Air and naval warfare
International humanitarian law covers all armed conflicts – on land, at sea or in the air. Nevertheless, some treaty and customary law applies specifically to naval and aerial warfare. Highlights War …
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Criminal repression of IHL violations
When violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) occur, states are under an obligation to prosecute alleged offenders. Domestic courts therefore play an important role in enforcing IHL and …
National implementation of IHL: Documentation
States party to international humanitarian law treaties must take certain legal and administrative measures to comply with the obligations they have undertaken. This section deals with various topics …
Respect for IHL
States and other parties to armed conflict have an obligation to "respect and to ensure respect for" IHL "in all circumstances" (Art. 1 common to the Geneva Conventions). They must use their …
Strengthening IHL project
Between 2012 and 2015, the ICRC undertook two major consultation processes on strengthening legal protection for victims of armed conflict. These two processes have since moved into a new phase, …
Gender and IHL
War affects women, men, girls and boys differently. Taking account of these differences when applying international human law will result in better protection for all. A gender perspective on …
Food security
Nowhere are the consequences of the global food crisis felt more than in countries already facing humanitarian crises and torn apart by decades of warfare or instability. International humanitarian …
Direct participation in hostilities
A clear distinction between armed forces and civilians is a key element of international humanitarian law. In contemporary conflict, however, the proximity of civilians to military operations and …
Urban warfare and violence
It is heartbreaking to watch a city you love die. Yet that is exactly what happens when armed conflicts are fought in the middle of cities, endangering the lives of civilians and the infrastructure …
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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.