A call to make international humanitarian law a political priority

February 6, 2025 8 mins read Accountability / Analysis / Conduct of Hostilities / Generating Respect for IHL / Humanitarian diplomacy / Humanitarian Principles / IHL Mirjana Spoljaric

As the devastating impacts of armed conflicts continue to mount, civilians are enduring unimaginable suffering. ...

War in cities: a solemn appeal from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

January 7, 2025 6 mins read Access / Accountability / Analysis / Armed Groups / Conduct of Hostilities / Generating Respect for IHL / Humanitarian Action / Humanitarian diplomacy / Humanitarian Principles / IHL

Around the world, civilians in cities at war face immense risks. Urban warfare devastates lives ...

War and what we make of the law

July 18, 2024 10 mins read Accountability / Analysis / Conduct of Hostilities / Generating Respect for IHL / Humanitarian Principles / IHL / Special Themes / The Geneva Conventions at 75 Cordula Droege

Preventing the catastrophic human cost of war is a central purpose of modern international law. ...

Principles under pressure: have humanitarian principles really stood the test of time?

July 11, 2024 12 mins read Analysis / Humanitarian Action / Humanitarian Principles / Humanitarian principles in contemporary armed conflict / Special Themes Olivier Ray

Recent conflicts have brought to light the jarring personal dilemmas humanitarian workers confront and provoked ...

De-dehumanization: practicing humanity

June 27, 2024 15 mins read Analysis / Humanitarian Principles / Humanitarian principles in contemporary armed conflict / IHL / Special Themes / The Geneva Conventions at 75 Natalie Deffenbaugh

There is today an idea of a single humanity, with each member equally valued, and ...

Protecting civilians in conflict: the urgency of implementing the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas

April 22, 2024 9 mins read Analysis / Generating Respect for IHL / IHL / Influencing Behaviour in Armed Conflict / Urban warfare / Weapons Laura Boillot, Laurent Gisel, Paul Holtom, Frederik Siem, Dina Abou Samra & Juliana Helou van der Berg

The widespread use of heavy explosive weapons has reached alarming levels, exacting a staggering toll ...

Codifying IHL before Lieber and Dunant: the 1820 treaty for the regularization of war

April 4, 2024 13 mins read Analysis / History / Humanitarian Principles / IHL / Law and Conflict / Related bodies of law / Special Themes / The Geneva Conventions at 75 Jacob Coffelt

Before the Lieber Code and Geneva Conventions came a treaty between the Spanish Empire and ...

From theology to technology: a call for IHL ambassadors in the Asia-Pacific region

March 28, 2024 11 mins read Analysis / Education in Armed Conflict / Generating Respect for IHL / Humanitarian Action / IHL / Special Themes / The Geneva Conventions at 75 Jonathan Kwik, Ai Kihara-Hunt & Kelisiana Thynne

The Asia-Pacific region is diverse in religious, ethnic and historical backgrounds as well as in ...

Towards national implementation of IHL: Arab states pledge their commitment

February 15, 2024 7 mins read Analysis / Generating Respect for IHL / IHL / Special Themes / The Geneva Conventions at 75 Yasmin Bedir & Omar Mekky

The work and contribution of national committees on IHL (NCIHLs) can be relevant in a ...

The complex neutrality of commercial space actors in armed conflict

November 16, 2023 12 mins read Analysis / Communications / Humanitarian Principles / Outer Space / Technology in Humanitarian Action / War, law, and outer space Guoyu Wang

During an international armed conflict, commercial space actors under the jurisdiction or control of a ...

Navigating dilemmas in people-centric humanitarian action

August 31, 2023 17 mins read Accountability / Analysis / Humanitarian Action / Humanitarian Principles / Social Inclusion / Social Protection Indu Nepal & Natalie Klein-Kelly

There is now a general consensus that being accountable to people affected by conflict and ...

People, principles, and processes: accountability in humanitarian action

August 29, 2023 15 mins read Accountability / Accountability / Analysis / Humanitarian Action / Humanitarian Principles David Loquercio & Martin Schüepp

In an ever-evolving global landscape, the dynamics of humanitarian work are constantly challenged and shaped ...