The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is an international humanitarian organisation with a unique worldwide network. The International Federation, founded in 1919, has a presence in almost every country in the world today through its national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. The Red Crescent is used in place of the Red Cross in many Islamic countries. The Federation provides humanitarian relief to people affected by disasters or other emergencies and development assistance to empower vulnerable people to become more self-sufficient.