South Africa: The 6th Commonwealth Conference
Building a culture of IHL compliance in Commonwealth Nations and commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions A platform for sharing best practices on IHL. From 15–19 April, 2024, …
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Humanitarian Visa d’Or: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham wins for documenting the plight of civilians in the DRC
On 18 June 2024, for its 14th edition, the ICRC’s Humanitarian Visa d’Or was awarded to freelance photographer Hugh Kinsella Cunningham for his remarkable reporting on civilians caught up in the …
“I was afraid to tell anyone” – supporting survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Far from the world’s attention, conflict is again shattering lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Alongside the fighting, sexual violence is rife. ‘Listening houses’ run by the Red Cross offer …
Torture and ill treatment: The position of the ICRC
Torture and all other forms of cruel, inhuman, degrading or humiliating treatment are banned under international law. The ICRC strives to prevent these practices and put an end to them where they do …
A Call to Humanity: Reflecting on the 75th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),the Belgian Red Cross andthe Belgian EU Presidency, organised a high-level event to mark the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. The event …
Arms transfers to parties to armed conflict: what the law says
Today's conflicts are fuelled by a steady supply of arms, ammunition and replacement parts. To prevent the devastating harm that results from the widespread availability and misuse of weapons, …
The Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949
The four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 are international treaties, ratified or acceded to by virtually all States. They protect the wounded and sick in armed forces in the field; wounded, sick …
ICRC president: "We must adopt a human-centred approach to the development and use of new technologies."
Speech given by Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Shangri-La Dialogue, Special Session 5: AI, Cyber Defence and Future Warfare – 1 June 2024, Singapore. …
Searching for people missing in connection with the 1992–1993 armed conflict in Abkhazia
The coordination mechanism consisting of Abkhaz and Georgian participants that is seeking to account for 1,860 people, who went missing in connection with the 1992–93 armed conflict in Abkhazia and …
Media competition on “the relevance of the International Humanitarian Law in contemporary armed conflicts”
Background: In contemporary armed conflicts, International Humanitarian Law (IHL) stands as a beacon of hope amidst the chaos and devastation of warfare. With its roots entrenched in centuries-old …
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ICRC library
Created in 1863, the ICRC library, alongside the ICRC archives, provides an indispensable documentary reference on the organization itself and international humanitarian law.
IHL treaties
International humanitarian law is based on a number of treaties, in particular the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, and a series of other instruments.
Customary IHL
Customary international humanitarian law consists of rules that come from "a general practice accepted as law" and that exist independent of treaty law.