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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Russian Federation: ICRC and CSTO launch new format for dialogue
Ukraine and Afghanistan. Humanitarian law and the protection of civilians in wartime. Vital topics for both the ICRC and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and good reason for senior …
Joint statement on the protection of health care
Statement In the last few months, a number of attacks against health-care workers, medical transports and facilities have taken place in several countries, like Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen to …
Colombia: ICRC forensic scientist searches for missing people
For the past two and half years, Ángel Medina Bejarano has been trying to trace people who have gone missing in Colombia's armed conflict. He knows from experience that the process of recovering …
Algeria: A few facts and figures
Then... 1955 : The ICRC begins working in Algeria. It focuses its efforts on prisoners and displaced people. 40,000 Algerian refugees are helped by the ICRC and National Red Crescent Societies …
Australia: Militaries, Humanitarian Action and Neutrality
The event will be livestreamed from this page on 4 November The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Centre for Military and Security Law (CMSL) at the Australian National …
Philippines: Clean water for 4,000 people in Zamboanga
05-11-2015 Manila (ICRC) – A community-based water-supply system providing potable water to over 4,000 people, including displaced families, was officially inaugurated today in Barangay Taluksangay, …
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 …
Malaysia: Young Humanitarian Writers Competition
UPDATE: The deadline for the Young Humanitarian Writers Competition has now been extended to 30 November. Application details are outlined below. Calling all writers – professional or just passionate …
Best practices for ambulance services – excellent health care for patients
Ambulance drivers and first aiders are often a patient's first contact to health-care services. To guarantee the provision of quality care to the sick and wounded, even in challenging conditions, …
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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.