Respect for IHL

This theme highlights efforts to promote adherence to international humanitarian law (IHL) through education, voluntary compliance tools, historical codification, and national implementation, and fostering a universal culture of respect for the law in armed conflicts.

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 ...

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 ...

Outsourcing humanity? International law, humane treatment, and artificial intelligence in detention operations

November 13, 2025 14 mins read Accountability / Analysis / Detention / Generating Respect for IHL / IHL / Law and Conflict / New Technologies Terry Hackett & Alexis Comninos

As artificial intelligence (AI) begins to shape decisions about who is detained in armed conflict ...

Peace can start in a prison cell: how IHL and humane detention can build pathways to peace

November 6, 2025 14 mins read Accountability / Analysis / Detention / Generating Respect for IHL / IHL / Law and Conflict / Special Themes / Torture / Upholding humanity in war: the Global IHL Initiative Terry Hackett & Audrey Purcell-O’Dwyer

When wars end, peace rarely begins overnight. It’s built, slowly and painstakingly, through acts that ...

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 ...

ICRC engagement with armed groups in 2025

October 30, 2025 14 mins read Access / Analysis / Armed Groups / Generating Respect for IHL / Humanitarian Action Matthew Bamber-Zryd

In line with its mandate, the ICRC engages with all parties to an armed conflict, ...

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 ...

Six ways IHL protects mental health

October 16, 2025 12 mins read Analysis / Conduct of Hostilities / Emerging Voices / Generating Respect for IHL / Health Care / IHL / Social Protection / Special Protections / Special Themes Giulia Bosi

The impact of armed conflict on mental health is increasingly evident. According to data from ...

Goodbye is the hardest part: why is ending violence so difficult for non-state armed groups?

October 9, 2025 12 mins read Analysis / Armed Groups / Generating Respect for IHL / Identity / IHL / Influencing Behaviour in Armed Conflict / Protracted Conflict / Social Inclusion / Special Themes / Topics Thomas Evans

For groups involved in long-running non-international armed conflicts, the decision to end the use of ...

Dialogue, dignity, and the humanitarian contribution to peace

October 2, 2025 13 mins read Analysis / Generating Respect for IHL / Humanitarian Action / Humanitarian diplomacy / Humanitarian Principles / IHL / Law and Conflict / Special Themes / Upholding humanity in war: the Global IHL Initiative Ariana Lopes Morey & Avigail Shai

The number of conflicts continues to rise – with the ICRC currently classifying some 130 ...