Ageing and Detention
Although all older people have the same basic needs, failure to meet these needs – and the additional needs that arise in detention – can have particularly severe consequences, and take a heavy toll …
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A Matter of Life and Death: Tackling Violence against Health Care in Pakistan, Peru and El Salvador
This publication compiles case studies of initiatives taken to safeguard the delivery of health care in Pakistan, Peru and El Salvador. Each initiative was designed to prevent or minimize the impact …
Dignity and Safety in Restrictive Detention Regimes
Detention is already a severe restriction of a person’s freedom. But some detainees are subject to even greater restrictions during their time in custody. In this booklet, we examine how restrictive …
Missing Migrants and their Families - The ICRC's Recommendations to Policy-Makers
This policy paper outlines key recommendations for policy-makers on ways to prevent migrants from going missing and, when they do, how to respond to the problem. It highlights the need to standardize …
Toolbox: Safeguarding the Provision of Health Care: Operational Practices and Relevant International Humanitarian Law concerning Armed Groups
This toolbox contains ten case studies and a model unilateral declaration related to the protection of health care. It is meant for armed groups, or individuals or entities that engage with armed …
Understanding the Arms Trade Treaty from a Humanitarian Perspective
The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) entered into force in December 2014. Through this treaty, States set common international standards for the transfer of conventional arms and ammunition, with the express …
Expert Meeting: Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas
Cities have never been immune from warfare. But over the last century, armed conflicts have increasingly been fought in populated areas. This has exposed civilians to greater risk of death, injury, …
Children and Detention
Detention for adults can be stressful and dangerous. For children, it can be even worse. This booklet explains the hardships that children face when they or their relatives are held in detention. It …
Nuclear, Radiological, Biological and Chemical Events
Nuclear, radiological, biological or chemical (NRBC) events are actions or occurrences that may lead to the release and dispersal of hazardous materials in quantities and in circumstances that put …
Health Care in Danger: Violent Incidents Affecting the Delivery of Health Care, January 2012 to December 2014
This report is based on 2,398 incidents of violence against health care. The data on those incidents was collected from various sources in 11 countries between January 2012 and December 2014 and …
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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.