Civilians

This theme highlights the protection of civilians in armed conflict, focusing on mitigating harm from explosive weapons, digital threats, harmful information, and challenges in urban warfare, while emphasizing the urgency of implementing international humanitarian law.

Complying with IHL in large-scale conflicts: How should states prepare to allow and facilitate delivery of humanitarian relief?

December 4, 2025 10 mins read Access / Accountability / Analysis / Complying with IHL in large-scale conflicts / Generating Respect for IHL / Humanitarian Action / IHL / Special Themes Ellen Policinski

Large-scale armed conflicts consistently sever the systems that sustain civilian life, leaving populations without essential ...

Navigating violence: five insights to strengthen humanitarian action in contested territories

November 24, 2025 12 mins read Access / Analysis / Armed Groups / Humanitarian Action / IHL / Social Protection Arjun Claire & Matthew Bamber-Zryd

More than 200 million people live today in contested territories – places where the authority ...

Reaffirming the obligation to protect medical facilities and support their functioning

November 20, 2025 15 mins read Analysis / Conduct of Hostilities / Generating Respect for IHL / Health Care / Health care / IHL / Related bodies of law / Special Protections / Special Themes / Upholding humanity in war: the Global IHL Initiative Supriya Rao & Alexander Breitegger

Restrictions on movement and access to medical supplies have become an often-unseen threat to health ...

From hackers to tech companies: IHL and the involvement of civilians in ICT activities in armed conflict

November 4, 2025 10 mins read Accountability / Analysis / Communications / Conduct of Hostilities / Generating Respect for IHL / IHL / Law and Conflict / New Technologies / Scope of application Tilman Rodenhäuser, Samit D’Cunha, Laurent Gisel, Anna Rosalie Greipl & Marco Roscini

Picture a potential future armed conflict: missiles and drones crowding the skies, uncrewed vehicles rolling ...

The humanity compass: navigating the protection of civilians in naval warfare

October 28, 2025 13 mins read Analysis / Conduct of Hostilities / Generating Respect for IHL / IHL / Law and Conflict / Related bodies of law / Special Themes / Upholding humanity in war: the Global IHL Initiative André Smit & Kelisiana Thynne

The law of naval warfare is a complex collection of international laws, developed in an ...

Sixty years on: why the Fundamental Principles must be lived, not just remembered

October 23, 2025 13 mins read Analysis / Conduct of Hostilities / Generating Respect for IHL / History / Humanitarian Action / Humanitarian diplomacy / Humanitarian Principles / IHL / Law and Conflict Pierre Krähenbühl

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross ...

Protecting civilians in good faith: the updated Commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention

October 21, 2025 10 mins read Accountability / Analysis / Conduct of Hostilities / Generating Respect for IHL / IHL / Law and Conflict Jean-Marie Henckaerts

Following five years of research and consultations, the ICRC has published a new, updated Commentary ...

The risks and legal limits of involving ‘self-defence groups’ in non-international armed conflict

September 18, 2025 14 mins read Accountability / Analysis / Armed Groups / Conduct of Hostilities / Generating Respect for IHL / IHL / Law and Conflict / Scope of application Jelena Nikolic, Tilman Rodenhäuser & Thomas de Saint Maurice

Across contemporary armed conflicts, the presence of civilian groups who take up arms to defend ...

Why we must defend humanitarian storytelling in a divided world

September 9, 2025 10 mins read Analysis / Communications / Generating Respect for IHL / Humanitarian Principles / IHL Najum Ul Saqib Iqbal

For as long as humans have existed, stories have been our bridge to one another. ...

‘Constant care’ must be taken to address bias in military AI

August 28, 2025 11 mins read Accountability / Analysis / Artificial intelligence in military decision-making / Generating Respect for IHL / IHL / New Technologies / Special Themes Laura Bruun & Marta Bo

As many states, especially those with large and resourceful militaries, are exploring the potential of ...

International humanitarian law and connectivity disruptions during armed conflict

July 3, 2025 13 mins read Access / Analysis / Communications / Conduct of Hostilities / Health Care / Health care / Humanitarian Action / IHL / New Technologies / Related bodies of law / Social Protection Tilman Rodenhäuser

“Without information and telecommunication, people don’t know where to go for safety,” the ICRC reported ...

Offline and in danger: the humanitarian consequences of connectivity disruptions

July 1, 2025 11 mins read Access / Analysis / Communications / New Technologies / Social Protection Cléa Thouin

As people around the world become increasingly reliant on digital and telecommunications networks to access ...