Who to treat first, a civilian or a combatant? Under international humanitarian law all wounded people shall be considered to be patients first, whether civilian or combatant. Ethically speaking, …
It has been a busy summer for the HCiD ambulance. It first travelled to Stockholm to take part in the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Swedish Red Cross. It then moved to Växjö for the Swedish …
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 …
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 …
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 …
The ICRC's work to promote economic security is intended to ensure that households and communities can cover their unavoidable expenditures and maintain or restore sustainable livelihoods. This …
A young man that survived because both police and protesters gave access to Red Crescent volunteers in a riot – this is one of the stories told by the new set of five Health Care in Danger posters. …
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 …
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 …
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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Created in 1863, the ICRC library, alongside the ICRC archives, provides an indispensable documentary reference on the organization itself and international humanitarian law.
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 international humanitarian law consists of rules that come from "a general practice accepted as law" and that exist independent of treaty law.
