Abuja (ICRC) – A three-day workshop convened to foster the exchange of knowledge and research on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) ended today at Barcelona Hotel in Abuja. More than 60 university teachers, IHL experts and representatives of non-state governmental organizations participated in this event organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS).
The workshop now in its 13th year, featured a wide range of topics related to the protection of people affected by armed conflict, such as the prevention of forced displacement, the law protecting children in armed conflicts and sexual violence.
"The lack of respect of International Humanitarian Law provisions is generating massive humanitarian consequences in Africa and other regions of the world. Disseminating information on IHL remains a priority and a means to prevent IHL violations," said Karl Anton Mattli, head of the ICRC delegation in Nigeria.
The ICRC has been organizing workshops for IHL teachers in select universities and research centers. The essence of the workshop has been to advance the knowledge of IHL among participants and enhance their teaching capacities.
For the past 18 years, Nigerian universities have partnered with the ICRC to incorporate IHL into their curriculum. The ICRC provides teaching materials, encourages independent research and has sponsored 41 teachers to receive specialized training abroad. The ICRC has also sponsored 39 IHL students from Nigerian universities to participate in the annual regional moot court competition in Arusha, Tanzania.
For further information, please contact:
Dénes Benczédi, ICRC Abuja, tel: +234 706 418 90 02 or +234 703 595 41 68
Elodie Schindler, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 21 86 or +41 79 217 32 17
