Ecuador earthquake: Reuniting families
The earthquake that rocked Ecuador on 16 April caused great uncertainty and anguish among the population. Even though telephone services were re-established within a few hours, many people had no …
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Fighting in Libya rages on: Portraits of four brave men
Five years since the revolution in Libya the bullets are still flying. The situation is getting worse as fighting intensifies, pushing people out of their homes. The following are portraits of four …
Central African Republic: Seed brings hope and rebuilds lives
Madeleine Dondouba takes heavy steps as she carries a sack weighing 20 kg on her head. She may be 70, but she insists on carrying the load herself – the groundnuts inside are extremely precious. A …
Nigeria: As people flee violence, malnutrition and measles seen in children
Thousands of people have fled to the Nigerian town of Damboa following violent clashes. The town was already hosting a number of displaced people in several makeshift camps scattered around the area. …
Myanmar students compete in country’s first moot court competition
Myanmar's first-ever moot court competition on international humanitarian law took place at Yangon University in May, pitting law students from five universities against each other in hours of …
Lake Chad: 'Not a day goes by without a child dying of malnutrition'
09-06-2016 The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says over 9 million people are in urgent need of aid in the Lake Chad region of Africa. More than 2.4 million people have fled their …
Afghanistan: Women's refuge inspires laughter and song
For women in Afghanistan, raising children in the midst of conflict is a lifetime struggle. And when this is coupled with poverty, illiteracy, violence and back-breaking work, the strain can leave …
Armenia / Azerbaijan: Azerbaijani citizen repatriated
10-06-2016 Geneva/Yerevan/Baku (ICRC) – An Azerbaijani civilian – a woman who had crossed the international border into Armenia on 7 June – was repatriated today under the auspices of the …
Ukraine crisis: Intensifying hostilities endanger civilian lives and infrastructure
10-06-2016 Kiev (ICRC) – Escalating fighting in populated areas along the front line is putting the lives of many civilians in serious danger, while civilian infrastructure providing essential …
Speech by ICRC president: Protecting civilians in peacekeeping operations
Speech by Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at the United Nations Security Council in Geneva, Switzerland. War equals destruction. Destruction of the enemy, of …
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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.
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.