The International Committee of the Red Cross, founded in 1863 in Geneva, is an independent, neutral organization whose humanitarian duties are primarily derived from the 1949 Geneva Conventions. The organization is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and employs about 10,000 people in more than 80 countries worldwide. It is funded mainly by voluntary contributions from governments and national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It aims to provide humanitarian protection and assistance to victims of war and armed violence.