Occupation
Recent years have seen an increase in extraterritorial military action. Some of these interventions have given rise to new forms of foreign military presence in the territory of a state, and these …
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Compliance with IHL
Working with states and parties to conflict to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law is at the core of our mandate under the Geneva Conventions. IHL in action IHL in action: Respect …
Human rights law
International humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law are two distinct but complementary bodies of law. They are both concerned with the protection of life, health and dignity. IHL …
Protected persons: Internally displaced persons
The ICRC's long-standing work addressing internal displacement globally is guided by our mandate to protect the lives and dignity of people affected by armed conflict and other violence. We focus on …
Anti-personnel landmines
Anti-personnel mines continue to maim and kill even after conflicts end – and it is mainly civilians who suffer the horrific consequences. Highlight Why the Mine Ban Convention was worth fighting for …
Food security
Nowhere are the consequences of the global food crisis felt more than in countries already facing humanitarian crises and torn apart by decades of warfare or instability. International humanitarian …
Protected persons: Prisoners of war and detainees
The Third Geneva Convention protects prisoners of war. It defines their rights and sets out detailed rules for their treatment and release. International humanitarian law also protects other people …
Air and naval warfare
International humanitarian law covers all armed conflicts – on land, at sea or in the air. Nevertheless, some treaty and customary law applies specifically to naval and aerial warfare. Highlights War …
Military operations in space
Despite the international community’s long-term desire to explore and use space for peaceful purposes, military use of space and space objects has been an integral part of contemporary warfare for …
Explosive remnants of war
Every year, large numbers of civilians are killed or injured by explosive remnants of war, a term that refers to the unexploded ordnance – such as shells, grenades and bombs – left behind after a …
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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.