Strengthening international humanitarian law
Between 2012 and 2015, the ICRC undertook a major consultation process on how to strengthen legal protection for victims of armed conflict. This involves two tracks of work, one regarding detention …
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Much more resources and commitment needed to properly take care of dead migrants
As the number of migrants who lose their lives trying to reach Europe continues to rise, experts say work to identify and manage the bodies of the dead is falling far behind and call for an urgent …
Syria: Vienna talks must focus on respect for International Humanitarian Law
Geneva (ICRC) - As major powers gather in Vienna for fresh talks to try to end the conflict in Syria , the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called on states to intensify efforts to …
Commentary on the First Geneva Convention (flyer)
This flyer promotes the updated Commentary on the First Geneva Convention – the first in a series of updated Commentaries to be published by the ICRC. The flyer can be used as a promotional tool …
The Missing: the right to know
The Missing: the right to know is a short video (4 min. 30 sec.) which is ideal for opening meetings and discussions, providing a concise overview, through a series of testimonials, of the problem of …
The Missing: end the silence
Through a series of emotive testimonials, this video explores the tragedy of people who remain unaccounted for as a result of armed conflict or internal violence and the anguish that this causes to …
Operational Best Practices regarding the Management of Human Remains and Information on the Dead by Non-Specialists
This publication is a compilation of all recommendations and best practices relating to the proper handling of the remains of those who die in direct or indirect relation to an armed conflict or …
War Wounds: Basic Surgical Management – The Principles and Practice of the Surgical Management of Wounds Produced by Missiles or Explosions
The main concern of a doctor faced with a person injured by a mine, a bullet or a metallic fragment is how to treat the wound. This book is intended to help doctors, whether military or civilian, who …
Red Cross, Red Crescent, Red Crystal
Since they were adopted, the red cross and red crescent emblems have provided protection to millions of war victims but they have also given rise to repeated difficulties and virtually continuous …
Fighting by the rules
This informative film examines the development of the law of armed conflict and considers its relationship with the whole history of war in the 20th Century. Drawing on a wealth of historical facts …
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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.