10 things the rules of war do
The rules of war, also known as international humanitarian law: Protect those who are not fighting, such as civilians, medical personnel or aid workers. Protect those who are no longer able to fight, …
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Speech by ICRC president to African Union Peace and Security Council
Speech by Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, to the African Union Peace and Security Council, on involuntary displacement and migration and the obligation to …
The ICRC and Cranfield: New ‘scene analysis’ training agreement announced for 2017
The ICRC Mission to the UK and Ireland and Cranfield University, a leading centre for the study of many forensic-related disciplines including ballistics and chemical, biological, radiological and …
"Uncertainty": Photo exhibition on Ukraine's missing
No one knows exactly how many people are missing because of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. What's for sure is that each and every one is a tragedy. Their stories moved thousands of visitors …
Ukraine crisis: Uncertainty on both sides of the contact line
Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and grandparents of the missing on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine cope as best they can with an impossible, wholly intolerable situation. Waiting to …
ICRC and Parliaments: the fruitful collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Respecting and ensuring respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) requires extensive political mobilisation. The ratification of IHL treaties and other relevant instruments is a critical first …
Speech by ICRC president at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa
Speech by Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa, on 20 October 2016 Honoured guests, Distinguished colleagues, I am …
Russia: Conference discusses the human cost of weapons
The Use of Weapons in Modern Conflicts: Humanitarian Aspects conference was recently held in St Petersburg, and co-organised by the ICRC and the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Member Nations of …
Peacekeeping operations: ICRC statement to the United Nations, 2016
Statement by the ICRC to the United Nations General Assembly, 71st session, Fourth Committee, item 56 of the agenda. General debate on the comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping …
Migration: Speech by ICRC president to Council of Europe
Speech by Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, on 26 October 2016. First of all, let me thank you for the …
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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.