1. Presence

2. Personnel

3. Visits to detainees

4. Restoration of family links

5. Assistance

6. ICRC cooperation with National Societies

7. Communication

The ICRC maintained a permanent presence in 80 countries around the world. Its delegations were distributed as follows.

Africa: Asia/Pacific: Europe/Americas: Middle East/North Africa:

27 18 24 11

The average number of ICRC staff in 2006 was as follows:

Headquarters:	783
Field:	11,680 (1,506 expatriates, 10,174 national staff)
Total:	12,463

ICRC delegates visited 478,299 detainees held in 2,577 places of detention in 71 countries. Of this number, 25,369 detainees were registered and visited for the first time in 2006. A total of 24,421 detention attestations were issued.

The ICRC collected 331,804 and distributed 302,157 Red Cross messages enabling members of families separated by conflict, disturbances or tension to exchange news.

The ICRC registered 1,555 unaccompanied/separated children (including 428 demobilized children) during 2006. Once their families had been located and with the agreement of the child and relatives concerned, it organized and supported the reunification of 1,081 children with their families. At the end of the year, the cases of 3,774 unaccompanied/separated minors were still being handled.

The ICRC established the whereabouts of 11,569 people for whom tracing requests had been filed by their families.

In 2006, 53 of the ICRC's 80 delegations and missions ran assistance programmes. The bulk of the work was carried out in Afghanistan, the Caucasus, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel and the occupied and autonomous Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Liberia, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Uganda.

Economic Security

During the year, ICRC activities to ensure economic security directly benefited households and communities in 27 countries worldwide. More than 2,650,000 internally displaced people, returnees and residents and people deprived of their freedom received aid in the form of food, 4,040,000 in the form of essential household and hygiene items and 3,460,000 through sustainable food production programmes or micro-economic initiatives.

Water and habitat

In 2006, the ICRC's water and habitat unit was involved in water, sanitation and construction work in 40 countries. These projects catered for the needs of more than 15.9 million people worldwide. They were implemented by a team of 110 expatriate engineers and 770 local engineers and technicians.

Health care services

Over the year, the ICRC regularly supported 193 hospitals and 303 other health care facilities around the world, benefiting an estimated 2,366,000 people.

More than 9,900 weapon-wounded and 67,100 non weapon-wounded patients were admitted to ICRC-supported hospitals in 17 countries where more than 65,200 surgical interventions were performed. The ICRC regularly supported 28 first aid posts located near combat zones which provided emergency treatment mainly for war wounded.

Care for the disabled

The ICRC's physical rehabilitation unit provided support to 77 centres in 24 countries, enabling 141,961 patients to receive services. A total of 10,064 new patients were fitted with prostheses and 18,384 with orthoses. In addition, 3,031 wheelchairs and 38,224 crutches were distributed. Training of local staff was a priority to improve sustainable services for patients.

The aim of the ICRC's cooperation with National Societies is to strengthen working relationships and dialogue with Movement partners for the greater benefit of people affected by conflict and internal strife.

In the vast majority of the countries where the ICRC operates, it does so in partnership with the National Societies. Overall, it is estimated that more than 30% of the ICRC's operational activities are carried out in cooperation with the National Society of the country concerned.

The ICRC also spent CHF 81.5 million to assist National Societies in building and strengthening their capacities to carry out activities in the following areas:

• 139 National Societies in their work to promote and spread knowledge of IHL and the Fundamental Principles
• 122 National Societies in their work to restore family links
• 115 National Societies in their preparedness for health and relief assistance during conflict
• 20 National Societies in carrying out community awareness programmes on mines and explosive remnants of war.

The Communication Department's overall aim is to strengthen the ICRC's ability to carry out its activities and promote respect for IHL.

More than 300 courses, workshops, round-tables and exercises involving some 18,000 military, security and police personnel were conducted in more than 100 countries. A total of 71 military officers from 23 countries received ICRC scholarships to attend 9 military courses on IHL in San Remo.

Delegates promoted compliance with applicable legal norms among private military and security companies contracted by States or other entities.

In practically every country covered by the ICRC, university lecturers in law, international relations and journalism incorporated IHL into their teaching. At national level, the ICRC supported universities by distributing teaching materials, co-organizing IHL events and competitions for students and sponsoring the participation of lecturers and professors in important regional and international IHL seminars.

In 2006, the media relations unit in Geneva issued 148 press releases, 78 news items, 139 information bulletins and 97 briefing and information notes and organized 16 press conferences.

The Exploring Humanitarian Law teaching module, launched in 2001, is currently being implemented in 69 contexts around the world.

Throughout the year, the ICRC's mine-action sector provided operational support to delegations, National Societies and political authorities in over 20 countries.

The Library and Research Service responded to some 2,400 requests for information from National Societies, NGOs, academics, government departments and the media. The ICRC produced some 40 print and audiovisual products and distributed more than 7,000 films and 460,000 publications worldwide and more than 100 million page views were registered on the ICRC website. The Visitor's Service at ICRC headquarters received groups totalling over 9,000 visitors.