles ▁of ▁international ▁human itar ian ▁law ▁and ▁the ▁stat utes ▁of ▁the ▁international ▁Mov ement . ▁Depending ▁on ▁their ▁specific ▁circumstances ▁and ▁capac ities , ▁National ▁Soci eties ▁can ▁take ▁on ▁additional ▁human itar ian ▁tasks ▁that ▁are ▁not ▁directly ▁defined ▁by ▁international ▁human itar ian ▁law ▁or ▁the ▁mand ates ▁of ▁the ▁international ▁Mov ement . ▁In ▁many ▁countries , ▁they ▁are ▁tight ly ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁respective ▁national ▁health ▁care ▁system ▁by ▁providing ▁emer gency ▁medical ▁services . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁International ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross ▁( IC RC ) ▁ ▁Sol fer ino , ▁Jean - Hen ri ▁Dun ant ▁and ▁foundation . ▁ ▁Until ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁organized ▁and / or ▁well - est ab lished ▁army ▁n urs ing ▁systems ▁for ▁cas ual ties ▁and ▁no ▁safe ▁and ▁protected ▁institutions ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁and ▁treat ▁those ▁who ▁were ▁wounded ▁on ▁the ▁battle field . ▁ ▁A ▁dev out ▁Re formed ▁Christian , ▁the ▁Swiss ▁business man ▁Jean - Hen ri ▁Dun ant , ▁in ▁June ▁ 1