Frequently Asked Questions on International Humanitarian, Human Rights and Refugee Law in the context of armed conflict
The United Nations' Inter-Agency Standing Committee, a coordination group for humanitarian agencies, has produced a basic fact-file on legal aspects of aid work during conflicts. Two dozen concise questions and answers explain essentials such as who is protected, under which branch of law, what type of acts are forbidden, and what constitutes a war crime.
This document has been prepared by the IASC Task Force (until 2003, known as the IASC Reference Group) on Humanitarian Action and Human Rights as a complement to Growing the Sheltering Tree, a collection of field practices in promoting and protecting rights by humanitarian actors issued by the Task Force in September 2002.
The text seeks to respond to questions commonly asked by humanitarian workers on the legal framework that serves as a basis for assistance and protection activities in situations of armed conflict. It sets out the relevant international instruments and offers examples of their provisions and application by responding to the following questions:
