Violence against civilians, health workers and health facilities in conflict zones is on the rise. The need to promote respect for civilians and the wounded in the battlefield among all concerned has never been greater. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) believes video games and the gaming community that simulate real-war situations are a key vector in this regard as they influence perceptions about what military action is acceptable in war.
With an aim to promote respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) and the laws of armed conflict, the ICRC and Bohemia Interactive, have come together to launch the Make Arma Not War contest to create special game modules for Arma 3. The idea is to make the game challenging and interesting by inserting features that bind players to respect non-combatants, civilians, health workers and health facilities during the game. This could include features like medical evacuations or wounded soldiers being given first aid by the enemy, etc.
The developers can get inspiration from real-life stories from past and present conflicts to create challenges. The contest promises to go a long way in promoting the laws of war or IHL among players, including aspiring recruits and deployed soldiers. The idea underlying the contest is that combat simulation games can have an impact on respect for life in the battlefield.
Sameer Desai, co-founder of Indian Video Gamer (IVG), India’s largest gaming community is excited about the effort. “It is great that the Red Cross recognizes the fact that gaming has benefits that go beyond entertainment. This is also an amazing opportunity for ‘modders’ and developers to create something that can find practical use in the real world, draw attention to serious issues, and actually help save lives,” says Desai.
Winners of the contest will be transported from the virtual war zone to one of the 80 countries where the ICRC is carrying out its humanitarian activities.
New video game contest promotes respect for health-care personnel and facilities
Click on the following links for more on:
The Contest
The Challenge: Respect for health care workers and facilities in war
The Law: Video Games, War and International Humanitarian Law
ICRC New Delhi