The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which laid the foundation of the modern Red Cross movement and humanitarian law, was founded by which individual?

Introduction / Context:
The Red Cross movement is one of the best known humanitarian initiatives in the world, focusing on relief during war and disasters, and on the development of international humanitarian law. Examinations often test knowledge of its founder, because this is a fundamental fact in world history and international organisations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to the founding of the Red Cross.
• The options list J. H. Durant, Baden Powell, Trygve Lie and Frederic Passy.
• We interpret “J. H. Durant” as a slightly misspelled version of Jean Henri Dunant, commonly known as Henry Dunant.
• The task is to pick the individual historically credited with founding the Red Cross.

Concept / Approach:
The Red Cross originated after Henry Dunant witnessed the suffering of wounded soldiers at the Battle of Solferino in 1859. His efforts led to the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross and to the first Geneva Convention. Therefore, any option that approximates his name, such as J. H. Durant in this question bank, is intended to represent Henry Dunant and should be selected as the founder.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman and social activist, is widely recognised as the founder of the Red Cross.Step 2: Compare this recollection with the answer choices. Option a, “J. H. Durant”, is clearly meant to refer phonetically to Jean Henri Dunant.Step 3: Examine Baden Powell, who founded the Scouting movement, not the Red Cross.Step 4: Note that Trygve Lie was the first Secretary General of the United Nations, again not the founder of the Red Cross.Step 5: Recognise that Frederic Passy was a peace activist and co recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize, but he did not found the Red Cross. Therefore, select “J. H. Durant” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification method is to remember that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Henry Dunant and Frederic Passy in 1901. Dunant received it for founding the Red Cross, while Passy received it for his peace campaigns. This pairing helps distinguish their roles. Since the question asks specifically about the founder of the Red Cross, the option representing Dunant must be correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Baden Powell: Founder of the Boy Scouts movement, known for youth education and outdoor skills.

Trygve Lie: First Secretary General of the United Nations, not associated with the origin of the Red Cross movement.

Frederic Passy: A French economist and peace activist who shared the first Nobel Peace Prize with Dunant, but he did not create the Red Cross.

Common Pitfalls:
Examinees may be misled by the slightly inaccurate spelling “Durant” and think it refers to another person. Others may confuse the roles of Dunant and Passy because they both received the Nobel Peace Prize in the same year. It is important to focus on who initiated battlefield relief efforts and proposed the Geneva Convention, which clearly points to Henry Dunant.

Final Answer:
The Red Cross movement was founded by Jean Henri Dunant, represented in this question by option “J. H. Durant”.