Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare. MSF offers assistance to people based on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.

Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of neutrality and impartiality.

MSF was founded in Paris, France in 1971. It is a non-profit, self-governed organization. Today, MSF is a worldwide movement of 23 associations, bound together as MSF International, based in Switzerland.

Thousands of health professionals, logistical and administrative staff – most of whom are hired locally – work on programs in some 70 countries worldwide.

MSF operates independently. We conduct our own evaluations to determine people’s needs. More than 90 percent of our overall funding comes from millions of private sources, not governments.

MSF rejects the idea that poor people deserve third-rate medical care and strives to provide high-quality care to patients. In 1999, when MSF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the organization announced the money would go toward raising awareness of and fighting against neglected diseases.