Ruben Stewart is military and armed group adviser with ICRC in Geneva. Formerly as a New Zealand Army officer and more recently as a humanitarian, he has spent over 20 years in the field working in East Timor, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia. That experience was characterized by engagement and dialogue with armed actors, primarily armed groups in conflict settings and especially urban areas.

Ruben’s work at the ICRC focuses on armed groups, battlefield behavior, IHL pedagogy and future conflict trends, especially those related to technology. He has a Master’s degree in International Relations and has authored a number of articles in various military journals.