What is international humanitarian law?
International humanitarian law (IHL) is a set of rules that seeks, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflict. It protects persons who are not, or are no longer, directly or …
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Online Community for National Committees and Similar Entities on IHL - Factsheet
In order to ensure the effective application of international humanitarian law (IHL), many states have created national interministerial working groups, often called committees for the implementation …
Operational update: 6,000 people uprooted from their homes receive household essentials
04-07-2022 Maputo (ICRC) – To respond to a new wave of displacement in Northern Mozambique the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in collaboration with the Mozambican Red Cross, …
China: ICRC, Tsinghua University co-host panel on humanitarian situation in Afghanistan
On 2 July, the regional delegation for East Asia of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Institute of International Relations of Tsinghua University hosted the joint panel …
ICRC directorate
A new Directorate began its mandate 1 July 2022 – with 6 new Directors. The members of the ICRC directorate are appointed by the Assembly for four-year terms. Pierre Krähenbühl Director-General …
Daily workers, residents in far-flung areas, welcome PRC Bakuna Bus
Finally, after waiting for months, Melissa Bajolo can breathe a sigh of relief. The factory worker has received her booster shot from the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Bakuna (vaccine) Bus, a four-wheel …
The Safer Access programme: Good practice in Brazil showcased at the World Urban Forum
29-06-2022 The SAF aims to reduce and mitigate risks related to armed violence that professionals and the population they serve are exposed to in their daily lives Katowice, Poland (ICRC) – The Safer …
Regional state consultations on international humanitarian law and cyber operations during armed conflicts
Together with partners, the ICRC is conducting a series of regional consultations with States on international humanitarian law and cyber operations during armed conflicts. The aim of these events is …
Gendered impacts of armed conflicts and implications for the application of IHL
Gender affects and shapes individual experiences of armed conflict in complex ways. A gender perspective is a relevant tool for practitioners seeking to understand and reduce civilian harm in armed …
Towards More Effective Humanitarian Operations In Urban Areas
On 28th June the GWH and the ICRC invite Prof. Mark Zeitoun, director general of the Geneva Water Hub, to discuss with a panel of leading experts his recent work " Towards more effective humanitarian …
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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.