Profile
Médecins Sans
Frontières (MSF) (also known as Artsen zonder Grenzen in Dutch) is
an independent, medical, emergency relief organisation that
provides assistance to people worldwide, regardless of their
background, religion or political convictions. Above all, we aim to
save lives and to offer medical care to victims of disasters, wars
and epidemics. Sending our own teams (doctors, nurses and other
specialists) enables us to work as swiftly and effectively as
possible. Working together with local staff, they give direct
support to the population.
In 1999 Médecins Sans Frontières was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
for its medical work as well as for its advocacy efforts on behalf
of people and populations in danger.
Our Charter
MSF is a private, international organisation
made up mainly of doctors, nurses, paramedics and other
professionals who can support us in our mission.
They subscribe to the following
principles:
- MSF provides aid and assistance to population
groups in need, victims of natural and man-made disasters and
(civil) war. We pursue our mission without differentiating on the
basis of race, religion, ideology or political convictions.
- MSF is entirely neutral and impartial. We
demand absolute freedom to pursue our mission on the basis of
universally accepted medical ethics and the right to humanitarian
aid.
- MSF staff respect the medical code of conduct
and maintain a strict policy of independence towards political,
religious and economic power in any shape or form.
- MSF staff decide of their own free will
whether to accept the dangers and risks of the job and do not
demand any payment whatsoever either for themselves or entitled
claimants, apart from that which the organisation can provide.
International network
The Dutch
organisation ‘Artsen zonder Grenzen’ (MSF-Holland) is a member of
the international organisation ‘Médecins Sans Frontières’; a
network of 19 sections, each based in a different country. The
sections are independent, but work in close collaboration.
MSF-Holland has a strategic partnership with the MSF organisations
located in Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Medical Aid
Everyone
has a right to life-saving medical care. That includes people
living in war zones and conflict regions. However, in many of these
areas around the world, hundreds of thousands of people are cut off
from any form of healthcare. MSF finds that unacceptable. Our teams
try to reach the most vulnerable and isolated victims of wars,
conflict and natural disasters. We are equipped to offer quick
medical emergency aid using emergency specialists, medication and
water treatment equipment.
Our medical programmes include basic health care, primary and
secondary health care, and maternal and child health care. We also
treat patients for malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS
(including integrated HIV and TB services). Special programmes that
can be part of our projects include: nutritional care, mental
health care, epidemic surveillance and control, water and
sanitation activities. Most of the personnel working in MSF's
projects are recruited from the local population. Our international
staff work closely with local staff and often provide supervision
and training of local staff.
Advocacy
In many areas where MSF works even
the most basic human rights are violated on a large scale. Refugees
or displaced persons are subjected to violence or denied emergency
medical aid for political or other reasons. In these cases, only
giving medical assistance is not enough. MSF also appeals to those
in power, including governments and international organisations,
and speaks out about the abuses we encounter in the course of our
work.
For more information, please visit our international website:
http://www.msf.org (English). If you can
read Dutch, you can also go to this page.
Association
Like all MSF country organisations, the Dutch branch of MSF is
an assocation, called MSF-Holland. The members are current and
former field workers and office staff as well as those who have
served the organisation in another way. The MSF-Holland Association
Board is responsible for supervising MSF-Holland, and ensuring that
agreed policies are implemented.
Articles of Assocation and
by-laws
Articles of
Association
Management
statutes
By-laws